Le voyage d'un mendiant à travers le monde

Chapitre 137

Lian Junchu had never heard Ruzheng mention moving before. In his mind, the time Ruzheng spent with her aunt should have been the happiest and warmest time, but he never expected that there would be such twists and turns... He suddenly thought of Ruzheng's painful expression after hearing the flute music at Chicheng Mountain on Tiantai last time, and how she was awakened by nightmares at night. He felt a mix of emotions and was even more melancholy.

Seeing that he was in low spirits, Qian'er took her leave first. Lian Junchu sat downstairs for a while before slowly going upstairs.

The curtains were drawn in the room, and Yue Ruzheng lay quietly on the bed. He sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Ruzheng's face. Over the years, the sharpness of her youth had gradually faded from her face. Only after reconciling with him would a smile return to her face, and even her eyes would be filled with long-lost joy.

Just as she never said why she liked him, Lian Junchu never truly confessed his feelings. It was only that vague feeling of wanting to be with her that gradually drew them closer, making it hard for them to separate. Even when they reunited on a snowy night, spending three days in the desolate Yandang Mountain, they clung to each other. She didn't try to persuade him, and he didn't say another word about the past torments they had endured.

Perhaps in their hearts, there was never any need for further explanation. As long as they wanted to be together, no amount of twists and turns could separate them.

He always felt that keeping many things to himself was enough, but now, looking at Yue Ruzheng sleeping peacefully, he felt a sudden surge of sorrow. He longed to stay by her side forever, so that even in her sleep, she wouldn't feel lost.

Thinking this, Lian Junchu bent down and pressed her cheek close to Yue Ruzheng's. Yue Ruzheng frowned slightly, as if sensing something, and struggled to open her eyes.

"Xiao Tang?" Her voice triggered a sharp pain, but she held back, reaching out to wrap her arms around his neck, her eyes fixed on him.

Lian Junchu smiled as calmly as possible, "You slept for a long time; I thought you wouldn't wake up until tonight."

Yue Ruzheng then turned to look out the window, and upon hearing the distant sound of bells and chimes, she suddenly paused, "The ancestral worship ceremony has already begun?"

Lian Junchu said calmly, "It's almost over."

Yue Ruzheng sighed, disappointedly releasing her hands, and turned to him, saying, "I didn't make it in time..."

"Don't think about these things anymore. Just focus on getting better." Lian Jun sat up straight and looked at her silently. Yue Ruzheng reached out and carefully tugged at his sleeve, stammering, "Xiao Tang... I... I'm so scared."

Lian Junchu lowered her head, moved closer to her, and said, "Don't overthink it, I'm here with you."

"Why don't you ask me what I'm afraid of?" Yue Ruzheng whispered.

He paused for a moment, then said, "I know in my heart, so there's no need to ask."

A faint smile gradually appeared in Yue Ruzheng's previously troubled eyes. She rested her head on his sleeve as always, and said with satisfaction, "You really do understand me."

"Ruzheng..." Lian Junchu's voice was a little hoarse, but he couldn't show his sadness in front of her, so he forced a smile and said, "When you're feeling better, I'll take you away, okay?"

Yue Ruzheng's fingers trembled slightly. She looked up at his thin face and murmured, "Take me away?"

"Aren't we going back to our home in Nan Yandang?" Lian Junchu said softly, her eyes lowered.

Yue Ruzheng forced a smile, placed her hand on his leg, and said, "Yes, that's our home."

Over the next few days, Hai Qiongzi used golden needles to pierce Yue Ruzheng's vital acupoints, employing her pure Yang internal energy to dispel her pain. Yue Ruzheng herself lacked internal energy, but fortunately, she was protected by the Beauty-Preserving Pearl, which allowed her to withstand Hai Qiongzi's treatment. Even so, because her blood stasis had accumulated for a long time, she suffered greatly from pain during the dispersal process.

Although the blood stasis gradually subsided, she still couldn't remember anything from the past. Jiang Shuying was very puzzled and, away from the crowd, asked Hai Qiongzi. Hai Qiongzi said, "Please don't think of me as some kind of miracle doctor. I only temporarily cured her chronic illness. This matter has a long history, so how could she suddenly remember it? Besides, she must have gone through many hardships. I think we shouldn't force her to recall it!"

Jiang Shuying sighed, "Senior, you don't know this, but I was worried that she and Lian Junchu were actually half-siblings, which is why I was so eager to make Ruzheng think things through..."

Hai Qiongzi shook her head and smiled, stroking her long beard as she said, "Shuying, even if your disciple hadn't lost her memory, how old was she back then? Could she really have known about her own background so clearly?"

"What should I do?!" Jiang Shuying frowned, her mind agitated by the thought. "I truly regret asking her to go out in the first place; otherwise, I would never have met Lian Junchu!"

"Sigh, why are you doing this to yourself?" Hai Qiongzi said softly, gazing into the distance with her hands behind her back. "Do you think that by keeping her firmly by your side, she'll be safe? What's meant to be will be, and what's not meant to be will be, even if you meet, you'll still part ways!"

Jiang Shuying felt something and fell silent.

Yue Ruzheng's headache gradually subsided. These past few days, Lian Junchu had remained at Yinxi Xiaozhu. Although Jiang Shuying was still quite cold towards him, he had long since gotten used to it and did not harbor any resentment towards her because of it. However, because of Jiang Shuying, he could not live with Ruzheng and could only visit her a few times during the day.

The green plum blossoms beneath the small building gradually withered, while new green shoots sprouted from the grass in the corner. That day, Hai Qiongzi and Lin Bizhi, seeing that Yue Ruzheng's condition had improved, prepared to take their leave. When Jiang Shuying came to inform Yue Ruzheng of this news, Yue Ruzheng hesitated for a moment before saying to her, "Master, I also want to leave Yinxi Xiaozhu temporarily."

Jiang Shuying was taken aback, and said in a low voice, "You're going to leave with Lian Junchu?"

Yue Ruzheng lowered her head and said, "I want to find out my origins... Once I've found out, I'll come back to say goodbye to my master."

"Farewell?" Jiang Shuying asked with a wry smile. "Ruzheng, are you really determined to spend your life with him?"

Yue Ruzheng bit her lip and remained silent, but her gaze was clear and unwavering.

Jiang Shuying finally couldn't hold back any longer, "If we can't verify your background, what are your plans?"

Yue Ruzheng was taken aback, seemingly having never considered this question before. Jiang Shuying sighed, stood up, and said, "I won't stop you. Go ahead, but think things through carefully on the way, lest you be caught off guard and make things difficult for yourself."

After saying these words, she left the room looking dejected.

So, as Hai Qiongzi and Lin Bizhi set off, Lian Junchu and Yue Ruzheng also left Yinxi Xiaozhu. At the foot of Mount Dashu, in the secluded forest, Jiang Shuying, accompanied by Qian'er, saw them off. Hai Qiongzi disliked social obligations and didn't require any farewell ceremony. When Jiang Shuying asked him where he was going, he only smiled and said he wanted to find a quiet place to live in seclusion. But Lin Bizhi respectfully reminded him, "Master promised Junior Brother he would see his swordsmanship progress; has he forgotten again?"

Hai Qiongzi slapped her forehead, "I really forgot again! The last time I saw him was about a year ago..."

"It's been two years..." Lin Bizhi lowered her eyes and reminded her again.

Hai Qiongzi hesitated for a moment, then hurriedly cupped his hands to Jiang Shuying and said, "My dear niece, I cannot delay any longer. Otherwise, my little disciple will be waiting in Luofu Mountain until his hair turns white and he still won't see me return. He must be heartbroken. I must take my leave now and return to the mountain!" With that, he lifted his Taoist robe, stepped onto the ground, and flew swiftly towards the main road.

Helpless, Lin Bizhi slung her longsword over her shoulder and shouted, "Master, we've gone the wrong way!" as she chased after them.

Qian'er couldn't help but laugh out loud, but seeing that Jiang Shuying was still aloof, she had to suppress her laughter, gave Yue Ruzheng a deep bow, and said, "Miss, be careful on your journey, and remember to come back to see me." As she spoke, she secretly pointed to Lian Junchu, indicating that the two of them should come back together.

Yue Ruzheng smiled and nodded, then looked back at Lian Junchu, put her arm around his waist, and walked with him to Jiang Shuying.

"Master, no matter the outcome, thank you for taking care of me all these years. If it weren't for you, I might have frozen to death in the wild long ago..." As she said this, Yue Ruzheng's eyes gradually became moist.

Jiang Shuying was about to speak, but Yue Ruzheng continued, "I've known Xiao Tang for four years, but we've spent so little time together. Please let me walk with him one more step... Even if, even if we can never find out my origins in this lifetime, I will have no regrets."

Hearing this, Lian Junchu, who was standing nearby, felt a mix of emotions. She turned her head and whispered, "Ruzheng, no matter what, I will accompany you to find out about your background."

Yue Ruzheng smiled through her tears, tightening her grip on his waist as if she wanted to keep him by her side forever.

These words softened Jiang Shuying's previously cold heart. She didn't say anything more, but simply waved for the two of them to leave. Watching Ruzheng's departing figure, tears welled up in Jiang Shuying's eyes.

After leaving Yinxi Xiaozhu, Lian Junchu pondered for a long time before deciding to take Yue Ruzheng back to Qixing Island. He hoped to find some older people on the island to explore the past. Along the way, although he tried his best not to talk about this difficult issue with Ruzheng, how could Yue Ruzheng easily let it go?