Sept nuits de neige

Chapitre 82

"I...I..." Tang Shijiu stamped his foot, "I can't bear to part with it!"

Tianxiu couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Tang Shijiu cried for a while, then wiped her tears with Tianxiu's clothes: "You don't know how big the world is until you leave the martial world, but in such a big world, I'm not as happy and carefree as I was back in Xiaoyao Manor. Before I came out, I always wanted to see the top martial arts in the martial world and meet the top masters. Now I don't want anything, I just want to go back, stay with my master, stay on my little plot of land, and see my junior brothers and sisters."

"This is a dream for many people. The martial world is a place where it's easy to enter but hard to leave. If you go swimming in the river, it's easy to get wet, but it's hard to get dry." Tianxiu gently touched her black hair, not knowing whether he was speaking to her or to himself.

Tang Shijiu said, "Men are no big deal, we can just give them up. I'll go back and beg my master to apologize to Gu Yan. Anyway, I'll stay at Xiaoyao Manor no matter what, I'd rather die than leave."

His voice suddenly softened: "Nineteen, if you're willing, I'll always be with you."

Nineteen turned her head and smiled gently: "Although the world of martial arts is not as wonderful as I imagined, at least I have made a lot of good friends. I met you, I met Tang Yu, I met Zi Nu... and... and..." Her eyes lit up, and she bit her lip with her pearly white teeth, "I do not regret meeting Shen Yun Tan, really."

"Tianxiu, you have someone else in your heart, and I have someone else in mine too, but it's really good that you're here with me like this... You're my best friend, a friend who's been through thick and thin with me."

Her voice was so sincere that it inexplicably made his eyes sting. Tianxiu slowly withdrew his hand from stroking her black hair, and smiled bitterly: "That's wonderful. It's a pity... I'm not worthy of Nineteen."

Before Tang Shijiu could say anything more, his slender fingers had already sealed her lips.

"Shh...don't say it, or I'll cry." Tianxiu's smile suddenly brightened, like a beautiful sunset.

He slapped out the candle and tucked her in. In the darkness, her long, bright eyes shone. It was as if a thousand words were weighing on her heart, but only one sentence came out: "Sleep, Nineteen."

He pressed her pressure point to induce sleep, and watched as the woman, who hadn't slept for many days, finally closed her eyes. She sighed heavily, as if exhaling something foul. He lifted his robe and stepped out of the inner room, where the floor was already bathed in the soft glow of moonlight.

“Best friend? Do I deserve that title…” He lowered his head, his ever-flowing phoenix eyes suddenly flashing with cold light, “And there’s no need for me to deserve it.”

Shen Yun ran wildly in the opposite direction for a day and a night, seemingly to vent his frustration, or perhaps to suppress the urge to turn back. Finally, when the horse was too tired to continue, he slowed down.

At that time, the first rays of dawn were already appearing, and wisps of smoke were rising from the villages not far away.

He felt much more at ease, slowed down, and ran off.

The village was small, with only a few households and no inn. Shen Yun had been traveling all night and was both hungry and exhausted. Fortunately, the villagers were kind and honest. Seeing his tired appearance, the farmer and his wife did not chase him away. Instead, they served him an extra bowl of sweet pumpkin porridge to share with him for breakfast.

Having traveled all night without eating or sleeping, Shen Yuntan was probably too hungry. The peasant woman's smile was so simple and honest that he didn't seem to notice that her palms, which should have been rough from labor, were actually soft and smooth.

And, unintentionally, those slender hands picked up a speck of medicine powder and dropped it into the porridge bowl.

As dawn broke, the kind-hearted farmers watched their once-honored guest gulp down a bowl of porridge. Meanwhile, Tang Shijiu, who hadn't slept well for days, finally got a good night's rest.

Pressing the acupoints to induce sleep was indeed a useful technique. Tang Shijiu stretched, having not slept so soundly in a long time.

Tianxiu had changed back into men's clothing, probably to avoid encountering suitors again. This time, he finally abandoned the loose-sleeved long gown and opted for a more conventional brocade robe. His loose hair was tied up high, and a bright pearl shone on his jade crown. His delicate collarbones were no longer flaunted, and his once captivating eyes now held a rare touch of righteousness. He had transformed from a bewitching demon into a refined and elegant gentleman.

He opened his folding fan, raised his eyebrows, and said, "This humble student greets you."

Nineteen chuckled, pointing to the dazzling, elaborately decorated folding fan: "Still a show-off."

“Those who wear bright red and wander around the streets every day are the real show-offs,” Tianxiu retorted, closing his fan. “You’re no better!” He then took out a set of plain clothes from behind him and said, “I think something’s going on at Xiaoyao Manor. So many martial arts masters are rushing there. We shouldn’t be too flashy. Let’s dress simply and discreetly so as not to attract attention.”

Nineteen took the clothes, looked at the pearl on his jade crown and the gold embroidered belt at his waist, and curled her lips in a noncommittal manner—such luxury, and he calls it low-key and simple?

After changing their clothes and getting into the car, they drove leisurely towards Xiaoyao Manor. Suddenly, Nineteen asked, "Tianxiu, do you think Shen Yuntan really likes me?"

If it were any other woman, she would definitely be embarrassed to ask a young man such a question. Actually, Nineteen was also quite embarrassed. She had hated Shen Yuntan like crazy before, but after not seeing him for a while, she couldn't control herself and missed him terribly.

Tianxiu drove the carriage without turning around: "I knew I liked you."

Nineteen punched him: "You shameless scoundrel."

Tianxiu said, "Actually, I'm not very familiar with him, so I can't tell... Or you could ask my brother, we're twins, maybe he can tell."

Nineteen spat, "I don't want that narcissistic, perverted killer to like me!"

Tianxiu laughed, "A narcissistic, perverted killer? Not a bad title! Nineteen, can you tell me apart from my brother?"

Nineteen said, "You are twin brothers. Although you look alike, your personalities are so different. You can tell the difference just by looking at your eyes."

Tianxiu suddenly turned around, his eyes as cold as ice, his expression sharp, like an immortal untouched by worldly affairs, sending chills down one's spine.

An immense pressure instantly filled the entire carriage, making Tang Shijiu gasp for breath.

"Can you still tell the difference now?"

Chapter 51 Er Yu

In just a moment, Tianxiu reverted to his usual carefree demeanor, his eyes softened, and his lips curled into a mocking smile: "Nineteen, you're really afraid of my brother!"

His smile immediately eased the atmosphere in the carriage, and the oppressive pressure from before vanished completely.

Tang Shijiu was taken aback at first, then realized what he meant and smacked him hard on the head: "You bastard! You scared me!"

Tianxiu burst into laughter: "Nineteen, you were so cute just now. So you can be scared too! I thought you were fearless! You're actually afraid of my brother! You're afraid of my brother~"

Tang Shijiu was furious and embarrassed: "Afraid, afraid, afraid of your head! What's so great about your brother? He's just a perverted serial killer!" Recalling that day at the mountain god temple, she had messed around with Tian Shu, who was in a state of demonic possession, applying rouge and combing his hair. The way Tian Shu's eyes were spitting fire at that time was still vivid in her mind.

With that thought in mind, she smiled and said, "Tianxiu, you look much better dressed as a girl than your brother."

Tianxiu chuckled: "It depends on the spirit; it's a talent that others can't match."

When he got shameless, no one in heaven or earth could compare. Tang Shijiu originally wanted to make fun of him, but unexpectedly, this guy shamelessly joined in the jokes without any sense of shame, and even seemed a little proud.

This left Tang Shijiu speechless.

Tianxiu reached out and patted the side of the carriage. "Come sit here and come with me to catch the train."

Tang Shijiu followed his advice and saw the rolling mountains, now a golden expanse in early autumn, a truly beautiful sight. A gentle breeze stirred, leaves fluttered down, and the azure sky seemed higher than ever before. A flock of wild geese flew in formation, heading south.