Rong Fu was taken aback. Cen Ji's voice reminded him of that pool of clear water.
Rong Fu slowly closed his eyes. He didn't ask why, because he suddenly remembered what Cen Ji had said—
"Some things are better left unsaid than said."
two,
Fortunately, Doctor Sun didn't know anything about swords. Otherwise, if he had danced with a sword like Ban Lan, he would have been mistaken for a street performer and easily dismissed by those in the know.
Ban Lan really didn't know anything about swords, so she held the Qingguang Sword and brandished it for a long time before finally getting bored and sheathing it.
She sat on the steps in front of the door, holding the Qingguang Sword. Doctor Sun glanced at her but said nothing.
Dr. Sun had gotten used to Ban Lan's habit of not sitting on the stools when they were available.
This is the ninth morning that Banlan has been sitting at the door waiting for Cenji.
She always thought that in some unexpected moment, she would see Cen Ji's upright and silent figure.
She went to see Cen Ji many more times afterward, and even ran into Chu Ba once.
On the eighth day, he told her that Cen Ji and Wen Moyin had disappeared for many days, but that was normal. They didn't necessarily have to stay in Kongshanling. Perhaps they would decide to go out for a trip together on a whim.
"No need?" "Yes." Ban Lan lowered her head, drawing small circles on the ground with her toes.
She only had typhoid fever and a slightly infected wound on her arm; it was nothing serious, and of course, it couldn't hold a man back.
The high fever will subside, and the wound will heal.
Even the words spoken are forgotten by no one except those who truly hear them from the heart.
Ban Lan pressed her face against the hilt of the Qingguang sword.
"Junior brother, your senior sister will take you back."
Suddenly, Ban Lan stood up, turned around and rushed into the house.
Doctor Sun sat in the courtyard grinding medicine.
The medicine in his hand was for Ban Lan to drink, even though he knew that Ban Lan had actually recovered three days ago.
But Ban Lan pretended to be still sick, and he didn't care at all as he watched Ban Lan pinch her nose and drink bowl after bowl of extremely bitter medicine every day.
Dr. Sun suddenly stopped, then sneezed loudly. The sneeze made his ears ring, so much so that he didn't hear a word Ban Lan babbling as she ran over and put her arm around his shoulder.
"What?" Dr. Sun's wrinkles deepened.
Ban Lan had one arm around Doctor Sun's shoulder and a bundle hanging from the other arm.
"I said, I'm leaving now, thank you. Come visit me in Fish Eye Valley when you have time, it's much prettier than Empty Mountain Ridge!" As she spoke, Ban Lan patted Doctor Sun on the shoulder, as if she had known him for decades.
Dr. Sun was jolted by her pat, and when he looked up at Ban Lan again, she had already jumped to the courtyard gate.
“And another thing,” Ban Lan suddenly turned around and said, “your medicine is fucking awful.”
Dr. Sun squinted.
The sunlight was warm, but too dazzling. Ban Lan stood against the light, her whole body bathed in a faint golden glow.
When she laughed, Dr. Sun wanted to reach out and pat her head.
But he didn't.
So Banlan left very soon.
As she left, she left with one sentence—
"Your herbal medicine tastes absolutely awful."
Dr. Sun's smile deepened slowly.
"I didn't force you to drink it, little girl!" Doctor Sun added with a smile, but by then, Ban Lan had already gone far away.
Banlan walked very slowly on the way down the mountain.
She had walked this path down the mountain just a few days ago.
She looked up at the sky—there were no dark clouds.
Without dark clouds, there will be no rain; without rain, no one will worry about her getting wet; and since no one is worried about whether she gets wet, naturally no one will secretly follow her.
Ban Lan turned around abruptly, only to find her heart empty, as if even the wind could echo behind her.
By the time she staggered down the mountain, it was already noon. Ban Lan touched her stomach and began to regret not having gotten a bowl of porridge or a steamed bun from Doctor Sun before she left.
As they were walking, they heard the sound of hooves. Ban Lan looked around and saw more than ten fine horses galloping towards them in the distance. Most of the riders were young men dressed in tight-fitting clothes. The last two were sturdy green horses, riding side by side, with two girls in purple on their backs.
Ban Lan slung the bundle over her shoulder and moved closer to the roadside.
Unexpectedly, the man who had charged ahead of her headed straight for her. Ban Lan involuntarily gripped her cyan sword tightly and took a step back.
Seeing the wary look on Ban Lan's face, the young man smiled, clasped his hands in a fist salute to her, and asked, "Excuse me, young lady, is this the path to Kongshan Ridge?"
Ban Lan was about to answer "yes" when she suddenly changed her mind and asked, "What are you going to Kongshan Ridge for?"
The young man said, "Miss, you may not know this, but the day after tomorrow is the Kongshan Festival. The young lady of Kongshan Ridge is sending out invitations to all the major sects to be guests at Kongshan Ridge on the day of the festival."
Ban Lan looked puzzled and said, "In previous years, the Kongshan Festival was always Kongshan Ridge's own affair. When have we ever invited other sects?"
The young man replied, "Judging from your words, young lady, you seem to be very familiar with Kongshan Ridge. This is also the first time I have received an invitation from Kongshan Ridge. My master is ill, so I can only come on his behalf. My master said that Kongshan Ridge only announces this to the world and hosts a banquet for martial arts practitioners when a new Kongshan master is appointed."