Su Xiaoying looked surprised and said, "So it was you?"
Tears streamed down Guo Shaotang's face as he said respectfully, "Yes. I was fortunate enough to be rescued by Young Master Su, and I opened a clinic here. Life has been quite good... How come you are here, Young Master?"
Su Xiaoying said nonchalantly, "Get up quickly, what kind of behavior is this? You saved me now, we don't owe each other anything."
Guo Shaotang was taken aback, and said, "This is my duty." After saying that, he stood up.
Su Xiaoying smiled and said, "It's clear that we should do more good deeds, sow good seeds, and reap good fruit. I never expected to meet you here. Is this your hometown?"
Guo Shaotang said, "No, it's just that the people here are kind and honest, so I stayed here. How did you end up here, young master? How did you get into a fight and get injured?"
Su Xiaoying chuckled and said, "I have no fixed abode; I was just passing through this time. Doctor Guo, I'm hungry. Is there anything to eat?"
Guo Shaotang was taken aback again, and hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, I'll go prepare it right away."
Seeing him rush out, Yi Mei exclaimed and said to Su Xiaoying, "You've done him a great favor."
Su Xiaoying said, "What? He's a scholar, very polite, always kneeling and bowing. He was treating a high-ranking official at the time, and somehow he offended him. I happened to be passing by and helped him out."
Yi Mei said, "I didn't realize you were so enthusiastic."
Su Xiaoying said, "Of course, otherwise I wouldn't have come back to help you."
Yi Mei put her hands on her hips and said loudly, "It's only right that you come back to help me!"
"Why should it be?"
"Because...because I'm your boss's wife!"
Su Xiaoying chuckled, looking bored, and buried her head under the covers.
Yi Mei said, "Hey, why are you like this..."
Liu's Apricot
Yi Mei politely declined Guo Shaotang's invitation for them to stay at his home, and instead rented a small house in town. The house was tiny, only big enough for a bed, a table, and a small cabinet. They could only eat by sitting on the edge of the bed, as there was no room for a chair.
Su Xiaoying's injuries weren't serious. After resting in bed for three or four days, he was able to run around freely. Yi Mei, who was afraid of getting sick herself, was also extremely worried about Su Xiaoying's health and forced him to go to Guo Shaotang's house for a checkup every day. Su Xiaoying had no choice but to go to Guo's house every evening after dinner to play chess with Guo Shaotang.
At this time, the lotus leaves in the pond at the top of Guojia Town were already at their most lush and green.
While Su Xiaoying went to play chess, Yi Mei would take the clothes she had changed out of that day and go to the pond with her neighbor, Aunt Guo, to wash them. The pond was then crowded with housewives of all ages. Some talked loudly, others whispered, discussing their husbands and children. The lotus leaves were very tall; sometimes you couldn't see the people on the other side, but you could hear their conversations coming from behind the leaves, one after another, never stopping.
Yi Mei grew to like this place more and more, because here she could freely boast about Su Xiaoying, echoing what others were saying.
In fact, one of the great pleasures of women is to complain about their men in front of others. After venting their frustrations, they happily tell others, "Oh well, that's just how life is. Look at Aunt Wang and Sister Li's husbands, they're not as good as mine..."
Yi Mei was pounding her clothes with a "thump, thump" when she heard her neighbor, Aunt Guo, say, "Sister-in-law Su..." Yi Mei immediately turned around and asked impatiently, "Aunt Guo, what did she say?"
Aunt Guo sighed and said, "I went to your house early this morning to borrow some scallions, and I saw your Xiao Su busy in the kitchen with a spoon! You're so lucky!"
Yi Mei smiled and said in a feigned reproachful tone, "That's just how he is. I told him not to do it and to just stay home, but he insisted. And look at him, he can't even get it clean. In the end, I still have to redo it. But then again, it was his first time cooking, and he actually did a pretty good job. I couldn't believe it was him. Guess what he said? He said, 'Even if I've never eaten pork, have I never seen a pig walk?' Hehehe, look at how he talks."
Aunt Guo's eyes reddened with envy. She said, "Sister Su, I think Xiao Su treats you really well! Do you have any secrets? We're neighbors, you have to tell me honestly."
Yi Mei whispered happily, "Actually, there's no secret. It's just that when you're getting married, you have to keep your eyes open and choose carefully." Yi Mei leaned close to Aunt Guo's ear and said mysteriously, "Getting married is like a woman being reborn. Take me for example, I didn't marry a good man until I was twenty-five. Other girls my age are already mothers of several children, but—you see, it was worth it, wasn't it?"
Aunt Guo clicked her tongue in agreement, nodding as she regretted not having been more discerning earlier. "Sister Su, your son Su seems to have a good relationship with Doctor Guo in town. My son fell down on the mountain before the New Year and hurt his hand; it's been sore ever since. Could you ask Doctor Guo to take a look?"
Yi Mei readily agreed, smiling and saying, "Okay, I'll talk to him about it later."
Aunt Guo quickly finished rubbing the clothes in her hands, stood up and said, "Sister Su, I have to go home first today. My eldest son might have to go home too."
Yi Mei was a little disappointed and said, "Going home so early? Okay, I'll leave after I'm done. I'll stop by Dr. Guo's house on my behalf and talk to him."
Aunt Guo thanked her repeatedly and left. Yi Mei quickened her pace, finished quickly, tossed the clothes into the bamboo basket, and stood up. Just as she straightened up, a woman behind her said coldly, "Assassin Yi Mei." These four words, amidst the cacophony of women's chatter, were remarkably clear.
Yi Mei paused, then slowly turned her head. Behind the pond, beside a small house with white bricks and blue tiles, stood a woman gracefully. This woman appeared to be in her twenties, wearing a flowing lake-blue silk dress that revealed a pair of exquisitely embroidered silver shoes. Her face was hidden behind a soft white veil, obscuring her features. Yi Mei frowned and asked, "Miss, have we met before?"
The woman said, "Assassin Yi Mei has a good memory; we met a few times six years ago."
Upon hearing the words "six years ago," Yi Mei suddenly realized and blurted out, "That's right! You're Liu Xingxing! You're so stingy, spending twenty taels of silver to hire me to kill Wuyi Peak."
The woman remained calm and said indifferently, "This time, the price will naturally be much higher. Let's find a place to discuss this in detail."
Yi Mei thought for a moment and said, "Killing people... I'm not interested in that right now, but you can come to my house for a visit."
Liu Xingxing was a very elegant and graceful woman. Every gesture she made exuded a natural air of nobility. This inexplicable aura made Yi Mei feel somewhat uneasy walking beside her. There's a saying, "Old friends can remain strangers even after a lifetime of friendship," and Yi Mei felt that if she and Su Xiaoying could be considered "old friends even after a lifetime of friendship," then her relationship with Liu Xingxing was definitely "old friends even after a lifetime of friendship."
Sometimes, the feelings between people are indeed very subtle. In fact, Yi Mei and Liu Xingxing never had any conflicts, but Yi Mei just felt that the two of them were not the same kind of people.
Liu Xingxing paused briefly in front of Yi Mei's room, her brows furrowing slightly. Yi Mei nonchalantly pushed open the door and greeted her, "Miss Liu, come in and sit down. Hehe, the room is a little messy." As she spoke, she quickly gathered up the things spread out on the table, patted the edge of the bed, and said, "You sit down, I'll go get some water."
Liu Xingxing removed her veil, but instead of sitting down, she merely glanced at the small, slightly messy room with a disdainful look.
Yi Mei brought in the tea and placed it on the table. Seeing that Liu Xingxing didn't sit down, she didn't try to persuade her anymore. She simply sat down herself and casually said, "Drink some water."
Liu Xingxing glanced at the large, rough porcelain bowl filled with water and said indifferently, "You seem to be short of money."
Yi Mei said, "It's alright, it's passable. Who are you planning to kill this time?"
Liu Xingxing said, "Three thousand gold coins to buy one person's life. I wonder if you are interested?"
Yi Mei opened her eyes wide and exclaimed, "Three thousand taels of gold?"
Liu Xingxing smiled slightly, glancing at Yi Mei out of the corner of her eye with a hint of disdain, and said with a smile, "Not bad, three thousand taels of gold. If you think it's not enough, the price can be negotiated. Three thousand taels of gold is enough for you to buy a nice house, hire a few servants, and live a comfortable life."
Yi Mei noticed her disdain, smiled slightly, and said, "I'm doing just fine now. Who do you want to kill?"
Liu Xingxing said, "Master of Wuyou Pavilion."
Yi Mei paused slightly, then said, "Beautiful Sword Without Worry?"
Liu Xingxing said, "That's right."
“This…” Yi Mei hesitated for a moment, then said, “Although your price is good, this person is not so easy to kill… You know Mei Jian Wuyou…”
"So the price is negotiable," Liu Xingxing said.
Yi Mei thought for a long time and said, "Master Wuyou, it is said that his swordsmanship is the best in the world. Wouldn't it be suicide to go and kill him? Do you think I'm a fool who would rather have money than my life?"
Liu Xingxing smiled faintly and said, "'The Three Swordsmen of the Scholar, the Phoenix Arrives,' they have agreed to join you in assassinating the Lord of Wuyou Pavilion." She pulled out a stack of white papers from her sleeve and gently placed them on the table, saying, "These are the letters they wrote to you."
Yi Mei didn't look at the letter, but frowned and asked, "'The Three Swordsmen of the Scholars, the Phoenix Arrives'—are they Li Jiaohan, Shi Baigui, and Miao Xiaogu, who are known as the three great scholars and poets of the martial arts world?"
Liu Xingxing said, "That's right. If we're lucky, I'll also invite Consort Daiyue."
Yi Mei's head suddenly swelled up. She opened her eyes wide and looked at her, saying, "Although I like to work alone, I will still consider this business. I need to discuss it with my man. Why don't you come back tomorrow?"
Liu Xingxing was slightly surprised, but nodded politely and said, "Very good, I will come again tomorrow."
Yi Mei mumbled a vague "hmm" and watched her leave. Turning back, she saw the letter on the table, grabbed it, and unfolded it. The writing was elegant, in a parallel prose style, but everywhere she looked, there was only the character "兮" (xi). Out of ten characters, one or two had complex strokes and were unfamiliar. Yi Mei's head throbbed even more. Just as she was struggling to read it, the door creaked open, and Su Xiaoying returned excitedly.
Su Xiaoying was just about to describe her glorious victory in annihilating Guo Shaotang when she suddenly saw Yi Mei's worried face and was startled. She asked, "What's wrong?"
Yi Mei shook the letter and said, "Come and see what's written inside."
Su Xiaoying took the papers with a puzzled look, counted them, and found there were three large sheets of paper. As soon as she saw the contents, she frowned and couldn't help but curse, "Damn it, who gave you these papers?"
Su Xiaoying rarely swore, but he couldn't help but curse. Yi Mei burst into laughter and said, "A letter from someone else! See, my friends are truly hidden talents, aren't they?"
Su Xiaoying looked at the three pieces of paper for a long time, then frowned and asked, "What kind of friend do you have?"
Yi Mei said, “Friends I’ve never met before. They call themselves ‘Three Swordsmen of the Scholars, Phoenix Arrives,’ claiming to be three great scholars and poets. Just now, someone asked me to go with them to kill the Lord of Wuyou Tower. The reward is very high, three thousand gold coins.”
Su Xiaoying said, "Alright, enough with the nonsense! First you bragged about yourself, then you bragged about yourself, but in the end it all boils down to one thing: whether you agree or not, and whether you write a reply."
Yi Mei burst into laughter, almost unable to breathe.
Su Xiaoying smiled and said, "Boss lady, will you agree or not?"
“I told her I’d think about it.” Yi Mei suddenly became serious.
Su Xiaoying said, "No need to consider it, just decline. Who asked you to kill Master Wuyou?"
"Liu Xingxing".
Su Xiaoying said, "Why is this person like this? He came here for no reason."
The next day at noon, Yi Mei was enjoying the cool shade under a tree next to the house when Liu Xingxing walked over slowly. Her demeanor was graceful and dignified. She walked up to Yi Mei and whispered, "Assassin Yi Mei."
Yi Mei was too lazy to move and said, "My husband told me to turn it down, I'm really sorry."
A glint flashed in Liu Xingxing's eyes, and she sneered, "He's nothing but a useless man, why should you listen to him?"
Yi Mei's face changed color, and she jumped up, saying fiercely, "What did you say! What makes you think he's a useless man!"
Liu Xingxing glanced around with her pretty eyes and said with disdain, "How could a useful man let his wife live in a place like this and lead such a life?"
"Just because you have a few stinking coins doesn't mean you're so great!" Yi Mei shouted, hands on her hips, striking a pose as if about to unleash a torrent of abuse. "I'm happy to be with him, I love this kind of life, so what! Huh? You're just an unwanted old maid, what are you putting on airs with me for! If you were so great, would Wu Yifeng dump you?"
Neighbors who were home opened their windows and peeked out to watch the commotion. Yi Mei, unfazed, continued her tirade, while Liu Xingxing's face flushed crimson, her body trembling with rage, yet she remained speechless. —In this kind of head-to-head argument, she was no match for Yi Mei.
A murderous glint appeared in Liu Xingxing's eyes. She quietly made a shrewd gesture with her left hand and held her silk flower fan in a strange position with her right hand.
Yi Mei sneered, "Fine, go ahead and try." Her thumb rested on the hilt of the sword, and she gently pulled it upwards. In that instant, the sword's intent, radiating light, suddenly burst forth, and the sweltering heat sent shivers down one's spine.
Liu Xingxing narrowed her eyes slightly. The situation suddenly became tense, on the verge of exploding. However, she suddenly relaxed her posture and said in a low, cold voice, "I'm not here to fight. I'm asking you, if I increase the reward to five thousand, will you do this job?"
"No way," Yi Mei replied bluntly.
Liu Xingxing smiled slightly, nodded, and said, "Originally, I planned to deal with Master Wuyou first, and then settle our score. But it seems that our feud will have to be dealt with first."
Yi Mei was slightly taken aback.
Liu Xingxing said calmly, "On the seventh day of the seventh month, we will decide our fate."
Yi Mei shouted, "What grudge do I have against you! Explain yourself!"
However, in the blink of an eye, Liu Xingxing's dignified figure had already gone far away.
On summer nights, you can smell the earthy scent of sun-baked soil. Yi Mei and Su Xiaoying liked to cool off on the rooftop at night—because their house had neither a courtyard nor a yard.
They were both very bold. Sometimes, while enjoying the cool air, their bodies would inexplicably draw closer, then press tightly together and begin to kiss. Other times, after kissing, their actions would become even more intense. The rooftop was cool and breezy, but unusually, they would work up a sweat in the breeze, then embrace tightly and sleep until dawn.
That day, Yi Mei nestled in Su Xiaoying's sweat-dampened embrace and murmured, "Life like this is really good."
Su Xiaoying responded with an "Mmm".
Yi Mei then regretted it a little and said, "If I had known, I shouldn't have burned down Linjiang Villa. At that time, it was to avoid Fu Daiyue... Sigh, why is Fu Daiyue like that?"
Su Xiaoying gave a vague "hmm" and said, "Don't pay any attention to him."
Yi Mei said, "How can we ignore him? He said we have an irreconcilable feud for no reason. It's utterly absurd." As she spoke, she nudged Su Xiaoying and said, "What feud do you think I have with him?"