Chapter Forty-Four: Dawn's Early Light

Update time: 2013-06-13

Lan Shui watched Meng Chuchen and Yao Yao, still locked in their stalemate, and shook her head slightly. Following Lian Yue’s words, she said, “Yue’er, I’ll go with you.”

Since Lian Yue had already delivered nearly all of Yue Lingjun’s message for Qingfeng, there was no reason to linger in the courtyard. She and Zizhu followed Lian Yue and Lan Shui out of the little yard.

The once lively courtyard was now left with only the pleading Yao Yao and the indifferent Meng Chuchen.

Zizhu glanced back, gloating, and said, “Hehe, Miss, when Miss Yao Yao comes to her senses, you’ll have a headache again.”

Lian Yue didn’t care in the least. “We’re setting out for Nanping Prefecture tomorrow. It’ll take at least three months, so any headaches are worries for later.”

“So you’re just tossing the headache to Chuchen,” Lan Shui said, her tone fond though tinged with reproach. “But really, Yao Yao is something else. Chuchen’s feelings are so obvious that every single disciple in the Hidden Sect sees it except her. How can such a clever girl become so dense when it comes to matters of the heart?”

Lian Yue was admiring the scenery along the road, sighing inwardly that the landscape here was truly beautiful, but she still replied to Lan Shui, “Isn’t this just as well? Who told Second Brother to treat Yao Yao like that in the past? This is karma.”

Lan Shui, evidently reminded of the past, no longer spoke in Meng Chuchen’s defense.

Three Years Ago

After Meng Yanran regained her memory, the Yu Wen and Zhou families only stayed in Phoenix Ridge for two days before taking their leave.

Though Lian Yu was reluctant to part with her mother, her heart missed the son she hadn’t seen for over a month, so she too asked to return to Nanping Prefecture. Yue Lingjun also happened to be returning to the Yue estate, so they took their leave together.

Early the next morning, the group gathered at the exit of the Soul Severing Formation. After a few brief farewells, they left the Hidden Sect, led by its disciples.

As she watched their figures gradually disappear, Lian Yue felt a strange emptiness and loss in her heart.

“All right, let’s go back,” Meng Yanran’s gentle voice finally brought Lian Yue back to herself, and she nodded obediently.

Beside her, Yao Yao, who had arranged with Lian Yue the night before to play in the back mountain, was excitedly trying to tug Chuchen’s sleeve and invite him along. But Chuchen avoided her, and Yao Yao gazed at him in confusion with her big eyes.

“Chuchen Senior Brother, why are you avoiding me again?” Clearly, this wasn’t the first time.

Ever since Chuchen learned of Yao Yao’s intentions through their special sense, he had been intentionally or unintentionally avoiding her.

Knowing the reason, Lian Yue quickly took Yao Yao’s hand, joking to change the subject: “Yao Yao, aren’t we going to the back mountain today? What’s there, can you tell me now?”

Yao Yao, feeling wronged, shot a glare at the still indifferent Meng Chuchen, then turned her little face and replied with feigned mystery, “You’ll know when we get there. I can’t say now.”

Meng Yanran looked at the three of them in puzzlement, shook her head, and said to Chuchen, “Take good care of Yue’er and Yao Yao. Bring them back for lunch at noon.”

“Don’t worry, Mother.” In just two days, Chuchen had grown quite adept at calling her “mother.”

Meng Yanran glanced back at the two chattering girls, then walked away into the sect.

“See, Mother has spoken. He has to come with us obediently now.”

“Hmph!” Yao Yao was still annoyed and snorted, refusing to look at Chuchen as she dragged Lian Yue toward the back mountain.

Lian Yue glanced helplessly at Chuchen, then tried to communicate with him through their special sense.

“Second Brother, Second Brother?”

Receiving no response, Lian Yue frowned in confusion. Could it not work now? She tried calling a couple more times, but still nothing. It seemed this special sense wasn’t always reliable.

Just as Lian Yue was about to give up, Chuchen’s voice suddenly sounded in her mind.

“What is it?”

Lian Yue was startled—so it did work, after all! She hurried to the point.

“Are you avoiding Yao Yao because you found out from me that she wants to marry you?”

There was a long silence. When Yao Yao wasn’t paying attention, Lian Yue glanced back to see Chuchen watching Yao Yao’s back with a complicated expression. She was about to ask when Yao Yao tugged her sharply. Turning around, Lian Yue found Yao Yao glaring at her, apparently quite angry.

“Sister Yue’er, why are you looking at him? You’re not allowed to talk to him.” Clearly, she was still upset.

Lian Yue nodded hastily, guessing at Chuchen’s thoughts behind her.

“I’ve always seen her as a younger sister.” Chuchen’s voice sounded again in Lian Yue’s mind.

“So you don’t like her?”

“…I just see her as a sister. Please explain it to her for me.”

“What? You want me to tell her?”

Lian Yue’s face fell instantly. How did she end up with this task? She pondered how to break the news and fell silent for the rest of the walk.

Yao Yao, still angry, was uncharacteristically quiet as well.

Fortunately, the so-called back mountain wasn’t far, and the three didn’t walk long.

When there were no more buildings by the road, Lian Yue knew they were close. Looking up, she saw a blur of color in the distance. At first, she thought it was the plum garden, but as they drew near, she realized it was a peach grove.

It was only early December, and peach blossoms bloomed in March. She soon saw the secret: though the grove seemed like a single mass from afar, as they entered, she discovered various hot spring pools of differing sizes and shapes were scattered irregularly around the peach trees.

Yao Yao saw the excitement in Lian Yue’s eyes and instantly forgot her troubles, happily boasting, “Well, what do you think?”

“These peach blossoms are truly beautiful,” Lian Yue said, reaching out to pick a particularly vibrant branch. “But if it’s just for the flowers, it’s not nearly as exciting as you made it sound last night.”

Lian Yue watched Yao Yao with interest. Lately, whenever they went somewhere, Yao Yao always liked to tease her first.

Prompted by Lian Yue’s words, Yao Yao couldn’t keep up the act. “Sister Yue’er, don’t you trust me? When have I ever let you down these past two days?” She pointed excitedly at the grove. “Don’t underestimate this peach grove—it’s actually a formation. Not as powerful as the Soul Severing Formation outside the sect, but if you don’t know the trick, you’ll keep walking in circles inside.”

Lian Yue’s curiosity was piqued, but as soon as Chuchen spoke, her interest faded.

“This is a simplified version of the Yue family’s plum garden formation.”

Lian Yue suddenly recalled the time she was abducted in the Mei Lan Garden, suspecting then that he knew about formations. So that was it.

Now it was Yao Yao’s turn to be curious, forgetting her anger as she asked, “The Yue family has this formation too? How do you know, Chuchen Senior Brother?”

Chuchen avoided her gaze and stared at the peach grove in silence.

That was the final straw for Yao Yao. She furiously snatched the peach branch from Lian Yue and flung it at Chuchen before running off the way they had come.

Lian Yue glanced at her still impassive second brother, then hurried after Yao Yao.

“Yao Yao, wait for me!”

Lian Yue hadn’t expected Yao Yao to run so fast, but with effort, she finally caught up—only to find Yao Yao’s face streaked with tears.

Since meeting Yao Yao, Lian Yue had never seen her cry before and was at a loss.

Between sobs, Yao Yao sniffled, “Sister Yue’er, do you think Senior Brother doesn’t like me now that he has you all?”

Lian Yue quickly comforted her, “Of course not!”

“But why has he been avoiding me these past two days?”

“Well…” Lian Yue hesitated, unsure whether to tell her.

Seeing her silence, Yao Yao thought her suspicions confirmed and wept harder.

Seeing this, Lian Yue steeled herself. “All right, all right, I know why!”

At once, Yao Yao stopped crying, looking at her with teary eyes, aggrieved. “Why?”

Lian Yue shrugged. “Isn’t it because you asked me to tell him you wanted to marry him!”

Yao Yao grew more anxious, hastily wiping her face. “Why?”

Since she had to say it, Lian Yue decided to lay it all out. “He said he only sees you as a sister!”

“So he doesn’t want to marry me!”

Lian Yue wasn’t sure about that, so she replied vaguely, “I suppose so.”

She hadn’t expected that as soon as she said this, Yao Yao would burst into loud sobs, crying, “Then who will marry me…”

This stunned Lian Yue. Blinking, she asked uncertainly, “Are you worried no one will marry you?”

Yao Yao nodded through her tears.

Lian Yue felt the urge to smack her forehead. So that was it. “It’s not just Second Brother who can marry you—there are plenty of others!”

“But I only know Senior Brother Chuchen…” Yao Yao’s crying didn’t stop, looking as pitiful as ever.

“There may not be anyone in the Hidden Sect, but outside there are, like Yu Wen Lingxi, Zhou Ziwen, and Qiao Zhi—there are plenty like them.” Lian Yue silently apologized to them in her heart, “Forgive me, I’m only trying to comfort her.”

“Really?” Yao Yao’s crying quieted a bit.

Lian Yue nodded vigorously. “Really!”

“And they’re all good-looking?”

“Yes, very good-looking!”

A big smile broke through the tears on Yao Yao’s face. “All right, you take me out then.”

Lian Yue, not thinking much at that moment, quickly agreed.

Later, when she went home, Lian Yue took Yao Yao all around Lingyang City. Though the men on the streets didn’t compare to those few, they weren’t too bad either. When they returned to the Hidden Sect, Yao Yao proudly announced in front of Meng Chuchen that she would never marry him.

Lian Yue could still recall Meng Chuchen’s expression then. After that, Yao Yao found all sorts of excuses to get Lian Yue to take her down the mountain. Until one day, Yao Yao praised the city lord’s son, Li Sheng, whom she’d only met once, right in front of Meng Chuchen—and Meng Chuchen’s face turned black on the spot.

After that, Yao Yao was grounded, and Lian Yue received a stern warning from Meng Chuchen.

Thanks to their special sense, Lian Yue understood Meng Chuchen’s feelings perfectly, and teased him plenty. And so, today’s scene came to be.