Chapter 88: You Can’t Hide the Look In Your Eyes When You Like Someone
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Hurry, get water…”
“Be careful. The beam has collapsed…”
Pitter-patter…
The fighting had already ended, but the town was still not quiet. The constables and people in the town were running back and forth to put out the fires.
The Silver-Horned Horse-Face carried the little girl over and comforted the young couple. Although Tu Jiuji, who was as strong as a hill, still had a head that died with grievances hanging from his belt, he no longer looked as brutal and violent as earlier. He was standing in a burning, collapsing house and carrying a beam alone, searching for the person pinned down.
After Ye Jingtang watched from afar at the entrance of the town for a while, he picked up Third Lady, who was pretending to be injured, and walked toward the dark night with his back to the burning town with a complicated expression.
Pei Xiangjun leaned on Ye Jingtang’s shoulder and looked back at the chaotic town. She said gently, “Do you think there’s nothing good about Jianghu?”
“Heh, 1 was born in Jianghu. I’m not worthy of saying that.”
“1 have been in Jianghu for a long time, and 1 have always had this feeling. There’s an old saying in the world, ‘If there’s only fine wine and no stories in Jianghu one day, it will definitely be an unprecedented and enlightened golden age’. It’s not the Jianghu people who are wrong, but the people who turn people into Jianghu people.”
Carrying Third Lady in his arms, Ye Jingtang walked out of the town gate and looked down at the beautiful, mature woman who was still looking back. “Third Lady, you’re quite philosophical.”
Pei Xiangjun harrumphed lightly and looked up at Ye Jingtang. As a result, she realized that his handsome face was right in front of her at an angle she had never seen before. His black and bright eyes were like stars in the night sky, making her heart go soft. “Okay, let me down.”
A strange look appeared in Pei Xiangjun’s eyes. She got off, landed on the ground, patted the dust off her dress, and rubbed her shoulder. “Hiss… He’s really ruthless…”
Ye Jingtang had already returned to normal. Seeing this scene, he held Third Lady’s arm. “Is the injury serious?”
It’s nothing serious. It just hurts a little.” Pei Xiangjun was a martial artist and had a strong physique, but she didn’t practice martial arts that focused on resisting injuries. She had been unguarded and hit by a flying hammer, so pain was inevitable.
Ye Jingtang raised his hand, touched her shoulder, and found that the skin under the fabric was swollen. He frowned and said, “You could have just let it brush past. Why did you take it head-on?”
“Chen Miao is an expert, and his martial arts skills are even better than Song Chi’s. He rushed over just now to rescue the girl. If 1 had dodged it, it would have been easy for him to see through me.”
At this point, Pei Xiangjun glanced at Ye Jingtang angrily. “You know my identity. Why did you rush over in such a hurry? If others see this, they will think that our relationship is unclear…”
Ye Jingtang shook his head helplessly and took out injury medicine from his pocket. “Let’s hurry back to the ship. Although it’s a small injury, your body doesn’t look like it can withstand much beating. It’ll be troublesome if there’s a scar.”
Pei Xiangjun was a little absent-minded. She glanced at Ye Jingtang’s side profile and didn’t say anything. She walked unhurriedly toward the river bank and then…
Where was the boat?
Ye Jingtang arrived at the stone beach by the river and looked around. He saw that the surface of the river was sparkling under the moonlight. Other than the lights from fishing boats, there was no trace of the ferry.
“Uh…”
It was only at this moment that Pei Xiangjun remembered that when they ran out in a hurry to watch the commotion, the ferry was moving.
The two of them had watched the battle from the town wall and helped rescue the hostage. Going back and forth had taken about fifteen minutes.
The ferry was very light, and the wind and current were smooth. According to the normal speed, it should have already sailed more than five kilometers away.
Ye Jingtang looked at the empty river and suddenly felt like a fool for looking for a long-gone boat. He said awkwardly, “It looked like we stayed a little too long… Third Lady, should we chase after it?”
“It’s too tiring to chase a boat sailing along the river. Let’s rest here. There are many boats coming and going on the Clear River. When the next ferry passes by, we’ll just board it. Xiuhe will definitely wait at the next dock.”
Pei Xiangjun looked around and found a stone for washing clothes by the river. She walked over, sat sideways, and gently rubbed her shoulder.
Ye Jingtang stood by the river and looked around. There was no sign of any ferries, so he picked up a few pieces of dry wood and hay from the riverbank and used a special flame stick to start a small fire.
Pei Xiangjun saw Ye Jingtang’s skillful appearance and felt some heartache. She said gently, “You’re really good at everything. You must have suffered a lot in the past, right?”
Ye Jingtang sat beside Pei Xiangjun and placed his saber flat on his knees. “It can’t be considered suffering. The border is very poor. If you can eat and drink, you are already doing better than countless people. I started escorting with Foster Father when 1 was a child. 1 saw the scenery along the way, drank wine, and listened to stories from the south to the north. I was quite carefree.”
Pei Xiangjun blinked, leaned closer, and said meaningfully, “Shouldn’t there be a ‘looked at girls in all directions’ too? Embarrassed to say it?”
Ye Jingtang nodded with a smile. “There was that, but 1 was still young at the time and didn’t understand these things. 1 just watched the street performers. 1 really didn’t pay attention to the girls on the way.”
“Do you understand now?”
Ye Jingtang was speechless.
Pei Xiangjun giggled and stopped teasing the innocent young Jingtang like a bad elder sister. Instead, she said, “I wasn’t as carefree as you. At a young age, 1 was brought to the Pei family to be a disciple and became the eldest young lady. 1 stayed at home to learn literature and martial arts. 1 only found out about the Red Flower Pavilion when I was fourteen or fifteen. Then a few years later, your foster grandfather left. Not long after Eldest Brother took over, the burden fell on me…”
Ye Jingtang fiddled with the fire with a stick. “Third Lady, have you never traveled Jianghu?”
“I haven’t gone out alone. The capital has always been peaceful, and I don’t see many people from Jianghu. After becoming the leader of the Red Flower Pavilion, 1 didn’t dare to show my face at all because 1 wasn’t strong enough. I’ve only come out to watch the commotion alone a few times like today. Speaking of which, it’s quite a pity. Hmm…”
Pei Xiangjun recalled the past for a moment and frowned slightly. She rubbed her shoulder.
Seeing this, Ye Jingtang hesitated for a moment and asked, “Do you want me to take a look?”
?
Pei Xiangjun blinked. Her originally charming gaze had a different meaning. She turned around and looked at Ye Jingtang.
Ye Jingtang raised his hand slightly. “I’m afraid that your bones and tendons are injured. If it drags on for too long, there will be problems. Third Lady, if you feel that it’s not appropriate, pretend I didn’t say anything.”
Pei Xiangjun hesitated for a moment but didn’t say anything. She looked around and saw that there was no one around. She turned around, loosened her belt a little, and then pulled open the top of her light yellow dress along her neck.
Rustle, rustle…
Silver moonlight and firelight intertwined.
With her back facing him, Pei Xiangjun pulled open her collar from her right shoulder slightly, revealing her fair neck and round shoulder. Her skin was tender and as fair as jade under the light.
Half of a beautiful woman’s shoulder was exposed from the back. But in reality, there was nothing much exposed. The only thing that could be seen was a light yellow undergarment tie partly covered by her hair.
But her voluptuous and seductive back, coupled with her charming temperament, brought an indescribable impact. She was like a captivating fox under the moon.
Ye Jingtang subconsciously sat up straight, but he didn’t have the nerve to look around. “Uh… I just said it without thinking, Third Lady…”
Pei Xiangjun looked back gently, her chin and red lips almost touching her fair shoulder. She glanced at Ye Jingtang with a serious and dignified expression. “Jingtang, you know who I am to you. It’s just my shoulder, not my clothes. If you have evil intentions, just take it that I’ve misjudged you…”
Ye Jingtang sighed and sat closer to check her shoulder.
There was clearly a bruise on her shoulder where the iron hammer had hit it. It was as if there was an ink stain on a piece of flawless jade. Although it was not serious, it was very dazzling.
In addition, when she looked over her shoulder, he could see her collarbone. But Pei Xiangjun’s hand was covering her collar, so he couldn’t see anything spectacular.
Ye Jingtang’s expression was normal. He didn’t show any desire. He took out the Jade Dragon Ointment and applied it to the bruised area with his fingers.
“All-” With just a touch, Pei Xiangjun’s shoulders shrank, and she turned around. “Be gentle- Do you think I’m as thick-skinned as you?”
“Oh.” Ye Jingtang’s fingers became gentler as he slowly applied the ointment.
Pei Xiangjun’s face was a little red, but she maintained the dignified and calm demeanor that a sect leader should have. She looked at him. Seeing Ye Jingtang’s solemn expression, as if he were offering incense to his ancestors, she felt at peace and even found it a little funny.
Ye Jingtang was a very modest gentleman. He knew that he shouldn’t look around. Pei Xiangjun naturally relaxed. She looked at the river and asked casually, “Jingtang, that girl you like, where is she from?”
Ye Jingtang carefully applied medicine to the bruise and smiled. “Third Lady, why are you asking this?”
“I’m just curious. From now on, you’re the young master of the Red Flower Pavilion. My half-disciple was abducted by a wildflower outside. Naturally, my heart is distressed. Can’t 1 ask?”
“Hehe, she’s a heroine from the Heavenly South.”
“How is she? Is she good to you?”
She’s fierce to me!
When Ye Jingtang talked about her, he couldn’t help thinking of Luo Ning’s ‘humiliated heroine appearance’ with her head tilted to one side and tears in her eyes. He smiled. “Hmm… She’s usually cold and distant. She’s very inexperienced. But in front of me, she’s more lively. She cleans up the house quickly, and her cooking is delicious. She’s very virtuous…”
Pei Xiangjun quietly tilted her head and glanced at Ye Jingtang. She could clearly see the nostalgia in his eyes and the joy when he mentioned the person he liked. It was exactly like the saying, ‘You can’t hide the look in your eyes when you like someone’.
Pei Xiangjun blinked her almond-shaped eyes. After he finished applying the medicine, she pulled up her collar and tidied her clothes. She sighed softly. “You have to cherish such a good girl. Think of a way to get her to live in the capital. When she comes to the Pei residence, 1’11 have a companion. To be honest, I’m worried about a devastatingly beautiful heroine running around alone in Jianghu. You’re too broad-minded.”
How could Ye Jingtang be at ease? But Luo Ning’s attitude was too stubborn. He could only say, “She’ll be back at the end of this month. Speaking of which, Third Lady, do you have anyone you like? Have you considered marriage?”
Pei Xiang turned around and puffed out her chest slightly, indicating her strong family background. “I’m the leader of the Red Flower Pavilion. It’s impossible for me to marry into another family, so 1 can only find a matrilocal husband. My family is extremely rich, I’m very skilled in martial arts, I’m not bad-looking, and my status in Jianghu isn’t low. What kind of man do you think 1 should marry? I don’t care about the low-level ones, but a man with ability and status won’t accept marrying into the bride’s family…”
Ye Jingtang thought about it and agreed. He frowned and said, “Then, what should you do?”
“What else can I do? When I really don’t have a choice one day, I’ll find a suitable disciple in the Azure Dragon Hall to marry in order to keep the good things for our own people. Your aunt has a candidate. Do you want to hear who he is?”
Ye Jingtang didn’t want to hear it. He shook his head and said, “Marriage is a big deal. We can’t be hasty. Third Lady, you still have to make the decision yourself.”
“What decision can 1 make myself? We have to listen to our parents and the matchmaker’s advice when it comes to marriage…”
When Pei Xiangjun said this, she saw a brightly lit ship floating over from upstream the Clear River. She thought for a moment and stopped talking. She sighed softly and stood up. “A ship is here. Let’s go.”
Hearing this, Ye Jingtang extinguished the fire, jumped onto the river with her, and floated over the waves…
