Chapter 1841 - 674: Reunion (Part 3)

"I only regret that you didn’t hit hard enough..."

"Then why didn’t you keep me?"

"I... I didn’t have the face to keep you."

"You, really are a fool."

Guiniang let out a breath:

"Now, both you and I have reached the age of seventy. I’ve ruined your entire life, don’t you hate me for it?"

"...It was I who ruined your life."

Lord Ban Shu gently shook his head:

"I’ve spent my whole life pondering, never knowing how to make you smile again.

"I thought about killing Zhuge Qianqiu and Zhuge Yutang, and finally Zhuge Yingxiong, only then might you be able to let go of the past.

"But unexpectedly, the situation on Imperial Court Mountain changed constantly... In the end, nothing was accomplished."

"It’s not your fault..."

Guiniang spoke softly:

"You were foolish... How could you fight against those clever people?

"I tried hard to be smart, but ultimately, I was just a tool in others’ hands...

"When we were young, you and I thought Jianghu was too simple.

"Faced with great upheaval, we thought we could solve the issues of spring and autumn.

"But in the end, we were still naive and ignorant.

"Now, at the age of seventy, looking back at the past, isn’t our whole life just like a joke?

"If I had known it would end like this... I shouldn’t have left you.

"I left you unhappy for so many years."

She spoke softly:

"Senior brother, let me go."

Guo Zhaochen, full of unwillingness, finally sighed deeply and let go.

Seeing Guiniang take steps to stand before Lord Ban Shu:

"Do you know why I have worn this wedding dress for so many years?"

"...Why?"

"Such a fool..."

Guiniang seemed a bit suffocated, and after a moment, she spoke gently:

"That night, you haven’t lifted my red veil..."

With this sentence, it was like an arrow.

Instantly piercing Lord Ban Shu’s heart.

His nose turned sour and his eyes reddened, he reached out his hand, carefully lifting the veil from Guiniang’s head.

In a haze, the woman who used to alternate between moods of anger and joy appeared before him again.

In a daze, it seemed as if it was the candlelit wedding night, shadows cast on the window.

Then fixing his gaze, beauty had aged, hair turned white.

Facing each other in silence, only a smile.

But at this moment, only reflection on the desolation passed.

Su Mo at last saw Guiniang’s true face.

Though now she’s aged and white-haired, she was well-maintained, not showing signs of decrepitude.

And seeing how she is now, one can imagine how remarkably beautiful she must have been in her youth.

No wonder even Dongmen Yong praised her beauty.

It wasn’t in vain that I forced myself to watch this whole grandparent love story.

Looking back again, Guo Zhaochen had a middle-aged face, angrily staring at the scene before him.

He couldn’t help but smile wryly.

Finally, gently patting his shoulder:

"They haven’t seen each other for many years, surely they have a lot to say.

"Would senior join me?"

"Not going."

Guo Zhaochen firmly rejected.

After speaking, he seemed to remember who he was talking to, quickly clasping his hands in apology:

"Forgive me, Alliance Hierarch... I apologize...

"I can’t let him bully my junior sister. My junior sister and I also haven’t seen each other for many years, there are many things we want to say, I can’t let him speak alone here endlessly.

"I, I also want to talk..."

"..."

Su Mo felt speechless.

And as if afraid of Su Mo stopping him, Guo Zhaochen left a sentence:

"I will seek the Alliance Hierarch to apologize later."

Then he hurriedly followed the two inside.

Lord Ban Shu anticipated it, closing the door first after entering.

Guo Zhaochen didn’t care about this.

He pushed but couldn’t open it, stepped back, pointed his foot, and leaped inside.

As soon as he entered, he shouted:

"In broad daylight, locking the door, what are you intending?"

"...None of your business."

Lord Ban Shu no longer was timid.

"You, Lord Ban Shu, finally show your claws— today, old man, I won’t let you off easily!!"

"The Alliance Hierarch is still outside the door, you two stop quarreling."

It was Guiniang speaking that worked, instantly suppressing the two irritable old men.

Su Mo listened and shook his head repeatedly, gently beckoning in the dark.

Immediately, a few disciples from Nanhai approached silently, kneeling on one knee.

"Keep vigil quietly, don’t let your guard down.

"If any movement, report quickly."

Always guard against both gentleman and villain.

After giving the necessary instructions, Su Mo turned to his courtyard.

Entering the door, he heard the sound of the zither spreading, melodious and moving.

Stepping into the main hall, he saw Bo Yan sitting alone playing the zither.

Yang Xiaoyun, Wei Ziyi, and Little Situ were all gathered around, watching two people playing chess.

In the chess game, one was a shabby old beggar.

The other one... unexpectedly was Hua Shiyiniang.

Su Mo was confused for a moment, somewhat lost.

Yang Xiaoyun turned to look at him, beckoning him over to watch quietly.

Su Mo leaned in and saw on the chessboard, crossed and intersected battles, dragons and snakes rising, heaven and earth upheaving.

He couldn’t help but look at the two in surprise.

The old beggar was the ’miscellaneous’ among the Three Wonders and Five Elders, with his varied learnings, randomly assorted and diverse.

But no matter which one, it was only tasted, never deeply studied.

Thus Su Mo, although surprised that the old man’s chess skills were so exquisite, wasn’t surprised.

What truly astonished Su Mo was this big sister who spends her days cracking melon seeds, eating peanuts, sitting cross-legged and bragging all afternoon, unexpectedly had such outstanding chess skills.

Does this mean one cannot judge by appearance?

Su Mo folded his arms, not in a hurry to speak, allowing the two to play chess.

Bo Yan played the zither to the side, adding to the ambiance.

As the zither sound quickened, the chessboard showed even more murderous intent.

Finally, the old beggar lost a move, sighed in resignation, casually tossed away the black piece in his hand:

"If the Hua Family’s [Jade Butterfly Thousand Chapters] hadn’t been lost, the place of the Three Wonders, still must add you.

"What a pity... Such a pity..."

"Thanks for letting me win, senior."

Hua Shiyiniang gently let out a breath:

"Although the cultivation technique of Jade Butterfly Thousand Chapters is lost, this chess skill is passed down through generations.

"Consider it family learning.

"Ever since my sister passed away, I haven’t played chess for many years.

"Today able to have a game with senior, it’s truly an honor, thankfully not disgracing the Hua Family name."