Chapter 167 - 107: Yuexin’s Night Visit

Chapter 167: Chapter 107: Yuexin’s Night Visit

Zhang Daxie watched Jiang Mu walk away, a warmth spreading through his chest as he let out a long sigh.

He turned and glared at the head peeking around the corner of the alley, snapping,

"Alright, stop hiding. You forced me to kill that woman just so I could prove my loyalty to the Hall Master, didn’t you? Are you satisfied now? Do you really think the Hall Master couldn’t see through it?"

"Heh heh..."

Zhang Xiaokui peeked his head around the corner with a sheepish grin, then walked out scratching his head.

"Brother, I was just worried, you know? I was afraid the Hall Master would think you still had lingering feelings for that bitch, that things between you two weren’t over, and that he’d kick us brothers out of the Eighth Hall.

Brother, I’m not trying to be manipulative. It’s just... that bitch really isn’t worth you being sad over."

Zhang Daxie said nothing, simply turning to enter the house and deal with the body.

Zhang Xiaokui followed behind him, still talking:

"Brother, do you know why Sister Ying’Er suddenly ran up the mountain all those years ago? The truth is, she wanted to give you—"

"That’s enough. Don’t say any more."

Zhang Daxie cut him off. "Some things... it’s better not to know. Maybe then I can find some peace in this life."

Seeing the lonely figure of his brother’s back, Zhang Xiaokui obediently fell silent.

Life is a mosaic of countless regrets, each piece stored away in the lockbox of memory.

Some memories fade and yellow with the passage of time.

Others are like old scars that ache on rainy days, even when left untouched.

Perhaps ignorance, too, is a form of mercy.

...

Jiang Mu returned home and walked out under the eaves.

Bai Xiang was sitting in a wicker chair, reading a book. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling her in a scene of serene beauty.

Jiang Mu walked over to her and, with a suddenly tragic expression, announced:

"Xiang’Er, I have come to bid you a final farewell."

Bai Xiang didn’t even raise her eyelids, her gaze remaining fixed on the page in her hands.

She was long accustomed to her master’s periodic fits of drama and had mastered the art of automatically tuning him out.

"’Years from now, after this parting, all fine days and beautiful sights will be for naught. Even if I feel a thousand different passions, with whom could I possibly share them...’"

Jiang Mu sighed, clasping his hands behind his back and gazing at the sky.

Bai Xiang’s lovely eyes lit up, and she finally looked up at him.

’This guy... he may be a scoundrel, but every now and then he comes out with some truly stunning lines of poetry. He actually has some talent.’

"Come on, get up. Let your master have a seat."

Without any ceremony, Jiang Mu reached out to shoo her away.

Bai Xiang pursed her lips and ignored him, lowering her head to her book again.

Jiang Mu wasn’t having any of that. He simply pulled her up and plopped himself down into the wicker chair, which was still warm from her body.

Bai Xiang gritted her teeth and shot him a glare, turning to sit in the other chair nearby.

"Come here."

But Jiang Mu suddenly opened his arms, a roguish look on his face.

"Let your master hold you for a bit. This trip to Yan City to slay demons is incredibly dangerous. I don’t know if I’ll even make it back alive, or how long it’ll be until I can see you again.

We should get our fill of cuddles now, all at once. Otherwise, if I don’t make it back, wouldn’t that be a total rip-off?"

Bai Xiang gave him a charming eye-roll.

She could tolerate him occasionally wrapping an arm around her waist or hugging her from behind on a normal day.

’But now he wants me to sit right in his lap?’

’In his dreams!’

’Absolutely not!’

Seeing she remained unmoved, Jiang Mu put on a serious expression and said:

"Before I go, I plan to compose a special poem just for you.

I already have the first half drafted in my head, but I feel like it’s missing a certain mood, a certain spark of inspiration... Hmm. If I were holding you, perhaps the inspiration would flow like a spring, and the second half would write itself.

So hurry up, stop dawdling. Otherwise, the inspiration might flee, and I’ll forget even the half I’ve already composed."

’A poem?’

Bai Xiang’s heart stirred once more.

’Remembering the beautiful verses Jiang Mu had recited before, his skill truly was on another level.’

She hesitated.

Seeing her still stalling, Jiang Mu was exasperated.

"It’s not like you’re getting a bad deal. If I hug you once a day, or I hug you for a long time right now, isn’t the total amount of hugging the same?

It’s like eating three meals a day versus eating nine meals all at once. In the end, it all goes into your stomach, right?

I’m about to leave on a long trip and won’t be able to hold you for days. I’m just taking an advance on my future quota and enjoying it all stacked up now. What’s wrong with that?

And you’re supposed to be the housekeeper of this family. Can’t you even do such simple math?"

The woman was left completely dumbfounded.

’After hearing his convoluted logic, she thought about it carefully... and... it sort of... made sense?’

’Either way, he’s the one holding me. There really isn’t a fundamental difference, is there?’

’It’s just a question of duration and position.’

While she was still hesitating, Jiang Mu lost his patience. He stood up, grabbed her by the wrist, and with a gentle pull, drew her soft, light body into his arms.

His arms instinctively wrapped around her impossibly slender waist, settling her firmly onto his lap.

"Dilly-dallying like some blushing maiden, honestly," Jiang Mu complained.

In his embrace, Bai Xiang silently gritted her teeth. ’I *am* a maiden, thank you very much!’

But since she was already in his arms, struggling would just seem coy.

She decided to just relax, shifting into a more comfortable position. Then, she raised a delicate hand and gestured her question:

[Where’s the poem you’re writing for me?]

"Patience, patience. Your master is still cultivating, searching for that final spark of inspiration."

Jiang Mu gently rested his chin on the crown of her head, inhaling the faint, clean scent of soap from her hair. A wave of emotion suddenly washed over him.

’Usually, he’d just casually wrap his arms around her while they were standing. But this, holding her entire warm, soft body in his arms, having her sit on his lap... this was a first.’

’The delicate form in his arms was even lighter and softer than he’d imagined.’

’It felt like holding a piece of fragrant Warm Jade.’