Chapter 48
The day after driving Jinbao away, Que Siming regretted it deeply.GERAuZohdrBqqtbEmbcmIwCafWdtDO
LeCssOwkjVxiTLdAt the time, he was blinded by anger, wanting nothing more than for this person to disappear from his sight immediately, or else he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from strangling him.zhQqVaieOjKBrYScLhCxUEDPrNiHQo
rfEyIYrMyBmHWnJIt was only after he had smashed every visible object in the house that he finally calmed down. And then, he realized what he had done.lKiiDCLbeSVtUWhKjsOvwPKymCavZL
aqOBPHCUdBwNsBuWhy should he make things easy for Lou Jingyu? How could he just watch as Xiaohu and him fly off into the sunset? He should have dragged Jinbao back, chained him up, locked him away, hidden him, never letting anyone else see or touch him again. He should make him his for life. If Jinbao dared to think of someone else, he’d make sure he couldn’t think of anything at all. He’d guard him so tightly that there’d be no way he could ever betray him.SkKwUJDuthUtiPHiBCcNaGQUXMYpGY
tdCyhDxoOFqYUqpLife is so long—how could he keep going if he never saw him again?OgurCTeVQhmNvPnRJdnVkPUldbECjw
LWGIPizNZJVttCRWith that thought, he urgently set out to get Jinbao back.QWoSuHyCeALysffDtzUkkkRvOJIrgZ
rTgGieJAtsKyjwRAt dawn, as he was running out of the village, he was stopped halfway by his master and senior brothers, leading a group of people.pXoqTVlagVEHLkSBLZwSrresKfXyhC
NMOEFynWQUlIYfaHis master was so angry that even his beard was bristling. He pointed at Que Siming and scolded, “What’s wrong with you? This is a complete mess!”xkoppguyymUKDpKyVSLTIbdVBClLvr
FcaepRtbVaSCQYHQue Siming, having no idea what he had done wrong, grew even more impatient, since he was in a hurry. “What now?”vUJtCWtPrkpPjWICaxolsmzEKycTOh
MwfRdqoBlgEaUVrMaster Que bellowed in his thunderous voice and waved him over, “Get over here!”SwusNEQtfqiAhpMgyIgVCeBxSPQwZQ
WzyPbHyxhGvlUgjFrustrated but not daring to disobey, Que Siming followed behind.OAxbYPIFURAPkCMhGFYymHaZragHVD
RbUVFmzVVPbbyrZHis master led him to the backyard, the very place where the stone of longevity was kept—the same place where he had clashed with Jinbao the day before.HJOpSpkLrFoBoFhFQGYokUvnWJHbnX
wwBLHrQAbiEimElMaster Que pointed to the stone wall, now scratched up and covered in ridiculous markings. “You ungrateful brat, what the hell is this? Huh? First, you made a mess with that rabbit deity, and now this… Are you trying to piss me off to death?!”AHUpgBEzoaXUZTmRjWsIwjnHsnjPPR
GFDxufTdopvgnShQue Siming froze when he saw the stone wall.ursVTCLUQnlTmLjduupBimYLuYIMdx
SWGgtNeKTnTBkBsOn the wall, a few words had been carved with a sharp blade, and each stroke felt like it was etched into his heart, making him ache unbearably.hVtyQqnnmzDQRNULrCKnVgxzxBIozf
kyOTvoGxEhMqLvQDivorce LettersIHxYuVZlsFwIxyNHbhCzePTTUdPXH
PrRmJPBKUxKQAUtQue Siming, you heartless, despicable bastard. I’m done with you.rZDuaWeATTmAyYtRMucXLDxgicexuP
RksxILSqebXIuFiWang ErhuebyBDjJnqkwZjgtfKRhwZckfVnffUs
pWSAqXVKKoNexQHQue Siming’s face twisted into a mix of a sob and a bitter smile. He stared down at his shoes, saying nothing.HXunZAwWmDUEYMMuYgSzZCynnTbxDj
wOHfHDlsaYNPGdzMaster Que stormed up to him and slapped him hard on the head. “You idiot! The Que family only has one son, and this is what you… You… You’re going to be the death of me!”lEWKXwqlXPYtrPyYVWTNXrSJVEuMEj
IEyWouAoEAgzHdwQue Siming suddenly felt no need to pretend or deceive anymore. He sighed and said, “Master, I’ve been like this since I was young…”NZpknMXkJgYkTybhqJPlcWatmrIKUP
sfozRJwfFVSxvatSlap!tZHzhurZLaELvSHUksBZfQDpNpWvdo
OBkeojFCoTyOpfZMaster Que, still furious, smacked him across the face again. “Say that one more time!”JQAPApmhhggdoCcTiaCzBlaTsvgtFm
iCfFnQpAsvjSBPcQue Siming used his tongue to press against the swollen spot from the beating and slowly knelt down, saying, “Master, I’ve always been like this since I was a child.”jBFUsQUwoaaQDqkGWSffcFcIxbZLAJ
NKgaZxgPWApUnzB“You… you…”tAyJncdZFnyUJRNBysnmzHsTMrTZFl
zjJMnqZxFbAGbULQue Qingyuan’s eyes filled with a shame-tinged sorrow, and he looked at Que Siming with a darkened expression.NQeWcdhIUZllGmTpCpyEhwUQlbtNRD
uhLJuXFhUiYFbKdThe head of the Que family was furious, but there was nothing he could do with Que Siming. The others persuaded him to go back and rest for now.rMQfAMJtdHZkihwVMgysEdmnPjzcAd
vpcJsHlDNqTkubSQue Siming also felt deeply guilty, but there was nothing he could do. If hearts could be controlled, he wouldn’t still be obsessing over someone who betrayed him.BYkiotuOzXOGUGsHeTrpiucVQEBVXV
IvhmvSGMzdYHxnONot wanting to stay even a moment longer, he seized the chance while Master Que wasn’t paying attention, gathered his people, and fled the medicine valley to chase after Jinbao.OkzQZUGtVTMwqLFzZtvWakiphLGlbY
xmpfIpbTYUYWbXOOn his way, he received reports that Lou Jingyu had hurried back to Ruyi Pavilion at Mount Qixia. So, Que Siming informed the head of Ruyi Pavilion, Lou Jingrong, hoping to meet them as soon as he arrived.VzqsiIFycWPyNCYUXsNapEXLhQPPUi
helweCFNzOXsOpSUnfortunately, he was three days late when he reached Mount Qixia, and they had already left. Lou Jingyu had taken Jinbao and run away.nljWBepaStDTsRCPwmkryKXBhoohVo
ctyHfzjuofYkSZjMeanwhile, Master Que had sent Manager Xiao and Que Qingyuan to personally chase after him, determined to drag him back to Dongting Lake.cbrxWmCKtljFapDvGEMcXOtGqsSJGx
fLgRTqCdKWgYVZcAs for Lou Jingyu, he wasn’t about to obey his brother’s decision. He would rather die than hand Jinbao over to Que Siming again, so he fled with his people in the middle of the night.KEoCzxUXOVkJHramHxaMSbmQfvSFTf
cjZWctMyVsrhWorHis trouble-making fourth brother even went out of his way to prepare horses and supplies for them, grinning as he personally saw them off.vEokvbhGmeUyJgJSMRsPRgWOtpJFDZ
tELBjVnSvvtzswYThe young master of the Lou family took bundles of banknotes with him, planning to travel the world with Jinbao, indulging in food, drink, and fun.UiHqyifiEoYDEvwADTiVqQMjvPmoWJ
SMhTTCjFUxQiOalSince the youngest had also been allowed to leave the mountain, the nine members of the Lou family had never appeared together again. The Lou family was naturally free-spirited, fond of wandering, and it was normal for them to be away from home for most of the year. In the past, Lou would travel alone, but now, with someone he liked by his side, he was truly happy.zCCbxQpnqIpTahGBEfnklRWvtxCPZU
rMPgelERcSziMBxAt the end of the day, though Lou Jingyu sometimes displayed the ruthless streak of an adult, deep down, he was still a child at heart. He wanted to share all the good food, fun, and beautiful sights in this world with the one he loved.NHwCaRwdkxXAchxRRDsYwewUGJXyRI
rDbFUqwAzSUmKnDHe had no shame about his feelings toward Jinbao, not hiding a single bit. He just liked being with Jinbao, wanted to treat him well, protect him, make him happy, and be happy himself. He also wanted to touch him, kiss him, hug him, and when Jinbao no longer rejected him, he hoped he could get him to lie beneath him, making those sounds that could make anyone’s blood boil…nIOyjppSZSZDwheTzRrZbpbvaKRfrJ
iavctkqPweNSwZSAlthough Jinbao still treated him coldly now, he kept him by his side, waiting to see who would outlast the other.RnIjesQMfwFoULpjsZaJdfobCknyBO
QyUqcUEOtecUisUYoung Master Lou looked at the vast sky, feeling incredibly at ease.xWkzeNgWSYhIpTImVPCIKuUcwYUECa
fkYZGHLsBVfizJhBut his joy was entirely one-sided.KZtRsCKpQgCtHilcdlVlPWyYKEhRbn
BkmJyrHoQdOsCgXFor Jinbao, who was being forced to stay with the one who had framed him, his martial skills sealed, and was constantly being groped, he only wanted to get away.naotquXNshsXBkPmbEiWqqkRnpcnHW
lJeIShFSwiYbbxTMoreover, compared to Lou Jingyu’s excitement, Jinbao still hadn’t recovered from the shock of hearing that Que Siming had chased him all the way to Qixia Mountain.llnyqvTYgGSIyBjXslTLzTeUCLLDAO
OWqCyJsQNwYDhaWWhy had he come? Didn’t he say he never wanted to see him again? Could it be that he regretted it? Jinbao smiled mockingly. How could that be?pSuclFHFiXXNccfbtZUDFKOzfVRExQ
raLtOZepKrUTlhdThough he had once imagined Que Siming regretful and crying in anguish, it was just a fantasy. Que Siming was far too proud, rarely ever saying anything soft. Maybe he came for something related to Yu Mingjing.UxgFndutbUXTnfMlJEdNVOeEncNtgF
whUMuxrwocziYaCBesides, Jinbao didn’t care if he regretted it. Jinbao thought to himself, no, he didn’t care. He was the one who dumped Que Siming first.KIMLGJnZtMWWYcwcqXPBmfieuRUMhM
UUpCtrpfqiOdWJrJinbao lowered his head, gripping the reins as if they were Que Siming’s neck, twisting with force.VWsOQQXuGFTSNZftYcesEvIenvqGUN
VCJiFYJtqUtrAGRLou Jingyu rode up, giving him a swift kick to the butt, complaining, “Hey! What are you daydreaming about? I’ve been calling you for ages.”YrpRJAYJMPkhuZJPwVDnZbiZcxkeIk
zoVWtcrcnZVHzUiJinbao raised his head, stunned, looking at that annoyingly smug face, feeling a surge of anger. “What?”vEBmsnwtRyriSPtOlHwIaNpOUgTKGX
DQfVIbqVaXLAcwQ“I’m asking you, where do you want to go?”DJHrFMZuNcUqGDlvBKaPDpcjWnWvNx
LYwmIudlYRJZbOaJinbao replied, irritated, “I want to go home.”tHANYcEksKCgNTPIxJFWOftfpXaIBx
CSKiZdvKGxmHYih“And where’s your home?”yhTSCLmcmwHVFqwPmpKmLmeDugFYCc
bGEDroCEjlVnaVTJinbao thought for a moment, “Dali.”KcJNgbGhOkHawNMEyoptZmuNgZzqsf
iJEvqORGxhkPtWiLou Jingyu tilted his head, “Well, it’s not impossible, but what if we get there and you turn your back on me, ditching me? What then?”rNURzmXxcLHNeVZlUoriDDCHhHuQOJ
FXROKzJyFZnShLLJinbao shot him a glare, “I already turned my back on you. You’re the one who insisted on dragging me along. When will you finally stop?”zUiFhTZDyMQfYWSuCiDYZbrWGewcCJ
HwZcUXATxffTHeaLou Jingyu pouted, looking at him with grievance. “What exactly do you dislike about me? Am I not good to you? Or is it my face that makes you lose your appetite? How am I worse than Que Siming? Is it just because I didn’t meet you as early as he did?”GehaoAJnAcBOjoKaiPMyfIoJCGfpmF
PaIChfqlYMwCsXkJinbao couldn’t help but laugh and cry. “No, seriously, let me ask you—what exactly do you see in me?”FdCgRnRolOMuTgDPDCbggadcfMnkaQ
GgcODIHsmtvhWKyLou Jingyu blinked his eyes, then smiled shyly. “I like being with you.”ibvMtXRVCozGODLZFxcpdKDCRQUIjW
lCzVRhlSYvsfwitJinbao’s face turned red at Lou’s bashful expression. He had only casually asked the question, never expecting such an honest response. It was the first time in his life someone had expressed affection for him so openly. Even though it wasn’t what he wanted, he couldn’t help but feel a little flattered and embarrassed.NUyCZdNCeNDCqGUBhiQhwOcaaovOeY
nliFTlhMCeePkkmSeeing Jinbao’s slightly flushed cheeks, Lou Jingyu sweetly leaned in closer, saying, “Brother Jinbao, I know I wronged you in the past, but I did save your life once. Let’s call it even, okay? Why don’t you give it a try with me? I promise I’ll treat you sincerely, not like Que Siming. I won’t doubt you, and I won’t deceive you. Just give it a chance, will you?”fQTqAqAPZqFBOYGCaLTultBQzudBUO
EUUKmxaCtvLgTkzJinbao frowned, “Get lost, you little brat. What do you even know? Let me tell you, I’m done getting involved with men. My brother was right, nothing good ever comes from it. I’m going home to farm…”aYhwAJVreTXdUlEroMeTEubMiIbPQt
XiILSEzbqQDwIpWLou Jingyu shouted, “You can’t judge all men just because Que Siming was awful to you! What’s wrong with giving me a chance? What do I lack compared to him? I could treat you a hundred times better—would that kill you to try?”EBBcxVwaAhFnGbWavVKkcFKLKZEjCs
OiCjMAkEdRjdJWGJinbao, growing impatient, replied, “What happened between Que Siming and me isn’t what you think. It’s not about how he treated me… Damn it, can you stop bringing him up? Anyway, there’s no chance for us. Stop messing around and let me go. Go find a nice girl or guy to have fun with, nobody’s stopping you.”HlucyCaZbJWdnDyzGwCWATxrCNyOwZ
TRqpEudwLdVmmMOLou Jingyu, fuming, kicked him again. “Do you believe I’ll force myself on you? Do you? I’ve never been more humiliated in my life, especially in front of you! How did I end up this unlucky, taking on a mission and ending up with a troublemaker like you?”HTBbmdtNhuRqjgbVaOIuPHPLeWQqyB
cElCNMavaOslNzyA few days ago, Jinbao might have been worried, but after spending some time with Lou Jingyu, his guard had lowered significantly. He realized this kid mostly just talked big and liked to grope, but compared to the real trouble Que Siming had caused him, Lou was harmless.MUhsnEGoCeAIxRCXvuBsNcqseuMpEj
SVtEbDIvQfXojEXSo, Jinbao just curled his lip and turned his face away.WuSpjCiVLCXSbHtFZshNyFPtLNpAQL
LUzVejNIAZLqjBfFeeling defeated, Lou Jingyu thought for a moment, then said, “How about I take you to Dali?”ZlViTdDFBRkDETNUkYHpSTaKRAMsao
kUTqEkARpAlFmcZJinbao turned his head, surprised. “Really?”IoWfsmwrqFempSzIxQwqzHMTSgJugy
wlAfNxxYmBBMUcA“But on one condition.”ykbcxDtVGUUXEfVYebGGgzSnhsknPS
DoPyTZoWmqNxvOI“Name it.”ePTXebIOkVQmhvNwtizQZIVtyreARD
NjDOwgeEfkrSYht“You can’t chase me away. However long I want to stay with you, you have to let me stay.”bnbfICuFNUvUNDFFKJCDPPVHEzSjid
agpvPxJynHvuDlY“Why the hell should I? What’s with you? Don’t you have parents who worry about you? Why are you wasting your time hanging around me?”MOmHEPXEGZtKtvyvZkPJItCfxxFKGq
CwSkNTuPYLhagPhLou Jingyu shot him a glare. “Take it or leave it. If you don’t agree, I’ll drag you off to the mountains for training, and you’ll never see Dali again in your life.”WonVaFTLqfhVWyleODjCQywINjLdAk
FwgRwlSRQLgGDLXJinbao’s face darkened, and with gritted teeth, he reluctantly agreed, “Fine. If you want to follow me back, go ahead.”OSxolovAHMkmfXoorOCkAlIyFPnbXg
DZbuUpGeHGMVjPiLou Jingyu added, “Don’t think you can just kick me out once we get there. Without my antidote, your martial skills will never be restored.”dWpCYcmQYnWmaufJWUYsnuykqzHzaV
IrHIHYHwOMbGWbTJinbao, gritting his teeth in frustration, muttered, “Fine!”iyAZYkGQimTIqXZoiJQuugflrMKlYt
ewetHigeDCvEiuHOnly then did Lou Jingyu smile. “Alright, it’s settled then. We’ll go to Dali.”ijXaRUJTxGVGxmkKMUIXbyZtyqHGZO
QCWIyOZpsdoTXMnWith that agreement made, the two of them stopped dawdling and began heading for Dali.NePFdNcYobtnDqNboqgxZruZvqoCzA
kEhaQdsYDhoPSGWThough they were traveling together, their minds were on completely different things.UItvmbgjvSmvgnzTIPsFyBkIjhrXeO
mKhIvHhciGzfUDYJinbao thought that once he got back to Dali, he’d be on his home turf. With Young Master Su’s skills, he was sure he could get his martial arts back. Then, with the help of Zhaocai, it would be easy to drive this little troublemaker Lou Jingyu away.VlnQBlAhbjjjDHCvsJajFYtsJgSdag
mlXsUwDuITpGzjYMeanwhile, Lou Jingyu had other plans. He was skilled in disguise, voice mimicry, and acting. Winning people over came naturally to him. On this journey, he was determined to soften Jinbao’s heart. If that didn’t work, he’d win over his friends and family in Dali. After all, everyone had a soft side. He refused to believe Jinbao wouldn’t fall for him eventually.uCKayJEeEmBKqwNYgUSGIyEnlpsUFb
YnBGrgMuAJSwgveWith their plans in mind, the two began to get along a little better on the road.mGWSJSCIpebfzuBITgckJdCzBtvNMy
SqHlXcufVbhfjXnHowever, Dali was still thousands of miles away, and with Lou Jingyu’s love for chaos and Jinbao’s heroic dream of defending the weak, their journey was anything but peaceful—more like constant chaos with no moment of calm.EgftGuBJEfcvDuPTTBsTnViXSKiqTu
TyUbmXAQPQrGrlDtawEmiJxKfKuaRUIFasGRMbFqiiwhM