chsdbacks Page 43
Page 43
Chapter 54 What is Love?
It was already covered in a thin layer of snow, pure white.
The red plum blossoms in the courtyard were in full bloom, their petals covered in snow. The snow on the branches was blown by the wind and fell softly onto the bluestone slabs.
With only a few days left until Lunar New Year's Eve, the servants in the village were busy hanging red lanterns and pasting Spring Festival couplets, and the air was filled with the faint aroma of paste and the festive spirit of the New Year.
Wang Quanba, wearing a yellow scarf, was holding the hand of a girl in a pale yellow dress as they slowly walked along the corridor.
The girl had black hair, and the snow reflected off her face, making her look fair with a rosy glow. She was none other than Dongfang Huaizhu, the eldest daughter of the Dongfang family.
The two were talking about something, and Wang Quanba occasionally turned his head, his eyes revealing a smile he couldn't hide.
Dongfang Huaizhu would lower her eyelashes gently, her ear tips turning red. When she looked up again, her eyes met Wang Quanba's, and they couldn't help but smile at each other.
In a pavilion not far away, Mu Qinghan sat quietly, holding an ancient book in his hands, but his gaze was not on the pages, but fixed on the two people on the corridor.
His dark hair was loosely tied back, and sunlight streamed through the window lattice onto his face, making his features appear exceptionally handsome.
But those clear eyes were unusually filled with curiosity.
As Wang Quanba and Dongfang Huaizhu approached, Mu Qinghan simply closed the book, got up, walked to the pavilion, and stared at them without moving.
Only when the two noticed his gaze and stopped to look over did he tilt his head slightly and ask seriously, "Are you two dating?"
The moment those words were spoken, the pavilion fell silent. Wang Quanba's smile froze, his ears turned red visibly, and he even stammered.
"Qing, Qinghan, why...why are you suddenly asking this?"
Dongfang Huaizhu blushed instantly, nervously twisting her skirt with both hands. She didn't even dare to lift her head, only stealing a glance at Wang Quanba Ye out of the corner of her eye before quickly looking away.
Mu Qinghan, oblivious to their awkwardness, kept her clear eyes open, waiting for an answer.
Li Quzhuo and Li Zizai, who were following behind Wang Quanba, couldn't help but exchange a glance, and a knowing smile appeared on their lips.
Li Quzhuo raised an eyebrow, nudged Li Zizai beside him with his elbow, and teased him in a low voice.
"See, I told you, Xiao Qinghan is just a blockhead when it comes to emotions."
Li Zizai suppressed a laugh and nodded slightly.
They had known Mu Qinghan for many years and had long since figured out his personality.
Mu Qinghan is exceptionally talented, far surpassing his peers in both cultivation and strategy, but he is shockingly oblivious when it comes to matters of the heart.
In recent years, many young women from families within the Dao Alliance, attracted by his talent or admiring his appearance, took the initiative to come to his door.
Some sent love poems, some directly expressed their feelings, and some families even came with generous gifts to propose marriage, wanting to give their daughters to him.
But what about Mu Qinghan?
He was never moved by those beautiful young women, and didn't even bother to give them a second glance.
Once, a girl blocked his way, her eyes red, and asked him if he didn't like her. He actually thought about it seriously for a moment and replied, "You're blocking my way to the library." The girl was so angry that she ran away crying on the spot.
As time went on, Li Quzhuo and Li Zizai couldn't help but wonder in private if this kid really didn't like women.
Otherwise, how could she ignore the perfect match that was presented to her and be completely oblivious to the affections of others?
Even when they saw Wang Quanba and Dongfang Huaizhu getting close, they treated it as something "new" that needed to be figured out, without noticing any ambiguity or affection between them.
Under the pavilion, Wang Quanba finally calmed himself down, coughed twice to cover his embarrassment, and was about to explain when he saw Mu Qinghan tilt his head again.
“I noticed you two were always laughing and standing very close together. I heard from Afu that people in love are like that.”
"So... is this what they call love?"
Upon hearing this, Dongfang Huaizhu's face turned even redder, Wang Quanbaye laughed helplessly, and even Li Quzhuo and Li Zizai couldn't help but chuckle.
The winter sun shone on the group, and their cheerful laughter added a touch of warmth and vibrancy to the year-end atmosphere.
Seeing that Wang Quanba and Dongfang Huaizhu only blushed and did not reply, Mu Qinghan frowned slightly but did not ask any further questions.
His gaze fell on Dongfang Huaizhu, and he changed the subject.
"What about Miss Huaizhu? What about the old patriarch of the Dongfang family? I saw him once when I went to a banquet at the Dongfang family a couple of years ago, and I haven't heard from him in a long time."
As soon as he said that, the embarrassment on Dongfang Huaizhu's face vanished instantly, and the light in her eyes dimmed abruptly.
She tightened her grip on the hem of her skirt, and her voice softened.
“My father… is sick. At first, he was just listless, but his health deteriorated day by day. We consulted many doctors, but none of them could find the cause.”
Mu Qinghan frowned even more. He clearly remembered that when he last met Dongfang Guyue, the old man sat upright in the main seat with his blood and qi flowing like a great bell, and his magic power was flowing around him, which clearly showed that his foundation was solid.
Why did he suddenly get sick? Something's fishy.
He looked up at Dongfang Huaizhu, his tone calm.
"I'll visit you another day and take a look at the old gentleman's house."
Although he doesn't understand medicine, he has exceptional eyesight and can see through the internal organs and meridians of the old patriarch of the Eastern family, which may help him find the cause of the illness.
"Then thank you so much, Young Master Mu!" A glimmer of light instantly appeared in Dongfang Huaizhu's eyes.
Wang Quanba nodded in agreement, his tone solemn: "Qinghan, thank you."
Just as Mu Qinghan was about to nod in agreement, the question that hadn't been answered before popped into her mind again, and her eyes immediately became serious as she pressed for an answer.
"So now can you tell me, are you two dating? If so, what's it like?"
"Cough cough cough!" Wang Quanba choked twice when asked the question. He secretly glanced at Dongfang Huaizhu beside him, and his fingers curled up unconsciously. "I... I guess so."
"Huh? Does...do I consider it?"
Dongfang Huaizhu was taken aback at first, then reacted, her cheeks flushed slightly, and the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up, revealing a sweet smile.
"Then... then that must be it."
Wang Quanba looked at her smile, his Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice softened even more.
"As for the feeling... it's that my heart races when I see her, and if she frowns, I instinctively want to care."
“She feels sorry for you if you suffer a little bit; even if you are just standing side by side, you will subconsciously want to get closer to her.”
"Me too..."
Mu Qinghan stared straight at the two of them, her eyes filled with confusion.
Subconscious concern?
He had never experienced these feelings before.
In his world, there is only the practice of swordsmanship, unfinished plans, and hidden dangers that need to be eliminated. Where do so many "subconscious" emotions come from?
But just then, a figure suddenly flashed through my mind.
That silly fox curled up in his arms, that fox spirit who fell into a deep sleep while holding him.
That fox demon who stirred up so much unease within me.
But how could this be a relationship?
Mu Qinghan snapped back to reality, her fingertips stiffening slightly.
He is the heir of the Dao Alliance's Mu family and is the one who is to restore order to the Dao Alliance. How could he be attracted to a demon?
It was just a spur-of-the-moment act of kindness; those fleeting strange sensations were nothing but illusions.
He suppressed the inexplicable turmoil in his heart, and when he looked up, his eyes had returned to their usual calm, as if the momentary lapse in concentration had never happened.
(Note: Due to Mu Qinghan, Dongfang Huaizhu and Wang Quanbaye met earlier and fell in love at first sight.)
(Note: Mu Qinghan also fell in love with Tu Shan Ya Ya at first sight, but he was unaware of it.)
Let's make it a single female lead, Tu Shan Ya Ya, so I can write the romance storyline in more detail.
Chapter 55 So that's how it is...
The little ones gathered again
They looked excited.
Zhang Zheng gently swirled his teacup and looked at everyone.
"So... can the goal we set back then finally be achieved now?"
Deng Qiyue suddenly sat up from the stone chair, raised his arms and shouted, his eyes burning like stars.
"I've traveled all over the industry in the past few years, from the northern mountains to the western regions, I've even seen the big white dogs on the far north ice plains. I'm so tired of it, it's so boring!"
Wang Quanzui twirled a strand of hair between his fingers, turned his head and exchanged a glance with Qingmu Yuan beside him, his eyes full of smiles.
"But that's a forbidden zone we've heard about since we were kids, a creature from outside the circle... Aren't you afraid of it at all?"
"Afraid?" Wang Quanba's eyebrows shot up suddenly. He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, his eyes sharp. "The forbidden zone can stop everyone in the world, but it can't stop us! How can a mere forbidden zone stop us?!"
"Exactly!" Ji Wuji stepped forward and nudged Li Zizai beside him with his elbow. "The three of us working together could hold our own against even a demon emperor for dozens of rounds."
"Not to mention we also have Qinghan, whose combat power is comparable to that of a demon emperor. Those creatures from outside the circle can only flee in panic when they see us!"
Li Zizai tilted his head back and drank the strong liquor in one gulp. The liquor trickled down his chin and into his collar, but he was completely unaware. He simply slammed the empty glass down on the table, making a crisp sound.
He raised an eyebrow and smiled, his eyes brimming with arrogance. "When we're all together, who in this world can stop us? Who dares to stop us?!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he grabbed the wine jug and filled his own cup. His Adam's apple bobbed as he laughed, his laughter filled with the unbridled joy of youth.
"Hahahaha—just do it! Is there anywhere in this world we can't go?!"
As the noise subsided, Yang Yitan slowly spoke, his gaze falling on Mu Qinghan, who remained silent in the corner.
His voice was gentle, yet filled with expectation: "Qinghan, what do you say? Let's go together and see what the so-called truth of the world is hidden in that forbidden zone."
As soon as he finished speaking, Mu Shenqi, who had been standing beside Mu Qinghan, also looked up.
He didn't say anything, but gently patted Mu Qinghan's shoulder.
This matter is of great importance, so he will listen to his younger brother.
The surroundings fell silent for a moment, and everyone's eyes were on Mu Qinghan, waiting for his answer that would determine their future.
Mu Qinghan pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly, a few stray hairs falling across her forehead with the movement. "Yes, that's fine."
He looked up at everyone and explained the follow-up arrangements one by one.
"The various levels of the academy have been established, and the daily affairs have been handed over to several instructors. It can operate normally even without my presence for a short period of time."