Let’s talk about Yun Yao and Bian Zhen’er again. They had gotten entangled with each other without anyone noticing. No, to be exact, it should be Yun Yao who got entangled with Bian Zhen’er.
"Bian Zhen'er, please help me. I always eat and drink my father's food. I didn't know that making money was so hard. After a long journey, I found that I can do everything, and I can only use my mouth to deceive people." Yun Yao hugged Bian Zhen'er's thigh and refused to let him go, but how could Bian Zhen'er help him? What he wanted to do was to deceive people and make money!
Yun Yao raised his head and said pitifully, "Bian Zhen'er, we are both men. You can't let Liu'er make all the money in the end, right? We are lying if we say something unpleasant, but we are like honey when we say nice things. Who doesn't like to hear nice things? Isn't it better if they feel comfortable after hearing nice things?"
Bian Zhener looked at the "Divine Calculator" flag that Yun Yao had picked up from nowhere, and felt embarrassed. He said, "But I... I can't do it." When he thought about learning Yun Yao's glib tongue to make up stories, how could he do it? He had been taught by his master since he was a child that he couldn't even lie, let alone deceive others.
Yun Yao hurriedly said, "Just cooperate with me. You won't lie! I will do everything. Just cooperate with me."
Seeing that Bian Zhen'er was in trouble, Yun Yao rubbed his thigh and begged, "Bian Zhen'er, good Bian Zhen'er, my good Bian Zhen'er, just agree to me, please."
Bian Zhener swallowed, quickly pulled away her thighs, and said, "I, I'll try."
"Great!" Yun Yao stood up immediately and said, "Come on, let's take action now."
Bian Zhener shook his head and sighed to the sky: "Amitabha."
So, this scene appeared on the streets of Luoyang.
Yun Yao, dressed in a white robe, sat at the fortune-telling stall, with a "divine fortune-teller" flag next to him. He waved a folding fan and shouted, "Come and have a look. I can tell you about your career, marriage, future, and offspring. If I'm not sure, I won't charge you. If I'm sure, you can give me a tip!"
Bian Zhener stood aside, hesitating for a long time before slowly walking over.
When Yun Yao saw him, he immediately shouted, "Hey, little master, come here quickly and let me tell you your fortune. Have you encountered any romantic luck recently?"
Bian Zhen'er was speechless. How could a monk be lucky in love?
"Come here, come here, let the master decide for you when to return to secular life." Yun Yao waved his hand at him, winked at him secretly, and said, "Hurry up!"
Bian Zhener walked over and sat down, saying, "Amitabha, I have not calculated my marriage or my return to secular life. I have been having nightmares in recent days, and I would like to ask you to calculate whether there are any signs."
"Oh, that's easy!" Yun Yao waved his hand and said, "Tell me, what was the dream?"
When people around saw a monk telling fortunes, they found it interesting and couldn't help but surround him.
Bian Zhener said: "This dream is very strange. It has happened for three consecutive days. In my dream, there is always a snow-white vicious dog biting my thigh."
"Ah, a vicious dog with a snow-white body?" Yun Yao was about to say something nonsense when he suddenly seemed to think of something. He lowered his head to look at the color of his clothes, and then he realized that Bian Zhener was teasing him about the incident of him hugging his thigh just now.
This Bian Zhener looks honest, but I didn't expect him to be so evil!
Yun Yao looked at Bian Zhen'er's ambiguous face. In order to play the role well, he had to put on a smile again and said, "Little Master, you don't understand, right? This dog is the most loyal animal. The dog you are talking about is completely white, which is extremely rare. It is obviously a rare thing and represents good luck. It bit your thigh in the dream, which must be telling you to be careful about your money and personal safety in the next few days."
Bian Zhen'er pretended to be surprised, stood up and said, "Sir, you are too amazing, aren't you? On the first day of my dream, my precious Buddhist beads were stolen, and on the second day, I was almost hit by a falling brick when I passed by the city gate under construction. Sir, you mean that I should pay attention to safety today, right?"
"Of course not. We must pay attention to safety." Yun Yao tapped the table with his folding fan and agreed.
"Thank you very much, thank you very much, sir. I will pay attention to it. Thank you for the reminder." Bian Zhener kept thanking him, put three cents from his sleeve on the table, and then went into the crowd and left.
Yun Yao was very satisfied with Bian Zhener's acting skills.
Seeing Yun Yao's "magic calculations", the onlookers couldn't help but ask curiously: "Sir, can you calculate when my wife will have a son?"
"Okay." Yun Yao said with a smile.
"Then can you calculate when I will pass the exam and become the top scorer?"
"Can you calculate when I will get promoted and become rich?"
"Can you tell me when I can marry a beautiful lady?"
The one who asked for his wife's favor was a simple-minded, fat dwarf. Yun Yao swallowed his saliva and said, "Don't be in a hurry. Take your time, one by one."
Bian Zhener, who was far away, breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the stall was surrounded by people.
On the other side, Liu Zhuiyi was brought to Yuhua Garden by Hei Laowu. The Yuhua Garden was magnificent and could almost rival the imperial palace. However, Liu Zhuiyi was supposed to meet the old maid, but at this moment, there was another girl who was also meeting the old maid.
The girl is pretty, but she looks mean.
The old maid looked at Liu Zhuiyi and the girl and said nonchalantly, "You two are both very pretty, but Yuhua Garden only needs one singer, and you two..." She glanced at Liu Zhuiyi and the other girl. Liu Zhuiyi could smell the strong scent of powder on her body.
"Mom, it doesn't matter if there are many singers, as long as we can make money." Liu Zhuiyi said with a smile.
The old maid said, "You are quite tactful, but in Yuhua Garden, it is not quantity but quality that counts. You two, sing a song for me, your mother."
Another girl saw that Liu Zhuiyi was dressed shabbily and couldn't help but say, "Mom, let Cuiqiao sing a song for you first. Some country girls are too shabby and I'm afraid they will offend you."
Liu Zhuiyi didn't mind Cuiqiao's words. She stepped back a few steps and said with a smile, "Please come in."
Cuiqiao cast a glance at her, walked to the middle of the building, pinched her throat, and sang a song "Song of Swallows and Sparrows". The lyrics were full of words of greed and vanity, "I only envy the tall buildings and waterside pavilions, I only wear purple clothes and cloud clothes, I only hope to marry a good husband, and live a beautiful life from now on."
The song turned out to be a nice one, but the singer was too vulgar. In a place of fireworks like this, there is no shortage of vulgar people.
The old woman clapped her hands with her fingers raised, and said in a shrill voice: "Not bad, not bad." She turned her head to look at Liu Zhuiyi and said, "What about you? Sing two songs too."
Liu Zhuiyi smiled and said, "Liu'er is not talented. She can't sing as well as this sister. Please bear with me, mother."
After that, she sang to the old maid the best song she had heard from her elder sister in Ruyi Tower. Although her voice was not as crisp and moving as Cuiqiao's, it was filled with strong emotions that made people easily fall in love with it.
When the song ended, Hei Laowu kept clapping beside him.
Liu Zhuiyi walked to the old maid and said, "Mom, Liu'er has something to say to you. Please give Liu'er some time."
"You say." The old woman did not object. She really liked Liu'er more than Cuiqiao. Cuiqiao sang more beautifully, but she was already wrapped in a layer of fireworks. She was not as pure as Liu Zhuiyi. And these rich young men who had seen fireworks all over the place still liked pure beauties the best.
Liu'er smiled and said, "Liu'er grew up in Ruyi Tower in Chang'an City. Although I have not received formal training, the sisters there have taught me a lot. Liu'er feels that men are naturally curious animals. You have to grasp their curiosity and novelty. In this way..." She leaned close to the old woman's ear and said, "You will make a lot of money."
"I really didn't realize you're such a veteran." Cuiqiao perhaps didn't know that Liu Zhuiyi had such skills, so she said sarcastically.
Liu Zhuiyi ignored her, her target was the old maid. When the old maid heard what Liu Zhuiyi said, she hurriedly said, "Miss Liu, are you from Ruyi Tower? Oh, Ruyi Tower is the largest dance studio in Chang'an City. Miss, you... can also dance?"
"Of course." Liu Zhuiyi couldn't help but lift his hair proudly, and glanced at Cuiqiao with eyes as sharp as swords. Cuiqiao was angry and stomped her feet in anger.
"Can you guarantee that I will make a lot of money?" the old woman asked again.
Liu Zhuiyi held up three fingers and said, "I can guarantee that you can earn three hundred taels of silver tonight. If you can't make it, I don't want a penny."
When the old maid heard that she could earn three hundred taels of silver in one night, she immediately became interested. She waved to Cuiqiao and said, "Okay, you can go now. There is nothing for you to do here."
Cuiqiao had a lot to say but she had no chance to speak, and in the end she left crying.
The old maid pulled Liu Zhuiyi aside, filled her glass with wine and said, "Miss Liu'er? What should we do now?"
Liu Zhuiyi sipped her drink and said, "Of course, we should spread the news now. Say how amazing it is and how attractive it is. Mom, you have been running Yuhua Garden for so long, you must have a way. As for me, you only need to prepare a scarlet dance dress and a veil for me. Leave the rest to me."
"Okay, Mom will do it now." The old maid patted Liu Zhuiyi's shoulder, told Hei Laowu to take good care of Liu Zhuiyi, and then twisted her waist to do her job.
Hei Laowu looked at the calm Liu Zhuiyi and asked, "Miss Liu, can you really make three hundred taels of silver in one night?"
"In Chang'an City, Ruyi Tower has earned more than a thousand taels in one night, let alone a mere three hundred taels? The thing that those rich kids who like brothels lack the least is money. As long as we can find a way to make them compete with each other, five hundred taels tonight will be no problem." Liu Zhuiyi said.
Hei Laowu rubbed his hands and said excitedly: "Okay, okay, if Miss Liu needs Laowu for anything, just tell me!"
Liu Zhuiyi smiled at Hei Laowu and poured him a cup of tea.
Outside the house, a "young man" dressed in cloth was eavesdropping on their conversation. After listening, he slipped out from the back door of Yuhua Garden and returned to Donglai Inn.
In the evening, Yun Yao dragged Bian Zhener back.
They had made a lot today, and Yun Yao was proudly saying, "Let's do this again tomorrow, and we will definitely make a lot of money."
"I don't want to cooperate with you tomorrow." Bian Zhener said coldly.
Yun Yao said quickly: "No, we are a golden pair."
"I see you're pretty good on your own, so you should go by yourself." Bian Zhen'er ignored Yun Yao and went upstairs. Yun Yao wanted to defend himself, but he saw Xun Yan suddenly walked out of the room. She grabbed her skirt and said to Bian Zhen'er, "Bian Zhen'er, I...I have something to tell you."
Seeing that she was a little hesitant, Bian Zhener said, "Go to the room."
Xun Yan followed Bian Zhen'er into the room and locked Yun Yao out. Yun Yao disdained to be with them and said to himself, "I'm going to look for Liu'er. Liu'er—where is she?" Yun Yao scratched the back of his head when he found that there was no one in Liu Zhuiyi's room. "Hasn't she come back yet?"
In Bian Zhen's room, seeing Xun Yan's embarrassed look, he asked, "What's wrong? What's the matter?"
Xun Yan sighed frequently and said, "It's about Sister Liu. I don't know whether I should tell you."
"Miss Liu? What happened to her?" Bian Zhener thought Liu Zhuiyi was in some danger and asked hurriedly.
Xun Yan said: "I saw, I saw Sister Liu go to that kind of place."
"That kind of place?" Bian Zhen'er was puzzled.
Xun Yan's face flushed as she said, "It's... it's the kind of place men love to go. I'm afraid Sister Liu will do that kind of thing, I..."
"Nonsense!" Bian Zhen'er said seriously. Xun Yan was startled by Bian Zhen'er's voice. She stared at him innocently with big eyes. Bian Zhen'er came back to his senses and realized that he had overreacted. He said guiltily, "I'm sorry, are you saying that Miss Liu went to a brothel?"
Xun Yan nodded and said carefully: "I saw it with my own eyes."
"What's the name of that place?" Bian Zhener asked.
"Yuhua Garden." Xun Yan said.
Bian Zhener got the answer, turned around and opened the door to go out. Xun Yan shouted from behind: "Bian Zhener, you can't go there..."
"Hey, hey, hey." Yun Yao appeared and stopped Xun Yan, asking, "Where is Bian Zhener going?"
After being stopped by Yun Yao, Bian Zhen'er had already left the inn. Xun Yan was unhappy and said perfunctorily to Yun Yao, "I don't know." Then, she closed the door and sat alone in the room sulking.
Yun Yao felt confused, because that was his room!
Bian Zhen'er went to Yuhua Garden. It was magnificent and grand, and it was not a place for a poor monk like him to go. But Xun Yan said Liu Zhuiyi was here. What was she doing here? This was not the place for her to come.
Bian Zhen'er was thinking and was about to go in, but was stopped by the girl at the door. The girl looked at Bian Zhen'er and couldn't help but teasing him: "You, a little monk, are here to look for women?"
"I am here to find a friend." Bian Zhener bowed.
"Friends?" The girls asked each other, finding it interesting. "Little monk has friends here too. What's your friend's name?"
Bian Zhener hurriedly said, "The little monk's friend's name is Liu Zhuiyi."
"Liu Zhuiyi..." The girl pretended to think and said regretfully, "Alas, we have Liu Xuer and Ruyi here, but no Liu Zhuiyi." The girls covered their faces and laughed secretly, the sound was like crisp bells.
Bian Zhener was a little anxious and didn't know what to do.
At this time, another guest took out a silver ingot and gave it to the girl, who immediately let him pass. The girl held up the silver ingot to Bian Zhener and said, "See, little monk? You can go in if you pay the money."
Bian Zhen'er thought about it and realized that he did have a purse on him, which Liu Zhuiyi had packed for him yesterday. He quickly took out the purse from his pocket and handed it to the girl, saying, "This is all I have. Do you think it's okay?"
The girl took the purse, poured out the money and looked at it. There were only a few dozen coins.
The girl glanced at Bian Zhen'er and sighed, "Forget it. I like you, sister. I'll let you in, but you can only watch from outside the crowd and can't go in. You have to give a reward to go in, and I don't think you have much money to give."
"I won't go in. I will just look for my friends outside." Bian Zhener explained.
"Okay, go in." The girl made way and pointed inside.
Bian Zhener thanked him repeatedly and entered Yuhua Garden.
Bian Zhen'er had never been to such a place before. It was bustling with people and more beautiful than the market outside. The girls here were all painted with rouge and powder, and all of them were gorgeous. All the guests who came here were wrapped in gold and silver and had a lot of money.
Bian Zhener walked inside, looking like an outsider.
Suddenly, there were string music playing in all directions, and there was also lingering sound coming slowly, a whole range of palace music.
Bian Zhen'er pushed through the crowd on the second floor and looked towards the source of the music, but all she saw was a dream.
On the huge stage, there was a graceful girl, wrapped in a scarlet dance dress and draped with silk like clouds. The song she was singing was exactly what she was singing. Although she had a veil on her face, it still couldn't hide her beautiful appearance.
The girl wore a silver moon bell on her bare ankle, and her dancing posture was as graceful as the wind. Her eyes were flowing and her smile was more beautiful than a flower. Bian Zhener felt her heart was moved, and she had never felt that way before.
He only knew that the girl's dance was stunning, but he didn't know that the person under the red veil was the girl who accompanied him and made him fall in love at first.
Bian Zhen'er stood there in a daze for a moment. She didn't realize that it was Liu Zhuiyi, and was discovered by Hei Laowu instead.
He quickly moved out of the crowd and said "Amitabha" a few times foolishly. How could he indulge in wine, women and sex? He was really sorry for his master and Buddha. Then, he shuttled back into the crowd, looking for Liu Zhuiyi's figure.
When Hei Laowu saw Bian Zhen'er coming, he quickly ran to the backstage, lifted half of the curtain, and shouted in a voice that only Liu Zhuiyi could hear: "Miss Liu, the little monk is here!"
Liu Zhuiyi was surprised for a moment, but she didn't dare to mess up her dance steps at all, so she had to dance until the end of the song and finish it perfectly.
Everyone threw coins on the stage, chanting "Miss Qingcheng" non-stop, and some even stood up and asked for Miss Qingcheng to accompany them tonight. Liu Zhuiyi followed her promise and left the stage after the dance. The old maid came up to comfort the audience and said, "Dear audience, our Miss Qingcheng will only perform once a day. If you are still not satisfied, there will be other girls to perform next."
"We only look at Qingcheng!"
"That's right, only Qingcheng!" The guests expressed their opinions one after another, saying that they would only see Qingcheng tonight. The old maid couldn't chase the guests away, so she could only go find Liu Zhuiyi.
In the backstage, Liu Zhuiyi was counting the silver with Hei Laowu. After dancing tonight, they earned nearly four hundred taels for Yuhuayuan. However, Liu Zhuiyi underestimated the nobleman of Luoyang City, who was so lavish and rude.
"I've never seen so much silver in my life!" Hei Laowu exclaimed.
Liu Zhuiyi casually threw a silver ingot and caught it, saying, "We can't take too much of this money."
"Old Five will listen to you, Miss Liu." said Black Old Five.
"Oh, Miss Liu, the guests outside are clamoring to see you, so go and dance for another dance." The old maid came in waving a handkerchief. Although there were many complaints in her words, her face could not hide the joy.
Liu Zhuiyi scratched the silver and refused, "We agreed to dance only one song a night. Mom, you have seen all kinds of big scenes. You should be able to appease the guests outside, right?"
"Well... you see..." the old maid said in embarrassment, "How about you go out and sing another song? I'll give you an extra layer of silver you asked for?"
"No matter how much silver I earn, I only want fifty taels, no more, no less." Liu Zhuiyi picked up the silver and turned to the old woman and smiled , "Mom, I'll leave it to you outside. Just say I'm not feeling well and can't dance tonight. Hei Laowu has seen someone coming to catch me just now. If I get caught, you may never see me again."
When she heard that Liu Zhuiyi might never be able to make money for herself again, the old woman immediately said, "Oh, that won't do. Miss Liu, you go first. I'll take care of the outside world. If anyone dares to bully you, tell me and I'll take care of it for you!"
"Thank you, Mom." Liu Zhuiyi narrowed her eyes and then she pulled Hei Laowu and ran out quickly.
As for Bian Zhener, he went around Yuhua Garden for a long time but didn't see Liu Zhuiyi. He had no choice but to leave. At this time, Luoyang City was shrouded in the night, and the lights of thousands of houses decorated Luoyang City into a sea of ​​lights.
Bian Zhen'er looked at the plaque of Yuhua Garden and sighed, wondering where Liu Zhuiyi was.
Now, the most important thing is to go back to the inn and see if she has returned.
At the Donglai Inn, Yun Yao and Xun Yan were getting very bored while waiting, and they kept cursing Liu Zhuiyi and Bian Zhener for disturbing their meal time.
Yun Yao has always been like this, he likes to curse and swear, but he doesn't really mean it. Xun Yan saw that he was nagging, so she said, "Eat if you want to, no one is forcing you to wait."
Yun Yao said, "I don't like what Miss Xun Yan said. Can't you just complain? Look at what time it is now, and they haven't come back yet."
Xun Yan stood up and said, "I'm going to find Bian Zhener."
"What are you going to do? Don't make trouble. I don't want them to look for you when Bian Zhener is not found." Yun Yao stopped Xun Yan and said.
Xun Yan looked at him sideways and asked, "Master Yun, do you know where Bian Zhen'er and Sister Liu went? Yuhua Garden, that's the biggest fireworks place in Luoyang City, aren't you worried at all?"
"What? Where did you say Liu'er went?" Yun Yao was shocked. But no one told him that they went to Yuhua Garden. He confirmed, "No, it's impossible. It's normal for Bian Zhen'er to go to such a place. Why would Liu'er go there to join in the fun?"
"You are not allowed to say that about Bian Zhen'er!" Xun Yan frowned and said, "Bian Zhen'er was forced to go to that place just to find Liu Zhuiyi. Do you think Bian Zhen'er is you?"
"I..." Yun Yao was speechless. He didn't expect that after Liu Zhuiyi, who only helped Bian Zhener, left, Xun Yan came. It was obvious that he was much more handsome and romantic than Bian Zhener. Are all the girls in this world blind?
Just as Yun Yao and Xun Yan were arguing, Bian Zhener appeared at the door of the inn.
"Bian Zhen'er." Xun Yan went up to him and asked worriedly, "Are you okay?"
Bian Zhener walked in, poured a sip of tea, shook his head and said, "I didn't find Miss Liu." He frowned, at a loss.
"Liu... What happened to Liu'er?" Yun Yao became worried when he saw Bian Zhen'er like this.
Xun Yan said, "Sister Liu followed Hei Laowu into Yuhua Garden this afternoon and has not returned yet."
"Ah? Hei Laowu?" Yun Yao was stunned for a moment, then suddenly slammed the table and said, "That guy wouldn't sell Liu'er, would he?"
"Sold?" Bian Zhen'er asked, "What does this mean?"
"That's it..." Yun Yao was about to explain, but he felt something was wrong, so he said, "Anyway, it's a bad thing!"
Bian Zhen'er was even more confused, his mind was in a mess. He said: "I searched Yuhua Garden everywhere, every corner, and asked many people, but they didn't know there was such a person as Miss Liu. Since it was Hei Laowu who took her there, let's go find Hei Laowu."
"Where to find it?" Yun Yao asked.
"Doesn't Hei Laowu know Master Li who rents out props? We can just go and ask Master Li." Bian Zhener said.
"Okay, let's go together, and Xun Yan will stay in the inn." Yun Yao said.
Xun Yan didn't say anything, but just nodded in agreement. Bian Zhen'er and Yun Yao went to Sanyuan Street to look for her. After they left, Xun Yan returned to her room. She closed the door and it was dark inside.
The light from the lamp shining through the thin gauze window fell into Xun Yan's eyes, and there was not a trace of her usual gentleness in them.
When Liu Zhuiyi and Hei Laowu left Yuhua Garden, they did not have time to change their clothes. Fearing that they would be too conspicuous, they hid in a deserted place.
Under the tree, Liu Zhuiyi opened the cloth package containing five silver ingots, took out two ingots and handed them to Hei Laowu, saying, "Laowu, these are yours."
Hei Laowu didn't dare to take it, and asked: "Miss Liu, why did you give Laowu so much money?"
"This is what you deserve. I said I would share it with you when I make money." Liu Zhuiyi put it in his arms and said, "Take it."
Hei Laowu only accepted one ingot of silver and returned the other ingot to Liu Zhuiyi, saying, "Miss Liu, I am very touched that you kept your promise. But all this money was earned by Miss Liu regardless of her reputation. I am just an errand boy, and these ten taels are enough. You take the rest, Miss Liu. You are outsiders, and I think you will leave Luoyang in a few days. Although I don't know where you are going, I know that you will need a lot of money after the journey. If Miss Liu really has no other choice, she won't go to a place like this to make money, right?"
"Old Five..." A big, dark-skinned man suddenly said this. Liu Zhuiyi didn't know how to respond, so she just said, "Thank you very much. We just met by chance, and I will remember your willingness to help me."
Hei Laowu waved his hand and said with a smile: "Miss Liu, you are too polite. I'd better take you back to the inn first."
Liu Zhuiyi smiled and said, "No need, I'll go back by myself. I definitely can't walk on the street in this state."
"That's fine. I'll go back and tell my brothers the good news. Ten taels of silver is enough for us to earn for more than half a month." Hei Laowu said with a smile, shaking the silver in his hand.
Liu Zhuiyi stood up, clasped his fists and bowed, saying: "Well, let's say goodbye now."
"That's goodbye." Hei Laowu returned the greeting.
Liu Zhuiyi turned and walked towards the Donglai Inn. Hei Laowu watched Liu Zhuiyi's figure disappear into the darkness, then walked towards the old courtyard where he lived.
But what Hei Laowu didn't expect was that when he arrived at the yard, there were already two people sitting inside waiting for him.
"My two lords, why are you here?" Hei Laowu treated them as Liu Zhuiyi's friends and also as his own friends, and greeted them with a smile. Unexpectedly, Yun Yao rushed over, grabbed his collar and asked, "Where did you take Liu'er?"
Hei Laowu was a little confused and said, "Miss Liu went back, just now."
"What?" Yun Yao was even more confused and turned to look at Bian Zhener.
Bian Zhener came over, asked Yun Yao to let go, and asked: "Hei Laowu, tell us where you and Miss Liu went, and when did she go back?"
Hei Laowu said: "Miss Liu asked me where to make money, so I took her to look for many places. She just left, and I came back after saying goodbye to her. She should be almost at Donglai Inn now."
"Has Liu'er been hurt or bullied?" Yun Yao asked.
Hei Laowu slapped his knee and said, "Oh, Miss Liu is so smart, no one can bully her."
"So she has really gone back now, right?" Yun Yao asked again, rolling his eyes with discrimination.
Hei Laowu raised his hand and said, "Go back. If you don't go back, you will only ask me."
"I'll settle the score with you if you don't go back." Yun Yao pretended to hit Hei Laowu, but the slap stopped in mid-air. Since Hei Laowu said Liu Zhuiyi had gone back, he and Bian Zhener should go back and take a look first.
Hei Laowu respectfully sent Bian Zhener and Yun Yao away, wiping his sweat from exhaustion: "What a difficult ancestor to serve."
Bian Zhen'er and Yun Yao hurried back to Donglai Inn and found Xun Yan still sitting on the first floor waiting for them. Seeing that they came back empty-handed, Xun Yan asked, "Where's Sister Liu?"
Yun Yao was surprised and asked, "She hasn't come back yet? Didn't Hei Laowu say she was back?"
"Let's wait a little longer. Her legs are not as strong as ours." Bian Zhen'er's brows were still furrowed. He sat down and waited quietly. Yun Yao also sat beside him, holding his rumbling stomach in a daze. He was so hungry that his eyes were full of stars.
After a while, Yun Yao was already lying on the table playing with the teacup. Bian Zhen'er couldn't bear it and wanted to order some food for Yun Yao. When she was about to speak, she suddenly heard an unusual sound.
Bian Zhen'er's keen sense was better than anyone else's, and he could detect any unusual movement. He moved his ears and heard cautious footsteps on the roof of the inn.
In order not to alert the enemy, Bian Zhener stood up and said, "I'm hungry too. You guys order some food first. I'll be there soon."
As he said that, he walked upstairs. Yun Yao was too lazy to wait for him and ordered some side dishes first.
There was indeed someone on the roof, and it was Liu Zhuiyi, who had not taken off her scarlet dance dress and veil. Bian Zhener walked to the entrance of the corridor, and while no one was paying attention, she grabbed the crossbar of the eaves and jumped onto the roof.
Liu Zhuiyi was about to lift the tile to check the room when she felt a strong wind behind her. She turned around and the wind just happened to blow across her face. Bian Zhener saw that it was the girl from Yuhua Garden today and was stunned for a moment.
At nightfall, on the rooftop overlooking the entire Luoyang city, the boy and the girl faced each other, the night wind blew up their clothes and long hair, as if time had stopped.
Beside them, there was a full moon, and the bright moonlight fell into their eyes like stars falling into the sea.
A smile suddenly emerged on Liu Zhuiyi's face, and the corners of his eyes were filled with intoxicating tenderness. Bian Zhen'er's cheeks felt slightly hot, and he quickly lowered his hands and bowed, not knowing why.
Liu Zhuiyi's smile deepened. She held her head high and her chest puffed out. Through her veil, her perfectly contoured red lips could be seen. She parted her lips slightly and whispered word by word, "Little—monk."
Suddenly, it was like a beam of light piercing through Bian Zhen'er's brain, or more like someone reaching into his heart, making it beat wildly. Bian Zhen'er opened his mouth slightly, but could not utter a word. He stared at the girl in front of him, his mind in a trance.
Liu Zhuiyi walked over with a smile, and Bian Zhener could see her face becoming clearer and clearer.
For a moment, he swallowed his saliva, licked his cracked lips with the tip of his tongue, and looked away when Liu Zhuiyi came over. How could he dare to look at her directly? His heartbeat was so violent that it scared him.
Liu Zhuiyi held Bian Zhener's face with both hands, letting him look at her straight on. Bian Zhener only felt the pleasant fragrance of Liu Zhuiyi coming towards him, making him feel like he was in a dream.
Liu Zhuiyi smiled and said, "Little monk, please keep today's events a secret for me." As she spoke, she looked at him, who was now dull and silly, and stood on tiptoe, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
Bian Zhen'er's cheeks flushed instantly. Although there was a thin veil between them, Bian Zhen'er could still clearly feel the softness of Liu Zhuiyi's kiss. He could hardly breathe, and his brain was in a mess.
Liu Zhuiyi smiled and moved over, following the path that Bian Zhener came from.
After jumping off the roof, Liu Zhuiyi quickly returned to the room and changed his clothes. Bian Zhener was still standing on the roof, dazed, with the burning sensation on his cheeks lingering for a long time.
Liu Zhuiyi changed her clothes, pretended nothing had happened, and went downstairs. Yun Yao saw Liu Zhuiyi coming out of the room, and the tea he had just taken gushed out instantly.
He quickly stood up and walked over, asking, "Liu'er, you've come back a long time ago?"
"No, I just came back from the back door." Liu Zhuiyi walked straight past Yun Yao, sat down at the table, picked up the chopsticks and started eating. Yun Yao chased after him like a fussy woman and asked, "Oh, I was scared to death. We went to Hei Laowu's place to look for you today."
Liu Zhuiyi asked: "How do you know that I'm with Hei Laowu?"
"Xun Yan said," Yun Yao said, "she said you went to Yuhua Garden with Hei Laowu. I was scared to death. I thought something happened to you."
Liu Zhuiyi's eyes immediately fell on Xun Yan. She smiled meaningfully and said, "Hei Laowu and I did go to make money, but we didn't go to Yuhuayuan." Xun Yan said indifferently, "That may be Xun Yan's mistake. I'm glad Sister Liu'er is okay."
Liu Er narrowed her eyes and smiled, "Sister is of course fine, but Xun Yan should not make the mistake again in the future, so as not to make the little monk and Yun Yao worry."
"Sister is right. Xun Yan must be careful in the future." Xun Yan spoke softly with an indifferent and blurred look in her eyes.
Yun Yao didn't like the two of them being so fussy, so he said, "Forget it, forget it. Let's eat something. I'm starving. By the way, where's Bian Zhen'er?"
Liu Zhuiyi bit his chopsticks and said with a wicked smile, "I've lost my soul."
Yes, he has lost his soul.
He didn't even eat dinner, and went back to the room to hide in bed. His mind was full of Liu Zhuiyi, every moment of Liu Zhuiyi, he was confused, confused why he missed her, why he couldn't forget her.
Why could she so easily make him uneasy with just a smile or a gesture?
The next morning, Liu Zhuiyi went to the silver shop early to exchange the fifty taels of silver for small change and copper coins. She divided it into four parts and each person took a little with them. When Bian Zhener got up and saw Liu Zhuiyi, he would think of what happened last night. But Liu Zhuiyi, whether intentionally or unintentionally, always called him: "Little monk, are you awake? Come, take the money bag."
Bian Zhen'er quickly ran past Liu Zhuiyi and picked up a bag of silver coins on the table. Yun Yao was confused and didn't know what Bian Zhen'er was crazy about. On the contrary, Xun Yan had been silent since yesterday.
"Let's each carry a little with us, and then see when to set off for the next place," said Liu Zhuiyi.
Bian Zhener had no intention of continuing the conversation, so he said, "Let's set off now."
"So soon?" Yun Yao asked. Liu Zhuiyi tapped him and said, "The monk said we should set off now, so let's set off now."
"Yes, yes, I'll listen to your little monk in everything." Yun Yao said unhappily.
Bian Zhen'er's face turned bitter and he lowered his eyes. Xun Yan saw his little action and felt even more uncomfortable.
They quickly packed up their things and put them all on the carriage. Liu Zhuiyi drove the carriage, passing the long Luoyang Street and heading towards the city gate. They went to many places and stayed in many places, but they suddenly felt reluctant to leave Luoyang City.
When the carriage arrived at the city gate, someone suddenly called Liu Zhuiyi from behind. Liu Zhuiyi looked behind him and found that it was Hei Laowu and several of his brothers.
"Miss Liu, please stay." Hei Laowu came forward and said, "Knowing that you are leaving the city today, Laowu specially brought the brothers to see you off."
Liu Zhuiyi got off the car, and the people in the car also got off after hearing what he said.
"Thank you, Lao Wu." Liu Zhuiyi walked up to him and said, "I didn't know that when I left a place one day, there would be someone to see me off."
Hei Laowu smiled shyly, showing a shyness that was rare for a man, and said, "Miss Liu is a person of character, Laowu admires her. If one day Miss Liu can bring these friends back to Luoyang City, Laowu will definitely treat her with good wine and good food."
"Then I'd like to thank Lao Wu first." Liu Zhuiyi said with a smile.
"Oh, right." Hei Laowu turned around and took the quilt from his brother, saying, "Miss Liu, it's autumn now. The further north you go, the colder the weather will be. This quilt was made by the grandmother who lived in our yard yesterday. Take it and keep out the cold."
Liu Zhuiyi was touched and did not hesitate to let Yun Yao take it. He thanked him and said, "Thank you very much, Lao Wu. Liu Zhuiyi will accept this generous gift. We have a long way to go and we will meet again."
"See you later." Hei Laowu clasped his fists.
Liu Zhuiyi and his group got back in the carriage, said goodbye to Hei Laowu, and drove the carriage away from Luoyang City. Hei Laowu watched Liu Zhuiyi's carriage disappear into the distance, and then walked back with his brothers.
Yun Yao looked at the warm blanket on the carriage and said, "This Hei Laowu is a very loyal and righteous man."
"When we travel around the world, the most important thing is righteousness. If we were not so wandering, Hei Laowu would definitely be a good friend." Liu Zhuiyi said leisurely while driving.
Yun Yao leaned against the door of the carriage and suddenly asked seriously, "Liu'er, have you ever regretted coming out to wander?"
Liu Zhuiyi looked at the scenery outside Luoyang City passing by and said with a smile, "What is there to regret?"
"So, are we going to keep going like this? Where are we going?" Yun Yao asked while looking at the sky above his head.
Yes, they went all the way north without ever telling us their destination. Did they really want to keep wandering like this?
Liu Zhuiyi turned his head and glanced at Bian Zhener, and said, "Wherever the little monk goes, I will go there."
Yun Yao was displeased and asked Bian Zhen'er and Xun Yan in a bad mood: "Where are you two?"
"Me too, I'm following Bian Zhener." Xun Yan said.
Yun Yao was even more displeased. What? What did they think of him? His tone became even worse, and he asked, "What about you, Bian Zhen'er? You can only choose one of the two. How can you be so greedy? At least leave one for me."
Bian Zhen'er hurriedly said, "Amitabha, I... I only hope to find a temple deep in an empty mountain and meditate for the rest of my life."
"Did you hear me? Just give up!" Yun Yao said to Liu Zhuiyi angrily. Liu Zhuiyi glanced at him and said with a smile, "What are you fighting for? You have a family, you can't just keep following us like this, right?"
"I don't want to go back." Yun Yao sat curled up with his chin resting on his knees, and his parents' faces appeared in his mind.
He is the second young master of the Yun family. He once wanted to be a gentle and romantic young man, but his parents always said that he did nothing but squander money and power. They always like to compare him with his eldest brother who manages 70% of the family business, and ask him to learn from his eldest brother. In Yun Yao's heart, his eldest brother is their son, and he is not. He doesn't understand, as a descendant of the Yun family, does he have to inherit the Yun family's property?
If I don’t inherit, does that mean I’m unfilial?
Although he had blamed his parents countless times when he was at home, he still missed them very much after being away from home for so long.
"With my elder brother at home, there won't be any problems without me." Yun Yao couldn't help feeling sad when he recalled the past. Although he spoke toughly, his eyes were already red from the dry wind.
Liu Zhuiyi noticed his concerns and said softly, "Chang'an City is getting farther and farther away from us. Actually, I miss the sisters in Ruyi Tower a lot. I wonder if they will be very anxious when they can't find me... You chased me so hard at that time, I thought you were going to take me and the little monk to send us to the authorities. You scared us so much that we ran away quickly." She exaggerated the last few words, as if she was still frightened.
Yun Yao couldn't help laughing and asked, "You were dressed as a man, but I saw through it right away!"
"The little monk didn't see through it." Liu Zhuiyi couldn't help teasing Bian Zhen'er again. Bian Zhen'er moved her body and faced the other side, ignoring their conversation. However, even though she ignored it, once their memories were stirred up, she couldn't help but recall them.
People are most afraid of thinking about the past, and most afraid of things getting out of control.
In a blink of an eye, they had known each other for half a year since early spring.