Ever since his argument with Shang Yanfeng, Ming Zhu had vanished. The disciples searched for him all night, nearly turning Mount Rizhao upside down, yet they found no trace of him.
When Shang Yanfeng went to report this to Gui Ning Zhenren, he received only a curt reply: "Let him be."
Shen Hongchuan, who had nearly been struck, was still in a daze. He spent the entire night racking his brain, unable to figure out what wrong he could have possibly committed to provoke such a violent outburst from the usually mild-tempered Ming Zhu—to the point where his senior brother would try to slap him so publicly, heedless of his dignity.
Unable to find an answer, he eventually gave up and fell asleep in Ming Zhu’s cluttered room.
The entire room was permeated with a faint scent of green lotus. Enveloped by this familiar fragrance, Shen Hongchuan soon drifted into a deep sleep, failing to notice the Red Lotus Sword amidst the pile of junk on the table, which was emitting a faint, pulsing glow.
Before dawn broke, Zhou Fuxue carried a lantern as he strolled along the secluded path. Parting the thick white mist, he came to a halt before a towering, majestic building.
Zhou Fuxue looked up at the plaque that read "Hall of Longevity" before pushing the doors open and entering.
Few people ever visited the Hall of Longevity. Firstly, because they could not endure the bone-chilling cold within, and secondly, because they feared the atmosphere, which felt like the path to the Yellow Springs.
The doors, heavy from long disuse, let out a low groan as they opened. Zhou Fuxue set his lantern down and, illuminated by the countless Longevity Lamps filling the hall, walked slowly toward the high platform in the center.
This was Zhou Fuxue’s second time in the Hall of Longevity. Though the frigid air made him shiver, he no longer felt the fear and trepidation he had experienced years ago.
He brushed past the floating Longevity Lamps, his footsteps light as he ascended the stairs to the platform. His cold gaze softened instantly the moment it landed on the person before him.
"Shixiong."
Ming Zhu was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday, stained with blood. He was curled up miserably in a corner of the platform, his hands deathly tight around a single Longevity Lamp.
Hearing the voice, he slowly opened his eyes. Before he could even recognize who was standing there, a flash of terror crossed his face. He pulled the lamp closer to his chest, shrinking back into the corner as he muttered, "Don't... don't touch it..."
Zhou Fuxue gently knelt on one knee and reached out toward him, his voice soft. "Shixiong, I won't touch it. Come outside with me, alright?"
Ming Zhu seemed not to hear him, continuing to huddle in the corner. A corner of the jade pendant hanging from the Longevity Lamp peeked out; Zhou Fuxue’s gaze swept over it and caught the name inscribed there.
—*Shen Hongchuan.*
Ming Zhu’s eyes were vacant; he likely wasn't fully conscious yet.
Zhou Fuxue lowered his voice even further. "Shixiong, it’s me, Fuxue."
"Fu... Fuxue?" Ming Zhu blinked, looking at him in confusion. His voice was tinged with doubt. "Fuxue..."
Zhou Fuxue held out his hand. "It’s me."
Ming Zhu stared at him blankly for a long time. A moment later, his body went limp, and he nearly collapsed to the floor, only to be caught in Zhou Fuxue’s arms.
Ming Zhu unconsciously whispered, "Thirteen..."
Zhou Fuxue could see that Ming Zhu was not in a normal state of mind. Not daring to provoke him, he said gently, "Shixiong, staying here for too long will make you feel unwell. Let’s go out together, okay?"
"Unwell..." Ming Zhu curled into his embrace, shaking his head dizzily. "Don't... don't want to feel unwell."
Zhou Fuxue’s heart melted. "Then let’s put the lamp down, alright?"
Ming Zhu looked at him with confusion. When he realized Zhou Fuxue was referring to the Longevity Lamp in his hands, he shuddered and shook his head violently. "No... won't let go! It will... it will go out. I have to... watch it carefully."
Zhou Fuxue didn't understand why, but he continued to coax him. "The Longevity Lamps here will never go out."
Ming Zhu was no longer capable of rational thought. He asked blankly, "Really?"
"Really."
Hearing the affirmative answer, Ming Zhu seemed to want to let go, but instinct drove him to keep his grip tight. It wasn't until Zhou Fuxue placed a warm hand over his cold knuckles that he let go abruptly, as if he had been burned.
The moment Shen Hongchuan’s Longevity Lamp was released, it drifted slowly into the air, merging with the thousands of other lights.
Zhou Fuxue wrapped Ming Zhu in a fur-lined cloak and lifted him from the floor. Whether Ming Zhu had been drifting in a daze or was truly exhausted, he fell asleep again in that short span of time. However, just like the previous times, his right pinky finger remained hooked tightly around Zhou Fuxue’s belt.
Zhou Fuxue sighed.
The Hall of Longevity was in a remote location, but it was quite close to the Falling Flower Abode. Whether out of a hidden selfishness or something else, Zhou Fuxue carried Ming Zhu directly back to his own residence. He moved gently to change Ming Zhu’s clothes and laid him down on the soft bed.
Perhaps due to the Red Lotus spiritual veins within his body, the wounds on Ming Zhu’s forehead and chest had mostly healed overnight. However, his face remained pale, and his sleep was fitful.
After a moment’s thought, Zhou Fuxue brought over a small incense burner and lit some calming incense. As the mist swirled, Ming Zhu finally drifted into a deep slumber.
Zhou Fuxue sat on the edge of the bed, staring unblinkingly at Ming Zhu’s sleeping face.
Since Zhou Fuxue had moved to the Falling Flower Abode, the two of them hadn't had a proper conversation for half a year. Knowing he had committed a transgression, Zhou Fuxue hadn't dared to approach Ming Zhu; every time he saw him, he ran faster than a rabbit. Ming Zhu, for his part, was wary of his own charms and feared his little Thirteen wouldn't be able to control himself, so he never took the initiative to seek him out either.
As time passed, Zhou Fuxue had almost forgotten the exact details of his senior brother’s face. Now that he could settle his heart, he stared at Ming Zhu with a gaze that was almost greedy.
Ming Zhu’s mother, Su Yan, had been one of the greatest beauties in the Five Continents. A child born to her and the exceptionally handsome Ming Zhao naturally inherited their peerless looks. If he didn't usually act so flippant and cynical, there would surely be crowds of male and female cultivators clamoring to marry him.
As Zhou Fuxue watched, his mind began to wander. He suddenly remembered that night six months ago. He had been staring just as greedily at the sleeping Ming Zhu then, before—as if possessed—he had leaned down to press his lips against the other's, utterly pushing Ming Zhu out of his life.
*What if I hadn't acted on impulse that night?* Zhou Fuxue often wondered. *If so, would I still be by his side now, touching him without restraint and without being pushed away?*
Zhou Fuxue shook his head with a self-deprecating smile.
Ming Zhu had suffered a series of shocks the previous day and had spent the night in the frigid gloom of the Hall of Longevity. He hadn't been asleep for even an hour before a nightmare jolted him awake.
Ming Zhu opened his eyes blankly, his heart thumping like a drum. He knew he had just had a terrifying nightmare, but upon trying to recall it, he couldn't remember a single detail. His head throbbed painfully. Turning his head, he saw Zhou Fuxue dozing on a stool nearby.
Ming Zhu froze, only then realizing that he had somehow ended up at Zhou Fuxue’s residence.
He struggled to sit up, but he hadn't expected his pinky finger to be wrapped several times around a hair ribbon, which was in turn attached to the front of Zhou Fuxue’s robes. The tugging sensation woke Zhou Fuxue instantly.
Zhou Fuxue looked up and met Ming Zhu’s embarrassed gaze. He paused for a moment before asking, "Shixiong, you're awake. Does your body still hurt?"
Ming Zhu gave a dry laugh, his hands trembling as he unwound the ribbon from his finger. His face flushed slightly as he muttered, "Much better... Did you bring me back last night?"
Ming Zhu was notoriously thick-skinned; almost no one had ever seen him blush. Zhou Fuxue found it quite novel and, after a thought, decided to tease him. "Does Shixiong not remember? You were the one who threw yourself into my arms and begged me to take you away."
Ming Zhu: "..."
Ming Zhu had forgotten everything from the previous night. Furthermore, since Zhou Fuxue had never lied to him, his face turned even redder. He stammered, "Really? That’s... I’m sorry about that."
He lowered his head, only then realizing he had been changed into a set of inner robes. A faint scent of pear blossoms lingered around him.
Knowing when to stop, Zhou Fuxue pulled a set of his own clothes from the wardrobe and handed them to Ming Zhu. "Your clothes from yesterday are ruined. Wear mine for now, and I’ll walk you back."
Having lived on Mount Rizhao for so many years, Zhou Fuxue had been infected by his eccentric senior brothers' habit of not wearing the official sect robes. His wardrobe was full of dark-colored casual wear. He casually tossed Ming Zhu a set of ink-black brocade robes.
Ming Zhu didn't say a word. He absentmindedly dressed and washed up before heading out with Zhou Fuxue.
The Falling Flower Abode was quite far from the Main Hall of Rizhao, and even further from "Hearing the Strings." It took them nearly half an hour to arrive.
Early in the morning, Hearing the Strings already had a few guests. Ming Zhu walked in and saw Shang Yanfeng and Shen Hongchuan holding something, seemingly about to toss it into the pond. Hearing footsteps, they immediately turned around, looking like they had been caught in a scandalous act.
Dressed in ink-black, Ming Zhu’s face appeared even paler. He asked in confusion, "What are you throwing?"
The "thing" held by Shang Yanfeng let out a muffled whimper. Ming Zhu stepped forward to look; it was Lu Qingkong.
Lu Qingkong’s mouth was covered, his limbs were flailing wildly, and his eyes were brimming with tears of fright.
Ming Zhu: "..."
Having been caught red-handed, Shang Yanfeng had no choice but to release Lu Qingkong. He dusted off his hands and said, "It’s nothing. We just wanted to give Little Nine a bath in the pond."
With his hair disheveled, Lu Qingkong lunged toward Ming Zhu, hiding behind him while trembling all over. He cried out in fear, "They... they were going to drown me!"
Ming Zhu was displeased. "Shang Yanfeng! Shen Hongchuan! What is wrong with you two?"
Seeing that Ming Zhu had returned to his usual self, Shen Hongchuan smiled. He said calmly, "Little Nine came over just now and tried to use his Sky-Kite to extort me. I’m sorry, Shixiong, but you know my family has been in business for generations. When we encounter extorters, we usually just drown them to settle the matter. I suppose I just acted out of habit."
Ming Zhu: "..."
Still shaken, Lu Qingkong hid behind Ming Zhu and complained indignantly, "How was I extorting you? You’re the one who needs to take my Sky-Kite back to the Kingdom of Jianglou. What’s wrong with charging a travel fee? Stingy bastard."
Shen Hongchuan beckoned him with a finger, saying softly, "Come out and speak to your Shixiong."
Lu Qingkong immediately shrank back in terror, quietly tugging on Ming Zhu’s sleeve to tattle. "Da Shixiong, look at him!"
Ming Zhu was truly helpless against this money-grubbing Lu Qingkong. He rummaged through a small cabinet for a while and found the storage ring Shen Hongchuan had given him years ago. He tossed it directly to Lu Qingkong. "Take the spirit jade inside and use it. If it’s not enough, come find me again. Don't you feel ashamed, extorting your own brothers?"
Lu Qingkong caught the storage ring and peeked inside. He nearly stopped breathing from the shock. He did a little hop of joy, lunged forward to grab Ming Zhu’s head, and kissed him twice on the brow. "Thank you, Shixiong!"
Without waiting to see the expressions on the others' faces, he ran off in high spirits.
***
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