Chapter 34

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Important person

Rong Luoyun’s lips were slightly parted, silently gasping for air. He could barely suppress his wildly beating heart as he gazed at Huo Linfeng, a little silly and dazed. It felt like he was in a drunken dream.

Huo Linfeng wiped the sweat on Rong Luoyun’s forehead and asked: “Are you thirsty?”

He nodded, even vividly licking his lip. They’ve just exchanged their true feelings and spoken some love-dovey words. Does he not know what his shy look can do right now? Sure enough, Huo Linfeng’s eyes flickered: “After a kiss, you shouldn’t be thirsty.”

Rong Luoyun said in a small voice: “…… Maybe we didn’t do it enough.” Scarlet flared on his face, putting even the red candle to shame. Two bodies pressed against each other, chest against chest, hands cupped over face, and lips over lips, kissing until it was enough.

In the twenty-three years Huo Linfeng lived, he has tasted thousands of tastes, with the pure exception of love. He was eager, relying on his instincts to plunder. On this summer night in Jiangnan, these two exchanged their feelings at near midnight, with lips mingling together.

Rong Luoyun had just said “not enough”, but now he had even forgotten what breathing was, letting his soul ascend to heaven. After a long time, Huo Linfeng mercifully let him go. While he panted for breath, Huo Linfeng lowered his lips to his neck.

Lips sucking, teeth nibbling, Rong Luoyun was like a sheep in a lion’s den, a rabbit in the claws of an eagle. The intoxication he was using qi to suppress was freeing itself. The layers of curtains seemed to form afterimages, and he dizzily couldn’t recall what day it was.

His ear suddenly felt warm. Huo Linfeng moved and took his earlobe in his mouth. “Don’t……” Rong Luoyun couldn’t endure that soft tickle, spreading from his ear to his whole body.

Huo Linfeng didn’t listen and took this opportunity to warn: “In the future, you’re not allowed to use the Six-way Sanskrit.”

He sucked heavily at his earlobe. Rong Luoyun anxiously whimpered. “En……en……” He answered this way. Suddenly, a cat whined outside, perfectly in sync with Rong Luoyun’s cries.

“Palace Lord even attracted a little beast.” Huo Linfeng couldn’t help but chuckle, “Attract another little fox for me to warm the bed.”

That night Huo Linfeng was ill, he had rubbed and touched Rong Luoyun all over, yet he kept calling out for a fox. Now, he was bringing it up again. Rong Luoyun hit him: “Who else do you want for warmth…… I’m going to kill you!”

That punch was weak and more ticklish than painful. Huo Linfeng reached his hand towards the other party’s messy clothes and undid the knot. He pulled open the lapels and removed the outer robes.

“Now that I think about it, I regret it.” He said, “That time you fell into the water and the time I was healing you, why was I being such a gentleman?” He should’ve made Rong Luoyun his. He should’ve held him down, filled him with affection, and become a scoundrel through and through.

Huo Linfeng embraced the other party, separated only by a thin robe.

His hand touched something. Huo Linfeng felt around and picked it out to took a look. It was the small letter he had written. “Palace Lord kept it under your pillow?” He asked, “Do you look at it every day, or do you look at it whenever you think of me?”

Rong Luoyun was utterly embarrassed and reached out his hand, wanting to seize it back. He grabbed Huo Linfeng’s arms and waved around his fist, fighting from one end of the bed to the other. In the end, he threw himself over at Huo Linfeng, leaving the bed shaking. He pinned the other party under him, pressing down on both shoulders, and stared into the other party’s eyes.

His fine hair draped down his shoulders, covering the other party’s embarrassment.

Huo Linfeng said softly: “Come kiss me.”

Rong Luoyun moved closer. He was too shy to say vulgar words, so his movements naturally weren’t fierce either. His kiss was gentle and delicate, like a dragonfly flitting across a water’s surface. After he pecked the other party’s lips, he laid down on his chest to listen to that “skipping” heart.

Huo Linfeng held him and brushed a hand through his hair.

Time seemed to have stopped. It was like a dream, but beautiful dreams never lasted.

There was the beating of horse hooves, then the loud voices of the patrolling disciples greeting someone. The galloping grew closer before a horse neighed to a halt outside the Nameless Abode. Huo Linfeng and Rong Luoyun both stared. Who the fuck is this……

“Second Brother!”

Rong Luoyun grew happy: “Third Bro is back!” He jumped off the bed and ran out barefoot. Lu Zhun also ran into the hall. After not seeing each other for half a month, the two brothers were a little emotional.

“Second Brother, I missed you so much!” Lu Zhun was still dressed extravagantly as usual but now covered in dust from his long journey. He wanted to hug the other person. When he leaned in, his nose twitched, “Did you drink wine? Was it because you missed me, so you drank wine to forget your worries?”

Rong Luoyun avoided answering and changed the subject: “How did everything go?”

“The ledgers were handed over. It’s done.” Lu Zhun wrinkled his eyebrows, staring at the other party,” Second Brother, what’s that red mark on your neck?”

Rong Luoyun lied: “The mosquitoes are coming out now that it’s summer. Got bitten by one.”

Lu Zhun asked another question: “Why is your ear red and wet?”

Rong Luoyun grew slightly nervous: “I scrubbed it too hard when I was washing my face.”

Lu Zhun’s eyes were sharp: “Your lips are red and a little swollen.”

Rong Luoyun said: “I ate some spicy peppers from Xiangxi…….” There was a loud thud. Saibei’s pepper escaped through the window, purposely making noise. Lu Zhun heard and went to investigate, only to see clothes scattered on the bed and the pillow that had rolled to the ground, plus a hole smashed into the mattress.

Odd, truly odd. But he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was odd.

Never mind that, he pulled Rong Luoyun along and chattered endlessly about everything he’s seen on his journey: what he had heard in Chang’an, the food and drinks he had tried, and even about the occasions where he had nowhere to use the bathroom. When the night was half over, Rong Luoyun was too tired and asked: “Will you be returning to the Hidden Gold Pavillion now?”

Lu Zhun answered: “Seeing Second Brother is more important.”

Rong Luoyun added: “You won’t go count if your money is missing?”

Lu Zhun stood in a flurry: “I almost forgot.” He immediately bid farewell and left, arranging to come back tomorrow to continue catching up. He’ll be returning to his place to check on his silver first.

The Nameless Abode quieted down immediately. Rong Luoyun climbed on his bed to rest. When he shut his eyes, he could only think of what occurred tonight. He stretched out his hand and felt under his pillow. There was now an extra note: one that Huo Linfeng left before leaving.

There were three rows of small words, slightly messy —— Fearing I would have trouble sleeping, I stole a satin belt to tie my heart and bind my thoughts, so I could sleep peacefully through this long night.

Rong Luoyun’s sleepiness disappeared for a moment. If he wanted to steal it, then just steal it, why did he have to leave this note? Clearly, he wanted him to also “have trouble sleeping”. Rong Luoyun tossed and turned, rolling around and causing this mattress to suffer endless misery.

He didn’t know when he fell asleep, but that little note never left his hand.

Once he woke up, he freshened up, fed the birds, then went to his room to read. Perhaps it was because of the happiness in his heart that he even found the difficult topics of the book enjoyable and breezed through a scroll. By then, a disciple came to deliver food.

He looked out the window and saw the unexpected Du Zheng.

Tossing the book aside, Rong Luoyun went outside feeling slightly unconfident about facing this person. After all, this person was Du Zhong’s elder brother. He politely asked: “Big Brother Du Zheng, how come you’re the one delivering my food?”

Du Zheng answered: “My didi was worried that you would wake up late and be hungry, so he asked me to bring food in advance.”

Rong Luoyun asked: “Where is he?”

Du Zheng replied: “He’s training the disciples at the Distant Gray Platform until noon.”

Rong Luoyun nodded. When the other party turned, preparing to leave, he hesitated for a while before calling for him to stop. “This……” His mouth opened and closed, dilly-dallying for a moment, “Big Brother Du Zheng, how come you aren’t married yet?”

He eloped with someone’s didi yesterday night, and today, he worried himself with the gege’s important affairs of marriage.

Du Zheng stared blankly: “…… I had a beloved back at the Cleansing Sand Isle, but we weren’t fated to be together.”

Rong Luoyun continued to ask: “Then what about Du Zhong?” After beating around the bush, he finally asked his desired question. He felt a little nervous. Du Zheng thought for a moment before answering: “As for my didi, it’s quite unfortunate. He almost got married.”

What?! Rong Luyoun smashed the nearby pillar, causing the magpies nestled on the roof to chirp out from the shaking. Du Zheng felt like he should elaborate a little more. The more one talked, the more one could mess up. He carelessly added: “I can’t really remember that well, but I do remember a girl called Bao Yue.”

Bao Yue, Luoyun…… He only liked the sky’s scenery [1]!

Rong Luoyun paced around the veranda until the soles of his shoes burned. In the end, he couldn’t hold back and left for the Distant Gray Platform. He met Diao Yuliang at the lotus pond and ignored him, then met Lu Zhun at the Hidden Gold Pavilion and also ignored him.

The Distant Gray Platform was currently filled with the noise of training disciples. Huo Linfeng patrolled around with his sword and called out drill orders. Behind his heroic figure, he was actually holding a silk fan.

The disciples were secretly laughing. One with partially big guts asked: “Du Zhong-shixiong, do you have a sweetheart?”

Huo Linfeng was in a good mood and generously answered with a hum. The disciples were excited when they heard this and followed behind him, chattering: “Du Zhong-shixiong, which family’s young lady did you take a liking to? Is she good-looking?”

Rong Luoyun, who had just arrived, was just in time to catch an earful. He stopped. Sweetheart? Young lady?

He ascended two steps: “Playing around during practice, what are you all doing!” He paced through the ranks of people, fixing his gaze to the front at the person who was holding a sword and looking back at him, “Divide into two groups and arrange a formation. One offense, one defense. The losing team is not allowed to eat dinner!”

Everyone shut up, not knowing what ticked off the Palace Lord. Rong Luoyun arrived in the front and tugged Huo Linfeng’s hand before heading off to the Profound Jade Hall.

Huo Linfeng followed him into the hall and said warmly: “I was planning to find you after drills, but you came to find me first.”

Rong Luoyun had his back facing the other party and got straight to the point: “Did you have a lover back at the Cleansing Sand Isle?”

Huo Linfeng was dumbfounded. He immediately guessed that Du Zheng fired his mouth off and itched to beat that person up. “I didn’t.” It was more important to coax first, “I had wholly concentrated on improving my martial arts…… Palace Lord is the first person I’ve fallen for.”

Rong Luoyun flushed. His willpower to interrogate weakened by half: “Then who was Bao Yue?”

Having no choice but to change up the story, Huo Linfeng answered: “Bao Yue was a servant who served my Shifu. Shifu wanted to give her to me, but I declined.” He approached Rong Luoyun and nudged the other party’s back, “I don’t like her.”

Rong Luoyun immediately relaxed, and the remaining half of his willpower scattered.

Nudging was not enough for Huo Linfeng. He even rubbed Rong Luoyun’s head. He asked: “Palace Lord came specifically to ask me these?” He went to pinch the cartridge in Rong Luoyun’s ear, “Meaning that after less than twelve hours of confession, Palace Lord has already doubted me?”

The situation changed abruptly. Huo Linfeng turned the other party over to face him.

Rong Luoyun said evasively: “It was your gege who didn’t elaborate clearly……” He drew closer to hold Huo Linfeng’s hand. Huo Linfeng, however, avoided him and moved his hands behind his back. The moment hopelessness flitted across the other party’s face, Huo Linfeng drew back his hands, now holding a fan, and fiercely fanned at the other party.

The cool wind hit Rong Luoyun’s face, yet it burned red.

That fan also moved over, gently nudging his cheek.

Huo Linfeng said: “The sweetheart this fan has been waiting for has finally arrived.”

Rong Luoyun took it with his heart boiling. How was he to use this item that belonged to a young lady’s collection? Should he only use it indoors, or should he cover it in a layer of cloth before using it? Fans were only used in the summer, but what would he do if he doesn’t want to put it down throughout all four seasons?

“—— Palace Lord!”

Someone urgently called out. Several disciples rushed in: “Palace Lord, the palace gates have been breached!”

Rong Luoyun and Huo Linfeng were shocked and immediately ran out of the hall. They flew towards the gates side by side, followed by the group of disciples. They all flowed onto the main road, preparing to fight.

They stopped a distance away and saw the situation at the gates. A person was standing in the center of the street.

Black robes, inky hair, with an eye-catching handsome face unhindered by its wrinkles. Powerful strength radiated from his whole body. His aura roused the fallen leaves around him into a vortex, and the birds nearby fell from the sky from the oppressive power.

They were not a match for him. It seems like this is going to be an inescapable calamity.

Unexpectedly, Rong Luoyun rushed right over.

Like a young bird returning to its nest, a child returning home, he called out joyously: “—— Shifu!”

Duan Chenbi let out a booming laugh and welcomed him with open arms.

The author has something to say:

Xiao-Rong’s Diary IV:

Summer, clear day.

Third Bro is back, Shifu is out of seclusion, Du Zhong confessed, love has finally awoken from its slumber!!!

If you enjoy reading Riling Up the Jianghu and would like to support the author (please do if you can!!), please consider purchasing the raws here (guide on JJWXC here). Thanks for reading!

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Notes

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