Before Bai Jinshu could fully process the meaning behind it, Ye Lihen changed the topic. “Where’s Brother Jiang?”
Bai Jinshu was taken aback by the title. “What did you just call my Martial Uncle?”
Ye Lihen responded nonchalantly, “He asked me to call him that, though I wasn’t exactly thrilled about it.”
Bai Jinshu’s Martial Uncle had always been a particularly down-to-earth martial arts elder. For example, during this journey, Jiang Cheng had shown no sense of superiority and had taken turns with Bai Jinshu in handling various tasks, without any regard for hierarchy. Bai Jinshu wasn’t surprised to see Jiang Cheng casually treating someone his junior as a brother. But this time, Jiang Cheng’s easygoing nature left Bai Jinshu with a headache. “You’re calling my Martial Uncle ‘Brother’ but what does that make us?”
Without hesitation, Ye Lihen answered, “It makes us uncle and nephew.”
Bai Jinshu couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity. “You’re quick to take advantage.”
“Do you think I’m eager to have you call me ‘uncle’?”
“As if!” Bai Jinshu pretended to be upset, but seeing Ye Lihen’s serious expression, he couldn’t hold back his laughter.
Ye Lihen looked at him in confusion for a moment before asking again, “So where did Brother Jiang go?”
“He went to fetch water.” Bai Jinshu replied. Then, he cast a sidelong glance at Ye Lihen, feeling a bit out of sorts. “You seem awfully concerned about Brother Jiang.”
Ye Lihen studied Bai Jinshu’s expression for a long moment before finally asking, “Are you upset?”
Feigning annoyance, Bai Jinshu nodded. “Yes, I am. Considering our relationship, you should at least be calling me Brother Bai first.”
“Then I’ll call you Brother Bai from now on.”
This complicated the seniority between Bai Jinshu and Jiang Cheng even more, but Bai Jinshu found himself rather pleased with Ye Lihen’s obedience. He quickly accepted the title with a smile. In a better mood now, he couldn’t resist teasing, “So, what do your parents usually call you?”
“They call me Lier.”
“Then I’ll call you Lier too.”
Ye Lihen didn’t react to this blatant attempt at familiarity. Instead, he casually replied, “If I were lying to you and it was actually my wet nurse who called me Lier, wouldn’t you be at a disadvantage?”
Caught off guard, Bai Jinshu laughed and admitted defeat. He had indeed let Ye Lihen’s seemingly obedient demeanor fool him, forgetting how petty and calculating the young master could be… and how adorable…
“Well, I don’t have any milk to offer, so how about I call you Little Ye instead? Does anyone call you that?”
“My family’s maid calls me that.”
“Alright, alright.” Bai Jinshu laughed in surrender. “How about I just call you ‘young master’ from now on? Will that do, great young master?”
“You can call me Xiao Li. No one’s ever called me that before.”
Bai Jinshu liked the sound of “Xiao Li.” It felt affectionate, and more importantly, Ye Lihen had said that no one else called him that—it was a unique nickname. Wait! Bai Jinshu suddenly snapped back to reality—why was he so eager for a unique nickname? He should be trying to maintain some distance from Ye Lihen. Yet, his actions seemed to be going in the opposite direction of his intentions. He found himself unconsciously getting closer to the young man, using playful teasing that he usually reserved for flirting with women.
If only he hadn’t been so playful and nonchalant in the first place, maybe they wouldn’t have ended up in this awkward situation.
Gradually, Bai Jinshu’s smile faded as he stiffly ended the conversation. “I’m going to see if Martial Uncle needs any help. Don’t wander off—stay here and wait for us.”
Ye Lihen, as usual, didn’t seem to notice the change in Bai Jinshu’s attitude. His expression remained calm as he nodded. “Go ahead. I’ll take care of putting out the fire.”
One of the most unique things about Ye Lihen was exactly this—just as he had said, he could completely treat this as his own personal matter. Bai Jinshu couldn’t even begin to understand his thoughts, feelings, or emotions. For a moment, Bai Jinshu wanted to say something, but he didn’t know where to start. In the end, he could only silently get up and walk toward the direction where he heard the sound of water.
To ensure that Ye Lihen wouldn’t be ambushed by enemies, Bai Jinshu didn’t stray too far. He waited at the edge of the forest for Jiang Cheng to return, simply seeking a moment of solitude to think about the most difficult problem in his life.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t find an answer.
When they set off again, Bai Jinshu had yet to figure out what he was doing when he instinctively offered to let Ye Lihen ride with him. While it was certainly a habit to alternate riding with his Martial Uncle, Bai Jinshu knew deep down that there was more to it than that.
Ye Lihen didn’t object to Bai Jinshu’s suggestion. With his usual calm demeanor, he switched horses and waited for Bai Jinshu.
This time, Jiang Cheng took the rear. Out of the blue, Ye Lihen broke his usual silence and asked Bai Jinshu, “Do you think your junior sister will also head to Renwang Mountain?”
The question caught Bai Jinshu off guard, and the possibility hadn’t crossed his mind either. “Lin’er doesn’t know we’re heading to Renwang Mountain, so maybe she’ll return to the sect first.” The thought gave him a headache. Lin Ling was avoiding him, and if they met at the sect, it wouldn’t be a pleasant reunion for either of them.
“How heartless were your words to make your junior sister not want to see you?” Ye Lihen asked again.
Bai Jinshu had never mentioned the specific reason for Lin Ling’s departure, but Ye Lihen had clearly guessed the truth. This time, Bai Jinshu didn’t hide it. “I just gave Lin’er a clear answer.”
Ye Lihen thought for a moment before saying, “But you haven’t given me a clear answer. What’s the difference between me and your junior sister?”
The question hit the nail on the head. In fact, Bai Jinshu had asked himself this countless times. He wanted to know why he couldn’t handle this issue properly when it came to Ye Lihen. It wasn’t that Ye Lihen was different from Lin Ling—Ye Lihen was different from everyone Bai Jinshu had ever encountered.
Unable to find an answer, Bai Jinshu fell silent.
Ye Lihen seemed lost in thought as well. Then, out of nowhere, he asked, “If one day you saw me and your junior sister in a life-and-death fight, who would you think was in the wrong? Who would you help?”
“I’d definitely trust that Lin Ling wouldn’t be in the wrong—I know her too well.” Bai Jinshu replied. Now he understood why Ye Lihen had been suspicious of Lin Ling from the start. Still, he couldn’t understand why Ye Lihen kept wanting him to choose between trusting him or Lin Ling. Honestly, Bai Jinshu naturally trusted his junior sister more. As he had told Ye Lihen before, he had watched her grow up and knew exactly what kind of person she was. On the other hand, he hardly knew Ye Lihen at all. Even so, if it came down to “who would I help” Bai Jinshu knew deep down that his answer wasn’t so simple.
Facing someone whose identity he still found suspicious, Bai Jinshu refrained from admitting that, in truth, he would probably side with Ye Lihen without question.
But this only brought him closer to realizing the answer within himself.
“Xiao Li, how long until you turn eighteen?” Bai Jinshu asked.
Ye Lihen was rarely confused, but this time he was. After a moment, he answered, “Two years and two months.”
“Then can you wait two years and two months? I’ll give you my answer then.”
Ye Lihen nodded. “I can wait as long as you need. It’s only right that you take your time to think it over.”
In truth, it wasn’t that Bai Jinshu needed time. He had always acted on instinct, unafraid of dealing with the consequences of hasty decisions. But this situation involved Ye Lihen, and Bai Jinshu wanted to give him enough time to consider things. Although Ye Lihen seemed mature and intelligent, he was still a teenager, with a heart that might change its mind after a while… The thought of this possibility left a bitter taste in Bai Jinshu’s mouth. To shake off the unsettling emotion, he forced a smile. “I have a feeling you won’t wait that long. By then, you might think I’m too old.”
Ye Lihen lowered his head, deep in thought, and seriously considered what it would be like if Bai Jinshu aged. “I think Brother Jiang, even though he’s not young, is still quite charming.”
Bai Jinshu felt as though the sudden mention of Jiang Cheng’s name was an unexpected arrow, piercing him in a vulnerable spot. He forced a bitter smile and asked, “Do you have a thing for my Martial Uncle?”
“He’s a much better person than I expected.”
“You’ve been thinking about my Martial Uncle for a while now?”
“Ever since you said he was like Erlang Shen.”
Bai Jinshu couldn’t help but laugh. “I never said that. You must have gotten that from your wild imagination.”
“If you had the skills I do, no one would dare hit you, would they?”
“I never had any playmates growing up, so no one ever hit me.”
Ye Lihen’s casual remark struck a chord with Bai Jinshu, who suddenly felt sorry for the young man’s lonely and isolated childhood. Although Bai Jinshu had left home at an early age, he had grown up with his fellow disciples, always surrounded by laughter and companionship. In contrast, Ye Lihen’s upbringing must have been so bleak and pitiful to shape his current detached and unflappable attitude toward everything.
Not wanting to come across as pitying him, Bai Jinshu deliberately teased, “How about you call me Brother Jinshu, and I’ll be your playmate who won’t hit you?”
“I’m long past the age of playing. I didn’t expect you to be so childish.”
The young master who was the hardest to amuse delivered his serious response, leaving Bai Jinshu with no choice but to admit defeat. “Alright, my bad. I should be calling you ‘Granny’ instead.”
“If you called me that, would your family approve?”
Bai Jinshu paused for a moment, then burst out laughing.
To be honest, Bai Jinshu had always preferred children with lively and outgoing personalities at this age. Ye Lihen’s personality was the complete opposite, but beneath his prideful and aloof exterior, Bai Jinshu discovered that he was actually an obedient and interesting person. Thinking this over, Bai Jinshu began to understand why Jiang Cheng had so quickly taken to calling Ye Lihen a brother despite their brief interactions.
Remembering how the two had been chatting so amiably on the horse yesterday, Bai Jinshu couldn’t resist asking, “What were you and my Martial Uncle talking about yesterday?”
His question was a bit abrupt, but Ye Lihen, as usual, didn’t show any surprise. He calmly replied, “We were talking about your Renwang Sect.”
Bai Jinshu raised an eyebrow in surprise. “What’s so interesting about our sect?”
“It’s said that for a long time, Shaolin and Wudang were considered the pinnacle of martial arts. But in recent years, your Renwang Sect has risen to prominence, with all the other sects following in your footsteps. Naturally, there’s something to discuss.”
“When did you become so concerned with the state of the martial world?”
“Since people started trying to kill us, I have to pay attention…” Ye Lihen didn’t finish his sentence. He suddenly turned around, and out of nowhere, a dry branch appeared in his hand, which he aimed straight at Bai Jinshu’s heart.
The attack wasn’t just unexpected; it was as fast as lightning. Even with Bai Jinshu’s top-tier martial skills, he might not have been able to dodge in time. Fortunately, Bai Jinshu had developed a habit of reacting instinctively in times of danger. He managed to slightly shift his body to avoid a fatal blow and then shattered the branch with a strike of his hand.
When Bai Jinshu’s palm touched the branch, he realized that no internal energy had been channeled into it. In other words, even if it had struck him, the branch would have broken on its own. Knowing that Ye Lihen had no intention of harming him, Bai Jinshu still couldn’t understand why he had pulled this stunt.
“Did I offend you somehow? Why scare me like that?”
Ye Lihen nonchalantly replied, “I heard from Brother Jiang that your Renwang Sect’s top priority is safety, and that your strange philosophy of prioritizing self-defense is what makes your sect unique. So, I wanted to test you.”
Indeed, this was one of Renwang Sect’s peculiarities. In the early days, before Renwang Sect had gained its current reputation, it was mocked as the “Cowardly Sect.” For some reason, the sect’s founder believed that self-defense should come before attacking, and their martial arts style was more conservative. The master would also emphasize countering dirty tricks and ambushes often used by villains in the martial world. By the time Bai Jinshu’s generation came along, this style had been fully embraced. All the disciples of Renwang Sect loved to prank each other by launching sneak attacks, turning it into both a form of mischief and a legitimate way to train.
If Ye Lihen had heard about this strange habit from Jiang Cheng and decided to try it out, that would have been fine. But the fact that Ye Lihen had a branch prepared in advance showed that he had planned this long before. The young man had the patience to set this up just for a small test, and Bai Jinshu didn’t know whether to be amused or exasperated.
At that moment, Ye Lihen’s playful side suddenly emerged. He lowered his voice so Jiang Cheng, riding behind them, couldn’t hear. “How about we test your Martial Uncle next?”
Bai Jinshu nearly jumped in shock. “You’re suggesting we ambush my Martial Uncle?”
“Yes.”
Bai Jinshu quickly rejected the idea with righteous indignation. “Stop messing around. That’s my Martial Uncle we’re talking about!”
Ye Lihen remained unfazed, speaking softly yet deliberately. “Brother Jinshu, play with me.”
When Bai Jinshu had teased him earlier, he never expected the proud and easily embarrassed young man would actually call him that. Just like he never imagined Ye Lihen would make such a playful, almost coquettish request. Now, Bai Jinshu felt like he’d be willing to do anything, even walk through fire for him.
With a long sigh, Bai Jinshu relented, “Fine, my little ancestor.”
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