“Jiang Liu, I don’t want to marry that pale-faced scholar. Take me away! Let’s elope together!” Her youthful face flushed red with frustration as she tugged on his hand, completely disregarding propriety.
Jiang Liu frowned slightly, “Miss, the county magistrate’s son is well-educated and polite. He’s not as bad as you imagine. If you don’t want to marry him, talk to your father properly. He won’t force you.”
“He won’t force me? He and that county magistrate are in cahoots, corrupt to the core! And it’s all your fault! When Father brought up our marriage, why did you reject it?” Liu Zhi pouted, her cheeks puffed out in anger as she glared fiercely at Jiang Liu.
“Miss, rest assured, as long as I’m around, I won’t let you suffer or do anything against your will.”
“I don’t believe you anymore! Didn’t you say you’d do whatever I wanted? Then why won’t you marry me?”
Jiang Liu remained silent for a long time. “I am just a servant…”
“Enough! I don’t want to hear it!” Liu Zhi interrupted, stomping her foot in frustration. “You just look down on me! You think I’m spoiled, willful, and unreasonable! I boss you around and like to play tricks on you! But I can change! I’ll be good, I won’t throw tantrums anymore, I’ll be a good wife and mother, is that enough?”
“Miss, you’re still young. You haven’t met any other suitable men. When you do, you’ll realize that what you feel for me isn’t what you think it is…”
“You’re not me, so how would you know?” Liu Zhi retorted angrily. “All your talk just means you don’t like me!”
“I…” Jiang Liu hesitated, unable to respond. “No matter what, I will always protect you.”
Tears welled up in Liu Zhi’s eyes. She stomped her foot again and ran out.
The scene in his mind shifted again.
“What are you whispering to Mother about, Xiaosi? Why so secretive?”
Jiang Xiaosi was lying on the grave mound, holding incense in one hand, her body covered in dirt.
“I was telling Mother that when I grow up, I’m going to marry you, Jiang Liu Daddy. And Mother agreed!”
Jiang Liu chuckled and shook his head. “How could your mother agree to that?”
“Not telling you.”
“When you grow up and find the person you truly love, you’ll leave me.”
“I won’t! I’m going to marry you, and I’ll never leave!” Jiang Xiaosi climbed up, wrapping her arms around Jiang Liu’s neck from behind.
Jiang Liu stood up, carrying her on his back. “Xiaosi, don’t make promises lightly. No one can predict the future. When the time comes, you’ll meet someone you truly love, just like your mother met your real father.”
“But what if I don’t?”
“Then I’ll always be here with you.”
…
He thought that even though he couldn’t stay with Liu Zhi, at least he could stay with Xiaosi for a lifetime.
Jiang Liu stared at Shen Mo and Jiang Xiaosi, who were locked in a kiss, almost unable to stand. His heart took a heavy blow, caving in as something inside him surged out, unstoppable. Memories of his years with Liu Zhi and Jiang Xiaosi flashed rapidly through his mind.
Everything happened just as he had predicted. As Liu Zhi grew older, she became more gentle and graceful, no longer willful. A barrier grew between them, and they were no longer as close as when they were children. She no longer teased or ordered him around, but instead, “thank you” and “please” often left her lips. She no longer called him Jiang Liu but addressed him as “Brother.”
Then, she found someone she truly loved—a man different from the naive affection she once had for Jiang Liu. She loved deeply, passionately. And that man was so brilliant, so full of love for Liu Zhi, far beyond what Jiang Liu could ever hope to be. He watched as Liu Zhi stood tall beside that man, now a princess, smiling happily. Jiang Liu thought to himself, he had made the right choice.
Now, Xiaosi had also grown up. The little girl who once swore she would marry him had found someone she truly loved too.
He had been so tense and fearful around Shen Mo, sensing that this day would come—the day Shen Mo would take Xiaosi away from him, just as Zhao Bing had taken Liu Zhi away…
Jiang Liu’s heart felt as though it was being gripped and squeezed, every bit of oxygen and strength draining from his body. He didn’t know if this pain was worse than the one he felt back then.
Yet, he remained calm and composed, not even feeling the urge to rush forward and punch Shen Mo.
He just stood there in a daze, realizing he had once again become the most unnecessary person in the world, only able to watch from afar.
Shen Mo hurriedly stood up, and it was the first time Tang and Lin Qiang had seen him so flustered. The usual cold indifference was gone, replaced by the same awkwardness, panic, embarrassment, guilt, and fear that any ordinary person would show when caught in such a compromising situation.
Shen Mo was afraid, but not because they had caught him at such an awkward moment. He was afraid because he realized he had developed feelings for Jiang Xiaosi.
Once the heart is moved, it leads to endless suffering. He had never let his heart be moved by anyone before, so he knew exactly what this meant.
When did that little troublemaker who always made him worry and anger him worm her way into his heart?
“Professor Shen? Sorry for interrupting your wedding night…” Tang blushed and quickly turned around, holding his head in embarrassment.
Shen Mo’s mouth was still filled with the overwhelming sweet taste of Jiang Xiaosi’s kisses. Gritting his teeth, he muttered, “It’s not what you think…”
Before he could finish, Jiang Xiaosi jumped off the bed and onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck and biting his ear. Her eyes, however, were full of panic, pleading for help as she looked at Jiang Liu.
Jiang Liu took a few steps forward and pried her off Shen Mo’s back. He pressed several points on her back, and Jiang Xiaosi rushed to the corner of the room and started vomiting.
Finally, she vomited up a leaf and collapsed on the ground, no longer under control.
“Dad…”
Seeing Jiang Liu return safely, Jiang Xiaosi was overwhelmed with relief and joy. She threw herself into his arms, crying. Jiang Liu stiffened slightly but hugged her tightly, as if afraid to lose her. Yet, his eyes remained fixed on Shen Mo.
Shen Mo knew he was in the wrong. After taking advantage of someone’s daughter, he had to give an explanation. Such a simple control spell couldn’t have been impossible to break. What was he thinking at the time? If they hadn’t arrived, who knows what mistake he might have made.
He could only change the subject. “Where are Koudan and the Master?”
At that, Tang suddenly remembered and exclaimed, “Xiaowan is missing, Koudan is watching over the tree spirit, but Master Yixiu somehow got into a fight with Miao Yan! They’re flying and fighting everywhere, and we can’t stop them. You need to go and see what’s happening!”
Shen Mo was also taken aback. “They’re fighting?”
Lin Qiang nodded, “Yeah, the plan was for Koudan to pose as the bride and marry me to get me out. Miao Yan was supposed to marry Master Yixiu to distract that tree spirit. But right after they entered the bridal chamber, the two of them started fighting, and the plan was exposed. Fortunately, as you predicted, Lu Lin was so focused on protecting Xiaowan that he hesitated, and in the end, Jiang Liu subdued him, but Xiaowan managed to escape.”
Shen Mo nodded, “As long as we’ve captured Lu Lin, that’s good enough.” As long as the poison affecting Tang and Jiang Xiaosi was dealt with, they had no reason to eliminate all the spirits and ghosts here.
Then he paused, surprised at his own thoughts. When had he started feeling merciful toward ghosts?
“We have to find Xiaowan” Jiang Liu finally spoke, his voice colder than usual.
He raised a hand and pushed Tang, partially pulling his soul out of his body. The translucent Tang stared at his hands in horror, letting out a terrified scream before quickly retreating and returning to his body.
Lin Qiang was shocked. “His soul left his body?”
Jiang Liu shook his head. “Tang is nearly half-dead. Even if we forcefully take him out of here, it will just be his corpse that leaves. His soul will have to stay.”
Shen Mo frowned. It seemed that Xiaowan was determined not to let Tang go.
Suddenly, there was a loud crash outside, and they rushed out to find Yixiu and Miao Yan engaged in a fierce battle in mid-air.
Miao Yan was still in her bridal gown, her eyes red and glowing like a fierce ghost’s. Her strikes were deadly, aimed to kill. Yixiu, holding his staff, looked frustrated and kept dodging, clearly trying to avoid a direct confrontation.
“Demoness, don’t push me too far, or I’ll have no choice but to subdue you!” Yixiu shouted.
“Subdue me? Come back and train for another hundred years, then we’ll see!” Miao Yan’s beautiful eyes blazed with fury.
Shen Mo and Jiang Liu jumped up simultaneously, each stopping one of them.
Jiang Xiaosi anxiously rushed over and inserted herself between the two.
“Master, Miao Yan may be impulsive, but she has never done anything evil. If she has wronged you in any way, I apologize on her behalf.”
“Wronged him?” Miao Yan pointed at Yixiu angrily, “He wronged me! I’ve waited for him for 800 years! I searched for him everywhere, only to find that he had hidden himself away in a temple as a monk!”
Yixiu took a deep breath and calmly explained, “Even if what you say is true, that was hundreds of years ago. It’s long in the past. My name now is Yixiu, and I’m not the person you remember. I urge you to let go of the past and move on.”
Miao Yan clenched her fists, then slowly released them.
“Fine. Just you wait. I’ll search the heavens and the earth for a soul-recalling pill to make you remember your past life. No matter what, I will make you give me an explanation!”
With that, Miao Yan shot up into the sky, disappearing as if she had pierced a hole through the heavens.
