When Shen Tanqi returned to the Yaoting Waterside Pavilion, the sky was already dark, with the moon rising above the treetops, enveloping the entire Rongyun Mountain in silence.
Shen Tanqi lingered outside the door for a long while. Though it was clearly his own dwelling, he hesitated to knock.
Lin Tanjiu’s words from earlier in the day continued to swirl in his mind, battling against the warnings from the system like angels and demons in his head.
He had already sorted out everything in his mind.
In fact, without the system’s reminder, Shen Tanqi knew exactly what he should do now. Yet, he was naturally hesitant and cautious, evading the inevitable, and dragging things out until this moment.
The day after tomorrow would be the grand competition of the sect, and also the day he would leave here.
There were things that might be too late to say if they weren’t said now.
He paused, took a deep breath, and was about to knock on the door.
But then, the door opened on its own.
Yu Ce was draped in a thin plain outer garment, his gaze calm as it fell upon Shen Tanqi’s face, seemingly still harboring some resentment over Shen Tanqi leaving him to practice swordsmanship with others.
Meeting those eyes, Shen Tanqi’s breath caught, and suddenly he couldn’t bring himself to say anything.
Seeing him remain silent, Yu Ce glanced back and saw the two little kids snuggled up in the bed, sound asleep with Sandan. Quickly withdrawing his gaze, he buttoned up his outer garment and softly said, “Want to take a walk outside?”
Both understood each other tacitly had something to say, so they walked together along a narrow mountain path.
The back mountain of Rongyun Sect was adjacent to the Bloodthirst Cliff. Shen Tanqi realized as they walked that they were actually heading towards the direction of the cliff.
“How long have you been on the mountain?” Shen Tanqi asked, trying to start a conversation as they stood by the Bloodthirst Cliff.
Yu Ce lowered his eyes and replied quietly, “Since I entered at fifteen, counting this year, it’s been eight years.”
The original Shen Tanqi had actually arrived on the mountain earlier than him, but he knew from the illusion that the Shen Tanqi in front of him was not the arrogant young man he had known at the beginning, so he made his reply clearer.
Nodding, Shen Tanqi continued, “That’s quite a while. How old were you during the Bloodthirst Cliff incident?”
Yu Ce didn’t look particularly old at that time, but he wore a mask, making it hard for Shen Tanqi to guess his true age.
At the question, Yu Ce recalled the time spent in the cave, his lips lifting slightly as he answered, “Eighteen.”
Shen Tanqi looked at him in surprise, unable to help repeating, “Eighteen?”
Wasn’t that just coming of age, and he was already taking care of two children?
During the peak years for cultivation in the immortal realm, Yu Ce chose to return to Hidden Dragon Valley at such a critical juncture, spending his prime years personally raising two children.
He felt a bit dazed, suddenly realizing that he didn’t actually know Yu Ce very well at all. At least, if he were in Yu Ce’s shoes, he would have felt it was such a waste.
But Yu Ce seemed completely oblivious, never once complaining to him about any of this.
As if sensing his thoughts, Yu Ce chuckled softly and said, “Senior Brother, your brow always furrows whenever you’re deep in thought.” He reached out as he had in the illusion, gently smoothing out Shen Tanqi’s furrowed brow, easing his worries bit by bit.
Shen Tanqi allowed him to do so, moonlight spilling over them, reflecting softly in Yu Ce’s eyes like a serene lake.
Very beautiful.
He suddenly blinked and said, “I’m sorry.”
Yu Ce didn’t understand why Shen Tanqi suddenly apologized to him, so he withdrew his hand and asked, “Senior Brother, what are you sorry for?”
Shen Tanqi lowered his head, found a smooth flat rock, and sat down, patting the spot next to him, indicating for Yu Ce to sit beside him.
The view from the cliff was breathtaking, unobstructed by barren trees, allowing them to gaze up and see the moon embedded in the night sky.
He calmed his mind, briefly organizing his thoughts, and said, “I’m not from this world.”
Oops, that was the first thing he said, sounding like a typical chuunibyou1Chuunibyou is a Japanese colloquial term typically used to describe early teens who have grandiose delusions, who desperately want to stand out, and who have convinced themselves that they have hidden knowledge or secret powers..
Shen Tanqi cleared his throat nervously, unable to meet Yu Ce’s gaze, and continued in a low voice, “I come from a place completely different from here. There are no cultivators, no demons or monsters. People live peaceful lives, though life there can be a bit tough.”
Yu Ce listened quietly, without interrupting.
“When I was ten, I fell seriously ill. My older brother took care of me, barely keeping me alive. Our parents had passed away early, leaving us three siblings as each other’s only support in this world,” Shen Tanqi rambled on. He had thought it would be difficult to talk about those past events, but speaking about them now seemed unexpectedly easy and straightforward. “I had a rough childhood. Thankfully, my brother was kind-hearted and genuinely cared for us younger ones. When I think back, he wasn’t that old himself, but he managed to work several jobs just to support us.”
Fearing Yu Ce might not fully understand, Shen Tanqi elaborated, “My brother went to construction sites to find work, doing hard physical labor. You saw it in the illusion—the place was just barren soil, and the work was all about exerting every ounce of strength.”
Because of his frail health, every time Shen Tanqi tried to help, his brother would grab him by the collar and pull him back home.
Yu Ce nodded, casting a sidelong glance at Shen Tanqi as if beholding a flawless treasure.
Ah Qi’s heart was soft.
He was tender towards him, even more so towards his family.
He would never forget the kindness shown to him by others.
“Until one day,” Shen Tanqi’s voice grew slightly heavier, his gaze dimming, “when our family couldn’t afford my sister’s education anymore, they kept her locked up at home. She cried and cried inside, and I wanted to let her out, but my father… our father, kicked me out with one swift kick.”
“I heard him hitting my sister, hitting her hard, but there was nothing I could do. I pounded on the door with all my might, but it wouldn’t budge. In the bitter cold of winter, she cried all night inside, and I cried all night outside.”
“The next day, my brother returned from outside, saw all the bruises on my sister, and flew into a rage. He smashed the door to pieces and said, ‘I’ll save up for her tuition. If anyone stops my little sister from going to school, I’ll buy a new kitchen knife and chop him dead.'”
“It didn’t take him long to return.”
“He lost an arm. In those days, it was only worth twenty thousand yuan.”
As Shen Tanqi spoke, his voice choked up. He couldn’t imagine how his brother had endured, what kind of willpower had kept him going.
Twenty thousand yuan, casting a shadow of despair over the rest of his life.
Yu Ce’s lips moved, and after a long while, he simply said, “So that’s why you were so heartbroken when you saw my hand cut off.”
Seeing him lose a part of his body like his brother had once lost, memories flashed vividly before Shen Tanqi’s eyes. The despair threatened to overwhelm him then and there.
“But my brother isn’t a demon or a monster,” Shen Tanqi wiped his eyes and forced a smile.
Yu Ce was somewhat surprised to hear him mention demons and monsters. “So you knew early on that Huo Yening wasn’t your real brother?”
Shen Tanqi glanced at him, feeling Yu Ce was giving him too much credit. “How could I have known? What if he really transformed into a demon and grew his arm back?”
He always hoped that his brother and sister would come back like he did, so even seeing a similar face would excite him.
The cultivation world was good; after all, in the world of books, they would have fewer regrets.
“However,” Shen Tanqi drew out his words, reclining back and using his arm as a pillow, “even if he isn’t, calling him brother isn’t a bad thing. You told me Huo Yening was a very powerful elder of the demon clan. It’s worth it to win over such a character anyway.”
Yu Ce suddenly chuckled, amused by Shen Tanqi’s thoughts. “Calling Huo Yening brother won’t necessarily win him over. Demons have hardened hearts.”
“Is that so?” Shen Tanqi mused lazily. “Unlike you, your heart is very soft…”
At his words, Yu Ce’s voice faltered for a moment before he murmured softly, “Yes, my heart is very soft.”
He didn’t deny it at all, accepting it so readily that Shen Tanqi felt no need to praise him further.
The moon hung high in the sky, casting a serene light over everything. Shen Tanqi finally understood what it meant for the night to be clear and tranquil like still water, with the vast moonlight floating in the sky, soothing the soul. Under this gentle illumination, words that were difficult to articulate came effortlessly.
“The day after tomorrow is the sect’s grand competition, and I’m going back home,” Shen Tanqi said softly.
As his words fell, Yu Ce’s figure stiffened slightly, turning to look at him.
Shen Tanqi patted his back gently, like soothing an agitated cat, and whispered, “What I mean is, I need to go back and let my brother and sister know where I’ve been all this time.”
Their children are young; they need a home. He can’t let the three little ones lose their family like he and his siblings did in the beginning. If his brother knew, he would surely agree with what he was doing.
But at least let him go back, see his brother and sister again, and sincerely thank them.
Yu Ce stared at him fixedly, motionless, and asked, “Will you come back?”
The implication in Shen Tanqi’s words was that he intended to return, but Yu Ce couldn’t be certain until he heard it directly from Shen Tanqi’s mouth.
Perhaps it was only when he heard it from Shen Tanqi’s own mouth that he could be at ease.
After a long silence, Shen Tanqi nodded and said, “I will definitely come back, to give Goldfish, Taro Ball and Mian Mian a home. I promise.”
His voice was resolute, but Yu Ce didn’t hear what he wanted to hear. “Is that all?”
The world fell silent for a moment.
Shen Tanqi took a deep breath and said softly, “That’s all.”
“You once taught me to speak plainly,” Yu Ce looked at him heavily, “not to keep things hidden in my heart. That’s what you taught me.”
Shen Tanqi heard the accusation in his voice, averted his eyes, and looked at his shoe tips, murmuring, “Yes. I haven’t kept anything inside.”
Not saying anything is keeping things inside, and he had nothing left to say.
What else was there to say?
Suddenly, Yu Ce stood up, pressing him against the hard stone, his eyes locking onto Shen Tanqi’s, “I’ll ask one more time, is there really nothing else?”
No matter how many times you ask, it’s the same.
Shen Tanqi wanted to say that, but facing Yu Ce’s gaze, those simple words wouldn’t come out. He couldn’t swallow them, nor could he spit them out.
After a moment of stammering, Yu Ce stood up first.
“You have me in your heart,” Yu Ce said as he draped his thin outer garment gently over Shen Tanqi, and sat with his back to him, straightening his collar. “I just asked your heart, and it said I’m inside.”
Shen Tanqi blinked, unsure how Yu Ce came up with such a theory.
“You’re being childish…”
He muttered softly.
He knew Yu Ce was giving him a way out, and of course, giving himself a way out as well.
Just like when Goldfish had a high fever, Yu Ce hadn’t said anything, just let him hold the child.
He knew how to leave such a way out, so that both could save face.
After a while, Yu Ce spoke again, “Actually, you didn’t have to tell me in advance. Even if you leave and don’t come back, I will still take good care of the children.”
Shen Tanqi looked up at him, feeling deeply moved.
“Ah Qi.”
In the dark night, Yu Ce sighed softly, almost murmuring to himself, “All things in this world have their own destiny. I didn’t believe it before, but now I have to.”
“Go ahead. Your happiness is my happiness.”
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
