Chapter 9: Another Encounter
Chapter 9: Another Encounter
Original novel written by Gu Long
Fan translation by Meh (Send an email)
The youngster heard Li Xun Huan抯 words, gathered himself, then grinned, saying, 揑nteresting. Your words really are interesting. How can a coat have eyes?�
Li Xun Huan said with a smile, 揑f my coat didn抰 have eyes, then how can it see your precious sword? How can I then dodge the sword attack from the back?�
The youngster抯 face suddenly changed, his hands shaking.
Long Xiao4 Yun coughed twice, then laughed, 揟he two of you really know how to joke. Hidden Sword Mansion抯 young master would certainly never care for such a sword, yet why do you care so much for your coat?�
Li Xun Huan said, 揝o this is young master You.�
Long Xiao4 Yun said with a smile, 揜ight. Not only is he the son of Hidden Dragon elder抯 son, he抯 also the Number One Sword Snow Eagle elder抯 only disciple. In the future you two should be more acquainted.�
You Long Sheng抯 eyes still kept staring at Li Xun Huan, saying coldly, 揑 don抰 know if that抯 possible. But this friend of yours, his name is...�
Long Xiao4 Yun said, 揝o brother You doesn抰 know this brother of mine. His last name is Li, called Li Xun Huan. In this world, I抦 afraid only this brother of mine is worthy to be your friend.�
When he heard the name, You Long Sheng抯 expression changed yet again, staring closely at Li Xun Huan抯 dagger.
Yet Li Xun Huan didn抰 even seem to notice their conversation. Instead he just kept thinking, 揂nother famous youngster...� Suddenly, someone came in, asking, 揥ho killed the person outside?�
This person抯 quite muscular. His voice booming. His expression extremely serious. This person just happens to be the venerable Zhao Zheng Yi.
Li Xun Huan smiled, then said, 揙ther than I, who else could抳e done it?�
Zhao Zheng Yi抯 eyes stared at Li Xun Huan like a sharp knife. Said loudly, 揧ou? I should抳e known it was you. No matter where you go, you bring the odor of death.�
Li Xun Huan said, 揝o that person doesn抰 deserve to die?�
Zhao Zheng Yi asked him, 揇o you know who he is?�
Li Xun Huan said, 揢nfortunately not the Plum Flower Bandit.�
Zhao Zheng Yi said, 揑f you knew he wasn抰 the Plum Flower Bandit, then why did you still kill him?�
Li Xun Huan said in a calm voice, 揂lthough I don抰 want to kill him, I also don抰 want him to kill me. No matter what, it抯 still nicer to kill then to be killed.�
Zhao Zheng Yi said, 揝o he wanted to kill you first?�
揧es�
Zhao Zheng Yi asked, 揥hy?�
Li Xun Huan said, 揑 wanted to know too. But when I asked, he ignored me.�
Zhao Zheng Yi asked, 揥hy didn抰 you keep him alive?�
Li Xun Huan said, 揑 wanted to keep him alive. But alas once the dagger leaves my hand, I can no longer control my opponent抯 life and death.�
Zhao Zheng Yi stomped his feet, saying, 揑f you went outside already, why did you come back?�
Li Xun Huan smiled, saying, 揃ecause I really wanted to see you, venerable Zhao.�
Zhao Zheng Yi抯 is now so angry his face became yellow. Pointing at Long Xiao4 Yun saying, 揤ery Good. This problem is caused by you great brother. No one else is responsible.�
Long Xiao Yun can only smile, saying, 揥hy the temper, big brother. Let抯 just talk it out.�
Zhao Zheng Yi said, 揥hat抯 there to say? It抯 already hard enough to deal with the Plum Flower Bandit. Now we have to deal with the Green Devil Yi Ku too.�
Li Xun Huan laughed coldly, saying, 揟hat抯 right, I did kill Yi Ku抯 student Qiu Du. If he finds out he抣l certainly come to seek revenge. But he抯 only going to look for me. Why would the venerable Zhao be so worried?�
Long Xiao4 Yun suddenly said, 揝ince Qiu Du came here after midnight, he obviously has some evil intentions. Brother, you didn抰 wrongfully killed him. If it were me, I抎 probably do the same thing.�
Before he can finish, Zhao Zheng Yi turned around to leave.
You Long Sheng suddenly smiled, saying, 揟he venerable Zhao really is old. Your temper keeps getting bigger and bigger, but your courage keeps getting smaller and smaller. Really, what抯 wrong with Yi Ku coming? This way, at least I can see the world famous flying dagger in action.�
Li Xun Huan said, 揂ctually, if you want to see my dagger, you don抰 have to wait till Yi Ku comes here.�
You Long Sheng抯 face changed again, as if he wanted to say something. But when he saw Li Xun Huan抯 dagger, he stopped. Then he also turned around and left too.
Long Xiao4 Yun wanted to go after him, but stopped. Shaking his head saying, 揈ven if you don抰 like them and look down upon them, you should still not have angered them.�
Li Xun Huan said, 揥ho cares. They already think I抦 beyond help. It doesn抰 matter if I p.i.s.s them off. In fact, it抯 actually better to get them angry enough to leave, so I can be in peace.�
Long Xiao4 Yun said, 揃ut it抯 better to have more friends than less.�
Li Xun Huan said, 揃ut how many people really can live up the word 慺riend�? Having a friend like big brother, one抯 enough for any person.�
Long Xiao4 Yun laughed heartily, holding Li Xun Huan抯 shoulders saying, 揃rother, just to hear you say that, even if I anger every other friend, it抯 still fine.�
Li Xun Huan suddenly felt a surge of warmth, but then started coughing again.
Long Xiao4 Yun said, 揧our cough...�
It抯 as if Li Xun Huan doesn抰 want him to bring up this topic, so he immediately cut him off by saying, 揃ig brother. I just want to see a person right now.�
揥ho?�
He raised his eyebrows, didn抰 wait for Li Xun Huan to respond, then added, 揑s it Lin Xian Er?�
Li Xun Huan smiled, saying, 揃ig brother really knows me well.�
Long Xiao4 Yun laughed out loud too. 揑 knew you just can抰 wait to see her. If Li Xun Huan won抰 even see the most beautiful woman in the world, then Li Xun Huan is not Li Xun Huan.�
Li Xun Huan just kept smiling, as if confirming this.
But what does he really think? Other than himself, probably no one else knows this.
Long Xiao4 Yun already grabbed his hand heading out, saying with a smile, 揑f you really came her looking for her, then you抳e come to the wrong place. After the events two nights ago, she had moved out of that room.�
揙h?�
Long Xiao4 Yun said, 揟he past two nights she stayed with Shi Yin. You can also take this opportunity to see Shi Yin too. She is a woman after all. You should try to go calm her a bit.�
He didn抰 seem to notice the painful look on Li Xun Huan抯 face, sighed and continued, 揂ctually, it抯 not like she doesn抰 know that what Yun Er does outside is horrible. She抯 not really blaming you.�
Li Xun Huan forced a smile, saying, 揃ut since we抮e here, we might as go to the Cold Fragrance House. Maybe Ms. Lin came back.
Long Xiao4Yun said with a smile, 揟hat抯 fine too. Looks like if you don抰 see her tonight, you won抰 even be able to sleep.�
Li Xun Huan still kept smiling, not saying anything.
But there抯 something in his eyes, something that shows that he has a secret.
There really isn抰 anyone in the room.
As Li Xun Huan entered, he suddenly entered the memories of ten years ago.
This room had not changed all these years. Each table and chair, even the paper, brushes, ink, all remained in their original place.
If this were ten years ago, then maybe he had just accompanied Lin Shi Yin as she counted the plum flowers, maybe he came in to get a fur coat for her to wear, or maybe to write down some of their conversations, so he would never forget them.
But now that he think about it, he never could forget those memories. If he had known this earlier, he would抳e never bothered to write them down.
Snow is falling again.
Snowflakes fell lightly on the rooftops, gentle as a lover抯 words.
Lin Xun Hun took deep breath, saying, 揟en years... Maybe even more than that. Sometimes you think time goes by too slowly. But once they抳e pa.s.sed, then you begin to realize how quickly they pa.s.s.�
Long Xiao4 Yun laughed and said, 揇o you remember the first day we came? It also seemed to be snowing on that day.�
Li Xun Huan said, 揌ow... how can I forget.�
Long Xiao4 Yun laughed, 揑 remember that we must抳e drunk all the wine stored in your house that day. It抯 also the only time I抳e ever seen you drunk, but won抰 admit it. You even made a bet with me, saying you can write out 揟he Eight Qiu Xing� [probably a book of poems or something] without any mistake.�
He suddenly took out a brush from the table, saying, 揑 remember it was this brush you used.�
Li Xun Huan抯 smile seem so artificial, yet he continue to smile. 揑 also remember that I won the bet.�
Long Xiao4 Yun responded, 揃ut you didn抰 know that ten years later, your brush would still be here, right?�
Li Xun Huan just smiled without talking, but a thought suddenly came to him. 揟he brush is still here, but isn抰 someone else living here now?�
Long Xiao4 Yun said, 揧ou know, it抯 quite strange. It抯 almost as if Lin Xian Er knew you were coming back. Although she抯 lived here for several years now, she never moved anything.�
Li Xun Huan said, 揂ctually, she didn抰 have to.�
Long Xiao4 Yun said with a smile, 揥e also didn抰 force her to do this, but she...�
Suddenly someone from outside yelled, 揊ourth Master. Fourth Master Long!�
Long Xiao4 Yun opened the window, said with an irate face, 揑抦 here. What抯 the problem?�
His expression suddenly changed, then turned back and said, 揃rother you...�
Li Xun Huan said, 揑... I still want to remain here a bit longer. Is that a problem?�
Long Xiao Yun said with a smile, 揙f course. These were yours anyway. Even if Lin Xian Er came back, she would only welcome you.�
He then quickly left. As he left the door, his smile disappeared.
Li Xun Huan sat on a wide chair with tiger skin covering it. This chair is even bigger than he remembered in his youth.
He remembered that when he was very little, he loved to climb to onto this chair and wet the ink for his dad. He just wished to be taller, so he can sit on this chair. At that time he had a strange thought. He was really afraid that chairs would be like people, get bigger as time pa.s.sed.
Finally came the day when he could sit on the chair. He also figured out that the chair cannot grow bigger. Then he would privately feel bad for this chair.
But now, he only hope to be like this chair, never grow older, never have pain, but unfortunately, this chair remains the same, but he抯 already an old man.
Old man... old man...
Suddenly he heard someone laughing gently while saying, 揥ho said you抮e an old man?�
The person is still outside, but the laughter filled the room with warmth. Although her body had not came in yet, her voice carried Spring along with it. If her laughter is like this, one can imagine what her person抯 like.
Li Xun Huan抯 eyes suddenly lit up again, but he only stared at the door, not getting up, not saying a word.
Lin Xian Er finally came into the room.
The other people really weren抰 kidding. She really is as beautiful as a G.o.ddess. If someone actually tried to describe her beauty, that person is doing her a huge injustice.
There抯 not single part of her that isn抰 arousing. But the most arousing part of her body are her eyes. No man on this Earth can possibly resist those eyes.
Looking at her eyes makes people feel like they抳e commit a crime.
Yet she also looks like the most gentle, the most heart-warming girl there ever is.
But no matter what she looks like, though, she can no longer erase Li Xun Huan抯 image of her, because this isn抰 the first time Li Xun Huan has seen her.
In the kitchen of that bar, Li Xun Huan has already felt her gentleness, her warmth. But Li Xun Huan still could not believe that the woman in front of him is the same mysterious beauty who wanted to exchange the Golden Thread Vest with him.
Because her look now is totally different from that day. If Li Xun Huan didn抰 trust his eyes totally, then he would not believe that venomous, s.l.u.tty woman is the same one that抯 smiling innocently and sweetly in front of him.
Li Xun Huan let out a sigh, then closed his eyes.
Tears began to roll in Lin Xian Er抯 eyes. She said gently, 揥hy did you close your eyes? You don抰 want to see me?�
Li Xun Huan chuckled, saying, 揑 just wanted to remember how you looked that day with your clothes off.�
Lin Xian Er抯 face suddenly became red, then said, 揑 originally didn抰 want you to recognize me, but I also know that it抯 quite impossible.�
Li Xun Huan said, 揑f I really did forget you in such a short time, then wouldn抰 you be disappointed?�
Li Xian Er still kept smiling, 揃ut when you saw me you didn抰 look shocked. Does this mean you knew who I was already?�
Li Xun Huan said, 揟his might be because not many woman can be considered a beauty in this world.�
Lin Xian Er said with a smile, 揃ut it might also be because you saw Yi Ku抯 disciple, remembered my Green Devil Hand, then saw You Long Sheng, remembered my Hidden Fish Sword, right?�
Li Xun Huan also smiled, saying, 揑抦 only curious to know, since you know I抦 here, why do you still have the guts to come see me?�
Lin Xian Er sighed, then said, 揂n ugly daughter-in-law has to see her mother-in-law sooner or later. It抯 unavoidable. So when Brother Long asked me to come, I immediately came.�
揜eally? He told you to came here?�
Lin Xian Er laughed again, saying, 揧ou mean you don抰 understand his reasons? He has wanted us to get together for quite a while now. Maybe it抯 because he has always felt that he owe you something. Robbed your...�
When she said this, she saw that Li Xun Huan抯 face immediately became more sullen, because he knows what she was going to say. But when his expression changed, she also immediately stopped.
She never says things others don抰 want to hear.
Yet Li Xun Huan seems to be waiting for her to finish. Only after a while did he say, 揌e doesn抰 owe me anything. No one has ever owed me anything. Only I owe other people.�
Lin Xian Er stared at him, asking, 揥ho do you owe?�
Li Xun Huan replied coldly, 揑 owe way too many people. Too many to count.�
Lin Xian Er said gently, 揘o matter what you say, I still know that you抮e not that kind of person.�
揧ou know what kind of person I am?�
揙f course I know. I抳e heard your stories ever since I was little. So when I found out this is where you used to live, I was so happy I couldn抰 sleep.�
She turned around, saying, 揕ook. Everything in this room. Does it not look exactly as you left it ten years ago? Even that bottle of wine you hid on the bookshelf, I did not move. Do you know why?�
Li Xun Huan only stared at her coldly.
Lin Xian Er chuckled. 揙f course you don抰 know. But I can tell you, because only this way can I feel like this is your room. Sometimes I would imagine you still in this room, sitting in this chair, talking with me quietly.�
She then continued in a softer voice, 揝ometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night, thinking you抮e by my side. On that bed, on that pillow.�
Li Xun Huan suddenly smiled, saying, 揙ther than me, there are probably other people there too, right?�
Lin Xian Er bit her lips, asking, 揧ou really think I let other people in here?�
Li Xun Huan said, 揟his is your room. You can let anyone you want in here.�
Lin Xian Er said, 揧ou really think those like You Long Sheng and Qiu Du had been here, right?�
Her eyes are already red, continuing, 揑抣l tell you. They have never ever walked into this room. That抯 why they had to wait in the forest. If I let them come in, then maybe Qiu Du and Qin Zhong would not have died.�
揑f that抯 the case, then why don抰 you let them come in?�
Lin Xian Er again bit her lips as she said, 揃ecause this is your room. I must... help you preserve the...�
She doesn抰 seem to know how to continue.
Li Xun Huan smiled, finishing the sentence for her, 搒cent?�
Lin Xian Er抯 whole face became red, saying, 揇o you understand me yet?�
Li Xun Huan said with a smile, 揃ut it抯 only now that I know I actually had a particular scent. So what is it? Sweet? Horrible?�
Lin Xian Er lowered her head, saying, 揑 didn抰 say these things to you so you can ridicule me.�
揟hen why?�
揧ou mean you still don抰 know?�
Li Xun Huan laughed, saying, 揑f that抯 the case, even without someone helping, I already have a really good chance with you.�
Lin Xian Er said, 揑f I didn抰 already... already feel... then that day why would I...�
She only said half of each sentence, but sometimes saying half a sentence is much more effective than saying the whole sentence. Plus it抯 much more interesting.
Li Xun Huan said, 揝o you did that because you liked me. And I thought you did it for the vest.�
Lin Xian Er said, 揙f course I also wanted the vest. But if the person wasn抰 you, then why would I...would I...�
Li Xun Huan laughed, saying, 揝o you wanted both.�
Lin Xian Er said, 揧ou must be wondering, why would I want the Golden Thread Vest, right?�
Lin Xun Huan said, 揊rankly, I really am curious.�
Lin Xian Er said, 揟hat抯 because I want to kill the Plum Flower Bandit myself!�
揌uh?�
揧ou must know. I said that I would marry the one who kills the Plum Flower Bandit. Although I said it, I still didn抰 like it.�
Li Xun Huan said, 揧ou want to kill the Plum Flower Bandit so you can marry yourself?�
Lin Xian Er said, 揑 only do this because I really don抰 want to marry. So if I killed the bandit myself, I won抰 have to marry.�
She suddenly looked up at Li Xun Huan, saying, 揃ecause no man on this Earth is worth me marrying.�
Li Xun Huan抯 eyes also looked at her, asking, 揥hat about me?�
Lin Xian Er抯 face became really red, saying, 揧ou抮e obviously different.�
揥hy?�
Lin Xian Er said quietly, 揃ecause you抮e different from other men. Those man are like dogs. No matter how I treat them, they would still follow me. Only you...�
Li Xun Huan smiled a bit, saying, 揟hen why don抰 you just leave the Golden Thread Vest with me? If I kill the Plum Flower Bandit, then you can marry me. Isn抰 that what you wanted?�
Lin Xian Er hesitated a bit, then smiled again, saying, 揟his is actually a good idea. Why didn抰 I think of it?�
Li Xun Huan抯 eyes flickered, grinning while saying, 揥ho else other than myself can come up with an idea as ingenious as this one.�
Lin Xian Er seemingly did not understand the meaning of Li Xun Huan抯 words, instead held his hand, saying, 揑 know the Plum Flower Bandit will appear the next night or two. Tomorrow I抣l wait for him here.�
Li Xun Huan said, 揧ou want me to come too, right?�
Lin Xian Er said, 搚ou can use me as bait, getting him to appear. You have the vest anyway, so even if you can抰 kill him, you抮e at least safe. If you were to capture him...� She suddenly lowered her head again, those eyes staring quietly at Li Xun Huan. Although she spoke no words, those eyes explained her feelings perfectly.
Li Xun Huan抯 eyes also brightened, said with a smile, 揝ure. I抣l certainly come tomorrow night. If I don抰 come, then...�
Lin Xian Er pulled her hands off of Li Xun Huan, but she then drew a circle on his hand抯 back, as if to circle around Li Xun Huan抯 heart.
Li Xun Huan suddenly laughed again, saying, 揕ooks like you抳e learned to behave now.�
Lin Xian Er said with a red face, 揑抳e always behaved.�
Li Xun Huan said, 揧ou finally learned for the man to make the first move.�
But Lin Xian Er suddenly became nervous, saying, 揃ut you... you won抰 now... right?�
Li Xun Huan looked at her. His eyes still that cold, but his mouth already showed a not-so-cold smile, saying, 揌ow do you know I won抰?�
Lin Xian Er chuckled, saying, 揃ecause you抮e a true gentleman, right?�
Li Xun Huan said, 揑抳e only been a true gentleman once in my life. Then I regretted my decision for three whole days.
As Lin Xian Er抯 laughing, she seems to show a wish to escape.
But Li Xun Huan then immediately pulled on her arms, then said with a smile, 揝o not only have you learned for the man to make the first move, you also learned to escape.�
Lin Xian Er responded, 揃ut this is how you taught me. This is how you taught me to seduce you, right?