Song in the Clouds

Chapter 14: The Singer Departs

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At this point in the novel, I feel like I know all the main characters so well. With the exception of Liu Fu Ling, of course. I’ve said this before – Yun Zhong Ge is really the story of Meng Jue, despite its t.i.tle being a play on Yun Ge’s name, while the love story of Yun Ge and Liu Fu Ling is just a part of the narrative. While I loved the straight forward aspect of Da Mo Yao‘s focus on just the three leads, I feel like YZG drags me into its world despite my reluctance to get embroiled in what I can see will surely be a mess. These are so many crossed love lines it’s not even funny. And a quick history lesson of the real characters in this novel will give away much of what happens in the story. But it’s Tong Hua’s spin on the behind-the-scenes action that is so fascinating. While Yun Ge is falling in love with Meng Jue, his interest in her is still somewhat shaky. And in the background, Liu Fu Ling is still waiting for his Yun Ge to come find him.

Chapter 14: The Singer Departs

“Are you tired?”

“No.”

“How much longer can you carry me on your back?”

“Very long.”

“How long is very long?”

“Very long is very long.”

“If it was a very difficult, very difficult path, will you still carry me? If you are very tired, very tired, will you still carry me?”

“………..”

Yun Ge desperately wanted to hear his response, but around her there was only the sound of wind, carrying the answer away. The more she tried to listen, the louder the wind became, making Yun Ge even more anxious. “Wake up, night owl.” Xu Ping Jun shook Yun Ge awake.

Yun Ge stared at Xu Ping Jun, still unsure of where she was. Xu Ping Jun asked “What did you do last night? When Hong Yi went to look for you guys, the room was empty. It was almost dawn when someone piggybacked a little piggy home. That little piggy was pa.s.sed out asleep. She could have been sold and she wouldn’t even know.”

Yun Ge’s face was burning hot “We didn’t do anything. He just carried me and walked around.”

“You guys couldn’t have walked all night?” Xu Ping Jun shook her head disbelievingly. Yun Ge’s eyes widened and she nodded vigorously, indicating she was telling the truth. “You guys really walked all night long? You guys looked at the wilderness? Ay, you were already a pig head, now I realize that Meng Jue is a pig head as well!” Xu Ping Jun shook her head sadly.

Yun Ge remembered her dream and wondered if it really was a dream? Did she ask such silly questions last night? Did all the girls ask the man she’s fallen in love with those types of silly questions? Xu Ping Jun patted Yun Ge’s face “Stop dazing and go wash up, it’s almost time for lunch.”

Yun Ge saw a wheelchair and a crutch in the room “The Princess is very considerate.” Xu Ping Jun’s one hand was injured and she used her other hand to bring a pitcher of water over “Don’t thank the wrong person. I heard Ding Wai Ren ask for it to be prepared, so it should be Meng Jue’s doing. The Princess is busy trying to make the Emperor happy, she doesn’t have time for you.”

Yun Ge wiped her face with a towel and smiled happily under it. Xu Ping Jun said “You slept all morning and missed the excitement. The Emperor was apparently enjoying the night view on the mountains and when he arrived at Gan Quan Palace, his arms and legs were b.l.o.o.d.y, and he had changed in the carriage. The Emperor intended to quietly arrive but his bruised state caused the Princess to be alarmed that there was an a.s.sa.s.sination attempt and everyone was called to check. It was such a ruckus.”

“Was it really an a.s.sa.s.sin?” Yun Ge ask. “They said it wasn’t. Even the Emperor’s personal eunuch said it wasn’t and the Emperor was just cut by some branches when he was walking. When some of the other eunuchs were asked, they said the Emperor suddenly jumped off the carriage and ran into the mountains, and when he returned some time later he was already injured. The royal physicians confirmed it was branch scratches. The Emperor is even weirder than you and Meng Jue, who would go wander the mountainside in the middle of the night?”

Yun Ge smiled “He must have a good reason.” Xu Ping Jun smiled at Yun Ge “Maybe the Emperor has his own weird beauty to keep company. Meng dage seems like such a normal person, yet he didn’t sleep at night and instead……..” Yun Ge splashed water on Xu Ping Jun and she didn’t finish what she was saying. Xu Ping Jun was so mad she tried to strangle Yun Ge.

As the two were having fun teasing each other, the Princess sent word for Yun Ge to be prepared to cook at any moment. After eating, Yun Ge and Xu Ping Jun headed to the kitchen. She gave a long list of ingredients and Xu Ping Jun saw Yun Ge preparing to cook right away and asked if she was planning to make test dishes. Yun Ge replied “No, I was reading about weird ingredients to make odd dishes and this kitchen has everything so I might as well use it.”

Xu Ping Jun pointed at her “You! You are taking advantage of the Princess.” Yun Ge laughed “She got it from the people, then the people should use it.” The entire afternoon Yun Ge cooked in the kitchen. To outsiders it looked like she was working hard for the Princess.

Xu Ping Jun initially wanted to try to the weird dishes but she lost her appet.i.te when the end result was dark and green and smelled terrible. When a spider dropped into a pot of soup, Yun Ge just kept cooking despite Xu Ping Jun screaming for her to fish it out. Xu Ping Jun vowed never to eat anything Yun Ge cooked unless she was there for the cooking process.

After she was done, she asked Xu Ping Jun to try a bite. Xu Ping Jun took giant steps back and shook her head. Yun Ge could only try it herself, and immediately she spit it out, and then threw up her entire lunch. It was too bitter. Xu Ping Jun felt like she made the best decision in her entire life. Yun Ge made the most bitter dish known to man. Yun Ge took another bite despite Xu Ping Jun trying to stop her. Who would believe that the chef almost died eating her own food?

At dinner time, Meng Jue got a secret message from Hong Yi that Yun Ge wanted to see him. He was worried something happened and quickly ran to her. Yun Ge smiled and presented him with a bowl of blackened items he couldn’t even make out. “I cooked it today, try it.” Meng Jue didn’t even know whether to laugh or cry. To excuse himself from a banquet with Huo Guang and the Infante Dukes was not easy, and the banquet had unparalleled delicacies, and yet Yun Ge was nonchalantly presenting him with this odd little bowl of food.

When he saw Yun Ge’s look of antic.i.p.ation, his annoyance went away and he took the bowl and ate it. In moments the bowl was empty. When he raised his head, he saw Yun Ge with tears in her eyes. “Yun Ge?’ Yun Ge smiled and turned her head “Nothing! How did it taste?”

Perhaps he imagined it, so Meng Jue smiled “Good, anything you cook I like to eat. I have to go back now. You can’t move easily so get some rest. I know you like to cook but don’t cook all the time.” After Meng Jue left, Yun Ge sat in her wheelchair in a daze.

Later that night, Yun Ge asked “Xu jiejie, what if one day you can’t take food? What would that be like?” Xu Ping Jun replied “That would be terrible! You said food was like life, the different flavors like life’s many experiences. It would be like a blind man not knowing colors and sights.” After Xu Ping Jun fell asleep, Yun Ge was still thinking about how to cook even more extreme flavored foods.

The night sky in the mountain is different than in Chang An. Because it was so pitch black, the darkness was different shades of blue and black all swirling around the clouds. Liu Fu Ling held a jug of wine as he leaned on the bannister and drank to the moon. He heard footsteps and didn’t even turn around before asking “Any news?:

“Your servant I am useless. No news yet. We’ve asked all the residences of that mountain and no one was the singer. We are now searching within Gan Quan Palace. Your majesty need not worry, if the singer is here, then we’ll find her.”

Yu An was stunned to see the jug of wine in Liu Fu Ling’s hand. Because of his precarious situation, and the Emperor’s every move was always scrutinized, the Emperor always tightly controlled himself and rarely touched alcohol. Liu Fu Ling handed the jug of wine to Yu An “Take it away!”

“Today Huo Guang is taking Your majesty’s place to fete the three Infante Dukes. If Your majesty wants to get drunk, your servant I can stand outside and guard you.” Liu Fu Ling looked at Yu An and smiled slightly, but it was gone in a flash. Yu An dared not say any more and took the jug “Your majesty has not eaten dinner, what would like you?” Liu Fu Ling lightly replied “I’m not hungry so no need for dinner.”

“I heard the Princess say that the Zhu Gong Zhi who cooked for Your majesty is here right now. Perhaps ask him to cook for you. Doesn’t Your majesty like fish, so this is a good chance to try his cuisine.” Liu Fu Ling furrowed his brows “My royal sister is also here?” “Yes.”

Because he was close to his royal sister, those seeking something treated her like someone they could use to pump for information, or track the Emperor’s whereabouts. They use her to find out his likes and dislikes, and test his reaction. This morning’s farce was those people using his royal sister to find out why his behavior was odd. His royal sister was situated between deadly beasts but she didn’t know, putting her trust in the wrong people.

Liu Fu Ling walked forward and purposely raised his voice “Yu An, today the Princess rushed into my room without permission, asked my servants about what happened, and even brought her own people into Gan Quan Palace. As the head of my inner service, what you do think about that?”

Yu An kneeled on the ground “Your majesty, Your majesty…….” He didn’t know what to say. Since the Emperor was a child he has been very close to his royal older sister. In the end he said “Your servant I made a mistake and dare not do it again.” Liu Fu Ling coldly huffed “Since you know your mistake, you know how to correct it. Why haven’t you left yet?” Yu An back away sweating bullets, wondering why his Emperor was getting harder and harder to figure out. What did the Princess do to upset the Emperor?

Because the Princess said the Infante of Guang Ling doesn’t even acknowledge the Emperor? Because the Princess was secretly close to Huo Guang and Shang Guan Jie? Because of the Princess and Ding Wai Ren’s preposterous relationship?

Ay! No matter the reason, she’s upset him now. In the end, the Emperor doesn’t even have a single person close to him, he’s all alone.

Yu An called all the servants over “From now on, the Princess is like everyone else, cannot move around the Palace without first asking permission. Go send word to the Princess that Zhu Gong Zhi is to leave the Palace immediately. If the Princess asks for me, say I am serving the Emperor and cannot leave his side.”

Liu Shun the eunuch asked “What if the Princess wants to see the Emperor and doesn’t take no for an answer?” Yu An coldly replied “If you guys let the Emperor see someone he doesn’t want to see, then what is the use of having you guys around?”

Xu Ping Jun was dreaming that the Emperor was so thrilled with Yun Ge’s food that he greatly rewarded them and asked to meet them. She was hugging a bag of gold when she was rudely awakened. They were asked by the Princess’s servants to pack and leave immediately. Xu Ping Jun asked why but no one would explain.

It happened so fast that Yun Ge wanted to tell Meng Jue, but she couldn’t find a way. She suddenly remembered her herbs and spices in her bag and grabbed a sprig of dang gui (returning home spice) and placed it next to her bedside. The she went back and placed another spice – wu yao (no medicine). “Yun Ge, the Princess must’ve found out about you taking advantage of her. Oh my gold, my gold.” Xu Ping Jun sighed sadly.

Yun Ge thought Xu Ping Jun’s reasoning was wrong but she didn’t know what did happen either. Xu Ping Jun continued to complain “We really lost out this time, got bitten and made no money.”

Yun Ge murmured “You ought to stop complaining and think about how to explain to big brother when you see him soon! I thought we’d go back after we got better, but going home now, we can’t even try to conceal it.” Xu Ping Jun immediately stopped talking and furrowed her brows as she went deep in thought.

Chang An.

Shang Guan Jie was already upset the Emperor didn’t let him accompany the Emperor to Gan Quan Palace. Now he heard the Emperor was injured on the way there and had Huo Guang fete the three Infante Dukes in his place. He was so enraged he slammed the wine set on the ground.

Shang Guan An had long been chafing to get rid of Huo Guang, and he encouraged his father to make amends with the Infante Duke of Yen to get rid of Huo Guang first. Huo Guang is the Shang Guan family’ biggest threat, and if he aligned with the Infante of Yen to get rid of them, it would be devastating.

After getting rid of Huo Guang and realigning political power, afterwards it would be easy to get rid of the Infante of Yen who was far away from Chang An in his territory. As for the Infante of Guang Ling and the Infante of Chang Yi, they had rich territories, but one was a coa.r.s.e lug and the other a lunatic, neither merits any consideration.

Shang Guan Jie sat there silently. Since meeting Meng Jue at Huo Guang’s estate, Shang Guan Jie has been trying to pull him over to his side. Meng Jue let slip that he knew the Infante of Yen, but it appears Meng Jue is getting closer to Huo Guang.

His daughter has a good impression of Meng Jue and Shang Guan Jie is happy to make this match. Though Meng Jue was nice to Shang Guan Lan, he was also quite close to Huo Cheng Jun.

While the Infante if Yen is indicating his willingness to work with Shang Guan Jie, who knows if he is also doing the same thing with Huo Guang. Everyone was fooled by Huo Guang’s gentlemanly exterior. He had worked with Huo Guang for thirty years in court, he knows exactly how cold and deadly Huo Guang’s tactics can be.

The one who makes the first move dictates the match, the one who waits for the first move waits for the result.

Shang Guan Jie made up his mind, and with it his anger dissipated. He calmly said ti Shang Guan An “We can’t just sit here any longer.”

Gan Quan Palace.

After he sent off the three Infante Dukes and ought to be basking in this honor given to him by the Emperor, Huo Guang instead asked everyone to leave and sat there sipping tea with just Meng Jue. They finished an entire pot of tea and Huo Guang looks at Meng Jue, nodding his head in satisfaction.

In the late night, they finished a pot of tea but neither said a word. Huo Guang was not in any rush to talk, and so neither was Meng Jue. Putting other things aside, Meng Jue’s ability to stay silent and calm was extraordinary. His daughter had good taste.

It doesn’t matter that Meng Jue was a commoner. Huo Guang’s birth was no better than Meng Jue. What was more important is that Huo Guang can make anyone an official with just a word. What he needed was someone with ability, who could go far and a.s.sist him in the future.

“Meng Jue, what do you think about tonight?” Meng Jue smiled “I’m just talking nonsense, so forgive me in advance. If word of tonight spread back to Chang An, my lord’s situation will surely be awkward. But Lord Huo must already have thought of what to do about it.”

Huo Guang stared at Meng Jue, his expression serious “You do know who you are talking about, right?” Meng Jue politely replied “I am just a.n.a.lyzing the situation.”

Huo Guang startled, then he looked torn “It’s just……..ay! I know what to do, but thinking about my daughter, I can’t bear to be that vicious.” (He’s talking about his other daughter, Huo Cheng Jun’s older sister, who is married to Shang Guan An).

Can’t be vicious? The underhanded people cannot ever deign to be a gentleman. The Infante of Yen’s fakeness was but one millionth of what Huo Guang was capable of. Meng Jue silently sneered at Huo Guang, who was pretending to be a good person despite plotting to do ill. Meng Jue said “Lord Huo is a gentleman, but facing those underhanded people you must guard against them. Your safety involves the safety of the entire Huo family. Plus right now society is shaky and needs Lord Huo’s guidance.”

Huo Guang sighed loudly and looked like he was torn “Man may not want to harm the tiger, but the tiger wants to harm the man. One can only be careful.” Suddenly he changed the subject “What do you think of the Emperor?”

Meng Jue smiled but inside he wavered for a moment “There is a likelihood that he may become a sage ruler in the annals of history.” Huo Guang grew silent and sat there, Meng Jue realizing he didn’t intend to talk anymore so he excused himself.

Huo Guang smiled in a paternal way “I noticed Cheng Jun was unhappy but she won’t tell me why when I ask her. When you have time go chat with her.” Meng Jue didn’t respond and just smiled and he made a bow and left.

The walls of the Palace are high, so the sky is barely visible. He was walking on a path that few in this entire world could ever hope to walk on. He was heading towards his goal, but it wasn’t as happy as he imagined it would be.

Even though he knew it was very late, and she ought to be asleep already, but he couldn’t stop his footsteps from heading in her direction. He just wanted to stand by her window and quietly look at her, but who knew her room would be empty and the pallet in disarray.

His breathing stopped.

Was it the Infante of Guang Ling? Or Huo Cheng Jun? Or……..

Right when he was fretting, he saw the items on the pallet. It was three pieces of medicinal herbs – sheng di, dang gui, and mei yao. He started to laugh.

Yun Ge was telling him that she couldn’t stay, she went home, and that she was fine. When did that girl turn her spice packet into a medicine drawer. Meng Jue smiled and pick the herbs up in his hand. He felt a sliver of warmth that seemed to seep in through his palm.

He suddenly realized that the first two herbs already told him why she left and where she went, so why even leave the third herb? Mei yao (no medicine)? No medicine! Longing is the only disease where there is no medicine to cure it!

This was the message Yun Ge left for him? What did she want to say to him? Would she ever say that to him? For the first time, Meng Jue raged at how complicated and full of different meanings the Han characters could mean.

As he thought and couldn’t come to a conclusion, he smiled at himself. He usually hated this feeling of uncertainty, but right now he felt a sense of sweetness.

He grasped the herbs in his hand and walked out of the room. He felt the sky outside was suddenly higher and the moon was brighter.

When Meng Jue returned to Chang An, he settled matters and then immediately went to find Yun Ge to clear up what he was thinking. When he arrived, he heard a loud noise inside the kitchen. When he pushed open the door, a black smoke rushed out. Meng Jue quickly grabbed a bucket of water and rushed inside and dumped it over the stove.

Yun Ge yelped and rushed out from behind the stove to yell at the person who ruined her hard work. When she saw it was Meng Jue, she swallowed her yelling. Meng Jue dragged her out of the kitchen “What are you doing? Trying to burn down the house?”

Yun Ge’s face was blackened and all he could see were her white teeth as she explained that she was brewing medicine and wanted to use the fire to smoke out the white ants under the stove to use as rare medicinal ingredients. Meng Jue laughed, asking when she decided to stop being a chef and become a doctor, but she was indeed right, white ants are rare medicinal ingredients. Where did she learn about that?

Yun Ge pouted “Haven’t you heard about books? And reading? So what are you here for?” Men Jue didn’t answer and instead laughed “Nothing. You tabby cat, let’s clean you up first before you start baring your claws.”

Meng Jue dragged Yun Ge next to the water pail and grabbed a cloth. She reached for it but got nothing as Meng Jue already held her head and was wiping her face. Yun Ge’s face turned red and she tried to grab the cloth as she stuttered “Let me do it.”

Meng Jue let her grab the cloth but his one hand still held her wrist.

Yun Ge grabbed the cloth and started wiping randomly over her face, and she wasn’t sure if she was wiping her face or trying to avoid Meng Jue’s gaze. “Stop, if you keep wiping, you’ll wipe your skin off. Let’s go see if your white ants can still be used.”

Meng Jue’s hand holding Yun Ge never let go, so she followed him back into the kitchen while in a daze. Meng Jue leaned down and peered under the stove “No problem, some died but there are likely more underneath the ground. Let’s get someone to smash the stove and dig down, see how many we can find.”

Yun Ge heard this and smacked herself on the forehead “Why am I so stupid? So simple, so straightforward, so rough and tumble. Why didn’t I think of that? Clearly I’m not violent enough when I do things!”

As Yun Ge was talking, she walked forward to look at the stove. Meng Jue wanted to get up so Yun Ge’s face ran into Meng Jue’s head. She yelped in pain and he rubbed it for her. The kitchen was already small, and now the residual smoke had dissipated but the heat was still there. Yun Ge felt herself growing more and more warm.

Meng Jue was rubbing and rubbing when he started lowering his head. Yun Ge subconsciously knew what was about to happen so she opened her eyes wide and stared at Meng Jue.

Meng Jue’s hand softly glanced over Yun Ge’s eyes and he whispered in her ear “Silly girl, it’s not the first time, haven’t you learned that you’re supposed to close your eyes?”

Yun Ge closed her eyes and raised her face, nervously awaiting her second, though in truth her first real kiss.

After waiting for some time, Meng Jue still hadn’t made a move, so Yun Ge decided to sneak a peek at what Meng Jue was doing. When she opened an eye, she saw Liu Bing Yi and Xu Ping Jun standing in the doorway.

Meng Jue didn’t have any awkward reaction, only smiling and slowly straightening himself, with his hands still embracing Yun Ge. Rather it was Liu Bing Yi who had a very stiff smile on his face.

Yun Ge’s sneaking a peek was totally caught by Liu Bing Yi and Xu Ping Jun, and she felt like all her blood rushed to her brain and she was so embarra.s.sed she wanted to faint right then and there. She pushed Meng Jue away and jumped to the side “I, I………” She couldn’t say any more so she just rushed off mumbling “I’m off to buy groceries.”

Before she ran out of the courtyard, she turned back but didn’t dare meet Meng Jue’s eyes “Meng Jue, you stay for dinner, okay? Yeah, from now on, when you are in Chang An, you have to eat at my place, got it!”

Xu Ping Jun smiled “Meng dage, got it? You have to listen to her from now on.” Meng Jue smiled “How’s your arm?”

Xu Ping Jun shot him a knowing look “Your medicine is incredible, even Yun Ge is bouncing around, of course I’m all fine. You guys go inside, I’ll make some tea for you.”

Meng Jue got the hint and didn’t mention the injury any more. Liu Bing Yi also started talking about random topics with Meng Jue. Xu Ping Jun relaxed and went out to make tea.

Liu Bing Yi waited until Xu Ping Jun was out of the room and his smile immediately disappeared “How did they get hurt? They told me they accidentally got bitten by a wild beast in the forest.” Meng Jue replied “The Infante of Guang Ling released his hunting hounds to eat them. They were saved by the Infante of Chang Yi. Ping Jun must have already told you that Da Gong Zhi is Liu He.”

Liu Bing Yi looked solemn and Meng Jue said “Ping Jun lied to you for good reason, she didn’t want you to worry, though she underestimated your intelligence and personality.” Liu Bing Yo continued to sit there quietly.

Xu Ping Jun brought tea and both Liu Bing Yi and Meng Jue gave her a natural smile. She placed the tea down and said to Meng Jue “Tonight eat at my place, I no longer dare to eat Yun Ge’s food. She’s been cooking all this weird stuff at home these days. If I didn’t see you two already happily together, I would have thought Yun Ge was making poisonous food meant for Ms. Huo.”

Meng Jue smiled and didn’t react to Xu Ping Jun’s teasing, only asking “Who is sick? Yun Ge doesn’t appear to be cooking, more like she’s infusing medicine into the food.” Xu Ping Jun looked at Liu Bing Yi and then shook her head “No one is sick! You guys talk and let me start the dinner fire. You guys wait for Yun Ge to come back and then head on over togther.”

Liu Bing Yi saw a Go board in the corner of Yun Ge’s bookshelf and he went to grab it “Any interest?” Meng Jue smiled “Sure, since we have nothing else to do.”

After it was set up, Ling Bing Yi as the white side went first. He placed a piece and said “You seem to know me very well?” Meng Jue immediately followed “Even more than you can imagine.”

“A friend’s understanding or an enemy’s understanding?”

“Originally an enemy, but seeing how far you’ve fallen, it’s become shades of a friend with the remainder an enemy. In the future, I don’t know.”

The two of them placed pieces so quickly that in scant minutes, Liu Bing Yi’s white pieces have taken over 2/3rd of the board. Meng Jue’s black pieces may only have a corner of the board, but he was like a dragon’s attack with the head of the dragon barreling forward without giving up any weaknesses.

Liu Bing Yi’s speed began to decrease but Meng Jue’s return speed was still as fast. “Meng Jue, your Go is vastly different than your personality. Or perhaps the more accurate description is that your outward personality is merely an illusion you present to the world.”

“No more than you. Isn’t your casual, lazy outward demeanor just a front?” Meng Jue smiled and placed another piece. Liu Bing Yi considered his next move “I always felt that I can see through you not because I’m so intelligent, but because you don’t even want to waste the time to present an image to me. You always have a hidden antagonism towards me, and it’s not because of Yun Ge. So what is it?”

Meng Jue saw Liu Bing Yi contemplating his move so he took a sip of tea “Liu Bing Yi, you need only remember that what happened to you wasn’t all that pitiful. There are people out there who have experienced worse than you. No matter how much you struggle, there are those who would protect you. Some people don’t even have that.”

Liu Bing Yi dropped the piece in his hand and he looked at Meng Jue “What do you mean by that?” Meng Jue smiled “Perhaps one day I will tell you. When we become real enemies. Or real friends.” Liu Bing Yi stared at Meng Jue, and then picked up his piece and placed it on the board. Meng Jue held his cup of tea and placed his piece.

Yun Ge walked in and stood there watching them.

Even knowing it was a game, but it got more and more intense to watch them. She suddenly reached out and messed up the board “Stop playing. Right now you are evenly matched. If you keep going, it’ll become a life and death match to the end. The winner won’t even feel happy, so let’s not ruin our appet.i.tes.” Yun Ge turned towards the kitchen “Xu jiejie must not want to use my kitchen so let’s go to big brother’s place. You two go first, let me grab some items.”

Liu Bing Yi lazily got up and stretched “Next time we’ll determine a victor.” Meng Jue smiled “There will be many more opportunities.”

Liu Bing Yi glanced over at Yun Ge, who was scrounging for items in the kitchen. He softly said to Meng Jue “No matter what you experienced, at least you can fight for what you want. Even if you are unhappy, you can rail at the Heavens and fight to the end. I can’t even do that. I can’t fight for what I want, I can’t back away from anything. I am not even given an opportunity to give up. Because my life doesn’t just belong to me, so I can only sit and wait to see what the Heavens have in store for me.”

He looked at Meng Jue “Is Yun Ge who you really want? Yun Ge might be innocent and somewhat spoiled, and really sheltered. There are too many people who are complicated and always plotting their way through life. I would rather she stay innocent and happy forever.”

Meng Jue turned to look at Yun Ge but remained silent. Yun Ge raised her head and saw them looking at her. She smiled, beautiful and open, and combined with her candid happiness, it was like the clouds in the sky, a lone lily blooming in the mountainside.

Liu Bing Yi solemnly said “I implore you to not let a precious otherworldly pearl get stained with the dust of this mortal world.”

Yun Ge came out holding a basket “What are you two doing just standing there?” Meng Jue smiled and walked forward to take the basket from Yun Ge “Waiting for you.”

Yun Ge’s blushed and then quietly walked beside Meng Jue. Liu Bing Yi hurried his footsteps and ran past them “I’ll head back first to see if Ping Jun needs some help.”

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