Misty Rain of the Old Times

"Yes, I know him. I went to Liuyu Academy with the young master back then..." Chen Xuan briefly described the situation.

After hearing the whole story, she said coldly, "Du Juan, she's a pitiful person too."

As a girl, she couldn't help but sympathize with Du Juan's plight, after all, they had both experienced tragic childhoods. However, due to her personality, her expressionless words made people feel very cold.

That incident back then was a huge blow to Leng Bing. She finally fell in love with someone, but it ended like that. Her heart was frozen. Chen Xuan had gotten used to her indifference and was helpless. There was no cure for her heartache, so he could only get through it on his own.

Nodding, Chen Xuan said, "She said she was tired of fighting and killing, faked her death to leave the Shadow Assassin Sect, and retired from the martial world to live in seclusion. By chance, she came to Yang County. I recognized her when I came back from the capital last time. At first, I also suspected that she came for someone else, but after talking to her, I realized that I had misunderstood, just like you."

“I see. I injured her due to a misunderstanding. It was my fault. I don’t like dealing with people. Brother Chen, please apologize to her for me. Consider it a favor I owe you,” Leng Bing said thoughtfully.

She's already refusing to interact with people. It seems that Leng Bing isn't getting over her inner conflict; in fact, it's getting worse.

Waving his hand, Chen Xuan smiled and said, "I'll tell her later. It's nothing, the misunderstanding is cleared up. Don't talk about personal feelings, we're family, no need to be so formal."

She seemed to want to laugh but couldn't. She shook her head and said, "Brother Chen, this isn't good, especially towards girls. One thing at a time. Perhaps it seems like a small matter to you, but if you do too many of these little favors, it's easy for girls to misunderstand."

"What misunderstanding?" Chen Xuan asked, speechless. In fact, he understood. Leng Bing was too aloof and should be talked to more. Perhaps it would help her get out of her heart.

Looking at Chen Xuan expressionlessly, she coldly said, "Just like now, I've long since forgotten what happened back then, but you're subtly guiding my words. Also, even though I misunderstood first and asked you to apologize, you said there was no need to be so formal. I understand your intentions, but if it were a girl who wasn't familiar with you, she might misunderstand and think you're interested in her. After all, in most cases, a boy would only be so kind, patient, and generous if he was interested in a girl."

"You seem to know a lot, Miss Leng. This is just my personality, nothing more. Do you think I attract girls because of these reasons?" Chen Xuan said with a smile, stroking his chin.

She remained expressionless and said, "I've just taken it all in stride; I'm not stupid."

"Alright, actually, Miss Leng, you should go out more. It's not good to always be cooped up by yourself," Chen Xuan said sincerely. He didn't like beating around the bush and genuinely hoped that she could get out of the shadows of the past.

Leng Bing understood Chen Xuan's good intentions, but was simply not good at expressing them, so she changed the subject, saying, "Let's not talk about me. Let's talk about that Du Juan. Although she plans to retire from the martial world, even I, who am not a member of the martial world, understand that once you step into it, it's not something you can just quit. Let alone assassin organizations, even among reputable sects, how many people can retire peacefully and die a natural death? Her whereabouts in Yang County have already been exposed, and the Shadow Assassins could come knocking on her door again at any time. At that time, she won't be a skilled fighter anymore. It's hard to say that her arrival won't endanger Madam and the others. After all, it's one thing for martial artists to fear the imperial court, but the fact is that many times they have no scruples. If they get carried away and attack the Gao family, it will be difficult to make amends if something goes wrong."

It was rare for her to talk so much, so Chen Xuan listened attentively without interrupting. When she finished, he wholeheartedly agreed, saying, "That's true, but she's free to go wherever she wants. I can't just send her to a different place, especially since she's the instructor I found for the Soft Armor."

“I just don’t like communicating with people, it doesn’t mean I’ve become a cold stone, so Brother Chen really doesn’t need to try to get me to talk more. It seems you already have a plan, right?” she said, shaking her head.

Is someone who doesn't like to communicate with people any different from a cold, lifeless stone?
Since she had made it clear, Chen Xuan didn't press further. He smiled and said, "Your worries are minor. Du Juan's arrival won't disrupt the peace of Yang County. How about this, I'll have her pass a message to the Shadow Assassins Sect later, and we'll let it go. I think I still have some influence. If they don't give me face, I don't mind going to the Shadow Assassins Sect headquarters to have a chat with them. If that doesn't work, I'll discuss with Du Juan about having her make an appearance elsewhere and teaching her some tricks to completely conceal her presence and whereabouts, making her untraceable. Does that put Miss Leng at ease? Speaking of which, actually, I care more about the Gao family than you do."

“Okay, I’ll leave this to you. I won’t worry about it anymore,” she nodded.

"should"

Having understood the situation and cleared up the misunderstanding, she, with her aloof personality, stood up and said, "In that case, I'll head back now."

“Miss Leng, it’s rare for you to come all this way, and you’re not an outsider. Why don’t you stay for a meal? How about I treat you to some drinks?” Chen Xuan said, trying to persuade her to stay.

Now that she had no more reservations, she said nothing more, walked towards the door, shook her head, and said sparingly, "No need."

What a wonderful young woman, who had a happy and fulfilling life, has turned out like this. What meaning does her life have now? If she hadn't promised to dedicate her life to protecting the Gao family, she might not even want to live in this world.

As Chen Xuan was feeling melancholy, Leng Bing, who had reached the door, paused for a moment and reminded him, "...Xiao Xuan, Du Juan is, after all, from the Shadow Assassin Sect, an assassin organization. The Shadow Assassin Sect is no weaker than the Five Great Sects, and has even had a history of successfully assassinating Grandmasters. I know you are powerful, but there are always times when you make a mistake. If it's not necessary, Du Juan isn't worth the conflict with the Shadow Assassin Sect. I hope you can take this to heart. I'm going back now."

"Thank you, I know my limits," Chen Xuan nodded.

She left without looking back, without any reaction, and it's unknown whether she heard Chen Xuan's words of gratitude.

Watching her figure disappear from sight, Chen Xuan sighed inwardly. That incident back then had completely changed her life. She no longer trusted anyone, and the meaning of her life was probably just to fulfill her promises. If she hadn't watched him grow up, she definitely wouldn't have said a word.

A moment later, the little maid brought in the food and asked with a sweeping gaze, "Master, where is Sister Leng?"

“They’ve already left. They insisted on leaving, and I can’t force them to stay,” Chen Xuan said helplessly as he turned around.

The little girl hesitated for a moment and said, "Oh, I made two extra dishes."

“We’ll eat it ourselves, and you can have it for a midnight snack if we can’t finish it,” Chen Xuan said as he walked toward the table.

Having all experienced hardship, they naturally wouldn't waste food. She said regretfully, "Then we'll just have to eat it ourselves."

"Well, after dinner, we'll go say hello to the Gao family and send some of the local specialties we brought back from Beijing over. We'll also send some to Mr. Yushan, and to Erdan, Luo Taiyun, and the others... Tsk, it's going to be quite busy, but it's also fulfilling," Chen Xuan said, chuckling to himself.

The young girl nodded and said, "It's almost the end of the year, so we should keep in touch. Otherwise, the relationship will fade over time."

Despite her young age, she is quite savvy when it comes to interpersonal relationships and social interactions.

Chen Xuan didn't care about the Shadow Assassins or other martial arts figures that might be attracted by the cuckoo's presence; they were minor matters to him and easy to resolve.

After dinner, the little girl couldn't stay idle. She picked up her tools and prepared to clear the snow, but Chen Xuan stopped her. After resting for a while, she took some gifts and went to the Gao family's house, where she had dinner before returning.

Seeing Chen Xuan, Madam Gao was overjoyed, but her eyes were somewhat forlorn. Chen Xuan and Gao Jingming used to be inseparable, but now Gao Jingming was no longer by her side, so she couldn't help but miss her son.

During the event, Chen Xuan invited Madam Gao to attend his wedding with the little princess on the third day of the third month of the following year. This made Madam Gao extremely happy, after all, she had watched her children grow up and they were about to get married. How could she not be happy? But afterwards, she felt a little sad, because her children had all grown up and she had grown old.

The wedding will definitely be held in the capital. Madam Gao said she would definitely be there. To avoid the long journey and fatigue, Chen Xuan said he would come to pick them up in advance to go to the capital.

For the next two days, Chen Xuan wandered around. He still had a few friends among the beggars. He had to maintain good relationships with them, so he sent them some local specialties he brought from the capital as a way of wishing them a Happy New Year in advance.

Actually, it was just a few people. They were invited to the wedding, a major life event, and Chen Xuan hoped that someone would witness and bless them. They all said they would definitely attend. Anyway, Chen Xuan would pick them up and take them to the capital, saving them the trouble of traveling, and he would even send them back.

Before we knew it, it was the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, and the next day would be the last day of the year.

Chen Xuan, who had nothing to do, lay sprawled out in the pavilion, feeling that time was passing by so quickly. He seemed to have done a lot in the past year, but when he counted it up, it seemed like he hadn't done anything at all. He always felt that time after he turned eighteen had been accelerated.

Why is this? When we were little, we didn't have so many things to do each day, and the day felt so long. But now that we're grown up, we have so many things to do, yet time seems so short. It's so contradictory.

"Sir, the streets are so lively today! Why don't you go out for a stroll? There are monkey trainers, street performers, opera singers, storytellers... I didn't give them any tips, so they're all free to watch. Hehe, it's so much fun! I bought some New Year's goods; is there anything I'm missing?"

When Chen Xuan was feeling bored, the little girl returned with bags and packages, chattering about her experiences outside.

Chen Xuan lazily rolled over and said listlessly, "Only children like excitement. I'm not a child anymore. What are you doing bringing back two bamboo poles?"

"We'll saw it into small sections and burn it as firecrackers tomorrow. It'll make a noise. It's the New Year, so it has to be lively. Otherwise, it'll be so quiet and deserted. That's not how the New Year is supposed to be," the little girl said enthusiastically.

Chen Xuan immediately realized and said, "I had forgotten about that. Alright, whatever makes you happy."

For over ten years in the Gao family, others always took care of the New Year celebrations, and he never paid attention to them. Now that he has started his own household, he has no habit of taking the New Year seriously and always feels that the festival lacks any real atmosphere.

Then he suddenly started thinking about whether he should make gunpowder to play with firecrackers. That thing was pretty simple, but he thought better of it. He just couldn't muster any interest in it. After all, he wasn't going to lead troops into battle. Otherwise, he could have made it to conquer cities and seize strongholds.

"One part saltpeter, two parts sulfur, three parts charcoal, add a little sugar, and Big Ivan," he remembered the mnemonic very well. "Master, what would you like to eat tomorrow? I learned many elaborate dishes at the Gao family, so I need to prepare them in advance today, otherwise there won't be enough time tomorrow," the little maid who was packing asked.

Chen Xuan said nonchalantly, "Anything is fine, I'm not picky, so don't bother me too much."

"Then I'll figure it out myself. Our family isn't bad off. I'll try to make it as lavish as possible tomorrow," Su Roujia nodded and went to think about it. It seemed that everyone except Chen Xuan was very attentive on the last day of the year.

A busy year has passed, bidding farewell to the past and welcoming the new year with beautiful hopes for the future.

In the afternoon, Madam Gao came to Chen Xuan's place in person, bringing a lot of things. She invited Chen Xuan to spend the New Year at the Gao family's house the next day, but Chen Xuan politely declined. It was his first year living independently, and he had to spend it at home. Madam Gao regretted this but also expressed her understanding.

After exchanging pleasantries, Madam Gao left. Chen Xuan escorted her to the entrance of Xiaoming Residence. Before he could return, he saw Du Juan arrive.

"Young Master Chen, you're home? Tomorrow is the New Year, so I've temporarily stopped my tofu business to come and visit. I didn't bring any gifts, just some tofu I made myself. Please don't mind," she said somewhat reservedly.

She arrived in her true form, wearing a black dress, her long hair simply tied in a high ponytail, with bright eyes, white teeth, a slender waist, long legs, and a curvaceous figure. After all, she had been an assassin for so many years, and her expression and eyes were exceptionally cold, the kind of cold that was devoid of emotion and lifeless, rather than the kind of coldness that Leng Bing had, which was like freezing herself.

Even though she practiced in front of the mirror for a long time before coming, she still couldn't soften her expression, so she simply gave up.

Seeing the tofu wrapped in lotus leaves in her hand, Chen Xuan greeted her with a smile, "Neighbors should visit each other more often. You've come all this way, what gift did you bring? Please come in."

"Am I making a fool of myself? I've heard that you have to bring gifts when you visit other people's homes," she said embarrassedly.

Chen Xuan couldn't hold back any longer and said with a smile, "I was just being polite with you. I can't just kick out a guest who comes to my door without bringing a gift, can I?"

"Is that so? I don't understand social etiquette very well," she said with a serious and troubled expression.

Having always been alone, she really didn't have many friends and didn't know how to get along with people. She wanted to live a normal life, and Chen Xuan had saved her life, which was why she mustered up the courage to visit him. She didn't even understand the meaning of such a visit; everyone else did it, so she just followed suit.

Chen Xuan led the way, saying, "It's alright, take your time, you'll get used to it." He paused, then added, "It looks like your injuries have fully healed. I was planning to visit you a couple of days ago, but I got busy and couldn't."

He said it without hesitation, automatically ignoring the fact that he was just lying around idly, wasting his time.

"What brings you here, Young Master Chen?" she asked with a serious expression, as if to say, "Just let me know if you're going to kill someone."

Chen Xuan waved his hand and said, "We'll talk about you later." Then he called to Su Roujia, who was preparing tomorrow's meals in the kitchen, "Roujia, we have guests. Quickly make some tea."

"Yes, sir, it's coming right away."

There was a stove with a brazier underneath, so there was always hot water. As soon as Chen Xuan and the others sat down, the little girl brought them tea.

She was stunned when she saw Du Juan. She thought to herself, "What a beautiful woman. She's almost as beautiful as the princess. They just have different temperaments. She looks so cold and seems hard to get along with."

His gaze lingered on Chen Xuan and Du Juan for a moment, trying to guess her relationship with his master. Not forgetting his place, he respectfully said, "Miss, please have some tea."

"Thank you," Du Juan said hastily, standing up awkwardly, as she had no experience visiting other people's homes.

Chen Xuan smiled and said, "Please sit down, please sit down. There's no need to be so polite among neighbors."

After she sat down again, the maid poured tea and said, "Master, if there are no other instructions, I'll go about my business."

"Well, go ahead"

As she was leaving, the little girl inexplicably turned back to look at Du Juan again, thinking to herself, "This pretty lady has such big breasts and such a slim waist. She looks so tired. I wonder what she eats to grow so big. When she sits down, her plump bottom completely covers the chair. She must be good at giving birth."

Looking down at her chest, Su Roujia glanced at the small, budding mounds on her chest and secretly wondered, "When will I grow that big? Master must like them. So he wasn't joking when he said he liked big ones. The little princess's are quite big, and this lady's are even bigger. Although I shouldn't have such thoughts, if Master takes her as a concubine, we won't need to hire a wet nurse anymore..."

After Du Juan sat down, Chen Xuan, knowing she wasn't good with words and just wanted to pass the time with casual conversation, said, "You said the other day you were injured by an uninvited guest. I looked into it later and found out it was a misunderstanding on the part of a friend of mine who attacked me. Here's what happened... She's aloof and not good at communicating. I apologize to you on her behalf, and I hope you can forgive her and not take it to heart."

After hearing Chen Xuan explain the situation, Du Juan breathed a sigh of relief and waved her hand, saying, "Young Master Chen, there's no need for that. Since it was a misunderstanding, it's good that it's cleared up. I'm fine; I'm used to minor injuries. It's really nothing. As long as it wasn't specifically targeted at me, I'm alright."

“An apology is still necessary. Actually, it’s my fault. If I had told you about your situation beforehand, there wouldn’t have been this misunderstanding,” Chen Xuan said earnestly.

Du Juan thought for a moment and said solemnly, "In that case, I forgive you... no, I forgive her. Wouldn't that make you feel much better, Young Master Chen?"

"You... sigh, this has really embarrassed me," Chen Xuan said, both amused and exasperated.

To be honest, it's quite tiring to talk to the assassin sister who doesn't understand social etiquette, but it's also quite interesting. Speaking of which, Leng Bing is also not good with words. If the two of them met, they would probably just stare at each other blankly.

Du Juan smiled too. Although she didn't quite understand, she was actually subconsciously worried that Chen Xuan would be in a difficult position. In her past life, there was only the difference between life and death for everyone, and there was no such thing as grudges or affections, so she didn't really take this matter to heart.

The misunderstanding was cleared up, and the matter was over. Chen Xuan pondered for a moment and said, "The reason for this misunderstanding was that I had oversimplified things before. You've been in the Shadow Assassin Sect for so many years. Whether they used you as a tool or you knew too many of their secrets, the Shadow Assassin Sect will not let you go. Now that your whereabouts have been exposed, there will definitely be a lot of trouble to come."

Hearing this, Du Juan said anxiously, "I didn't mean to. Will it affect your life? Don't worry, I'll handle it. Actually, since my whereabouts have been exposed, I should move to another place. But I haven't finished what I promised you, so I can't leave now."

Waving his hand, Chen Xuan smiled and said, "You don't need to worry about it. It's a small matter. Although I can't change your past, we've been neighbors for so many years, and you're still the coach I hired for Soft Jia. I won't ignore it out of courtesy or reason."

He paused for a moment, then asked, "Can you still contact the Shadow Assassins?"

“Yes, although I left the Shadow Assassins Sect, I still know their information transmission channels very well,” Du Juan nodded.

"That's good. You can send a message to the Shadow Assassins in your own way. Tell them that Huang Xiaochao said to let you go and hope they will give you some face," Chen Xuan told her the plan he had already come up with.

It's an honor to ask the Shadow Assassins to give them face; if they don't, they'll expose their true nature!
Du Juan looked bewildered and asked, "Who is Huang Xiaochao?"

It seems she lost all communication channels after leaving the Shadow Assassins Sect and didn't even know Huang Xiaochao. Chen Xuan laughed and said, "It's just an alias of mine. It's not important. What's important is that the Shadow Assassins Sect definitely has access to that level. So you just need to relay what I said truthfully, and they shouldn't bother you. If that doesn't work, I don't mind having a chat with them."

Du Juan wasn't sure if Chen Xuan's words would work, but she pursed her lips and shook her head, saying, "Young Master Chen, you don't need to be like this. I already owe you enough. This is my own business; how could I involve you? I have no way to repay you, so how could I dare to cause you trouble?"

"Don't overthink it. The reason I asked you to deliver this message, besides what I mentioned before, is mainly because I don't want fighting and killing to disturb the peace here," Chen Xuan said with a smile.

She opened her mouth, then nodded and said, "I will convey your words to the Shadow Assassin Sect, Young Master Chen." After a pause, she added matter-of-factly, "Young Master Chen, you saved my life and unconditionally gave me pills to help me reach the Innate Realm. Now you've even helped me solve my troubles. I owe you so much, I don't know how to repay you. My strength is inferior to yours, I can't even help you. If you don't mind, I still have some beauty to offer, so let me give you my body to serve you. I'm still a virgin, never touched by any man, I will definitely serve you well. Young Master Chen, please don't misunderstand, I have no improper thoughts, it's just that I really have nothing else to offer besides this."

Hearing her words, Chen Xuan was speechless. Are all girls in this era so honest, willing to offer themselves to someone at the drop of a hat?

So he shook his head, laughing and crying at the same time, and said, "What are you thinking? If I were after your beauty, I wouldn't have gotten you this way. What nonsense are you spouting? You've confused me completely. Anyway, do as I say. If the Shadow Assassins still won't let it go, then don't blame me for being impolite."

"Hmm," Du Juan nodded gently. As an assassin, after being reduced to the Shadow Assassin Sect, the word "emotion" was ripped from her life. She had already thought it through. The only thing she could offer in return was her body. If Chen Xuan wanted her, she would give it to him anytime.

Since he couldn't read minds, Chen Xuan didn't know her simple desire to repay the kindness she was thinking of, so he changed the subject, saying, "Tomorrow is the New Year, and you have no relatives or friends here. If you don't mind, why don't you come and join us? It's just an extra pair of chopsticks."

...(End of chapter)