Chapter Ninety-One
Mei Ru Yan’s face flushed, but she retorted indignantly, "What a cold and heartless man."
Mei Jiu hesitated, too embarrassed to voice her thoughts directly, so she settled on, "Mister Mo’s temperament isn’t the easiest to get along with."
Mei Ru Yan was sharp-witted, and even though Mei Jiu phrased it delicately, she caught the underlying implication. However, she didn’t take it to heart. The Mei Shi clan was different from other families—she was destined never to marry out, nor could she ever stay with Mister Mo forever. But she had never sought eternity in the first place.
Even so, she and Mister Mo might never cross paths again. "I understand what you mean. I know my limits."
"That’s good. You’ve always been better at handling things than me," Mei Jiu said with a smile.
"Sister, look!" Mei Ru Yan stopped in her tracks and pointed downhill.
The faint fragrance of plum blossoms mingled with the pristine snow, transforming Plum Blossom Village into a sea of lanterns. Even the uninhabited houses were adorned with red lanterns, their glow reflecting off the plum blossoms like a breathtaking painting.
"Faint fragrance drifts in the dusk of the moon." Mei Jiu took a deep breath, her eyes softening with quiet delight.
Enjoying the serene scenery on this peaceful night before the New Year was the happiest she had been in a long time.
"My ladies, several of the teachers are over there. Should we go and greet them?" Yao Ye reminded them.
Mei Jiu and Mei Ru Yan looked up, following Yao Ye’s gaze to the pavilion where Zhao Shanchang and several other teachers from the Clan School were admiring the beauty of the estate.
Both their gazes involuntarily landed on Mister Mo. Clad in a moon-white robe with a blue fox fur overcoat, he stood bathed in the warm glow of lanterns, looking every bit like an immortal descended from the heavens.
Mei Jiu sighed inwardly. Spending days and nights in the company of such a man—no wonder Mei Ru Yan had fallen for him.
The two approached and curtsied. "Greetings, Shanchang. Greetings, esteemed teachers."
Zhao Shanchang narrowed his fox-like eyes, as if struggling to recognize them. "No need for formalities."
"Ah, Fourteen Lady," Lu Qingming chuckled, looking at Mei Jiu with curiosity. He had always wondered how a girl who practiced martial arts as if she were dancing had managed to survive the Crane Control Army’s trials.
Mei Jiu bowed slightly. "Teacher."
Lu Qingming hadn’t intended to pry, but seeing her still so frail, he couldn’t resist asking, "How is that set of fist techniques coming along?"
"I practice whenever I have time, but..." Mei Jiu knew she hadn’t improved at all—her so-called "free time" was practically nonexistent.
An Jiu couldn’t even be bothered to comment. Mei Jiu memorized the movements quickly, and her execution of the fist techniques was smooth, but no matter how fluid, it was still just a more graceful dance.
Only then did Zhao Shanchang realize who they were, his eyes curving into crescents. "Ah, Fourteen Lady and Shishi Niang."
"Indeed," Mei Ru Yan replied. She had long wanted to ask, "Elder Qi’s medical skills are unparalleled. Surely he could treat your eyes, Shanchang. Why haven’t you sought his help?"
Lu Qingming eagerly exposed the truth. "Haha, Zhao Shanchang’s eyes sinned in his youth. Now he’d rather stay blind—why bother curing them?"
Hearing Lu Qingming’s teasing tone, Mei Ru Yan immediately grasped the implication. What sin could eyes commit? The answer was obvious—peeping where one shouldn’t.
Zhao Shanchang’s fox-like eyes remained half-lidded in amusement. "Ladies, enjoy the view. We’ll take our leave now."
"Safe travels, Shanchang. Farewell, esteemed teachers," Mei Jiu and Mei Ru Yan said in unison.
Mei Ru Yan watched their figures disappear into the twilight, her gaze lingering long after they were gone.Even Mei Jiu could see how deeply infatuated Mei Ru Yan was with Mister Mo. Could such profound feelings truly be controlled?
"The teachers at the Clan School were all once formidable figures in their time," Yao Ye remarked.
Mei Ru Yan turned her head, her gaze sweeping past Dan Yue as she spoke. It was unclear whether she was asking Yao Ye or Dan Yue, "Do you know their backgrounds?"
Yao Ye knew, and Dan Yue likely did as well. But no matter how Mei Ru Yan probed about Mister Mo, Dan Yue never revealed a single word. This could mean either genuine ignorance or a lack of loyalty toward her.
Yao Ye's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected her simple remark to expose such a vulnerability. No wonder Yan Niangzi had so earnestly warned her to be wary of Mei Ru Yan before leaving.
"These are matters of the martial world. My parents were part of that world, so naturally, I've heard of their reputations," Yao Ye hastily covered, continuing, "Zhao Shanchang is famously known as the 'Jade-Faced Fox,' Mr. Qingming is called the 'Carefree Monk,' and Mister Mo is 'Yin Sha.'"
An Jiu scoffed, "Jade-Faced Fox."
Zhao Shanchang's dark complexion was far from befitting the title "Jade-Faced."
Mei Jiu, however, didn't find it odd—fair skin could always tan. "But why is Mr. Qingming called a monk? And what does 'Yin Sha' mean?"
Seeing their interest, Yao Ye explained, "Mr. Qingming was once a monk at the Hulong Temple. After breaking monastic rules and being expelled, he returned to secular life. 'Yin Sha' refers to the ability to kill with sound. Mister Mo was once the top-ranked assassin at Misty Villa."
"What kind of place is Misty Villa?" Mei Ru Yan asked.
An Jiu had heard Mo Sigui mention Misty Villa—it was an assassin organization specializing in contract killings.
"Misty Villa is a place that deals exclusively in murder-for-hire. There's a widely circulated 'Misty Records' that ranks the villa's assassins, allowing employers to choose their preferred killer," Yao Ye stated bluntly. "Misty Villa has almost no restrictions—anyone who can afford the price can hire them. The higher the rank, the more contracts one receives. Mister Mo held the top rank for seven or eight years, with countless lives taken. That's why he's so cold and aloof."
"His temper is quite fiery for a cold-blooded killer," Mei Ru Yan remarked.
Mei Jiu silently thought that An Jiu also had a fiery temper and truly regarded human life as worthless.
Yao Ye inwardly shook her head. Even after all this, Mei Ru Yan remained obstinate—clearly, reasoning with her was futile. Yao Ye grew anxious. If not for the fear that Mei Ru Yan might violate the Clan Rules and implicate her mistress, she wouldn't have bothered with such lengthy explanations.
Mei Jiu sighed, "Mister Mo is not a good match."
Silence fell. The mountain wind whipped up the snow, casting an eerie atmosphere.
"It's getting cold. Shall we head back?" Mei Ru Yan forced a smile.
"Let's go," Mei Jiu agreed. Her recently eased heart was now tense again. Mei Ru Yan was usually adept at controlling her emotions, unlike her, who wore everything on her face. Yet now, even her expressions were slipping—proof of how deeply she had fallen for Mister Mo.
Mei Jiu hadn't considered that Mei Ru Yan's feelings might implicate her. She simply believed a man like Mister Mo was unfit for a lifelong commitment.
Returning to Jade Serenity Residence, Mei Jiu washed up and burrowed into the warmed bedding, shivering contentedly.The days of constant travel had left her mentally exhausted, and sleepiness overtook her as soon as her head touched the pillow.
In that hazy state between wakefulness and sleep, she murmured, "An Jiu, have you ever been in love with someone?" (To be continued...)
Note:
I'm really tired today and can barely keep my eyes open tonight. I'll write first thing tomorrow morning—apologies to those waiting for updates. I'll make up for it tomorrow. (To be continued...)
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