Chapter 98
Mei Liangyu arrived quickly. Though the sky was dark, lights had lit up in the hillside corridor pavilion.
Yu Sui sat by the corridor railings, watching the man approach with smiling eyes. She bent down to lift the food box from the ground and placed it beside the wooden seat: "Senior Brother, for you."
"Eat here or go somewhere else?" she asked while opening the food box.
Mei Liangyu remained standing, his dark eyes staring at her unblinkingly.
Yu Sui had changed her attitude from last night's indifference with just a few words.
Last night's encounter seemed like Mei Liangyu's illusion, leaving him without even a chance or excuse to question her.
"What's in there?" he asked casually, sitting down by the railings seemingly at random, turning sideways to face Yu Sui.
"There's sour plum soup." Yu Sui touched the cup with the back of her hand. "Still cold."
Mei Liangyu reached to take it, then pulled out a slender bamboo straw from the side of the food box and put it in the cup. He bit the straw and took a sip of the sour plum soup, the icy tartness flowing down his throat straight to his heart.
"How long have you been here?" Mei Liangyu glanced at Yu Sui, speaking while biting the straw.
Yu Sui said: "Just arrived not long ago."
Mei Liangyu asked again: "How long is 'not long ago'?"
Yu Sui tilted her head toward the sea eagle still flying overhead: "Whenever it came, that's when I came."
Only then did Mei Liangyu follow her gesture to look at the sea eagle, squinting slightly. So she arrived not long after he sent that message and had been standing up there waiting all this time before replying to him.
Facing Senior Brother's cold glance, Yu Sui only smiled slightly without speaking. She didn't need to say more. The troublesome concerns in Mei Liangyu's heart disappeared the moment Yu Sui appeared.
Some words were best left unsaid. If spoken aloud, the delicate balance of this relationship would be broken again. Not wanting to be ignored by Yu Sui again, Mei Liangyu didn't bring up what happened in Dragon Slaying Cave.
Instead, Mei Liangyu asked her: "How did you know Mechanism Island allows voice transmission?"
"Master told me." Yu Sui answered honestly. "When I came, Master told me to send you voice transmission once I reached Mechanism Island, because there's no time limit on voice transmission here. He was afraid I'd get lost alone on Mechanism Island."
The sea eagle flew closer to the two of them, still circling in the air, already at a height barely visible to the naked eye.
Mei Liangyu ate a bite of the pastries Yu Sui brought, then drank some sour plum soup. He hadn't forgotten what Xing Chun said, asking in a tone neither light nor heavy: "I heard you argued with Brother Gu last night."
"Sort of." Yu Sui kept her head down organizing the plates in the food box, not looking up.
Mei Liangyu looked at her: "Either you did or you didn't."
Yu Sui looked up somewhat puzzled, seeing Senior Brother with an expression that said 'answer me properly', so she said: "Yes."
Mei Liangyu continued: "Did Brother Gu say he'd definitely make Wenyang Hui apologize to you?"
Yu Sui blinked: "How does Senior Brother know?"
Mei Liangyu snorted softly, leaning back against the bench back, his free hand curved and resting on it, with a hint of mockery in his eyes: "He's on good terms with Wenyang Hui, so he definitely wouldn't fight him physically. Besides choosing verbal apologies, he'd give you some mechanism scrolls as compensation."
Yu Sui didn't continue discussing Brother Gu-related matters, but said curiously: "His mechanism scrolls are indeed quite impressive."
Mei Liangyu bit the straw, raising his eyebrows slightly: "Don't covet his. Even if he really gives them to you, don't take them. I'll give you some."
Yu Sui asked: "I looked it up and found their mechanism scrolls sell for tens of thousands of gold each, some even hundreds of thousands. Do you have any, Senior Brother?"
She looked at Mei Liangyu with some concern, as if asking whether Senior Brother had enough money.
Mei Liangyu was speechless for a moment at her gaze, then glared back fiercely: "Do I need to spend money to buy them? I can make them myself. Those mechanism scrolls selling for tens of thousands of gold outside were made by me."
Yu Sui was stunned at first, then looked at Mei Liangyu with slightly brightening eyes. Her bright pupils held faint admiration, as if praising 'Senior Brother, you're amazing!'
For a moment, Mei Liangyu was captivated by that gaze.
He calmly lowered his eyes and took a sip of sour plum soup, the cold sour plum juice flowing into his body, cooling his heart.
After calming down, Mei Liangyu spoke persuasively: "I'll give you mechanism scrolls. Don't forgive Brother Gu."
Yu Sui picked up an empty plate, speaking gently: "This time it was Wenyang Hui's fault, not Brother Gu's fault."
Mei Liangyu glanced over: "Didn't you two argue?"
Yu Sui nodded: "Won't argue for long."
Mei Liangyu wasn't pleased that their argument wouldn't last long. He smiled with malicious intent: "You should bring this up every few days, make things difficult for him, pick on his other faults, throw little tantrums, lose your temper more. He'll lose patience and argue with you himself."
"Really?" Yu Sui also smiled, her pale, slender fingers lightly tapping the edge of the food box once, saying quietly: "But if I lose my temper and throw tantrums, even Senior Brother would scold me. If I lost my temper with Brother Gu, he'd probably be so anxious he'd resort to violence."
After hearing this, Mei Liangyu calmly turned to look at Yu Sui.
He had originally compromised not to mention what happened in Dragon Slaying Cave, but Yu Sui had brought it up herself.
"Did I scold you?" he asked.
Yu Sui nodded.
Mei Liangyu bit the straw, asking with a half-smile: "How did I scold you?"
Yu Sui was also quiet for a moment, then smiled as she looked down: "You just scolded me."
Her downcast appearance made her features look even more obedient, making people's hearts itch. Mei Liangyu's gaze swept over the top of her head, where golden tassels with faint glimmers hung over her smooth black hair. Her obedient appearance and soft hair were both inviting gentle caresses for comfort.
Mei Liangyu blinked and looked back at Yu Sui's face, restraining himself from moving.
"Then I was wrong. From now on, even if you lose your temper and hit and scold me, I won't say a harsh word to you." Mei Liangyu said, "If Brother Gu dares to get physical with you, then he's asking for a quick death."
"Senior Brother... I know your injuries in the outer city last time were caused by Brother Gu and them." Yu Sui took out plates from the second layer of the food box. This statement came suddenly, but Mei Liangyu showed no surprise after hearing it, only casually asking: "You know?"
Yu Sui nodded: "Brother Gu told me himself."
Mei Liangyu made an "oh" sound and continued mocking: "He took the initiative to tell you, then asked you to pick sides?"
"But I don't want to help Brother Gu deal with Senior Brother. This time you eliminated Brother Gu from Dragon Slaying Cave, so he hates you even more." Yu Sui looked up at Mei Liangyu and said: "Wenyang Hui just happened to offend me. I can use this to argue with Brother Gu and have a cold war with him for a while, so he can't ask me to help deal with you, Senior Brother."
Mei Liangyu paused in drinking his sour plum soup, sitting up slightly straighter, facing Yu Sui and asking: "You can't refuse Brother Gu's demands?"
Yu Sui shook her head: "Can't refuse without a reason."
Mei Liangyu smiled and asked: "What gives him the right?"
He seemed to be smiling, but there was no real mirth in his eyes.
But Yu Sui truly smiled: "Because my parents like him."
Mei Liangyu said coldly: "Your parents are blind."
Having such an obedient and lovely daughter, they didn't cherish her but preferred someone else's useless son instead.
Speaking of which, she possessed Strange Fire yet wasn't loved by her father or mother. Who knew what kind of hardships she had endured before?
Yu Sui heard Senior Brother curse Nangong Ming and Lady Su, but only nodded.
Although Mei Liangyu wanted to pat her head, he restrained himself, lightly tapping the cup cooled by sour plum juice, softening his tone: "Why bother yourself with these things? There are plenty of people in this world who want to kill me. One more won't matter. But Brother Gu should be more careful when he goes to the outer city in future."
"When you feel troubled, just choose what's beneficial for yourself."
"I won't die anyway."
But Yu Sui was slightly stunned, looking at Mei Liangyu with confused eyes: "Senior Brother, do you truly not care? What if I chose to help Brother Gu harm you?"
Mei Liangyu frowned: "Does Brother Gu have confidence he can kill me, or do you have confidence you can hurt me?"
Yu Sui: "......"
She was overthinking it.
It seemed Senior Brother was the most confident person of all.
Yu Sui glanced at Mei Liangyu's hands that had only healed two days ago: "Maybe can't kill you, but could still hurt you."
Mei Liangyu also looked down at his own hands, saying thoughtfully: "You've reminded me. I should find time to return this injury to him someday."
After speaking, he looked up and saw Yu Sui's seemingly stunned expression, chuckling softly: "What, can't bear to see me hurt Brother Gu?"
Yu Sui shook her head. After a quiet moment, she asked again: "Does Senior Brother truly not care?"
Mei Liangyu turned to look at her, not answering immediately this time.
Yu Sui was asking him very seriously.
Junior Sister's rare serious expression made Mei Liangyu realize that if he answered that he didn't care, when the time came for her to choose between him and Brother Gu, she would choose Brother Gu.
Imagining himself in a life-and-death struggle with Brother Gu while Yu Sui stood on Brother Gu's side watching him with the same indifference as last night's dismissal, this scene was annoying just to think about and easily provoked his suppressed anger.
Night wind blew through the giant trees on both sides of the corridor, making rustling sounds. Occasional lightning flashed through the distant black clouds.
The sea eagle's cries became background music as both waited quietly for an answer.
When Yu Sui turned away to look at the sea eagle in the sky, Mei Liangyu said: "I care very much. You'd better not let me see you on Brother Gu's side."
Yu Sui turned back in surprise, but Mei Liangyu had already looked away, eating calmly with a composed expression.
The topic of Brother Gu was unavoidable between them. The conflicts between both sides would become increasingly obvious in the future, with more clashes. When Yu Sui told Mei Liangyu in advance and waited for his answer, she already knew.
He cared.
No man would not care about a girl he had feelings for standing on another man's side.
When Yu Sui's eyes curved slightly, Strange Fire detected people approaching, more than one.
Mechanism Family practitioners emerged from Ancient Tower and walked toward them through the inner corridor.
Mei Liangyu also saw these people. He put his cup back in the food box and said as he stood: "But caring aside, when push comes to shove, just look out for yourself."
These words made Yu Sui lower her head and blink. After a moment, she looked up following his movement, her expression hesitant: "Senior Brother, let's just forget about striking Wenyang Hui with Golden Thunder. I eliminated him in Dragon Slaying Cave for revenge too. We can't have you getting punished back to Mechanism Island every time you just get out."
"I'll let it go, but he won't." Mei Liangyu said quietly, "Don't worry. He and I have long-standing grievances. Wenyang Hui is the type who sticks to you once he latches on, like adhesive plaster. Whether you cursed him once or slapped him once, he only feels comfortable when people he hates are dead."
Such people were the most troublesome because they'd do anything when they went crazy.
Plus Wenyang Hui's status and position made it even more troublesome.
Yu Sui looked thoughtfully at Mei Liangyu's back as the mechanism practitioners approached. They were several elderly seniors calling to Mei Liangyu: "The mechanisms in Yinchou Hall have malfunctioned. Come take a look quickly."
Mei Liangyu acknowledged them, then turned back to Yu Sui: "Wait here for me. I'll be back soon."
"Okay!" Yu Sui nodded.
Mei Liangyu glanced at the sky and added: "There'll be thunderstorms tonight, and it's too late. You'd better rest here for the night and return tomorrow morning."
Yu Sui continued nodding: "Alright, but Senior Brother, where will I stay?"
Mei Liangyu said: "I'll take you there when I get back."
Yu Sui watched him take a shortcut, climbing over the corridor to the inner ring, following the seniors as they walked away.
The smile in her eyes faded slightly as she watched Senior Brother disappear from view, her peripheral vision scanning behind her for a moment.
There were still people there.
Yu Sui pretended not to know and packed up the food box. Just as she closed the lid, she heard footsteps from behind, deliberately audible footsteps meant for her to notice.
"What are you doing here?" Wenyang Hui lowered his voice, his scrutinizing gaze fixed on Yu Sui ahead, stopping at a suitable attack range.
Yu Sui leaned back in her chair, looking at that feminine, beautiful face with a half-smile. Deep eye sockets, high nose bridge, slightly pursed lip line with natural curves at the corners, features combining into something very delicate.
Speaking of Wenyang Hui, what she remembered most was that face too beautiful for a man.
"What I'm doing on Mechanism Island has nothing to do with you." Yu Sui propped her head with one hand, speaking listlessly.
Exactly like her angry appearance when refusing Brother Gu last night.
"Nangong Sui." But Wenyang Hui spoke with sinister tone: "You're quite good at pretending."
He hadn't interacted much with Yu Sui before. The day he was eliminated from Dragon Slaying Cave, Yu Sui's expression when she made him activate the mechanism scroll left a deep impression on Wenyang Hui.
Comparing that to Yu Sui's appearance facing Brother Gu last night made Wenyang Hui, someone most sensitive to pretense, sense danger.
Yu Sui looked at him indifferently, her clear black and white eyes holding mockery in their depths.
Wenyang Hui wished he could drag Brother Gu over and shove him in front of Yu Sui right now, making his good brother see this woman's true face clearly.
"I've already shown you mercy considering Brother Gu." Wenyang Hui stared at her coldly. "But you don't know your place and want to curry favor with Mei Liangyu."
Yu Sui remained unperturbed, saying slowly: "Isn't it you who's currying favor with Brother Gu, wanting to use him to help you kill Mei Liangyu?"
After hearing this, Wenyang Hui stared at her for a moment, then also laughed coldly: "I originally wanted to spare you once for Brother Gu's sake, but now I think if I spare you this time, it would actually cause trouble for Brother Gu."
"Why don't you think more carefully about who you'd really be causing trouble for if you attacked me?" Yu Sui stood up supporting herself on the railing, her eyes still smiling brightly. "Brother Gu isn't powerful enough to break away from the Nangong family."
Wenyang Hui was unconcerned: "What the Nangong family can give, my Wenyang family can also give."
Yu Sui raised her chin slightly, her gaze pointing at him: "Though your mechanism arts and Nine Schools Arts can't compare to my Senior Brother's, you are better at making empty promises to others."
Wenyang Hui wasn't angered either. His face even showed some eerie smile: "Don't think Mei Liangyu will come back to save you. He can't come back."
Yu Sui's smiling eyes showed slight confusion, then heard Wenyang Hui say: "You can try summoning Saint Chang Gen too."
The man's eyes showed threads of murderous intent: "See if the old man can make it."
As Wenyang Hui's words fell, Yu Sui felt the earth shake and mountains sway. Fine sand and stone particles fell on her face. The corridor before her spun and twisted, becoming a snake's belly full of countless blades and reeking blood water. It was rapidly swimming and rotating its body, making one feel heaven and earth were inverted.
But when Yu Sui closed and reopened her eyes, the illusion was broken, in just an instant.
Wenyang Hui's smile froze. Meeting Yu Sui's reopened eyes, his pupils involuntarily dilated, doubting whether he had actually used an illusion on her just now.
While he was trapped in self-doubt and hadn't reacted, Yu Sui's figure moved, instantly appearing before Wenyang Hui.