Martial World Full of Disguises

12: A Chance Encounter at Night

Fu Peibai's secret learning had been exposed, and her "Secret Manual" had been confiscated. This left her somewhat dejected. The gloomy look she had when she first came up the mountain returned to her face. Meng Yan couldn't stand seeing her like this, so he found a day to bring out two jars of fine wine he had been saving. He solemnly told Fu Peibai to meet him by the river at dusk.

The river he spoke of was actually a small stream where the men on the mountain usually bathed. The women had a separate bathhouse.

However, Fu Peibai had never bathed there. Due to her true identity, she always flatly refused whenever others enthusiastically invited her to bathe together. Every time, she would wait until Meng Yan's snores grew loud before quietly getting up and going further upstream to hastily wipe down her body.

When the two arrived at the riverside that day, the sun was setting in the west. The red glow made the stream water shimmer with a rosy hue. Inside, three or two men had already gathered, scrubbing each other's backs. At first, Fu Peibai would blink when she saw these naked male backs, but now she was no longer surprised by the sight.

Meng Yan led her to sit on the bank a little further away. He picked up two wine jars, deftly peeled off the seals, and handed one over.

Fu Peibai didn't accept it. She said honestly, "I don't know how to drink, Brother Meng."

"How can that be? A grown man who can't drink is unacceptable. Come on, take it." As he spoke, Meng Yan forced the wine jar into her arms.

Fu Peibai sighed quietly and didn't refuse again.

"You kid, you've had something on your mind lately?" He asked after taking a sip of wine.

Fu Peibai shook her head. She tried taking a small experimental sip. The wine was spicy and pungent, making her brow furrow immediately.

Meng Yan urged her on. "Try again. One sip opens the heart, two sips and you'll never forget it."

Fu Peibai hesitated. Her mood had indeed been poor lately, and she felt somewhat inclined to drown her sorrows in wine. So she tilted her head back and took a large gulp. The strong liquor burned down her throat, making her entire face scrunch up.

Meng Yan let out a hearty laugh. He also took a large gulp himself and let out a satisfied exclamation.

"I'm saying, if you have something on your mind, just say it. Don't bottle it up. Although I'm a rough man, not good with words and not good at comforting people, I can still listen to you vent and complain."

Fu Peibai looked at the flowing stream water, her gaze growing distant. After a long while, she spoke. "I originally came here to learn martial arts."

Meng Yan raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue.

"But now I can't do anything."

"What do you want to learn martial arts for?"

Fu Peibai turned her head and stared straight at him with those pitch black, deep eyes. "Revenge."

Meng Yan's thick brows knit together. He said seriously, "Hatred has no end. If revenge becomes the only purpose of your life now, have you thought about what you'll do after you've avenged yourself? Where will you go? The dead are gone. The living should learn to let go and live well."

Fu Peibai raised her voice, her expression somewhat agitated. "What do you understand?! You haven't experienced that kind of pain, so don't lightly advise others to let go of hatred."

Meng Yan clenched his fist. His expression shifted through several changes before finally settling back into calm. "I just don't want to see you step into the abyss of hatred and never climb out."

Fu Peibai drank a mouthful of strong wine in silence. She closed her eyes. The image of her parents and younger brother huddled together at the end was branded into her mind like a hot iron. How could she let go of this monstrous blood debt? Every midnight when she dreamed, countless nightmares pressed down on her until she couldn't breathe.

She hated the people of Huailiu Village. She hated those killers. She hated her own powerlessness even more. She survived by sheer luck. In the half month since coming up the mountain, whenever she felt happy, scenes of her parents and brother being killed would suddenly crash into her mind. She felt guilty, guilty to the point of being unable to face herself. Her closest kin had died miserably beneath the Yellow Springs, yet she was still living so contentedly. If she couldn't personally avenge their blood debt, what face would she have to meet her parents and brother in the nine springs?

"Little Bai, you..." Meng Yan was about to continue when a small boy came bouncing over from the distance, interrupting their conversation.

The boy was the one who looked like Jiaxu. He even had the character "Jia" in his name. He was called Huo Jiaran. Because of this connection, Fu Peibai felt especially close to him.

"Uncle Meng, Brother A-Pei." The boy had just come out of the water, wearing oversized shorts that didn't fit, his thin little body bare.

Fu Peibai waved at him, her tone gentle. "Aren't you cold?"

The boy walked obediently in front of Fu Peibai and smiled, showing his little tiger teeth. "Not cold." After saying this, he reached his hand toward Meng Yan. "Uncle Meng, I want candy."

Meng Yan gave his bottom a swat, not too hard. "More candy! Your teeth are nearly all rotted from bugs. Do you want to lose all your teeth like Old Man Qin when you're so young?"

Huo Jiaran's small mouth pouted. He said unhappily, "That won't happen!"

"Uncle Meng is so stingy!"

"If you don't give me candy, I'll go tell the Peak Master you're secretly hiding wine again." Huo Jiaran finished speaking angrily, then turned to Fu Peibai. "Don't worry, Brother A-Pei. I won't report on you."

Fu Peibai narrowed her eyes and smiled.

"You brat, go on, go on. I'm not afraid of you. Stop threatening me with that. If you tattle to the Peak Master, you won't get any candy for a long time."

Huo Jiaran looked wronged, tears swimming in his eyes.

Fu Peibai patted his head to comfort him. "How about we don't eat any today, okay? When I have a chance to go down the mountain to buy supplies later, I'll bring you some candied hawthorn, alright?"

Children were easiest to coax. He immediately beamed with joy.

"Go play."

After watching Huo Jiaran run happily away, Meng Yan praised, "You're good with children."

The smile on Fu Peibai's face faded. She picked up a stone and skipped it across the stream, achieving a beautiful four skips. "I used to coax my younger brother often. His personality is very similar to Jiaran's."

Meng Yan didn't respond. Although he didn't know what tragedy Fu Peibai had experienced before coming up the mountain, that unusually firm determination for revenge must have been related to her family.

"What are your plans for the future?"

Fu Peibai said casually, "I don't know. Just living on for now. When one day I don't want to live anymore, I'll find a quiet place and bury myself."

"Hey, what kind of talk is that? You're so young. You have plenty of time ahead to experience the beauty of the world. Live well. Find a pretty wife, have a fat son, enjoy family happiness. Think more about these things. Don't keep talking about death all day."

Fu Peibai wasn't listening at all. She drank the wine absently, her gaze growing hazy. "You know what, Brother Meng? I have no family left. Not a single one. I'm the only one left in this world. No one to rely on in life or death. I think living is meaningless, do you understand? I can't avenge them. Then what am I living for?"

A mere sixteen year old youth at this moment seemed like an old man who had weathered through decades of life. Seeing this scene, Meng Yan could no longer bring himself to say words about looking on the bright side. He took a hearty gulp and asked seriously, "Must you take revenge?"

Fu Peibai's hazy gaze cleared somewhat. Her voice was firm and resonant. "In this life, I must."

Meng Yan stared at the youth's determined face. After a moment, he closed his eyes, then opened them again. He said with utmost seriousness, "Fine. I'll help you."

Fu Peibai was somewhat taken aback. "How will you help me?"

"You don't need to worry about that. If I say I'll help, I have my ways. But you must promise me that the path of martial arts is for helping the weak and fighting the strong. You absolutely cannot be blinded by hatred and lose your original intention."

Fu Peibai didn't know how Meng Yan could help her, but she had no other choice. She didn't want to miss any opportunity. So she nodded solemnly. "Alright."

Meng Yan's expression relaxed. He raised his wine jar. Fu Peibai understood and raised her jar to clink against his. The two looked at each other and smiled, then drank it all in one go.

By the end, both were somewhat drunk. Meng Yan was the talkative type when drunk, rambling about everything under heaven so loudly it made Fu Peibai's ears hurt. Although Fu Peibai could still walk in a straight line, her head was also spinning. With her last shred of clarity, she dragged and pulled the eight foot tall man back to the room.

She collapsed onto her floor mat, completely drained. The whole world seemed to spin. Her head was heavy. But a faint smell of sweat on the tip of her nose brought her some clarity. It was her own scent. Now it was early summer. After working hard every day, her back would basically be soaked with sweat. At this moment, the smell of sweat mixed with wine went straight to her nose, making her want to retch.

She shook her head and patted her face. She picked up her change of clothes and left the room with light steps. She went to her usual bathing spot as a matter of routine. But out of caution, she only removed her outer robe and entered the stream wearing a thin layer of inner garments.

The stream water was cool and refreshing. Since she started taking the medicine Old Man Wen had prescribed, she indeed often experienced imbalanced body temperature. Sometimes she felt hot, sometimes cold. It was quite tormenting.

Tonight was a night with a bright moon and sparse stars. More than half her body was submerged in the stream. Her body temperature dropped rapidly. But she was used to it. She even rather liked it, because the ice cold stream water could also calm her restless heart.

She slightly loosened her inner garment and chest binding, wiping her body absently. When she was nearly done washing and was about to tie her clothes, she suddenly heard a cool female voice from the bank. "Why are you here?"

This voice was too familiar. She felt her drunkenness instantly fade. She instinctively walked toward deeper water, submerging her entire body until only her head remained above the surface. Then she slowly turned around and looked at the white figure on the bank. She said stiffly, "To answer the Peak Master, I am bathing..."

"I know. I'm asking why you're alone here at this late hour. As far as I know, the men from the back mountain usually bathe downstream."

Fu Peibai's brain raced. Then she said something that instantly silenced both of them.

"I, I prefer the water here. Yes, the water here is more comfortable to wash in." After saying this, she even scooped up some water and sprinkled it.

The two looked at each other without speaking. Fu Peibai awkwardly withdrew her hand and silently squatted in the water.

A nightingale's cry broke the silence.

"How much longer are you going to soak?"

Fu Peibai's brain didn't catch up for a moment. "What?"

The other didn't explain. She just stood firmly by the stream. Only then did a vague thought form in her mind. Could it be that the Peak Master was waiting for her to go back together?

So she asked cautiously, "Peak Master, can you turn around?"

"Why?"

"So I can go ashore and put on clothes."

The other fell silent again. It wasn't hard to guess that the woman was probably also thinking that Fu Peibai, as a man, was being surprisingly bashful.

Only after seeing the other turn around did Fu Peibai rustle about in the water. She secured her chest binding, tied her inner garment, quickly went ashore, and pulled on her outer clothes. By the time she was dressed, Lu Yanran had also turned around. Seeing her soaked clothes, the woman's brow lifted slightly. "You bathe with your clothes on?"

Fu Peibai couldn't explain. She tried to brush it off. "Just washing the clothes at the same time. Convenient, convenient. Haha."

Lu Yanran didn't press further. She was about to turn and leave when the faint smell of wine reached her nose. She stopped and said softly, "Step forward."

Fu Peibai's eyes widened slightly, not understanding the intent.

"Come forward two steps."

Actually, they weren't far apart, roughly the distance of two or three people. If she stepped forward a few more paces, the distance would be somewhat too close.

But Fu Peibai didn't dare disobey the Peak Master's order. She could only steel herself and take two small steps forward.

Now the distance between them has closed. Only the span of two palms remained. Fu Peibai smelled that familiar faint fragrance. Lu Yanran naturally also smelled the rich wine scent on Fu Peibai. She immediately frowned and said coldly, "You drank alcohol?"

Fu Peibai's heart gave a heavy thump. She subconsciously looked up and gazed straight into the woman's eyes, which were like glazed glass. This was the first time she had clearly seen Lu Yanran's features from such a close distance. She had to admit, she was truly extremely beautiful. Her features were like a painting, her face fair and exquisite.

Seeing that Fu Peibai was actually transfixed, Lu Yanran said with displeasure, "Speak."

"Ah, oh, yes. I, I did drink. I was wrong. Please punish me, Peak Master." Fu Peibai realized she had been staring dazedly and quickly retreated two steps, lowering her head to voluntarily accept punishment.

"Where did you get the wine?"

"..."

Fu Peibai naturally couldn't betray Meng Yan, so she could only remain silent.

"Peak rules strictly forbid alcohol. You knowingly violated them. How do you think you should be punished?"

"As the Peak Master sees fit."

Lu Yanran looked at the youth's fearless expression and asked, "As I see fit, is that it?"

Fu Peibai nodded. Her face was calm, but inside she was very anxious.

Lu Yanran turned and walked forward, leaving behind the words, "Then let's put it on your tab for now."

Fu Peibai paused for a moment, then jogged to catch up. The two walked one after the other on the forest path.

For a while, neither spoke. Fu Peibai secretly looked at the woman's retreating figure. Moonlight shone on her white robes. As the evening breeze swept past, she suddenly felt that this silhouette seemed slender and revealed a hint of loneliness.

She summoned her courage and spoke. "Peak Master, why are you alone in this area so late at night? Where is Miss A-Fu?"

Lu Yanran didn't respond immediately. After a long while, she replied, "Insomnia and a troubled heart. Just walking around to clear my mind."

The woman's voice was as cool as water, like the night itself. Fu Peibai opened her mouth, wanting to ask why she had insomnia. On second thought, that seemed a bit overstepping, so she closed her mouth.

Soon, the two reached the back courtyard. Lu Yanran stopped. "Go on."

Fu Peibai clenched her fist. Just as the woman was turning, she spoke with some nervousness. "Peak Master, thank you."

A hint of confusion appeared on Lu Yanran's face. Her slender brows furrowed slightly.

Fu Peibai stared at the ground. Her voice wasn't loud, but she spoke with extreme sincerity. "Thank you for saving me. Thank you for giving me a chance. Thank you for your many kindnesses. In short, truly, thank you, Peak Master." After saying this, she raised her head, her gaze burning as she looked at Lu Yanran.

Lu Yanran felt somewhat uncomfortable being stared at by those pitch black eyes. It was these very eyes. When they first met in the cellar, this person's face had been covered in blood and filth. Only these translucent eyes remained, as if they could bewitch the heart. She had inexplicably reached out her hand and pulled this youth up from the darkness.

"Peak Master, my life was saved by you, so naturally it belongs to you. In the future, I am willing to do anything you ask of me."

The youth's sincere gaze shone brightly in this hazy night.

Lu Yanran looked at her through the faint night. After a while, she said, "Go to sleep."

"Alright."