Thanks SkyWalker, missouri.slim, and Laoren! Happy New Year!
Here's more of Chapter 9. Finally the excitement picks up again!
Since my winter break is approaching its end (waaahh), I will be slower with updates. I'm aiming for at least one a week though, hopefully on Fridays! Thanks for sticking with the story!
Chapter 9 Continued
He believed that she would definitely come, but for some unknown reason, in his heart he always felt as if there was a different omen. This feeling made his spirit groggy, even made him a little scared out of his wits.
Even a hunting dog that has been trained for a long time can have delayed reactions when in love.
Unexpectedly, he entirely didn’t detect that a person was continuously following him in secret.
This person’s eyes were full of malice and envy. If looks could kill, Meng Xinghun would have died on the roadside long ago.
Only after Meng Xinghun had walked far away did this person walk out, grit his teeth, and mutter, “You two will definitely regret it. Although I won’t kill you two, inevitably there will be a day when you regret it. Why won’t you die earlier? I will make your lives ten times more painful than death.”
Although his tone was full of malice, he was still tranquil at this time. If a person can maintain tranquility, it means that he will definitely do what he says.
***
Meng Xinghun pushed open the door, and only then did he discover that Gao Laoda was in the room.
She was sitting on the bed, and in the dim lighting of the room she still looked so young, so beautiful. So beautiful that she could halt the breathing of most men. Meng Xinghun’s breathing seemed as if it had already halted.
Gao Laoda gazed at his startled complexion and asked, “You didn’t think I would be here? You were frightened?”
Meng Xinghun could only nod his head.
Gao Laoda lowered her face and said, “In the past, even if you stood ten feet away, you would still sense that someone was in this room. Why have you suddenly become slow-witted now? What made you change?”
Meng Xinghun lowered his head, unable to explain, and couldn’t explain.
Gao Laoda said coldly, “Only when a fox is in love does it fall into the hunter’s trap. What about you?”
Meng Xinghun replied, “I’m not a fox. I’m a person.”
Gao Laoda said, “People also have times when they’re in love.”
Meng Xinghun replied, “There’s no trap here, and you’re not a hunter.”
Gao Laoda asked, “What if I am?”
Meng Xinghun answered, “At present you’re already dead.”
Gao Laoda stared at him for an extremely long time before she finally smiled with color and said, “As expected you’re the same as before; as expected you don’t disappoint me.”
Gao Laoda suddenly also asked, “Do you know what people call you behind your back?”
Meng Xinghun replied, “Whatever they call me doesn’t matter.”
Gao Laoda laughed heartily and said, “They call you “nail”; no matter who strikes you, his head will be end up with a hole, and even I am not an exception.”
Meng Xinghun replied, “Then you shouldn’t have come. I have by no means forgotten what you want me to do.”
Gao Laoda asked, “I can’t even come see you? Don’t forget, when you were a child you couldn’t separate from me for even a day.”
Meng Xinghun hung his head, hung it even lower, and after a long time he sighed deeply, “I won’t forget. I’ll never forget.”
Gao Laoda said softly, “Ye Xiang already came and told me about your matters. Since I knew that you were injured, how could I not come see you? Even if I had enormous matters to take care of, I would still find the time to come see you.” She smiled and continued, “I still remember that one time you stole taros from someone’s fields. Their dog bit your legs a few times, and you had to lie in bed, unable to move, for several days.”
Meng Xinghun replied, “I...I also remember...that time you always stayed by my side.”
He wasn’t actually an ungrateful person, but every time he remembered past events, his heart would feel sick.
Gao Laoda asked, “So it seems like your injury is already better?”
Meng Xinghun replied, “It’s a lot better.”
Gao Laoda asked, “Then when do you plan to act?” She smiled and continued, “I’m not actually rushing you, but it’s just that now is indeed a very good opportunity.”
Meng Xinghun asked, “What opportunity?”
Gao Laoda replied, “At present Laobo is secretly recruiting new staff again, in preparation for the last battle against Thousand Roc King. If a person such as you relies on him for help, he will definitely put you in an important position.”
Meng Xinghun said, “He will definitely carefully investigate my background.”
Gao Laoda replied, “Correct.”
Meng Xinghun said, “If he discovers that I have absolutely no background, what do you think he would do to me?”
Indeed he had no background.
No one in Jianghu knew of his past.
No background, compared to any kind of background, was more liable to suspicion, because a person like him absolutely couldn’t have just fallen from the sky.
Gao Laoda answered, “If he is unable to investigate your background, maybe he will kill you.”
Meng Xinghun asked, “You want me to kill him or him to kill me?”
Gao Laoda laughed heartily and said, “But you’re actually not a person without a background. I’ve already arranged a background for you.”
Meng Xinghun asked, “What background?”
Gao Laoda replied, “Your name is Qin Zhongting, you belong to the Qin family of Lu Dong, and you are the nephew of Second Master Qin Huhua. Because you followed Second Master Qin’s subordinates since childhood to do business out at sea, you’ve never shown your face in the Central Plains, so no one recognizes you.” She smiled again and continued, “You ought to know that not only does Qin Huhua owe me, but he also always wants to win my favor, so even if I say that he is your uncle, he will not deny it.”
Meng Xinghun asked, “Why would a junior male in the Qin family want to rely on help from Laobo?”
Gao Laoda replied, “Because you want to be outstanding; the fight between Laobo and the Twelve Flying Roc Sect has long since been the sensation of Wulin, so if young people want to become famous, this is precisely the best opportunity.”
Meng Xinghun looked at her, and his heart couldn’t help but admire her. Although she was a woman, although she was still very young, she was careful in her plans, and not even ten experienced people of Jianghu put together could compare to her. Gao Laoda was also in the process of looking at him, her gaze penetrating and calm. Whenever Meng Xinghun met her gaze, he would often doubt whether or not the unfeeling and realistic woman sitting in front of him was still the girl who had rescued them from the swamp, not hesitated to sacrifice everything to raise them, and spared them from cold and hunger.
Sometimes he would even suspect why she had saved them at that time. Was it really due to pity and sympathy? Or did she have intentions to exploit them? Was her care and love for them merely an investment for her plans? He suspected, yet was never willing to think too much, too deeply.
He didn’t want to be an ungrateful person.
Gao Laoda took out two well-bound paper books. She said, “One of these is the Qin family tree. The Qin family of Lu Dong is the main clan and has many people. You had better memorize it all. Among them is a person named Qin Xiong, who is your father. He died when you were ten years old.”
Meng Xinghun asked, “How did he die?”
Gao Laoda replied, “He died of illness.” She considered for a while and said, “Reportedly it was an indecent illness, so if other people ask, you can refuse to answer.”
Meng Xinghun asked, “What about the other book?”
Gao Laoda answered, “This is the personal record of Qin Zhongting that he wrote while aboard. He recorded his life over the last few years, the people he met, and the places he went, so you should memorize them well.”
Meng Xinghun said, “Those people...”
Gao Laoda interrupted, “Those people already went out to sea. They absolutely won’t return within the next two or three years, so you don’t need to worry about them exposing this secret.”
Meng Xinghun said, “I’m only worried about one matter.”
Gao Laoda asked, “Are you worried that Laobo will find the real Qing Zhongting?”
Meng Xinghun replied, “Yes.”
Gao Laoda smiled and said, “Rest assured, he can’t be found.”
Meng Xinghun didn’t ask why.
He knew that if Gao Laoda wanted a person to go missing, it wouldn’t actually be difficult.
Gao Laoda stared at him and asked, “Do you have any more questions?”
Meng Xinghun replied, “No.”
Gao Laoda said, “Then I’ll ask you, are you not going to strike?”
Meng Xinghun turned around and faced the window.
The wind blew over from far away, and the sounds from distant mountains were somber and danced in the wind.
Meng Xinghun said slowly, “If it wasn’t for you, I couldn’t have survived. At present you know that I’m prepared to die for you at any time.”
Gao Laoda’s gaze suddenly became very gentle and she said, “But I don’t wish for you to die for me. I only wish that you can live for me.”
Meng Xinghun said, “I don’t have parents, don’t have relatives, don’t even have friends. I can die for you, and can also live for you, but now I...”
Gao Laoda asked, “Now what?”
Meng Xinghun’s hands tightly gripped the windowsill and he said slowly, “Now I hope to live for myself for some time.”
The gentleness of Gao Laoda’s gaze suddenly changed to ice and she asked, “Do you want to leave me?”
Meng Xinghun replied, “I don’t mean that, but it’s just that...”
Gao Laoda suddenly interrupted him and said, “I think I already understand what you mean.” Her gaze became even colder but her voice became gentler, and she continued gently, “Do you already have a sweetheart?”
Meng Xinghun was silent; silence is usually tacit admittance.
Gao Laoda said, “You don’t need to conceal it from me. This is a happy matter and I am happy for you, but it’s just that...is that girl worthy of you doing this?”
Meng Xinghun replied, “She’s very good.”
Gao Laoda laughed heartily; her laughter still didn’t have the slightest amount of gentleness. She smiled and said, “I really want to see the girl who makes you topple over. Surely she’s very remarkable.”
Meng Xinghun asked, “You don’t oppose it?”
Gao Laoda replied, “Why would I oppose it? It’s about time you got married anyway. So long as you like the girl, I will surely like her too.”
Meng Xinghun turned around, his gaze filled with gratitude, so much gratitude that his throat was constricted.
Yet Gao Laoda turned around and asked, “Where do you two intend to go?”
Meng Xinghun muttered to himself irresolutely, “At present I don’t know. I only want to find a quiet place.”
Gao Laoda asked, “When do you two intend to leave?”
Meng Xinghun picked up the two books on the table and said, “That depends on when this matter can be done well.”
This was already his last chance to repay Gao Laoda’s kindness, so he couldn’t not go.
Gao Laoda turned around to look at him, even her gaze becoming very gentle, and said, “This mission is very dangerous. Even if you don’t go, I won’t blame you.”
Meng Xinghun replied, “I’m going. I already promised you.”
Gao Laoda asked, “You don’t have confidence in success?”
Meng Xinghun’s face revealed a smile and he said, “You don’t need to worry for me. The one who should be worried is Sun Yubo.”
He had never been so confident in himself; regardless of how many difficulties and dangers, he still had confidence in completing this mission. He suddenly felt that he was more mature and more intelligent than before; this was love.
Love can accomplish anything except for one thing: love can only change yourself; you cannot change other people.
Gao Laoda left, left while smiling.
To be continued...