Page 10 of 37 FirstFirst 1234567891011121314151617181920 ... LastLast
Results 181 to 200 of 730

Thread: A Happy Hero

  1. #181
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Posts
    213

    Default

    Thank you very much! I love Gu Long and this is a funny story.

    How many chapters does it have in total? Is it a long one (like Legendary Siblings) or short (like Lu Xiao Feng)?

  2. #182
    Senior Member overjoy71's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Melbourne, AU
    Posts
    304

    Default

    Hahaa.. Looks like our hero is having his sharing of fun times.. hahaa.. Though I am still a bit suspecting that YQ is mmmm.... hahaaa...

  3. #183
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    1,606

    Default

    I guess this would be a "medium length" story. We are about 1/4 through the story. The translation will have 49 chapters in total (including the 3 prologues).
    --------------------------------------------------




    --------------------------------------------------
    Chapter 11 – The Fist of Guo DaLu
    --------------------------------------------------

    DiaoShi beamed at them. “If that is the case, we must go back and make preparations.”

    Guo DaLu: “Hurry. The faster the better.”

    DiaoShi gave a deep respectful bow. Without warning, he squinted at SaoSu and in a low voice, hissed, “Hand it over.”

    SaoSu scowled back at him and huffed, “What is your rush? So this time you won.”

    This time, it was Guo DaLu who could not suppress his nosiness as he asked, “What did you say?”

    DiaoShi interrupted, “He didn’t say anything.” Grabbing SaoSu, he tried to slip away.

    SaoSu seemed to be more honest and upfront. He appeared to be quite agitated as he said, red-faced, “We had a bet and I lost a diao qian[7] to him. He is in a hurry to collect from me.”

    Guo DaLu: “How did you lose?”

    SaoSu: “I was concerned that you, sirs, would not accept the invitation. But he said…” His eyes were fixed on Guo DaLu. He shook his head unexpectedly. “I don’t dare say what he said.”

    Guo DaLu: “You don’t need to worry. Nobody is going to blame you.”

    Looking back at him with wide eyes, SaoSu asked, “What if someone does?”

    Guo DaLu: “It still does not matter. I will protect you.”

    Only after hearing this could SaoSu smile. “He said, even if the others are embarrassed to accept [the favour], daye, you would most certainly go because, among this group, daye, you’re the most thick-skinned.” He had just finished his sentence before he hastily grabbed DiaoShi fled. The sounds of their snickers could still be heard as they retreated off to safety.

    Guo DaLu was both annoyed and amused as he grumbled, “It turns out that little rascal isn’t all that honest. He certainly knows how to ridicule people in a roundabout way.”

    Yan Qi could not hold in his giggles. “You cannot say that he’s ridiculing you. He is merely stating the truth.”

    Wang Dong: “It is not really that he is thick-skinned; it’s because ‘a person’s poverty stifles his pride’.”

    Yan Qi: “Plus, this person is the reincarnation of a starved ghost.”

    Guo DaLu did not get angry. He answered lightly, “Alright. I am poor, starving, and thick-skinned. You guys are all junzi [*gentleman; possess character and integrity].” He suddenly gave a couple of sarcastic chuckles. “But if it were not for this thick-skinned person, you bunch of wei junzi [*wei means false; wei junzi means “false gentleman” or hypocrite] would be going to the pawnshop and making spectacles of yourselves.”

    Yan Qi: “No matter what, they are still our guests. How could you have the audacity to eat their food?”

    Guo DaLu replied coldly, “At the very least, he is a human being. Eating from him is better than eating from a cat. If a person can ecstatically consume the food that a cat brings, what dignity can he possibly have left to put on an air of grandeur?”

    Wang Dong: “Who wants to put on an air of grandeur? I just wanted him to bring the food and wine directly here, that’s all.”

    ********************

    There was not much food, but there was a lot of wine.

    Though the amount was modest, the foods themselves were exquisite. They were arranged in a partitioned box, and even the colors were coordinated nicely so that anyone just looking at it would still feel happy.

    He FengYa: “This fare may have been prepared last night, but xiaodi [*younger brother; can be a humble way of referring to yourself] frequently travels and is moderately versed in the skill of food preservation. I guarantee that it has not gone bad. But regrettably, offering provisions for journey to guests is rather impolite.”

    A chuckle escaped from Guo DaLu. “You had already prepared all this food last night? Did you predict that you would be inviting guests tonight?”

    DiaoShi was pouring wine as he rushed in to answer, “Our household’s gongzi enjoys company. No matter who we encounter on the road, gongzi will certainly drink a couple cups with him. That is why no matter where we go, we always have a sufficient amount of food and wine.”

    Guo DaLu looked at him, winked, and whispered, “If that is the case, it seems that I’m not the only one who is thick-skinned.”

    He FengYa: “Guo xiong, did you say something?”

    Guo DaLu: “I said, he…” DiaoShi coughed loudly. Guo DaLu grinned. “…he is pouring the wine too slowly. I am too impatient to wait.” He was the first to raise his wine cup. Sniffing its contents, he exclaimed, “Nice wine. I will ‘present Buddha with some borrowed flowers’ [*a saying meaning, to borrow something and make it a gift] and raise my glass first to the host.”

    He was ready to pour the contents down his throat when He FengYa placed a hand on his and smiled. “Guo xiong, wait a moment. The first drink should be in honour of you four sirs. The four of you all …”

    A black dog and a black cat suddenly scampered in together from outside and scurried onto the table, knocking the freshly poured cups of wine over.

    The expression on He FengYa’s face changed, and he struck out unexpectedly.

    His hands were pale and delicate, as if they had never come in contact with anything filthy before, as if, even if a wine jug tipped over, he would not reach out to support it.

    This particular dog and cat, however, looked as if they had just rolled around in a puddle of mud.

    Yet, the instant he struck out, he had immediately seized them both by the neck, one in each hand, and raised them high up to toss them outside.

    As he was about to fling the animals away, two pairs of hands reached over and lightly caught them. Guo DaLu caught the black cat; Yan Qi caught the black dog.

    Stroking the cat’s neck, Guo DaLu smiled and cooed, “Why are you here? Did you want to steal He Gongzi’s role as the host?”

    Yan Qi patted the dog on the head as he said, “Why are you here? Could it be that you are like Mr. Guo, anxious to drink the wine?”

    He FengYa’s brow creased as he forced a smile. “Such dirty creatures. Why would you still want to hold them against your body?”

    Guo DaLu: “I like cats, especially cats that like to treat guests [to food and wine].”

    Yan Qi: “I like mutts, especially ones that like to drink.” When the wine had spilled onto the table, the dog had stretched out his tongue to lick up the spoils.

    Wang Dong all of a sudden said, “Too bad it’s not a golden Pekingese.”

    Lin TaiPing picked up a piece of soy-sauce chicken with his chopsticks, then put it down again. “Too bad this isn’t a barbecue duck.”

    Unperturbed, He FengYa smiled pleasantly. “Why is it xiaodi cannot understand what you four sirs are saying?”

    Guo DaLu laughed. “Maybe we are all just speaking drunken words.”

    Without warning, the dog in Yan Qi’s arms gave a tragic bark and jumped up from Yan Qi’s embrace. With a “thump,” it fell onto the table, as if someone had suddenly slit its throat before it even had a chance to cry out.

    This jumpy and lively dog had all of a sudden become a dead dog.

    Yan Qi gazed down at the dead dog, then lifted his eyes to look at Guo DaLu. “Do you see? This is an example of what happens when you are overly anxious to drink.”

    Guo DaLu had been staring at the dog’s corpse also. He lifted up his head and addressed He FengYa, “We are not from Guangdong. Why would you invite us to eat dog meat?”

    Wang Dong glanced over at He FengYa. Without a hint of expression on his face, he said nonchalantly, “I have heard that the meat from a black dog is the most nutritious.”

    Lin TaiPing lips formed a cold smile. “Perhaps this isn’t a black dog, but one wearing a set of black clothes.”

    He FengYa’s face was still unreadable as he slowly rose from where he was sitting. Wiping at the splatters of wine on his clothes, he said, “Please sit for a moment. I shall go change my clothes and will return momentarily.”

    Guo DaLu looked over at Wang Dong. “He said he will return momentarily.”

    Wang Dong: “You heard him.”

    Guo DaLu: “Do you believe him?”

    Wang Dong: “Yes.”

    Guo DaLu: “Why?”

    Wang Dong: “Because he cannot go anywhere. He will change behind that [bamboo] curtain.”

    He FengYa stared at him in silence. For a long time, he did not say a word and his gaze never shifted. Unhurriedly, he turned around, picked up some chests that had been behind him, and walked behind the curtain.

    The curtain hung from the middle of the sitting room. Everyone else’s attention was fixed upon that curtain; Guo DaLu’s was focused on DiaoShi.

    DiaoShi’s little face had drained of color. Guo DaLu suddenly winked at him again and smiled as he asked, “Why are you two not changing as well?”

    DiaoShi stammered, “I… I did not bring any clothes.”

    Guo DaLu grinned at him. “If this place doesn’t have any clothes for you to change into, can you not go home to change?”

    DiaoShi’s face brightened immediately. Grabbing SaoSu’s hand, they kicked up their feet and ran away quickly.

    Yan Qi let out a little chuckle. “It seems that, though his skin may be thick, his heart is not black [*i.e. not cruel].” As he gazed at Guo DaLu, his eyes were filled with gentleness. But as he turned his head, the look in his eyes and the expression on his face turned icy cold.

    He FengYa had emerged from behind the curtain. He really had changed into different clothing. Black clothing.



    Black clothing, black pants, a black cloth covering his face. Even the sword that he carried on his back was sheathed in a black scabbard.

    A sword, four feet seven inches in length.

    --------------------------------------------------
    [7] Diao qian generally means 1000 [ancient] coins, although, throughout history, it has been used to say 10 or even 100 coins
    Last edited by Hoju!; 11-09-07 at 04:31 PM.

  4. #184
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    1,606

    Default

    Chapter 11 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    A sword, four feet seven inches in length.

    Outraged, Lin TaiPing cried, “It is you! You didn’t die.”

    The black-clothed man replied coldly, “Only because you do not know how to kill, nor are you able.”

    Lin TaiPing’s face turned pale, then flushed with color. He truly was one who did not know how to take the life of another human being. After committing the deed, he did not even check if the person was truly dead or not.

    Black-clothed man: “If you really knew how to kill, even if I was actually dead, you should still have stabbed my corpse a few times.”

    Lin TaiPing grated his teeth together as he spat out, “I have learned now.”

    Black-clothed man: “You cannot learn it. Those who are not able to kill will never learn how to. Killing requires talent.”

    Yan Qi spoke up, “From what you’re saying, could it be that you have a natural talent for killing?”

    Black-clothed man: “Passable.”

    Laughing, Yan Qi replied coldly, “If you, sir, really were that talented, we would all be dead by now.”

    The black-clothed man pondered his words for a moment. “You should all be thanking the dog for the fact that you are still alive.”

    Yan Qi looked over at Guo DaLu. “I just realized something.”

    Guo DaLu: “What’s that?”

    Yan Qi: “At the very least, he does have a talent for killing dogs. After all, he did just kill one.”

    Guo DaLu blinked. “I just discovered something as well.”

    Yan Qi: “What?”

    Guo DaLu: “He is not NanGong Chou.”

    Yan Qi: “Why?”

    Guo DaLu: “Because he’s not ugly [*the word, chou in NanGong Chou’s name means ugly].”

    Wang Dong interrupted them. “Just because the name is NanGong Chou, does not mean the person has to be ugly.”

    Guo DaLu chuckled. “True. Just like someone named Wang Dong may not necessarily like to move [*dong means to move].”

    Wang Dong: “Correct answer.”

    Guo DaLu: “However, his face also does not have a scar.”

    It was well known by many in jianghu that, though NanGong Chou may have been lucky enough to escape from beneath the Fierce Crucifix Sword with his life, a cross shape had still been cut into his face. That is why he never let anyone see his face.

    Wang Dong: “Who has actually seen that NanGong Chou has a scar on his face?”

    Guo DaLu: “In any case, I know I have not seen it.”

    Wang Dong: “Since he never shows his true appearance, how could anyone have seen his face?”

    Guo DaLu giggled. “That’s true. Maybe his scar is on his buttocks.”

    The black-clothed man had been watching their whole exchange unemotionally but now, he suddenly cut in, “You are only correct about one point.”

    Guo DaLu: “Which point?”

    Black-clothed man: “I do not kill people, only dogs.”

    Guo DaLu said with a laugh, “It turns out you are quite honest.”

    Black-clothed man: “I just killed one. You will be the second.”



    The night was very still. It was a perfect “moonless, windy night of murder.”

    Aside from them, the mountain originally did not have many living people on it – perhaps this night, there would be one less. Perhaps, there would be four less.

    There were trees in the courtyard. The wind was blowing. The trees were swaying.

    But the black-clothed man was not moving. He stood there in silence, as if he had melded into this night of murder. There was nobody who would not acknowledge that he truly was a person who killed. His whole body radiated a murderous air. The sword had not yet left its scabbard, yet that deadly air already had.

    Guo DaLu was still inside, slowly removing his outer clothes. The black-clothed man was outside waiting for him and seemed as if he was not the least bit anxious.

    Out of the blue, Guo DaLu laughed. “This guy really does have some patience.”

    Wang Dong: “You must have patience to kill someone.”

    Guo DaLu: “Patience cannot kill anyone.”

    Wang Dong: “You deliberately wanted to make him anxious. But if he doesn’t get anxious, you will get anxious. Once you become anxious, he will have an opportunity to kill you.”

    Guo DaLu let out another little laugh. “That is why I’m not anxious.”

    Yan Qi’s eyes had been fixed on him the whole time. He suddenly piped up, “Not only do you not need to be anxious, you don’t need to go out there alone either.”

    Guo DaLu: “I may be thick-skinned, but I’m not a coward.”

    Yan Qi: “We do not need to concern ourselves with morality and principles of jianghu when dealing with people like him.”

    Guo DaLu: “You want to fight him four against one?”

    Yan Qi: “Why not?”

    Guo DaLu sighed. “I really wish we could, but unfortunately, I’m a man.”

    Yan Qi lowered his head. “But do you… do you have confidence you can beat him?”

    Guo DaLu: “No.”

    Yan Qi: “Then you…”

    Guo DaLu interrupted him. Smiling, he said, “I must go if I am confident, and I must go even if I am not confident. It is the same as, when you have money, you have to go drinking, but even if you don’t have money, you still will go.”

    Wang Dong laughed. “This analogy’s logic may be complete bullcr*p, but it does illustrate one point.”

    Yan Qi: “What point?”

    Wang Dong: “Some things, you have no choice but to just go ahead and do it.”

    Lin TaiPing suddenly spoke up. “Alright. You go. If he kills you, I will avenge you.”

    Guo DaLu let out a laugh and patted him on the shoulder. “You may be a b*stard, but you have loyalty to your friends.”

    All of a sudden, Yan Qi tugged on his hand and whispered, “Stand further away from him. His sword is not long.”

    Smiling, Guo DaLu answered, “Don’t worry. I won’t be fooled.” He walked outside.

    Yan Qi heaved a sigh. “I don’t understand. Why do some people have to force themselves to pose as heroes?”

    Wang Dong replied lightly, “Perhaps he already is a hero – some people were born as heroes.”

    Lin TaiPing sighed as well. “True. Regardless of whether he is a drunk or a b*stard, he is indeed a hero. One hundred percent a hero.”

    Yan Qi exhaled another loud breath as he murmured, “Sadly, the majority of heroes die young.”



    Guo DaLu was already outside in the courtyard. He really was standing a long ways away from the black-clothed man.

    Black-clothed man: “Where is your sword?”

    Guo DaLu chuckled. “My sword has already been sent into the pawnshop.”

    With a cold laugh, the black-clothed man asked, “You dare to face me with your bare hands?”

    Responding with another snicker, Guo DaLu answered, “Since I am going to die, it might as well be a faster death. That way I won’t have to suffer for so long and endure the pains of poverty.”

    Black-clothed man: “Fine. As you please.” The word, “fine” had just left his lips, before he was already reaching behind to unsheathe his sword. His hand had just contacted the hilt when Guo DaLu darted toward him unexpectedly.

    Yan Qi’s heart nearly leapt out of his chest.

    Did Guo DaLu really want to meet a quicker death? He knew that the enemy was using a short sword, so why would he still rush forward and present himself for death?

    Sword light flashed. The sword had left its sheathe.

  5. #185
    Moderator Ren Wo Xing's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Currently DC
    Posts
    6,660

    Default

    RWX's guess: This Gong NanChou is real, whereas the one who stole the treasure was false! Consequently, this Gong NanChou's sword is very long, not short. I'll bet that the one Lin Taiping 'killed' was the fake one as well, but the killing was spotted by the real one...who maybe consequently thinks that Lin Taiping actually tried to kill HIM (the real one), which is why he wants to off the four friends?
    Last edited by Ren Wo Xing; 11-11-07 at 09:20 PM.
    Read the latest chapters of Coiling Dragon at Wuxia World!

  6. #186
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    611

    Default

    Nice call ren woxing...
    i agree with your thinking, makes sense.

  7. #187
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    1,606

    Default

    Chapter 11 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    Sword light flashed. The sword had left its sheathe.

    It was not a short sword; it was a long sword.

    The sword light filled the air with beams of rainbows, the brightness blurring their vision. But Guo DaLu was already right in front of the black-clothed man's chest. He could not see the sword, could not see the sword light. His eyesight had not been affected.

    Even though he did not see the black-clothed man’s sword, he caught sight of his weakness. He saw it clearly.

    “Bang!” The black-clothed man’s body was sent flying through the air. His body was soaring backwards, but the sword light flew forwards. He crashed into the wall at the back; the sword stabbed into the tree in front. He toppled down onto the ground and then was motionless.

    Guo DaLu stood where he was, looking down at his fist with an astonished and perplexed expression. It was as if he himself had not believed that he could defeat his opponent in one punch.

    The others had not believed it either. Yan Qi, especially, had not thought it could happen. He stood in shock for a long while before rushing over to Guo DaLu, as feelings of amazement, delight, and even a little fear filled him. Beaming, he scolded, “I told you to stay further away from him. Why did you deliberately rush towards him instead?”

    Guo DaLu answered with a smile, “Maybe it was because I’m a fool.” His smile did look somewhat idiotic. But, naturally, he was not the least bit foolish – when you think that he is a fool, he will become intelligent, and in fact, much more intelligent than most people.

    Yan Qi laughed. “Who said you are a fool? It’s just that, I don’t understand. How did you see that he was not going to use a short sword this time?”

    Guo DaLu: “I couldn’t see. I guessed.”

    Yan Qi paused a moment in surprise. “What if you guessed wrong?”

    Guo DaLu: “I knew I would not be wrong.”

    Yan Qi: “Why?”

    With a wide grin, Guo DaLu replied, “Because my luck has always been good.”

    Yan Qi was silent for a little while again before bursting out in laughter. He guffawed, “You may not be a fool, but you are not honest either. Not one bit honest.”

    Guo DaLu really was not honest. He knew how to act the part of a fool.

    Of course he could tell that this occasion, the black-clothed man was not using a short sword. That was because this time, the sword hilt was carried at the left shoulder, but the man had used his right hand to draw the sword. As he drew it out of its sheathe, he had pulled back his chest and stomach, and all his strength had been placed in front. Hence, a vulnerable point had appeared between his abdomen and chest.

    Guo DaLu observed this weakness. He attacked, and with one punch, struck that point.

    So long as your observation is precise and your judgement is accurate, one punch is enough. There is no need for a second one. In a battle between two martial arts experts, the first punch is the most significant. If that first blow does not bring down the opponent, then you may be the one who is defeated instead.

    The distinction between victory and defeat is often determined in the blink of an eye – and more often than not, is decided in a moment’s consideration.

    Yan Qi cut in, “There is still something I don’t understand.”

    Guo DaLu: “Oh?”

    Yan Qi: “His arm is much shorter than that sword. How is he able to draw his sword in one quick motion?”

    Guo DaLu contemplated over that for a while, then chuckled and replied, “I don’t understand either.”

    Wang Dong: “I understand.” He walked over to them. In his hand was the black-clothed man’s scabbard.

    Yan Qi took ahold of it and looked it over. Chuckling in amusement, he stated, “I understand too.”

    Anyone who took a close look at the scabbard would understand. Inside, there were actually two swords: one long sword, one short sword. Yan Qi had figured this out long ago. He had never considered, however, that this was actually not a real scabbard but two pieces of wood cramped together. The sword was not ‘drawn’ out of the top but instead, was wielded out the side.

    Yan Qi laughed. “This is the same as an egg.”

    Guo DaLu was taken aback. “An egg?”

    Yan Qi: “Do you know how to stand an egg on the table?”

    Guo DaLu: “No.”

    Yan Qi: “Idiot. All you need to do is crack and knock in the wider head of the egg. Then, the egg can rest on that end unsupported.”

    Guo DaLu laughed appreciatively. “You are such a genius. I can’t believe you thought up such a method.”



    There are many things in life that truly are just like an egg: something that you think is tremendously complicated will often turn out to be extremely simple.

    Some people are also like an egg: no matter how pathetic a person is, all you need to do is knock him hard over the head and he will stand himself back up again.

    ********************
    Last edited by Hoju!; 11-13-07 at 05:01 PM.

  8. #188
    Senior Member overjoy71's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Melbourne, AU
    Posts
    304

    Default

    Woah.. Thanks Hoju!

    Yeah.. typical GL fight scene.. one punch.. bang.. quicker than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.. hahaa

  9. #189
    Senior Member Shi-Potian's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    364

    Default

    Thanks for the translation hoju another magnificent update absolutely love this novel thank you!!! Gulongs novels are always sadly lacking in fights scenes except for the one odd man out and quite possibly my favorite Gulong book ever which is Swordsman Journeys its kickass with plenty of fights and as it just so happens is currently being translated as well!!

  10. #190
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    1,606

    Default

    Chapter 11 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    ********************

    A grave had been added into the courtyard – a dog’s grave.

    Yan Qi personally laid the dog into the coffin. Sighing gloomily, he lamented, “You came here in the coffin, now you depart in the coffin once again. If you had known this would be the outcome, why would you still come?”

    Guo DaLu answered with a bitter smile on his face, “If he had not come, we would be the ones departing in the coffin.”

    Lin TaiPing exhaled loudly. “When he arrived, I had given him a hard kick. Who knew he would end up saving our lives?”

    Wang Dong: “Dogs are not like humans. They do not harbor grudges. All they remember is the kindness they have been shown.”

    Guo DaLu: “True. You only need to give a dog one bone and the next time, it will be wagging its tail when it sees you. But there are some ungrateful people out there who, no matter how much mercy you have shown to them, will turn around and stab you in the back. Therefore…”

    Lin TaiPing continued, “Therefore, dogs value loyalty and honor more than people. Or at least, more so than certain people.”

    Guo DaLu: “That’s why we should erect a tombstone in his honor.”

    Lin TaiPing: “What should be written on it?”

    Guo DaLu: “Tomb of the righteous canine.”

    Yan Qi shook his head in disagreement. “‘Righteous canine is not good enough. Don’t forget, he is the savior of all of our lives…”

    Wang Dong: “The tombstone can wait until later, but the funeral oration must be given now.”

    Guo DaLu: “You know how to write funeral orations?”

    Wang Dong nodded. He suddenly arose and recited loudly [*Note, in the original Chinese, the oration rhymes, but my translation skills aren’t good enough to capture both the meaning and the rhyming],
    Within the coffin lies a dog
    Kind friend, loyal comrade
    Should you not have come, we would have gone
    Every first and fifteenth [of the month]
    [For you] Fragrant flowers and honoring wine
    A tragic loss…




    A pig should not be too plump; a person should not be too smart. The fattest pig is always the first to be slaughtered. If a person wants to live a happier life, he should have a bit of silliness and do some foolish things. This does not mean that the person really is a fool.

    Needless to say, they all knew that cats do not cook and dogs do not know how to climb into a coffin and close the lid. That dog and cat had to have an owner. Who could that be?

    Yan Qi: “This person must have known that NanGong Chou is not dead when he sent the coffin here.”

    Guo DaLu: “Correct. He sent the coffin here for the purpose of letting us know that NanGong Chou is still alive.”

    Yan Qi nodded in agreement. “He likely knew about NanGong Chou’s evil plot.”

    Guo DaLu: “But why would he not just tell us outright?”

    Yan Qi: “Because he doesn’t want us to see him.”

    Lin TaiPing: “Why? If he intends us no harm, why would his actions have to be so sneaky?”

    Guo DaLu: “It seems to me that this person is actually a woman.”

    Yan Qi: “What makes you think that?”

    Guo DaLu: “Only a woman would do something so sneakily and without rhyme or reason.”

    Glowering at him, Yan Qi retorted, “Women have to do those sorts of things only because men use even less rhyme or reason.”

    Guo DaLu snorted. “Don’t forget, you are a man too.”

    Wang Dong was staring at Yan Qi. He suddenly lectured, “It is an innate instinct for men to look down upon women and for women to look down on men. It is one of those unchangeable principles of life. It was like that thousands of years ago and will be like that thousands of years from now. So…”

    Yan Qi: “So what?”

    Wang Dong: “So there is not much to debate in this issue. I don’t understand why you guys always have such an interest in this topic.” He let out a long breath. “I had enough issues as it was. Now there is one more.”

    Guo DaLu: “What issue is that?”

    Wan Dong: “NanGong Chou.”

    Nan GongChou was not dead because no one had been willing to kill him. None of them wanted to take another person’s life, especially a person that had already been defeated. There was one thing NanGong Chou had gotten correct: “Some people are born without the ability to kill. Furthermore, they will never be able to learn it.”

    Guo DaLu: “Very true. He is an issue.”

    Lin TaiPing: “But haven’t we already locked him up?”

    Guo DaLu: “Yes.”

    Lin TaiPing: “Are you concerned that he will escape?”

    Guo DaLu: “He is not able to escape.” Anyone who has been tied up like a zongzi[8] will not have any hope of escaping.

    Lin TaiPing: “If he cannot get away, what is the issue?”

    Guo DaLu: “That is exactly the problem. Since he cannot escape, we have to watch over him, right?”

    Lin TaiPing nodded in agreement.

    With a cynical smile, Guo DaLu explained, “We can barely support ourselves. How can we feed another person?”

    Lin TaiPing finally understood. His brow knit together as he suggested, “Maybe we should let him go.”

    Guo DaLu: “We can’t let that type of person go free.”

    Lin TaiPing: “Well, that means we will have to support him for the rest of his life.”

    Guo DaLu: “That is why there is an issue.”

    Yan Qi piped in unexpectedly, “We can make him support himself.”

    Guo DaLu’s eyes lit up immediately in excitement. “Of course! He is much wealthier than we are.”

    Yan Qi: “At the very least, he just made a large sum off of Feng QiWu.”

    Rising to his feet, Guo DaLu announced, “I am going to go ask him where he hid all the treasures.”

    Yan Qi: “Will you be able to get him to reveal anything?”

    Guo DaLu: “I may not be JiaGun, but I have my own methods.”

    A laugh slipped out from Yan Qi. “It looks like this guy has learned a few things off of JiaGun.”



    End of Chapter 11

    --------------------------------------------------

    [8] 粽子 Zongzi is a glutinous rice dumpling wrapped, then tied up, within leaves. Picture of a zongzi http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:RiceDumpling.JPG
    Last edited by Hoju!; 11-15-07 at 11:41 AM.

  11. #191
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    1,606

    Default

    --------------------------------------------------
    Chapter 12 – Men and Cats
    --------------------------------------------------

    In the rear courtyard, there was a firewood shed.

    It seemed that firewood sheds were not used to store firewood but rather, to hold prisoners. Every household that captured a thief seemed to wind up locking him in the firewood shed. This firewood shed had spiders, mice, dog feces, cat urine, broken pots and bowls, leftover cinders… It had nearly everything you could think of, everything except for firewood. There was not a single log inside.

    Nor was there a single person.

    NanGong Chou, who had been bound up like a zongzi, was gone. All that remained was a pile of rope on the ground.

    Guo DaLu stared at the scene in surprise for a long while. He picked up a piece of the severed rope and looked it over. “It was sliced through with a knife.”

    Yan Qi: “And it was a fast blade.” Only a fast blade could slice through rope and leave such a straight and smooth cut.

    Lin TaiPing’s brow creased as he thought out loud, “If that is the case, then that means he did not break out by himself. Somebody must have come to rescue him.”

    Guo DaLu snorted, “I cannot believe that someone like him would have friends.”

    Yan Qi: “Do you think it could have been those two little rascals?”

    Guo DaLu: “Couldn’t have been. They neither have the ability or the courage. And…” he suddenly snickered, “kids have something in common with women.”

    Yan Qi: “What is that?”

    Guo DaLu: “Kids do not talk loyalty… they don’t understand what it is.”

    Yan Qi eyes glared daggers at him, but Lin TaiPing had already interrupted, “Could it have been Golden-Coat Pekingese?”

    Guo DaLu: “Why would you suddenly think of him?”

    Lin TaiPing answered, “That day, I never did see Golden-Coat Pekingese. Maybe NanGong Chou had already set them free, or maybe they were in cahoots the whole time.”

    Guo DaLu shook his head in disagreement. “Given the type of person that NanGong Chou is, he may have the gall to do anything, but there is one thing that he will never do.”

    Lin TaiPing: “What would that be?”

    Guo DaLu: “He would never leave someone around to share the loot with him.” He let out a laugh before explaining further, “If there were three bowls of rice on the table, even if he was full and could not eat any more, he still would not leave a single bowl for anyone else. He would rather explode and eat every last bit himself.”

    Lin TaiPing queried, “You suspect that he has already murdered JiaGun and Golden-Coat Pekingese?

    Guo DaLu nodded a quick response. “I’m hungry.” This statement was completely unrelated to anything they had just been talking about. You would never have thought that, in such a situation, anyone would say something like that.

    Lin TaiPing gawked at him with wide eyes. Wang Dong and Yan Qi’s had fixed their gaze intently on him also, as if they wanted to analyze him to see if this person was made-up of something different from other people.

    Guo DaLu gave a little chuckle. “I realized I was hungry when I was talking about those three bowls of rice. Then, when I actually started talking about eating the rice, I remembered that none of you had eaten for at least most of the day.”

    Wang Dong: “Your mind wanders to whatever you are talking about, doesn’t it?”

    Guo DaLu: “It seems like it.”

    Wang Dong: “So when you start talking about dog feces, will you need to go…” Guo DaLu sprinted outside before the sentence was even finished – towards the toilet.

    Wang Dong stared after him, his eyes bulging in astonishment. Yan Qi heaved a lengthy sigh but could not help giggling, “That guy is a real prodigy.”

    Lin TaiPing chortled, “A prodigy such as this one, there are not many in the world.”

    Yan Qi: “Not only are there not many, I suspect that there is only one.”

    Wang Dong finally recovered from his shock. He sighed, “Thank goodness there is only one.”

    This was also a conclusion.

    If there were more people like Guo DaLu out there, the world would very likely be a happier place.

    ********************

    Among all animals, the one most intimate with humans would likely be the dog or the cat. Some people would rather raise a dog, others think that there is no difference between having a dog or a cat.

    In reality, there is a significant distinction between the two. Cats are different from dogs: they do not take pleasure in running around outside. Cats enjoy lazing around the house and especially lounging by the fire. They love eating fish, particularly the fish’s head. They also like lying in your arms as you gently stroke their neck and ears. If, everyday, you feed a cat on a regular schedule and gently rub it, it will grow to be extremely fond of you and will become your friend.

    But do not think that it just loves you, that it belongs only to you. Cats are not faithful as dogs are. The instant there is no fish left in your dish, it will sneak off to another person’s house and furthermore, will become that person’s friend. The next time you see your cat, it may not recognize you and in fact, may have already forgotten who you are.

    Cats, of course, do not look as vicious as dogs, but they are much crueler. When a cat catches a mouse, even if it is starving, it will not eat the mouse in one gulp. It will first toy with the mouse until the creature is dizzy and shaky before slowly savoring it.

    The “hands and feet” of a cat are soft and supple. Not a sound is heard when it walks. But should you provoke it, those soft “hands” will suddenly bare a set of sharp claws that will scratch you until your face is bleeding.

    If cats are not like dogs, then what are they like?

    Have you ever seen a woman? Have you watched how a woman eats fish? Observed her when she lies in her husband or lover’s arms?

    Do you know why many men’s faces have scratches on them? Do you know why some men commit suicide? Or go insane?

    If you say a cat is like a woman, then you are wrong. In actual fact, cats are not like women, but rather, many women are similar to cats.

    ********************

    This cat was black. Its coat was shiny and smooth, so that the black color glistened. Guo DaLu was scrutinizing the cat carefully.

    A person who is lightheaded from hunger is not in the mood for studying cats. A starving person is not in the mood for studying anything. Obviously Guo DaLu had already eaten his fill. As with the previous day, food had been laden on the table and they heard the cat ringing the bell.

    Guo DaLu suddenly observed, “This cat looks well fed, and moreover, has always been well fed. A cat that has constantly suffered from hunger would not look like this one.”

    Yan Qi chuckled as he an asked, “You have been analyzing it for the large part of a day and that was what you were studying?”

    Ignoring him, Guo DaLu carried on, “Supposing that all these household items, this food, and the coffin were all sent by this person, whom we will call Mr. Nice, then this cat must be his as well. So…”

    Yan Qi: “So what?”

    Guo DaLu: “So this Mr. Nice’s house must be very well-off and lavish, otherwise the cat would not be so well fed and healthy.”

    Yan Qi blinked in confusion. “So what does that have to do with anything?”

    Guo DaLu: “If I was a cat and I had such a rich owner, I would not want to go with anyone else.”

    Yan Qi: “Therefore…”

    Guo DaLu: “Therefore, if we let the cat loose, it should run back to where its owner is.”

    Yan Qi’s eyes lit up with excitement as he asked, “So why are you still holding onto it?”

    Petting the cat lightly on its neck, Guo DaLu murmured, “Brother Cat, oh Brother Cat. If you lead us to your owner, I will promise I will feed you fish heads every day.” He set the cat down outside of the door.

    But to their surprise, the cat gave a “meow,” jumped back into his arms, and began licking him lightly on the hand.

    Yan Qi: “I think that this cat must be a female, and it looks like she fancies you.”

    Guo DaLu picked the cat up by the back of its neck and set it back down on the ground. The cat still stayed next to him. Guo DaLu frowned. “Why will you not leave? Don’t you miss your owner? He has always treated you well.”

    Wang Dong let out an unexpected laugh as he stated, “A cat’s memory may not be very good but its mind is clear.”

    Perplexed, Guo DaLu echoed, “Mind is clear?”

    Wang Dong clarified for them, “Since it knows that there is good fish to eat here, why would it run off to anywhere else?”

    Guo DaLu: “But I’m not its owner. Why is it following me?”

    Wang Dong: “You fed it some fish just now, didn’t you?”

    Guo DaLu nodded.

    Wang Dong: “Whoever feeds it fish, whoever is its owner.”

    Lin TaiPing all of a sudden spoke up, “What if there is no fish here to eat?”

    Wang Dong: “Then he might go home.”

    Lin TaiPing chuckled, “I just hope this cat recognizes the way home.”



    The cat did know how to go home. No matter where it was, if it did not have anything eat, it would very quickly be able to find the route back.

  12. #192
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    1,606

    Default

    Just a short update today.
    --------------------------------------------------



    Chapter 12 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    Afternoon.

    From the morning to the afternoon, there had been nothing to eat. Regardless of cat or human, no one would be able to withstand the hunger. By now, even if Guo DaLu wanted to cuddle the cat in his arms, the cat would not allow it. Like a wisp of smoke, it scampered away.

    Guo DaLu chased after it. Yan Qi followed Guo DaLu, while Lin TaiPing trailed behind Yan Qi.

    Wang Dong: “It would be best if you didn’t follow too closely.”

    Lin TaiPing: “What about you?”

    Wang Dong did not respond but instead, gave a sigh, as if Lin TaiPing’s question was terribly stupid. He lay down.



    On the left of the mountainside was a lonely graveyard. Even during Qing Ming Jie[9] , very few people came to sweep the tombs here. Those buried here were people who, when they were alive, had not been noticed and when they died, were quickly forgotten. The poor usually do not have many friends or relatives to begin with, let alone the deceased poor. Guo DaLu would often feel emotional and sorrowful when he came here. But today, he did not have time for sorrow.

    The cat was running away quickly. It scurried speedily into the graveyard, then darted out again. From far away, it looked like a trail of black smoke.

    Anyone who is chasing a cat will realize that it is not an easy thing to do. Your attention is only focused on the pursuit so that you cannot afford the time to think about other matters.

    The same goes for pursuing girls. Or perhaps the reason why anyone would chase them is because no time was afforded to think. If they actually took the time to think through it carefully, they would turn around and abandon the chase.

    Next to the graveyard was a grove of trees. Within the grove was a quaint wooden house. It was a grove of date trees. The house was constructed of wood from these trees. Guo DaLu had roamed through the grove before, but he had never seen this little house. It seemed that it had only been built within the last couple of days.

    The cat darted through the trees and suddenly disappeared. Waves of delicious aromas drifted out to them from within the house. It was the smell of simmering pork.

    Guo DaLu wiggled his nose, a smile appearing on his face.

    A fire burned inside the house. Meat was stewing over the fire. An old man squatted next to it, fanning the flames while an elderly lady poured a thick sauce into the pot. Crouching off to the side was a long-haired girl who kept hurrying the two of them.

    The cat dashed into the house, straight into the girl’s arms. She was obviously this cat’s owner. Guo DaLu had finally found the person he had been searching for.

    His chase had just taken him to the door of the house when she turned her head around. Their eyes met. Both were startled with whom they saw.

    Then Guo DaLu cried out, “Sour Plum Soup, it is you?”

    --------------------------------------------------
    [9] Qing Ming Jie is a major Chinese festival in early spring where people pay their respect to their ancestors and sweep the graves of family members who have passed away
    Last edited by Hoju!; 11-19-07 at 11:50 AM.

  13. #193
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    1,606

    Default

    Hello everyone,my apologies but I won't be updating for a while. I was in a car accident yesterday and broke my wrist. Typing has become very difficult with one hand . Here is what I had already translated before. It may be a little raw cuz I haven't really proofread it yet.



    Chapter 12 continued.....

    --------------------------------------------------

    The pork had been stewed until it was soft and had been cut into cubes. As it turned out, each cube was the perfect size for Guo DaLu to eat in one mouthful.

    The cat lay by Sour Plum Soup’s feet. This was a very easygoing cat. It did not insist on eating fish and did not protest to eating simmered pork. When the belly is empty, be it human or cat, he will not refuse simmered pork.

    Guo DaLu gulped down seven or eight pieces before he finally sighed, “Even in my dreams, I would never have thought it would be you.”

    Sour Plum Soup pursed her lips in a little smile.

    Guo DaLu: “Is everything that you do always cloaked in mystery like this?”

    Sour Plum Soup lowered her head and smiled again. “I had wanted to give everything to all of you personally, but I was afraid that you would not accept.”

    Guo DaLu replied coldly, “There was no need for you to give us all those things.”

    Sour Plum Soup: “You helped me out a lot. I had to find some way to express my gratitude.”

    Guo DaLu: “But we still cannot accept all those things.”

    Sour Plum Soup: “Why?”

    Guo DaLu: “Because… because you’re a woman.”

    Sour Plum Soup: “Women are people too.”

    Guo DaLu shot a look over at Yan Qi and chortled, “Her manner of speaking is similar to yours.”

    Yan Qi, a dark expression on his face, said “We would not accept if a man gave us that many gifts either.”

    Guo DaLu continued for him, “And plus, we already feel embarrassed that we have eaten several meals from you.”

    Sour Plum Soup blinked. “Well, let’s just say that I am storing all that stuff at your place.”

    Wang Dong: “Then you will need to pay rent.”

    Sour Plum Soup: “I’ll pay it.”

    Wang Dong: “And a storage fee.”

    Sour Plum Soup: “I will pay that as well.”

    Wang Dong: “Ten liang of silver per day.”

    Sour Plum Soup: “Alright.”

    Wang Dong: “You have to pre-pay.”

    Sour Plum Soup giggled, “I’ll pre-pay ten days, is that okay?” She reached in and pulled out a silver ingot of one hundred liang.

    Wang Dong did not move. He only gazed at that big silver ingot as if mesmerized.

    Guo DaLu and the others, though, were staring at Wang Dong. They were starting to discover that this guy was absolutely absurd and unreasonable. Someone had, out of the kindness of her heart, given them food to eat, chairs to sit on, beds to sleep on, and even decorated their rundown house so that it looked like new, but he still wanted charge her rent and even wanted it prepaid.

    “This frigging guy is an absolute b*stard!” The words nearly slipped out of Guo DaLu’s mouth as he glared at Wang Dong.

    Wang Dong’s eyes had left the ingot and were now fixed on Sour Plum Soup. He suddenly said, “Are you sick?”

    Sour Plum Soup paused in shock. “Sick?”

    Wang Dong: “Not just sick. Seriously sick.”

    Sour Plum Soup: “I am eating well and sleeping fine. How could I be sick?”

    Wang Dong: “Maybe your sickness has arisen because you eat too much.” His face did not show any emotion. “You spent money to buy all those things, put in a lot of effort just to send them here, and now, you are perfectly willing to pay rent to me. If you were not sick, why would you do such things?”

    Guo DaLu guffawed. He was starting think that Sour Plum Soup really was sick, and in fact, was very sick.

    Sour Plum Soup’s eyes flickered between them. “Would you believe me if I told you the reason why I did it was because I felt I am indebted to you for your kindness?”

    Wang Dong looked over at Guo DaLu. “Do you believe her?”

    Guo DaLu: “No.”

    Wang Dong: “If even he doesn’t believe you, I don’t think anyone in the world will believe you.”

    Sour Plum Soup let out a sigh. “That’s why I did not say that.”

    Guo DaLu: “So what are you planning on saying?”

    Sour Plum Soup’s eyes darted back and forth. She nibbled on her lip nervously and asked, “If a man fancies a woman and wants to marry her, will he do many strange and unreasonable things?”

    Wang Dong: “Yes.” A man would nearly do anything for the woman he loves.

    Sour Plum Soup: “Women are the same.” She carried on, “If a woman likes a man and wants to marry him, she, too, will do many strange and unreasonable things.” Her face suddenly flushed red as she lowered her eyes and whispered, “I… I am eighteen this year.”

    An eighteen year old girl’s mind will usually turn to one thing: marriage. What eighteen year old girl is not filled with thoughts of romance? This is very natural.

    Guo DaLu laughed again. “You are not sick. A boy who has come of age should take a wife; a girl who has matured should marry a husband.” He thrust out his chest confidently. “But who is it you have taken a fancy to?”

    Yan Qi threw a look of daggers at him and answered for her in a cold tone, “Of course it must be you.”

    Guo DaLu chuckled, “Well, not necessarily.” His lips may have said “not necessarily” but the expression on his face was one of certainty. A man like him was not easy to find. Even if you banged loudly on a gong, one may not show up. If Sour Plum Soup was not attracted to him, who else could she be attracted to?

    At that moment, Sour Plum Soup’s eyes were actually on him, but she was shaking her head. Hiding her mouth behind her hand, she giggled, “Perhaps it is you, perhaps it isn’t you. I cannot tell you right now.”

    Guo DaLu: “Why?”

    Sour Plum Soup: “Because right now is not the appropriate time.”

    Guo DaLu: “When will be the appropriate time?”

    They could see her eyes moving beneath her eyelids. With her head lowered, she murmured, “I still have to observe to see if he truly is very good. This is an important decision in my life. I cannot afford to not be exceptionally careful.”

    Guo DaLu: “You still haven’t been able to figure it out?”

    Sour Plum Soup: “I… I still want to wait, to observe a bit more.”

    In a flat voice, Yan Qi interrupted, “From what I see, you should observe a bit quicker. Someone is already anxious to death.”

    Guo DaLu smiled. “It doesn’t matter. Take your time and observe. A good person will always be a good person. The more you observe, the better he looks.”

    Sour Plum Soup chimed sweetly, “When I have finished observing and have figured it out, you will definitely be the first one I tell.”

    Yan Qi stood up unexpectedly, turned his head, and walked out.

    Guo DaLu called, “Why are you leaving? We are all chatting here. You don’t find it nice?”

    Yan Qi: “What is there to chat about?”

    Guo DaLu: “You have nothing to say at all?”

    Yan Qi: “I have only one sentence that I want to say.” He did not even turn his head as he stated, “Girls nowadays are getting more and more brazen.”
    Last edited by Hoju!; 11-20-07 at 04:02 PM.

  14. #194
    Moderator CrazyT's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    1,946

    Default

    Sorry to hear about your accident Hoju. I hope you feel better very quickly. Thanks for translating the story. No need to rush back until you're completely heal.

    On a sidenote, I'm thinking this story is about 2 heros and 2 heroines.
    I would love to change the world, but they won't give me the source code.

  15. #195
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    611

    Default Get Better soon Hojo

    Hay Hojo...
    Your number one fan here wishes you fast recovery.
    Your work will be missed.

    In my first year of driving I had 6-7 accidents... Luckily I dident injure any one... and dident get injured.

    The thing I hate about car accident is; you never see it comming.

  16. #196
    Senior Member overjoy71's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Melbourne, AU
    Posts
    304

    Default

    Sorry to hear about the accident Hoju!. i hope everything is ok with you.
    Thanks for the translating again.

    As for YQ.. I think he is a she!!! Arrrrgghhhh......

  17. #197
    Senior Member Hoju!'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Posts
    1,606

    Default

    Thank you for the well wishes. Several more weeks without the use of my right hand, so I'm sorry that things won't be updated. I just wanted to finish off the chapter.



    Chapter 12 continued.....
    --------------------------------------------------

    Yan Qi: “I have only one sentence that I want to say.” He did not even turn his head as he stated, “Girls nowadays are getting more and more brazen.”

    Guo DaLu watched as he walked out before shaking his head. Smiling, he apologized, “That guy’s temperament may be a little eccentric, but he is a good person. Suan guniang [*guniang = "Miss;" a form of address for a young woman; recall that Sour Plum Soup in pinyin is Suan MeiTang], please do not be angry with him.”

    In a sweet voice, Sour Plum Soup said, “My surname is not Suan. It is Mei.”

    Guo Dalu asked, “The ‘mei’ in plum blossoms [*mei hua = plum blossoms]?”

    She nodded. “My name is Mei RuNan.”

    Guo DaLu chuckled, “There’s plum blossoms and orchids in your name. Practically enough flowers to open a flower shop.”

    She giggled as she corrected, “Not ‘lan’ as in orchid [*lan hua = orchid]. It is ‘nan’ as in man [*nan ren = male/man].”

    Guo DaLu repeated, “Mei RuNan. This name is a tad strange.”

    Mei RuNan explained, “Xian fu [*respectful way to refer to one’s own father who has passed away] gave me this name with the intention of reminding me, ‘You must be like a man. You cannot be indecisive. If you want to do something, do it. If you want to say something, just say it.’ ”

    Wang Dong all of a sudden remarked, “Should the spirit of your father in the netherworld be aware of things here, he will certainly be extremely pleased.”

    Mei RuNan: “Why is that?”

    Wang Dong: “Because you definitely have lived up to the expectations he placed on you.”

    Mei RuNan blushed. “You…you really think that I act like a man?”

    Wang Dong: “You’re a woman?”

    Mei RuNan had to laugh.

    Guo DaLu joined in with the laughter. “The way you do things truly is more manly than even some men out there. For example…” He dropped his voice down to a low whisper, “… our friend, Yan Qi, sometimes behaves like a woman. Not only is he a little sissy at times, he also will frequently throw tantrums for no reason.”

    Mei RuNan asked him, “Do you think women frequently get angry without any reason?”

    Guo DaLu did not answer and only smiled.

    Mei RuNan: “Women are the same as men. If they are upset, there is a reason behind it. It’s just that men don’t know what that reason is.” A little giggle escaped as she added, “In reality, men are not as smart as they think they are.”

    Guo Dalu wanted to say something, but he held his words back. He had resolved not to argue with her. If he was to argue, he would wait until she had revealed who she had a crush on. He would then inform her that, even though men may not be as smart as they thought of themselves, they were at least much smarter than she realized. And by then, she would believe him for sure.

    A grin had spread on his face as if he could already imagine that tender, glorious moment when Sour Plum Soup would lie in his embrace and tell him that he was “the one.”

    “Then she’ll know who the truly smart one is.” Guo DaLu was grinning so widely he practically could not close his mouth.

    Lin TaiPing was beaming also. Was he envisioning the same scene for himself?

    A man who does not know how to intoxicate himself with his own fantasies cannot be considered a real man. Perhaps, it can even be said that he cannot be considered a real person. Humans are superior to other beasts because of their ability to capture themselves within their own imagination.

    Mei RuNan suddenly broke into the daydream. “Actually, it is not a bad thing to be slightly effeminate.”

    Guo DaLu: “Why?”

    Mei RuNan: “At least those types of guys usually are not uncivilized or boorish and in fact, are often more gentle and considerate.”

    Guo DaLu stood up unexpectedly. With his hips swaying back and forth, he walked outside. Turning his head, he addressed Wang Dong, “Do you think I am a little effeminate?”

    Wang Dong: “You are a man?”

    Laughing loudly, Guo DaLu replied, “I thought I was, but now, I am a little unclear myself.”

    ********************

    Moon. The moon was very bright. The round moon hung above the treetop.

    Yan Qi sat alone beneath the tree, staring off into the distance. Walking over, Guo DaLu sat next to him. Yan Qi’s brow creased into a scowl, and he glared wide-eyed at him as he snapped, “What do you want here?”

    Guo DaLu: “To chat.”

    Yan Qi’s face darkened. “What do you have to chat with me about? Why don’t you go find that Mei guniang?”

    Rubbing his chin, Guo DaLu observed, “You do not seem to be very fond of her.”

    Yan Qi: “There are plenty of people already who are fond of her. There is no need to add me into that number.”

    Guo DaLu did not say anything.

    Yan Qi threw another fierce stare at him. “You guys seemed to be enjoying yourselves during your conversation this afternoon.”

    Guo DaLu: “Mm.”

    Yan Qi: “So if you were having so much fun, why are you bothering to come find me now?”

    Guo DaLu suddenly burst out in laughter. “You’re sipping vinegar [*a way of saying that someone is jealous, usually of a rival in romance].”

    Yan Qi’s face seemed to turn red for a brief instant. “Vinegar? Who would I be jealous of?”

    A knowing grin on his lips, Guo DaLu answered, “You know the one that she likes has to be me but you really like her, so…”

    Without waiting for him to finish, Yan Qi stood up to leave. Guo DaLu reached for his hand, but Yan Qi shook it off. Grabbing his hand again, Guo DaLu said, “I came here to talk to you about serious matters.”

    Frowning, Yan Qi retorted, “Serious? What type of serious matters could possibly come from your mouth?”

    Guo DaLu: “I think you once said that there is a family that lives nearby with the surname of Mei. The young master is called ‘Stone Man’ Mei RuJia.”

    Yan Qi: “Yes, I had said that.”



    End of Chapter 12
    Last edited by Hoju!; 12-11-07 at 08:44 PM.

  18. #198
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    Nepal
    Posts
    220

    Default thnx

    glad to see u back!
    Rose blooms best near death
    You are in full bloom, Pal!

  19. #199
    Senior Member overjoy71's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Melbourne, AU
    Posts
    304

    Default

    Here here.. it is good to see you back, Hoju!
    Thanks for the update.

  20. #200
    Moderator Ren Wo Xing's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Currently DC
    Posts
    6,660

    Default

    Take care of that hand, buddy!
    Read the latest chapters of Coiling Dragon at Wuxia World!

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 5
    Last Post: 03-08-21, 09:43 AM
  2. Yang Guo: Hero or Anti-Hero?
    By Dennis Chen in forum Wuxia Fiction
    Replies: 29
    Last Post: 08-03-10, 10:12 PM
  3. I Am Happy (K-drama)
    By sunnydayz3 in forum Japanese/Korean Dramas
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 08-05-08, 10:48 AM
  4. Will WJ be happy with ZM?
    By hermit in forum Wuxia Fiction
    Replies: 17
    Last Post: 04-10-04, 02:33 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •