Chapter 5: It Turns Out the Dark Line is a Romance (22)
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Was she a fairy sent by the heavens to save him?
Little Shiyuan watched in awe as Sister Hong Chen snapped her fingers, making both torrential rain and dark clouds vanish in an instant.
And despite the pouring rain moments before, she walked around like she was personally blessed by the divine—her skirt and the soles of her feet were the only parts wet, with not a drop of rainwater anywhere else on her.
If that’s just coincidence, then it must be the luckiest coincidence ever.
He would much rather believe it was her divine power at work.
So immersed was he in staring at Sister Hong Chen that he completely tuned out the battle cries from the lakeshore.
“Let’s go.”
Lin Nan waved to Little Shiyuan.
Only then did he snap back to reality, jumping off the observation deck and following Lin Nan into the cargo hold.
No matter what, Sister Hong Chen had saved him once again.
This time was also the first time he’d managed to hold out for at least half of an incense stick’s worth of time without any external help.
Though Sister Hong Chen didn’t explicitly praise him, he could see appreciation shining in her calm eyes, which only strengthened his resolve to stick close to her.
Yep, after all these years at the Shi family manor, he was done reliving that life. What he wanted most now was to roam the martial world with Sister Hong Chen.
[Ding! Little Shiyuan’s Affection Level has increased to 95%.]
[You have gained 300 Luck Value points, bringing your total to 1720 points. Your current Luck Level is LV6.]
His affection level had finally gone up again, now just a step away from 100%.
Lin Nan felt delighted internally, but kept a cool façade on the outside.
Outside, the chaos of battle continued.
The newly joined mountain stronghold members surged forward like a tidal wave, while the Giant Wave Gang was demoralized after their failed ambush, having lost dozens of their own. Facing this unexpected strong enemy, they were no match.
And Jin Wen was still bogged down by Fatty, unable to command his gang members’ defense at all.
In no time, everyone was fighting individually, quickly being slaughtered and scattered by the mountain stronghold soldiers.
The cargo hold was about ten meters from the shore, with the deepest part submerging a person’s head.
Lin Nan didn’t want to get his skirt wet because of his Luck Value, so he decided, “System, give me the ‘Floating Steps’ ability!”
[You will consume 10 Luck Value points.]
At that moment, several small wooden planks floated over smoothly, perfectly aligning themselves in a long row on the surface of the water.
Lin Nan seized the opportunity, moving like a gust of wind, and lightly tapped his toes on the planks as he gracefully glided across the water. His red figure looked like a freshly bloomed flower, radiating a mesmerizing silhouette.
Little Shiyuan watched, utterly dumbfounded. He wanted to emulate Sister Hong Chen, but the moment he tried to step onto the first plank, he plummeted into the water like a lead weight.
Walking on water looked easy, but in practice? He realized that mastering Sister Hong Chen’s ethereal grace would take at least a decade of hard work.
Fortunately, he had a basic understanding of swimming. Though his stroke was less than graceful, he managed to dog-paddle his way to the shore.
“This place isn’t safe, we need to move.”
Lin Nan fought off the few mountain stronghold soldiers lingering nearby while Little Shiyuan scrambled up onto the shore. Together, they dashed into the nearby forest like the wind, avoiding the gang fight.
As Little Shiyuan caught his breath and looked back, he saw that the fierce battle was almost winding down. Most of the Giant Wave Gang members were kneeling in surrender, while their branch leader, Jin Wen, was pinned down by Fatty with a sword at his throat.
“What’s going on?” Little Shiyuan was utterly confused.
He recognized that cocky Fatty, the one who was always tailing the mountain king. He had thought that Fatty knew nothing but flattery, but it turned out he was a sword master as well.
Moreover, their timing had been perfect, coming in right after a downpour while Sister Hong Chen led them from defense to offense.
It was as if they’d inadvertently taken the lead for the mountain stronghold, drawing most of the Giant Wave Gang’s attention, only to later end up sewing a wedding gown for the mountain stronghold.
This realization made Little Shiyuan feel a twinge of ire.
“Sis, were they just hiding nearby waiting to take advantage of us?”
Lin Nan replied, “Our original goal was to teach the Giant Wave Gang a lesson. We strike, and the mountain stronghold cleans up. It’s not a bad deal.”
“But…”
Little Shiyuan still found it hard to comprehend.
“By the way, you did well back there.” Lin Nan tried to shift his focus. “I didn’t expect you to hold out so long.”
Instantly, Little Shiyuan’s face turned slightly flushed from her praise, momentarily forgetting about the mountain stronghold.
“No, I wasn’t good enough. If it weren’t for you, I would have been toast!”
“Everyone has one chance in their life to trust someone completely. I’m glad you trust me so much.”
Lin Nan said lightly, “But most people in the martial world aren’t trustworthy. Interacting with every stranger requires a hundredfold caution. Even with long-term companions, you need to thoroughly vet them before handing over your back.
That’s my advice for you.
So, I think as long as you remember everything I teach you in these two days, at least you can ensure your safe return home.”
Little Shiyuan nodded fervently, “Sister, you’re the one person I trust the most in my life. I’ll remember everything you teach me.”
Lin Nan replied, “Great. From now on, let’s part ways.”
Little Shiyuan was dumbfounded.
He thought they made a good team and that Sister Hong Chen would continue to take him into the martial world, giving him opportunities to express his feelings for her along the way.
But he never expected her to propose leaving at this moment.
This… even though it had only been two days, he knew in his heart that every time he faced a challenge, Sister Hong Chen had provided immense help. If it weren’t for her, he wouldn’t have been able to figure out many things or gain insights he had failed to grasp over the years.
While Little Shiyuan was deeply conflicted, Lin Nan simply turned and walked into the depths of the forest without saying a word.
Unable to hold it in, Little Shiyuan rushed after her, shouting, “Sister Hong Chen, I like you! Don’t go!”
Lin Nan paused for a moment, not turning around, and replied, “We’ve known each other for only two days. Are you sure your feelings are genuine?”
Seeing Lin Nan stop, Little Shiyuan quickly switched to stand in front of her.
Though soaked from head to toe, his heart burned with fervor.
“Yes, I’m sure!”
“Ah Yuan, you’re mistaking attachment for love.
I saved your life, taught you martial arts, took you through the martial world; over time, you’ll develop an attachment, nothing more.”
“What’s the difference between attachment and love?” Little Shiyuan asked.
“Attachment is a broad emotion. Any two people, even a prison guard and a prisoner, might develop an attachment. Love, on the other hand, is quite narrow.
You need time to think about it, not rush to conclusions.”
Little Shiyuan was momentarily speechless. He couldn’t deny that Lin Nan had a point. At this moment, he couldn’t distinguish between attachment and love.
Yet he deeply understood one thing: if Sister Hong Chen left, the chances of meeting her again in the future would be like finding a needle in a haystack—extremely difficult.
He had to seize the moment; that was his chance to further ponder the questions she posed.
Whether it was attachment or love, as long as he was currently thinking about keeping Sister Hong Chen with him, that was all that mattered.
“Sister, I’ve put all my trust in you. I don’t know who else I can trust with my back.”
Little Shiyuan looked earnestly at Lin Nan. “Life is long, but truly happy days are few and far between. I just know that these past two days with you, I’ve been incredibly happy—this is a kind of joy I’ve never experienced before. I believe that this is love.
In contrast, upon hearing you say you were leaving, my heart felt like it was being cut by knives; this pain is something I only felt when my mother passed away.”
“Sister, please give me a chance. I’ll prove to you that I’m worthy of you.”
Lin Nan’s veil fluttered gently, sometimes revealing her delicate chin and a glimpse of her crimson lips, which only made Little Shiyuan’s heart flutter even more, leaving him breathless.
She stared quietly into his eyes, as if seeing through to his very soul in silent contemplation.
Little Shiyuan’s emotions surged, finally reaching the pinnacle that Lin Nan had longed for.
[Ding! Little Shiyuan’s Affection Level has reached 100%.]
[You have gained 500 Luck Value points, bringing your total to 2220 points. Your current Luck Level is LV7.]
Not bad! Little Shiyuan alone had contributed over two thousand Luck Value points, raising the level to 7.
Who would’ve thought this small figure had such potential?
Finally, the efforts of the past two days hadn’t been in vain; pretending to be a good mentor and friend had been quite the struggle.
At that moment, Lin Nan grew more curious about how Little Shiyuan would react once he discovered the truth.
“Alright, I’ll agree to stay.”
Lin Nan resisted a smile as she spoke softly.
When Little Shiyuan heard Sister Hong Chen had agreed, he immediately jumped up and waved his arms, filled with overwhelming joy.
“But before that, there’s something I want to tell you. I hope you won’t be mad at me for keeping this from you.”
Little Shiyuan eagerly nodded, “Sister, just say it. No matter what, I trust you.”
Lin Nan clapped her hands, and soon Fatty led a group of people to encircle them, each looking at Little Shiyuan with ill intent.
Little Shiyuan froze, glancing between Lin Nan and Fatty.
In that moment, something flickered in his mind, but he couldn’t catch it.
“Master, I’ll escort you back to the mountain stronghold,” Fatty exclaimed, bowing slightly to Little Shiyuan.
“No, I won’t go back. The Great King personally allowed me to leave!” Little Shiyuan instinctively rejected the idea.
Fatty sighed and turned to Lin Nan, “Great King, see… your Master is so stubborn.”
“Great King?” Little Shiyuan exclaimed, completely shocked.
“That’s what I warned you about: the martial world is perilous. Don’t easily trust anyone with your back.”
Lin Nan slowly removed her veil and smiled at Little Shiyuan, “My husband, I hereby pay my respects.”
Little Shiyuan felt as if struck by lightning, stumbling back a couple of steps, pointing at Lin Nan, “You… you…”
Before he could finish his sentence, his body shook, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Lin Nan, “….”
She hadn’t expected Little Shiyuan’s reaction to be so intense.
Falling in love only to be betrayed is indeed a hard pill to swallow.
My apologies.
…
P.S.: Little Shiyuan has been successfully wooed, hope you all enjoy!
