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墨書 Inktalez
Ye Chuanze ran to the edge of a pond, crouched down, and dipped his hands into the water. A wave of coldness surged through him, calming his heated thoughts. He scrubbed his hands for a long time, still thinking about the moment when Hongjun had dried his hands for him. It was a warm scene, and for a brief moment, his heart skipped a beat. An indescribable fluttering sensation rose from his heart and spread throughout his body, making him feel an impulse to cry.
Arriving alone in this unfamiliar world, he was suppressed by the Heavenly Dao, powerless to resist and constantly fleeing. Thousands of years ago, when he first arrived in Primordial, he was timid and on the run, displaced and lost. It wasn't until he was captured by Rahul and temporarily resided in Wuji Cave that he found a brief sense of peace. Although being captured by Rahul was not what Ye Chuanze desired, it was undeniable that during that time, he felt the most at ease since arriving in Primordial. He no longer had to worry or fear, nor did he have to evade powerful enemies lurking around.
Later, after Rahul's death, Ye Chuanze escaped to Buzhou Mountain, where he settled in Cloud Valley. With Ye Chuanze's growing strength and the assistance and deterrence from Fuxi and Nuwa, no one in Primordial dared to target him anymore. From then on, Ye Chuanze truly found peace. However, even so, the memories of his past fearful and anxious flight still left an indelible mark on his heart.
Thus, he became emotionally distant and reluctant to easily trust others. He was skilled at calculating risks and avoided putting himself in dangerous situations. Alone, he never dared to entrust his safety to another person. He had never found anyone completely trustworthy; no one could share the weight of the pressure he bore, not even his close friend Fuxi. Human hearts are inscrutable; betrayal can be ruthless. He envied the deep brotherly bond among the Three Pure Ones and the closeness between Fuxi and Nuwa. After envying them, he remained solitary.
His master Hongjun held less weight in his heart than Fuxi did. Fuxi treated others with sincerity, while Hongjun concealed too much; Ye Chuanze could not fully trust him. Even though Hongjun had done much for him and treated him well, it could not make him lower his guard entirely. Each time he felt moved, he would become vigilant again, maintaining a facade.
However, just now when Hongjun wiped his fingers for him, it stirred something within him. The warmth emanating from Hongjun touched him deeply. It felt like a father’s affection, indulging a helpless and lonely child.
Ye Chuanze stared blankly at his reflection as he scooped up some cold pond water to wash his face, cleansing away the tangled emotions within him.
After calming down, he looked down at the handkerchief he had set aside. The plain white cloth embroidered with purple cloud patterns was now so dirty that its original color was unrecognizable; it was stained with dirt and dust. Ye Chuanze couldn't help but twitch his mouth—how long would it take to clean this?
Resignedly, he submerged the handkerchief in the pond water and gently scrubbed it with careful movements, afraid to apply too much force for fear of damaging it. A stream of yellowish dirty water flowed out; there were several particularly dirty spots on the handkerchief that were difficult to clean. Ye Chuanze scrubbed vigorously... until suddenly with a loud rip, the handkerchief tore apart.
Ye Chuanze held onto the torn handkerchief with both hands for a while without moving, staring blankly at it. After a moment, he looked around to see if anyone was watching; finding no one, he quickly used magic to dry the damp handkerchief before stuffing it into his pocket. His movements were fluid and seamless without any pause. Once finished with these actions, he looked around again; seeing no one nearby brought him relief.
He adjusted his expression and checked his calm demeanor against the still surface of the pond to ensure there were no signs of distress before standing up to head back.
Under the Peach Blossom Tree stood a Jade Stone Table adorned with a Wine Jug and two cups. Hongjun sat beside the stone table in a Purple Robe with his head bowed low. He exuded unmatched elegance and grace.
Ye Chuanze glanced beneath the Peach Blossom Tree and noticed that the large pit they had dug earlier had disappeared; it seemed Hongjun had covered it with yellow earth. Only empty wine jars remained nearby with their lids opened—clearly indicating they were empty inside. Ye Chuanze's gaze shifted slightly as he realized that Hongjun must have poured all that wine into the Wine Jug on the table.
The Wine Jug may seem small, but it actually hides a vast space within, like an endless pit that can hold as much wine as one desires. In the past, Rahul also had such a Wine Jug, but now it belongs to Ye Chuanze.
Ye Chuanze subtly adjusted his expression, ensuring there were no flaws before he stepped forward again. Hongjun noticed his arrival and looked up at him; Ye Chuanze took a seat across from him.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Ye Chuanze said.
Hongjun's expression was calm, his voice as cold as usual, "No matter how long it takes, I will wait for you."
Upon hearing this, Ye Chuanze's expression shifted slightly, and after a moment he said, "How about you give me your handkerchief? As a keepsake."
Hongjun suddenly looked up at him, his gaze clear.
Ye Chuanze turned his head slightly to avoid his gaze and said, "It's just a handkerchief. Don't be so stingy; if you want, I can always give you another one next time."
"Suit yourself," Hongjun replied lightly. "If you wish to give it, I won't refuse."
"..." Ye Chuanze thought to himself that he was just saying it casually and didn't mean to actually give it to him!
"This is the first time someone has offered to give me a gift; I didn't expect it to come from you," Hongjun said expressionlessly, which made Ye Chuanze swallow back the words of refusal he wanted to say.
It's just a handkerchief; I could just ask Nüwa to embroider one for me, Ye Chuanze thought.
He then considered Nüwa's notoriously fierce and combative nature and began to doubt whether she could actually embroider. Judging by appearances... she probably couldn't. Imagining Nüwa embroidering made Ye Chuanze shudder and silently wipe the sweat from his brow. It would be better if I just embroidered it myself.
"My handkerchiefs and clothes are usually managed by Yaochi. If you have any questions, just ask her," Hongjun added.
"..." Ye Chuanze.
Is it my misunderstanding? Does this mean... asking him to learn embroidery from Yaochi? I must be mistaken! Ye Chuanze felt completely off.
Hongjun held a wine cup and poured a drink for Ye Chuanze, saying, "Try this wine, how does it taste?"
Ye Chuanze raised the cup and drank it all in one go. The taste was spicy and strong, with a rich aroma. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Good wine!"
Hearing this, Hongjun's eyes flashed with a hint of a smile, and his tone softened considerably: "I'm glad you like it. This wine was buried under the Peach Blossom Tree after you left Purple Cloud Palace last time. I thought that when you returned, we could drink and enjoy the flowers together under this Peach Blossom Tree."
Ye Chuanze fell silent upon hearing this, suddenly feeling that the wine cup in his hand weighed a thousand pounds.
Hongjun continued, "You once promised to drink fine wine with me until we were drunk and wouldn't return. I've waited for you for a long time, yet you have been slow to come back and reluctant to take form. I... can no longer wait. Do you harbor resentment towards me for urging you to take form?"
"I dare not," Ye Chuanze replied.
"It is 'dare not,' not 'do not.' You indeed harbor resentment towards me."
Ye Chuanze remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "At first, I felt some resentment towards my master, thinking you were pushing me too hard. But now, I feel no resentment at all; instead, I am very grateful. If it weren't for your help, how could I have survived the tribulation to attain human form? Everything you have done for me is seen and remembered in my heart. Your kindness is like that of a reborn parent. As a child of an immortal, my journey has been difficult; born without parents, I would rather acknowledge you as my father to repay your kindness in giving me life!" His heartfelt words moved him deeply, almost bringing tears to his eyes.
"..." Hongjun.
Hongjun clearly did not expect Ye Chuanze to say such things. He initially intended these words to dispel any lingering rejection Ye Chuanze might feel towards him and to bring them closer together. However, he never anticipated that Ye Chuanze would express such sentiments. It completely caught him off guard, leaving him unsure of how to respond. One thing he was certain of was that he did not want another son—especially one as grown as Ye Chuanze.
He treated Ye Chuanze well not because he wanted another son. As for why he treated him well or what he hoped to gain from it, Hongjun himself was not entirely clear at that moment. He simply acted on instinct according to his feelings. However, it was certain that he did not wish for Ye Chuanze to become his son; thus, he gently declined: "Since I have taken you as my disciple, it is only right that I treat you well and plan for your future. You need not... offer yourself in return; I am already your master; there is no need for you to regard me as a father."
Ye Chuanze thought Hongjun's language teacher must have died early; otherwise, how could he misuse idioms like this? The phrase "offer oneself" was certainly not used in this way. Nevertheless, he decided to play along and said, "Once a master, always a master; master, you are both teacher and father. It seems I have overstepped."
"..." Hongjun.
"Master does not need offspring; you are overthinking it," Hongjun could only say.
To this, Ye Chuanze turned a deaf ear, pretending not to hear.
He had calculated well; Hongjun was about to merge with the Heavenly Dao. If he acknowledged Hongjun as his father, it would mean he was the son of the Heavenly Dao. Even if the Heavenly Dao looked down on him, how could it harm its own son? This was undoubtedly the "My Dad is Li Gang" version of the Primordial. Little did he know, Hongjun was not cooperating at all and refused to acknowledge him as a son. It was truly disappointing! However, this did not stop Ye Chuanze from trying to take advantage of Hongjun; if he couldn't con his father, conning his master would suffice.
With this thought in mind, Ye Chuanze's gaze towards Hongjun became more enthusiastic. He picked up a wine cup and poured a drink for Hongjun, saying eagerly, "Master, have a drink."
Hongjun glanced at him and downed the drink in one go.
Ye Chuanze poured him another glass, "Master, have a drink."
Hongjun complied and drank from the cup.
Seeing that he had finished, Ye Chuanze quickly refilled his glass.
Hongjun raised his eyes to look at him, his expression unchanged, and finished the drink.
Ye Chuanze lifted the Wine Jug, wanting to pour more for him, but Hongjun stopped his motion with a hand and said, "Don't just pour for me; you should drink too. Today you are here to drink with me; it wouldn't be right for only me to drink."
Hongjun took the wine cup from his hand and poured a drink for him, his voice cold as he uttered one word, "Drink."
Ye Chuanze obediently finished the drink in his cup.
Hongjun poured him another glass, "Drink."
Ye Chuanze tilted his head back and drank it all.
Hongjun poured him another drink...
Half an hour later, the sky was completely dark.
The Full Moon hung high like a silver plate, and the Milky Way adorned the night sky like a jade belt.
The bright moonlight filtered through the gaps in the branches, casting mottled shadows on the two people sitting under the Peach Blossom Tree, as if a layer of silver gauze was draped over Ye Chuanze and Hongjun.
Ye Chuanze became disoriented after several cups of wine from Hongjun, his cheeks flushed like they were painted with rouge, his gaze began to blur with a layer of mist, and the Black Lotus between his brows appeared even more enchanting and beautiful, his sharp and heroic features now alluring and captivating.
"It's a bit hot..." Ye Chuanze mumbled with a slurred tongue, then opened his collar, revealing a large expanse of spring scenery on his chest, his sexy collarbone and fair skin unobstructed to the eye.
Hongjun glanced at him but quickly looked away, continuing to pour him more wine.
Ye Chuanze drank cup after cup, his cheeks growing redder and his gaze more dazed. After a long while, having finished yet another cup, he suddenly collapsed onto the stone table with a thud, completely drunk.
Seeing him passed out, Hongjun finally stopped pouring wine, speaking with some regret, "Already drunk? The night is still long!" Yet a smile unconsciously crept onto his lips as he gazed deeply at the intoxicated Ye Chuanze, who lay sprawled on the stone table, lost in thought.
Ye Chuanze lay sideways on the stone table, his hair slightly disheveled at his forehead, his cheeks flushed, and his eyes tightly closed. His eyelashes were long and dense, which Hongjun found quite beautiful. Ye Chuanze's features were exquisite and beautiful in youth; now transformed into adulthood, they were sharp and heroic yet still remarkably attractive. Hongjun stared at his face for a long time without looking away.
Suddenly, he reached out towards Ye Chuanze, wanting to touch his face but abruptly realized something and withdrew his hand. Hongjun sat there expressionless, lost in thought.
A gentle evening breeze blew by, causing the Peach Blossom Petals to flutter down from the branches onto the person beneath the tree. Watching Ye Chuanze drunkenly sprawled on the stone table, Hongjun remained motionless for a while before reaching out to pick up a few fallen Peach Blossom Petals from his hair and lightly chewing them in his mouth. In the wind, one could faintly hear him whispering, "The taste isn't as good as before."
With Ye Chuanze already passed out drunk, only Hongjun remained. He poured himself another drink and drank alone.
The evening breeze rustled through the trees as Peach Blossom Petals continued to fall like an endless rain of flowers.
Uncertain of how long he had been drinking, Hongjun still maintained a clear gaze, though his cheeks were slightly flushed. In contrast, Ye Chuanze, who had already passed out drunk, seemed utterly useless.
Hongjun finished the drink in his cup and set it down, his gaze shifting to the unconscious Ye Chuanze sprawled on the stone table. He stared blankly for a moment before rising and walking over to him, bending down to pick him up. When his hands touched Ye Chuanze, Hongjun momentarily lost focus but quickly regained his composure.
He held him and turned to leave.
One person always needed to remain sober while drinking to safely bring the other back. Hongjun had stopped drinking just as he was about to get drunk himself, preserving the last bit of clarity to take Ye Chuanze home.
At the moment they turned to leave, the vibrant peach blossoms on the branches began to fall, covering the ground with Peach Blossom Petals.
The flowering season was over; the peach blossoms had withered.
Originally, it was a flowering period that had been forcibly extended; now that it had fulfilled its purpose, it was time for it to fade.
To go against nature and prolong the flowering period was merely for a promise made long ago.
When you transform, we will drink and admire the flowers under the Peach Blossom Tree, not returning until we are intoxicated!
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