Chapter 67
Chapter 67
By the time Chu Yue returned, everything was just about ready.
Shen Yubi came out carrying a dish and glanced behind him. “Where’s Guan Doujin?”
“Didn’t see him,” Chu Yue replied, following him into the kitchen to grab the bowls and chopsticks.
It wasn’t until everything was set that Guan Doujin finally returned from the small backyard.
As he washed his hands and sat at the table, Jiang Jiu grumbled in dissatisfaction, “Where were you slacking off? Not coming home until it’s time to eat, huh? You’re doing the dishes later.”
Guan Doujin didn’t refuse. Looking listless, he picked up a few bites of food, put them in his bowl, and buried his head in his meal.
Shen Yubi took one look at him and let out a snort. “Where else could he have been slacking off? Looking at that pathetic expression, Chen Dongran probably came looking for him again.”
“Her?” Jiang Jiu’s eyes widened. She turned to question Guan Doujin, “Is that true?”
Guan Doujin remained silent, his head hung low.
Seeing him like this, there was nothing left to misunderstand. Jiang Jiu slammed her chopsticks down. “That little hussy actually dares to come to my tavern? Guan Doujin, you coward! You’re being harassed time and again by a fickle woman-don’t you have any shame!”
Her sudden outburst startled Chu Yue.
His chopsticks paused as he looked at Jiang Jiu with confusion.
Noticing his gaze, Jiang Jiu stiffened for a moment before her body gradually relaxed.
The anger on her face was slowly replaced by a faint sorrow, and her voice softened.
“Jinzi, sigh, don’t blame me for being impatient. That woman isn’t someone you can spend your life with. Stop pining for her. You need to cut ties for good, or you’re the one who will suffer in the future.”
As she spoke, tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.
“I was indeed a bit hasty just now, but it’s really for your own good. Back in that Instance, that push of hers was meant to kill you. If it weren’t for Xiao Yu, you wouldn’t be sitting here right now.
Don’t forget, Xiao Yu almost lost a leg trying to save you.
Besides, that Chen Dongran doesn’t have a shred of feeling for you. We all heard what she said.”
Jiang Jiu didn’t recount the situation in detail, but her words made what had happened clear enough.
It was much as Chu Yue had speculated.
In a life-or-death situation, human survival instincts take over. Even if one partner in a couple leaves the other to flee alone, it could arguably be considered excusable after the fact.
But pushing someone else into danger while fleeing or encountering a threat was a different story entirely-that was pure malice.
Chu Yue chewed on his food, thinking that Jiang Jiu’s worries were likely unnecessary.
That girl named Chen Dongran hadn’t been sought out by Guan Doujin; she had come looking for him. Chu Yue had only heard one sentence from Guan Doujin, but his tone had been full of impatience. He clearly didn’t think much of her either.
Thinking of this, Chu Yue looked down, his gaze falling on Shen Yubi’s legs. He didn’t know exactly what had happened back then, but after their time together in these two Instances, Shen Yubi’s legs seemed perfectly fine.
Jiang Jiu let out a long sigh, her voice full of melancholy. “I’m truly afraid you’ll do something stupid.”
At this moment, except for Chu Yue, who was secretly checking out Shen Yubi’s legs, the other two had stopped eating.
Shen Yubi frowned at Jiang Jiu, feeling that strange sensation returning.
As for Guan Doujin, his mouth hung slightly open, unable to believe his ears.
“Sister Jiang, what… what are you talking about?”
What did she mean, ‘stop pining for her’? He had given up hope on that woman ages ago, alright?
And what was this about Shen Yubi almost losing a leg to save him? If he remembered correctly, wasn’t it just a minor scrape?
And why was she afraid he’d do something stupid? Didn’t she already know his attitude toward Chen Dongran?
What was going on? He had only stepped out to meet Chen Dongran once, yet she made it sound like he was about to elope with her.
Jiang Jiu sighed again, her smile tinged with a bit more bitterness and helplessness.
“I didn’t say anything. I know you don’t like hearing it. Fine, let’s not talk about such unlucky things. Let’s eat.”
As she spoke, she used the serving chopsticks to scoop a few slices of meat from the pot and placed them into Guan Doujin’s bowl, her eyes full of consideration. “Eat up. Don’t think about those frustrating matters anymore.”
Guan Doujin looked at the meat in his bowl with a sense of trepidation. He picked up a slice and put it in his mouth, secretly wondering what kind of madness had possessed Jiang Jiu.
To the side, Shen Yubi watched her shifting expressions with amusement. Suddenly understanding her intentions, he let out a snort. “Sister Jiang is so thoughtful.”
Jiang Jiu lamented, “I’m a few years older than you two. We’ve relied on each other for survival all these years, so naturally, I should care for you more.”
Shen Yubi lowered his head in silence.
Guan Doujin: “…”
What the hell? Was this woman possessed by something today? Why was she acting so abnormal?
However, having been won over by those few bites of meat, he kept his head down and ate quietly, knowing it was better not to expose her.
Chu Yue didn’t notice the undercurrents flowing between the three of them. Hearing this, his eyes lit up. “So, Sister Jiang, you watched Xiao Yu grow up?”
Jiang Jiu nodded. “Naturally.”
“Call me…” Shen Yubi initially felt that the name ‘Xiao Yu’ was a bit abrupt, but he had to stop himself halfway through.
His name was truly awkward.
Guan Doujin and Jiang Jiu had always called him ‘Shen Yubi,’ and strangers did the same.
After a moment’s thought, it seemed there wasn’t another nickname that sounded decent.
Chu Yue looked at him. “That’s what I used to call you.”
Shen Yubi lowered his head expressionlessly. “As you wish.”
It was fine when he was a child, but now that he was grown, hearing that name again brought a certain sense of shame.
The topic quickly shifted to Shen Yubi, and this time, he was the one who buried his head in his food.
Chu Yue and Jiang Jiu began chatting about Shen Yubi’s childhood.
Listening to them go back and forth with ‘Xiao Yu this’ and ‘Xiao Yu that,’ Guan Doujin almost couldn’t hold back his laughter. Fortunately, his self-control was strong; if he laughed now, he would likely get beaten up by Shen Yubi later.
The four of them finished their first meal in that rather strange and absurd atmosphere.
Shen Yubi went upstairs to change his clothes, getting rid of the lingering smell of hotpot.
He walked over to Chu Yue’s side. “Tidy up a bit. I’ll take you out for a walk.”
Chu Yue hadn’t heard enough yet and said a regretful goodbye to Jiang Jiu. The two of them agreed to continue talking about Shen Yubi’s childhood next time.
Once Chu Yue went upstairs, Shen Yubi sat at the counter and poured a cup of tea. He held the teacup in his hand, turning it over and over.
“Put away whatever you’re thinking. He’s going to leave.”
Jiang Jiu leaned against the counter. “Leave? You can only leave at Level 12. How many years will that take? Decades? Or centuries?”
She buried her head in the crook of her arm, her body trembling with laughter. “Besides, how do you know he’ll even live until then?”
Shen Yubi ignored her and set the teacup down; the tea inside remained untouched.
His voice was neither cold nor warm as he repeated himself: “He is going to leave.”
Jiang Jiu’s trembling grew more pronounced. “Yes, he’s going to leave, and you’re going to leave with him. You’re both going to leave.”
Shen Yubi stood up and walked toward the exit of the tavern. “You think I can still leave?”
When Chu Yue came downstairs, Jiang Jiu was the only one left in the Hall.
Looking at the woman slumped over the counter, Chu Yue called out softly, “Sister Jiang, where’s Xiao Yu?”
Jiang Jiu didn’t say a word, only lifting a finger to point outside.
“Then I’ll head out first,” he said, walking toward the door.
Jiang Jiu lifted her head from her arms and tilted it to watch his departing figure, her eyes slightly red.