Chapter 188
Chapter 188
Dishes covered the entire table, dazzling the eye.
For the young Daoists of Mount Yunhe, the feast brought even more happiness than their usual New Year celebrations.
Only as Ren Fengjue watched the children, both older and younger, seize their chopsticks and feast with gusto did he feel that his birthday had gained some meaning.
Yu Lang had already poured the wine. Waggling his eyebrows at Lord Ren, he said, “I know you never drink while traveling, but surely tonight calls for an exception?”
Seeing everyone else lift their wine bowls, Ren Fengjue knew he had no choice but to drink.
Wind and snow raged outside, while laughter and cheerful voices filled the hall.
Before long, the young Daoists had eaten and drunk their fill and left the table one after another.
Everyone remaining at the table except Xia Ximo had a flush on their face.
Yu Lang marveled, “I underestimated Miss Xia’s capacity for wine.”
Yan Zhengchu had little tolerance and was already mostly drunk. He asked in a low voice, “Didn’t you notice the last time we were at Ling Family Village?”
Xia Ximo had indeed drunk no less than any of them.
Yet even after all that wine passed through her, she showed not the slightest sign of intoxication.
Whether her ability to drink a thousand cups without growing drunk came from this body or from her true self was impossible to say…
The wine from Ling Family Village was mellow on the tongue but extremely potent, with an aftereffect that struck hard.
Yu Lang finally remembered that the longevity noodles were waiting in the kitchen for his order. He tried to stand and fetch them, only to stagger and nearly fall.
He had no choice but to appeal to Xia Ximo. “Miss Xia, could I trouble you to make the trip yourself?”
Xia Ximo surveyed the room. Everyone was swaying or slumped over, so she knew there truly was no one else to go.
Without another word, she rose to leave the table.
Ren Fengjue gently caught the corner of her robe and murmured, “The wind and snow are heavy outside. Take care; the ground may be slippery.”
One look at him showed that he too was quite drunk, yet he still remembered to warn her and show concern…
Everyone at the table wore an intriguing expression.
Xia Ximo merely acknowledged him mildly.
She walked out of the hall to find the world blanketed in white. In so short a time, the glow of snow had already filled the night.
In the rear kitchen, the cook hired from below the mountain hurriedly dropped the noodles into the pot when she entered.
Before long, a perfectly prepared bowl of longevity noodles was ready.
Wuyou crouched on her shoulder and sniffed deeply at the mortal aroma, sighing, “The living truly know how to observe their customs…”
The sight was enough to make Wuyou crave a taste.
Through the original body’s memories, Xia Ximo could recall a faint impression of longevity noodles.
Long ago, when her parents were still alive at General’s Manor, her mother would personally cook her a bowl for her birthday.
When she thought carefully, she could even remember how the noodles had tasted…
The cook placed the bowl in a food box to keep out the wind and snow.
When Xia Ximo returned to the main hall, she found a figure standing by the door, seemingly waiting for her.
But when she drew closer and looked inside, the hall was completely empty.
Ren Fengjue explained, “They passed out drunk and were taken back to their rooms.”
Xia Ximo had not expected him to remain standing. Just as she was about to speak, he swayed and nearly lost his balance.
She caught him in time. “You look close to collapsing too.”
Ren Fengjue was tall. With her support, he barely steadied himself. His intoxicated eyes resembled the moon seen through mist.
There was even something childlike in his drunkenness.
He murmured tipsily, “I was still waiting for your… longevity noodles.”
“Mm.”
Xia Ximo supported him steadily inside and took the longevity noodles from the food box.
“Eat.”
The noodles were still hot and pleasantly firm.
Her voice remained cool, but it clearly held more patience than usual.
Ren Fengjue happily picked up his chopsticks. The single long noodle had to be eaten in one unbroken strand, never bitten through, to symbolize unending blessings and longevity.
Xia Ximo silently watched him, but Ren Yao’s words rose in her mind once more:
The reason my nephew was born missing one po soul may have something to do with you.
She had no need to heed such an unfounded claim.
But now, every time she looked at Ren Fengjue, she could not stop herself from remembering it…
She even wondered whether the answer might lie in the memories of her previous life, sealed away for a century.
And who did the dark shadow and the voice in last night’s dream belong to?
While she was lost in thought, Ren Fengjue quickly finished the bowl of longevity noodles.
Supporting his heavy head, he turned to look at her. Drunkenness lent him a casual, uninhibited air she had never seen before.
Then he abruptly brought up another matter.
“Daoist Yan told me earlier that when he performed the Curse-Transfer Art this morning, my Little Uncle said something to him inside the array…”
“Little Uncle suspected that when Master Tianji entered the secret chamber at Fu Tower, broke the seal, and released the Vengeful Ghosts, he was not acting of his own will. It was very possible that someone had ordered him to do it…”
“If that is true, who could have been directing him from behind the scenes?”
Xia Ximo had not considered the question. She could not help thinking it over carefully as well.
She was about to answer when Ren Fengjue unexpectedly said something entirely unrelated.
“I suddenly remembered Father saying that you came to Renxuan Marquis Manor when you were one month old…”
“Do you think we might have met then?”
“…”
Xia Ximo glanced at him and finally realized that he had most likely begun speaking drunken nonsense.
She stood directly. “I will take you back.”
As she reached out to support him, he caught her hand and tugged…
Perhaps because he was drunk, he used too much force.
Caught off guard, Xia Ximo fell into his arms.
The scent of wine mingled with his familiar presence and rushed into her nose.
The next instant, an arm gently circled her waist…
He held her with one hand while the other remained propped lazily on the table, supporting half his face. His long, narrow eyes watched her in a direct, daring stare.
“Let go.”
“No.”
“Ren Fengjue.”
“Mm.”
Heat rose inexplicably in Xia Ximo’s chest, and a strange sensation spread through her heart.
Beside her ear came Wuyou’s laughter, barely held in. “Heavens above, what am I seeing?”
“Be quiet.”
The moment she spoke, Ren Fengjue answered in the same lazy tone, “All right.”
“…”
Then he slowly leaned closer, stopping only a finger’s width from her face.
His gaze traveled from her brows and eyes, down the bridge of her nose, and finally to her lips.
Panic swept through Xia Ximo. She hurriedly braced a hand against him and asked coldly, “Are you going back or not?”
Ren Fengjue suddenly broke into a smile. “Yes. I will walk you back.”
Though he released the arm around her waist, he naturally took her hand instead and strode toward the door.
The snow outside had grown heavier.
He removed his cloak and draped it over her, even carefully settling the hood over her head.
“Let us go.”
Then Ren Fengjue walked into the snow, only to reveal that he clearly could not tell which direction to take.
Xia Ximo simply walked ahead. When he refused to release her hand, she let him do as he pleased.
In this way, they walked all the way to the entrance of her courtyard.