CH 26

Chapter 26 The Rival

Afternoon

A team of people were walking in a spacious country road. It does not look like a caravan of people but the group had three people riding in the front and they were being followed by a carriage. The group was not in a hurry. In the front, the woman riding was wearing a Tsing Yi ( Chinese Cheongsam) and following closely behind was a tall man.

Another man was riding dressed as a scholar and riding his horse beside the carriage and he appeared to be thinking very deeply.

Fang Ru Hui was frowning and his heart was very restless and when he could not bear it anymore, he spoke, “ Ah-Hen, your so-called method, me too will be…

“Isn’t too perfect?” Jin Yan Hen was half leaning against the window still wearing the loose beige gown and his eyes were constantly staring at the blue figure outside the carriage.

Fang Ru Hui shook his head and sighed. “The next time you see Aunt Ru, I hope you can still say this sentence.”

Jin Yan Hen squinted his eyes and looked him with a sinister smile, “ You gave the medicine and do you think you can escape also when that time comes.”

Fang Ru Hui hated a tooth itch!  If he only knew when Jin Yan Hen asked him for sleep drug, he thought it was for him and never guessed that he will give it to Aunt Ru. He regretted giving it and now he felt very depressed.  Why time and time again this guy can exactly estimate what he will do!

Jin Yan Hen bright eyes were staring at Fang Ru Hui, said, ” Ah Hui, you have been riding the horse for so long, aren’t you tired? Perhaps, it is time to make an exchange, you take a break.”

Fang Ru Hui’s mood suddenly changed a lot better, shrugged his shoulder and smiled. “You ask Miss Lou. If  she agrees, only then I will change with you.” This carriage was specifically and specially arranged by Lou Chen for the “weak”  Ah Hen and he will not dare to swap with him.

The narrow peach blossom eyes suddenly squinted and he hooked his hands to Fang Ru Hui hands and whispered. “You come closer.”

Fang Ru Hui did not go closer, but instead, he retreated two steps away. In his understanding of this Jin Yan Hen, this kind of appearance in his eyes, he was definitely planning to work out on someone.

Jin Yan Hen also shrugged off his actions but in a low voice said, “Did you see that?”

Following his gaze, he only saw Lou Chen and Xing Mu riding on the front. Fang Ru Hui pretended to smile. “See what?”

Jin Yan Hen’s hands were on the small carriage window, and finally took his eyes away from the blue figure and looked at Fang Ru Hui laughing, “You don’t tell me, you didn’t see that Xing Mu,  always wanted to have his mind and play on  Chen’er  and my heart is suffering. We grew up together since childhood, now I finally liked a girl, shouldn’t you help me? Hurry, I want to go out and watch Chen’er and see what that man was up to.”

Fang Ru Hui glanced at him and scorned. ” Xing Mu is not doing anything to Miss Lou.  She did not speak to him along the way, what gave you an idea that he had his mind playing on her and turning her towards him?  What made you think that Miss Lou will take notice of Xing Mu?”

Jin Yan Hen shook his head and the expression of Fang Ru Hui looked like he will not be convinced, sighed. “It is precautionary, you have to understand? Gosh, don’t wait until she falls for him, it will be bad.”

The two people were whispering with each other and the distance of their companion were not that far.  Lou Chen heard the busy movements behind her and she turned back and to look.

Naturally, Jin Yan Hen who had been watching Luo Chen saw her turn around to approach them, immediately lifted his sleeves to cover his mouth and nose then forced himself to cough very hard.

Fang Ru Hui also had a glimpsed of Lou Chen coming towards them  and he  immediately held the reign to stop the horse . In his heart, no matter how he despised Jin Yan Hen’ s acting right now  he still asked in a loud voice. “Ah-Hen, are you okay?”

Jin Yan Hen did not answer but he kept on coughing and waved his hand. Lou Chen frowned. This morning before they left he took some medicine, how could he cough so badly? She rode to the window of the carriage and whispered. “What happened to you?” As she was speaking as she habitually does, she reached out and grabbed Jin Yan Hen’s wrist to take his pulse. Jin Yan Hen also cooperated very well as in the past, extended his wrist out of the window to the front of Lou Chen.

He waited until Lou Chen finished talking his pulse and took his hand back, put down his sleeves, took a deep breath, stretched out and said, “I am fine, only that this carriage is too stuffy, so I coughed a little.”

Fang Ru Hui said also in a timely manner. “I am also a little tired, it is better to swap with  Ah Hen riding the horse, let him breathe and I can also take a break.

She had just taken Jin Yan Hen’s pulse, it seemed to be normal and since he had no physical problem, Lou Chen did not intend to managed him inside and just said , “As you like “, then rode the horse ahead.

Jin Yan Hen went down the carriage and patted Fang Ru Hui’s shoulder to show his gratitude. Fang Ru Hui gently waved his hand and walked gracefully into the carriage. The two grew up together and in just by looking at each other, one could tell what the other person was thinking.

Jin Yan Hen got on the horse and immediately went to the side of Lou Chen.

While riding along the road before, Xing Mu was not particularly concerned about talking to Lou Chen and he could ride with all the way without even a word. But for some sort of reason after seeing Jin Yan Hen on the horse, he doesn’t know why he suddenly felt an urge to talk to Lou Chen. After thinking a little, Xing Mu said, “Miss Lou, we have walked more than 60 miles in the morning, tonight, we won’t be able to catch Feng Town. There is a small forest 20 miles away. It is flat and spacious. There is a small stream behind the woods. The stream is very clean. Miss can go there and freshen up. Why don’t we spend the night there to rest? ”

Listening to him that he could describe the distance so accurately, Lou Chen asked, ” When you come from Little Jian Mountain Villa, did you also passed this road?” ”

“Yes. I am also from Lingcheng, this where I walked all the way and I can be your guide. Feng Town to Luoshui Town, this is the only forest that is most suitable for resting. If we missed it here, we have to walk another 30 miles, to find another place suitable for stay overnight. ”

This was Lou Chen’s first time in Liao Yue since Xing Mu was more familiar with the place, she naturally would listen to his advice. Lou Chen casually nodded, “ Ok, we will listen to your advice.”

After their brief conversation and right after Xing Mu finished speaking,  they saw a touch of green shaking wildly in front of them. When they looked down, in front of their eyes were…. two huge wild yam leaves.

“The sun is so strong, it will cover you.”Jin Yan Hen said as he stuffed the wild yam leaves to Lou Chen’s hand.

Lou Chen looked at the roadside and she did see a lot of wild leaves. It was late autumn, it was past noon and the sun was actually not strong. Lou Chen had no plan of picking it from his hand but her mind suddenly had a  flashback of the rainy scene when Jin Yan Hen also took two wild yam leaves standing very close to her holding the two yam leaves above their heads to cover her body.

Her memory was too vivid and too good which sometimes not a good thing. She could even remember clearly the raindrops on the leaf’s surface falling down from his hand, along with his neck all the way to his clothes.

Jin Yan Hen saw that Lou Chen was staring at the leaves for whatever reason and he quickly stuff the leaves into her hands. She absentmindedly took it.

Xing Mu saw that Lou Chen was distracted by the two wild yam leaves. The yam leaves can be seen all around them and he doesn’t see anything special about those leaves. He looked up, he figured that the sun was not even that dazzling. Finally, he said, ”There’s an umbrella, let me get them.”

Lou Chen had already returned to the moment and replied. “No need.”

Lou Chen did not use the wild leaves to shade her from the sun but she did not throw them either.

Jin Yan Hen smiled as he hold the wild yam leaf in his hand fanning the wind. He lightly kicked the horse’s belly to ride side by side with Lou Chen. He pointed to the solitary mountain not far away ahead and said. “Chen’er, do you know what mountain is that?”

Lou Chen followed the direction of his finger, looked the regular mountain, there was nothing special.  She naturally does not know what its name.

Lou Chen did not really care what it was about and took back her gaze. Jin Yan Hen was still very interested and cheerfully said, “What do you think the shape is like? Isn’t it like a man?”

When Jin Yan Hen thought that Lou Chen will ignore him and not answer, and was he prepared to continue speaking, Lou Chen suddenly replied in a cold indifferent voice, “No, it is not.”

“Chen’er…”Jin Yan Hen stared at Lou Chen, said pitifully.”Do not be cold to me this way. If you are like this, it will not help.  At an earlier time I already prepared a poignant romantic love story to tell you.”

His tone of resentment and hidden hurt made Lou Chen unconsciously agree, “ Okay. Go tell.”

Jin Yan Hen swept away the appearance of resentment, and with clear resonant voice started the tale, “There was a legend long ago, there was a heavenly goddess that went down from the sky and she passed by a brook. The brook was so clear and inviting and she decided a bath. During this time, a man was passing by and saw the heavenly goddess and he was greatly surprised by what he saw. He stole her clothes which prevented her from going to the shore. God in heaven knew it and he was very furious. He sent a thunder and lightning and struck the man dead. His corpse became a stone mountain. This story reminds us not to casually take a bath in a brook because some wretched man might steal your clothes.”

This was the so-called poignant romantic love story? ! She shouldn’t have let him talk! Lou Chen’s grasp on the horse’s reign became tighter, restrained herself not to do anything to him.  She needed patience! Patience!

Xing Mu’s face turned grim. He just mentioned that Lou Chen can refresh at the stream. What was the meaning of the story?

Also when he heard him called her ‘Chen’er’, he doesn’t know why that his chest was inexplicably flustered. Without thinking, he called out,” Chen…” the word had not come out yet but he immediately sensed it, Lou Chen’s eyes were abnormally cold and indifferent.

Jin Yan Hen eyebrows raised and thinking Xing Mu also planned to call her “Chen Er”? In fact, he was quite expecting and waiting for Xing Mu to say the word out. After all, he still did not forget the weighed of the kicks that he received from her at the time.

Under the chilly gaze of Lou Chen and Jin Yan Hen’s gloating appearance, Xing Mu finally failed to call the word ” Er”.

Pressing down the irritating anger in his heart, Xing Mu took out the water bag hanging around his waist and handed it over and said, ” Miss Chen, drink some water.”

“I am not thirsty. Also, my surname is Lou.”  Lou Chen gently kicked her horse and ran a dozen yards forward.  In just a few words, Xing Mu felt the indifference and alienation. She allowed Jin Yan Hen to call her “Chen’er”, but he just called her “Miss Chen”, unexpectedly also he can’t?

While Xing Mu was wondering, Jin Yan Hen took the bag of water in his hand and laughed, “Xing Gongzi is really understanding. I have just said a lot of words, and I am dead thirsty, then I will right away welcome it.”

Gongzi means son of an official.

After he finished talking, Jin Yan Hen took a big gulp of water. Lou Chen was riding in front of them, not very far away. Xing Mu cannot be angry with someone just for a bag of water.

The heart suppressed with anger and the sharp stare smothered  Jin Yan Hen. If the look could kill,  Jin Yan Hen estimated to have been hacked to death by now. But then again, Jin Yan Hen had very thick hides that even if  look really turned into sharp blades, it still certainly would not be able to penetrate to him.

Fang Ru Hui leaned against the window and watched the two big men with fun and amusement.  In the position where Lou Chen was unable to see, the two took their staring skills into practice. Fang Ruhui shook his head, snorted and sighed. “Really, childish ah…”