Chapter 647: 649, Descending the Mountain (second update)

This period, Jian Yi seemed to have a lot of free time, always running up the mountain when he had nothing to do.

It was already springtime.

The greenery among the mountains and forests was lush; flowers of all kinds bloomed riotously, creating a spectacle as if it were a fairyland on earth.

Chu Jin, wearing a thin spring shirt, shuttle through the woods, like a free butterfly.

Following her was a plump and pudgy grey fox.

"Chu Xiaohui! How many times have I told you! No raw meat!" Chu Jin snatched a wild chicken from the mouth of the grey fox, her face stern as she scolded.

"Awuu..." Little Grey drooped its head, whimpering softly with bright, shiny black eyes that sparkled and looked at Chu Jin with such a pitiful expression it seemed ready to cry at any moment.

An expression that read "The wild chicken started it."

The epitome of innocence.

Chu Xiaohui was an ordinary grey fox, with no particularly exceptional features but had the advantages of being smart and understanding human nature; it was chubby and very cute.

Last winter, when heavy snow sealed off the mountains, Chu Jin encountered this injured fox deep in the forest. It was severely hurt, with all four legs broken, emaciated, and close to death, but under Chu Jin’s careful care, it recovered quickly.

And grew fatter and fatter.

Until it became a little tubby.

After the little fox recovered, Chu Jin tried to release it back into the deep mountains, but the little fox refused to leave her side and no matter how many times she tried to send it away, it wouldn’t leave. With no choice left, Chu Jin decided to keep it.

And gave it a name.

Chu Xiaohui.

Her subconscious told her that Chu Xiaohui was the right name for it.

It seemed to have other companions.

Little Red, Little Black, Little White?

Did they really exist?

Chu Jin didn’t know.

"Alright, alright, stop acting so pitiful," Chu Jin patted Little Grey’s head, "Go clean this wild chicken properly, I’ll cook us some roasted chicken."

Upon hearing this, Little Grey’s eyes lit up, it picked up the chicken, and ran ahead quickly.

Chu Jin gathered some dry twigs nearby, and by the time Little Grey returned with the prepared chicken, Chu Jin had already started a fire.

Before long, the scent of roasted meat filled the air of the wilderness.

An aroma so enticing, one couldn’t resist.

Little Grey ate with glistening grease all over its face, almost wishing it could swallow its tongue, gobbling down more than half of the chicken and still not feeling full.

After tasting the roasted chicken made by Chu Jin’s own hands, Little Grey suddenly felt very sorry for its former self.

The delicious scent attracted many wild animals from the surroundings.

Strangely, they only watched from afar and dared not take a single step closer.

As if there was something around them that they feared.

After finishing the chicken, Chu Jin restored the area to its original state and started descending the mountain with her basket on her back.

Inside the basket were several precious herbs.

In the past half-year, Chu Jin had learned a lot from Uncle Wu, especially in ancient medicine, which she excelled at.

It was she who had single-handedly treated Little Grey.

Therefore, Chu Jin was quite confident in her medical skills.

Moreover, Chu Jin had found a set of Golden Needles in that little stone house.

Now, she wielded the Golden Needles with such skill that seemed otherworldly.

The needles felt extremely familiar to her.

Just as if.

She had used them before.

"Little Grey, let’s go," Chu Jin turned her head to look at Little Grey, who was chasing a rabbit.

"Awo~" Little Grey let out a cry, leapt up, caught the rabbit by the neck, and swiftly bounded towards Chu Jin.

Chu Jin took the lifeless rabbit, placed it in the basket, and petted Little Grey’s head, smiling sweetly, "Such a good boy."

Ever since she had Little Grey.

There was no shortage of various game to eat daily.

Little Grey could even catch fish.

A girl and a fox descended the mountain quickly.

And soon disappeared into the woods.

Little did they know.

After they left, a person emerged from the hidden depths of the forest, tall and elegant, with a side profile of striking beauty. He looked at the charcoal marks on the ground, a smile playing on his lips, his silver hair shimmering in the sunlight with dazzling light.

Chu Jin and Little Grey had just returned to the wooden house when they saw Jian Yi’s assistant standing by the door.

The assistant was very pretty, with a sweet mouth. Seeing Chu Jin return, she greeted her with a beaming smile, "Jin, you’re back."

"Little Ling." Chu Jin greeted with a gentle smile, "Did you come with Brother Jian?"

"Yeah," Little Ling continued, "Brother Jian and your uncle and aunt are inside chatting."

Chu Jin set down her basket and began to lay out the herbs to dry in the courtyard, just about to enter the house.

Little Ling walked over, took Chu Jin’s arm, preventing her from opening the door, and smilingly said, "Jin, I heard you’re growing snow lotuses. Take me to see them, will you?"

Little Ling usually had no interest in plants. Why would she think of looking at the snow lotuses today?

It must be because the conversation inside the house was not meant for outsiders to hear.

Clever as Chu Jin was,

How could she fail to detect the underlying reason? "Sure, I’ll take you to see them. They’re going to bloom in a few days."

Chu Jin led Little Ling outside.

Inside the house.

Sitting opposite the two elderly people, Jian Yi spoke seriously, "Master, Mistress, I hope you can seriously consider my suggestion. Life in the deep mountains is difficult. Chu Jin is still young. How many of her best years can she afford to waste?"

Upon hearing this, Uncle Wu and Aunt Lin’s faces showed distress.

They had lived with Chu Jin for a year and had come to treat her as their own daughter. Now, with Jian Yi suddenly proposing to take Chu Jin away, the elderly couple found the idea unbearable.

But then, upon further thought.

Jian Yi was right. Chu Jin was still young. Staying with two old people like them would only waste her youth.

She was young and should see the world. They, an old couple, shouldn’t hold her back.

Moreover, having Chu Jin go with Jian Yi might actually be a good thing.

The two young people staying together by themselves would be nice, and perhaps by next year, they would bring a chubby grandson to them.

With this thought, the old couple gradually came around, "Jian Er, you must take good care of Jin, and don’t let her suffer any grievances."

"Mistress," Jian Yi stood up excitedly, "does this mean you agree?"

Jian Yi was no fool. He knew his master and mistress had long treated Chu Jin as their own daughter. The master had even passed on all his medical knowledge to Chu Jin. Jian Yi didn’t expect his master and mistress to agree to his proposal so easily.

It seemed the master and mistress were deeply poisoned.

Just mentioning not holding Chu Jin back had made them so anxious.

Chu Jin had a shrewd mind and easily won the trust of her master and mistress. The elderly couple couldn’t stay with her any longer.

If this continued, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Therefore, Jian Yi had to take her away.

"Yes," Aunt Lin nodded, "although we are reluctant to part with Jin, you’re right. Jin is still young. She should travel around and see the world. We, as her master and mistress, shouldn’t delay her prime years any longer."

"Master and Mistress are wise, and I admire you," Jian Yi stood up and then said, "I will have Little Ling prepare. We will go down the mountain tomorrow."

"Down the mountain tomorrow?" Uncle Wu stood up excitedly, "Why the rush?"

What Jian Yi wanted was to cut the knot quickly, not to let his master and mistress sink deeper.

"In a few days, it will be the once-in-a-decade Hundred Flowers Conference in our Superpower World. It’s a rare opportunity, and I want to take Jin to see it," Jian Yi said with a smile.

The Hundred Flowers Conference.

It’s a big festival that occurs once every ten years in the Superpower World.

It shares a magical similarity to the festival of lanterns.

On this day, all the young men and women dress up and go out.

They enjoy the flower lanterns, solve flower riddles, and it’s very lively.

Regardless of gender, if one encounters someone who makes their heart flutter, they offer a fresh flower picked in the morning. If the other party accepts, a happy union in the future is anticipated, and it becomes a wonderful story.

Uncle Wu and Aunt Lin only caught the literal meaning and thought to themselves that the kid finally got smart. They smiled and said, "Alright, then let’s set off tomorrow. I’ll prepare some food for Jin to eat on the road."

"Old man, what are you still sitting there for? Jin loves the pickled vegetable cakes you make. Go make some extra for Jin to take with her."

"Alright, alright, I’m on it," Uncle Wu hurried to his feet.

Jian Yi looked at the two busy elders, a deep expression in his eyes.

After dinner.

Aunt Lin took Chu Jin to her room for a chat.

The conversation was about Jin and Jian Yi going down the mountain.

Having stayed in the mountains for over half a year, Chu Jin also longed for life outside the mountains.

But after listening to Aunt Lin, she still felt reluctant to leave.

Even cold stones can be warmed by holding; let alone a human heart. In the span of half a year, she had come to regard Uncle Wu and Aunt Lin as her dearest family.

The sudden separation made Chu Jin’s heart sour.

"Godmother, aren’t you and godfather coming down the mountain with us?" Jin held back the sour feeling in her heart and asked.

Jian Yi, standing outside the door, heard this and frowned imperceptibly.

Chu Jin was actually trying to deceive the master and mistress into coming down the mountain!

He had long known that this Chu Jin was up to no good!

Aunt Lin, holding Chu Jin’s hand, said with a smile, "Jin, your godfather and I are used to living in the mountains, so we won’t join you. It’s your young people’s world, and there’s no need for us old folks to meddle. Just remember to come up and visit us whenever you have time."

Chu Jin nodded, "Don’t worry, Brother Jian and I will definitely come back to see you and godfather often."

Outside, Jian Yi slightly lifted his lips; once Chu Jin left the mountain, she would never be able to return in this lifetime.

He wouldn’t let his master and mistress face even the slightest danger.

"Silly child," Aunt Lin smiled and gently stroked Chu Jin’s head.

"It’s not easy to climb this mountain, so you two don’t always need to worry about us. Jian Er has been kind-hearted since he was a child, has become a sizable official, and entrusting you to him, I am completely assured. Jin, we and your godfather have no other wishes, just hoping you and Jian Er get along well. Jian Er is a man, occasionally his thinking may unavoidably be a bit chauvinistic, I hope you won’t mind, be more tolerant. If he dares to bully you, just write to me, and I will help you teach him a lesson."

Chu Jin knew the intentions of Uncle Wu and Aunt Lin.

The two elders wanted to match her up with Jian Yi.

It was complete and utter matchmaker nonsense.

For some reason.

Chu Jin always felt her heart was full and couldn’t fit anyone else.

Why was her heart full?

In her idle moments, Chu Jin thought long and hard but couldn’t come up with an answer.

Perhaps it had something to do with that white-haired man.

Hearing this, Chu Jin smiled lightly and said, "Godmother, rest assured, Brother Jian and I are just like real siblings; he won’t bully me. Besides, with you and godfather here, he wouldn’t dare to bully me."

Siblings.

Aunt Lin was not a fool; she could naturally hear the real meaning behind Chu Jin’s words.

No matter, time breeds affection.

As long as Jian Yi came to his senses, he would surely win Jin over.

"Jin," Aunt Lin continued, "since you’re going down the mountain, your godfather and I have no precious things to give you. Take this with you; in case you encounter any emergencies, just blow it, and you’ll turn calamity into fortune."

With these words, Aunt Lin placed a conch shell in Chu Jin’s hand.

"Alright," Chu Jin accepted the conch, "Thank you, godmother. When I’m not here, you and godfather must take care of yourselves on the mountain."

"Silly child, we’re all family, what’s there to thank for?" Aunt Lin said with a smile, patting Chu Jin’s head.

Jian Yi, standing outside the door, furrowed his brow even deeper.

The mistress is really muddle-headed! How could she give such a precious thing to Chu Jin!

That night, Chu Jin chatted with Aunt Lin for a long time before returning to her room to sleep.

That evening.

She had another dream.

It was still that white-haired man.

His face was indistinct.

He stood before a solitary grave.

It was as if he was saying goodbye to someone.

Intuition told Chu Jin that buried there must be someone of utmost importance to him, possibly the woman in red she had seen that day.

Unfortunately, Chu Jin could never make out the words carved on the tombstone.

Early the next day.

Uncle Wu and Aunt Lin accompanied Chu Jin, Jian Yi, and Little Ling down the mountain.

The road out of the mountain required crossing a river.

The weather was clear, with warm sunlight shining down.

Blue sky.

Green water.

Verdant mountains.

The scenery was exceptionally beautiful.

"Goodbye, Jin," the elderly couple supported each other, waving at Chu Jin with smiles all over their faces.

"Goodbye, godfather, godmother," Chu Jin stood on the bamboo raft, reluctantly watching the two old people, while Little Grey squatted at her feet, making low whimpers as if saying goodbye to the great mountains.

Jian Yi stood by, steering the bamboo raft, and seeing Chu Jin like this, he only felt she was putting on airs and sneered inwardly.

This beauty sure loved to play dramas!

Watching the bamboo raft disappear into the long river, Uncle Wu and Aunt Lin started to cry.

They really couldn’t bear to part with her.

But they couldn’t cry in front of Chu Jin.

What if Chu Jin saw them like this and refused to leave?

Meanwhile.

Seeing the bamboo raft about to dock at the riverbank, Jian Yi took out two black cloth strips from his pocket.

Little Ling took one of the strips and expertly blindfolded herself.

Jian Yi passed the remaining cloth strip to Chu Jin, "Miss Chu, the whereabouts of the master and mistress must not be disclosed to outsiders. For your own good as well as the mistress’s, please blindfold yourself."

"Alright," Chu Jin took the cloth strip, not hesitating at all, blindfolding herself promptly.

Jian Yi was somewhat surprised.

He hadn’t expected Chu Jin to comply so readily without asking any questions.

This was beyond his expectations.

Jian Yi took out a rope and had Chu Jin and Little Ling hold onto the end of it while he held the other end and led the way.

Little Grey followed behind, his body adorned with the salted fish and chicken legs prepared by Aunt Lin, swaying leisurely.

Jian Yi turned left and right, moving in an odd manner through the woods, almost a blur among the trees, with the trees behind them continuously overlapping and crisscrossing. Even without a blindfold, an average person could never remember the way they came.

Half an hour later.

Jian Yi halted, unwinding the black cloth from their eyes, "We’re here."

Chu Jin opened her eyes, slightly stunned by the scene before her.

Bright lights and busy streets, everyone hurrying along.

These sights were almost identical to those she had witnessed in her dreams.

The only difference was that Chu Jin could see blue or green glows flickering at the temples of these passersby.

But in her dreams.

She seemed to have never seen them.

This was an ancient yet bustling street.

Not long after Jian Yi, Chu Jin, and Little Ling had arrived, a black car approached from a distance.

Two men in blue uniforms got out of the car.

Jian Yi handed over his package to the uniformed men, then said to Little Ling, "You and Deputy Officer Li should go back first to get ready. I’ll take Miss Chu around to familiarize her with the environment."

"Okay, big brother Jian," Little Ling replied, then said to the two officers, "Let’s go."

The black car soon disappeared from view.

"Let’s go," Jian Yi turned to look at Chu Jin.

"Okay," Chu Jin followed behind him.

Jian Yi’s intention in taking Chu Jin around was clear.

He wanted to probe into Chu Jin’s background.

Meanwhile, he sought an opportunity to catch her slipping up, if she were hiding something.

Back on the mountain, Chu Jin always avoided him, and Jian Yi had wanted to confront her personally but could never find the chance.

Now, having brought Chu Jin down from the mountain, he naturally wouldn’t miss this opportunity.

"Miss Chu, shall we go have something to eat first?" Jian Yi stopped in front of a building.

A European-style building.

From this perspective, it appeared magnificent, with uniformed greeters at the entrance, and a constant flow of extravagantly dressed people coming in and out.

Strangely, there were only men entering and leaving, no women at all.

This was somewhat odd.

Chu Jin frowned slightly, raising her eyes to look at the golden, embossed characters on the sign above the gate.

"A Thousand Charms and a Hundred Beauties."

She could faintly smell the scent of cosmetics and alcohol coming from inside.

Subconsciously, Chu Jin felt some aversion to this place.

"Big Brother Jian, are we going to eat here?"

"Mmhmm," Jian Yi nodded, "Yes, does Miss Chu have any objections?"

"I feel that this place is not very nice," Chu Jin spoke frankly, "Let’s go somewhere else."

Jian Yi narrowed his eyes slightly.

He had always known that Chu Jin was feigning amnesia.

"A Thousand Charms and a Hundred Beauties" was no ordinary place.

This was a paradise for men.

Similar to the courtesan houses of ancient times.

Different from the secular world.

The Superpower World allowed such clubs to exist, to satisfy physiological needs, which was considered perfectly normal.

However.

There was an unwritten rule here.

Apart from the staff, no other women were allowed to set foot inside.

If a woman ignored this rule and entered, she would never be able to leave again.

They would be forcibly kept there.

To become one of the thousands of courtesans.

Didn’t Chu Jin claim to have lost her memory?

So?

Why didn’t she dare to step into "A Thousand Charms and a Hundred Beauties"?

Could it be that she felt guilty?

Jian Yi’s lips curled imperceptibly as he said, "Since you dislike it, let’s go somewhere else."

If she was a fox,

then her tail would surely show more and more.

"Okay." Chu Jin nodded lightly.

Afterward, Jian Yi led her into a normal restaurant.

The staff in the restaurant clearly recognized Jian Yi, and they welcomed the two of them with warmth yet respect.

After the meal.

The two walked out of the restaurant.

Just as they got to the door,

a flurry of peach blossoms rained down, carrying waves of peach fragrance, and petals fell on peoples’ heads and faces...

Chu Jin also reached out to catch a petal, a flash of surprise in her eyes.

She had initially thought it was just an illusion, but to her surprise, these were real peach blossoms.

At this rate of scattering.

How many peach blossoms would be wasted?

Wouldn’t it be better to use them to brew peach blossom wine?

Chu Jin’s lips curved slightly, amused at the prodigality of the people in the Superpower World.

To attract public attention, they could think of such extravagant methods.

Murmurs could be heard from around.

"The number one beauty is about to arrive."

"Wow, I’m so excited."

"What a grand spectacle, as if she’s afraid others wouldn’t know she’s the number one beauty of the Superpower World! How embarrassing!"

"It’s Miss Mu."

"Miss Mu is so beautiful."

"Does she really think just because her name includes the word ’Fairy’, she is a fairy herself?"

"Here she comes, Miss Fairy is coming."

With that, a rustle ran through the crowd, everyone craned their necks, looking in that direction.

Even Jian Yi stood there, like a statue, his gaze fixed forward, unwilling to move.

This was indeed rare.

Wasn’t Jian Yi always indifferent to women?

So why now? Was he like a hungry wolf in the presence of food?

Chu Jin pinched a petal and lightly sniffed it, also following the gaze of the crowd in that direction.

The number one beauty, huh.

Chu Jin also wanted to see what this number one beauty looked like that she deserved such a divine description?

After scattering so many peach blossoms.

Could she be the reincarnation of a peach blossom fairy?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read