More than sixty years had passed since they parted in Daihai. It really had been a long time.
“It seems he treats you well.”
When ordinary people meet again after many years, a certain awkwardness is inevitable. But that did not apply to Qian Xuelang, who was equally distant and cool toward everyone.
The woman in purple lightly plucked a string of her konghou and teased, “Well, that’s rare. Brother Xue actually knows how to praise someone. My husband is indeed a good man, but what exactly do you mean? That our home is nice, or that his feelings for me are?”
“Both are very nice.”
The woman laughed heartily, then turned her gaze to Ren Yijue. “We’ve been so busy catching up that we’ve neglected our young guest. I hope you won’t take offense. May I ask your name?”
Ordinarily, Qian Xuelang, who knew both parties, ought to have introduced them. But expecting him to perform such social niceties was less realistic than expecting someone to enter final meditation and ascend to immortality tomorrow.
Shui Wuchen and Ren Yijue evidently agreed on that point.
“Ren Yijue.” Having already guessed her identity, Ren greeted her. “A pleasure to meet you, Madam Shui.”
In truth, Ren had hesitated over how to address her. Calling her Madam Jiufang would seem disrespectful; but she was married, so he could hardly call her Miss Shui without suggesting he harbored some ulterior interest.
Calling her Senior seemed inappropriate too. Shui Wuchen was the Jade Beauty’s friend, and that would make him sound a generation younger.
After considering his options, he settled on the compromise of Madam Shui.
Shui Wuchen smiled faintly. “Why call me ‘Madam’? My husband is terribly jealous. If he heard you, I fear things wouldn’t end well for you. My surname is Shui, and my given name is Wuchen. Just call me by my name.”
And calling you ‘Wuchen’ wouldn’t make your husband jealous? Addressing you so intimately by your given name would probably make him even more jealous.
Ren was dumbfounded, unsure how to respond.
The woman before him carried herself with natural dignity, and her features were composed and serious. Her words were humorous, but her tone remained steady and sincere. It was almost impossible to tell when she was joking and when she was earnest. Perhaps even her jokes were entirely serious.
“Oh, that’s right,” Shui Wuchen said. “Brother Xue, this young friend is a friend of yours, isn’t he? Or perhaps a new disciple? Or…”
Qian Xuelang stepped forward and seated himself on a cushion before the table. “Why don’t you guess?”
Not only Shui Wuchen but Ren Yijue was taken aback.
Just as Ren was about to smooth things over, Shui Wuchen smiled and set the incense burner, with its curling smoke, on the floor so it would not waft into Qian Xuelang’s face across the table.
“You want me to guess? Hmm, let me think. Brother Xue brought him here, and this young friend isn’t wearing any restraints, so he surely isn’t a vicious criminal.”
Shui Wuchen winked at Ren, apparently by way of apology.
Ren seated himself on a cushion to one side and shook his head with a smile, showing he did not mind.
Qian Xuelang, however, looked Ren over. “Does he look like a bad person?”
“As they say, you may know someone’s face without knowing their heart. This young friend may be handsome and charming enough to inspire affection, but are all bad people in the world ugly?” Shui Wuchen asked serenely. “Since Brother Xue asked me to guess, I ought to consider every possibility.”
Ren suddenly began to understand how she had become friends with Qian Xuelang.
Qian nodded. “Reasonable.”
Shui Wuchen continued, “Brother Xue’s abilities are as formidable as his temper. He’s always been terribly proud. If someone doesn’t meet your standards, you won’t think much of him, much less willingly travel with him. Since this young friend isn’t a villain, he must be someone Brother Xue admires.”
She said this plainly, effortlessly complimenting both men. Ren almost laughed, but Shui Wuchen looked so solemn that he did not dare laugh too freely and risk slighting her sincerity.
“Correct,” Qian Xuelang said.
Ren whipped his head around. This time, he really did feel rather lightheaded with delight.
“Admiration can take many forms.” Shui Wuchen lowered her face and gently plucked the strings, releasing a lingering, tender melody. “Brother Xue cultivates the Emotionless Dao. He has never entangled himself in worldly attachments or romantic love, so I imagine this young friend cannot be your Dao companion.”
Ren Yijue abruptly choked. “Cough—”
“Either mortal enemies or great lovers,” Qian said coolly. “When did you become so extreme?”
Shui Wuchen laughed. “I have to act like the half-demon people imagine once in a while. If my feelings aren’t sufficiently passionate, how would I look like a proper half-demon?”
There was something peculiar about those words. Ren grew uneasy, uncertain how to respond politely. Judging by Shui Wuchen’s unruffled expression, she seemed to mean it only as a joke, yet it was a rather heavy joke.
“There are a thousand kinds of people and ten thousand kinds of demons,” Qian Xuelang said. “When have people ever behaved exactly as people should, or demons exactly as demons should?”
Shui Wuchen’s fingers stirred the strings. Without changing her expression, she said, “Oh dear, I didn’t mean anything by it…”
“Neither did I.”
“Of course. Someone else might have read something into it.” Shui Wuchen paused, then looked nostalgic, her eyes softening. “But Brother Xue never would.”
Only then did Ren realize that although Shui Wuchen had suffered for being a half-demon and had been falsely accused to this day, she truly did not take the matter to heart. Her earlier remark had been nothing more than casual teasing.
She was the one who had suffered, yet sometimes she had to reassure others that they need not think too much about it.
Shui Wuchen turned to Ren and smiled slowly. “They say a gentleman’s friendship is as mild as water, but Brother Xue’s friendship can sometimes be as cold as ice. He’s as transparent as ice, and just as sharp. This young friend must have suffered quite a bit at his hands. I certainly did back then.”
For a moment, Ren did not know whether to be touched by Shui Wuchen’s understanding or smile helplessly.
Qian raised an eyebrow. “There’s no need to say things that don’t matter.”
Seeing his displeasure, Shui Wuchen burst out laughing. “All right, I won’t. Though Brother Xue was the one who asked me to guess. Then I’ll guess that you’ve had other experiences over the past sixty years, and this young friend is one of them. He’s a friend you’ve made despite the difference in your ages.”
“It’s much more complicated than that.” Qian shook his head.
Shui Wuchen brushed a long string and smiled. “Fortunately, I have nothing else to do.”
So Qian Xuelang told her, one thing after another, how Feng Yinming had entrusted Ren Yijue to him and how the two of them had descended the mountain together, explaining the whole affair from beginning to end.
Ren was thoroughly puzzled. He did not understand why Qian would lay bare the nature of their relationship, but no one could interfere with Qian Xuelang’s decisions, so he could only sit beside them and listen in silence.
“I see.” Shui Wuchen looked thoughtful. “Your relationship is indeed much more complicated than I imagined, but it still falls under the word ‘friends.’ So I wasn’t entirely wrong.”
“I never said you were wrong,” Qian replied.
Shui Wuchen smiled faintly, then suddenly said, “Brother Xue, after sixty years apart, you’ve become much more considerate of people’s feelings. You knew to tell me all this first. Sixty years ago, whether I believed you or not, I doubt you would have cared.”
Qian said nothing. Something stirred in Ren’s heart.
“By telling me this, you want me to know that this young friend is trustworthy, so I can set my mind at ease. Is that right?”
Qian gazed past her at the sea and sky merging into one. “Yes. Even if I said nothing, you would trust me and therefore wouldn’t care about Ren Yijue’s background. That’s why I chose to consider your feelings.”
Shui Wuchen was finally moved. Her lips trembled slightly, and it was a long while before she managed, “Brother Xue…”
“Now that we’ve finished with idle talk, I have serious business to discuss.” At this tender moment, Qian paid no attention whatsoever to either of their expressions and said coldly, “The culprit behind the Taishu massacre sixty years ago still hasn’t been found, has he?”
Shui Wuchen did not know whether to laugh or cry, but nodded. “No, he hasn’t. Most people have forgotten about it by now.”
A faint sadness appeared between her brows, and she sighed softly. “The people of Daihai turned it into a story. Most prefer hearing how a man flew into a rage for the sake of a beauty, but at least the affair has been passed down. The Five Eccentrics and Taishu Sheng’s entire household won’t simply vanish without anyone remembering what happened to them.”
She was dragged into it and wrongly accused of being the murderer, yet she’s more concerned that the tragedy of the Five Eccentrics and Taishu Sheng’s family will be forgotten…
Ren could not help saying, “Madam Shui… Miss Wuchen, you truly have a kind and generous heart.”
Shui Wuchen looked at him, apparently amused by his expression, and smiled. “Young friend, you’re a courteous gentleman, but far too restrained. You should learn a little from Brother Xue. He’s equally at ease wherever he goes, as though he owns the whole world.”
Qian raised an eyebrow. “Are you mocking me?”
“Oh, I was clearly praising Brother Xue.” Shui Wuchen shook her head. “I’ve admired Brother Xue’s calmness in the face of danger and his unruffled composure for many years. But now that I’m a married woman, I can only quietly suppress those feelings, lest Brother Xue become uncomfortable.”
Qian Xuelang: “…”
Ren Yijue: “…”
After a moment, Qian finally said, “That’s good. You should have given up long ago. I would never have liked you anyway.”
Shui Wuchen could not help bursting into laughter. She bent over and thumped the table, and it was a long while before she raised her head and turned to Ren. “See what I mean?”
Ren ought to have felt awkward and embarrassed, but by now Shui Wuchen’s laughter had become infectious. He shook his head and laughed too.
Although the two friends had not met for sixty years, their conversation made it seem as though they had never been apart.
Once Shui Wuchen had recovered, her expression returned to its earlier dignified seriousness. “Brother Xue, when you’re good, you’re exceptionally good, and when you’re bad, you’re exceptionally bad. Your standards are so high, both for people and for affairs, that you’d never amuse yourself by poking around in this troublesome case out of sheer boredom. Since you’re asking about it, have you found some new clue?”
“Yes,” Qian said. “But first I need to know exactly what happened back then. There’s no need to repeat what I already know. I only want to hear why you weren’t at the scene.”
Shui Wuchen considered this for a moment, then asked in surprise, “I wasn’t at the scene?”