After Sheng Jun Chapter 37 (Part 1)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 37 Growing Suspicions (part 1)
When Jiang Xingzhi opened his eyes after making his wish, the sparklers had not yet burnt out.
He looked up at Zhong Ming across from him, who was also looking at him. Zhong Ming's eyes were deeper than the night sky, as if they could penetrate his thoughts.
...He had almost forgotten that this person could read minds.
Jiang Xingzhi felt a belated sense of embarrassment. He put down the sparkler in his hand, which had just finished burning, leaving only a slight sulfur smell on his fingertips.
The breeze from across the shore wafted over, bringing a slight coolness that reduced the heat on Jiang Xingzhi's face.
He glanced at Zhong Ming again. "Why are you looking at me?"
Zhong Ming curved his lips at him. "Deng Deng is so beautiful, why shouldn't I look a little longer?"
Humph, smooth talker.
Jiang Xingzhi didn't respond to him, but instead asked, "Why don't you make a wish?"
"I don't need to."
"Why not?" Jiang Xingzhi returned his words to him. "Since we're already here."
Zhong Ming said, "Making a wish or not making one is the same."
Zhong Ming's wish was already Jiang Xingzhi's wish—to become dao companions with him, and to fulfill all those little desires he had excavated from Jiang Xingzhi's mouth that day.
He said this while looking at Jiang Xingzhi, the tenderness in his eyes unconcealed.
Jiang Xingzhi was stunned for a moment, followed by an unsettling feeling in his heart: Could it be that because he wished to be with himself... knowing that he couldn't reciprocate, he said making a wish was the same as not making one?
As his mind was spinning, trying to figure out how to handle the current situation, the man across from him took the sparkler from his hand, tossed it into the collection basket, and said, "There seems to be a crowd over there. Shall we go take a look?"
The topic switched suddenly, interrupting Jiang Xingzhi's thoughts. "Where?" He followed Zhong Ming's gaze across the river.
Sure enough, there was a surge of people at a certain venue across the shore, with many walking over in groups.
He became interested. "Then let's go take a look."
Zhong Ming gladly agreed, "Good."
…..
After crossing the bridge and following the tourists for a while, the sound of drums and gongs became clearer through the noisy crowd.
Turning around a corner, a tall pavilion came into view.
In the surrounding darkness, a row of red lanterns hung from the pavilion's eaves, with strings of golden wheat ears dangling from the lantern openings.
A large crowd had gathered in the open space in front of the pavilion. On the third floor of the pavilion stood several people—some holding brass gongs, some holding golden paper flowers, and the middle-aged man in the center holding a ball made of bundled wheat ears. The scene was festive.
Jiang Xingzhi, mingling in the crowd, said, "It looks like the traditional matchmaking custom of throwing an embroidered ball."
Zhong Ming followed behind him, with a spiritual shield protecting their surroundings, keeping away the crowded and noisy people. "It probably evolved from the embroidered ball throwing tradition, meant to bring good fortune."
Everyone around was staring at the wheat ball, their eyes eager and faces joyful.
Jiang Xingzhi casually asked a girl beside him, "What happens if someone catches the ball?"
The girl turned to see Jiang Xingzhi's face. Even in the dim light, his handsome features couldn't be concealed. She was momentarily dazed until Jiang Xingzhi called out again, "Miss?"
She came back to her senses, her face slightly flushed. "That ball is called 'Yuan Sui', meaning completeness and fulfillment year after year. From the hour of Xu to the hour of Zi, it's thrown once every half hour. Whoever catches it receives a blessing, with the two officials above sprinkling golden paper flowers for good luck."
"I see, thank you." Jiang Xingzhi responded and turned to tell Zhong Ming, "It's almost time for the next hour, no wonder so many people came over. Let's try to catch one too."
Zhong Ming agreed, "Alright. Since we're already here, right?"
Jiang Xingzhi felt embarrassed, "Of course!"
Zhong Ming just looked at him and couldn't help but smile.
The girl beside them secretly glanced over. She had been momentarily stunned by the blue-clothed youth's beauty, but now realized that the man in black beside him was equally handsome. Now the youth had his back to her so she couldn't see his expression, but she could see the black-clothed man's gentle gaze, looking completely doting.
She couldn't help but clutch her sleeve: Oh! This damned love, how heart-stirring!
That gaze was easily noticed. Zhong Ming looked up and met the young girl's passionate eyes.
He frowned, his first reaction being that someone else liked his lamp, but then he saw the girl's eyes full of blessing, even making a heart shape with her hands between the two of them.
Zhong Ming, "......"
Zhong Ming suddenly laughed. Jiang Xingzhi was talking to him and was surprised to see him laugh. "What are you doing?"
Following the other's gaze, he turned back and saw the young girl.
Jiang Xingzhi was shocked: Bai Mu actually smiled at a young girl, and so genuinely! That's Bai Mu, the Bai Mu who views everything like common cabbage!
He quickly turned his head back and scrutinized him. "Have you been possessed?"
Zhong Ming looked down at him, withdrawing his gaze. "Don't overthink it. I was just looking at her looking at you."
What overthinking? He spoke as if Jiang Xingzhi cared. Jiang Xingzhi composed himself, "I just thought it wasn't like you, nothing else."
Zhong Ming smiled at him, "Oh, then I was afraid you might overthink."
Jiang Xingzhi choked on his words. After searching for half a day, he barely managed to squeeze out, "You're the one overthinking."
A light laugh was his reply.
Jiang Xingzhi, "......" He had discovered that a shameless person truly has no equal under heaven!
While they were talking, the girl had already consciously slipped away to another place: She'd better, better not disturb the couple's flirting~
****
Fortunately, just as the topic ended, a gong sound from overhead attracted everyone's attention: Dong!
Jiang Xingzhi looked up and saw the official on the pavilion raising the "Yuan Sui" high, causing the crowd to surge with excitement. Caught up in the atmosphere, he couldn't help but feel eager: It didn't matter whether he caught it or not, the main thing was to join in the fun and participate!
Dong! With another gong sound, the golden wheat ball was thrown high into the air, tracing a beautiful arc in the dim sky, attracting everyone's gaze.
The wheat ball happened to be flying toward Jiang Xingzhi's direction. He looked up and took a step back, his back "thud" pressing against a chest.
A hand steadied his shoulder slightly, and Zhong Ming laughed softly, "Want it that badly?"
Jiang Xingzhi turned his head, "I......"
That hand patted his shoulder lightly, cutting off his next words, "Catch it properly."
As he spoke, the "Yuan Sui" in the air subtly changed its trajectory, heading directly toward where Jiang Xingzhi stood. The surrounding people crowded in this direction but were blocked by an invisible protective shield.
As it fell from midair, a sudden gust of wind mysteriously arose, causing the wheat ball to change course again, as if pulled by some force to another direction.
Zhong Ming frowned, sensing subtle spiritual power fluctuations from not far away in the crowd.
His fingertips moved slightly, and the wind direction suddenly changed, pulling the wheat ball back toward Jiang Xingzhi. The ball was thrown only for a few moments, and with this tug-of-war, it fell straight into Jiang Xingzhi's arms with a soft thud!
Jiang Xingzhi held the "Yuan Sui," clearly sensing the contest between two forces. He turned to look at Zhong Ming, "Someone else was trying to catch it just now."
But Zhong Ming didn't care at all who the other person was and opened his arms to Jiang Xingzhi, "Whatever you want, I'll give you."
Jiang Xingzhi, "......"
Soon, the cheering of the surrounding crowd drowned out their conversation. With the "Yuan Sui" in his arms, everyone joined in the celebration. The officials from the pavilion came down and scattered golden paper flowers over Jiang Xingzhi.
"May every year be complete and prosperous! May blessings and fortune be upon you!"
Fine golden paper flowers fell all over his head and body. Jiang Xingzhi, beautiful as a jade tree, with his ethereal countenance, smiled very appropriately, his face full of joy. Holding the wheat ball and standing in the crowd, he truly looked like an immortal who had descended with good fortune.
Exclamations of admiration rose from near and far, but they only gazed in awe, fearing that any disturbance would offend the immortal lord.
This round of ball-throwing ended, with the next round half an hour later. The crowd lingered for a while and gradually dispersed.
As people left, they couldn't help but look back frequently at the two exceptionally graceful figures in the center.
......
Jiang Xingzhi was covered with bright golden paper flowers, but he didn't shake them off, letting these auspicious signs hang all over him. He turned his head, about to speak to Zhong Ming, when he saw the other looking at him with a tender smile.
It seemed that as long as he was happy, this person would be content.
Jiang Xingzhi paused, his gaze turning away again.
His fingertips fidgeted with the uneven surface of the wheat ball, then he placed it in Zhong Ming's arms. "You caught it, share in the joy too."
Zhong Ming didn't refuse, holding the wheat ball and saying, "Share the blessings, Deng Deng is truly kind."
With such thick skin, Jiang Xingzhi instantly wanted to take back the wheat ball.
However, before he could act, a commotion from not far away attracted both their attention—
Among the gradually dispersing crowd, a man walked straight toward them through the passing tourists. His blood-red clothes were eye-catching in the deep night.
But all along his path, passersby didn't give him a second glance, showing he had deliberately concealed his presence.
Jiang Xingzhi narrowed his eyes.
The newcomer walked up to them in a few steps, stopping in front of the two.
Jiang Xingzhi saw that the man before them was about the same build as Bai Mu, with a wickedly handsome face. Among his hanging sideburns was a streak of red, matching well with his blood-colored clothes.
Flamboyant and wicked, he appeared to be the type who did whatever he pleased.
The man had been staring directly at Zhong Ming, but probably sensing Jiang Xingzhi's gaze, turned to look at him. His eyes lingered for a few moments on the dark hair and thin clothes adorned with golden fragments, then suddenly curved his lips.
"I wondered who was so determined to catch that wheat ball, turns out it was to please a beauty."
The word "beauty" was pronounced with a lilt, like an intimate tease.
Zhong Ming suddenly looked up, a sharp sword intent shooting forth from his eyes—the man reacted extremely quickly, instantly dodging to the side, though a few strands of his hanging sideburns were still cut off.
"Heh......" the man glanced sideways, his eyes faintly revealing a blood-red hue.
The two stared directly at each other, a cold wind suddenly rising from the ground, subtly opening up a confrontational field.
In the tense atmosphere, the scene was suddenly broken by a voice.
Jiang Xingzhi turned to whisper to Zhong Ming, "Ah Zuo, he's also a 'Ben Zuo'."
(TL: this seat/ this lord)
Zhong Ming, "......"
The man, "......"
Zhong Ming pulled him behind himself, "That's different."
He was, after all, the lamp holder for his lamp. As for the other guy... who cares what kind of "seat" he was.
Hearing this, the blood-red in the man's eyes gradually receded, and he looked at the two with interest. Zhong Ming met that gaze and inexplicably felt a sense of vigilance. He moved to block.
The broad shoulders and back blocked Jiang Xingzhi's view, so he poked his head out from Zhong Ming's shoulder. "What are you two communicating about now?"
Zhong Ming turned his head, wanting to push him back.
Just as he raised his hand, he heard the man speak, "I merely wanted to see who was competing with me for the item. Now it seems—"
He paused, looking at the golden fragments on Jiang Xingzhi's head, and waved his hand, "Yuan Sui suits a beauty, never mind."
With that, his clothes swished as he turned and left.
A flash of blood-red quickly merged into the deep night.
As the somewhat dangerous aura completely disappeared into the street, Jiang Xingzhi put away his previously curious expression and said to Zhong Ming, "A demonic cultivator."
He said, "Better not get involved, it's troublesome."
Zhong Ming, suppressing his jealousy, said, "Seeing how interested you were, I thought you didn't know."
Jiang Xingzhi picked out the latter part, "You're underestimating me."
Zhong Ming denied, "You're being sensitive."
****
The demonic cultivator they accidentally encountered was just an unimportant minor episode to Jiang Xingzhi. He quickly changed the subject and walked toward the street with golden paper flowers all over him.
Fragments of gold fell along the way. Zhong Ming saw this and moved his fingers slightly to keep the falling paper flowers loosely gathered around Jiang Xingzhi, making him truly shine like a divine lamp.
After tending to his own lamp, he was very satisfied and asked, "Where shall we go now?"
Jiang Xingzhi hadn't noticed his little gesture and said, "Seems like there aren't any more activities. Let's find a place to rest."
He didn't mention returning to the sect, and Zhong Ming naturally couldn't ask for more, "Good."