After Sheng Jun Chapter 50 (Part 2)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 50 Surging Jealousy (part 2)
Thinking of this, Jiang Xingzhi suddenly recalled the other saying this money was saved for a "wife fund." Sigh, wife fund... his face reddened again. They weren't even dao companions yet, what wife or not wife.
Zhong Ming saw the thin blush slowly rising on Jiang Xingzhi's face: What was this? Even talking about money made him blush - could his frail constitution really be acting up?
"Mm." He steadied himself, comforting himself that he'd been overthinking earlier. "If there's still not enough money, we'll have Master take on a few more jobs."
"......"
Jiang Xingzhi pulled his attention back from "wife fund" and couldn't help wondering how this person had saved up his wife fund. He looked deeply at Zhong Ming. "You really make the most of people's talents."
Zhong Ming couldn't hide his pride. "You flatter me, Deng Deng."
****
The two returned to Kunlun, just in time to encounter the Zhu brothers.
Their new "couple outfit" in complementary deep and light colors was quite eye-catching on them. Zhu Yan and Zhu Xu exchanged glances, simultaneously seeing infinite meaning in each other's eyes:
It seemed their sect master and Protector Bai had gone out for a honeymoon these past two days.
Zhu Xu praised, "What a well-matched outfit!"
"Mm." Zhong Ming was secretly delighted by the praise, yet couldn't help anxiously checking Jiang Xingzhi's expression.
Hearing this, Jiang Xingzhi neither agreed nor disagreed, only lightly instructed, "Go focus on your work." He greeted Zhong Ming, "I'm going to find Master Wu Jie."
This ambiguous attitude left Zhong Ming unable to gauge the situation. He responded, "Go ahead."
The silver-blue figure disappeared in a few steps at the mountain stairs.
After the person left, Zhong Ming turned to call out to Zhu Yan and Zhu Xu who were about to go work. "Wait."
"What is it, Protector Bai?"
He hesitated. "In your view... what's the relationship between Xingzhi and me?"
Zhu Xu matter-of-factly made a heart gesture with his hands. "Isn't it that kind of relationship!"
"When did you notice?"
"This subordinate knew as soon as I came to Kunlun!"
All those "you pin me down, I pin you down" moments were well recorded in his little notebook!
So early? Zhong Ming frowned: So in others' eyes, his relationship with Deng Deng had never changed.
Had he been too sensitive these past days?
Or was it... his gradual influence had been so successful that it became real?!
...
Jiang Xingzhi was unaware of Zhong Ming's inner turmoil. He was currently knocking on Wu Jie's door.
When the door opened, Wu Jie's face appeared. His gaze fell on the red Moon-Holding Pearl at Jiang Xingzhi's chest, then he smiled knowingly and stepped aside. "Sect Master, please enter."
"Master." Jiang Xingzhi now viewed Wu Jie completely differently! Wu Jie's image had become incomparably grand and sacred in his mind. Even the golden powder falling from beneath his eyelids seemed profoundly mysterious.
Was that gold powder? That was clearly scattered divine prophecy.
The two sat down in the room. Jiang Xingzhi apologized with gratitude and embarrassment. "I misunderstood Master before. Master's calculations were truly accurate."
Things like "right before your eyes" and "half of your wish fulfilled" - he'd gotten them all right.
"No matter. All prophecies will be verified by time." Wu Jie sat upright in his chair, smiling profoundly.
Jiang Xingzhi took out two spirit stones. "When will the other half be fulfilled?"
The smooth spirit stones were placed on the table surface. Wu Jie didn't immediately take them. He seemed to look at Jiang Xingzhi through his eyelids for a while, until he made the person feel puzzled, then raised his hand to gather the spirit stones.
His lips parted lightly. "Wait."
Buzz! His mind felt enveloped by a distant voice.
Jiang Xingzhi was momentarily absent-minded, goosebumps rising all over his body.
He sat dazedly in place, feeling like he'd been lost in thought for quite a while, but when he slowly came back to his senses and glanced at the incense burner on the table, he saw the incense stick had only burned down half a finger's width.
"Master..." Jiang Xingzhi looked toward Wu Jie, wanting to ask something but finding he didn't know where to begin.
Wu Jie seemed to see his confusion. "If Sect Master has nothing to ask, then don't ask." He changed the subject, reaching under the table to pull out a handful of small golden pieces strung with red thread. "Why not look at this poor daoist's latest product?"
Jiang Xingzhi: "......"
Jiang Xingzhi: "What product?"
A red thread braided from three strands held a golden piece the size of a fingernail in the middle, carefully crafted into a lotus leaf shape, apparently meant to be tied around the wrist.
Wu Jie introduced enthusiastically, "Pure handmade product, suitable for men and women in love. Supports engraving - carve your beloved's name on the lotus leaf to bless smooth and lasting romance."
Jiang Xingzhi asked sincerely, "Would dao companions be moved to tears seeing this?"
Wu Jie smiled serenely. "You understand too much, Sect Master."
"This is just a consumer trap, Master." Jiang Xingzhi crossed his arms and leaned back against the chair, sighing deeply. "Besides, this sect master is strapped for cash and doesn't have much money."
"But this poor daoist thinks..."
"Just tell me, how much per piece?"
"......" Wu Jie smiled. "Not expensive, four spirit stones. Sect Master gets an internal discount - three spirit stones is enough."
Clang, three spirit stones were placed on the table.
Wu Jie took the money and quickly selected a red cord to prepare the engraving. "What name shall I carve, Sect Master?"
Jiang Xingzhi looked at that fingernail-sized lotus leaf piece - just enough space for two or three characters. He thought: Xu Jian's name in this era was "Bai Mu," so he might as well have "Bai Mu" carved. After all, they were the same person, not much difference.
Otherwise, how could he explain "Xu Jian" to Wu Jie?
"Just carve 'Bai Mu.'"
Two characters in bold strokes gradually took shape on the small lotus leaf. After Wu Jie finished carving, he handed it to Jiang Xingzhi. "Just wear it on your wrist, Sect Master."
As Jiang Xingzhi put it on, he pondered, "This gold foil on the little lotus leaf wouldn't happen to come from the same source as the gold powder under Master's eyelids, would it?"
"Sect Master is joking. One is pure gold, one is gold-plated. How could this poor daoist deceive customers?"
"That's fine then."
He fastened the red thread and shook down his wide sleeves to cover his wrist. Thinking of having Xu Jian's name carved and worn on his body, even thick-skinned Jiang Xingzhi felt a bit bashful.
These little romantic gestures were quite sweet.
Jiang Xingzhi rose to take his leave. "I'll go first then, Master."
"Sect Master, take care. Come again next time."
The door creaked shut behind him. Just as Jiang Xingzhi walked out of Wu Jie's small courtyard, he ran into Zhong Ming.
The other's furrowed brow quickly smoothed when he saw him. Zhong Ming walked over in a few steps, putting away his troubled expression. "Just back from collecting your commission from Wu Jie?"
"No." Jiang Xingzhi touched his nose. He'd forgotten - not only had he not collected money, he'd spent two sums. "Next time."
"Then what did you go for, another fortune reading?"
"Something like that." Jiang Xingzhi answered vaguely. The red thread on his wrist felt somewhat ticklish. He turned to walk up the mountain. "Let's go back."
His suspiciously vague attitude made Zhong Ming follow, turning his head to study his expression. "What did you ask about?"
"Just asked when I could go back."
"What did he say?" Zhong Ming's voice tightened, sounding even more concerned than Jiang Xingzhi.
Jiang Xingzhi glanced at him, then turned back to gaze at the long stone steps above and the red leaves drifting down the mountain, leisurely drawling, "Indefinitely far."
Thump! Zhong Ming's heart lurched.
Jiang Xingzhi asked, "What's wrong, Ah Zuo?"
Under the other's gaze, Zhong Ming forced a smile. "That's wonderful, I can't bear to part with Deng Deng."
Jiang Xingzhi saw his bitter smile and couldn't help but break into a grin. "Oh, I can't bear to part with Ah Zuo either."
All the red leaves on the mountain became mere background to this bright, soft smile. A mountain breeze passed through the forest, lifting Jiang Xingzhi's long hair to flutter behind him, like brushing across Zhong Ming's heart, making him tremble with emotion.
While trembling with emotion, Zhong Ming couldn't help feeling anxious: What was there to be reluctant about? How could this little disguise compare to his true self?
Wouldn't quickly returning to a thousand years later to be sweet and intimate with his "Xu Jian" self be more appealing?
But Jiang Xingzhi seemed oblivious to his inner conflict, turning again to climb the stone steps.
He walked a few steps ahead, while Zhong Ming remained standing in place. From the height difference of several steps, the wind lifted his sleeve cuff, suddenly revealing a thin red thread.
His gaze fixed sharply!
Zhong Ming held his breath and stepped forward in several quick strides, grabbing that wrist with a "smack," lifting the other's hand with his racing heartbeat—
"Ah Zuo!" Jiang Xingzhi hadn't expected to be discovered so quickly, his face heating up.
The wide sleeve slid down from his wrist, bunching at his elbow. On the porcelain-white wrist was clearly tied a brand-new red cord, the carved characters on the small lotus leaf falling clearly into Zhong Ming's sight.
He gripped Jiang Xingzhi's wrist, his whole body trembling.
—Bai Mu.
This time Zhong Ming truly couldn't help being overwhelmed by surging jealousy, no longer able to deceive himself!
He pulled Jiang Xingzhi's hand toward himself, gritting his teeth as he looked down and asked, "What exactly do you feel about me, Deng Deng?"