After Sheng Jun Chapter 64 (Part 2)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 64 Shocking the Entire Banquet (part 2)
His tone carried barely suppressed meaning. To others' ears, it sounded like a perfunctory excuse, deliberately refusing to show respect.
Dozens of gazes in the hall immediately turned to Jiang Xingzhi.
Jiang Xingzhi quickly looked away. "It's fine, no need to send anything." What was his belonged to Xu Jian anyway—why bother with empty formalities?
The atmosphere in the assembly shuddered.
In Jiang Xingzhi's sea of consciousness, Lin He and the others' voices trembled as they transmitted their thoughts:
"Are you really Xingzhi?"
"Have you been possessed? Or did Xu Jian cast a spell on you?"
Jiang Xingzhi replied. "Nonsense, I..."
"No need?" The low, hoarse voice interrupted his mental transmission. Jiang Xingzhi turned back to Zhong Ming, seeing him still staring fixedly at him. "I didn't bring a congratulatory gift, and you don't mind either?"
Jiang Xingzhi replied understandingly. "Mm, I don't mind."
Others might not know, but didn't he understand? When Xu Jian said he "came in haste," he must have rushed here without stopping. Being able to go home together was the best gift for each other.
His tone was relaxed, and his face indeed showed no trace of reluctance.
Seeing this, Zhong Ming suddenly felt a breath catch in his chest. Regardless of how the gazes around them moved between the two, he pressed his thin lips together and gripped his wine cup tightly.
He truly no longer liked him—whether he gave gifts or not was irrelevant. Because he didn't care, he wasn't angry.
Having liked him for hundreds of years, how could he forget so cleanly!
****
After Jiang Xingzhi spoke considerately, he watched Zhong Ming lower his brows in silence and finally sensed something was wrong.
Earlier, his mind had been full of thoughts: Going home together! Forming a contract! This and that! When he saw Xu Jian pursuing him, he had even secretly anticipated some intimacy with his true form.
But now, recalling the look Xu Jian had given him just now...
Beyond the intense emotion, there seemed to be restraint, conflict, anger, jealousy... Such a rich array of emotions—he had last seen this when "Bai Mu" was in control.
Thud. Jiang Xingzhi's heart jumped, hardly daring to believe: Could it be that Xu Jian was still trapped in his disguise, engaging in self-opposition?
Weren't they about to form a contract?
Could it be that Xu Jian planned to completely abandon the "Bai Mu" disguise and start over from scratch with his true self???
Jiang Xingzhi's eyes widened, his soul shaken by this suddenly reset progress bar!
While he was reeling in shock, Lin He and the others approached with wine cups. The three of them were no less shocked than Jiang Xingzhi—Lord Huan Ji had even cautiously cast another divination to determine whether the Jiang Xingzhi sitting at the main seat was really himself.
"Xingzhi, what's wrong with you? You two..." Lin He stole a glance at the nearby Zhong Ming, then turned away and leaned close to Jiang Xingzhi, whispering, "Is it because you've been reborn and achieved great enlightenment, letting go of hatred?"
Jiang Xingzhi hadn't yet recovered from the shock of "Xu Jian planning to start from zero" when he heard such nonsense, immediately feeling a headache.
He reached out to push Lin He's face away. "Less wild speculation."
Lin He wouldn't give up—his intuition told him something was definitely wrong with Jiang Xingzhi! He signaled to Shuang Ling and Lord Huan Ji, and the latter two understood immediately, flanking Jiang Xingzhi on both sides.
"Quick, confess everything!"
Jiang Xingzhi found himself trapped between the three, both arms held tight. Exhausted, he said, "You all..."
Bang. A muffled sound came from the adjacent seat.
Several people looked over to see Zhong Ming setting down his wine cup with one hand, his gaze looking over eerily.
Lin He gulped nervously: Why, why did it feel like they had somehow provoked Xu Jian Sheng Jun?
Jiang Xingzhi knowingly glanced at Zhong Ming and thought to himself: Wasn't he the one who didn't want to acknowledge their relationship? What was he being jealous about now?
After a moment of eye contact, Jiang Xingzhi casually looked away, pulling his arms free. "Stop fooling around."
"You're the one fooling around, don't try to change the subject." Lin He continued blocking him, then suddenly remembered, "Oh right, didn't you say you were going to give the funeral expenses to—mmph!"
A hand quickly covered Lin He's mouth.
Jiang Xingzhi firmly gripped his lips, thinking about how Xu Jian was right beside them and could definitely hear everything clearly, and felt embarrassed and annoyed.
Lord Huan Ji and Shuang Ling quickly asked, "What? What funeral expenses, for whom?"
Jiang Xingzhi: "No one!"
A substantial gaze immediately focused on him.
Through the gaps between Lin He and the others, Zhong Ming's eyes locked firmly onto Jiang Xingzhi: What about the confession that was supposed to be for him? Jiang Xingzhi had truly taken back his feelings.
Was there not even a trace of lingering emotion left?
He had actually lost to his own disguise, and so thoroughly!
Jiang Xingzhi dealt with his interrogating friends while still feeling the gaze from beside him.
Shock, anger, but not daring to speak out. All of it finally transformed into overwhelming grievance washing over him... He could imagine that if Xu Jian were currently in his "Bai Mu" disguise, he would have already pounced over to kiss and nibble, clinging and asking whether he still liked him or not.
He cast a glance over: Hmph, why don't you pounce over then, Mr. Starting-From-Zero?
….
After being interrogated by Lin He's group for a long time, Jiang Xingzhi had no choice but to grab the wine pot beside him, drain it in one gulp, and slam it down on the table with a "crack."
He stood up to escape through intoxication. "This lord cannot handle his liquor well. Everyone please continue as you wish and enjoy yourselves."
As he stood, Zhong Ming's gaze followed.
By this time the dancing had ended, leaving only a few musicians playing gentle music. Most guests in the assembly had relaxed and were chatting happily to the accompaniment. Hearing his words, they all bowed:
"We respectfully send off Sheng Jun."
"Saint need not concern yourself with us—please return and rest!"
Jiang Xingzhi nodded, deliberately ignoring the intense gaze clinging to him from beside. He pushed past Lin He and the others, stepping down from the main seat and walking through the venue to leave.
Halfway through, sudden commotion erupted behind him.
A table creaked as it was pushed aside, accompanied by surrounding exclamations: "What are you doing?" "Xingzhi, be careful!" Jiang Xingzhi sensed something, his heartbeat suddenly racing as he stopped in his tracks.
Just as he was about to turn around, a firm embrace wrapped around him from behind, holding him tightly—
Thud.
The entire mountaintop fell into dead silence, even the gasps cut off abruptly.
Violent heartbeats pounded against his back through the chest. Zhong Ming seemed unable to bear it any longer, embracing Jiang Xingzhi tightly from behind, pressing against his ear with gritted teeth and resentful voice, "Jiang Xingzhi, after being gone so long, don't you miss me at all?"