Chapter 43: A Quiet Life

“How did he know Fu Xiaochun? How long have they known each other?” Su Tang asked. Fu Xiaochun was the martial artist Su Tang had stabbed to death with a sword scabbard that day.

“About half a year,” Mo Xiaobai replied.

Su Tang pondered for a moment. “Does Brother Long know about this?”

“He hasn’t come to Miaodao Pavilion for two days,” Mo Xiaobai said.

Su Tang let out a soft sigh. He could feel that after he killed Great Master Wen, Long Qi seemed to start distancing himself. For a member of Miaodao Pavilion to ruthlessly kill Great Master Wen was an act without a bottom line, which would likely cause other forces to become alert and reject him. Thinking back now, having no bottom line was perhaps Long Qi’s own perspective.

“Do you know what he is busy with?” Su Tang asked in a low voice.

“It seems… he is preparing to get married.”

“Get married?” Su Tang was somewhat surprised and pleased.

“Yes.”

Su Tang picked up the documents and slowly stood up. This was an opportunity to repair their relationship. Ever since he met Long Qi, Long Qi had been trying his best to guide him. Su Tang understood that Long Qi wanted to teach him all the experience and insights he had gained over the years all at once, so that he wouldn’t take the wrong path in the future or bring disaster to Miaodao Pavilion.

It could be said that Long Qi had done him a great kindness.

However, everyone had a different personality, and it was impossible for Su Tang to follow Long Qi’s guidance completely. Su Tang liked to cut the Gordian knot quickly, while Long Qi was cautious and hesitant; Su Tang liked to use thunderous methods against enemies, while Long Qi always advised him to learn to compromise; Su Tang despised rules and only acted humble and low-key because he knew he had no right to be arrogant, whereas Long Qi treated rules as a creed and never crossed the line.

Although his personality was the opposite of Long Qi’s, there was a saying: seek common ground while reserving differences.

He could use the news of Long Qi’s marriage as a reason to chat with him and fix their relationship, and also ask what was going on with the Cheng Family. Based on the information from the interrogations, the Cheng Family should be involved. But he had just arrived in Changshan County and had no old grudges or recent hatred with the Cheng Family, so why would they go to such lengths to target him? If he really decided to fight the Cheng Family, what should he be careful about, and how should he start? There were too many questions.

By coincidence, just as Su Tang walked to the entrance of Long Qi’s large mansion, two servants pulled open the door. Long Qi, dressed very neatly with a clean-shaven face, walked slowly out from inside, and the two of them bumped right into each other.

“Brother Long, you look really young today… Are you going to see your future wife?” Su Tang smiled.

“I… uh… I am going to accompany them for some shopping,” Long Qi’s old face turned red, then he frowned. “Running around alone again? You really forget the pain once the wound heals!”

“Mo Xiaobai had people follow me, but I was afraid they would disturb your neighbors, so I let them stay at the street corner,” Su Tang said.

“You still have to be careful yourself in the future. There is no medicine to sell for regrets in this world,” Long Qi said. “Do you need me for something?”

“Before you get married, I must meet my sister-in-law first. If I call her by the wrong name at the wedding, that would be terrible. She might think you had many romantic affairs in the past.”

“True, it is time we get acquainted,” Long Qi nodded.

Su Tang followed slowly behind Long Qi. He planned to chat about trivial things before bringing up serious business. If he got straight to the point, it might give Long Qi a bad impression—that he only visited when he needed something and forgot about him when he didn’t.

But after walking for a while, a woman in a pink long dress, holding the hand of a five or six-year-old girl, walked toward them. Seeing Long Qi and Su Tang, she stood there with a slightly shy smile on her face.

The woman’s appearance was not particularly outstanding. Her figure was somewhat frail, and her skin was too pale, giving her an undernourished look. Moreover, Su Tang noticed that there were actually patches on her long dress.

“A-Yue, why are you here?” Long Qi smiled, and his smile was extremely bright.

“Is that the sister-in-law?” Seeing Long Qi’s smile, Su Tang was stunned. With Long Qi’s status in Changshan County, what kind of woman couldn’t he find? That woman seemed a bit too ordinary.

“Yes,” Long Qi answered in a low voice.

“Nannan couldn’t wait,” the woman said softly.

“Haha…” Su Tang said, “The child is already this big?”

“Don’t talk nonsense, she is the child of her ex-husband,” Long Qi said.

At that moment, the little girl broke free from her mother’s hand and ran happily toward Long Qi.

Long Qi’s smile became very gentle. He took a few quick steps to meet the little girl, calling out, “Nannan, be careful not to fall, slow down, slow down…” When the little girl ran close, he bent down and picked her up.

“Uncle Long, here!” The little girl held two bamboo skewers in her hand. Each skewer held Azure Blue Fruits the size of almonds. They looked like candied haws from another world, except that candied haws needed sugar syrup, while Azure Blue Fruits were simmered in thick sugar water over a slow fire.

Long Qi took one skewer of Azure Blue Fruits and smiled, “Nannan is the best…”

The little girl’s gaze fell on Su Tang. She hesitated for a moment and then called out, “Uncle, here…”

The little girl’s eyes flickered, and her arm was half-extended and half-withdrawn. It was obvious she was reluctant to give up this skewer of Azure Blue Fruits and was only being polite to Su Tang. Compared to her affectionate attitude toward Long Qi, the treatment was far too different.

If it had been anyone else, they certainly would not eat a child’s food, but Su Tang had a mischievous thought. He leaned in with a smile, bit the bottommost Azure Blue Fruit, gave his neck a light twist and his mouth a tug, and all six or seven Azure Blue Fruits on the skewer disappeared, leaving only an empty bamboo stick.

The little girl was stunned. She looked at the bamboo stick in her hand, then at Su Tang’s chewing mouth, then back at the stick, and then at Su Tang again. She felt very wronged; her nostrils flared, and her eyes filled with tears.

“You fellow!” Long Qi was both angry and amused. He quickly stuffed his own Azure Blue Fruits into the little girl’s hand and coaxed her, “Nannan be good, Uncle won’t eat anymore, Nannan eat them…”

The little girl pouted, took the skewer Long Qi gave her, and used all her strength to give Su Tang a fierce glare before turning her head away.

“Mr. Su, you…” Long Qi said.

“Brother Long, please don’t call me Mr. Su, okay? It feels… a bit piercing. Just call me Su Tang like before.”

“Haha… alright, Su Tang. I know you definitely have something to ask me, but not today. I already promised Nannan today that I would spend the whole day playing with her.” As Long Qi spoke, he pinched the little girl’s nose. “Isn’t that right, Nannan?”

“Mm!” The little girl nodded vigorously, then gave Long Qi a heavy kiss on the cheek.

“Tomorrow then. I will come find you tomorrow evening,” Long Qi said, as he walked toward the woman opposite them.

Since Long Qi had already said this, Su Tang couldn’t follow them and could only watch Long Qi’s back helplessly.

In the distance, Long Qi put the little girl on the ground and held her hand as they walked. The woman intentionally lagged behind. The little girl seemed to feel that her mother was a bit reserved, so she pulled Long Qi back and held one hand of each.

The little girl was very happy, jumping, laughing, and shouting in the middle, which could be heard from far away. Su Tang’s heart suddenly felt warm. This was probably the life Long Qi truly wanted…