The heavy rain made it difficult for Yongzheng to see what was in front of him. He walked slowly, knowing that Xue Horan had a sprained ankle and that his pain must be severe. When he was about to turn around to check on him, Miao Mingzhu yelled.
Miao Mingzhu shouted, "I will break his neck if you stop walking!"
Yongzheng had no choice but to continue moving aimlessly.
Miao Mingzhu could barely see ahead, but she continued to drag Xue Horan, who was limping beside her. The wind blew the rain directly into her face, and she could only faintly see Wang Biming's back on Yongzheng's shoulders. Then suddenly, Xue Horan stumbled to the ground.
When Xue Horan fell, his right palm braced his fall, scraping against the rocks on the road, and his hand began to bleed.
Yongzheng immediately turned around and walked back toward Miao Mingzhu and Xue Horan. He said, "Miao guniang, we have to find a place to rest. It won't help us to walk in the rain like this."
Miao Mingzhu looked at him with suspicion. "As soon as I put down my defenses, you'll kill us."
Yongzheng replied, "I told you before, I don't kill." He paused and looked directly at Miao Mingzhu. "You may not remember me, but I still remember you."
Miao Mingzhu narrowed her eyes. "Have we met?"
Yongzheng confirmed it. "The burning pagoda by the river cliff. I am one of the people who went to help the prisoners."
Miao Mingzhu's face twisted with recognition and hatred. "You! You are the stinking Taoist who closed the gate and caused my plan to fail!"
Yongzheng stood firm. "I knew you two were people from the Yueguang Sect. Taoism didn't teach us to kill. If I wanted to kill, I would have killed you long ago."
Miao Mingzhu released her grip on Xue Horan. "I have never seen anyone as crazy as you. You were willing to jump into the river to save those useless martial artists."
Yongzheng persisted with his offer. "Everyone loves their lives, including the smallest creatures. I thought you were wrong to take the dark road. I will help you carry him to a safe place. Afterward, we can part ways."
Miao Mingzhu frowned. "You stinking Taoist, if you play tricks with me, I will kill your friend!"
Yongzheng corrected her gently. "On the contrary, this benefactor is not my friend. This benefactor and I just met."
Miao Mingzhu stared at Xue Horan for a moment, then finally let go of Xue Horan's hand completely. She looked back at Yongzheng. "Find a place to shelter from the rain. If you dare to play games with me, I will kill you two."
The sky darkened further, and the rain intensified. The four travelers found a fabric mill on the outskirts of a village. Miao Mingzhu kicked the door open—the building was empty. Inside, rolls of fabric in various colors were hung throughout the open space.
Yongzheng gently placed the unconscious Wang Biming in a corner near the door. Miao Mingzhu hurried to tend to Wang Biming. Yongzheng helped Xue Horan sit opposite them.
Yongzheng immediately checked on his young companion. "How do you feel?"
Xue Horan shivered. "I'm cold."
"How is your ankle?" Yongzheng asked.
Xue Horan replied, his voice strained, "Burning in pain."
Yongzheng nodded. "You wait. I'll find something for us to change into."
Yongzheng stood up and began to search the mill. He quickly realized the place was deserted, but then he noticed a bed. He looked around cautiously, sensing someone might be sleeping there. He approached and reached out to touch the form on the bed. An old man, startled, suddenly turned over. Yongzheng quickly retreated.
The old man sat up and looked at Yongzheng. "Who are you? You are not Ah Tin."
Yongzheng spoke softly. "May we trouble you to stay here for one night?"
The old man shouted loudly, "What?" He pointed to his ear. "My hearing is not good. You must speak loudly."
Yongzheng raised his voice. "Can you let us stay for one night?"
The old man smiled kindly. "Of course. Only me and Ah Tin stay here." He looked out the window. "It's raining, I don't think Ah Tin will be back tonight."
Yongzheng asked, "Are there any dry clothes?"
The old man took out a small box from under the bed. "These clothes belong to Ah Tin." Yongzheng grabbed four robes and four pairs of pants, and he offered the old man four liangs of silver. The old man shook his head. "No. Ah Tin has a lot of clothes."
Yongzheng thanked the old man and took the clothes back to the three people. The old man followed him.
Seeing the old man, Miao Mingzhu stood up angrily. "Who is he?"
Yongzheng intervened. "He is our host." Yongzheng walked close to Miao Mingzhu. "Miao guniang, I hope you don't do stupid things. I don't want to hurt you."
The old man, oblivious to the tension, spoke again. "When everyone is changed, you can go to sleep up there." He pointed to a loft. "That's where we put extra blankets, and it's where the workers usually sleep."
Miao Mingzhu began to approach the old man, her anger evident. Xue Horan instantly got up, limped forward to interrupt her, and held the old man's hand. "Thank you, Lao Shushu," he said sincerely.
The old man said loudly, "Huh?"
Yongzheng purposefully put himself between Miao Mingzhu and Xue Horan, glaring at Miao Mingzhu and slowly shaking his head at her—a silent warning. He then turned to Xue Horan and said softly, "He has poor hearing."
Xue Horan smiled and said loudly, "Thank you, Lao Shushu."
The old man chuckled warmly. "Help yourself. There are extra blankets up there." He pointed to the loft. "I'll go to the kitchen to see if there is anything left to eat."
Miao Mingzhu then interjected, her voice suddenly sweet. "Thank you. Here is a little token for your kindness." She reached into her robe and took out a small perfume bag. She offered it to the old man. "Smell it."
The old man sniffed twice and said, "This smell very good." He yawned deeply and slowly closed his eyes, collapsing.
Xue Horan quickly grabbed the old man's arm to steady him. "Give him the antidote!"
Miao Mingzhu looked at Xue Horan, annoyed. "I just gave him sleeping powder. No antidote is needed."
Xue Horan was skeptical. "I don't believe you."
Miao Mingzhu shrugged. "Believe me or not, I don't care."
Yongzheng stepped forward, his expression grave. "Miao guniang, I did warn you."
Miao Mingzhu met his gaze. "You did. I can hear you clearly. If he doesn't wake up tomorrow, then you can kill me."
Yongzheng hurriedly checked the old man's pulse; it was still strong. Reassured, Yongzheng picked up the old man and carried him onto the bed. He covered the old man with a blanket and walked back to the three people.
Yongzheng threw two robes and two pairs of pants at Miao Mingzhu. It was only then that Miao Mingzhu began to undress right in front of the two men.
Xue Horan was shocked. "Miao guniang, don't change in front of us!" He quickly turned his back.
Miao Mingzhu then taunted Yongzheng. "You didn't turn around. Do you want to see more?"
Yongzheng looked at her blankly. "I have no feeling for you, so whether you wear clothes or no clothes when you stand in front of me, you are just a person without gender."
Miao Mingzhu's curiosity and arrogance were piqued. "Really?" She slowly unfastened her belt, allowing her wet clothes and pants to fall to the ground. Immediately afterward, she slowly opened her robe, deliberately revealing her two breasts, but Yongzheng remained completely unaffected by her actions. She slowly dressed herself in the dry clothes. She smiled at Yongzheng. "You are the first man to see me naked, but it's a pity... you didn't even flinch." She giggled.
From behind them, Xue Horan asked nervously, "Does she have clothes on now?"
Yongzheng replied, "She is clothed."
Only then did Xue Horan turn back around.
Miao Mingzhu then said, casually, "Please help me dress him." She quickly flew toward the loft and began spreading blankets.
While Yongzheng began changing his own clothes, Xue Horan also turned his head away, still refusing to look at Yongzheng. Yongzheng quickly dressed and then, after dressing the unconscious Wang Biming, looked at Xue Horan, who was still wearing his wet clothes.
Yongzheng asked, "Why haven't you changed?"
Xue Horan hesitated. "I... I... I'll just wear the wet clothes."
Yongzheng insisted. "Change your wet clothes; it will be more comfortable."
Xue Horan offered, "You take that da ge to sleep first. I will change."
Yongzheng grabbed Wang Biming and carried him up to the loft, where Miao Mingzhu had already prepared a blanket for him. Looking down at the door, he still saw Xue Horan standing there, clutching his dry clothes. He climbed down the bamboo ladder and walked back to him.
Yongzheng asked, gently, "What's the matter?"
Xue Horan said, "I'm fine. You can go to sleep."
Yongzheng asked, a hint of amusement in his voice, "Are you shy?"
Xue Horan replied, weakly, "No..."
Yongzheng looked at Xue Horan, who was holding the dry clothes tightly in his hands and looking at him nervously.
Yongzheng relented. "You can change inside there; no one will look at you." He pointed to the hanging fabrics. "I will stand here to guard. I promise I won't look back."
Xue Horan quickly took off his boots and socks first, then his pants. He hurriedly put on the dry pants, then the robe, and then tied his belt tightly around his waist. He then called out, "I'm done." Xue Horan then hung up his damp clothes.
Yongzheng and Xue Horan climbed the bamboo ladder to the loft and settled down to sleep far away from Miao Mingzhu and Wang Biming.
Yongzheng and Xue Horan sat down side-by-side, leaning on the rice sacks. After a while, Xue Horan fell asleep first. His head slowly dropped onto Yongzheng's right shoulder. Yongzheng looked at Xue Horan's innocent face, his long eyelashes, and slightly pinkish lips, and his heart began to beat faster.
When Yongzheng was about to reach out to touch Xue Horan's irresistible face, Xue Horan murmured softly in his sleep, "Zhen ge ge, I miss you." Xue Horan adjusted himself and his head settled on Yongzheng's thigh. "Zhen ge ge, I'm cold."
Yongzheng took the last blanket and covered Xue Horan with it. He stared at Xue Horan's undeniable beauty while he slept, experiencing an inexplicable sense of self-satisfaction that he had never had before.