"It really is you? I was wondering why you looked like such a familiar little monk. Just now, while I was in the procession, I noticed you staring at me. Have you missed your Gege after all these years?" Yun Zizhuo spoke without a trace of the distance or formality one might expect after a decade apart. It was as if the years between them had never existed, and they were as close as they had been in childhood.
Ji Chun knew that if he denied it, Yun Zizhuo would go to great lengths to coax the answer he wanted. So, he simply replied insincerely, "Benefactor Yun, you must have important matters to attend to today. Please go ahead. I'll visit the manor when I have time."
"Xiao Chun, come back with me. I'll have the kitchen prepare vegetarian dishes for you. Today is my younger brother Ziyu's wedding. You're like a younger brother to me, and his older brother too. You should join us," Yun Zizhuo invited with a warm smile.
"That's fine, but please let's not use my childhood nickname anymore," Ji Chun said. They were both grown men now, standing at the same height. He couldn't understand how Yun Zizhuo could still use such a childish name so casually. Reluctantly, he nodded in agreement, thinking it would be rude to refuse. But then he realized—where was Su Ran?
Noticing Ji Chun's furrowed brow as he scanned the crowd, Yun Zizhuo asked, "Ji Chun, are you looking for the man who was standing here with you earlier?"
"Yes, have you seen him?" Ji Chun replied.
"That young man is so striking that it's hard to forget him after just one glance. Ji Chun, you're usually so reserved. How did you come to know someone so extraordinary?" Yun Zizhuo's tone carried a hint of deliberate emphasis. He had always thought his brothers were the most good looking men he knew, but Su Ran's flawless appearance was on another level. The thought that Ji Chun, the little monk he'd been closest to as a child, now had such a remarkable companion left him feeling... unsettled.
Ji Chun's expression remained neutral, but he felt a twinge of irritation. What was Yun Zizhuo implying?Su Ran was indeed beautiful, but he was also the leader of the Demonic Cult. It was better not to delve into how they'd met or why they were traveling together. He simply said, "We happened to be going the same way."
"Ah," Yun Zizhuo responded casually. "I saw him heading forward earlier. Why don't you come back with me? We might run into your friend along the way."
After a moment's thought, Ji Chun nodded. He went into the inn and specifically instructed the innkeeper to inform Su Ran that he had gone to Liuyun Manor if he returned. Then, he followed Yun Zizhuo and joined the wedding procession.
Liuyun Manor was built against a mountain, its vast grounds sprawling across the landscape. The towering gates were wide open, and a red carpet stretched for miles. It took nearly half an hour to walk from the gates to the grand hall where the wedding ceremony was being held. At the front sat a middle-aged man with a sturdy build and ordinary features. Beside him was a younger man, dignified and handsome. Yun Zizhuo explained that they were his second uncle and eldest brother, standing in for his parents.
The ceremony was traditional. The young, handsome groom and the veiled bride knelt and bowed as the master of ceremonies directed. As the elder brother of the groom, Yun Zizhuo naturally took on a prominent role in the proceedings. Ji Chun stood to the side, feeling out of place amidst the bustling crowd. His eyes unconsciously scanned the gathering, hoping to spot the person he was looking for.
"Are you enjoying this?" a low voice suddenly came from behind him.
Ji Chun turned quickly to see Su Ran standing there, his expression cold and unreadable. "I never thought Ji Chun Dashi was so close to the Second Young Master of Liuyun Manor," Su Ran said lightly, his tone casual but laced with subtle sarcasm.
"We knew each other as children and haven't seen each other in over a decade," Ji Chun explained. He hesitated, then added, "Benefactor Yun invited me to stay a few days for the wedding, I couldn't refuse. Sect Leader Su, why don't you—"
"Since when do you decide where I stay?" Su Ran interrupted coldly, turning to leave.
Ji Chun grabbed his arm. "Sect Leader Su, please come with me."
Su Ran glanced down at Ji Chun's hand on his arm, his expression icy. Ji Chun immediately let go, feeling both nervous and embarrassed. "Are you begging me?" Su Ran asked, his tone challenging.
Seeing that Su Ran's expression made it clear he would leave if not persuaded, Ji Chun didn't think too deeply about why he wanted him to stay. He simply said, "Yes, I'm asking for your help, Sect Leader Su."
Though his tone lacked sincerity, it seemed to please Su Ran. "Heh, Dashi, have you noticed you've become much smoother and more cunning?" Su Ran asked, a smirk playing on his lips as he studied Ji Chun.
"No," Ji Chun replied, his expression as serious and solemn as ever.
"You're becoming less and less like a monk," Su Ran said, tilting his head slightly as if speaking to himself—or perhaps deliberately for Ji Chun to hear.
Ji Chun wasn't angered or overthinking the comment. Instead, he turned and looked at Su Ran intently, studying his face for a long moment. Just as Su Ran was about to lose his patience, Ji Chun said slowly, "And the Sect Leader doesn't look much like a leader anymore."
At noon, the Yun family hosted a grand wedding banquet, filling two entire courtyards with guests. Ji Chun and Su Ran were about to join the others at the dining tables when suddenly, someone tapped Ji Chun on the shoulder.
The two of them stopped at the same time. Ji Chun turned, slightly confused, to see Yun Zizhuo approaching. It was Yun Zizhuo who had invited him to the wedding banquet. With a warm, spring-like smile, Yun Zizhuo said lightly, "Ji Chun, since when do you eat meat? Most of the dishes at this banquet are meat-based. Also, you haven't introduced me to the young man beside you."
Ji Chun gestured to Su Ran and introduced him first. "This is Yun Zizhuo, the Second Young Master of Liuyun Manor." Noticing that Su Ran's expression remained cold and indifferent, his gaze avoiding Yun Zizhuo entirely, Ji Chun felt it was somewhat rude but chose not to comment. He then turned to Yun Zizhuo and said, "This is Su Ran, a friend I've met in the martial arts world."
"Su Ran..." Yun Zizhuo murmured softly, the name feeling oddly familiar. He smiled and bowed slightly to Su Ran. "Su Gongzi, I've heard much about you."
Su Ran responded with nothing more than a faint "Hmm," his tone dismissive and his expression unchanged. He didn't even glance at Yun Zizhuo, his indifference evident.
Yun Zizhuo, however, showed no sign of offense. Instead, he gracefully addressed both of them. "Let me take you to the guest room first. I'll have the chef prepare a meal for you."
"Thank you for your hospitality, Yun Gongzi," Ji Chun said, clasping his hands together and bowing slightly. His gesture was both an expression of gratitude and an unspoken apology for Su Ran's rudeness.
"Ji Chun, if you keep being so formal with me, I'll really get upset," Yun Zizhuo said, half-joking. Though his tone was light, there was no smile in his eyes. "Just call me Zizhuo."
Not wanting to create an awkward situation over something as trivial as titles, Ji Chun nodded and obliged. "Zizhuo."
Yun Zizhuo's smile returned, but Su Ran, who had been silently observing the exchange, let out a cold snort and quickened his pace, clearly unimpressed by the display of camaraderie.
The three of them soon arrived at a secluded courtyard. Yun Zizhuo led the way, opening the door to a guest room and ushering them inside. "This is the quietest courtyard in the manor. You're welcome to stay here as long as you like."
A short while later, several maids arrived, carrying trays of food. They set the dishes on the table, two-thirds of which were vegetarian—clearly prepared with Ji Chun in mind.
"Please enjoy your meal and rest here for the afternoon. The wedding banquet will begin after sunset. I hope you'll both attend. It's been years since you've seen my brother, Ji Chun, and my elder brother will be leaving tomorrow morning to attend business. Tonight's banquet would be a good opportunity for you to meet him. I still have some matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now," Yun Zizhuo said, standing and bowing slightly before exiting the room.
"Of course," Ji Chun replied, nodding as he saw Yun Zizhuo out. He then returned to the table, where Su Ran sat in silence, seemingly lost in thought. Noticing that Su Ran hadn't touched his food, Ji Chun asked, "Aren't you going to eat?"
"This meal wasn't prepared for me. Ji Chun Dashi should enjoy the feast your good friend arranged for you," Su Ran said coldly. He stood, removed his shoes, and lay down on the bed, closing his eyes as if to rest.
Ji Chun glanced at the table full of vegetarian dishes, then at Su Ran's indifferent expression. He wondered if the lack of meat had put Su Ran off his appetite. After a moment of hesitation, he picked up a bowl and filled it with a mix of meat dishes he knew Su Ran liked, along with a few vegetarian options. Balancing the bowl carefully, he walked over to the bed.
"I didn't eat much this morning, so I won't be hungry later," Ji Chun said, offering the bowl to Su Ran.
Su Ran slowly turned over, his eyes flickering open to glance at Ji Chun. After a brief pause, he reached out, took the bowl, and sat up on the bed to eat.
After lunch, Ji Chun retired to the adjacent room to rest. As the sun set and the sky darkened, a servant arrived to inform him that the wedding banquet was about to begin. Remembering Yun Zizhuo's suggestion to meet the master of Liuyun Manor, Ji Chun quickly prepared himself, called for Su Ran, and followed the servant to the banquet.
The wedding banquet was held in the same courtyard as the earlier festivities. By the time they arrived, the tables were already filled with guests—men and women, young and old—all laughing and chatting merrily. The tables were laden with fine wine and exquisite dishes, a testament to the wealth and generosity of Liuyun Manor.
As Ji Chun wondered where they would sit, the servant who had guided them spoke respectfully. "Master, Young Master, the Second Young Master has arranged for you to sit at the front, near the lord of the manor and his family."
Ji Chun nodded in acknowledgment and followed the servant forward. At the head table sat the most prominent figures of Liuyun Manor: the eldest young master, now the lord of the manor, occupied the central seat. Beside him sat the second uncle Yun Zizhuo had mentioned earlier, followed by Yun Zizhuo himself and a few other men Ji Chun didn't recognize but assumed were relatives of the manor.
Realizing it would be polite to offer his congratulations to the host, Ji Chun turned to Su Ran and whispered, "I'll go and greet the lord of Liuyun Manor. Please take a seat first."