CLX Book 5 Chapter 12

Chapter 12 – One Night of Entanglement

Steamed pot chicken, red well-cooked and soft duck, lion’s head, fish steamed in broth … these were all specialty dishes that needs the cooking skill that pays particular attention to heat control. Liang Ma must have spent all day in preparing these dishes. _{Translated by foxs}

But now, these dishes were still stuck unmoving to the original [idiom], sitting on the table, because there were only two people left on the table, and these two people did not even have the slightest bit intention of eating the dishes.

The guests have not leave, the hosts have already left instead. When everyone left, they all had a set of good reasons, although anybody would be able to tell that those reasons were complete fabrication.

Their intention was no more than wanting to leave Chu Liuxiang and Shi Xiuyun, two people alone. This intention, not only Chu Liuxiang understood, Shi Xiuyun also understood.

The wonderful thing was that she did not ask the other people to stay, but she did not leave either.

Holding the chopsticks, she lightly tapped the wine cup, as if she wanted to break the silence in the room, but it also appeared as if she felt that there was nowhere to put her hands, so she wanted to look for something to do.

The thin layer of blush on her face, seen under the faint lantern light – was really indescribably tender and beautiful, indescribably lovely. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes covered her eyelids, her white jade-like teeth lightly bit her cherry-like red lips, but she did not bite too hard.

In the courtyard, the autumn wind blew the Wutong [Chinese parasol] trees.

Bursts of delicate fragrance floated and drifted from the emerald-green colored wine.

Such a fine night, such a fine woman, and such a fine wine, even without drinking, one ought to be intoxicated.

Chu Liuxiang’s experience with beauties and fine wines might be much richer than most people, but for some reason, at this moment his heart was unexpectedly thumping non-stop.

He very rarely heard the sound of his own heartbeat.

Shi Xiuyun suddenly raised her eyes, her fluid glance eyes slid from his face to his hands, her face revealed a pair of shallow dimples.

She asked softly, “Are you not going to toast me?”

Chu Liuxiang said. “Can you drink wine?”

Shi Xiuyun’s fluid glance rolled around, she said, “If you dare to compete with me in drinking, I will definitely get you drunk.”

Chu Liuxiang also laughed, he said, “All right, I’ll toast you one cup.” _{Translated by foxs}

Shi Xiuyun curled her lips, she said, “How stingy, if you want to toast, you have to toast three cups. You … you are afraid that I will get drunk?”

Very quickly she poured three cups of wine, very quickly she drank them down.

Whether someone knows how to drink or not, it can be seen from his posture when he raises his cup. As soon as Chu Liuxiang saw her posture in raising the cup, he knew that she has at least drunk wine before.

He also drank three cups, and then said with a laugh, “To be honest, I really did not think that you could drink wine, moreover, your wine capacity is not bad.”

Shi Xiuyun cast him a glance out of the corner of her eyes, she said, “What? You think I look like a country bumpkin, don’t I? Let me tell you, country bumpkins also drink wine.”

She started to pour wine again, while continuing leisurely, “Let me tell you again, during the [Lunar] New Year celebration this year, I drank a jar of wine by myself; do you believe me?”

Chu Liuxiang blurted out laughing, he said, “In that case, I really should look for Xiao Hu to have him drink with you.”

Shi Xiuyun asked, “Who is Xiao Hu?”

Chu Liuxiang replied, “His name is Hu Tiehua, he is an old friend of mine, also a good friend of mine. His wine capacity is a lot stronger than mine.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Shi Xiuyun laughed and said, “All right, next time you find him, I will get him drunk to show you, but today … today … I just want to drink with you.”

She raised her cup and said, “Come, I’ll toast you. If you toast me three cups, I’ll toast you six cups. My imposing manner is much bigger than you, right?”

Chu Liuxiang stroked his nose, he said, “Six cups?”

‘Glug!’ Shi Xiuyun swallowed a mouthful, she downed the first cup of wine, and said, “Six cups, do you think it’s too little? Or too much?”

Chu Liuxiang laughed and said, “It seems to be a bit too much.”

Shi Xiuyun stared at him; feigning anger coquettishly, she said, “Why? Are you afraid that I’ll get drunk? As long as you yourself are not drunk, I’m fine, don’t worry about me.”

She drank these six cups of wine even faster, when she finished drinking, her face became even redder.

Chu Liuxiang spoke softly, “After I finish drinking these six cups, I will take you home, all right?”

Rolling her eyes, Shi Xiuyun said, ‘You … you finish your drink first and then we’ll talk.” _{Translated by foxs}

To Chu Liuxiang, naturally six cups of wine were nothing.

After drinking six cups, he asked, “Now it should be time for you to go home?”

Shi Xiuyun bit her cherry lips, hung her head low, and slowly took off her pair of new embroidered shoes, but she put her pair of white heavenly feet on the chair, and then she slowly looked up again, fixed her gaze on Chu Liuxiang, and spoke word by word, “I’m not going back.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “You … you are not going back? Why?”

Shi Xiuyun poured more wine, she said, “No reason, I just don’t want to go back.”

Her fluid glance rolled around Chu Liuxiang’s face, she spoke sweetly, “Come, now it should be your turn to toast me.”

Chu Liuxiang could only stroke a nose, his own nose.

Shi Xiuyun hung down her head, she spoke quietly, “My mood is not good, I want to drink, could it be that you don’t want to accompany me?”

Chu Liuxiang sighed inwardly, he said, “As long as you don’t get drunk, even if I accompany you drinking for three days, it’s not a problem.”

Shi Xiuyun said, “You are afraid that I will get drunk?” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Chu Liuxiang smiled wryly and said, “Either you or I, no matter which one of us gets drunk, I will be afraid. I’m not afraid of anything, I am only scared of drunk people.”

“Pfft,” Shi Xiuyun giggled and said, “I guarantee that I will definitely not get drunk, is that all right?”

Chu Liuxiang could only raise his cup and said, “All right, I toast you.”

Actually, Chu Liuxiang naturally knew that no one could guarantee that he would not get drunk; the only way to keep himself from getting drunk was simply not to drink at all.

Although this method could not be considered clever, but it is very effective.

Only too bad too many people are not willing to use this method, hence there are still too many people who get drunk every day.

Chu Liuxiang also knew that while persuading people to drink was not good, but persuading people not to drink was not good either, because the more you persuade him not to drink, oftentimes he will drink more.

He was only hoping that Shi Xiuyun’s wine capacity was really not bad.

Shi Xiuyun’s wine capacity was indeed not bad, only it was not as good as she herself imagined — everyone’s wine capacity is not as good as he imagined.

Shi Xiuyun’s fluid glance was not as lively as before. _{Translated by foxs}

She stared at Chu Liuxiang. Pointing at Chu Liuxiang’s nose with her chopsticks, she tittered and said, “You are not a good person, I knew you were not a good person … the first time I saw you, I knew I was going to be unlucky.”

Chu Liuxiang smiled wryly and said, “Which part of me is not good?”

Shi Xiuyun giggled and said, “You got me drunk … you got me drunk.”

Chu Liuxiang was upset, but he was amused at the same time, he said, “Didn’t you say you definitely won’t get drunk?”

Shi Xiuyun wrinkled her nose, made a face, and then put her feet down again and muttered, “It’s boring, it’s so annoyingly boring, how about accompanying me to go out for a walk?”

Chu Liuxiang immediately stood up and said, “All right.”

Shi Xiuyun bent down, she nearly stretched her head under the table, she said, “My shoes … Where are my shoes?”

Her shoes were kicked towards Chu Liuxiang’s side.

Chu Liuxiang could only pick it up for her.

Who would have thought that Shi Xiuyun raised her feet and said with a giggle, “You put it on for me … If you don’t put it on for me, I won’t leave.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Slender and beautiful feet, crystal clear feet in his grasp.

Unconsciously Chu Liuxiang’s heart was thumping again.

For a man like him, this little girl was indeed too much, it was simply like she was bullying him, as if saying that he would not dare.

Chu Liuxiang simply could not help wanting to teach her a lesson.

But this time Chu Liuxiang did not do anything, he simply put on her shoes for her, and helped her out the door. Both of her hands were clinging onto Chu Liuxiang’s shoulders, her whole body was hanging on his shoulders.

The night was as cool as water.

The starlight was shining on the blue flagstone paved street, the blue flagstone paved street reflected the starlight.

The autumn wind was as gentle as a lover’s breath.

Chu Liuxiang suddenly felt that he himself was also a little drunk.

He did not see the pair of glowing eyes staring at him in the darkness.

Inside the wooden house was not too dark at all, because the starlight also quietly sneaked inside. _{Translated by foxs}

Chu Liuxiang did not know why he listened to Shi Xiuyun, why he brought her here again, perhaps he was indeed a bit drunk.

Shi Xiuyun was as happy as a lark; turning around briskly, she said, “Do you know why I wanted to come here?”

Chu Liuxiang did not reply.

Shi Xiuyun said, “Because this is the place where I first met you.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Let’s go.”

At time like this, at this moment, suddenly he said those two words [zou ba] it was really too astonishing.

Shi Xiuyun said, “Go? Why do we have to go?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “If you don’t leave, do you know what will I do?”

Shi Xiuyun laughed tenderly, she shook her head.

Chu Liuxiang tried his best to make his expression look a bit more vicious, his voice calm and collected as he said, “You yourself knew that I am not a good person, you should be able to guess what I am going to do. You leave a bit quicker, it will be your luck, otherwise I will rip your clothes, and then …” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

He had not finished speaking, Shi Xiuyun suddenly let out a ‘ying ning’ [again, I have no idea what kind of noise is this, the online translator gives me a ‘squeak’] and threw herself into his arms, tightly hugging his neck, and said, “You are so bad, bad to the core, I knew that there will come a day you would treat me like this.”

Chu Liuxiang was stunned.

He was just talking, wanting to scare her, who would have thought that she herself ‘put it into practice’ instead; he wanted to push …

But he pushed right at the most inappropriate place.

Shi Xiuyun’s laughter was like silver bells, intermittent silver bells. She grabbed his hand, and stuffed his hand into the front piece of her garment, and spoke quietly, “Feel me, don’t you think my body is hot?”

Her body was indeed hot.

Although Chu Liuxiang was a little bit unwilling, but he quickly pulled his hand out. Who would have thought that Shi Xiuyun grabbed his hand again and bit it hard.

While biting his finger, she said, “You, this bad thing, all along you have been seducing me, from beginning to end you have been tempting me, you think I don’t know? Now you want to run away again. If you dare to run away, watch out or I will bite off your fingers.” _{Translated by foxs}

Chu Liuxiang was a man, moreover, he did not have any sickness.

Not the least bit of illness.

The sun was already rising.

The sunlight shone through the windows, it shone on Shi Xiuyun’s legs.

Her legs were slender, they were straight as a ramrod.

Even a more picky person would have no choice but to admit that this pair of legs was very attractive.

Chu Liuxiang’s gaze slowly shifted from her legs to her face. There was still a layer of blush on her face, her breathing was so serene, she was sleeping like a baby.

Looking at this face, in his heart Chu Liuxiang suddenly felt unspeakable regret.

He was not Liuxia Hui, and he never wanted to be Liuxia Hui, but this time, he wished last night he was Liuxia Hui. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liuxia_Hui]

He has been very intimate with other girls before too, but that was different. All those girls were very strong, all were very courageous.

He knew that even though they would cherish the memory of him, they would not suffer because of him. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

But now, the girl who snuggled up to him was different, she was this innocent and unaffected, so young and naïve, so weak …

He did not dare to imagine after he left her, what would she do?

“Will she kill herself?”

Thinking to this point, Chu Liuxiang really wanted to give himself a few heavy slaps.

Shi Xiuyun lightly pulled her legs back, her face gradually revealed the dimples.

And then she opened her eyes.

Chu Liuxiang almost did not dare to meet her fluid glance.

Shi Xiuyun turned over, suddenly she moaned softly, and said with a laugh, “My head hurts so much.”

Chu Liuxiang spoke softly, “Remembering the headache the next day, in the future you ought to drink less wine.”

Shi Xiuyun tittered, she said, “I heard that people who like to drink have a bad memory, after two days they will completely forget all the pain after being drunk.”

Chu Liuxiang could not help laughing as well, he said, “Not the slightest bit wrong. As far as I know, Xiao Hu has given up wine at least a thousand times. Every time he had a headache, he made a fuss about quitting wine, but in less than half a day he already broke his oath [the original word refers to Buddhist monastic discipline against something, e.g. meat or wine].” _{Translated by foxs}

Shi Xiuyun sat up; rubbing her eyes, she said with a laugh, “Turns out the sun is already this high.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “It is indeed not early anymore, I … I really don’t want to leave …”

He originally wanted to say, “Although I don’t want to leave, I simply have to go.”

But whatever the case, he could not say it.

Who would have thought that Shi Xiuyun said, “You don’t want to leave, but I have to go.”

Chu Liuxiang was stunned, he said, “You …”

Shi Xiuyun said, “I know that you should go too.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Then … Then in the future, we …”

Shi Xiuyun said, “In the future? We don’t have a future, because in the future you are not going to see me again.”

Chu Liuxiang was stunned. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Shi Xiuyun suddenly chuckled, she said, “Why are you so surprised? Could it be that you think I will entangle you and will not let you go?”

She kissed Chu Liuxiang’s face, stood up, and began to put on her clothes. She spoke deeply, “You and I practically do not live in the same world. Even if I can force you to stay, or I insist on going with you, I won’t be happy in the future.”

Chu Liuxiang could hardly speak.

Shi Xiuyun laughed tenderly, she said, “I am a very ordinary person; before, I have always lived an ordinary life, and in the future, I will certainly pass ordinary days. In my life, I can have such an extraordinary day with you … even for only one day, I am already very satisfied. In the future, when I am very old, I will at least have such a sweet memory of this one day.”

She stared at Chu Liuxiang tenderly, and then continued softly, “Therefore, whatever the case, I should be grateful to you.”

Chu Liuxiang sat there, not knowing what he felt in his heart.

Shi Xiuyun kissed him again, then suddenly turned around and walked away very quickly, without even looking back to cast him another glance.

Chu Liuxiang originally hoped that she would leave amiably, but now that she really left amiably, Chu Liuxiang felt a bit sour and bitter in his heart instead. _{Translated by foxs}

He originally wished that she would go away nicely, but now that she indeed went away nicely, in his heart, Chu Liuxiang felt his heart ached. He originally painstakingly hoped with all his heart that she would leave, but now he was hoping that she would not go so fast ─ Everybody said that women’s frame of mind is unfathomable, but the fact is, men are oftentimes like that too.

Chu Liuxiang stared at the door, as if hoping that she would suddenly push the door open and walked in.

The door was indeed pushed open …

But walking in from the door was not the gentle and soft, the beautiful Shi Xiuyun, but a big and tall man, whose smell of wine soared to the sky, and with a few days’ growth of beard.

“Xiao Hu,” Chu Liuxiang cried out and said, “How did you find this place?”

Instead of answering his question, Hu Tiehua shook his head and said with a laugh, “Old Stinky Bug, you really have some skills … How did you trick that girl into leaving obediently? You must teach me this trick.”

Chu Liuxiang’s belly was full of bile, but he could not spit it out. Patting his own face, he said, “Why should I teach you? In any case, as soon as a girl sees you, she will run away even faster than a horse.”

Although he intentionally wanted to anger Hu Tiehua, he also knew that Hu Tiehua definitely would not be angry, he would not feel uncomfortable even more — no matter who, anybody wanting to make Hu Tiehua to feel uncomfortable, he would discover that it was indeed very difficult. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Who would have thought that as soon as he heard that, Hu Tiehua immediately pull a long face, he was unable to laugh anymore. He stood on the spot with blank expression for half a day. Unexpectedly, ‘Slap!’ he gave himself a slap on the ear, and said loudly, “That’s right, what you said is not the slightest bit wrong, I’m a drunkard, I’m a destitute egg, I’m lazy, I’m dirty, I’m ugly; if a girl sees me and doesn’t run away, it would be strange indeed.”

Now it was Chu Liuxiang’s turn to be dumbfounded.

He knew that Hu Tiehua was not someone who liked to joke. He has known Hu Tiehua for more than twenty years, Hu Tiehua was always happy, he was joyfully satisfied.

How could he be like this now? Could it be that had some kind of illness?

Only to see Hu Tiehua’s eyes were gleaming with tears, unexpectedly he looked as if he was about to cry.

Chu Liuxiang could not help laughing and said, “Whoever says you are ugly, that person must be blind; look at your nose, eyebrows, eyes … Especially your eyes, you may not necessarily be able to find one among ten thousand men.”

Hu Tiehua involuntarily lifted his hand to feel his eyes, as if he felt a bit happier, but suddenly he shook his head and said with a bitter face, “Even if my eyes are really not bad, it’s useless, I’m a destitute egg.” _{Translated by foxs}

Chu Liuxiang said, “A real man, what’s wrong if he is a bit poor, as long as you are a poor man with stiff bones [fig. strong moral character] … Not all the girls in the world would open their eyes wide at the sight of profit [idiom: money-grubbing].”

Hu Tiehua could not help puffing up his chest, but he suddenly shrank back. Shaking his head, he said, “Too bad I’m also a wine ghost [drunkard].”

Holding back his laughter, Chu Liuxiang said, “What’s so bad about drinking wine? Only people who drink wine have manly spirit. Since ancient times, famous heroes, generals and ministers, and poets, which one did not drink wine? When a girl sees your heroic spirit in drinking wine, her heart already fell into your wine cup.”

This was not a false statement.

That summer, they drank on Mochou Hu [lit. no-worries lake], Hu Tiehua got drunk, in his daze, he agreed to get married with Gao Yanan.

But the next day he already forgot about it, while Gao Yanan did not forget, she pressured him to take her; she even said that if he reneged, she would have no face to live, so she would kill herself.

That immediately scared Hu Tiehua off that he fled in defeat. Gao Yanan immediately ran after him. According to Hu Tiehua herself, she unexpectedly chased him for two, three years. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

It was something that Hu Tiehua was proud of, Chu Liuxiang thought that Hu Tiehua would be a bit happier, who would have thought that as soon as Hu Tiehua heard the name ‘Gao Yanan’, his face immediately became like a ghost of a person who died by hanging.

Chu Liuxiang was baffled, he sounded him off, “Could it be that you saw Gao Yanan again?”

“Mm hmm,” Hu Tiehua replied.

Chu Liuxiang spoke in astonishment, “Could it be that she is still ignoring you?”

Hu Tiehua said, “She … she was simply ignoring me, as if she did not know me at all.”

When saying that, he looked even more like a child who had just been wronged.

Chu Liuxiang was even more baffled. Pulling him to sit down, he said, “What exactly is going on here? Why don’t you tell me in details?”

Hu Tiehua said, “One day I obtained two jars of good wine, so I went to look for ‘Fast Net’ Zhang San, because his grilled fish is the best; I remember that you also like it very much.”

Chu Liuxiang laughed and said, “That’s right; only the fish that he grilled is neither fishy nor old, the fish also did not lose the taste of freshness.” _{Translated by foxs}

Hu Tiehua said, “He and I were sitting on the bow of the boat, grilling fish and eating and drinking wine. Suddenly there was a boat passing us by very fast. There were three people on board; one of them looked very familiar to me.”

Blurted out laughing, Chu Liuxiang said, “Gao Yanan?”

Hu Tiehua nodded; heaving a deep sigh, he said, “At that time I was also shocked, so I chased after her, wanting to say hello to her, who would have thought that she practically refused to acknowledge me. I desperately waved at her, but it was like  she did not see me.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Perhaps … perhaps she really did not see you.”

Hu Tiehua said, “Says who? She was sitting at the window, her eyes were staring at me for half a day, but it was like she was staring at a log. I chased all the way down, and she sat at the window all the way, but she just ignored me.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Why didn’t you simply jump on her boat? Go and ask her clearly?”

Hu Tiehua replied with a bitter face, “I did not dare.”

Blurted out laughing, Chu Liuxiang said, “You did not dare? Why? At most, she could only kick you off the boat.”

Hu Tiehua sighed and said, “Because her Shifu, that old [Buddhist] nun of Huashan Pai was also on board, I was really a little scared … her other things, I am not afraid, but I am scared of her face.” _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Huashan Jian Pai’s [the Sword Sect of Mount Hua] Zhangmenren [headmaster] of this generation, Kumei Dashi [lit. grand master dried plum, dashi is a generic term of respect toward Buddhist monk/nun] was a solemn and strict person. It was said that she had not revealed any smiling expression for thirty years. Anybody in Jianghu seeing her, unavoidably would be a little scared.

Emotionally moved, Chu Liuxiang said, “Kumei Dashi has not stepped onto the red dust [or dirt, the world of mortals (Buddhism concept)] for more than twenty years, this time, why did she come down the mountain?”

He suddenly felt that this matter was very interesting. If it wasn’t a very important matter, Kumei Dashi would definitely not go down Mount Hua. Now that she has gone down Mount Hua, there must be a very important matter about to happen.

Chu Liuxiang suddenly slapped Hu Tiehua on the shoulder hard, he said, “Don’t feel bad, wait until I finish my work here, I will accompany you to look for her, we’ll ask clearly why she ignored you?”

The corner of Hu Tiehua’s mouth twitched, he suddenly said, “When you see Kumei Dashi, you will be shocked.”

Chu Liuxiang asked, “Why?” _{Translated by foxs}

Hu Tiehua replied, “Because she has returned to normal life [lit. vulgarity, leaving a monastic order].”

Chu Liuxiang cried out in surprise, he said, “Kumei Dashi could return to normal life! You must have seen a ghost.”

Kumei Dashi has dropped her hair and left home [to become Buddhist nun] for more than forty years, her cultivation and power profound, her monastic discipline exquisite and strict. If it was said that she could also return to normal life, it would even be more shocking than if it was said that Chu Liuxiang has become a Buddhist monk.

Smiling wryly, Hu Tiehua said, “I also know that no matter who I tell this matter to, definitely no one would believe it, but she has indeed returned to normal life.”

Chu Liuxiang said, “Perhaps you mistook someone else for her?”

Hu Tiehua said, “Kumei Dashi‘s appearance, anybody who has seen her would never forget, much less me?”

Chu Liuxiang said, “But …”

Hu Tiehua said, “When I saw her, she was wearing a purple satin gorgeous gown with rounded embroidery design, holding a walking stick with dragon head in her hand, and a full grey hair on her head; she simply looked like a noble lady before her offspring filling the hall.”

Chu Liuxiang was speechless. _{foxswuxia.wordpress.com}

Kumei Dashi actually went down Mount Hua, it was already shocking; she could return to normal life, it was even more difficult to believe. There must be some bizarre, fantastic thing involved. Chu Liuxiang’s interest was growing higher and stronger.

He suddenly sprang up, rushed out the door, and said, “You wait for me here, around noon, I will definitely come back to accompany you.”

There was indeed a major event happening in Jianghu, no matter who wanted to meddle in this matter would be hard to avoid the disaster of death. If Chu Liuxiang was a smart person, he ought to keep far away from it.

Only too bad smart people do stupid things sometimes.

(End of the entire book)

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