At this time, Shu Changhua had already led Cheng Mo into a wide stone room. In the middle of the room was a stone bed which was quite wide and had soft bedding on it. Beside the bed, there were several large wooden chests stacked on top of each other. There was also a short stone bench1, but the room was otherwise empty. Cheng Mo knew that this was probably Shu Changhua’s bedroom, but he still followed him in. After a short rest, two women brought them their meals. The rice was sweet and delicious, but the dishes were all light and vegetarian. The two sat facing each other on the stone bench to have their meal and Cheng Mo asked: “Are you vegetarian?”
Shu Changhua gave a small smile and answered: “That’s right. If you’re not used to eating vegetarian dishes, I can ask someone to make some other dishes for you.”
“No need,” Cheng Mo said. “I’m fine.”
After the two of them had eaten, a woman came in and took away their bowls and chopsticks. Shu Changhua said: “It’s getting late, if you are tired you should go and rest.”
Cheng Mo asked: “Do I sleep here?”
Shu Changhua answered him seriously: “Besides this room, all the other rooms are occupied by women. Where are you thinking of sleeping?”
Cheng Mo didn’t entertain his shameless argument and looked at the wide bed in the middle of the room and said: “I’ll sleep on the bench then.”
Shu Changhua suddenly hugged him from behind and whispered in his ear: “We’re already husband and wife. Leader, you still want to pretend to be reserved and you’re not afraid of your husband being unable to handle it.”
Cheng Mo struggled for a while but was unable to break free from his hug. From behind, Shu Changhua started slowly undressing Cheng Mo and said: “Be good. Sleep with your husband on the bed.”
Shu Changhua helped Cheng Mo undress before dragging him onto the bed. He undressed himself and got into bed, tucking them in under the quilt. Shu Changhua hugged Cheng Mo from behind again, their naked bodies were pressed against each other, and said softly: “Go to sleep.”
Cheng Mo was very tired so he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
The night passed and when Cheng Mo woke up, he was still in Shu Changhua’s embrace. Seeing that Shu Changhua had already woken up and was playing with his hair, when their eyes met, he grinned. Cheng Mo suddenly felt a little embarrassed, but there was nowhere to hide. His cheeks turned red. Shu Changhua said: “Wife2, aren’t you going to say good morning to your husband?”
Cheng Mo moved backwards and sat up to get dressed. Shu Changhua reached out to hug him from behind, but he heard Cheng Mo say: “I’m leaving today.”
“Oh?” Shu Changhua paused. “Where are you going?”
Cheng Mo gripped his clothes and replied: “I’m going to Yu Xi. I’m going to find the Gu King.”
Shu Changhua let go of Cheng Mo and took a deep breath. “It’s not a bad idea, but it won’t help your situation even if you find the Gu King.”
Cheng Mo looked at him: “I have to at least try before I know whether or not it would be useful.”
Shu Changhua said: “There is no way to detoxify the Lustful Heart Gu.”
Cheng Mo lowered his eyes: “I don’t believe you.”
Shu Changhua reached out to grab Cheng Mo’s hand. “When has your husband ever lied to you?”
Cheng Mo avoided his grasp: “You just said yesterday that you somewhat knew how to get rid of it.”
Shu Changhua fell silent for a moment. He exhaled and said: “Why do you want to find the Gu King?”
Cheng Mo answered: “You said that the Lustful Heart Gu was produced by the Gu King. Maybe-”
Cheng Mo paused before continuing: “I said. Unless I try, I will never know what is possible.”
Shu Changhua questioned him: “Must you go?”
Cheng Mo nodded. “Yes, I definitely have to go.”
Shu Changhua pinched the quilt with his slender fingers and sighed: “If it’s like this, then I can only go with you.”
Cheng Mo was surprised and he turned to look at Shu Changhua. Shu Changhua smiled and leaned over to hug Cheng Mo. “Don’t misunderstand, I said that I won’t help you detoxify the Lustful Heart Gu. I’m accompanying you on this trip because I’m afraid that you would die in the Gu King’s nest and that would make me very upset.”
Cheng Mo nudged his arm but didn’t push him away. Shu Changhua kissed his ear lightly and saw Cheng Mo turn away in response, still holding onto his arm. He didn’t push further and he got up to get dressed slowly. When he was fully dressed, he handed the mask to Cheng Mo: “Help your husband put this on.”
Cheng Mo held it in his hand and stroked the uneven surface of the mask before asking: “Why do you need to wear this mask?”
Shu Changhua chuckled: “Naturally, it’s because your husband’s appearance is too outstanding. If outsiders see my face, I’m afraid that my wife will be jealous. It’s still better to cover it up.”
He was full of nonsense and Cheng Mo was already used to it so he was not frustrated. He helped Shu Changhua put his mask on. Shu Changhua held his fingers and gave them a light kiss. “I’ll ask someone to prepare for our journey. We shall leave after breakfast.”
Cheng Mo felt as if his fingertips were scalded by his kiss and he couldn’t help but pull his arm back. He replied: “Okay.”
When they left the dense forest, Cheng Mo no longer had the blindfold over his eyes. He couldn’t help but look around the forest and thought about how if he really brought the Wulin Alliance to get rid of the Shuiyue Sect, would the women led by Shu Changhua be helpless and unable to fight back or have they already prepared a trap for them. Thinking up to here, Cheng Mo looked at Shu Changhua who was walking ahead of him and wondered if this person’s kindness to him was actually a trap and everything was a trick to confuse his heart. Cheng Mo felt himself break out in cold sweat and he did not dare to think about it further.
1The term is 石塌 which is technically a long, narrow and short stone bed.
2He says 娘子 which is a term used to address a young married woman.
At this time, Shu Changhua had already led Cheng Mo into a wide stone room. In the middle of the room was a stone bed which was quite wide and had soft bedding on it. Beside the bed, there were several large wooden chests stacked on top of each other. There was also a short stone bench1, but the room was otherwise empty. Cheng Mo knew that this was probably Shu Changhua’s bedroom, but he still followed him in. After a short rest, two women brought them their meals. The rice was sweet and delicious, but the dishes were all light and vegetarian. The two sat facing each other on the stone bench to have their meal and Cheng Mo asked: “Are you vegetarian?”
Shu Changhua gave a small smile and answered: “That’s right. If you’re not used to eating vegetarian dishes, I can ask someone to make some other dishes for you.”
“No need,” Cheng Mo said. “I’m fine.”
After the two of them had eaten, a woman came in and took away their bowls and chopsticks. Shu Changhua said: “It’s getting late, if you are tired you should go and rest.”
Cheng Mo asked: “Do I sleep here?”
Shu Changhua answered him seriously: “Besides this room, all the other rooms are occupied by women. Where are you thinking of sleeping?”
Cheng Mo didn’t entertain his shameless argument and looked at the wide bed in the middle of the room and said: “I’ll sleep on the bench then.”
Shu Changhua suddenly hugged him from behind and whispered in his ear: “We’re already husband and wife. Leader, you still want to pretend to be reserved and you’re not afraid of your husband being unable to handle it.”
Cheng Mo struggled for a while but was unable to break free from his hug. From behind, Shu Changhua started slowly undressing Cheng Mo and said: “Be good. Sleep with your husband on the bed.”
Shu Changhua helped Cheng Mo undress before dragging him onto the bed. He undressed himself and got into bed, tucking them in under the quilt. Shu Changhua hugged Cheng Mo from behind again, their naked bodies were pressed against each other, and said softly: “Go to sleep.”
Cheng Mo was very tired so he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
The night passed and when Cheng Mo woke up, he was still in Shu Changhua’s embrace. Seeing that Shu Changhua had already woken up and was playing with his hair, when their eyes met, he grinned. Cheng Mo suddenly felt a little embarrassed, but there was nowhere to hide. His cheeks turned red. Shu Changhua said: “Wife2, aren’t you going to say good morning to your husband?”
Cheng Mo moved backwards and sat up to get dressed. Shu Changhua reached out to hug him from behind, but he heard Cheng Mo say: “I’m leaving today.”
“Oh?” Shu Changhua paused. “Where are you going?”
Cheng Mo gripped his clothes and replied: “I’m going to Yu Xi. I’m going to find the Gu King.”
Shu Changhua let go of Cheng Mo and took a deep breath. “It’s not a bad idea, but it won’t help your situation even if you find the Gu King.”
Cheng Mo looked at him: “I have to at least try before I know whether or not it would be useful.”
Shu Changhua said: “There is no way to detoxify the Lustful Heart Gu.”
Cheng Mo lowered his eyes: “I don’t believe you.”
Shu Changhua reached out to grab Cheng Mo’s hand. “When has your husband ever lied to you?”
Cheng Mo avoided his grasp: “You just said yesterday that you somewhat knew how to get rid of it.”
Shu Changhua fell silent for a moment. He exhaled and said: “Why do you want to find the Gu King?”
Cheng Mo answered: “You said that the Lustful Heart Gu was produced by the Gu King. Maybe-”
Cheng Mo paused before continuing: “I said. Unless I try, I will never know what is possible.”
Shu Changhua questioned him: “Must you go?”
Cheng Mo nodded. “Yes, I definitely have to go.”
Shu Changhua pinched the quilt with his slender fingers and sighed: “If it’s like this, then I can only go with you.”
Cheng Mo was surprised and he turned to look at Shu Changhua. Shu Changhua smiled and leaned over to hug Cheng Mo. “Don’t misunderstand, I said that I won’t help you detoxify the Lustful Heart Gu. I’m accompanying you on this trip because I’m afraid that you would die in the Gu King’s nest and that would make me very upset.”
Cheng Mo nudged his arm but didn’t push him away. Shu Changhua kissed his ear lightly and saw Cheng Mo turn away in response, still holding onto his arm. He didn’t push further and he got up to get dressed slowly. When he was fully dressed, he handed the mask to Cheng Mo: “Help your husband put this on.”
Cheng Mo held it in his hand and stroked the uneven surface of the mask before asking: “Why do you need to wear this mask?”
Shu Changhua chuckled: “Naturally, it’s because your husband’s appearance is too outstanding. If outsiders see my face, I’m afraid that my wife will be jealous. It’s still better to cover it up.”
He was full of nonsense and Cheng Mo was already used to it so he was not frustrated. He helped Shu Changhua put his mask on. Shu Changhua held his fingers and gave them a light kiss. “I’ll ask someone to prepare for our journey. We shall leave after breakfast.”
Cheng Mo felt as if his fingertips were scalded by his kiss and he couldn’t help but pull his arm back. He replied: “Okay.”
When they left the dense forest, Cheng Mo no longer had the blindfold over his eyes. He couldn’t help but look around the forest and thought about how if he really brought the Wulin Alliance to get rid of the Shuiyue Sect, would the women led by Shu Changhua be helpless and unable to fight back or have they already prepared a trap for them. Thinking up to here, Cheng Mo looked at Shu Changhua who was walking ahead of him and wondered if this person’s kindness to him was actually a trap and everything was a trick to confuse his heart. Cheng Mo felt himself break out in cold sweat and he did not dare to think about it further.
1The term is 石塌 which is technically a long, narrow and short stone bed.
2He says 娘子 which is a term used to address a young married woman.
