Jianghu Demolition Squad

Moving Like the Stars (Part Seven)

After being fed the pill by Qing Jiu, Yu’er rested for a day and her health greatly improved.

She had always been concerned about Qing Jiu’s injury, even though Qing Jiu didn’t pay much attention to it and said it was nothing serious. After taking her pulse, she found that her wounds weren’t serious—it was her own worry that magnified them—but she still went to the medicine shop to buy some herbs.

She knew she was stubborn, and fortunately, Qing Jiu didn’t mind her stubbornness.

When Yu’er and Qi Tianzhu returned, Qing Jiu and the others were all in one room.

Yang Chun sat on the counter with one leg crossed, while Qing Jiu and two others sat around the table, their tea having lost its warmth a while ago. They had been sitting there for some time.

As Yu’er and Qi Tianzhu entered, the four inside turned their gaze toward them. Yu’er felt an odd tension in the air.

Yang Chun’s eyes shone brightly as they fixed on her. Yan Li gave her a fleeting look and then lowered her eyes, diverting her gaze and sighing softly. Tang Linzi sat with her arms crossed and frowned, clearly in a foul mood.

Qing Jiu…

As Yuer approached Qing jiu, she greeted her with a smile, “Did you get the medicine?”

Just like usual.

Yu’er nodded, hesitated, hesitating before asking, “Qing Jiu, did something happen?”

Yang Chun jumped off the counter and excitedly ran up to Yu’er, beginning to speak, “Yu’er, you—”

Before he could finish his sentence, Tang Linzhi slammed her hand on the table and stood up, startling Yang Chun with a loud bang.

Everyone’s eyes turned to Tang Linzhi, who quietly resumed her seat, her expression still grim.

Following her outburst, Yang Chun lost his inclination to speak further, and the atmosphere turned awkward once again.

Yu’er picked up the medicine bag and told Qing Jiu, “I’ll go prepare the medicine.”

Qi Tianzhu watched Yu’er leave, then looked at the others in the room and asked the same question as Yu’er, “Qing Jiu, is there something concerning Yu’er?”

They had been through life and death together, developing a deep understanding beyond ordinary people. He could tell something was off, and so could Yu’er, which is why she excused herself to prepare the medicine.

She was always gentle and considerate to everyone, doing her best. The others knew this, which made them even more frustrated.

Yan Li got up, closed the door, and slowly explained the situation.

It turned out that when Yu’er and Qi Tianzhu had gone out to buy medicinal herbs, people from the Jiuxiao Manor and Mingjian Manor had come and made their intentions clear.

They wanted to take Yu’er back to Jiuxiao Manor.

After listening to the whole story, Qi Tianzhu frowned and fell silent. After a while, he said, “Actually, I think it might not be bad for the girl to go back to her family home. After all, it is her home.”

Tang Linzhi slammed her hand on the table, “A home that suddenly appears after sixteen years? What a joke! If we hadn’t saved her back then, there would be no Yu’er. Oh! We’ve raised her all these years, and now they come rushing to claim her!”

Yan Li called out, “Linzhi,” signaling her to calm down.

Yan Li understood why Tang Linzhi was so upset and unable to accept it. She associated it with her own past, where the compensation and redemption came too late, and now it seemed excessively cheap. However, she also recognized that the people of the Jun family had been helpless from the start. This story, right from its very beginning, was destined to be filled with regrets.

Qi Tianzhu sighed and said, “Sister Linzhi, don’t be so harsh. I think even if Manor Master Jun had learned from Ren Qingkuang that his daughter was dead, he must have searched for her like a madman. But in this vast world, how easy is it to find someone? There was no other way. If given a choice, who would want to be separated from their wife and child? He’s just a pitiful father.” Speaking of this, Qi Tianzhu felt a pang of shared sorrow; if not for the bandits, his own wife and daughter would still be with him, and he would still have his happy family.

Tang Linzhi knew she had touched upon his painful memories and felt guilty, so she didn’t say anything more.

Yang Chun, on the other hand, wasn’t as emotionally invested as them. He was still immersed in the excitement of discovering Yu’er’s remarkable background. He said, “There’s nothing wrong with letting Miss Yu’er return to the Jiuxiao Manor. The Yan family said they want to acknowledge Miss Yu’er as the Young Manor Mistress, and if Miss Yu’er returns to the Jun family, she will naturally become the Young Manor Mistress of the Jun family as well. What a prestigious status that would be! Plus, being the disciple of Jie Qianchou, she could walk through jianghu unchallenged. No one would dare to bully her, and incidents like today’s Moonless Sect would certainly not happen again. Plus, we’d all benefit from her good fortune!” He ended with a proud laugh.

Tang Linzhi shot him a look, and his laughter quickly died down.

Yan Li sighed, “If Hua Lian and Mo Wen were here, it would be even more chaotic.”

Thinking this, Yan Li shook her head and turned to Qing Jiu, asking, “What about you? What do you think? Yu’er always listens to you the most. Whether you tell her to return to the Jiuxiao Manor or stay with us, I think she will agree.”

Qing Jiu was sipping her tea, which had gone cold, but she didn’t mind. She mused, “What do I think…”

When Yu’er returned to the room with the prepared medicine, only Qing Jiu was left.

Yu’er asked, “Where are Yan Li and the others?”

Qing Jiu replied, “We plan to return to Yangzhou tomorrow. They’ve gone back to their rooms to prepare.”

“Leaving so soon?” Just yesterday, Yang Chun had told her that people from Mingjian and Jiuxiao Manor were still in the city, and she thought Qing Jiu would at least thank them.

Yu’er approached Qing Jiu and handed her the bowl of medicine.

Qing Jiu took it; the dark brown liquid steamed and emitted a bitter smell.

Qing Jiu just held it, and Yu’er knew it wouldn’t be easy to make her drink. “It’ll get cold if you don’t drink it soon.”

Qing Jiu smiled at her, showing no intention of drinking, “It looks so bitter.”

Yu’er chuckled, “What medicine in this world isn’t bitter?”

Qing Jiu leaned her elbow on the table, resting her cheek in her hand, holding the medicine bowl in the other, and gazing at her, she smiled, “But I’m afraid of bitterness.”

Looking directly into Yu’er’s eyes, which sparkled like stars, hearing her speak so tenderly seemed almost flirtatious, sending a shiver through Yu’er’s heart.

Yu’er turned her head away and said, “I’ll buy you some candied fruit, how about that?”

Qing Jiu smiled, “I saw an old shop on the East Street not far from here. The taste should be pretty good.”

Yu’er grabbed a cloak from the rack, draped it over herself, and sighed, “You should have said so earlier.”

As Yu’er left, she peeked back in, “Don’t pour out the medicine. Drink it while it’s warm. I’ll be right back.”

Yu’er stepped out of the inn and headed for East Street. It was a sunny day, and the street was bustling with people. East Street, lively with its trinkets, was even more animated. Upon entering the street, Yu’er looked around and found the candy shop Qing Jiu had mentioned.

After paying, she took the paper-wrapped package from the shopkeeper and was stepping down from the porch when someone called out joyfully, “Yu’er!”

Looking up, Yu’er saw Jun Sixue, with Jun Ruyu and Yan Siguo standing behind her.

Jun Sixue, exclaimed, “You’re here!”

Yu’er replied, “Second Miss Jun, what a coincidence. Are you also here to buy some snacks?”

“We’re staying at the inn next door,” Jun Sixue said warmly as she grabbed Yu’er’s hand and led her toward the inn without room for objection, clearly excited, “We’ve been waiting for you for a long time, fearing they wouldn’t let you come.”

Yu’er, ever perceptive, sensed the implications of these words and felt a growing unease, her expression gradually darkening.

The group went up to the second floor of the inn and entered a private room. Jun Sixue swung the door open with a smile, announcing, “Uncle, look who’s here.”

Inside the room, Jun Lin and Yun Wangran sat opposite each other, deeply engrossed in a game of chess, with four disciples standing behind them. Standing by the window with his hands behind his back was Yan Bili. Upon hearing the noise, everyone looked toward the door, and Jun Lin’s eyes brightened, a chess piece falling from his hand onto the board.

Jun Lin and Yun Wangran stood up one after the other. Jun Lin called out, “Yu’er.”

Yu’er bowed to the two men and said, “Manor Master Jun, Elder Yun, Manor Master Yan, Qing Jiu informed me that yesterday, regardless of the great distance, the three of you led your disciples to attack the Moonless Sect to rescue me. It was due to your efforts that I was able to escape. I suffered internal injuries yesterday and was too weak to thank you in person, but I am fortunate to meet you today and express my gratitude for saving my life.”

Jun Lin was worried about Yu’er’s injuries and wanted to inquire about them, but upon hearing her latter words, he was stunned and couldn’t help but ask, “Fortunate to meet?” He looked towards Jun Sixue and the other younger ones, who appeared just as confused, and questioned, “Didn’t Miss Qing Jiu send you here?”

Yu’er fiddled with the paper bag in her hand and replied, “I just came here to buy candied fruit and happened to run into Second Miss Jun. I don’t know what this has to do with Qing Jiu.”

Jun Lin and the others exchanged glances. Yun Wangran spoke gently, “Young lady, we need to discuss something important with you, but it’s rather private, so we sent someone to invite you over. However, you weren’t there at the time, only your companions were present. My subordinate explained the situation to them, hoping they would inform you upon your return and persuade you about this matter.” During the battle with the Moonless Sect, although they suppressed much of the sect’s forces, they didn’t find Ren Qingkuang or Yu’er.

It wasn’t until the mountain shook and the earth trembled that they felt it coming from the back of the mountain. Just as they were about to head there, they encountered the Moonless Sect elders who came to deliver a message, telling the Moonless Sect members to lay down their weapons and cease the fighting.

Before they could find Yu’er, they ran into Yang Chun, who informed them that Yu’er had been rescued and had already descended from the mountain. They also learned that Ren Qingkuang had been buried in Butian Que.

Jun Lin and Yan Bili were unaware of Ren Qingkuang’s crazed act of hiding Yun Zheyue’s corpse in Butian Que. They felt melancholic, knowing their longtime enemy had died at the hands of others, which left their resentment and hatred unresolved and made them feel empty inside. The only consolation was that Yun Zheyue had left behind Yu’er.

Thus, they didn’t bother settling scores with the Moonless Sect and withdrew to the city, sending someone to track down Yu’er’s location at the inn.

Yu’er forced a smile and said, “She didn’t say anything.”

The room fell silent for a moment before Jun Lin gestured for her to come closer, “Yu’er, come here.”

Yu’er walked over, and Jun Lin invited her to sit beside him, taking her hand without her resistance. Jun Lin looked at her tenderly, “What I’m about to tell you might be hard to accept, but you need to know…” Jun Lin initially intended to ease into the discussion, allowing Yu’er to gradually come to terms with the news. However, the unexpected events involving Ren Qingkuang forced him to change his approach.

Feeling hollow inside, Yu’er couldn’t even recall her own responses, simply listening as Jun Lin slowly recounted the past events.

What he said matched perfectly with Ren Qingkuang’s account, with no discrepancies. Yu’er might comfort herself thinking Ren Qingkuang was delusional, but why would Jun Lin fabricate stories?

Jun Lin’s gaze was full of compassion, worrying that Yu’er might struggle to accept the truth, so he spoke very gently, “Yu’er, I want to take you back to Jiuxsiao Manor. Would you come back with me?”

Yu’er, her eyelids lowered, idly twirled the prayer beads in her right hand. She suddenly noticed a scar on the back of her thumb, now so faint it was nearly invisible. She ran her fingertip over it gently, reminiscing about the pain and the fleeting coolness of that moment.

“Did Qing Jiu say I should return to Jiu Xiao Manor?” she asked abruptly.

The question caught everyone in the room off guard. They had anticipated many things she might say, but not this.

Jun Lin paused for a moment before responding, “Miss Qing Jiu did not specifically say that; she mentioned she would consider it.”

Yu’er let out a heavy sigh of relief, and the smile that spread across her face was no longer as lifeless as before.

Yan Bili questioned her, “Yu’er, do you not have any doubts about what we’ve told you?” He had expected her to be anything but calm, at least to question their words a bit.

Yu’er shook her head, her expression serene. “Ren Qingkuang had told me about these things before, without any discrepancy,” she replied.

Jun Lin’s heart tightened, and he couldn’t help but feel nervous.

Yu’er had known all along yet hadn’t sought to verify it upon their meeting. She still called him Manor Master Jun—was it disbelief, or did she simply not care about this revelation?

“What are your thoughts, Yu’er?” Jun Lin asked.

Yu’er fiddled with the corner of the paper bag, falling silent as she felt the weight of everyone’s expectant gazes making the room feel close and oppressive.

“I… we are heading back to Yangzhou tomorrow, and we’ll stay there for a while. After that, we might go west…” Yu’er had no intention of returning to the Jiuxiao Manor. For her, it had never been a choice. Traveling jianghu with Qing Jiu and their companions provided her with a comforting, though nomadic, sense of security. Life without them was hard to imagine. Although she couldn’t bring herself to outright refuse Jun Lin, her evasive comments signaled her reluctance.

Nevertheless, Jun Lin had already grasped her meaning. He tightened his grip, his heart aching beyond words. To Yu’er, those events were merely someone else’s story. Even with a blood tie, without an emotional bond, he couldn’t instill in her a sense of belonging.

Yu’er stood, saying, “Qing Jiu had previously promised Manor Master Jun a visit to Jiuxiao Manor. Perhaps afterward, we might head north.”

Jun Sixue shook her head and said, “Yu’er, why do you still call him Manor Master Jun? He… He’s your father!”

Yu’er, clutching the package of candied fruits, avoided looking at anyone in the room.

Yet, Jun Sixue stepped forward, grasping her arm, and pointed out each person in the room, saying, “I am your second sister. Look, this is your mother’s senior brother—you should call him Uncle Yan. And this is your mother’s second uncle—you should call him Great Uncle.”

“We are your family.”

Yu’er covered her hand and said, “I… I’m not used to this, Second… Miss. It all feels too sudden.”

Jun Sixue heard the meaning in her words, as if she wasn’t rejecting them, and felt a surge of hope. “You can take your time to get used to us,” she said warmly. “We’re not asking you to accept everything all at once. Once we return to the manor…”

Yu’er said to Jun Sixue, “Second Miss Jun, I’ve always been traveling with Qing Jiu and the others, and it will continue to do so.” She spoke with a smile, her eyes resolute.

Jun Sixue was momentarily taken aback, and Yu’er subtly moved her arm, gracefully slipping her hand away from Jun Sixue’s grasp. She bowed slightly to the room and said, “Yu’er still has matters to attend to and cannot stay any longer. I must return now. Please excuse me.”

As Yu’er prepared to leave, Jun Lin bowed his head in silence, showing no intention of stopping her. Observing this, Yan Beili and Yun Wangran could only sigh. Although they weren’t well-acquainted with Yu’er’s temperament, they had observed her behavior enough to recognize her similarity to her mother. Nevertheless, they did not dare nor wish to forcefully keep her. Knowing her to share her mother’s stubborn streak, they understood persuading her would be futile. In that moment, they chose not to intervene.

A disciple from the Mingjian Manor, realizing his masters were hesitant to speak harshly, and knowing some words were not appropriate for them to say, took it upon himself to advise, “Young Mistress, may I have a word?”

Yu’er did not realize he was addressing her until he stood directly in front of her and spoke to her directly.

“The Young Mistress is of noble birth, and her safety is a concern for both great manors when she roams the jianghu. The world is full of dangers and perils. Today, the Young Mistress was lucky to escape from the Moonless Sect, but what about next time?”

“The Young Mistress, though still young and a distinguished figure among her contemporaries, is not yet capable of standing on her own. Possessing such talents, she must be supported by robust protection to ensure her safe development. After all, a tree that stands tall in the forest attracts the most wind. Both Mingjian Manor and Jiuxiao Manor are significant forces in the jianghu, renowned for their power, reputation, and connections, offering her the finest protection and opportunities for growth. The Masters of these Manors are like family to the Young Mistress. In the perilous world of jianghu, even if everyone in jianghu turns against the Young Mistress, both masters would sacrifice their lives to protect her, and they are the ones she should trust the most.”

Yu’er knew his arguments were logical—the influence of the two manors was indeed substantial, and even her master, though one of the Four Sages, was semi-retired and not as formidable. However, as she listened further, she gradually felt that something was amiss.

The man continued, “Although the people around the Young Mistress are all outstanding youths, we don’t know much about their backgrounds or their motives. Traveling with them means facing not just hardship but also uncertain safety. They might not be able to protect you adequately, and, you know, human nature is unpredictable. Staying with them just isn’t a viable long-term plan…”

Yu’er, unable to contain her anger at his insinuations, cut him off before he could finish. She understood he meant to consider her safety, but he had touched a nerve by questioning the intentions of those she traveled with.

She could not tolerate others questioning the reason why Qing Jiu and the others kept her by their side.

Yu’er coldly interrupted, “A fish knows whether the water is cold or warm. There’s no need for others to say more.”

The man choked on his words, realizing he had angered her with his overstep, and bowed deeply, “This subordinate has offended. Please forgive my overstepping, Young Mistress.”

Yu’er bowed to Jun Lin and the others, signaling her intention to leave. Just then, Yan Beili called out to her.

“What else is there, Manor Master Yan?” Yu’er asked, her tone sharp.

Yan Beili opened his mouth, but in the end, he sighed with regret. He said, “You are blood-related to both Mingjian Manor and Jiuxiao Manor. No matter how tall a tree grows, its leaves will return to the roots. Mingjian Manor and Jiuxiao Manor have always been your home, your sanctuary. Should you face difficulties, remember, you can always return to them.”

Yu’er looked at him for a long while, silent. After a pause, she nodded slightly, then turned and walked downstairs. Jun Sixue and the other juniors followed to see her off.