Chapter 186: Chapter 185 Change of Heart (Part 2)
It’s a fascinating feeling to be unable to deceive yourself.
Looking back now, Le Yu realized the real reason he didn’t get on the train and stayed behind in Star Engraving County.
He couldn’t deceive himself with lies like ’Even without me, White Night can succeed in his plan’ nor could he brush it off with ’I don’t care about their lives or deaths.’
If Le Yu were an ordinary person, he could let fear and cowardice make him run away, but the Ice Blood Physique forced him to face his purest desires.
He cared about the lives of the sharp-tongued Medical Officer Yinyin, big sister An Qian, and the tool man Chen Fu, which was why he stayed in Star Engraving County.
Previously, Le Yu could deceive himself with many excuses, such as embarking on a secret journey in the future, claiming he didn’t know what liking someone felt like, or pretending he was just attracted to her body... However, after activating the ’Ice Blood Physique,’ he fully understood his truest inner thoughts.
Le Yu sat on the bed, stretched out his hands, and tightly hugged the dazed Qing Lan.
"Ay ay ay ay ay ay—" Qing Lan made a sound like a kettle boiling, hands waving helplessly, her face red like a little tomato about to burst, only after a while did she shyly embrace Le Yu.
"So, so sudden..."
"Love comes like a tornado, you know." Le Yu casually quoted a lyric: "I think this is great, the rain has stopped, the sky has cleared, the night has deepened, you’ve fallen for me, and I’ve fallen for you too."
"We can’t wait until life and death separate us to confess. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to hold you like this now."
Qing Lan, suppressing her shyness, gently pushed him away, wrapping her arms around his neck, looked into his eyes, and asked, "Do you really like holding me?"
"There’s nothing more beautiful than a hug. When I wrap my arms tightly around you, nothing makes me understand what having something truly means better than that."
Le Yu softly said, "That night, you saved me."
Qing Lan knew what he was referring to and warmly asked, "Was that maid named Frost Leaf very important to you?"
"No, it was only that day that I learned her name. But her death made me feel very lonely."
"So, was it because of loneliness that you fell for me, who’s always been by your side?"
Le Yu nodded, then shook his head.
"I like your excellent card skills when you play with me."
"I also like your unwavering trust in whatever I do."
"I admire the confidence with which you manage the newspaper, making it thrive."
"There are many reasons I like you." Le Yu thought for a moment, then said, "Perhaps I like you, so everything about you becomes a reason."
Qing Lan slightly raised her eyebrows, with a complex expression, said, "But the reason I play Battle Cards is because you like them, so I learned."
"I support you only because you tell me nothing, and I have no reason to dissuade you. All I could do was quietly wish for your safe return."
"If it weren’t for you entrusting me with managing the newspaper, I wouldn’t have bothered. I learned fervently how to become a qualified editor-in-chief just for you."
"And many, many more..."
Qing Lan lightly punched Le Yu’s chest, "You really don’t pay attention to details at all, ruining many of my gentle moments."
Under the lights, Qing Lan, without any makeup, still appeared crystal clear like a gem, her coy expression capturing Le Yu’s attention.
When he came back to his senses, they had just parted lips, a thread connecting them, shimmering ambiguously, heating up the whole room.
"Young Master, are you going to do something dangerous again?" Qing Lan suddenly asked.
"Why do you say that?"
"The newspaper also worked overtime today, and the news of the Heyang Army’s defeat has reached Xuanzhu County. Everyone knows the Chenfeng army is coming." Qing Lan lowered her eyes, her voice as light as a whisper, "You’ve become so... proactive today, so I thought..."
"You think I’m preparing to die, finally clear about my feelings, so I need to confess to die with peace of mind?" Le Yu saw Qing Lan nod slightly, and he shook his head with a smile, "You’re right, but also wrong."
"I indeed am preparing to do something dangerous, and I indeed did figure out my thoughts, but it’s the other way around—it’s because I care about you so much that I have to do that dangerous thing."
Le Yu had a change of heart.
He wanted to give up on his idea of roaming the world, abandon his notion of leaving without a trace, and drop the reckless plan of ’doing one big score and leaving.’
He wanted to stay.
When he was alone, Le Yu could come and go freely, eat well by himself without worrying about a whole family, get killed and move on without fuss. Even if abducted by traffickers, Le Yu could amuse himself in any situation.
But after forming bonds and taking on responsibilities, his thoughts changed accordingly.
Just like when he was in Star Engraving County, Le Yu tried everything to send Qian Yuya away because it was going to be dangerous there, and his inner moral code couldn’t allow him to leave Qian Yuya in such chaos.
Now Xuanzhu County was even more perilous than Star Engraving County, and Le Yu had two paths: send Qing Lan away or let her stay. Until now, Le Yu leaned towards sending her away. Firstly, it was simple and familiar; secondly, Xuanzhu County wasn’t Qing Lan’s home; it was just a prison she struggled to survive.
But Le Yu had a change of heart.
He wanted to settle down, he wanted to start a family with Qing Lan.
He couldn’t deceive himself—why was he so fixated on the Divine Demon Well? Why did he always want to escape Xuanzhu County? Why did he always act without care or desire?
Because he was too lonely.
Ever since he came to this world, he had been alone.
He had no home; nowhere was his hometown; he had no family; everyone who knew ’Le Yu’ only knew a soul from another world wearing a human skin; he didn’t even have comrades; his inner moral code exceeded this era, clashing with everyone.
So Le Yu became adrift, going with the flow, seeking the Divine Demon Well wherever his heart led him.
That was his ultimate hope of returning ’home,’ thoroughly escaping ’loneliness.’
How could he not know that the Divine Demon Well might just be an elusive legend, but without any hope, Le Yu thought he would eventually break down.
But if Leyi had a home again, if he had roots once more, perhaps he could rid himself of this bone-clinging loneliness.
In fact, Leyi still had many unsolvable problems, such as Qing Lan eventually growing old while he remained an immortal, such as having never experienced love, such as who really got cheated on between him and Jing Zhengwei...
But in this moment, Leyi just wanted to follow his heart’s desires.
Become the president of the Silver Blood Association, unite with White Night, reform Dongyang, and then...
Create a world where he and Qing Lan could live in peace.
"What if I said you shouldn’t do anything dangerous for me?" Qing Lan lay on his collarbone, her face rubbing against him, making Leyi feel a bit ticklish.
"Actually, I wanted my third brother to go at first, but he refused this dangerous task for the sake of his fiancée. He knew that if he died, she would follow him." Leyi said, "But it’s different for me, and it’s different for you."
"Because I can’t die."
"And even if I’m not around, you’re already a woman who can stand on her own."
Qing Lan gave a snort, "You say nice things, but in the end, you won’t listen to me at all."
"Then all I can say is... come back early, I’ll play cards with you. I’ve already found the surefire way to win the battle cards."
"Really?!" Leyi was shocked: "Teach me quickly, I want to become forever famous!"
Qing Lan irritably poked Leyi’s forehead, "Can’t you see the mood here, young master?"
"But you didn’t reply to me."
"Reply to what?"
"I like you, so what now?" Leyi asked, "Do you like me too?"
Qing Lan immediately shook her head, "I don’t like you, young master."
Then Qing Lan hugged Leyi and lay down on the bed, face to face, nose to nose, gently stroking his face, saying:
"I just want to cuddle with you on a big, soft bed,
Open the curtain a little in the morning,
And then watch the sunlight inch in with you in my arms,
In the afternoon, change into some comfortable clothes,
Hand in hand, go to Shimen Street to eat delicious food,
After nightfall, just stay in the bedroom, I’ll read books, and you’ll write,
If it’s with you, I could live like this forever."
"What about work?" Leyi asked, "Being part of the workforce is a hallmark of an independent woman..."
"Stop talking."
Qing Lan blocked Leyi’s mouth, and despite their initial clumsiness, it only took a few minutes for them to become adept, weaving perfect and beautiful silk threads.
Just as Mi Die outside was listening intently, she suddenly heard her young master’s shocked voice.
"Wait a minute!"
Leyi sat up with a serious expression: "I think I’ve been poisoned, there’s something strange in my body!"
The Ice Blood Physique cannot be immune to toxins but allows Leyi to ignore the effects of any poisons, reducing any negative state duration by 50%.
So he could still get poisoned.
Seeing Leyi like this, Qing Lan suddenly remembered something, blushed, and pulled Leyi back down.
"Don’t worry, I’m poisoned, someone definitely poisoned me, the Jing Family is not safe—"
"I did it," Qing Lan whispered.
"Huh?" Leyi was dumbfounded.
"There are many rumors in the press, saying the Chenfeng people might attack Xuanzhu County, some even say the Heyang Army has been wiped out, and Xuanzhu County could fall at any time." Qing Lan stammered, "So, I thought this couldn’t be delayed, so, so I put something in the honeyed Five-Flower Tea..."
Leyi blinked: "Aphrodisiac?"
Qing Lan nodded.
Leyi was dumbfounded—as an intermediate Combat Technique Warrior with Ice Blood Physique weakening, yet the restless feeling within was still so strong.
How strong of a dose did Qing Lan use!
"Are you that eager?"
"I didn’t think you would be so proactive tonight, young master..." Qing Lan said, getting sulky, "Whatever, anyway, I’m just someone you bought from Xiangxue Sea, however you want to see me, just see me that way..."
"I noticed your gentleness." Leyi tilted his head, "Then let me take a good look at you—"
"Wait, I’ll take off my glasses—"
"No need."
Qing Lan, blushing, said shyly: "Do you hope I look at you properly, young master?"
"Hmm... that’s part of it." Leyi said, "And besides, there’s a tiny, trivial reason—"
"I have a thing for girls with glasses."