Long Aotian’s Beautiful Butler Has Run Away chapter 89

Chapter 89: A Slap

“What are you saying?” Rong Xie felt as if he was hearing something bizarre. “He said? Who is he? Who told you that if you turned into this, I would come back?”

Shen Bingsi’s gaze drifted. “That’s not important. What’s important is…”

“This is very important. Did you go find your master or not?” Rong Xie walked over from the door, unable to stop himself from examining Shen Bingsi’s expression with concern, while reaching out to check his pulse.

Then, Rong Xie felt a burning hot arm and a strong, powerful pulse.

“I found him,” Shen Bingsi answered briefly. The oath of the Council of Elders prevented him from saying more.

“Oh.” Rong Xie felt slightly relieved. Since he had found his master and his pulse was fine, it meant he was truly okay.

Rong Xie’s hand then left Shen Bingsi’s wrist.

The next moment, his hand was tightly wrapped up; a burning sensation squeezed his cartilage.

Rong Xie’s eyelid twitched. A tingling, numbing sensation traveled up his wrist.

He looked up at Shen Bingsi, who was staring intently at him.

Rong Xie lowered his eyes and tried to pull his hand out of his grip, but was held even tighter.

“What exactly do you want to do?” Rong Xie frowned.

“You haven’t answered me yet.” Shen Bingsi loomed closer to Rong Xie. “You still like it, right? This face, and… me.”

Rong Xie’s heartbeat accelerated, and his mouth felt a bit dry. Shen Bingsi’s current appearance was truly deceptive—not the exterior, but… the expression and tone, as if he really cared whether Rong Xie liked him or not.

“Whether I… like it or not, what meaning does it have? You can’t possibly…” Rong Xie murmured to himself.

“Who said I can’t?” Shen Bingsi stared at Rong Xie’s face, his gaze slowly moving down. He tentatively leaned his face in, getting closer and closer to Rong Xie. He had seen those little Daoist couples in Red Fragrance Tower doing this; they pressed their mouths together, although it was useless for dual cultivation—

Smack!

Shen Bingsi’s face turned to the side.

Rong Xie’s strength couldn’t be considered great, but Shen Bingsi hadn’t expected it at all. He was completely unguarded against Rong Xie slapping him. In the past, even when he did more infuriating things, Rong Xie would only turn pale; he had never raised a hand to hit him.

An inexplicable irritability surged in his heart, and Shen Bingsi subconsciously let go of Rong Xie’s hand.

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Having freed both hands, Rong Xie mercilessly pushed him away, walked quickly to the wider part of the flower hall, and kept a certain distance from Shen Bingsi.

Shen Bingsi stood in place, motionless, like a petrified statue.

“What are you doing?” Rong Xie was both shocked and angry.

Just a moment ago, Rong Xie was suspecting if Shen Bingsi had suddenly become enlightened. But his actions just now were tantamount to splashing a basin of cold water on Rong Xie’s face, cooling him down from the illusion of mutual affection.

Even this face, which he had drawn with his own hands, became uncomfortable to look at.

“Accepting,” Shen Bingsi said in a muffled voice. “I am accepting your affection. Isn’t this how it’s done when accepting? Those little Daoist couples in Red Fragrance Tower… one person expresses affection, and the other presses their mouth against them. Both are happy, and they leave together joyfully.”

“…” Rong Xie felt a wave of powerlessness. “So, this is the solution you came up with?”

“At least I’m thinking of a solution!” Shen Bingsi felt his face burning, and his voice unconsciously grew louder. “I didn’t retreat just because of a little setback! I didn’t shout about living my own life and then run away without looking back, leaving the person I agreed to be best friends with for life aside!”

Rong Xie knew that when it came to twisted logic, if Shen Bingsi claimed second place, no one would dare claim first.

“I’m sorry, maybe I didn’t make myself clear…” Rong Xie sighed. “No matter what you do, I won’t go back.”

Shen Bingsi choked, like a duck grabbed by the neck, suddenly unable to make a sound.

“Between considering your feelings, your habits… and preserving myself, I could only choose one. So, I chose myself.” Rong Xie lowered his eyes. “In the past, I can’t say every time, but most of the time, I chose to consider your feelings. Of course, that wasn’t your fault; you treated me well. It was just a habit I had since childhood… Now, between considering your feelings and preserving myself, I can only choose one because… I can’t deceive myself anymore, pretending to be your best friend, staying by your side, and responding to your declarations of friendship at all times.”

Shen Bingsi narrowed his eyes. There was a phrase that was particularly piercing. He had seen it in his master’s suicide note, and now he heard it from Rong Xie. Was this… a coincidence?

“So… I don’t want you to pretend to accept me either, forcing yourself to play the role of some qualified Daoist companion.” Rong Xie looked at him again. This time, his gaze held a bit more determination. “Please accept reality too. I have taken the first step. I have my own home, a way to make a living, and I am living my own life. If you truly consider me a lifelong best friend, please wish me well. In that case, I would also welcome you to visit here often as a guest.”

“…”

That irritable emotion was like a volcano about to erupt, causing Shen Bingsi’s chest to vibrate faintly. He could hardly stand still in one place; he had to keep moving his feet. The magma urgently needed to be released but couldn’t find a reasonable outlet.

Who wants to wish you well! Who wants to visit your house as a guest!

Who wants to accept this damn reality!

Separation is separation; don’t give me that “friendship between gentlemen is as pure as water” crap!

“…Are you not cultivating anymore? Do you not intend to build your foundation?” Shen Bingsi asked with a darkened face. “Just… living mediocrely like this for twenty or thirty years?”

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Rong Xie was silent for a moment. “It seems it can only be this way.”

“Good… good,” Shen Bingsi’s face turned completely black. “I really misjudged you.”

After saying this, Shen Bingsi turned around and jumped out of the window. With a flash of green shadow, he was gone.

Rong Xie knew that giving up cultivation stepped on one of Shen Bingsi’s biggest taboos—lack of ambition.

However, it didn’t matter anymore. Rong Xie had already stepped on even bigger taboos.

He only hoped that this meeting and talking it out would allow Shen Bingsi to thoroughly recognize reality and stop disrupting his life.

…

However, his hope fell through once again.

Early the next morning, when Rong Xie went out, he saw a deep green figure on the wall of Bamboo Lane. The tall woman with a high ponytail was squatting on the wall, a piece of grass in her mouth, staring at the sky. Who knew how long she had been squatting there.

But… he indeed hadn’t stepped on Rong Xie’s roof tiles. Rong Xie couldn’t say anything, so he could only pretend not to see and headed for the Blue Plateau Manor.

Along the way, Rong Xie didn’t see Shen Bingsi following him, as if the green shadow on the wall was just his hallucination.

Rong Xie arrived at the Blue Plateau Manor and quickly threw himself into work, putting other messy matters to the back of his mind. He worked until noon, then came out of the steward’s courtyard and walked to the east side gate he usually took to go home. He happened to run into Linglong waiting there.

And Shen Bingsi.

Shen Bingsi maintained the posture of squatting on the wall looking at the sky. Linglong stood under the wall, looking a bit uneasy. She looked up several times as if wanting to strike up a conversation with Shen Bingsi, but was scared back by his icy expression.

“Lady Linglong?” Rong Xie frowned slightly upon seeing Shen Bingsi, wondering what exactly he wanted to do.

Seeing Rong Xie come out, Linglong breathed a sigh of relief as if grasping a savior, and trotted over with quick steps. “Big Brother Rong, you finally came out! I received a reply from Big Brother Zhao. He’s coming over this afternoon. I wonder when you are free?”

“I’m free all day today.” Rong Xie was surprised that Big Brother Zhao was coming so quickly. It seemed the Treasure Hunting Team’s idle period had really been too long.

“Great! How about dinner at Tongqing Tower?”

“Sure.”

“Just the three of us for dinner,” Linglong paused, “or… four people?”

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“Hm?” Rong Xie thought the fourth person she meant was Wang Mu. “Wang Mu runs around outside during the day; I don’t know when he’ll be back.”

“No… I mean… Sister Qu Huaiyan.” Linglong raised her eyebrows at the top of the wall.

“What Qu Huai…” Rong Xie realized. “How do you know his name?”

“I just asked.” Linglong was inexplicably proud, as if striking up a conversation with “Qu Huaiyan” was some remarkable achievement. “Sister Qu is very nice; she even taught me a spell for healing birds.”

“Mm…” Rong Xie didn’t quite believe Shen Bingsi, with his nostrils pointing to the sky, looked like the type to teach people spells.

“She also told me I don’t need to be your shield anymore.” Linglong smiled sweetly. “In the future, if any blind arrows come, she’ll block them all for you, hehe.”

“…”

Rong Xie didn’t know why Linglong was so happy. However, Shen Bingsi had a way of intimidating people upon first meeting; as long as he kept a cold face, those who managed to speak to him would feel an inexplicable sense of honor.

He couldn’t help but look at Shen Bingsi, wanting to ask what exactly he was planning.

Shen Bingsi, however, continued to look at the sky, as if determined not to make eye contact with him.

“Never mind,” Rong Xie said. “It was originally three people; where did the fourth come from?”

“Eh…?” Linglong looked back at Shen Bingsi, who was sky-gazing, then at Rong Xie, who was looking straight ahead. She seemed to understand something. So, yesterday’s quarrel isn’t over yet?

When night fell, Rong Xie arrived at Tongqing Tower and met Zhao Dajiang, the captain of the Treasure Hunting Team, who was already waiting there.

Zhao Dajiang was very enthusiastic. He greeted Rong Xie warmly and asked him to order a few dishes he liked, saying the kitchen was already preparing the rest.

He looked like a seasoned veteran of the Jianghu.

However, Rong Xie’s memory of Zhao Dajiang lingered more on his straightforward and bold style.

“Money is hard to earn, shit is hard to eat,” halfway through the meal, Zhao Dajiang picked up his wine cup and sighed. “If we keep catching cheaters, we won’t be able to survive in Shengjing anymore. We’re practically rats crossing the street; everyone wants to beat us. Fellow Daoist Rong, fortunately, you appeared in time. The ancient scrolls and fragments I’ve accumulated finally have someone to decipher them, hahahaha!”

Rong Xie hesitated, put down his chopsticks, and said, “Captain Zhao can let me see them first. However, Rong is not all-knowing. Whether I can decipher them remains to be seen. Captain Zhao shouldn’t have too high expectations.”

“Eh, don’t say that. Even Sword Saint Shen relies on Fellow Daoist Rong so much. If even you can’t decipher them, then no one in the world can!”

As Zhao Dajiang spoke, he took out a pile of tattered items from his robes, pushed aside the bowls and plates, and placed them on the table.

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Rong Xie saw maps, a compass, a small cylindrical telescope, bamboo slips, linen scraps with writing, a few copper movable type pieces, and a seal as small as a fingernail among the items.

Rong Xie’s interest rose immediately. He first wiped his hands with a handkerchief, then carefully picked up the bamboo slip. After looking at it twice, he put it down and picked up the linen scrap with writing… Finally, he examined the copper movable type and the seal, his brow furrowing tighter and tighter.

“How is it?” Zhao Dajiang looked at Rong Xie with anticipation. Linglong also leaned in involuntarily. Even the woman in green at the next table, who had been sitting alone for who knows how long, sat up straight to listen to the commotion.

“These are all fakes.” Rong Xie swallowed the words “shoddy” and said very tactfully, “At least in Rong’s opinion, they are. It’s also possible that I misjudged. Why don’t you find someone else to take a look, Captain Zhao?”

“Ah…” Zhao Dajiang seemed extremely disappointed. “If Fellow Daoist Rong says so, then it must be true…”

Linglong refused to believe it and picked through the junk Rong Xie hadn’t touched. “Are all of these fake? Isn’t there a single genuine one?”

Before Rong Xie could answer, a green sleeve reached over from behind him, casually picked up a compass, and shook it twice in the air.

“Tsk, even the compass is fake.” “Qu Huaiyan” weighed it in his hand twice, tossed it back on the table, and said disdainfully, “This is the adventurous life you want?”

Rong Xie felt the vein on his temple twitch twice, followed by a numbness across his scalp.