Chapter 233: A Zhu, A Bi, and the Token

Ten minutes past midnight.

A cool breeze rose, the green lotus swayed, and the reeds on the bank rustled in the wind.

On the lake, white birds skimmed the water, fish played in the waves, and occasionally wild ducks chased and frolicked across the surface, dragging long ripples.

Niu Dingtian had been immersed in healing his wounds when suddenly a sound of oars came from deep in the lotus pond; immediately, waterbirds took flight, wild ducks flapped their wings, fish leapt, and the surroundings instantly bustled.

He slowly opened his eyes.

He turned his head to look at the lake and saw, under the moonlight, A Bi pushing a small boat out from the lotus pond.

Ah! Young Master, why are you sleeping out here? Don't fall into the lake!

Seeing Niu Dingtian asleep on the wooden ladder, with the lake right beside him—one turn and he'd fall in—A Bi gasped and spat out a mouthful of Suzhou local white.

Thanks to Han Xiao Ying, Niu Dingtian could understand about seventy or eighty percent, so he smiled at the girl and said, "It's too stuffy inside; I couldn't sleep, so I came out to look at the moon."

Then he added, surprised: "A Bi, miss, do you have something? Why did you come over now?"

A Bi tied up the small boat, holding an embroidered quilt in one hand and a bamboo basket in the other, stepped ashore, and smiled:

"Snacks can't replace a meal, Young Master; your injuries are serious, so I've brought you some food, and incidentally a blanket."

Speaking, she saw Niu Dingtian blocking the way, laughed and urged: "It's too cold outside, Young Master, go in quickly—I still need to hurry back."

Niu Dingtian heard this and couldn't help but sigh silently, wondering how he would ever repay this kindness; he slightly lifted his gaze, only to see A Bi pursing her lips, smiling at him.

Under the moonlight, the girl's skin was as white as freshly peeled water chestnut, and a tiny black mole at the corner of her mouth added to her charm.

Thank you, A Bi...

Niu Dingtian thanked her softly, not waiting for A Bi to support him, he forced himself to stand and staggered into the hermitage.

After being nourished through the night, his meridians had healed somewhat, so he no longer needed to crawl inside.

Seeing Niu Dingtian actually able to rise on his own, A Bi's eyes flashed with surprise, and she laughed from behind:

"Young Master, don't stand on ceremony with me; actually, I'm also an orphan."

"I forgot to ask your name this afternoon; you'll have to tell me later."

She giggled as she spoke, her voice clear and soft like strings, entered the room, placed the embroidered quilt on the haystack, and took out a porcelain jar from the bamboo basket.

Opening the lid, inside was fragrant milky-white crucian carp soup, plus a bowl of rice and a plate of stir-fried lotus slices.

Seeing Niu Dingtian's gaze fall on the kitchen knife at the bottom of the basket, A Bi pursed her lips and smiled: "It's left for you, Young Master, as self-defense."

"All the weapons in the manor are registered; I couldn't bring one, so I just took a kitchen knife from the cookhouse."

"You're alone here, Young Master; if you encounter a large water snake, having it will keep you safer."

Niu Dingtian stared at the kitchen knife: "……"

This time he didn't offer thanks again; sometimes, saying those words too much renders them powerless.

He knew A Bi's help came from shared circumstances and pure goodness, but that wasn't the reason he kept receiving favors.

Thinking of this, he felt around his person for a while and finally produced a token.

It was the only valuable thing left on him, and also a remembrance from another time and place.

After turning it over in his hand a moment, Niu Dingtian handed it to A Bi and smiled: "My name is Niu Dingtian; A Bi, miss, if you don't mind, you can call me Young Master Niu, or Elder Brother Niu."

"Please keep this token safe, A Bi miss; the day I retrieve it will be the time to repay the favor."

"In the future, seeing this token will be like seeing me; as long as it's not treason, I will grant any request from anyone."

"A token?" A Bi felt curious and instinctively took it into her hand.

By the moonlight, the token was seen to be entirely dark black, one side carved with mountains and rivers, lifelike; the other side engraved with the characters 'sun' and 'moon', ancient and weathered.

She played with it a moment, weighed it, then handed the token back, smiling: "This is clearly something valuable; Young Master Niu, you should keep it. The day you save me again, we'll be even."

"Do you think I'm boasting, A Bi miss?" Niu Dingtian shook his head and did not reach for it.

A Bi's face flushed slightly as she protested: "No way! I'm just a little girl; how could I deserve something so precious?"

Niu Dingtian laughed: "Take it; A Bi miss, you're no ordinary little girl—you're my creditor."

Thus, A Bi couldn't refuse and reluctantly accepted the token.

She naturally didn't believe that a weak, pale-faced scholar could fulfill such a promise, but to spare his face she didn't refuse further.

She thought that since he would eventually take it back, she should keep it safe.

Seeing Niu Dingtian leaning against the wall, looking somewhat weary, A Bi ladled the fish soup from the porcelain jar into a small bowl, handed it over, and smiled:

"Young Master Niu, drink some fish soup to strengthen yourself; from now on you needn't worry about food or drink—I'll come by every day when I can."

Niu Dingtian took the small bowl, lightly sipped a mouthful, the fresh soup entered his belly, and his body instantly felt much more comfortable.

After finishing the remaining soup, he set down the bowl, looked at the pure and refined girl before him, and chuckled: "No need for all this trouble; in a couple of days I'll be mostly recovered—the lake has plenty of fish, birds, shrimp, and endless fresh lotus roots, so I won't go hungry."

"If you have time, A Bi miss, could you bring some firewood and seasonings, plus a few clean clothes? Then I'd be content and wouldn't need you to come daily."

Having a girl bring food each day, Niu Dingtian naturally felt delighted to the utmost.

But if this continued long enough, people would notice and draw trouble from the folks at Cinnabar Harmony Villa.

"My maid secretly sending food to another man? No man could tolerate that."

Touching a man's dignity, who knows—Murong Fu might even strike at him covertly.

Therefore, when he saw A Bi's face show hesitation, Niu Dingtian calmly said: "A Bi miss, coming here at night, does anyone else know about it?"

A Bi paused, then said: "I only told A Zhu elder sister; A Zhu is my close older sister, she won't tell anyone."

Niu Dingtian smiled slightly and said: "But frequently sending food out will inevitably arouse suspicion. Murong Chu's narrow-minded reputation spreads throughout the martial world; I suspect he wouldn't mind."

"Yet letting others misunderstand and gossip would be bad for A Bi miss."

"If A Bi miss feels uneasy, you might as well sing a clear song as you did by day; then in my dream I would hear celestial music ringing in my ears, never wanting to wake, and upon waking I'd feel even my aches eased considerably."

A Bi heard him praising her indirectly, and her heart naturally rejoiced.

Without hesitation, she adjusted her embroidered skirt, hugged her knees sitting on the haystack, and sang softly:

"'On the second auspicious day, among thousands of homes, I again see the paired swallows flying. If the phoenix's nest is stable, it may become a neighbor; when will the misty twilight of the Xiao and Xiang rivers arrive?'"

Wandering into the vermilion tower, skimming low over the verdant shore, the painted rafters lightly brush the turning song-dust. For whom do I return, for whom do I come? The master's great kindness rolls up the pearl curtain.

The clear tone is tender and soft, low and lingering, winding through the hazy night, echoing across the lake surface.

Niu Dingtian, hearing her song reach the tender and graceful part, could not help but recall the Ruan River in Peach Blossom Spring at first, and recall Miss Huang singing for him that Rui He Xian.

Alas, the beloved is not here; in this life I do not know if there will be a day to meet again……

……

After the song ended, seeing Niu Dingtian dazed, A Bi laughed: 'It's not well sung, Young Master Niu, don't laugh at me.'

Niu Dingtian sighed: 'If I could hear A Bi's clear song each day, even living ten years in leisure in this thatched hut would be worth it.'

A Bi, hearing that, her cheeks slightly flushed, picked up the bamboo basket beside her and said softly: 'How could it be that good?'

Her voice was a bit shy.

She glanced outside, then said: 'It's not early either, Young Master Niu, finish your meal and rest early; A Bi will go back first.' Niu Dingtian smiled and gave a slight nod.

After the maiden left the thatched hut, she untied the boat rope, pushed off the small skiff, and slowly disappeared into the lotus pond; he could not help but feel a sense of loss.

Unlike his previous life, having suddenly come to this world, he is alone.

Rather than witnessing these people's joys and sorrows, separations and reunions, he would rather return to the later world and reunite with his relatives.

But his cultivation is gone, the breathing method has no movement, and he does not know when this path will be passable.

He lightly sighed, Niu Dingtian picked up the rice on the ground, added two lotus slices, shoved them together into his mouth, and chewed silently.

After finishing the meal and drinking half a jar of fish soup, he left the thatched hut, lay on the wooden ladder, and continued his previous work.

Repairing the meridians……

……

Meanwhile, A Bi punted her boat, left the lotus pond, headed west, traveled about ten li of waterway, and arrived at a small island.

Under the moonlight, four or five houses stood scattered on the island, small and exquisite, quite elegant.

She had just moored the small boat and stepped ashore; not walking far, she saw a stern-faced old woman standing at the cottage door, and she involuntarily stopped, her face turning deathly pale.

The old woman leaned on her cane, trembling as she approached, glanced at the bamboo basket in A Bi's hand, and snapped: 'You little minx! Out so late, which wild man are you meeting?'

A Bi's delicate body trembled; she was about to explain anxiously when she suddenly smelled a faint, delicate fragrance.

She reacted, flung the bamboo basket aside, and angrily scratched at the old woman's armpit, shouting:

'You A Zhu, you're supposed to be a good older sister, how could you scare people like this?'

The old woman, tickled in a sensitive spot, hastily dropped her cane and burst into giggles.

While fending off, she coquettishly said: 'Who let you be gone so long? Going to the lotus pond and back takes half an hour; tell me, what did you do with the extra time?'

She reached to A Bi's full chest, intending to pinch as usual, but instead felt a hard object.

'Ah! Let go quickly!'

A Bi blushed and cried out in surprise.

A Zhu held on tightly, giggling: 'Older sister, I don't recall you having something so hard; where did it come from? Let older sister take a look!'

Saying that, she tried to pull open A Bi's collar to look inside.

A Bi clung desperately, pleading: 'It's just an iron plate; look, look. I've been rowing all the way, tired; I'll go bathe and change clothes first, then show you later.'

Only then did A Zhu laugh and let go.

They played and laughed together for a while, then both entered the cottage.

Half an hour later, in an elegantly furnished side room——

The candlelight glowed red, like water splashed on the lattice window, illuminating the two slender figures beside it.

A Bi wore a light green garment, her skin white with a hint of red, and her wet hair hung loose behind her.

Beside her stood a girl in a light crimson gauze shirt, also about sixteen or seventeen, with an oval beautiful face, flawless white skin, lively eyes, and a mischievous elf-like aura.

This was her close friend——A Zhu.

After hearing A Bi recount tonight's experience, A Zhu lightly laughed: 'You're so thoughtful; be careful the young master notices and gets jealous.'

A Bi sighed and said: 'Such trivial matters, the young master won't take to heart. We two little maids, he has never taken to heart.'

A Zhu gave her a look and snorted: 'What would I want the young master to keep in mind for? A Bi sister, you shouldn't constantly think of the young master day and night; it's useless.'

A Bi let out a soft sigh, gave no reply. A Zhu patted her shoulder and whispered: 'Tell me, older sister, is that Young Master Niu handsome? Does he know martial arts? Some other day I'll go help you vet him.'

'Since the young master doesn't keep us in mind, we girls can't waste our time; if there's a chance to find someone reliable to entrust ourselves to, good sister, you must not hesitate.'

She had always been a bit sharper than A Bi, and had long seen through the young master's thoughts.

He is like Lord Liu, wholly devoted to his great cause; the two sisters, raised from childhood as young ladies, may one day be sent away.

But as servants, saying this is quite sensitive; it's not good to speak it outright.

A Bi, hearing this, hurriedly said: 'Older sister, don't talk nonsense! I only helped Young Master Niu wholeheartedly because I saw his injuries were severe and he had no relatives.'

A Zhu looked at her with a half-smile, but said nothing.

A Bi, seeing she could not avoid it, unconsciously lowered her brows and eyes, blushing, and said:

'He looks a few years older than older sister, not as handsome as the young master, but, but…'

'But what? Come on, say it!' A Zhu's gossipy heart flared, she seized A Bi's fair wrist and urged her on.

'But he is especially delicate and handsome; compared, it's not much different.' A Bi thought a moment, then whispered:

'Moreover, at first glance he has a special charm that makes one unable to help looking a few more times.'

'Then just how many times did you look?' A Zhu's eyes shifted, she took hold of A Bi's both hands and teased her.

A Bi instantly blushed all over, protesting: 'I didn't, I didn't look…'

She wanted to keep arguing, but her heart felt guilty; clearly she had looked many times, how could she say she hadn't? Seeing this, A Zhu smiled, her apricot eyes flickered, looking at the simple-minded younger sister before her, and softly reminded: 'Regardless of what A Bi sister thinks in her heart, that Young Master Niu has a point: from now on you cannot go there every day, cannot let others know, and certainly cannot let the young master know.'

Seeing A Bi still puzzled, she pursed her lips and smiled: 'Men naturally understand men best; that Young Master Niu is quite an interesting person.'

'Although the young master doesn't keep us in mind, we still belong to him; no man would want to see his woman approach another man.'

Having said that, she stretched out her delicate hand, smiling, toward the dazed A Bi.

A Bi came to her senses, sighed, and handed over the token from her bosom.

As soon as the token was in her hand, A Zhu's eyes lit up—not only amazed by its craftsmanship, but even more startled by its weight.

The iron token, less than three inches long and wide, felt extraordinarily heavy in her grasp.

Regardless of whether it was gold, silver, copper, or iron, she had never seen anything of the same size so heavy.

A thought stirred in her heart; A Zhu quietly turned her back, gathered her strength, and tried to bend it.

But she strained until her delicate face flushed red, yet she couldn't budge it even a fraction.

She does have internal energy……

A Zhu, feeling a bit unconvinced, let her curiosity draw her gaze to the treasure sword by the window.

Behind her, A Bi sensed something amiss, rushed to snatch it back, and said, "Older sister, you've looked enough—give it back!"

A Zhu dodged with a flick, chuckling, "Little sis, aren't you curious what this is made of?"

"Not curious! It's definitely iron—hurry up and return it!" A Bi lunged again, but missed once more.

"There's no such heavy iron; let me try—it surely won't break." A Zhu laughed as she drew the treasure sword.

"No way!"

A Bi was greatly startled. (End of chapter)