Chapter 85

I shoved Bai Jingmo aside and rushed toward Liu Junyan.

Liu Junyan reached out, encircled me, pulled me into his arms, his narrow eyes still fixed on Bai Jingmo, though the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

Bai Jingmo also narrowed his eyes, meeting Liu Junyan's gaze.

A wordless pressure surged back and forth between them.

After a while, Bai Jingmo raised his voice: "Xiao Jiu, I'm heading back to Jiangcheng first; we'll meet in Wufu Town."

Having said that, he drove off into the distance.

Even after the taillights' glow disappeared from sight, Liu Junyan still didn't let go of me.

I wriggled in his embrace and lifted my eyes to him.

Liu Junyan finally released me, lifted a hand to pinch my clothing, and said in a carefree tone: "Seeing your childhood friend makes you this happy? You didn't even have time to change out of your wet clothes—aren't you afraid of catching a chill?"

That tone……why does it sound a bit sour?

I complained: "I already told you last time, there's nothing between us as childhood sweethearts."

"Oh?" Liu Junyan raised an eyebrow, "but the way he looks at you isn't innocent."

I had wanted to explain further, but then I thought, forget it—this can't be explained clearly.

Tonight's Liu Junyan seemed to have returned overnight to the night of the bridal chamber on the first day of the eighth month.

How could I forget—he actually has a bit of a sharp tongue.

I'm not good at verbal sparring, but I excel at showing weakness.

I immediately crossed my arms, exaggeratedly shivered, and said: "There's a wind at night, it's cold."

The next moment, Liu Junyan pulled me into his arms again and led me outward.

I asked: "Where are we going? I haven't greeted my senior sister yet."

"Home."

Liu Junyan shoved me into the car parked by the roadside; he had arrived in Li Qingying's off‑road vehicle.

As the car started, he turned on the air conditioning, blowing warm air.

I pulled out my phone to call Tang Tang, only to discover it had been water‑damaged and broken.

Liu Junyan said: "Don't worry, I've already greeted the gatekeeper and told him I'm here to pick you up."

Oh.

You should have said so earlier.

Liu Junyan focused on driving, his eyes not straying.

I tilted my head to look at him and had to admit, this man's profile is truly striking.

His facial contours are perfect, his jawline defined; because he's focused, his lips are slightly pursed, his Adam's apple rolls gently with his breath—handsome and sexy.

I stared a bit dazedly, and Liu Junyan suddenly smiled: "Good‑looking?"

I instinctively replied: "Good‑looking."

As soon as the words left my mouth, I suddenly realized, sat up straight, and dared not let my eyes wander.

To ease the awkwardness, I asked: "Has the matter at Wangting Mountain been resolved?"

Liu Junyan nodded: "Yes."

After a pause, he added: "Xiao Jiu, you don't need to fear them or pay them any mind, understand?"

I shook my head: "But… aren't they your relatives?"

"Maybe a long time ago," Liu Junyan said, "but it's long been settled; if they behave, we can keep to our own waters, but if they still try to leap about seeking attention, I won't show mercy."

This time I understood.

Whether the middle‑aged man is Liu Junyan's father or Second Master Liu his brother, their relationship has long been severed.

I again asked concernedly: "How did you come out of seclusion early? What about the hexagonal palace lantern?"

"In the black coffin," Liu Junyan said, "I worked hard, so I emerged early; fortunately I made it in time to rush over and save you."

I sincerely said: "Liu Junyan, thank you."

If he hadn't arrived in time tonight, the three of us would likely have met our end at Wangting Mountain.

Liu Junyan glanced at me: "Say it again."

Huh? What the heck?

After a moment's thought, I suddenly realized he doesn't like being called Seventh Lord, nor does he like me always addressing him by his full name.

Thinking of that, I suddenly recalled the dream: the woman in the bronze cauldron underwater called him Āyàn.

That must be his nickname, right?

Thinking that, I stammered a test: "Ah… Āyàn, thank you for rushing to save me."

Liu Junyan's body visibly tensed.

Immediately afterward, he actually pulled the car over to the roadside, leaned over, pinched my chin, and lowered his head to kiss me.

I don't know which nerve that address struck, but I was forced into a kiss that nearly left me breathless; when he finally let go, our foreheads pressed together, and he said in a hoarse voice: "Xiao Jiu, say it again."

I bit my lip, turned my gaze away, and ignored him.

Liu Junyan, however, wasn't annoyed; instead he asked: "Why did you go to Wangting Mountain? Who sent you?"

"That's a long story," I said, pushing him away, "let's head back first; I'll tell you everything slowly once we're home."

Liu Junyan then said nothing more, restarted the car, and drove all the way back.

By the time we returned to the Wufu Town Pawnshop, Li Qingying was sitting on the steps of the pawnshop entrance, waiting.

As soon as I got out of the car, she ran over, worried: "Xiao Jiu, how did you end up like this? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, just a few scrapes, nothing serious," I said.

Li Qingying then relaxed, full of things she wanted to tell me.

Liu Junyan, however, said: "Qingying, Xiao Jiu is tired."

Li Qingying snorted, then immediately reacted, saying: "I'll go to sleep first, Xiao Jiu, we'll talk tomorrow."

I answered repeatedly, entered the Dang Pu, closed the door, and bolted it.

Liu Junyan had me first go back to my room to wash and change clothes.

After I had cleaned myself up and came out of the washroom, I saw Liu Junyan sitting on the edge of my bed, holding in his hand the thing I had brought out of the Furong Cave.

It was a square…… hard to describe.

It was not a box, but a pale blue cube formed from flowing water.

In the center of the cube, it seemed to wrap a golden bead.

Liu Junyan kept staring at that bead, and I could feel the sorrow emanating from his whole body.

I walked over, sat beside him, and said: "This is the thing I went to Wangting Mountain to find."

I recounted that night's dream, and the words the woman in the dream said to me, one by one, to Liu Junyan.

Finally, I raised my left hand again, showing him the water ripple on my middle finger.

Liu Junyan grabbed my hand in one grip and stared at that water ripple for a long time.

I kept monitoring his emotional changes, even seeing his eye sockets slightly redden.

Just then, that water ripple suddenly moved.

It split apart at the point where head met tail, like a little dragon, climbing along my middle finger to the fingertip, then suddenly bit my fingertip.

Blood spurted out instantly, sliding down from the fingertip.

Below was the cube held by Liu Junyan.

In the flash of lightning and stone, I reacted.

This water ripple not only can guide me to find the thing Liu Mu wants me to find, but is also the key to opening the cube and taking out the bead inside.

This drop of blood falling on the cube should be able to break the water flow protecting the bead around it.

But before that drop of blood could fall on the cube, Liu Junyan suddenly moved the cube aside and then sucked my bleeding fingertip into his mouth.

I was full of doubts: "Why not let the blood drop down? Your mother said to hand over the thing inside to you."

Liu Junyan shook his head: "It's not the time yet."

I asked: "Then when will be the time?"

"Wait until you grow up." Liu Junyan said, "Xiao Jiu, wait until the day you can stand on your own, then open it."

My temples throbbed; Liu Junyan's words carried too much information.

He had just left seclusion today, and I again successfully retrieved the thing his mother wanted to give him.

Clearly it could be opened right away, but he said to wait until I grow up.

Various possibilities kept surging in my mind, finally coalescing into a single thought.

A thought that filled me with dread: "So, opening it means you will leave, right?"