Chapter 104: The Love That Never Came

After much deliberation, and with no other choice, Huai Yin could only return to the Twelfth Moon Wind Pavilion. Fu Qingfeng was nowhere to be found, so they would have to seek another way.

The moment he entered, he found Yi Qingchen and Sui Yuren waiting anxiously in the courtyard.

Yi Qingchen stepped forward. “Well? Where is he?”

She craned her neck expectantly, yet the familiar figure never appeared. Her heart sank at once, and she retreated several steps with a blank expression.

Sui Yuren hurried to support her. “Sister Qingchen?”

Then she glared at Huai Yin and snapped, “What are you standing there for? Speak!”

Couldn’t he see how frantic everyone was? Was there nothing going on inside that head of his?

Was Huai Yin truly that obtuse? Unfortunately, he was not. The moment he understood, Sui Yuren regretted it so bitterly that she wanted to slap herself.

Seeing Yi Qingchen so heartbroken, how could he possibly endure it? His heart was already a raging sea of misery. He nearly reached out and pulled her into his arms, telling her that everything would be all right—that she still had him.

After hesitating several times, his gaze grew increasingly unwilling to leave her. If he had once been able to restrain his feelings, then seeing Yi Qingchen in pain now made him unwilling to hide them any longer.

“Qingchen, I’m sorry.”

Yi Qingchen was sunk too deeply in the agony of disappointment to react much to what he had called her.

Sui Yuren, however, was different. In the past, this man had always addressed them as Young Master and Tower Lord. But now, he had thrown all caution to the wind and called Yi Qingchen by her given name.

How could Sui Yuren possibly tolerate that?

She immediately retorted, “Since you know you’re sorry, what were you doing all this time? You were gone for so long and couldn’t even bring one person back. How dare you come back here?

“The man lying inside is your sworn brother, someone who has gone through life and death with you. He hasn’t even breathed his last, yet you can’t be bothered to care?”

“Enough. Stop being unreasonable.”

“No! I’m going to say it.”

“You…”

“What? Are you going to hit me?”

When Sui Yuren saw the large hand raised before her, two streams of tears escaped her eyes. They fell with soft, plinking sounds, like beads slipping from a broken string.

That fool! Couldn’t he tell that she was warning him that a friend’s wife was not to be touched?

Though Yi Qingchen and Baili had nothing between them, who could fail to see the feelings Yi Qingchen harbored? And who did not know that Baili was no heartless man?

You are his sworn brother. How could you fail to understand even this?

The more Sui Yuren thought about it, the angrier she became. The harder she wiped her tears, the more they flowed. At last, she stamped her foot and ran back to her room, locking herself inside.

Seeing this, Yi Qingchen frowned and reproached Huai Yin lightly. “She has always spoken her mind, but she has never meant any harm. Even if her words were inappropriate, how could you raise your hand against her?

“And has she ever done anything that was not for your sake?”

“I…”

Before Huai Yin could finish, Yi Qingchen lifted her skirts and hurried after Sui Yuren to her room. She gently knocked on the door and called in a soft voice, “Yuren, it’s me. Open the door, all right?”

“No! You two can talk among yourselves. Why bother with me? I’m just an unwanted orphan whose parents died young, a wild child whom no one loves or cares for.”

With that, she began to sob even harder.

The sound tore at Yi Qingchen’s heart. “Yuren, open the door. Whatever it is, we can talk it through. Please don’t cry.”

“Why should you care? Who are you to me? And who am I to you? I’m nothing but an unwanted burden standing between you and him.”

Yi Qingchen’s brows drew tightly together. With a surge of deft force, she shattered the bolt and walked straight into the room, finding Sui Yuren crouched in a corner, weeping.

The anger in her heart instantly melted into tenderness. She gathered the girl into her arms, both exasperated and heartbroken.

“You silly child. When you called me Sister, didn’t that make you my little sister? How can you say such foolish things now?

“Do you still not understand what is in your sister’s heart?”

Sui Yuren looked at Yi Qingchen. Her mist-filled eyes held an abundance of caution and wariness, but more than anything else, they held hurt.

It was everything that someone who ought to have been carefree and innocent should never have had to endure.

“Really?”

The eldest sister in her family had once told her the same thing: that they were sisters. Yet Sui Yuren had never been permitted to stand as her equal, much less call her Sister.

She could do so only when their father was present.

Without their father, she did not even have the right to set foot in the Gu household. Even when he was there, such opportunities came fewer than twice a year—sometimes not at all.

Without the eldest sister’s approval, even their father could do nothing.

In truth, Sui Yuren knew that it was not that he could do nothing. He simply indulged the eldest sister in treating her that way.

She had envied and resented them, but what good had that done? It had merely given the servants one more spectacle at which to laugh.

But now, could she truly believe an offhand invitation to call someone Sister?

“Of course it’s true. Not just anyone has the right to be the younger sister of the Lord of Shuxing Tower. Do you understand?”

As she spoke, Yi Qingchen lightly tapped Sui Yuren on the nose with her forefinger.

Unable to hold back any longer, Sui Yuren threw herself into Yi Qingchen’s arms and sobbed until she could scarcely breathe.

Huai Yin stood outside and listened for a long while. In the end, he still did not knock or enter.

He turned around and silently walked toward the western side chamber.

When Huai Yin appeared at the door and knocked, Que Yunzi raised his sleeve to wipe the sweat from his brow.

“You’re back. Did you manage to bring him here?”

“Sir is not there.”

“Not there?” Que Yunzi nodded, then suddenly raised his eyes. “Not there?”

“Yes. I searched the entire valley. In the end, the Earth Ganoderma Spirit told me that Sir had left not long after we departed. No one knows where he has gone.”

This was a problem.

If he was gone, what were they supposed to do?

Suddenly, Que Yunzi’s gaze settled on Su He, where it remained for a long time without a word.

Huai Yin’s eyes, however, were fixed on Zou Jiren. He asked Que Yunzi casually, “How is Steward Zou’s injury? Is it serious?”

Yun Xingyu raised his eyes and cast Huai Yin a sidelong glance before lowering them again, pretending not to have heard.

Since he had been asked, Que Yunzi did not conceal the truth. “We managed to save him. His vital essence is severely depleted, however, and he must not fight again in the short term.

“He needs a long period of proper rest. Hmm? Why are you asking?”

Ordinarily, shouldn’t you have asked about Su He?

Huai Yin gave an awkward smile. “In the end, he suffered this fate for the sake of his brothers. It is only right that I ask after him.

“Besides, if Sir is not here, what are we to do about our brother?”

“Yes, what are we to do?” Que Yunzi turned to Yun Xingyu. “Do you have any ideas, Xingyu? Let us hear them. Any direction is better than none.”

Yun Xingyu lowered his gaze and said, “No.”

“…”

“I have spent so long within the sect that I know nothing about the outside world. Asking me was truly asking the wrong person.”

He glanced sideways at Huai Yin. “You look thoughtful. Have you come up with something?”

Huai Yin gave a start, only then understanding what Yun Xingyu meant. His face instantly filled with pain and self-reproach, and he added regretfully, “No. I only feel distressed seeing my brother in such a state while being unable to save him.

“Please forgive my rudeness.”

Yun Xingyu sat up straight and gave him a meaningful look. “Indeed. What profound brotherly affection.”

Huai Yin acted as though he had not heard him. He turned to Que Yunzi and said, “What if we went to the Wusheng Gate and had a look?”

“What do you mean?”

“Think about it. As the leader of a sect, Bufeng surely has a broader network and more information than we do.

“Rather than waiting for Sir, who may not return for who knows how long, why not go to the Wusheng Gate? Perhaps there is still a glimmer of hope.”

“Hmm. You have a point. Go and tell the two girls to prepare. We are going to visit the Wusheng Gate.”

“All right.”

Just as he finished speaking, two graceful figures appeared at the doorway—one dignified and gentle, the other petite and adorable.

The latter’s eyes were still red, and even her eyelids were swollen.

“Oh? What happened to the little one? Who bullied you? Come and tell Grandpa. Grandpa will avenge you. Don’t be afraid.”

Que Yunzi sincerely liked Sui Yuren.

Sui Yuren sniffed. The tears she had just managed to stop suddenly broke loose again. Alarmed, Que Yunzi immediately turned his accusation toward Huai Yin.

“Speak! Was this boy responsible?”

“I…” Huai Yin was rendered speechless. He wanted to say no, but she had indeed cried because of him.

“Well, well, look at you! You’ve grown bold, haven’t you?”

Que Yunzi rolled up his sleeves and smacked Huai Yin on the back of the head.

“Grandpa, don’t hit him anymore.”

“Why not? He made you cry.”

“It wasn’t him. Who is he to me? Why would I cry over him?”

“Then what is the matter?” Since she had arrived, she had always been smiling. When had she ever cried before?

“I…I miss home.”

She sniffed, then seemed to make up her mind.

“That’s why I came to say goodbye to Grandpa. Please don’t blame me, Grandpa. I…I want to go home.”

As expected, once she said this, Que Yunzi lost interest in pursuing the matter with Huai Yin. After a moment of thought, he said earnestly, “That is true. You have been away for a long time and endured so many hardships. You should return and let your family know that you are safe.”

“Thank you, Grandpa!”

Sui Yuren bowed, then stepped forward and hugged Que Yunzi. In a soft voice, she said, “Please take care of yourself, Grandpa.”

Her tone was so aggrieved that she seemed like a little deer wounded in the wilderness, now returning to hide in the shelter of a safe haven.

Que Yunzi sighed inwardly, but he could not bear to expose her.

He stroked her head and instructed her, “Grandpa still has other matters to attend to and cannot see you off.

“Take care of yourself on the road.

“Be clever, and do not foolishly fall into a villain’s trap as you did last time.”

“Yes, yes. Yuren will remember. Please take care of yourself, Grandpa.”

She looked at Yun Xingyu as well. “You take care too, Uncle Yun.”

Yun Xingyu nodded. “You too.”

At last, Sui Yuren embraced Yi Qingchen as well. Of everyone in the room, she alone deliberately avoided Huai Yin. Anyone with eyes could see it plainly.

As they watched the small, lonely figure leave, everyone’s gaze immediately fell upon Huai Yin.

He did not know why, but seeing her bid farewell to everyone except him left a dull heaviness in his chest, followed by a sudden, inexplicable irritation.

When he saw the reproachful and resentful looks everyone was giving him, his anger only grew. He thought that if she wanted to leave, then let her leave. It would be better that way. His actions would no longer be constrained by so many complications.

Sui Yuren walked very slowly.

In truth, she was still waiting for someone to ask her to stay.

But all that awaited her was heartbreak.

Yi Qingchen grew terribly anxious. She seized Huai Yin and hurried after the girl.

“Yuren, wait for your sister!”

“What is it?”

Sui Yuren turned around. Yet the first thing she saw was the hands of the two people clasped together. Her heart seemed to be crushed inch by inch, and the pain became unbearable.

Yi Qingchen took Sui Yuren’s hand and placed Huai Yin’s hand into it.

“The world is in turmoil, and it is inconvenient for a young woman to travel alone. Brother Huai wishes to escort you for part of the journey.”

“Is that so?”

She knew perfectly well that Yi Qingchen was only telling a comforting lie, yet she still could not help looking toward Huai Yin with hope.

Huai Yin found it impossible to say the words himself. But when he met Yi Qingchen’s gaze, he could not refuse her.

He nodded sullenly. “Come on. I’ll see you there.”

Sui Yuren lowered her head, released his hand, and folded it into her own palm.

“No need. Saving Brother Baili is more important. Sister Qingchen, take care.”

With that, she turned and departed upon a cloud.

“What are you waiting for? Do you want her to go through the Goddess Hall all over again?”

Yi Qingchen turned to him. Her heart ached at the sight, and she gave Huai Yin another push.

He had not heard a word of what she had said before. But the mention of the Goddess Hall struck him like a bolt of lightning.

One scene after another flashed through his mind: the sight of her being hauled from the Teng Sea, the dazed, childlike state she had once fallen into, and the moment she collapsed on the Forbidden Mountain.

He glanced at Que Yunzi standing in the doorway behind him, then turned back to Yi Qingchen.

“Take care.”

In the end, he still could not let her go.