Chapter 247: Concealment, Dragon Energy
Chapter 247: Chapter 247: Concealment, Dragon Energy
’But He Qiang is such a proud person. If he found out what happened, he probably wouldn’t be able to stay peacefully in Nianqiao Village. He might even get into trouble!’
Once they were in the car and had driven a good distance, Liu Wenqiang finally asked in a low voice, "Nuanyue, is that woman’s name Yang Sumei?"
"Huh?" Zhao Nuanyue was taken aback, extremely curious as to how Liu Wenqiang knew Yang Sumei. "Her name is Yang Sumei. Why? You know her, too? How do you know each other?"
Hearing Zhao Nuanyue’s confirmation, Liu Wenqiang grew even more certain. He shook his head and said, "I wouldn’t say I *know* her. It’s just that a friend of mine got married, and I was asked to drive the bride. That woman was Yang Sumei."
"What?" Zhao Nuanyue was shocked and stared blankly. "You... you’re saying Yang Sumei is married? When?"
"Just at the end of last year!" Liu Wenqiang replied. "I have a great memory. The woman even had a son with her. I’d heard her husband had died, but I guess he didn’t die—he was just sent away for labor."
"Died?" Zhao Nuanyue was incredulous. "My friend divorced his wife because of the labor situation, to avoid implicating his family. I can’t believe his wife has already remarried. Then... then what about Professor He?"
"Sigh, plenty of people got divorced because of that whole affair." Liu Wenqiang had stayed in Jincheng City the whole time, so he had seen many such cases and wasn’t surprised. Some divorces were real, while others were just for show. But sometimes, what started as a pretense ended up becoming real.
Just like Yang Sumei, whom they had run into today.
"So what do we do now?" Zhao Nuanyue frowned. "Professor He thinks his wife has been enduring hardship to raise their son, waiting for him to come back. I can’t imagine how heartbroken he’ll be if he finds out she’s already remarried!"
"What a bad woman!" Zhao Nuan Yang said angrily, feeling sad for He. "Mr. He is so nice!"
"Uh..." Seeing her brother’s shared indignation, Zhao Nuanyue felt a headache coming on. She patiently explained to him, "Nuanyang, this is a family matter between Professor He and his wife—no, his ex-wife now. It doesn’t have a direct relationship with us. We can care about Professor He, sympathize with him, and help him, but we can’t interfere in his affairs."
Zhao Nuan Yang was a little confused, but after thinking it over, he gradually understood his sister’s meaning.
"Oh, I get it, Sis." Zhao Nuan Yang nodded. ’It’s Mr. He’s family business, so other people shouldn’t interfere. But if Mr. He needs help, I definitely won’t just stand by and do nothing.’
Little Red Carp listened, sighed like a little adult, and said, "Love’s folly is a part of human life; it has nothing to do with the wind and moon!"
Hearing Little Red Carp recite these two lines of poetry, Zhao Nuanyue didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She pinched the carp’s little cheek and said, "You, you’re so young but you act so grown-up. Do you really think you understand adult feelings?"
"I do, of course I do," Little Red Carp argued forcefully, trying to be more persuasive. "I also know another saying: If love between two hearts can last, why need they be together day and night!"
"Haha!" Liu Wenqiang laughed heartily. "Junior Sister, Little Red Carp is just too adorable. Seeing such a cute kid makes me want to get married and have a daughter of my own. Just thinking about it makes me happy!"
Hearing this, Zhao Nuanyue chuckled and said, "Then I’ll wish you success, Senior Brother, in winning a beauty’s heart and having a wonderful son or daughter soon!"
"Alright, I’ll accept that blessing," Liu Wenqiang said with a smile. "By the way, Nuanyue, where are we heading now?"
"To my house," Zhao Nuanyue said, smiling. "We went straight to Master’s place yesterday, so I haven’t been to my own house yet. It’s still early, so I’d like to go clean up. Once everything’s tidied up, we’ll move back in."
"Huh?" Liu Wenqiang was surprised. "Junior Sister, isn’t it nice living at Immortal Grass Hall?"
"Uh, it’s not that it’s bad. Master, his wife, and my Senior Brothers are all very good to me," Zhao Nuanyue quickly explained, afraid Liu Wenqiang might misunderstand. "It’s just that if my brother and I don’t live in our house in Jincheng City, it’ll fall into disrepair over time. Besides, I also want to set up an art gallery for my brother, and it’ll be more convenient to do that from our own home."
’If it were just her, living at her master’s house to study medicine would be fine. But Zhao Nuanyue also had her siblings; she wanted them to live more comfortably.’
Hearing Zhao Nuanyue’s explanation, Liu Wenqiang understood her intentions.
’She has her own home, so why stay at someone else’s? Especially since she has her younger siblings with her. She’s probably worried about being a burden to her master and his wife.’
"Alright then, I’ll take you there," Liu Wenqiang said, driving to the address Zhao Nuanyue gave him.
The area in the eastern part of the city was a district of fine, large courtyard residences, the best-preserved in the city, and it was also very close to the Imperial City.
Zhao Nuanyue took out a key and opened the door.
Liu Wenqiang came in and looked around.
"Junior Sister, this house of yours is really nice," Liu Wenqiang praised with an appreciative click of his tongue. "Even though no one’s lived here for a long time, this is the kind of place where high-ranking officials and nobles used to live. The materials used for the house are excellent. It’ll be ready to live in with just a little cleaning."
"Yes, this is the only thing our biological father left us." Zhao Nuanyue looked around. The courtyard was piled high with snow that hadn’t been cleared, but it still looked clean.
Liu Wenqiang went next door to borrow a shovel and a basket, then started clearing the snow with Zhao Nuan Yang. Zhao Nuanyue carried Little Red Carp inside to dust the rooms.
Ever since they arrived at the house, Little Red Carp had been clinging to Zhao Nuanyue’s neck, behaving very quietly.
"Little Red Carp, what’s wrong?" Zhao Nuanyue noticed something was off with her. "Don’t you like it here?"
Little Red Carp leaned close to Zhao Nuanyue’s ear and whispered, "I can feel Dragon Energy. I don’t dare to act out of line until I get used to it!"
"What?" Zhao Nuanyue was stunned, then thought of the Imperial City nearby. "I think the Imperial City is less than two miles from here. Could it be coming from there?"
Little Red Carp focused for a moment, then nodded. "I can feel it now. It’s just Dragon Energy, not a dragon. I remember the Old Dragon King saying that he’s the last dragon in this world! The other dragons left when the Spiritual Energy was depleted. Only the Old Dragon King stayed behind to guard Nianqiao Village, to honor a thousand-year promise."
Hearing this, Zhao Nuanyue praised, "The Old Dragon King is truly loyal and righteous! Since it’s not a real dragon, it shouldn’t have any effect on you, right?"
"I wouldn’t say it has *no* effect, but it’s not all bad. With this Dragon Energy, I can cultivate," Little Red Carp said with a light laugh. "My cultivation speed will be even faster than in Nianqiao Village!"
"So you like it here too?" Zhao Nuanyue asked with a smile. ’She had been worried Little Red Carp wouldn’t be able to live here, which would have been a waste of such a good house.’