The Youngest Daughter, Chang Le

Chapter 36: The Frog in the Well

Chapter 36

The unyielding words without any room for compromise and the attitude of rather mutual destruction than concession made Zhu Changle silently applaud. She loved people with such spirit - if a man couldn't even protect his own woman, how could he be called a man?

Clearly, Que Long was such a man!

Very much so!

He drew the long sword from his back, holding it in one hand while embracing Ban Lian with the other as they dropped into the courtyard. "Ban Lian is not a traitor to Falling Flower Valley. We will leave here openly and honorably, just as she initially entered with you."

Ban Lian's tears flowed more urgently, letting the man take her anywhere. She didn't want to think about anything anymore. If they lived, she would live with Ah Long; if they died, she wanted to lie beside Ah Long.

The two left under everyone's watchful eyes. Strangely, Immortal Lady Wen didn't stop them. She thought of herself years ago, when she had risked everything - dignity, chastity, and all else. At that time, she too was so fearless and unafraid.

Looking up at Zhu Changle on the rooftop, she saw a carefree childlike nature, but one that never hesitated when action was needed. Zhu Changle didn't consider whether she was meddling in others' affairs, nor did she care if others would remember to repay her. She did what she wanted to do, what she felt should be done. The more Immortal LadyWen learned about her over the years, the more puzzled she became. How did Zhong Ningmei, a person impatient with everyone and everything, raise a child like Zhu Changle who embraced life with such boundless enthusiasm?

"I didn't mean to harm your people."

"I believe that," Zhu Changle leaped down to stand before Immortal Lady Wen. "Immortal Lady simply doesn't care about outsiders."

"Is that wrong?"

"It's not wrong. If we had to consider everyone unrelated to us, life would be too difficult to live." Zhu Changle grinned. "So when I encouraged Que Long to take Ban Lian away, I didn't have any good intentions. You two can't eat from the same bowl, and you'll be too busy dealing with each other later to bother with me. This way, I'll have a peaceful journey through Wanzhong, right?"

Such frankness made Immortal Lady Wen smile. "I won't intervene."

"You won't intervene, but if something happens to me, you'd be happy to applaud, right? After all, I'm my master's only disciple," Zhu Changle cupped her face. "Such an adorable disciple can't be lost."

Immortal Lady Wen didn't deny it. In life, one experiences many things, good and bad, and gradually realizes that one can no longer remain aloof. One also meets many people, good and bad, and in the end doesn't know if one is a good person or a bad person.

In life, one might have three or five close friends, good friends who visit and accompany during illness and difficult times. But she had none. She only had an opponent she had regarded as an enemy and kept in mind for many years. Paying attention to the other had become a habit, and she didn't even know when focusing on Zhong Ningmei had become her only concern.

For years, she had practiced martial arts day and night without daring to slack off, fearing that when they met one day, she would lose too miserably. But even this hope was shattered. Zhu Changle said her master had long stopped practicing, that drinking wine and sunbathing were her entire life now. Should she continue practicing? What would be the point of achieving a higher level? To find Zhong Ningmei?

"Immortal Lady."

Immortal Lady Wen looked at Zhu Changle, who was facing the morning glow with a lively expression. As if annoyed by her hair being blown messy by the wind, she grabbed it to keep it from flying about.

"Falling Flower Valley is too small," Zhu Changle, with one hand occupied, used her other hand's index finger and thumb to make a circle to show her. "Only this big. You stay in such a small place every day, so your world is also just this big. Isn't it boring?"

"Are you saying I'm a frog in a well?"

"No, no, how could you be a frog? Even if you were, you'd definitely be the most beautiful frog."

Qiuli opened his fan.

Meeting Immortal Lady Wen's gaze, Zhu Changle squinted her eyes, "I mean to say that Immortal Lady should go out and breathe in the air of the mortal world. Even immortals need mortal offerings, so you might as well go and take them in yourself."

"Why?"

"Huh? Why what?" Zhu Changle looked confused before realizing, "Oh, why am I saying this? Because I feel you don't have the intention to kill me, and I've used your help to my advantage, right? This is payback, it's payback."

Indeed, this was something Zhu Changle would do. Immortal Lady Wen nodded and turned to leave. "No need to see me off."

"You're welcome, you're welcome." Zhu Changle waved her hand vigorously, also waving to Zhuo Jin who was quietly bowing. Her master was right, there weren't so many good people or bad people, they were all just people.

"Grandmother, Father, Mother, we need to go now, the host is chasing us out!"

The doors opened in unison, clearly everyone had been waiting by them. Lady Zhang mocked her, "If I were the host, I'd chase you out too. Your words are too annoying."

"How am I annoying? Immortal Lady loves me so much."

Lady Zhang held back her laughter and directed the servants to pack quickly. Everything was already prepared, and within moments they were ready to depart.

Zhu Changle jumped onto the roof, cupped her hands to make a trumpet shape, and called out, "Immortal Lady, we're leaving! Thanks for your hospitality, until we meet again!"

"Until we meet again."

Getting a response, Zhu Changle smiled and cracked her whip. She knew Immortal Lady Wen didn't dislike her that much. This was different from what she had expected. It must be because she was too adorable, even her master's mortal enemy had fallen under her charm!

"Zhu Changle, you're smiling like an idiot."

"Who are you calling an idiot?"

"You."

"Oh right, an idiot calling me one, haha!" Having gotten the upper hand, Zhu Changle laughed loudly as she ran to the front, walking shoulder to shoulder with the leisurely Qiuli. "Qiuli, thank you for today."

Qiuli shook his head.

"Ah, I knew I didn't need to be so formal with you. From now on, I won't stand on ceremony with you."

Qiuli looked at her with an amused expression, thinking, "When have you ever stood on ceremony?"

Zhu Changle thought about it and realized she indeed hadn't. "This just proves we hit it off from the start, no need for fake politeness."

Qiuli listened to her twisted logic with a very good mood. The feeling of someone understanding what he meant without him needing to write or gesture... was very strange.

Dingding snorted behind them. New friends make one forget old ones, Zhu Changle had no conscience.

At the first pavilion after descending the mountain, Zhu Changle was not surprised to see Que Long and Ban Lian waiting there.

"Sect Leader Que, Ban Lian, congratulations on finally becoming a couple."

"Lady Zhu, we can never repay your great kindness." Ban Lian bowed with her fists clasped, her expression sincere. She had thought it was a certain death situation, with the best outcome being able to see Ah Long one last time, but in the end, they had escaped unscathed. She still hadn't quite come to terms with it.

Que Long also bowed with clasped fists. "I owe you a favor."

"According to my previous plan, I could have had you repay this favor now, but..." Zhu Changle sighed, rubbing her smooth chin. "It's not possible anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"I had originally planned to hire the Dragon-Breaking Sect to provide people to escort us to Yunbei. You need money, I need people, it would have been perfect. But now, you probably can't spare any manpower."

Que Long and Ban Lian exchanged a glance. "Will Immortal Lady Wen take action?"

"You just walked away with her person so brazenly. If she doesn't do anything, Falling Flower Valley will lose all face and standing."