Spoiled Eldest Miss x Two-faced Madman

CHAPTER 42: She Just Wants to Go Home

 

　　‘Fei Yi’ only stayed at the villa for a short while before leaving. 

　　An Jiu had lunch with Ming Yi as usual. The villa had a dedicated dining area, and the two sat in the hall, surrounded by other martial arts practitioners who had come to soak in the hot springs, just like them. 

　　As soon as they sat down, Ming Yi's eyes were fixed on An Jiu's face. 

　　“An Jiu, your lips seem swollen.” 

　　He pointed at her with a strange look in his eyes. 

　　Ming Yi was a playboy by nature and loved beauties very much. Even at a young age, he would cling to pretty young girls, refusing to let go of their sleeves. At two or three years old, he already knew how to judge beauty. If a maid who wasn't pretty carried him, he would cry loudly. 

　　His father often scolded him, saying he was corrupting the atmosphere and that he should never reveal his family name when he went out, as he was ashamed! 

　　As he grew older, Ming Yi's love for beautiful women became even more pronounced. 

　　At thirteen or fourteen, he was already familiar with every brothel in the neighborhood, knowing the courtesans there like the back of his hand. He often spent a fortune to make the beauties smile. 

　　Several times, he became so engrossed in admiring the beauties that he forgot to go home. His father would have to come with a whip to drag him back, causing onlookers to laugh. 

　　When he got a bit older, his father couldn't stand him anymore, and Ming Yi himself didn't want to stay at home. He had seen all the beauties there! 

　　Coincidentally, his grandmother in the capital sent a letter saying she missed him, so he happily rushed to the bustling capital. 

　　On the way from his home to the capital, he wasn't idle either. He traveled around famous mountains and rivers, taking the opportunity to see the beauties of various places. 

　　The stories he told An Jiu about the martial arts beauties he had encountered were all from his travels, a feast for his eyes and a source of great joy. 

　　All this is to say, Ming Yi was a man who had seen a lot of the world.

　　Especially after spending so much time in brothels, the mark on An Jiu's lips reminded him of the women who had served men. 

　　Her lips were a crimson red, slightly swollen, as if she had applied lipstick and then rubbed it hard, leaving a lingering, sensual redness. 

　　Ming Yi's face flushed as he looked, and he quickly averted his gaze in embarrassment. 

　　The girl sitting opposite him was completely oblivious. She reached out and touched her lips, saying nonchalantly, “Really? Maybe it was a mosquito bite.” 

　　Ming Yi's attention was immediately diverted. “There are mosquitoes already?” 

　　An Jiu's eyes twinkled with amusement. “Yeah, it's probably hotter here and there are more trees. Anyway, I saw a big mosquito and it bit me hard.” 

　　Ming Yi immediately looked distressed. “It's a good thing it didn't bite your face.” 

　　Such a beautiful face, if it had been bitten, what a pity! 

　　An Jiu: “……”

　　It's a shame you haven't been beaten to death yet, kid! 

　　The two were eating and chatting when they suddenly heard a commotion coming from the other side of the hall. They both turned to look. 

　　“A blind old man can enter the Jinshe Villa?” 

　　“Old blind man, what are you doing here?”

　　At the entrance of the villa, an old man dressed in brown coarse linen, his hair disheveled and his face covered in the furrows of years, was slowly walking in. 

　　The old man's eyes were covered with a white film, his entire face etched with the lines of wind and frost.　　 

　　He held a green bamboo cane, tapping it on the ground, oblivious to the sounds around him. 

　　The people eating in the hall were mostly martial arts practitioners from reputable families, after all, ordinary people without a sect or lineage wouldn't be qualified to enter the Jinshe Villa. Although they were martial arts practitioners, they were no different from the noble families, all valuing face and grandeur. 

　　Just like in cultivation novels, cultivators without a sect are often looked down upon by the major sects. The martial arts world is the same.

　　Even the servants of the villa looked troubled when they saw the blind old man enter. 

　　“Look at the mud on his feet, he must have come up from the mountain path,” one of them pointed and whispered. 

　　Everyone looked in the direction indicated, and sure enough, they saw the old man wearing a pair of worn straw sandals, covered in mud, leaving footprints on the smooth, clean wooden floor with each step. 

　　The villa's manager stepped forward. His tone was polite, but he stood in front of the old man, firmly blocking his way, and said with a smile, “Sir, this villa is the master's private residence, and unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter. I'm afraid you'll have to stop here.” 

　　The old man raised his head, his eyes unfocused as he ‘looked’ at the manager, and spoke slowly, “Please, give me a bowl of rice.” 

　　The people in the hall started discussing again. 

　　“So he's a beggar!” 

　　“This blind old man actually climbed the mountain to beg? Does he not know the way?” 

　　“Just give him a bowl of rice and send him away!”

　　The manager nodded slightly, and said to a nearby servant, “Go get a bowl of rice for the old man.” 

　　“Yes,” the servant hurried off. 

　　The old man stopped moving, standing quietly at the entrance, like a lifeless wooden statue, allowing the gazes from all directions to examine him.

　　An Jiu lowered her voice and whispered to Ming Yi, “I've seen that blind old man before.” 

　　Ming Yi replied, “You know who he is?” 

　　An Jiu shook her head. “No, I only saw him once.” 

　　Ming Yi thought for a moment, then a sudden thought occurred to him. “I've read many storybooks, and there are always some great martial artists who are different from ordinary people. Do you think this blind old man might be a mysterious expert?” 

　　An Jiu nodded seriously. “Very possible!”

　　Just as the two were discussing this, a servant had brought a bowl of rice to the entrance. The Jinshe Villa was quite generous; the rice was topped with several pieces of braised pork, looking quite rich and delicious. 

　　“Here, you can eat outside. It's not good to block the way here.” 

　　The manager handed the bowl to the old man. 

　　The old man groped for and received the bowl. Taking advantage of the fact that the old man couldn't see, the manager withdrew his hand and shook it disapprovingly, as if the old man had something dirty on him. 

　　The old man said nothing, turned and walked out the door, his slightly stooped back silhouetted against the light, looking very lonely.

　　Ming Yi watched this scene and sighed, “The Jinshe Villa is still kind-hearted. I've seen many beggars during my travels whose knees were worn raw, and they still couldn't get a meal.” 

　　An Jiu silently withdrew her gaze and perfunctorily agreed, “Yeah.” 

　　Kind-hearted my foot.　　 

　　If they were truly kind-hearted, why would they only give him a bowl and not even a pair of chopsticks? It's just a show. 

　　An Jiu quickly finished her meal, found an excuse to go for a walk, and found the old blind man sitting outside the wall. 

　　He had somehow found two twigs of unequal lengths and was using them to eat his rice. 

　　Hearing footsteps, he raised his head from the bowl and turned his face towards An Jiu. 

　　After a slight pause, he said calmly, “Little girl, long time no see.” 

　　An Jiu paused slightly. “You recognize me?” 

　　“I remember every mask I've sold,” the old blind man said calmly. 

　　An Jiu didn't ask any more questions. She walked straight to him, knelt down, and handed a clean pair of chopsticks to the old man's withered fingers. 

　　His hands were dark and old, his fingers covered with thick, hard calluses, but they weren't dirty. They felt surprisingly dry and warm to the touch. 

　　During this process, the old man remained silent, quietly ‘watching’ her movements.

　　“Why are you here again? Are you here to sell masks?” 

　　The old blind man said to himself, “Someone wants to buy a mask, so I sell it.” 

　　An Jiu smiled. The old man's words were always vague; she didn't quite understand him, but it didn't matter; this person wasn't important to her. 

　　“Use this to eat.” 

　　She pulled the twigs out of his bowl and threw them aside, then got up to leave. 

　　Before she had taken two steps, she heard the old man's low voice from behind her. 

　　“You're about to die,” he said. 

　　An Jiu stopped and turned around, laughing softly. “I know.” 

　　The old blind man looked up at her. Although his eyes were completely blind, An Jiu felt a strong sense of being watched. It was as if he was really looking at her, seeing through her completely. 

　　After a moment, a strange smile crossed the old man's face. 

　　“So that's it,” he murmured, his fingertips moving rapidly, so fast they were almost a blur. 

　　An Jiu silently watched him. Her expression didn't change much at this sight. 

　　After only half a minute, the old man's fingertips stopped, his two pale eyeballs suddenly turned to An Jiu, his words certain. 

　　“A soul from another world.”

　　An Jiu tilted her head, a gentle smile curving her lips. She praised, “As expected of the Shen Suan Wuming. Can you tell me if I'll make it home in the end?" 

　　Once he had figured out her origins, Shen Suan Wuming seemed to suddenly lose interest. He held the new chopsticks and continued to eat his meal. 

　　Hearing her question, Shen Suan Wuming didn't look up and said indifferently, “I can only see that you will die.” 

　　“You can't see anything else?” An Jiu was a little disappointed. 

　　Shen Suan Wuming snorted coldly, saying concisely, “I'm not a god.” 

　　“Okay.”

　　An Jiu wasn't someone who believed in fate; she believed in herself more. So even though he hadn't figured out whether she would eventually return home, she quickly stopped caring. 

　　Regardless, she had made the acquaintance of this famous fortune teller. 

　　“Enjoy your meal. I'm going now,” she waved at him with a cheerful smile and walked back briskly. 

　　Seeing her return from a walk with a smile on her face, Ming Yi was very curious. “An Jiu, did you find some money?” 

　　An Jiu rolled her eyes. “You wouldn't understand.”

　　That's Shen Suan Wuming, the legendary fortune teller! The male lead in the book spent half the story searching for him—a supremely famous yet incredibly mysterious figure in the martial arts world. 

　　It's said that his predictions are always accurate, never wrong. 

　　Everyone whose fortune he's told eventually becomes a prominent figure. 

　　So there's another rumor: only those destined for great achievements will encounter Shen Suan Wuming, receive his guidance, and ultimately accomplish great things. 

　　This rumor spread not only throughout the martial arts world but also the imperial court, making everyone eager to find Shen Suan Wuming. Countless people offered fortunes to have their fortunes told. 

　　However, Shen Suan Wuming's whereabouts are always a mystery, and those who have met him are forbidden from describing his appearance. 

　　To this day, people don't know Shen Suan Wuming's name, height, weight, or build. 

　　It's been more than ten years since Shen Suan Wuming last appeared in public. Most people believe that the legendary fortune teller is probably dead. 

　　In this world, An Jiu is probably the only one who knows that the blind old man sitting on the ground eating his meal outside is actually the famous Shen Suan Wuming. 

　　Actually, An Jiu recognized him the first time she saw him in the underground passage.

　　But at that time, the male and female leads and the villain were all nearby, so she didn't dare to show it. Even if she had recognized him, An Jiu would have pretended not to know. 

　　She wouldn't risk her life to change the plot. 

　　From beginning to end, An Jiu kept her goal in mind. 

　　She needs to win over Pei Ji, make him fall in love with her, and then go home.

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