HNYWEF -Chapter 29 Enemies Cross Paths Again

The snow was still falling.

After leaving the Residence of the Duke of Su, the three of them walked through the snow toward the Residence of the Duke of Yi.

Zhou Yi walked beside his father, occasionally glancing up at him.

His father’s face was still the same as always, completely expressionless. But somehow, he felt that his father’s steps were a little slower than usual.

Cheng Yaojin walked in front, taking large strides that made the snow crunch loudly beneath his feet. After every few steps, he would turn back to check whether the other two had caught up before continuing on.

The Duke of Yi’s residence was not far away.

In about half a quarter-hour, they arrived.

The stone lions at the entrance were covered in snow, squatting there like two giant white steamed buns. The gatekeeper spotted Cheng Yaojin from afar and hurried over.

“Duke Cheng!”

Cheng Yaojin waved a hand.

“Is Second Brother Qin in?”

The gatekeeper nodded repeatedly. “Yes, yes, he is. He’s entertaining a guest right now.”

Cheng Yaojin froze for a moment.

“A guest? Who?”

The gatekeeper answered, “Lord Changsun came by. He just went in not long ago.”

Cheng Yaojin’s brows immediately furrowed.

He said nothing.

Instead, he turned and glanced at Zhou Xiong.

Zhou Xiong stood there in the snow, his face utterly blank.

Cheng Yaojin cursed inwardly.

Turning back, he asked the gatekeeper:

“How long has he been here?”

“Only about a quarter of an hour.”

Cheng Yaojin stood there without moving.

He was thinking about one thing—

Should they wait?

Wait until Changsun Wuji left before going in?

He looked toward Zhou Xiong.

But Zhou Xiong did not look at him.

Zhou Xiong was staring at the gate.

He stared at it for a while.

Then he stepped forward.

Just one step.

Cheng Yaojin froze.

He looked at Zhou Xiong’s profile.

That face still showed no expression at all.

But that step—

That was a step forward.

Suddenly, Cheng Yaojin laughed.

He turned around and strode inside.

“Come on, let’s go in.”

The gatekeeper led the way ahead as the three of them crossed the courtyard toward the main hall.

Zhou Yi followed at the very back, having no idea what was going on. But he could tell that Uncle Cheng’s expression did not look very pleasant.

Inside the main hall, the charcoal fire burned warmly.

Qin Qiong sat in the seat of honor, while Changsun Wuji sat in the guest seat. The two were in the middle of a conversation. Tea and several plates of pastries were laid out on the table.

The gatekeeper’s voice came from outside:

“My lord, Duke Cheng has arrived.”

Qin Qiong rose to his feet.

Changsun Wuji stood as well.

The curtain was lifted, and Cheng Yaojin walked in first.

He glanced at Changsun Wuji but said nothing.

Then he stepped aside.

Zhou Xiong walked in.

The moment Qin Qiong saw him, a smile appeared on his face.

“Bear Blackie, you came.”

Zhou Xiong nodded.

His gaze moved away from Qin Qiong’s face and landed on Changsun Wuji.

Changsun Wuji stood there, staring at Zhou Xiong.

His heart skipped a beat.

He recognized that face.

He had seen it before—

In that shabby little house.

That day, he had asked a few questions, and then—

Then Cheng Yaojin had cursed him out.

Right in front of everyone, scolding him so viciously that he was drenched head to toe in humiliation.

Later, he realized he had been wrong.

Later, he had wanted to go apologize, but he never found the chance.

And now, this man was standing right in front of him.

Suddenly, Changsun Wuji had no idea what to say.

He looked toward Qin Qiong.

Qin Qiong was also looking at him.

Their eyes met briefly.

There was something in Qin Qiong’s gaze.

Changsun Wuji understood it.

The meaning was—

Handle this yourself.

Changsun Wuji then looked toward Cheng Yaojin.

Cheng Yaojin stood there with several words written plainly across his face:

Why are you here?

Changsun Wuji suddenly felt that he should not have come.

Or rather, he should not have come today.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

But he did not know what to say.

Zhou Xiong stood by the doorway without moving.

He looked at Changsun Wuji.

For about two breaths.

Then he looked away.

He walked farther inside.

Stopping before Qin Qiong, he handed over the red paper packet in his hand.

“Happy New Year.”

His voice was still as hoarse as ever.

Qin Qiong accepted the red packet and smiled.

“Good, good. Sit.”

But Zhou Xiong didn’t sit.

He stood there and turned back to glance at Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi ran over and stood beside him.

Qin Qiong lowered his head and looked at Zhou Yi.

“You’ve grown taller.”

Zhou Yi tilted his face up and called out:

“Uncle Qin.”

Qin Qiong reached out and rubbed his head.

The room suddenly fell quiet.

Changsun Wuji stood there, neither able to leave nor stay.

He looked at Zhou Xiong’s back.

That figure faced away from him, completely still.

He didn’t know what Zhou Xiong was thinking.

He didn’t know whether Zhou Xiong still remembered what happened that day.

He didn’t know whether Zhou Xiong still cared about it.

He only knew that standing here made him uncomfortable all over.

Cheng Yaojin walked over beside Qin Qiong and plopped down heavily.

He glanced at Changsun Wuji and suddenly spoke:

“Lord Changsun, what brings you here today?”

Changsun Wuji heard the meaning hidden in that tone.

He smiled a little, though the smile was stiff.

“It’s the New Year. I came to pay Uncle Bao a visit.”

Cheng Yaojin nodded.

“Oh.”

Just one word.

But that single word carried everything within it.

A faint redness appeared on Changsun Wuji’s face.

He looked toward Qin Qiong.

Qin Qiong stood there silently.

Then he looked toward Zhou Xiong.

Zhou Xiong still had his back to him.

Suddenly, Changsun Wuji took a step forward.

He opened his mouth, wanting to speak.

But before he could say anything, Zhou Xiong moved.

Zhou Xiong turned around and looked at him.

Their eyes met.

The words stuck in Changsun Wuji’s throat.

He looked into Zhou Xiong’s eyes.

Those eyes—

They were clouded.

But beneath the haze, there was something else.

Not hatred.

Not coldness.

Something else.

He couldn’t describe it.

Zhou Xiong looked at him once.

Then shifted his gaze away.

He walked to the side and sat down in a chair.

Zhou Yi followed him and stood beside him.

The room fell silent again.

Standing there, Changsun Wuji suddenly realized something.

Zhou Xiong wasn’t ignoring him.

Zhou Xiong simply didn’t care about him.

Not the kind of indifference that says, I won’t stoop to your level.

But the kind that says, Who are you?

For a moment, Changsun Wuji didn’t know whether he should feel relieved or saddened.

After thinking it over again and again, he still felt that staying here today would only make things more awkward.

So he turned toward Qin Qiong.

“Uncle Bao, I’ll be leaving first. There are still some matters at home.”

Qin Qiong looked at him.

“Not staying a little longer?”

Changsun Wuji shook his head.

“No.”

He walked toward the door.

At the doorway, he paused.

He turned back and glanced at Zhou Xiong.

Zhou Xiong sat there with a teacup in hand, lowering his head to drink tea.

Without looking at him.

Changsun Wuji lifted the curtain and walked out.

The sound of his footsteps gradually faded away.

The room quieted down.

Suddenly, Cheng Yaojin laughed.

Qin Qiong glanced at him.

Cheng Yaojin said, “I thought he was actually going to say something.”

Qin Qiong said nothing.

He looked toward Zhou Xiong.

Zhou Xiong still had his head lowered, quietly drinking tea.

Cheng Yaojin looked at him too.

The two men simply watched him like that.

Standing nearby, Zhou Yi looked at this one, then that one.

He didn’t know what had happened.

But he felt that his father seemed—

As though nothing had changed.

Yet also as though something had changed a little.

Zhou Xiong set down the teacup.

He lifted his head and looked at Qin Qiong.

“How are you planning to spend this year?”

Qin Qiong froze for a moment.

Then he smiled.

“With you here, that’s already the best way to spend it.”