“Is it really you? I never thought a scoundrel like you would actually come back alive?” Liang Shan stared at the familiar face before him, shouting with some excitement. Just now, when his attendant had stammered like he had seen a ghost, saying Ye Chu was looking for him, Liang Shan had not believed it and had cursed the attendant roundly. Only after repeated assurances had he come out to see for himself. Joyfully, he punched Ye Chu hard in the chest, only to find that the once frail Ye Chu did not budge at all, which surprised him.
“What? Surprised to see me?” Ye Chu smiled at Liang Shan. This was one of his old drinking and gambling companions. Though his name meant “good and kind”, the wicked things he had done were scarcely fewer than Ye Chu’s. Back then, the pair had ravaged Yao City together, earning widespread notoriety and the joint title of the Twin Scourges of Yao City. Naturally, Ye Chu bore far more of the blame, not because he had committed more misdeeds, but because he revelled in his infamous reputation. The more fiercely people cursed him, the greater his sense of achievement. Consequently, Ye Chu had always taken the lead, leading even Liang Shan’s family to believe Ye Chu had corrupted their son. Liang Shan felt grateful for this and willingly followed Ye Chu as his lackey.
After rescuing Bai Xuan and the child and seeing them off, Ye Chu had enquired after Liang Shan’s whereabouts and come straight to find him. In Yao City now, Liang Shan was the only person Ye Chu could turn to. As for his own family, he absolutely could not return there yet.
“Ha ha! I always knew you were too tough to die. A menace who could utter lines like ‘Daring to rival the Nine Heavens in charm, daring to breach the secluded spring of a divine maiden’—how could a mere beating kill you?” Liang Shan roared with laughter. His admiration for Ye Chu stemmed from exactly such a boast. Back then, every follower in their Yao City gang had worshipped that outrageous statement. They had all looked to Ye Chu as their leader, never imagining he would actually dare to make advances on Ji Die, the empire’s famed heavenly proud daughter. Liang Shan could not help but admire Ye Chu’s courage.
“Heh heh! I really want to know—when you drugged her with improper intentions, did you succeed or not?” Liang Shan gazed at Ye Chu with a sleazy grin, itching with curiosity.
Ye Chu kicked him hard. This bastard was poking his sore spot the very first time they met. Did he not realise that failing repeatedly with two women was a slap in a man’s face? In his heart, Ye Chu silently wondered whether to feed this fellow croton seeds and then plug his arse.
Seeing Ye Chu’s malicious look, Liang Shan shivered and hastily waved his hands. “Joke, joke!”
Liang Shan knew full well how terrifying the other man could be. He had suffered plenty at Ye Chu’s hands in the past. The incident he remembered most vividly was when he had somehow offended Ye Chu. Ye Chu had tricked him into eating croton seeds, sending him rushing to the latrine.
But that was not the part that still haunted his nightmares. What he could never forget was that, while he was relieving himself after the croton seeds, Ye Chu had actually sent people in to snatch away his toilet paper. Liang Shan had been trapped in the latrine, calling heaven and earth to no avail.
Yet that had only been the appetiser. Afterwards, Ye Chu had ordered several crates of toads brought in. Liang Shan clearly remembered Ye Chu grinning at him from outside the pit, flashing a few white teeth, before waving a hand and having the men dump all the crates of lively toads into the latrine.
One could imagine how revolting it was to have hopping toads leaping out of the toilet, especially when they landed on one’s body.
Covered in excrement from the toads, Liang Shan had fled without even wiping himself. The moment he escaped, someone had helpfully offered a towel. In his panic, Liang Shan had seized it and wiped the foul mess from his body. Of course, he had not forgotten to wipe his backside.
But… but… Ye Chu had soaked the towel in chilli water. Even now, Liang Shan remembered the burning pain vividly.
Watching Liang Shan shudder, Ye Chu shrugged, thinking the fellow’s mental resilience was far too weak. Liang Shan had no idea what Ye Chu was thinking; if he had, he would surely have cursed him furiously: If you had gone through something like that, you bastard, would you not be left with trauma?
Looking around, Ye Chu saw they were on a flower boat, decorated with great luxury. He could hear the soft singing of women inside; clearly, someone was enjoying romantic pleasures within.
“Three years apart! How many beautiful women have you ruined in that time?” Ye Chu asked with a faint smile, as naturally as if enquiring about the weather.
Liang Shan felt Ye Chu was somehow different. Three years ago, Ye Chu had been like a street thug, a mad bully who bit anyone he could reach. But now he gave off a carefree, unrestrained air. This impression made Liang Shan shake his head. “Bloody hell! For the rogue Ye Chu to change like this, the sun must be rising in the west.”
“These three years my father kept me confined at home, studying poetry and books, practising martial techniques. I haven’t done a single bad deed! To this day, I’m still a virgin!” Liang Shan declared with great righteousness.
Ye Chu looked Liang Shan up and down, was silent for a long while, then finally said, “When you say virgin, do you mean the front, the mouth, or the back?”
“The front, of course!” Liang Shan felt he was going mad. This bastard was utterly disgusting!
Ye Chu’s expression changed abruptly. He leapt several steps away from Liang Shan. “Still a virgin down there! That means the mouth and the back aren’t? In three years, you’ve fallen this far?”
“Damn it!” Liang Shan felt he would lose his mind. His stomach churned; he nearly vomited.
“Brother Ye Chu! I was wrong!” Liang Shan wanted to cry. Why had he mentioned the cousin at all? Now he was finally getting his comeuppance. Hastily changing the subject, he said, “Still, when the Ye family threw you out of Yao City, they said if you ever returned they’d break your legs. From their actions back then, they weren’t joking. Why take such a huge risk coming back?”
Liang Shan was truly puzzled. Ye Chu’s reputation in the city was beyond redemption; everyone wanted to beat him. Returning was simply asking for trouble.
“I had to come back eventually,” Ye Chu said after a pause. His eyes grew deep, lost in some emotion.
Seeing this pose, Liang Shan exclaimed, “You’re not here for Su Rong, are you? Yes, it must be. You used to get like this whenever Su Rong was mentioned! You’re still carrying a torch for her!”
Misunderstood by Liang Shan, Ye Chu could only laugh helplessly. Yet unbidden, the image of a slender, graceful girl rose in his mind. In his memories, Su Rong stood out; she was the girl the original owner had secretly loved, very pure and beautiful.
Seeing Ye Chu fall silent, Liang Shan thought he had guessed correctly. He clicked his tongue. “After all these years, you’re still secretly in love with her! You really don’t care about your life for her sake. Don’t you know your situation in Yao City? And would she ever look at you? Ye Chu, stop dreaming!”
“Nonsense! I didn’t come back for her!” Ye Chu laughed and cursed. “In these three years I’ve seen far too many beauties. If you hadn’t reminded me, I’d nearly forgotten who she was.”
“Keep pretending! If you didn’t come back for her, why come straight to this flower boat? You knew she’d be here, didn’t you?” Liang Shan curled his lip, looking at Ye Chu with great disdain.
“She’s on this flower boat?” Ye Chu was startled. He had not expected such a coincidence.
“Still pretending!” Liang Shan snorted, grabbed Ye Chu’s arm, and said, “Fine then. I’ll take you in to see her and help you give up completely!”
Though Liang Shan thought bringing Ye Chu onto the flower boat now was unwise—the boat was hosting an important guest, and many aboard had despised Ye Chu even in the old days—he decided it was worth the risk. Back then, with the Ye family’s protection, they had dared do nothing. But now Ye Chu had been cast out. If they sought trouble, it could be dangerous.
Still, to cure Ye Chu of his obsession, Liang Shan felt it best to let him see Su Rong. Without seeing her, Ye Chu might never feel enough self-loathing to let go.
