Chapter 96

Yi Shui'an is known for her artistic and fresh style, quick wit, and tranquil nature, living a carefree life as if all the best blessings of heaven were bestowed upon her. She has lived in this world for more than twenty years and has rarely encountered truly distressing or sad events. Even the breakup she experienced before, she could analyze with her profound humanistic literacy and deep philosophical thoughts, understanding the true meaning of gain and loss in life.

Today, she finally completed one of the most important rituals of her life, and having had a few too many drinks, it was only natural and not at all inappropriate.

Therefore, when Liu Jingteng, Mi Hu, and the other guests said their goodbyes, Yi Shui'an, feeling the effects of the alcohol, had to return to her room to rest and could not go out to see them off.

After leaving Yi Shui'an's house, Liu Hu and Mi Hu did not rush to the airport, as Liu Jingteng had an appointment to meet with Qiao Ke'li's parents today.

"Why have you been so quiet? Are you feeling melancholic because you saw your idol get married?"

Liu Jingteng and Mi Hu were sitting in a taxi, heading to their destination. Liu Jingteng, noticing Mi Hu's silence, smiled and asked.

"No," Mi Hu shook her head, her expression clearly troubled, "I was thinking about something else."

"About what?"

Mi Hu fell into deep thought, looking out the window before turning to Liu Jingteng and saying, "Guilin."

"Hmm?"

"Do you remember when we went to Guilin together?"

"Of course I remember, but why are you thinking about Guilin now?"

"Liu Jingteng, do you really not know, or are you just pretending?"

Liu Jingteng furrowed his brow deeper and said, "I consider myself quite smart, but I really don't know what you're talking about. I really don't."

Mi Hu turned to look outside again and said softly, "An Da, she has some special feelings for you."

"Huh?!"

"When we were in Guilin, I noticed she chatted with you very enthusiastically. At the time, I was too excited to sit with three super popular authors, so I didn't think much of it. But now, thinking back, how could someone with An Da's calm personality chat so frequently and actively with a guy? And whenever she looked at you, her expression was... I can't quite describe it, but it was different."

Liu Jingteng laughed and said, "I understand why you're troubled. It's the 'love and hate by association' effect."

"Love and hate by association?"

"Actually, 'hate' as in 'caution.' You think I'm good, so you assume everyone else does too. That's a preconceived notion."

"That's strange. You can write about Lian Nishang and Li Wenshu, but you can't understand a real girl's feelings."

"Even if she has some special feelings, it's probably because of our shared love for good stories and good writing. I don't think it has anything to do with me personally."

"What about us? We also met because of writing."

Liu Jingteng shook his head and laughed, "To be honest, I became friends with you because I recognized you as a rich person. You gave me a phone and a computer the first time we met, which really impressed me."

"I've already explained that. It was to keep you around, and also because you were young. I had a bit of a big sister's mentality, at most it was admiration for your talent."

"You finally hit the point. Being young, the 'special' feelings you mentioned actually come from these three words. Yi Shui'an, I admire your imagination."

Mi Hu didn't respond immediately. After a while, she said, "You may look young, but your mental age might be older than mine or An Da's. A long time ago, Editor Zhou also told me that based on his experience, he wouldn't be wrong in judging people. Besides, you can write those books, how could you be simple?"

"Is that a compliment?"

Mi Hu ignored him and continued, "Then there was the trip to the grassland. You and An Da talked a lot, right?"

Liu Jingteng had already reported to Mi Hu about his conversation with Yi Shui'an after they returned. It wasn't a formal report, but rather because Liu Jingteng didn't think they would be misunderstood. However, now, seeing Mi Hu's troubled expression, he didn't want to mention the grassland trip again. He mumbled, "We talked for a while."

"Guilin's mountains and waters, the grassland's snow and ice, the night talk in the tent. Liu Jingteng, don't you feel anything at all?"

"That's a strange question." Liu Jingteng started to feel uncomfortable.

"Actually, these things have been flashing through my mind, but I didn't pay much attention. I always thought you were so much younger, but when I saw An Da's expression just now, and her expression towards me, these things suddenly became clear, and I finally understood the true connection."

"That sounds a bit mystical."

"Not at all. You might not have noticed, but when An Da came to our table to toast, I congratulated her, and she replied, 'I also congratulate you.' What does that mean? Why would she congratulate me? Do you understand?"

Liu Jingteng naturally didn't answer.

"Because she thinks I can be with you, and she thinks being with you is worth congratulating. Do you understand now, Liu Jingteng?"

"That's just an indirect compliment."

Mi Hu turned to look at Liu Jingteng, and inexplicably, a tear mark appeared on her face.

"What's this...?"

Mi Hu didn't mind, and she laughed softly, with a hint of unnamed sorrow, "I don't know what's wrong with me. If I were in her shoes, I would feel helpless."

She shifted her gaze from Liu Jingteng's face and said softly, "Someone like An Da, in others' eyes, is a model of a woman, talented and beautiful, strong-willed, with a career she loves, and free and easy. But even so, there are still things that make her feel helpless. What about others?"

"What makes her feel helpless, and how do you know?"

"With your intelligence, do you really need to ask? Not being born at the same time, feeling helpless, knowing it can't be done, feeling helpless, suddenly marrying someone else, feeling helpless."

"That's a problem for all of humanity. Hu Xiaomi, you might be confusing something. You said An Da is strong-willed, and someone who is always exploring the ultimate meaning and the true essence of philosophy wouldn't really feel helpless. Even if she does, it's a conscious exploration. She wouldn't suddenly marry someone else because of others; it's because she clearly knows she has found the right person. Let's not talk about this anymore."

"Fine, let's not. Let's talk about something else. I'm going to start preparing for the SAT and TOEFL exams." Mi Hu said lightly.

Liu Jingteng was clearly taken aback and said, "Still decided to go to America? When did you... figure it out?"

"Recently, my parents have been calling me one after another," she said with a bitter smile. "My mom even said that if I agree to study abroad, she can allow you to send me your novels."

"That's no problem." Liu Jingteng smiled and said, "So that's why you're feeling so much."

"Not entirely. I've also considered being with you, and some reasons related to you. It seems like everything has been going smoothly from the beginning. But we both know that we... aren't really in a romantic relationship, right?"

Liu Jingteng nodded and smiled, "Many people think we're in a relationship and that it's progressing too fast. In reality, we've only held hands once. Come to think of it, you didn't object at the time, was it because you decided to go abroad?"

"You're too shameless, okay?"

Liu Jingteng laughed and admitted to the evaluation.

"But, you, being so shameless, will definitely be popular in college. Plus, you have a bit of talent, so there will be many girls around you."

Liu Jingteng nodded in agreement.

"Smack!" A slap landed on his shoulder, and Mi Hu glared at him, "You actually nodded?"

"You're stating a fact."

"Whatever, I'm warning you. Even if I go to America, you better behave. If I find out you have any improper intentions, I'll take a kitchen knife from Chinatown and come back to cut you down. Do you believe me?"

"Seeing you so sad, I thought..."

"What did you think? I'm sad because of An Da, because..."

"The destination, please." The driver interrupted, expressionless.

...

When Liu Jingteng and Hu Xiaomi arrived at the agreed place, they saw the Qiao couple patiently watching their daughter draw. Not wanting to disturb them, they quietly approached and looked over. The girl was drawing a mouse.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Liu Jingteng said softly. The Qiao couple turned around and saw the two, quickly standing up and looking at Hu Xiaomi and then Liu Jingteng, puzzled, "Mr. Liu?"

"I'm Liu Jingteng, and this is my girlfriend, Hu Xiaomi."

"Oh, please, have a seat."

After sitting down, Qiao's mother guided her daughter, "Call them brother and sister."

Qiao Ke'li didn't look up and said, "Brother, sister."

"Sorry, because..." Qiao's mother looked apologetic.

"No problem. Do you remember, Uncle and Aunt, we've met before?" Hu Xiaomi said.

"Met?"

"During the summer in Guilin, when there was that turbulence."

The Qiao couple looked closely and suddenly realized, "That's right. Mr. Liu could tell the story from the back then. What a coincidence."

"Yes, that's right. I saw that Ke'li's drawings of Shu Ke and Beta perfectly match the book, so I told Editor Yao that we should definitely have Ke'li draw the comics in the future."

"Thank you, Mr. Liu. It's a great honor. Actually, we invited you here today to talk about this."

"Uncle and Aunt, you can call me Xiao Liu." Liu Jingteng said, a bit embarrassed.

"Xiao Liu, you're not twenty yet, right?" Qiao's mother suddenly asked.

"Fifteen, but I look older."

"Steady."

Liu Jingteng smiled sincerely, looking at Qiao Ke'li's drawing and asked, "Have you been drawing all along?"

Qiao's mother answered, "She draws a chapter for each new one. Now we have a big box of them at home."

"That's good. They can be used directly in the future."

Qiao's mother asked, somewhat surprised, "Used directly?"

Liu Jingteng nodded.

Qiao's father, also surprised, realized that if the original author nodded, the matter was almost settled, but there was still a problem.

"The characters in the comics, and later in the animations and theme parks, can't be changed." Qiao's father, who was an engineer, knew this.

"They don't need to be changed. This is already the perfect image."

Qiao's father was moved again. If his daughter's drawings were adopted, a series of copyright developments would follow, meaning that his daughter's butterfly wings would cause a series of tornadoes.

"Thank you for your kindness, but as you know, my daughter's situation makes it difficult for her to cooperate with your work."

Liu Jingteng said seriously, "Geniuses don't need to cooperate with others."

The Qiao couple looked moved and watched Liu Jingteng. Liu Jingteng asked Qiao Ke'li softly, "Ke'li, why aren't Beta's glasses blue?"

The Qiao couple and Hu Xiaomi were puzzled, but Qiao Ke'li suddenly looked up, staring at Liu Jingteng. Liu Jingteng smiled and said, "Wouldn't blue be better?"

Qiao Ke'li didn't answer, staring at Liu Jingteng for a while, then put down her current pen and picked up the blue one. Qiao's mother looked amazed.

...

Because they had to catch a flight, Liu Jingteng and Hu Xiaomi didn't chat for long, but they had almost decided on Qiao Ke'li drawing the comics. The decision was ultimately Liu Jingteng's, and it was just a matter of adding a few dozen words to the contract.

When they returned to the school, it was already 10:40 PM. Since it was still the New Year's holiday, the dorms for the first and second years closed at 10 PM, while the third year's dorms closed at 11 PM. Mi Hu just made it, but Liu Jingteng had to stay at a hotel outside the campus.

At the hotel, he took a shower, wrapped himself in a large towel, and went online. He saw that Qian Hong had indeed posted the ending of "Yuan Yang Dao" on the official Weibo. The twist that "Xiao Banhe is a eunuch" was generally accepted, but overall, "Yuan Yang Dao" had a much smaller impact compared to "Baima Xiaoxifeng."

It was clear that while people liked comedies, pure humor was ultimately less powerful.

So, Liu Jingteng closed the internet and started writing "Xiao Shiyi Lang." He had promised to hand over the opening to Lu Yichou upon his return, and now was the perfect time to start.

The story begins with Feng Siniang taking a bath. Undoubtedly, this is a trace left by the movie script, but it is quite fresh in a martial arts novel. Feng Siniang, a woman who dares to love and hate, is one of Liu Jingteng's favorite martial arts female characters.

Chapter 1: The Lover's Hand.

[Early autumn, a sunny day.

The sunlight filtered through the thin paper of the window, shining on her smooth skin, which was as smooth as silk. The water was slightly warmer than the sunlight. She lay lazily in the water, her slender feet raised high in the basin, allowing the soles of her feet to be caressed by the sunlight—light as a lover's hand.

She felt extremely happy...]

As the night grew deeper, the sound of Liu Jingteng's keyboard echoed in the room, and he once again became fully engrossed in his writing. (To be continued. Search for Piaowen.com for faster updates and better reading experience!)

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