Chapter 493: 493. Cheng Yun’s Confession

Translator: 549690339

Cheng Yun walked to the kitchen door, where he saw Weng Ran busily in action. She was also dressed as per Zhengzheng and Ji Xiaoshu’s requests and looked striking in her new dress. Her figure was slender, her profile delicate. She made no attempt to hide the birthmark on her face. Indeed, it was as Gu Xiaonuan had mentioned – it made her look beautiful and unique, like a flower.

Cheng Yun thought about what Yan Shiba had said earlier, and as he watched Weng Ran now, it seemed something was different. Did he like her? He was not sure about the answer, but one thing he was sure of was that he had a fondness for Weng Ran.

The grown women Cheng Yun had been in contact with were not many, and the two most significant women were Su Liang, with whom he always had a good relationship, and Yan Shiba, whom he had once tried to avoid at all costs. Su Liang was just a friend to Cheng Yun when they first met and unrelated to the concepts of male or female. As for Yan Shiba, to Cheng Yun, she had overpowering female attributes that even scared him.

Weng Ran could be considered the first woman that Cheng Yun had genuinely interacted with since he left Buddhism, and one of the few people he felt comfortable around. He still remembered the first time they met at this house, as if it was just yesterday…

Weng Ran lifted the pot lid, and a wave of heat hit her face – the chicken soup was ready. She took a deep breath, smiled, and muttered to herself, “It’s almost as good as the prince’s.” Although they were now close friends, she knew her place. Su Liang always addressed Gu Ling by his full name in front of others, so she never dared to call him by his name. Therefore, she had always referred to him as “prince”.

A gentle smile also appeared on Cheng Yun’s face.

At this moment, Weng Ran turned around and saw Cheng Yun standing at the door and smiling.

“You’re back.” Weng Ran calmly greeted Cheng Yun, put down the pot lid, walked over, and took the food box from his hand. “It’s been quite a few days since I’ve had any of the vegetarian dishes from Huguo Temple, I’ll need to reheat these.”

“Hmm.” Cheng Yun nodded and began to help Weng Ran unload the vegetarian dishes from the food box.

“You missed out on a good show.” Weng Ran chuckled. “But I suppose you wouldn’t have enjoyed it anyway.”

“Indeed.” Cheng Yun sighed softly. “Mo Yan has hurt countless people, and I believe he should pay the price. If given the opportunity during a critical moment, I might kill him myself. But I don’t like to hurt people or take lives.”

“You’re just like the prince and Su Liang.” Weng Ran nodded. “That’s good. Everyone feels the same really. It’s just that Mo Yan has caused our family too much trouble and pain over the past few years. What he’s suffering now is his just deserts.”

Cheng Yun agreed, “Did Mo Yan die?”

“Not yet.” Weng Ran shook her head. “Zhengzheng and Xiaoshu have tended to his wounds again. They learned medical skills from Su Liang but never got the chance to use them.”

Cheng Yun paused for a moment, then broke into a laugh. “That’s a good thing.”

“Yan expressed the idea of finding a filthy ditch to let Mo Yan experience what it’s like to drown.” Weng Ran turned to Cheng Yun, “Do you think she’s too extreme?”

For some reason, Cheng Yun felt as though Weng Ran was discussing a matter of values with him. After some thought and consideration, he replied, “No. Yan, on several occasions when we were on Xingluo Island, had been forced into the water, and surely the experience was painful. Mo Yan has killed many people in this way over the years. If I were to decide how Mo Yan should die, I think drowning would be most fitting. Eye for eye is not extreme. I’m just not interested in watching him being tortured, but I don’t oppose any of these methods.”

Weng Ran raised her eyebrows, “You’ve changed a lot since your last trip.”

“Have I? What changes do you see in me?” Cheng Yun furrowed his eyebrows.

“Before,” Weng Ran thought for a moment and then continued, “your words and actions always carried a hint of your past life as a monk; now, you’re like a regular person. I don’t mean you were abnormal before, just that you fit into our family more now.”

“I am a part of this family.” Cheng Yun stated earnestly.

Weng Ran chuckled, “As long as you know what I mean. Anyway, you’re better off how you are now.”

Cheng Yun also felt that his perspectives on many things had changed, likely influenced by Gu Ling and Qiao Jing. It wasn’t until he had left Buddhism that he began to witness real and vivid suffering, particularly on the picturesque Xingluo Island, where beneath the breathtaking landscapes existed awfully monstrous dens.

Because he knew about Peng Wu’s ordeal and witnessed the tears of Mrs. Peng. Because he saw how the cook and mute slave’s lives were controlled and manipulated by others. Because he heard about the tragic experiences of many women like Peng Wu on Xingluo Island. His last vestiges of Buddhist discipline and restraint had been completely shattered.

Cheng Yun, who once didn’t want to harm anyone and would even try to remake villains using Buddhist teachings, now believed that some evildoers did not deserve to be called human at all, and must pay for their wicked deeds. If he wanted to save these evildoers, who would compensate and save the innocent people hurt by them? How unjust was that?

“Yes, I’ve changed,” Cheng Yun sighed softly, his eyes serene. Now, the world and the people he saw were all different from before. Ordination was often a choice to escape reality. Cheng Yun never had a chance to choose when he was young. Now he had, and he was grateful for the friends he met. Without them, he wouldn’t have his real life.

“Right, you haven’t seen sister Yan since you came back, have you?” Weng Ran asked.

Cheng Yun was making a fire, and when he heard this, he told the truth, “I just saw her.”

Weng Ran paused for a moment, then she laughed. “Did she talk to you about this and that? I don’t know what’s gotten into her these past few days, perhaps she’s just bored and has too much time on her hands. She’s been nattering about playing matchmaker and, out of the blue, fixed her sights on us, saying she wants to bring us together. Just clear things up with her; she’s reasonable these days,” she said.

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yun thought—deemed by Weng Ran’s words—that the two of them had no chance and were completely unsuitable?

“Do you have someone you like?” Cheng Yun asked with a serious look on his face.

Weng Ran shook her head, “No. My life now is already unbelievably good. Let the rest take its natural course.”

Seeing that Cheng Yun was holding the fire poker, lost in thought, Weng Ran asked with a chuckle, “How about you? Have you ever thought about marriage?”

Cheng Yun shook his head, “I hadn’t initially. But after Miss Yan brought it up, I gave it some thought.”

Weng Ran looked stunned, “Oh? What have you been thinking about?”

Cheng Yun hesitated a moment, “I think that settling down is pretty good. Seeing Xiaogu and Su Liang with Nuannuan, they are a family of three, so happy and so perfect. Qiao Jing will also be getting married soon.”

Weng Ran looked somewhat surprised, “You are envious of them?”

Cheng Yun nodded, “Yes.”

“So, what’s on your mind?” Weng Ran realized Cheng Yun had changed, but she never expected such a radical change that he’d even start considering his life partner. She remembered the way he looked when she first met him, which made her want to laugh. She found it very amusing and was curious about Cheng Yun’s thoughts.

After pondering for a moment, Cheng Yun said, “I think you’re quite good. If you don’t have feelings for anyone else, how about we give it a try?”

The spoon in Weng Ran’s hand hit the edge of the pot, making a crisp noise. She felt the atmosphere suddenly become strange. Looking at Cheng Yun, she saw him looking at her too. Clearing her throat, she asked, “Are you joking with me?”

Cheng Yun shook his head, “Of course not, how could I joke about such a thing?”

Weng Ran looked somewhat peculiar, “So, because Sister Yan mentioned it, you admired the prince and big brother Qiao, and suddenly you thought getting married was a good idea. Since Sister Yan and I are the only available women around, you thought…”

Cheng Yun nodded, then quickly shook his head, “Don’t get me wrong. Even if Miss Nangong and Miss Min weren’t engaged, I would still think you’re the best.”

Weng Ran laughed out loud, “What do you like about me?”

Cheng Yun pondered seriously for a moment, “I can’t really put it into words, but when I’m with you, I feel the most relaxed and at ease.”

Weng Ran stopped laughing. Cheng Yun was serious. Was this a declaration of love? It didn’t seem like it. At most it was a proposal to date?

“If you think I’m not suitable for you, just say it directly. It’s okay,” Cheng Yun reassured her.

Wen Ran fell silent again before speaking, “Not exactly… but it just feels a bit weird. We were friends to begin with, to be like Mr. Qiao and Rourou… that would be strange.” She genuinely felt this way, seeing Min Rou’s deep affection and doting for Qiao Cong, she felt that wasn’t for her.

Cheng Yun frowned, “It would indeed be strange if we were like them. But people are different, we don’t have to be exactly like them, right? I think Gu Ling and Su Liang’s relationship is very good, they are in harmony with each other, it seems very… natural. Yes, that’s the word, very natural.”

“They’re an old married couple, it’s different,” Wen Ran shook her head.

“I think we need to try it to know what suits us.” Cheng Yun analyzed carefully, feeling that what he said was somewhat inappropriate, he quickly clarified, “It’s just hypothetical, if you’re willing.”

Wen Ran remembered when Weng Ming first brought her to the capital city, he bluntly told Su Liang that he would be worried about her lifelong affairs. She also remembered Qiao Cong looking forward to his grandchildren getting married early so that he could be a grandfather, and Weng Ming always looked envious at such moments.

Wen Ran knew that her grandfather also hoped that she could find a good man and start a family. After all, he was old and had no other desires.

Being always respectful, after some analysis, Wen Ran thought Cheng Yun’s proposal wasn’t bad. She knew few men of marrying age and found Cheng Yun’s company quite comfortable, and often thought he was interesting. Perhaps, trying it out wouldn’t be a bad thing.

“I think we could give it a try,” Wen Ran said, “Although it’s hard to say whether we’ll quickly discover that we’re not right for each other, if there’s anything to say, just say it directly, if you feel it’s not working, let’s break up and continue as friends, how does that sound?”

Cheng Yun nodded repeatedly, “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

“Then, let’s keep it a secret for now, don’t let anyone else in the house know, especially Sister Yan. Otherwise, she’ll definitely stir things up,” Wen Ran said.

Cheng Yun completely agreed.

The two weren’t love at first sight, nor were they in love due to long-time interaction. They both wanted to start a family and felt that the other was a suitable candidate. They planned to deepen their understanding of each other and see if there might be the possibility of being together.

If Su Liang were here and heard their conversation, he would definitely say, “You two are already in pretty good harmony.”

Yan Shiba now knows her limits and did not announce her intentions to pair Wen Ran and Cheng Yun, and let everyone in the family know. But in fact, everyone in the family knew it, they just pretended they didn’t know to avoid putting pressure on Wen Ran and Cheng Yun, fearing that they would feel awkward.

At lunchtime, Yan Shiba sneakily observed, the number of times Wen Ran and Cheng Yun made eye contact today is significantly more than before! But before lunch, Yan Shiba asked Wen Ran about her relationship with Cheng Yun, Wen Ran said that there was nothing.

Yan Shiba felt there was hope. Sometimes, one just needed to break the ice, then everything would work out. Feelings needed to be discovered, and affection could be cultivated!

That day, Yan Shiba didn’t take Mo Yan out of the dungeon to find the stinky drain, deciding to wait a few days to do that. There was no rush, waiting for Mo Yan’s injury to heal a little to avoid killing him with a little bit of tossing. At least one person hadn’t made a move yet, that was Peng Wu. Her disaster was inseparable from Mo Yan. Everyone else in the Peng family also wanted to kill Mo Yan.

The next day, Peng Wei brought Peng Wu and her three children to visit the Su Mansion, and solemnly thanked Gu Ling and Su Liang, as well as Qiao Jing, Cheng Yun, Old Mu and others for saving Peng Wu from her misery. Otherwise, for the sake of her children, Peng Wu would undoubtedly continue to suffer for the rest of her life.

While adults were talking, Zhengzheng and Ji Xiaoshu enthusiastically entertained the somewhat timid Axin and Ale, taking them upstairs to play.

Axin and Ale quickly became familiar with Zhengzheng and Ji Xiaoshu, who were of similar age.

When Axin and Ale played the guessing game of who they were, they completely failed to fool Zhengzheng and Ji Xiaoshu, who always guessed correctly.

Ji Xiaoshu joyfully said, “I’ve played this game with my eldest senior brother before.”

“But you two don’t look alike,” Axin expressed confusion.

Then, Ji Xiaoshu and Zhengzheng quickly demonstrated the Disguise Technique, telling them how to switch identities without looking alike.

“Amazing!” Ale looked at them in awe, “Can you teach me?”

Zhengzheng was okay with that.

Ji Xiaoshu was more curious whether the twins had telepathy, Ale thought they did, Axin felt it didn’t quite count.

In Peng Wu’s eyes, Su Liang was exactly as she had imagined, and both Su Liang and Gu Ling were like immortals to her.

Knowing that the magic treasure had been conquered by Gu Xiaonuan, Peng Wu put her mind at ease entirely.

Hearing of the significant help from Master Feng, Peng Wei asked, “Is he not back yet?”

Su Liang smiled, “He has gone to settle the two elderly people rescued from the island, he will be back once that is settled.”

“Then we will make sure to thank him again when the time comes,” Peng Wei nodded.

Peng Wu’s adopted daughter Xiaoyue got along very well with Gu Xiaonuan, and Gu Xiaonuan rarely encountered a little sister and loved Xiaoyue very much. They were put together for a nap in the afternoon by Su Liang.

Peng Wei, Peng Qian, and Peng Fan went to the dungeon to see Mo Yan. Su Liang told them to do whatever they wanted, no need to be polite.

When the Peng family was about to leave, Su Liang said with a smile, “Sister Peng, feel free to bring the kids to play at our house when you have time.”

Peng Wu smiled and nodded, “I will frequently come to disturb you.”

Axin and Ale reluctantly said goodbye to Zhengzheng and Ji Xiaoshu, holding the gifts they had given them. On the way back, they already paid respects to Qiao Jing as their master and officially became his disciples. Qiao Jing said that after his wedding, he would start teaching his little disciples martial arts, and compete with Gu Ling’s two little disciples.

Before they left the gate of Su Mansion, Ale asked Peng Wu when they could come back again.

Peng Wei said cheerfully, “The invitations will be sent tomorrow for a banquet at our place the day after next, is that okay?”

Axin and Ale both cheered enthusiastically.

Mo Yan was still alive, but compared to him, Peng Wei, Peng Qian, and Peng Fan wanted to kill the man who had truly hurt and insulted Peng Wu more.

Peng Wu knew that Gu Ling and Su Liang had arranged for someone to deal with the remnants of Xingluo Island. She didn’t ask directly, believing that the man would meet his retribution.

Peng Fan asked Gu Ling, who told him that he would inform him as there was any news in the following days.

Life has become peaceful again, Gu Ling and Su Liang had plenty of time to be alone and went back to their original comfortable life, reading and writing together, making medicines, chatting, or going out for walks, boating on the lake, climbing mountains, fishing, cooking, and washing dishes together.

They agreed to take the children back to Su village for a stay this year and were just waiting for Feng Ming to return and Sheng Yue to surface after dealing with the remnants of Xingluo Island.