Pawn Crossing the River

New Year's Eve is the last day of the 41st year of Jiushi. After midnight on New Year's Eve, it officially enters the 42nd year of Jiushi.

As for New Year's Eve, no matter how reluctant Tantai Qiong was, for the sake of her daughter and Pei Xiaolou, she still invited Qi Xuansu to have New Year's Eve dinner together. As for the taste of this meal, it is like a person who knows whether the water is warm or cold. .

This year has been very lonely, and there is not much meaning of reunion. Zhang Yuyue and Dong Baijing went to Dazhen Mansion. Even standing in Shangqing Town, they could see the brightly lit Dazhen Mansion like a fairy palace in the sky. On the contrary, it was Shangqing. The lights in the Qing Palace were dim, with only a few stars, completely submerged in the night.

In fact, members of the small clan can also go to Dazhen Mansion to celebrate the festival together on this day, but Zhang Kuqi seems to have some conflicts with the clan and is unwilling to go. In the past, when Zhang Yuelu was away, the couple held different positions, and they were still in a dilemma whether to go or not. However, Zhang Yuelu broke the balance after he came back. Zhang Yuelu had no interest in such fake occasions. Neither father nor daughter wanted to go, so it was difficult for Mrs. Tantai to go alone.

As for the guests of Quanzhen Dao, they had already left Da Zhenren Mansion by flying boat on Xiaonian Day and returned to Yujing to report back to the Earth Master. After the Earth Master and the National Master handed over the rotating position of Da Zhenren, they would accompany the Earth Master. Return to the Wanshou Chongyang Palace in Difei Mountain. Before leaving, Zhang Kucheng and Zhang Kuping went to see each other off and handed over the return gifts and letters from the Heavenly Master to the Earthly Master.

After a lonely New Year's Eve dinner, Zhang Kuqi and Tantai Qiong left separately, leaving only Qi Xuansu and Zhang Yuelu.

Instead of playing cards or practicing swordsmanship, the two of them left home and walked up the mountain. They turned a corner and came to a small lake. There are bamboo forests beside the lake, and the round moon shadow and gorgeous fireworks are reflected in the lake. The water on the lake surface is trembling slightly, and all kinds of brilliance are surging.

The two stood side by side, admiring the fireworks that continued to explode in the night sky. They were so colorful and dazzling.

For a while, only the sound of firecrackers was heard, and neither of them spoke.

The more lively it is, the more lonely you can feel.

Qi Xuansu drank a lot just now, first with Zhang Juqi, and after Zhang Juqi left, he drank a lot with Zhang Yuelu. After all, it's the New Year's Day, so drinking is perfectly normal.

Qi Xuansu didn't deliberately dispel the drunkenness. He was already five points drunk, but when the night wind blew him up, he became even more drunk, and he was eight points drunk.

In other words, he was half drunk, half asleep, half asleep, as if he were stepping on cotton, feeling light and cool for no reason.

He only felt that he was incompatible with Yunjin Mountain and had nothing to do with any concepts, roads, or ideas. Qi Xuansu didn't care much about these things. He only felt that he was a complete outsider, and the prosperity and bustle here had nothing to do with him.

So he missed Jianghu and Yujing a little. There were many people with the same background as him in these two places, but it was not obvious.

Zhang Yuelu did not have such feelings and asked softly: "What are you thinking about?"

Qi Xuansu said as if talking in his sleep: "I'm recalling how I spent the New Year's Eve in the past."

Zhang Yuelu asked curiously: "How did you live?"

Qi Xuansu replied: "There is nothing to say about the experience of Wanxiang Taoist Palace. When we get together, we are all of the same origin, there is no difference, so we don't feel anything. In addition, we were young at that time, and we really don't know what it's like to be a teenager. Just for fun.”

"Later, after I left the Wanxiang Taoist Palace, I was favored by my master, accepted as a disciple, and took back my residence in Haichanfang. From then on, we, master and disciple, depended on each other, and we spent the Chinese New Year together. They all say But neither of us knows how to cook, so every New Year’s Eve we have two bowls of noodles, which we treat as longevity noodles, and we celebrate the New Year as our birthday.”

Qi Xuansu's eyes drifted away, falling into memories.

"At that time, I advised Master, why don't you find a master's wife? This looks like a family of three. In fact, Aunt Cui next door is pretty good. She works in Duzhitang. She is well paid and decent. She has good looks and character. The key is that Aunt Cui has never been married. The boy is not married and the girl is not married. She has been an old neighbor for so many years and knows everything about her. Every time at this time, the master will reach out to knock me and play the piano randomly with a smile. "

"Later, the master died..."

Qi Xuansu suddenly paused, his tone a little sad.

"After Master dies, I will be the only one left."

"Tian Yuan." Zhang Yuelu reached out and held Qi Xuansu's hand, "Don't think about it."

"Actually, that's how I came here until now." Qi Xuansu murmured to himself, "At this time last year, I was in Qizhou, and there happened to be a Taiping Inn that was open. I asked for a bottle of wine and a few side dishes. I stayed in their lobby all night. It was a coincidence that there were several people like me there, so we shared a table to drink together. Although we met by chance, we are both from the same place, so we must have known each other before. "

"The year before last...the year before last, I was seriously injured and was in bed recovering from my injuries. Qiniang came over to take care of me and gave me a bowl of noodles. To be honest, the noodles were not very good and the eggs were not cooked yet. But I I think that was the best year after Master’s death.”

"By the way, there is also this year. Just now at the dinner table, the way Mrs. Tantai looked at me... I know that everyone thinks I am not good enough for you, so I know how you can treat me well. If you change it to I wouldn't be happy if I were in that position. It's just that people's thoughts always change depending on where they sit. Since I'm not in that position, it's certainly difficult for me to compare my feelings. "

Zhang Yuelu glanced at Qi Xuansu in surprise: "You are drunk."

Normally, Qi Xuansu would never say these words, but because of drinking, Qi Xuansu no longer held them in his heart.

Qi Xuansu seemed to have heard nothing: "I don't care, really, they look down on me, feel free to look down on me, I don't know how to save the world and save the people, and I don't want to bring peace to the world. I am not a Xuan Sage, I am just a pawn in the eyes of others. But one day, I want everyone in the sect to look up to me."

Zhang Yuelu said nothing.

Qi Xuansu looked like he didn't care. He said he didn't care, but in fact he still cared.

He was almost pointed at and ridiculed by others. He was not a saint, so how could he be completely indifferent.

These days, he has been holding his breath deep in his heart.

Qi Xuansu held Zhang Yuelu's hand with his backhand. Zhang Yuelu's hand trembled slightly but did not retract.

Qi Xuansu looked at Zhang Yuelu. The moonlight was like water, tilting down like a light smoke and mist. The scenery in the distance was not clear. Zhang Yuelu's back was also wrapped in a layer of mist, but the rising fireworks covered her face again. The face was illuminated alternately.

Qi Xuansu said: "You always say that I am content with being a little rich and don't seek advancement. This time I feel uneasy. I want to take a breath, but also want those people to take a look. Your vision... is excellent."

Zhang Yuelu smiled: "I'm waiting for that day."

Qi Xuansu, who had spoken a lot for the first time, didn't say anything more, but pursed his lips tightly. There is still a lot of charlatanism left in the face that is fairly angular.

Zhang Yuelu suddenly felt that it was really necessary for him to change Qi Xuansu's bad habits. If these are erased and he is transformed into a thorough Taoist priest, does that also mean that the edges and corners are completely gone? So can he still say such bold words today?

Qi Xuansu slowly let go of Zhang Yuelu's palm, seeming to wake up a little. He took a few steps back, took a deep breath, mustered up his courage, and said solemnly: "Qingxiao, there has always been a hazy relationship between us. What is the relationship between good friends? Is it a life-and-death relationship? Or a so-called confidant? I don’t like this. I want to marry you openly. "

Zhang Yuelu blinked his eyes, as if he was trying to determine whether this was a drunken remark or something he dared to say only after being drunk.

Qi Xuansu pointed at the Da Zhen Mansion in the distance, which was like a fairy palace: "I'm not greedy for your family background, background, or abilities. I just like you very much. Your heart is bright and you are clean. Besides Master and Apart from Qiniang, you are the only one who is willing to look up to me. I am a layman, and I don’t know how to meet a close friend in the mountains and rivers. I have never fallen in love at first sight. I only follow my inner thoughts. I want to marry you in this great real estate. Went to the church to get married."

This time, Zhang Yuelu didn't smile, his face was serious, and then he repeated what he said just now: "I'm waiting for that day."