842 Laughing Proudly in the Pugilistic World (1/2)
Jun Mo Xie had noticed the moment he raised his hands to clap that the sleeves of his robe were a lot wider than that of regular people's. The moment he lifted his hands, the sleeves were almost touching the floor.
Not long after, a pot of hot, fragrant tea was placed before Jun Mo Xie. The fine, fresh tea leaves were bubbling and turning in the water, adding a tinge of comfort in this quiet top floor of the building.
”I am Chen Chen. I believe you are someone from the Dongfang Family?” Young Master Duanchang Chen Chen chuckled. ”But I wonder what your name is? Would you tell me?”
”Um, a name is just a mark; it's nothing that cannot be said. I'm called Dongfang Da Shu, and I'm the child of a collateral relative of the Dongfang Family.” Jun Mo Xie picked up the tea and drank it in one gulp. He exclaimed, ”It truly is great tea! It's very fragrant!”
”Dongfang Da Shu? Brother Dongfang's name is really unusual.” Chen Chen said ambiguously.
”My name may be odd, but it really has a story to it.” Jun Mo Xie chuckled. ”Back then, before I was born, my mother suddenly dreamt of a glistening golden enormous book. So she named me Da Shu Haha.”
”I see, going with this saying, Brother Dongfang is definitely a prodigy.” Chen Chen laughed.
”Of course not. Brother Chen, we are fated to meet, since we get along so well, why are we addressing each other by our surnames like strangers? You can just call me by my name, Da Shu; wouldn't that bring us closer?” Jun Mo Xie said hospitably.
The corner of Chen Chen's lips twitched. He thought. Da Shu?… Big Uncle?… Aren't you scoundrel just trying to blatantly take advantage of me? No matter how I address you, I'll just end up as your junior for no reason. This fellow is really detestable!
Jun Mo Xie held onto the teacup and grinned at him. He experienced an immense urge to tease and toy with someone. The feeling of meeting this fellow was extremely similar to meeting Li You Ran. Both of them were well-matched in the vibe of toying with their opponent.
But although Li You Ran was dangerous back then, but he was quite reserved. But this Young Master Duanchang Chen Chen may appear peaceful and gentle in his mannerism and speech, but amidst all that, he vague revealed an extremely vicious aura. Facing him was like facing a venomous snake!
”Haha, Brother Dongfang is a straightforward person.” Chen Chen rubbed his fingers, looking down at it, ambiguously saying, ”I believe that Brother Dongfang's current appearance is not your original look? Since Brother Dongfang says we are fated, I wonder if we can meet with our real appearance? Wouldn't it be great if we are honest to each other?”
Jun Mo Xie chuckled. ”Brother Chen is truly perceptive. But from the way I see it, the current appearance of Brother Chen may also not be your original appearance! I wonder if we could meet with our real appearance, wouldn't it be even better?”
Chen Chen jolted. I did not put on any disguise, but what does the other party mean in that I am not meeting him with my true colours? Is he intentionally acting dumb? Or… is there a double meaning?
He hesitated, forcing a smile. ”Forgive me for being slow-witted, I wonder what Brother Dongfang… means by this?”
Jun Mo Xie sat comfortably in the chair. His finger tapped away at the table and he sighed. ”I am only in disguise for a couple of days. But this mask that Brother Chen wears has been kept on for twenty over years… aren't you tired?”
The look in Chen Chen's eyes changed. Revealing genuine loneliness and helplessness. He let out a loud sigh, lowered his head and closed his eyes. He placed both his fingers on the strings of the guqin, gently plucking at it. Sounds came ringing out, conveying a sense of loss in its tune.
A strand of black hair slipped from his head, covering half of his face, swaying in the wind.
The sounds of hooves came from outside, drawing close and coming to a halt outside the building. The people outside parted way, and a row of people silently entered the building. It was the people from the Zhan family. The leader, a girl who who wore a black veil, walking in front. That girl couldn't help but stop to listen upon hearing the melodious sound.
But the two people on the top floor of the building continued as if they had not noticed anything. One continued to play, while the other listened as if they did not bother to pay attention to whatever was happening outside.
This new tune that Chen Chen was playing was extremely short, coming to an end quickly. Chen Chen did not raise his head. Sighing, he said, ”Brother Dongfang upon your arrival today, I feel that I've met someone who can understand me. To be very honest, I was really unwilling and resistant to the idea of coming today to be part of the set-up. But I felt from your words that the trip today was not made in vain!”
He slowly lifted his head and looked at Jun Mo Xie sincerely. ”Brother Dongfang was not mistaken in your judgment. Indeed, I am indeed really tired! I'm really tired! But… this mask of mine can no longer be removed… because if I take this mask off, I, Chen Chen, will become nothing overnight, so…”
Since Jun Mo Xie had entered, Chen Chen had been maintaining his polite and respectful demeanor of a young master of a family. But he had constantly been trying to sound out Jun Mo Xie, hiding his hostility. But these few sentences he had just said was full of emotions, words from the bottom of his heart.
Jun Mo Xie chuckled and replied. ”Well said. It is true. No matter how what the extent of hypocrisy is in the mask, if it is kept on for twenty years, hypocrisy would naturally become a habit! And this mask is so heavy; it was already difficult enough to put on, but even more difficult to take it off! All the responsibility, right and wrong, the bitterness, no one will be able to truly understand unless they are in that position. And at the same time the person who puts on this mask gets to enjoy about power and strength, he had to pay an equivalent price. How could he sacrifice that so easily!”
Chen Chen took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. The expression on his face changed numerous times, and clearly his mind was in a state of turmoil. He closed his eyes, not speaking. Then he slowly opened them, and using a serious tone, he asked, ”Brother Dongfang, could you play a tune for me?”
In his tone, every single word was dripping with desire. In his eyes, an indescribable contradiction—as if there were two different types of thoughts in his heart, engaging in an intense struggle. Him asking Jun Mo Xie to play seemed to be trying to prove something to himself, trying to give himself a reason!
Jun Mo Xie raised his brows and looked at him in inquisitively. He asked, ”Brother Chen, I don't seem to have mentioned that I know how to play. If said I do not know, then what would you do?”