21 Dogful Marriage (1/2)

Upon finding an inn to stay for the night, Meng Fuyao took a stroll on the streets. There were shops selling masks, sugar figurines and so on; she was merely killing time.

Things quickly piled up in her hands. As she chewed on a dough figurine, she caught a glimpse of Yao Xun squeezing in and out of the crowd, most probably about to ”start work”. She couldn't help but laugh.

Her distraction caused her to neglect the road passing a corner. As a result, all she heard and saw were the cloud clattering of hooves and a flash of white shadow before she stopped in time and saved herself from getting trampled on by a speeding horse. The horse had an aggressive nature; seeing that someone was obstructing its way, it raised its front hooves, ready to give her a good kick.

Astonished cries filled the streets, but the horseman hurriedly commanded, ”Lightning! Halt!”

Meng Fuyao lifted her head up and saw two white and long hooves right before her eyes. Out of instincts, she was about to deal a heavy blow and break them when she noticed, out of the corner of her eye, that the horse was extraordinarily handsome. The next moment, she swiftly retracted her hand, floated off the ground, grabbed its neck and hopped onto its back.

The horseman had left his abode with a load on his mind and hence been riding with minute errors, causing his horse to move too fast, almost injuring some road users. Just as he was fretting over it, he saw the lady jumping up onto his horse and sitting steadily behind him.

”Ah!” He let out in surprise.

He turned his head around naturally, only to receive another shock.

This time, Meng Fuyao let out a startled cry as well.

The man on the horse had a delicate and pretty appearance and was full of poise. Wasn't he her first love? The man who was about to get married?

Meng Fuyao narrowed her eyes, inwardly lamenting about the coincidences of life. From the healthy glow on Yan Jingchen's face, Meng Fuyao gathered that he had been living a good life.

If Yan Jingchen knew what she had in mind, he would most definitely feel nauseated. He was obviously looking haggard and absent-minded. Furthermore, having been threatened by his father that day and then almost knocked down by Meng Fuyao, he was probably feeling extremely perturbed. Yet, those emotions of his had somehow translated into what Meng Fuyao understood as ”a healthy glow”.

His tough situation wasn't of her concern, of course, since she firmly believed that no man who had dumped her should lead a better life than her, and it would annoy her greatly if they did.

Seeing Yan Jingchen's pleasantly surprised face, or so she thought, Meng Fuyao felt very unhappy and got ready to dismount.

Before she could reach the ground, however, he grabbed her wrist. Only looking down at her own hand, she warned coldly, ”Let go.”

Yan Jingchen hesitated a short while but was reminded of her ruthless move on the Mystic Essence Mountain, and retracted his hand in embarrassment.

”Fuyao...” he called in a low voice.

Being completely ignored, Yan Jingchen turned anxious and extended his arm horizontally in front of her. ”Listen to me before leaving, Fuyao, or chop my hand off!” he clenched his teeth, saying.

Meng Fuyao frowned at the arm that was before her and looked around at the crowd. She laughed coldly. ”You're scheming, Mister Yan. Asking me to chop your arm off in public? Won't I be looking for trouble?”

”That's not what I meant,” Yan Jingchen quickly corrected himself and kept his arm. He stared at her, asking, ”Can we find a place to talk, Fuyao?”

”Say whatever you have to say here,” Meng Fuyao insisted and settled herself back onto the horse, but this time, into an unglamorous squat position, as if reluctant to ride with him.

Heads turned toward the lady who acted as though no one was present. Fingers started pointing, but Meng Fuyao pretended not to have seen them.

In response to her awkward position, Yan Jingchen could only sigh. He carefully guided the horse into a quiet alley on the opposite side of the street before adding softly, ”Do you think I really want to marry Pei Yuan, Fuyao? My heart's been in the fryer recently...”

”That's all? Got it,” Meng Fuyao interrupted before preparing to jump off.

'No!” Yan Jingchen responded immediately, not daring to make any more confessions. He urgently continued, ”My father wants me to marry her, mainly because Pei Family's ”Stirring Thunder Technique” is one of the world's best skills. He wants me to learn the ways and combine our family's ”Convulsive Wind Sword Technique” with theirs. That way, in the future, I'll excel and make a name for myself in the True Martial Arts Meet...”

”What has that got to do with me?” Meng Fuyao yawned a few times in between.

”So...” he bit his cheeks and lowered his voice, ”My father has another thought, which is that since Pei Family's mastered the Stirring Thunder Technique, they could have possibly mastered the Cleaving Nine Heavens as well. No matter how formidable the thunder is, it has to come from the nine heavens. Even if it has the power to split mountains, it won't compare to that of the vast dome of heavens. Just... Cleaving Nine Heavens is simply too precious, and the Pei Family may only share it upon our marriage... Fuyao, it's all about martial arts in Taiyuan, where influential families are fighting openly and plotting covertly. All hopes are pinned on me, the heir of my family, to claim victory in the True Martial Arts Meet. It's really important to me...”

”What's this Cleaving Nine Heavens?” Meng Fuyao asked with a smile.

Yan Jingchen found her expression odd, as though she was pitying and mocking him at the same time. It faded quickly, however, and she reassumed a lackadaisical attitude.

”Fuyao...”

”I know, I understand, I get it,” she cut him off, reaching her hand out to pat his shoulder. ”Are you done with your sob story? Feeling all better and stress-free now that you've explained yourself? Great, I've heard you. Stirring Thunder + Cleaving Nine Heavens + True Martial Arts Meet = marriage.” Meng Fuyao smiled, her eyes as bright as stars. ”Your father's guess is solid. I believe the Cleaving Nine Heavens you're looking for will most likely be there so hurry up and marry her. Hope it works out, so you don't have to get yourself castrated.”

”Fuyao!” Yan Jingchen shouted while pulling her back. ”I know you're feeling terrible, Fuyao. I know you're upset that I've ended things between us. You don't have to deliberately provoke me and say things like these to hurt yourself–”