Chapter 4 (1/2)

The introductory chapters of Lost You Forever is done and noe’re headed into the good stuff And when I say good stuff, pretty ets better and better and the world of these Gods and Goddesses, demons and humans, it all takes on this epic quality with so much delicate detail that touches the heart One of the four leads gets his alter ego stripped away in this episode and he is forced to be the person he’s been running away fro to accorand endeavors, achieve impossible dreams, make a difference on an impressive scale It’s nice to see characters that don’t seem to care about that, and even if it matters to them, it’s not by choice and instead due to fate shi+ Qi is the first to run against the wall that is his pas and I really feel for the poor guy We spent the entirety of chapter 1 reading about the cruelty that was inflicted on him, and even if he’s recovered you can see that he’s been broken and reconstituted so that the cracks are evident in his soul

All of Tong Hua‘s leading men have been al to see her create so Liu is also an incredibly difficultnot just between the lines, but alXiao Liu live his ordinary life, the banter with the tar orphans Chuan Zi and Ma Zi, the quiet companionshi+p of a old army deserter like Lao Mu, and noith the added quiet presence of shi+ Qi along with the extre Liu shows up I have to say all the blood sucking between the to kill each other, it’s so hot and dysfunctional but I can’t i Liu treats Xiao Liu not as a woirl) or as so the poison for Xiang Liu and thrills in their interactions because it’s an outlet for his loneliness Xiao Liu is a leading lady that immediately owns my heart with the capacity to care wrapped in a shell of not caring at all

Chapter 4 – Gathering is the Hardest, Parting is the Easiest:

The Autumn afternoon is the most beautiful time of the day When no one was direly ill, Xiao Liu liked taking a big lily frond to cover his eyes and laying on the straw pallet used to dry herbs He raised his two ars would naturally stick straight out as ith his toes pointed His entire body was straight like a line and in his i of stretching, paired with the war wine into the bones and being slightly tipsy

He once encouraged Ma Zi and Lao Mu to bask in the sun in the sa and refused to copy hi, Xiao Liu can only experience it alone

Xiao Liu was done stretching and lowered his arms and pulled the frond off his eyes to look at shi+ Qi cutting thefull time at Butcher Gao’s Normally Chuan Zi would do some more chores but these past threeGod knohat Only shi+ Qi remained in the clinic but Xiao Liu didn’t feel like his work load increased and instead felt more at ease Whatever he wanted to do he would discover shi+ Qi already did it

Xiao Liu sat up on the pallet and put the frond on his head and intently watched shi+ Qi working shi+ Qi had his head lowered cutting the medicine and after he was done and put the medicine into satchels he went to work on another batch

Xiao Liu called “shi+ Qi” shi+ Qi stopped and looked up at Xiao Liu silently “Hhh” shi+ Qi lowered his head and went back to work “shi+ Qi” shi+ Qi stopped again but this ti “You rest for a bit!”

“Not tired” shi+ Qi went back to work

Xiao Liu took off the frond and looked at shi+ Qi, tearing pieces off the front until it was in strips Lao Mu and Chuan Zi never sensed that he was mad at shi+ Qi But Xiao Liu and shi+ Qi both knew – in the beginning shi+ Qi wanted to apologize but Xiao Liu pretended to be clueless and was instead evenand would only silently follow hi the work that three people used to do

“shi+ Qi………” shi+ Qi raised his head to look at Xiao Liu but Xiao Liu didn’t knohat he wanted to say He bit his lip and suddenly smiled and patted the space next to hi fun”

shi+ Qi put down his chores and walked over Xiao Liu laid down and explained to shi+ Qi what to do, showing hi shi+ Qi was not like Ma Zi and Chuan Zi and immediately followed suit Xiao Liu squinted as he counted the clouds above, feeling content and letting out a sigh Even though it was the sa on, but two people basking under the sun felt particularly nice for so asleep when shi+ Qi’s voice spoke “There won’t be a second time”

“Hhmmm?” Xiao Liu drowsily opened his eyes

“No matter what reason, there won’t be a second time when you need me but can’t find me” Xiao Liu was totally awake now and suddenly realized his petty anger at shi+ Qi was totally pointless Poor shi+ Qi spent all that ti about it Xiao Liu sat up and was about to say sorabbed Xiao Liu and bolted right out the door

“Shoes, I don’t have shoes on!” Xiao Liu put on his shoes and ran out the door but called back to shi+ Qi “Let’s go together!”

Xiao Liu ran pell mell behind Lao Mu until they arrived at the end of the street Xiao Liu called out a greeting to Xuan and Lao Mu pulled hiesture to Xuan who nodded clearly understanding what to do Someone was crouched behind hioofy face to shi+ Qi before turning back to see what interesting thing was about to happen

Xuan coughed a few times and Lao Mu immediately tensed and Xiao Liu peered out over the tubs Three prostitutes walked over to buy some wine, two drank so bored when Lao Mu nudged him and that’s when Chuan Zi walked over and walked aith the reone frorabbed Xiao Liu and they raced through the alleys until they saw Chuan Zi and the prostitute talking in the shadowy corner Then they started kissing and Xiao Liu watched with a wide grin but Lao Mu was furious and upset Xiao Liu peeked at shi+ Qi as standing straight but kept his eyes lowered on his shoes and giving theotnoises Lao Mu wanted to rush out but didn’t kno to handle this aard situation He told Xiao Liu “You deal with it!” before huffing off

Xiao Liu didn’t bother with Lao Mu and was instead laughing at shi+ Qi and inched over “A scion of a well born fa maids in the house Hoere the irl?”

shi+ Qi said nothing and was trying to inch away froainst the wall Xiao Liu restrained his laugh and continued to be his evil self He pressed his hands against the wall around shi+ Qi and trapped hientle lady “What kind of girls do you like? An innocent fresh-faced type, or a girl like this who is passionate?”

In the sound of the wo to turn beet red and Xiao Liu was laughing inside so hard he was about to bust a gut His evil naughty side was in control and he pressed close to shi+ Qi’s face and asked “You want some, too?”

Unexpectedly, shi+ Qi raised his head and despite the faint blush, his clear eyes were filled with laughter Xiao Liu was stunned and the only thought he had in his head was “A wolf in sheep’s clothing!”

Xiao Liu was so embarrassed and it was his turn to blush red so he vented his frustration out on Chuan Zi He rushed forward yelling “Chuan Zi! Where did you get the nerve to learn to whore! Where did you get the money?”

Chuan Zi was so scared he pulled his pants up and was about to run like his habit but after taking two steps he turned back to shi+eld the woman The wo She pushed Chuan Zi aside and bowed to Xiao Liu “I a any of his hed “You’re a prostitute, if you’re sleeping with him for free, isn’t that bad for business?” Xan Tian Er smiled “I’m happy to!” Xiao Liu asked “Do you want to sleep with him for the rest of your life?”

Xan Tian Er paused and see but couldn’t believe it Chuan Zi quickly spoke Up “I’ to sleep with her for the rest of my life!” Xiao Liu kicked hi to her!”

Chuan Zi looked at Xan Tian Er with puppy dog eyes and kept nodding his head Xan Tian Er finally believed what Xiao Liu was asking her and there were tears in her eyes She knelt down “I a Chuan Zi h life”

“I ao back and wait Think about how you want to have the ceremony”

Xan Tian Er couldn’t believe it and kept looking at Chuan Zi It was this easy? Chuan Zi pulled her up “Brother Liu may be really mean but he always does what he says”

Xiao Liu wrenched Chuan Zi’s ear and dragged hirown up!” Chuan Zi was happy to have his drea happily towards shi+ Qi who followed behind with only s the wine shop, Xiao Liu called out to Xuan “Thanks!” Xuan peeked at Xiao Liu pulling Chuan Zi’s ear and opened his hands “If a wedding is coet to buy from the shop” “Done, you can discuss with Lao Mu when the tied Chuan Zi all the way back to the clinic and right outside the door he whispered “Now start yelpingand crying as Xiao Liu kicked and beat him into the courtyard until he was in front of Lao Mu Lao Mu’s heart softened “He’s all grown up, don’t beat him in public at least wait until back home to save him some face”

Lao Mu was initially still furious but after seeing Xiao Liu deal with Chuan Zi he didn’t knohat to do next “Xiao Liu, what are we to do? How did Chuan Zi get mixed up with a prostitute?” Xiao Liu said “Think of a way to buy her freedom After we buy her free, we’ll do e did for Ma Zi”

If Lao Mu was frodoms, even if he loved Chuan Zi he would have a hard ti to marry a prostitute But he was from the Xuan Yuan God tribe, filled ild abandon and ridicule towards social norms, so after he squatted on the doorstep for so wrong with it So that was how Chuan Zi’s e was settled

Once Lao Mu decided on it, he went aboutit happen But the brothel decided to raise the price sky high and the cost to buy Xan Tian Er’s freedoet people to be the middlemen but to no avail even with his and Xiao Liu’s twenty-so Shui Town

Lao Mu was furious but there was nothing he could do The brothels in Qing Shui Toere special, a place for inforathered, filled with the irls, where powerful o visit There were various powers at play there, not just Sheng Nong, Gao Xing, and Xuan Yuan, but the various noble families fro family frohed “I see that Tian Er really wants to be with our Chuan Zi and noould rather get beaten then see another customer That old madaiving up No uys like them Chuan Zi’s face was ashen and he would sit on the courtyard stoop just cradling his head through sleepless nights

Inside his roo at his precious little lorious handiwork that night He drew nine heads on Xiang Liu’s face and his icy eyes were glaring at hiers

Xiao Liu stared at the e! Go ahead and rage!” After he was done flicking, he wiped the inal state It appeared just a bit n that it contained anything froly ordinary mirror was actually created froorilla type beast in the inner wild desert region It was vicious and had the power to see into the past It was a power that worked against nature so it was hard to develop this ability and these beasts were even rarer to encounter And a mirror created from the spiritual essence of such a beast, there was only one such mirror in existence The reason was that to seal the spiritual essence of such a beast into an ical object and have it show the past required the beast to be coer But there was no such beast who endured the painful training to develop such a power to see the past ould be willing to die without any anger

Xiao Liu tucked the ht, ain Soto take him down so it’s normal for him not to appear If he did appear Xiao Liu would feel like his life had reached the end So Xiao Liu prayed every day forto take hiot about Qing Shui Town and one Wen Xiao Liu

But, now……aish!+

A little white condor that was the astral projection of the giant white flying condor Furball cahtily landed in front of Xiao Liu Xiao Liu spoke to it “Seeing you so puffed up, I just want to pluck all your feathers off, roast your right side, stew your left side, and after eating all of you throw your bones to the dogs”

Furball charged Xiao Liu who grabbed his head and rolled under the pallet “Tell your lared angrily at Xiao Liu before spreading his wings and flying into the night Xiao Liu felt it a bad idea toLiu in the room The same environment may cause hied

Xiao Liu left the house and walked upstrea Shui Town and entered a deep dense forest He saw a tree as thick as it would require 5-6 men to encircle it and climbed up that tree and found a coh and could see far frolowed silver in the ht and if it wasn’t thethen the vieould be perfect

He’s here!

Xiao Liu raised his head and a white condor carrying Xiang Liu dove down fro down fro snow, he softly landed beside Xiao Liu

Xiao Liu said “Three choices Whip me 40 ti i Liu asked “Did you bathe?”

Xiao Liu was still cheeky “Bathed super clean, just waiting for rabbed Xiao Liu’s shoulder and he lowered his head Xiao Liu docilely tipped back his neck and when Xiang Liu’s sharp fang pierced his skin and started drinking his blood, Xiao Liu didn’t close his eyes and instead looked at the radually felt lightheaded “Are you planning to suck me dry all at once? Even if you have nine heads, I didn’t hear that you had nine sto Liu’s lips were still on Xiao Liu’s neck and was right next to the artery that led straight to the heart “When do you think I should bite down right here? Tonight?”

Xiao Liu iht since it’s too pretty out Killingto do, wait for the day when I really want to kill you”

“You don’t want to kill me?”

Xiao Liu smiled “No! You clearly know I don’t want to kill you, and I won’t kill you”

“I don’t know All I know is that you ought to hate me”

“You don’t know and you dared to co your injury? You really see hting with each other and now you’re stupid because none of the Liu leaned in to clearly continue hisLiu’s lips pressed against his neck and didn’t move

“No matter if you believe me or not, but I really don’t hate you at all and don’t want to kill you Because I’ in the deepanother person I caught aThe monkey tried to escape and when it couldn’t it actually hit its head against the cave wall and committed suicide Later on, I encountered a snake that wanted to eatBut it could understand what I was saying and reacted to whatever I said I kneas dangerous but I couldn’t help o prance around in front of it It was so furious it al it around, it wasn’t so lonely in the hed “After some time, he discovered I was super sneaky and wanted to leave but I wouldn’t let it and kept bothering it so it kept trying to kill me”

Xiao Liu looked up at the moon and there was an indescribable sadness in his eyes “They say the Heavens favors the tribes of the Gods, but I think it favors the humans They are just like the Gods in every way except their lives are so short in comparison Look at the moon, it’s been there like that for the last thousand years No et tired of it

“That snake, what happened afterwards?”

“Died!”

“You killed it?”

“No, the King of the fox tribe”

“Nine-tailed fox?”

Xiao Liu shut his eyes “The Nine-tailed fox wanted to kill me but the snake believed only it could eat me so it blocked the path of that vicious fox…so it ended up dead!”

Xiang Liu softly chuckled “Interesting And the fox?”

“I killed it”

“You’re that powerful?”

“He should have killed ht reed He used various special creatures to feed to s, all so that he couldme He intended to use my ot to tell you, he wasn’t a Nine-tailed fox by then, just an eight tail since he got a tail cut off so his poere severely depleted He raised ht when he was about to partake of the victory, one day he accidentally got drunk in front of e?”

“Yup”

Xiang Liu was silent for aXiao Liu’s neck “Am I the snake to help alleviate your loneliness?”

Xiao Liu s you”

Xiang Liu released hi Gui street belong to you guys?”

“Why are you asking?”

“Chuan Zi wants a prostitute from there”

“You want to ask me to help you secure her freedouess not It doesn’t seeht glinted in his eye “No need to help o ask another person for help”

The white condor Furball flew back and was circling overhead Xiang Liu lightly leaped up and landed on the condor’s back “This was your ie is important………Ah——”

Xiao Liu’s branch suddenly snapped in half and he fell, sla Xiao Liu to start spitting up blood Wharound as a swirl of dirt blew up around hi low overhead toLiu stood on his back with a s that anyone can eat” Furball rose higher and Xiang Liu left

Xiao Liu waited a fewand he couldn’t see straight and his legs hurt so much he couldn’t walk The startled chip at? Looking at , I traded so de my neck…”

The sun hadn’t even rose when shi+ Qi tracked hile of broken branches He looked totally beaten up but was sleeping with a slight smile on his lips shi+ Qi knelt down and slowly picked off the leaves on his head and saw that there were two fresh bite htly hidden underneath his collar with the red teeth i the imprint of a pair of lips

Xiao Liu’s eyelid fluttered open “shi+ Qi?” He opened his eyes and sybacked the docile Xiao Liu on his back Xiao Liu rested for three days and when he was able to move around on crutches had Lao Mu make a few dishes and invited Xuan over to drink

Xuan arrived and Xiao Liu warmly poured everyone a bowl of wine Lao Mu and Chuan Zi drank their wine and promptly fell over fast asleep Xuan smiled at Xiao Liu while shi+ Qi quietly sat to the side Xiao Liu said to Xuan “I asked you here to ask for so”

“Please tell”

“Chuan Zi wants Xan Tian Er, so can you helpXiao Liu earnestly added “I know this seee is very i you”

“Why does Brother Liu think I can help?”

“I don’t know the true identity of you or Ah Nian but I know you are froround I was curious and wanted to asked around but you sniffed it out If Brother Xuan wanted to help then you can” Xiao Liu tried to be extra buddy buddy and called hilanced at shi+ Qi “Ah Nian and I just want to live a quiet life”

“Yes, yes, I know I prouys ever”

Xuan stared at Xiao Liu who s Shui Town for over twenty years I aot up to leave “Re banquet” Xiao Liu was all set drunk so fast?” Xiao Liu laughed “Who told you to drink so fast Next tio and try to buy her freedoo, then go”

Inside Hui Chun Clinic, it appeared Lao Mu was in charge but when Xiao Liu decided to have the last word then Lao Mu did as he was told The next day Lao Mu got himself ready and went to buy Tian Er The old biddy actually accepted the price offered in exchange for Xiao Liu giving thenancy Lao Mu was ecstatic and ireed The transaction was finalized and Lao Mu brought Xan Tian Er back to the clinic

When Chuan Zi saw Tian Er, he couldn’t believe his eyes Gradually his eyes ruffly said “I’ll go to sister-in-law to borrow a few outfits for you”

Xiao Liu sood dishes to celebrate tonight”

“Sure!” Lao Mu grabbed the shopping basket and happily head out the door