But after that, Chai Xiaomi didn't have a chance to go to Hongxiao's bamboo house again.
Because the grand New Moon Arrow Duel—had officially begun.
Chai Xiaomi had never seen so many people surging onto the streets. The crowd was packed, bustling and noisy, as if the entire martial arts world had been drawn to this place by the competition.
There were lone martial artists, as well as young masters from noble families who came with companions. The bows they carried on their backs were also of various shapes and colors—some made of wood, cast in bronze, and even inlaid with jade.
Chai Xiaomi's gaze couldn't help but turn to the young man beside her.
Wu Li stood in the bustling crowd, like a glaringly bright color.
Today, he had changed back into that indigo Miao attire. He always disdained the clothing of the Central Plains people for being too restrictive, while the wide sleeves of the Miao attire allowed for easy and free movement.
The layers of silver collars and pendants swayed gently with his steps, and the natural light red tint at the corners of his eyes looked like dyed peach blossoms, making his cold beauty, which resembled a snow mountain spirit spring, appear even more breathtakingly stunning.
Indeed, the Miao attire suited him best.
Just as she was feeling restless, her gaze suddenly caught sight of a broken, dilapidated wooden handle among the various bows, which could hardly even be called a bow.
It was old, crude, broken, and then tied together with hemp rope by someone. The bowstring was also pitifully thin, looking closely like a string from a guzheng.
She followed the bow and saw a young man in plain clothes carrying it, groping his way forward. He could only rely on blurry light and shadows and the direction of the crowd to judge his way, inevitably getting bumped and stumbling. A hot-tempered passerby even directly shoved him hard to the side of the street.
Seeing Xiaoman stumble and knock over a roadside stall, his forehead hit heavily against the stone steps in front of the shop.
Chai Xiaomi's heart tightened, and she wanted to run over to help without a second thought.
But her shoulder was tightly gripped by Wu Li.
The streets were crowded, and pedestrians inevitably rubbed shoulders, but Chai Xiaomi's surroundings remained clean and refreshing. She didn't even touch a single corner of anyone else's clothes because she was almost entirely held in Wu Li's arms as they walked.
Sensing her body struggling outward, Wu Li withdrew his arm, easily pulling her back. "What are you running around for? Watch your step."
"I'm going to help Xiaoman. Let me go for a moment."
The commotion just now wasn't small, and Wu Li naturally noticed the stall vendor's curses and the muffled sound of Xiaoman falling. But he just glanced coldly, his arm not loosening at all, even holding her tighter.
His tone carried obvious disdain: "Just a stupid ungrateful man, what's there to help? Focus on walking your own path."
Xiaoman's fall wasn't light, but the person who pushed him had long slipped away, and passersby only cast cold glances, no one offering a hand.
Only the stall owner cursed loudly at his bleeding forehead, demanding compensation.
"What ungrateful man?" Chai Xiaomi was confused and struggled hard. "Quickly let me go."
Seeing her use brute force, the strength in Wu Li's hand suddenly loosened.
He neither wanted to let her go nor wanted to really hurt her.
"Alright, stop struggling." He had to compromise with a gloomy face, but firmly held her hand, leading her with large strides through the crowd. "I'll help him."
Seeing Wu Li pick Xiaoman up from the ground like a little chicken, Chai Xiaomi quickly reminded him, "Be gentle."
As she spoke, she silently took out an ingot of silver and handed it to the stall owner, smiling and saying a few auspicious words.
Seeing that the girl was sweet-talking and had paid compensation, the stall owner's curses immediately stopped, and he turned to pack up the scattered goods.
Xiaoman couldn't care less about wiping the blood flowing down his forehead and hurriedly bowed to Wu Li in thanks.
Wu Li turned his head, clapping his hands in disgust, his tone cold and hard. "Don't thank me. I wasn't the one who wanted to help you."
Before he finished speaking, he caught sight of Chai Xiaomi looking down and fumbling for something on her body. His gaze shifted again and landed on the glaring bloodstain on Xiaoman's forehead.
Seeing a corner of that pink handkerchief exposed in the side lapel of her ruqun, his eyes darkened slightly. Before she could remember the pink handkerchief, he suddenly tore off a piece of the hem of his Miao attire with a "rip" and shoved it straight into Xiaoman's hand.
"Wipe the blood."
Two words, cold and hard.
Chai Xiaomi was stunned for a moment, and then a relieved smile bloomed on her face.
Who could understand?
The sense of redemption of seeing a villain suddenly start "learning from Lei Feng" and helping others.
Did this mean he was getting further and further away from turning completely dark?
She happily leaned forward, her dark, bright eyes rippling with light, her voice soft and rising: "A helpful and good Lili is the most likable."
Likable...
Wu Li was slightly stunned, a fleeting brightness flashing in his eyes.
The gloomy mood of the past few days suddenly dissipated quietly at this moment, and even the gloominess accumulated between his brows seemed to lighten a bit.
She finally said it. Since that time in the palanquin, it was really not easy to hear these two words from her mouth again.
Whether he lied, lured, or coaxed.
She just stubbornly refused to say it again.
He felt like a fish sinking to the bottom of the water, being repeatedly teased and dangled by the bait on the hook.
He was clearly willing to take the bait, but that person stubbornly refused to pull him out of the water.
Wu Li raised his eyebrows slightly, unable to resist asking, "Then if I were a bad Lili, would you not like me anymore?"
"That depends on how bad you are. If you're so bad that you kill anyone you see, then I wouldn't—mm!"
Before Chai Xiaomi could finish her sentence, her mouth was firmly covered by the young man's hand.
"Stop talking." Wu Li frowned, a trace of gloom flashing in his eyes. "I don't want to hear it."
That was close. It almost triggered the backlash of the love Gu again.
Tsk.
This twin love Gu was clearly raised with his heart's blood, why was it so useless?
Could it be that his method of raising the Gu was wrong?
For the first time, he developed some doubts about his abilities.
Chai Xiaomi pushed Wu Li's hand away and, seeing that Xiaoman had almost wiped the blood off his forehead, bent down to pick up the bow that had fallen to the ground.
The wooden handle, originally bound with hemp rope, was now completely broken into two halves.
"Xiaoman, you're participating in the New Moon Arrow Duel to get the Ice Bow and Mystic Arrows in exchange for ten thousand taels of gold, right?" Chai Xiaomi gently placed the broken wooden handle back into his hands. "But you can't see clearly, how are you going to shoot the Moon Shadow Demon Spirit?"
Xiaoman was stunned, silent for a moment, and suddenly recognized this soft voice.
It was the girl he bumped into at the Phantom Sound Pavilion that day, who had softly said, "It's alright."
So, she had silently listened to his conversation with the manager back then.
"Thank you for your concern, miss." Since wandering to the Phantom Sound Pavilion, Xiaoman had received very little kindness, so he was especially grateful for this consideration.
He lowered his head slightly and answered earnestly, "Although I cannot see, I am sensitive to light. I heard that the Falling Star Plateau is an endless night, and the Moon Shadow Demon Spirit takes shape by absorbing moonlight. It is an essence that glows in the dark. I only need to follow that little bit of light, and I can find it."
"Your bow is already broken and can't be used." Chai Xiaomi looked down at the broken bow, her voice gentle. "Moreover, the New Moon Arrow Duel requires groups of two. Do you have a companion to go with you?"
Xiaoman's head lowered bit by bit.
In fact, many people who came alone would look for partners on the spot. But who would be willing to team up with a half-blind person like him who couldn't see?
But he was still unwilling to give up; even if there was only a sliver of a chance, he refused to let it go.
It was just like the saying in a game of chess—
An endgame does not necessarily mean there is no way to survive.
As long as the player's heart has not died, the game continues.
Xiaoman gripped the wooden handle tightly and was about to speak, but Chai Xiaomi suddenly said, "I have the ten thousand taels of gold, but you must wait a few days. I will give it all to you then."
"Absolutely not! How can I accept your money for nothing!" He hurriedly shook his head.
"Just consider it a loan." Chai Xiaomi's tone was soft, but her words carried an undeniable authority. "You came out this time hiding it from Xiangyun, didn't you? You even secretly dismantled her zither strings to use as a bowstring. If you refuse to go back, I will tell her about this, and we will see how you explain it to her."
Xiaoman was dumbfounded.
Just a moment ago, this girl was speaking so gently, yet in the blink of an eye, she was threatening him with words that hid thorns in their softness.
The honest man instantly ran out of options.
He fell silent for a moment and finally lowered his head. "Alright... I will go back now."
If she was truly willing to lend him this ten thousand taels of gold, once he redeemed Xiangyun's freedom, he would work like a horse and toil like an ox for the rest of his life to repay this debt of gratitude.
"How long do you two plan on chatting?"
Wu Li sat lazily on the stone steps to the side, resting his chin on one hand, his brows already tinged with obvious impatience. "There happens to be a teahouse just ahead. How about I go ask the boss to open a private room and brew two pots of good tea, so you two can take your time talking?"
Meanwhile, his other hand was casually holding the hem of the young girl's skirt.
There were still traces of Xiaoman's wet blood on the stone steps. She was standing right at the top of the stairs, so he held that corner of her skirt and gently pulled it toward himself to prevent it from being stained.
She had dressed up with exceptional care today, specifically asking the ladies to style her hair into double buns, adorned with two clusters of freshly picked pale lilies of the valley.
She wore a chest-high ruqun paired with a light gauze half-sleeve jacket. The entire outfit featured a pale green base, with delicate intertwining branch patterns embroidered on the front.
Silk ribbons hung softly, and the hem of her skirt flowed like mist. Standing there, she looked just like a gentle, swaying willow branch in springtime, fresh and lively.
She had bought this new dress specifically for the occasion, claiming she wanted to be some sort of cheerleader to cheer on him and Song Yueyao.
If it got stained with blood now, she would probably feel wronged for quite a while.
