FLIGHT OF THE DRAGON, DANCE OF THE PHOENIX – CHAPTER 23

Long San was looking cool while riding his horse at a medium quick pace, at this question, it shocked him so much that he almost fell off his horse. He was just teasing her when he asked if she was out of questions, he didn’t mean for her to ask one like this that came suddenly out of the blue.

“WHAT!?” He shouted loudly in surprise.

“I was asking, do you lack……” Feng Ning was really going to ask the same question again, but Long San immediately interrupted her: “forget about it, stop, I heard it the first time.”

“You’re asking me this even though you heard it the first time?” Feng Ning stared at him in dissatisfaction, and then followed up with: “then, do you lack them?”

“You’re still asking?” Long San became really angry: “think about it yourself, is this really a question that a lady should be asking? Can you just up and ask a question like this? Even though you’re not a little girl anymore, but you can’t just act so shamelessly. You should think about it a little, if someone else heard this, what would they think of you, you’re breaking all the norms, even if Jianghu members are more relaxed in their societal norms, you still can’t ask something like this……”

With him going on endlessly, Feng Ning became angry as well, she interrupted him, saying loudly: “how do you know Jianghu members don’t ask questions like this? You’ve looked into it? You’ve investigated it? You’re so certain?”

Long San was lost for words for a bit, and took a while to reply: “who would need to look into something like this, a normal person wouldn’t ask these things?”

“Then I asked it, so I’m not normal?” Feng Ning wouldn’t lose to anyone in shamelessness: “I’m asking my husband a question, what’s not normal about it? Of course, my husband won’t recognize me, that’s what’s abnormal here. You haven’t looked into it, so of course you would think someone wouldn’t ask that question, you’re the one that’s not normal. You thought that nobody else would ask, so you’re calling me weird, you’re the one that’s weird.”

Feng Ning finished her speech as if she was saying a tongue twister, then she rode up ahead on her horse, and left Long San behind staring at her back with his mouth wide open, this crazy woman, she’s throwing a temper tantrum again!

For some reason that Long Sand didn’t understand, she seemed to be quite angry, the entire way she didn’t say a word to Long San out of spite, Long San wondered to himself what this woman was going on about, but with the way she was being, he was feeling a pain in his chest about it as well, but no matter what, he won’t be the one who lowers his head and apologizes first.

The two of them reached a tavern, and without saying a thing to each other, but still in tandem, both of them handed their horses over to someone to put in the stable for them. Feng Ning had felt hungry since quite long ago, she ran into the tavern and found a place to sit down, and was planning on pigging out. But unexpectedly, the moment that Long San followed her into the tavern, someone called out, “Mr. San……”

Long San looked around him, and smiled, it happened to be three friends that he recognized. He went over to give his greetings to them, they were a big guy with a lot of facial hair, a young swordsman, and a young female martial artist. Just from their appearance, it seemed obvious that the three of them were Jianghu travelers.

Feng Ning had already sat down, but she witnessed Long San going over to someone else’s table to sit with them, she felt quite frustrated inside. She stared at Long San, watching him chat with those people, his eyes were soft and he was full of laughter, thinking about how he’s always so kind and polite, a real gentleman to others, but always frowning and angry towards herself, she couldn’t help but feel down, and she lowered her head to stare at her own fingers.

The server came over and poured some tea for Feng Ning, and he asked: “miss, what would you like to eat?”

Feng Ning sat in silence, she didn’t have any money, even though there was a person that had promised she wouldn’t starve, but right now he’s left her alone and is ignoring her. The server noticed that she wasn’t speaking, and asked again: “miss, what would you like to eat?”

Before he finished speaking, someone spoke up from beside him: “she’s with me.” Feng Ning raised her head and saw that it was Long San who had come over, and before she even had the chance to be happy about it, she heard Long San say: “I met some friends by coincidence, you should come over and sit with us as well.”

Feng Ning took a look at the table in front of her which was completely empty, and then took a look at their table which already had two hot plates of food, she swallowed her saliva, and told herself that changing places in order to get some food didn’t count as losing face.

She went over, and the other three all self-introduced themselves, they turned out to be three disciples of the Palm and Sword Sect, the woman was called Chai Yue, the guy with the big beard was called Peng Rongtao, and the young man was called Liu Hua, it seems that before, Long San had aided the Palm and Sword Sect in their time of need, and that’s how he knew them.

Feng Ning listened to them, smiled slightly, nodded and greeted them, and asked for some rice really seriously, at seeing this, Peng Rongtao laughed loudly, waved his hand and said: “that’s right, let’s dispense with the formalities, let’s eat, let’s eat.”

At hearing this, Feng Ning finally broke out into a wide grin, and immediately began eating. Chai Yue suddenly asked: “Mr. San, where might you know this lady from?” Long San usually traveled alone, seeing him traveling together with a woman, was something quite rare.

Feng Ning stared at Long San out of the corner of her eye, while shoving food into her mouth, what’s all this that her Long San has been up to, why does he seem to have so many flowers and butterflies around him, everyone has to ask who she is when they see her. Really now, it’s none of their business who she is.

Feng Ning was concentrating on eating, this time she wasn’t saying anything unnecessary, Long San can say whatever he wants. But, she never expected that Long San would reply saying: “oh, her, she’s an assassin that my family raised.” He even turned around and smiled at her after saying this!

Feng Ning choked on the food that she was eating, and she looked at the three people that at first had blank looks on their faces, and then they started laughing, she chewed the rice in her mouth with all her might. That Chai Yue couldn’t stop laughing, she said: “assassin? Mr. San needs an assassin to accompany him? May I ask who you intend to kill?”

Long San didn’t respond this time, he intentionally smiled and stared at Feng Ning, seeming like he couldn’t answer. As expected, Chai Yue’s focus was turned towards Feng Ning, and her eyes became sharper.

Feng Ning was certain that Long San was getting his revenge on her, she just happened to ask something he didn’t like hearing, so he’s paying her back right now. Feng Ning took a look at Long San out of the corner of her eye, took some more food, swallowed it, then turned towards Chai Yue and said calmly: “Food.”

After she replied, she continued eating, killing all the food. The other four people sitting with her all had blank looks on their faces, while watching her, before they finally realized what she meant. This time, even Long San couldn’t help but laugh, what a reply this was. Isn’t she calling herself a bottomless pit?

Long San truly felt like he won’t ever meet a person more interesting than Feng Ning, he laughed and replied: “that’s right, your strength is indeed killing food.” And, his family did raise her.

“Mmm.” Feng Ning frowned at everyone, and said: “didn’t Mr. San praise me before, when I faced three enemies by myself?” The three disciples laughed at hearing this again, while Long San looked at Feng Ning, directly into her eyes, and he suddenly found himself unable to laugh anymore.

Was she actually feeling down?

After that, while they chatted, Feng Ning didn’t participate, she doesn’t know any of them, and she doesn’t remember her own history, she really doesn’t have anything to talk about with them besides food. And so, she focused entirely on eating, without saying a thing, she stuffed her stomach as full as she could in silence.

When everyone finished eating, Long San magnanimously paid for everyone’s food, those three seemed to know that was how Long San liked to act, so they thanked him. The server came over to ask if everyone wanted to stay the night, Long San asked for two of their best rooms, while the other three said they would stay here as well, and if anything happened they’d be able to help each other out. They started happily talking about when they had fought the Magic Sect together, and Peng Rongtao even got some more alcohol and continued to drink.

Feng Ning felt really down while sitting there, so she asked the server to take her to her room. Long San won’t be with her in the same room anyways, he won’t admit that she’s her wife no matter what when they’re outside. Right now, since there’s friends with him as well, of course he’ll just leave her alone and not care about her at all. Feng Ning’s feelings were down in the pits, so she hugged her blanket and went to sleep early.

The moon was already visible through the window, as Feng Ning looked at it, she thought about how downstairs, Long San already had a family and a business, and he had friends everywhere. As for her, she doesn’t have anything. Something must have been wrong with her head today, she asked if Long San lacked women, she had been thinking if he didn’t have anyone in his heart, maybe she could have tried a bit, since they were officially married anyways, and she wasn’t like how she used to be, they could start over, and try to get along with each other. If they could get along, everyone could be happy, and she’ll just stay with him, isn’t that fine?

But she was too embarrassed to ask him directly, so she became hotheaded and thought up such a silly question. Long San doesn’t think highly of her, and his friends don’t think highly of her, she’s just a bottomless pit, she doesn’t know how to do anything but eat.

The more Feng Ning thought about it, the sadder she got, looking at the moon made her feel even sadder, and her face was cold, when she touched it, she was actually crying.

She suddenly jumped up, and put on her clothes and combed her hair really fast. She’s already given the container to Long San, if she’s made mistakes before in the past, hasn’t she made up for it all with that? They intend to bring her back to her mom’s house anyways, even though she doesn’t want to leave, she doesn’t want to be hated by everyone either, and stay at a place where nobody likes her, that’s scarier than even a nightmare. Her hands and feet work fine, and she even knows martial arts, she should be able to take care of herself.

Feng Ning was just about to open her room’s door, but she thought about it some more and returned to the window, and jumped out the window onto the rooftop. She leaped elegantly from rooftop to rooftop.

See, she’s free as could be, she can go anywhere she wants, and do whatever she wants, why would she want to stay there where nobody likes her. The world is so big, surely there will be someplace that welcomes her.

She already ran quite a distance in a short time, when she suddenly thought, she can’t be this stupid, there’s a horse that she can ride, why does she have to exhaust herself running? After considering this, she immediately ran back towards the direction of the tavern. Not only is she going to ride a horse, she’s also going to steal Long San’s horse, just to make him angry. That’s right, she should also go to the kitchen and steal some sweets to take with her, to prevent herself from getting hungry tomorrow morning.

She really did put as many sweets into a big bag as she could, to the point where her waist was bulging with food, then she sneaked into the back garden, made sure that nobody was around, then hastily ran towards the stables.

The horse shook its head and whinnied twice, Feng Ning rubbed its neck and said to it gently: “good boy, don’t be too loud, I’m taking you with me, and I definitely won’t make you starve or overwork you.”

“I don’t think I’ve starved or overworked it.” A gentle man’s voice spoke up, and Feng Ning froze up. When she turned around to look, Long San was standing in the garden looking at her with a helpless look on his face.

Feng Ning bit her lips, turned around and ignored him, she just kept rubbing the horse’s neck, and was at a loss for what to do. After a while, a large hand reached over, and started rubbing the horse as well, it turned out that Long San was now standing beside her.

“I’m sorry.” Just as Feng Ning was thinking about what to say, Long San spoke up first: “I apologize to you.”

Feng Ning turned around to look at him in shock, and Long San said: “I wasn’t trying to make fun of you on purpose, I was just joking around, but it made you feel bad, I’m sorry.” His eyes seemed so gentle and so honest, Feng Ning could feel her heart instantly melting.

“I, I didn’t feel down or anything at all, I was too lazy to pay attention to you.” Feng Ning still wanted face, so her mouth still said those sorts of things.

Long San didn’t want to laugh at this point in time, but the way Feng Ning was pouting with her lips puckered made him couldn’t resist but smile faintly: “mmm, so you weren’t feeling down, but I’m still very sorry.” He agreed with whatever she said.

Feng Ning stared at him, and was very unsatisfied: “you’re not being sincere, you’re apologizing while smiling.”

Her attitude and expression made Long San unable to stand it anymore, and he cracked up. It smelled rather bad inside the stables, with horses and horse feed, but with Feng Ning there, even this place seemed lively.

The moonlight was reflecting off of Feng Ning’s face, her pitch-black eyes were moving around in a lively manner, and the way she was puckering her lips, pouting while seriously complaining, made Long San feel that she was so interesting and so…… cute.

His laughter caused Feng Ning to hit him with all her might, Long San grinned and beared it, and said: “now you’re not angry anymore, right?” Feng Ning hesitated and hesitated some more, and said: “then, I don’t want to stay here anymore.” She lost face in front of his friends, so she felt really bad inside.

Long San nodded: “alright.” He brought out the horse: “let’s go, and change locations.”

Feng Ning was shocked: “you’re going to leave without paying?” This didn’t seem like something Long San would do at all.

Long San sighed deeply, saying: “I’m not like a certain person, but when I noticed that a certain person was missing from her room, I knew it was time to pay the tavern and get going.”

Feng Ning giggled, as Long San took the horse out and put its saddle on, when he suddenly noticed Feng Ning’s waist, and became speechless. Feng Ning looked down to see where he was looking, thought about it a bit, and took out the big bag: “how about you help me return all of this?”

Long San pretended not to hear her, and hurriedly got on the horse and began leaving, and Feng Ning immediately got on the other horse and chased after him: “it’s fine even if we don’t return it, this way we’ll already have breakfast for tomorrow morning.”

Long San was deaf and mute, and he concentrated only on riding his horse. After a while, Feng Ning suddenly mentioned: “Long San, leaving like this, won’t your friends be mad?”

“They won’t, I told them that something came up and I had to leave. They’re all old friends that I get along pretty well with, it won’t be a problem.”

“Long San, you have so many friends, yet I don’t have any.” Her tone of voice was rather plaintive.

“You have me.”

“Mmmm.” Feng Ning nodded, and finally felt a bit relieved.

After a while again, Feng Ning spoke up again: “Long San, you seem pretty popular with women, I can see that you must know quite a few girls, do any of them have any interest in you?”

Long San suddenly turned deaf and mute again, he concentrated seriously on the road, and suddenly sped up on his horse, Feng Ning whined to herself as she followed him closely, saying to herself: “asking like this doesn’t work either?”