After being "recaptured" and returned to the cage, Liu Jiang Fusheng was unusually well-behaved and disciplined, no longer attempting to escape with the little traitor.
Little Si Jun, having been caught red-handed by his mother, did not visit him again in his attempt to please her and show his loyalty. However, Li Sheng, mindful of the "mission" he had promised Gu Junshi, came by from time to time.
He was merely wearing the guise of Liu Jiang Fusheng, but his true nature was far from pure and clear like flowing water, his eyes, as if washed by rain, unstained by any dust.
He seemed to have developed a habit of playing the innocent, always coming to Liu Jiang Fusheng to offer conciliatory words that, in reality, only fanned the flames.
"Brother, if you remain so stubborn, what will you do if Jun Jun falls for someone else?"
He appeared to be genuinely worried about Liu Jiang Fusheng, playing the role of a benevolent elder brother.
"Jun Jun and I are just friends, please don't misunderstand. I truly envy how much she values you. I sincerely hope you two can stop quarreling and get along."
"She's been coming back late these days. I really wish I could share her burdens, but brother, don't think too much of it. I'm not here to compete with you for anything; I'm content just to be by her side."
For the most part, Liu Jiang Fusheng ignored Li Sheng, letting him prattle on innocently, harmlessly, and with a hint of slyness. Only on certain occasions, when he heard something amiss, did he react.
One day, Li Sheng arrived again. This time, however, his expression was not one of suppressed malice pretending to be innocent, but rather one of melancholic grievance, as if he had been wronged. "She brought someone back today..."
This opening, different from the usual, piqued Liu Jiang Fusheng's attention.
"It was an injured young man, and she personally carried him back..."
At this, Liu Jiang Fusheng finally showed a reaction. He lifted his gaze to look at Li Sheng.
"He looks a lot like you..."
Upon hearing this, Liu Jiang Fusheng's eyes instantly turned cold.
"His name is Hua Jia."
The name was unfamiliar; he had never heard it before. However, upon hearing that Gu Junshi had brought back someone who looked very much like him, Liu Jiang Fusheng's heart clenched tightly, and a wave of bitterness and sorrow washed over him.
He felt intensely uncomfortable.
"Scram."
For the first time, the usually silent and indifferent Liu Jiang Fusheng unceremoniously dismissed someone.
***
This secret realm had the natural phenomenon of day and night. Two days passed. That night, Gu Junshi finally reappeared, but this time she was not alone. Following behind her were the Human Emperor, Li Sheng, and Little Si Jun.
The Human Emperor stood with his arms crossed, his sinister and ghostly demeanor partly hidden by his mask. Beneath his disheveled hair, his eyes were bottomless, but whenever they fell upon Liu Jiang Fusheng, a flash of murderous intent would flicker.
Li Sheng was always cautious in front of Gu Junshi, only stealing a moment to wink at Liu Jiang Fusheng. It was as if a silent understanding passed between them, a connection that needed no words.
Little Si Jun, however, couldn't hide his thoughts. He gestured and winked vigorously at his father, as if trying to make amends out of guilt, quickly relaying information to him.
His movements were quite noticeable, making it impossible for Gu Junshi to ignore them. She glanced back casually, and Little Si Jun froze. He quickly placed his arms obediently by his legs, feigning innocence.
Their arrival at night clearly indicated ill intentions. Liu Jiang Fusheng looked at them. Light smoke dissipated, the flowering trees rustled slightly in the rising wind, and the drifting fragrance brushed past his nostrils. He remained silent, waiting to see what they intended to do.
Gu Junshi remained silent for a moment, but Li Sheng grew restless. He softly advised, "Jun Jun, this talk of core blood might just be rumors the Human Emperor overheard. I think..."
He believed it to be utter nonsense, but there was no need to state it so plainly; understanding was sufficient.
Little Si Jun, after all, had to defend his father, not Hua Jia, who harbored ill intentions and sought to climb the social ladder.
Mentioning Hua Jia, Gu Si Jun felt both regret and guilt.
He shouldn't have helped Hua Jia with the face change back then. Now... he had brought trouble upon his father.
"Yes, Mother, Hua Jia is only poisoned and needs an antidote. You don't have to take his..."
Before Gu Si Jun could plead on behalf of his father, he was interrupted by the Human Emperor.
"That's not how you should put it," the Human Emperor stated with a tone of righteous impartiality. "Hua Jia was injured while saving A Miao's life. What he lost were just a few drops of core blood, but Hua Jia might have lost his life. Wouldn't it be too heartless of you to say that?"
Core blood?
At this point, Gu Junshi also had to speak. She made an unreasonable request to Liu Jiang Fusheng, "Hua Jia currently needs the core blood of an immaculate body as medicine. I know you won't agree, but I'm not here to seek your..."
Liu Jiang Fusheng interjected directly, "I can."
"Opinion... What did you say?"
Gu Junshi suspected her ears were playing tricks on her. Had she just heard him agree to such a ridiculous and fabricated reason?
"I said, I am willing to offer my core blood to save him."
Gu Junshi: "..."
Aren't you supposed to follow the script?
At a time like this, shouldn't he be angrily accusing her, saying she trampled on his dignity, or perhaps looking at her with heartbroken resentment? Saying she was heartless and unfeeling.
To so readily agree to offer his core blood to a stranger, didn't he feel any offense to his pride?
The Human Emperor also looked at him with surprise.
As for Li Sheng and Gu Si Jun, they couldn't understand why he would so calmly agree to Gu Junshi's absurd and baseless request.
"However, I have one condition."
Liu Jiang Fusheng continued.
The Human Emperor seemed to suddenly see through his intentions, his expression changing. He mockingly said, "You don't need to delude yourself with wishful thinking. Your condition must be to let you go?"
Liu Jiang Fusheng ignored the Human Emperor's words, his gaze fixed solely on Gu Junshi. His eyes were as clear as crystal, reflecting varying shades of light. "I want to meet the person who needs core blood to heal his injuries. This request is not excessive, is it?"
This request... indeed, it wasn't excessive, but it was strange. Why would he be curious about Hua Jia?
Could it be that someone had told him something?
However, Gu Junshi had no reason to refuse. She nodded. "Certainly."
***
Bamboo Pavilion
Beyond the long corridor, in a verdant dwelling, with three steps leading up, a dark brown bamboo curtain was lifted, revealing several people inside.
Fragrant smoke curled from an incense burner. On the bed lay a young man in a deep slumber, his face pale yet exuding a captivating, ethereal beauty. His features and appearance... were indeed strikingly similar to Liu Jiang Fusheng.
The difference lay in their age; the young man was clearly more youthful, not yet having attained the mature, perfect beauty of Liu Jiang Fusheng.
In fact, Gu Junshi had seen Hua Jia when he was awake. Setting aside his appearance, his gaze was base and timid, with a flicker of cunning in his eyes, utterly lacking the clear, pure, and exceptional spirit of Liu Jiang Fusheng.
There's a saying, "It's easier to paint a tiger than its bones." Hua Jia was merely the painted "tiger" and "skin." Back in Shuofang City, she had seen through him at a glance.
She even felt that using someone like him, a mere imitation, as a substitute for Liu Jiang Fusheng was an insult.
But on this outing, the person she had initially disregarded had given her a surprise.