Su Lai raised his wine cup and took a slow sip. "Yu Ye, you're here about Qiang Zi's matter, aren't you?"
Yu Daohen saw that Su Lai knew and remained silent.
Su Lai continued, "We've been friends for so many years, what storms haven't we weathered? I know what you're thinking."
Yu Daohen smiled faintly, raised his wine pot, tapped it against Su Lai's, and took a large gulp. "It seems you also know about the changes in Qiang Zi this past year."
Su Lai nodded and took a sip of wine. "He came to me and told me about the two of you. I promised him I wouldn't tell you what I knew."
Yu Daohen said nothing, he had already guessed.
Seeing Yu Daohen's silence, Su Lai's expression turned bitter. "My trip to Taohua Village… I feel guilty. I haven't dared to face you and Qiang Zi. If I hadn't gone searching for that treasure, you and Qiang Zi wouldn't have fallen out."
Yu Daohen smiled faintly, took out a cigarette case, offered one to Su Lai, and then put one in his own mouth. He lit it, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled. "Are we still brothers?"
Su Lai nodded, his face full of conviction. "Of course, we are. We'll always be brothers!"
Yu Daohen nodded. "Then let's not talk about these things. Let's drink!"
Su Lai raised his wine pot and tapped it against Yu Daohen's before taking a hearty drink.
Yu Daohen knew that everyone had their own difficulties. Since Su Lai didn't want to talk about it, why should he press?
Sometimes, pursuing the truth too relentlessly could cost them their friendship.
It was better not to ask at all.
The small boat continued upstream. Yu Daohen and Su Lai drank and talked about everything, their conversation flowing freely.
They reminisced about the past and discussed what they should do in the future.
In that moment, the two of them felt as if they had returned to their younger days.
When they reached Su Lai's residence, Yu Daohen was already dead drunk.
Su Lai looked at the sleeping Yu Daohen and shook his head helplessly.
Among the four of them, Yu Ye had the weakest tolerance for alcohol.
Su Lai slung Yu Daohen over his shoulder and headed towards his wooden cabin.
Su Lai's cabin was located by a wide river, far from any other dwellings. Only the small wooden house stood there.
Su Lai turned to look at the figure standing in the snow, his expression turning serious. "Why are you here?"
The figure brushed the snow off his hair and shoulders and said with a smile, "I'm your brother too. Why can't I come?"
Su Lai said nothing and walked towards the wooden cabin. "Whatever you have to say, let me get Yu Ye settled first."
Zhang Xiaoqiang smiled faintly. "I only came here to find Yu Ye."
"What do you want him for?" Su Lai stopped, his vigilance immediately piqued.
Seeing Su Lai's wary demeanor, a hint of sadness flickered across Zhang Xiaoqiang's face before quickly vanishing. He said, "Give him to me."
Su Lai ignored him and continued walking towards the cabin. "I won't interfere with whatever is between you two, but if you want to take him today, you'll have to step over my dead body."
"Su Lai!" Zhang Xiaoqiang's expression turned icy. Countless arcs of electricity gathered in his hand.
Su Lai did not stop, his back to Zhang Xiaoqiang. "If you still value our past friendship, do not make a move."
Zhang Xiaoqiang's hand, crackling with electricity, began to tremble. He eventually lowered it, retracting the power. "I can repay that hundred million for you."
"No need," Su Lai replied, walking into the cabin.
Su Lai placed Yu Daohen on the bed. Seeing that Zhang Xiaoqiang had not left, he went back outside.
After Su Lai left, Yu Daohen suddenly opened his eyes and listened to the conversation outside.
Yu Daohen was indeed drunk, but having navigated the martial world for so long, he still retained a degree of awareness. Moreover, Rui Ye had helped to sober him up a little.
Otherwise, with his usual alcohol tolerance, he would have been completely unconscious and fast asleep.
"Don't worry, if that brat dares to come in and kill you, I'm confident I can eliminate him on the spot!" a voice echoed from the jade pendant at Yu Daohen's waist.
"Rui Ye, you've finally awakened." Yu Daohen's face broke into a smile.
In the past year, he had tried countless methods to awaken Rui Ye, but all had failed.
The voice in the jade pendant also sighed. "It's been a year since we last parted."
He hadn't expected his previous injuries to be so severe, requiring a full year of recuperation before he could awaken.
This was largely thanks to Yu Daohen frequently taking him to places with dense Yin energy.
The two outside chatted for a short while before Su Lai returned with a grim expression, while Zhang Xiaoqiang turned and left.
Seeing this, Yu Daohen quickly closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep.
Su Lai looked at the soundly sleeping Yu Daohen, sighed helplessly, and sat on a chair, gazing at the snowy landscape outside.
Seeing that there was no further trouble, Yu Daohen truly fell asleep. He was genuinely drunk, and his current state of consciousness was maintained only through sheer willpower.