Chapter 57: I will listen to you play the zither again

Chu Wanning's dumpling-making skills are clumsy, but the result is not bad at all, with lovely round dumplings squeezed out by his long, even fingers and laid out neatly on the table.

All three disciples could not help but be dumbfounded.

"The Master actually knows how to make dumplings."

"I'm not dreaming, am I?"

"It's still wrapped up nicely."

"Wow."

Their whispers naturally escaped Chu Wanning's ears, who pursed his lips and ruffled his eyelashes, still expressionless but with the tips of his ears slightly flushed.

Xue Meng didn't hold back and asked, "Master, is this your first time making dumplings?"

"Hmm."

"So how come it's wrapped so nicely."

"It's just like making a mech, it's just a few folds, what's so hard about it."

Mo Ran looked at him across the wooden table, gradually lost in thought.

In his last life, the only time he had seen Chu Wanning make pasta was after Shi Mei's death, the day Chu Wanning went to the kitchen and slowly wrapped Shi Mei's best noodle dish.

But before the pot could be put on the table, an unhinged Mo Ran knocked it to the ground, sending the white slices rolling in a heap.

Mo Ran doesn't remember whether the buns are flat or round, beautiful or ugly.

I only remember Chu Wanning's face, looking at herself without saying a word, her cheeks still covered in flour flakes, looking strange, a little bewildered, even a little foolish.

Mo Ran expected him to be angry and to lash out, but Chu Wanning didn't say anything in the end, he just leaned down, bowed his head and picked up the plastered codpiece, one by one, silently, caged them together and then poured them out himself.

How did Chu Wanning feel at that time?

Mo Ran doesn't know, he doesn't think about it, doesn't want to think about it and, in fact, doesn't dare to think about it.

The dumplings were wrapped and taken to the kitchen to be cooked by the little snowmen. Chu Wanning sealed a copper coin inside, as is the custom, so that whoever ate it would have good luck.

The snowman quickly brought back the cooked dumplings with a wooden tray with a seasoned hot and sour vinegar dressing.

Xue Meng said, "The Master will eat first."

Chu Wanning didn't push back, he took one dumpling and put it in his bowl, but instead of eating it, he took three more and gave them to Xue Meng, Mo Ran and Shi Mei in turn.

"Happy New Year." Chu Wanning said lightly.

The disciples froze and then all smiled, "Happy New Year, Master."

It was a coincidence that Mo Ran was caught off guard by the first dumpling when he bit into the copper plate and almost lost half of his tooth.

Shi Mei looked at him with a grimace and smiled, " Mo Ran will have good luck in the new year."

Xue Meng said, "Gee whiz, shit luck."

Mo Ran's teary eyes: "Master, the dumpling is too accurate, it's only the first one, and the nest has already played"

Chu Wanning said, "Talk nicely."

Mo Ran: "I bit the toe of my shoe."

Chu Wanning :""

Mo Ran rubbed his cheeks, took a sip of the tea Shi Mei handed him and finally eased up, joking, "Haha, Master wouldn't have remembered which dumpling had a copper plate in it and knocked me on purpose, would he"

"That's a nice thought."

Chu Wanning said coldly, before lowering his head and minding his own food.

But I don't know if it was just Mo Ran, but he saw that Chu Wanning's face seemed slightly flushed in the warm candlelight.

The chef's sumptuous dinner was quickly followed by the dumplings, which were also brought out plate by plate, with chicken, duck and fish filling the table in heavy loads.

Mengpo Court became increasingly busy as Xue Zhengyong and Madame Wang sat at the head of the table and had the little snowmen go from table to table to deliver the generous red envelopes.

A small snowman keeps banging against Chu Wanning's knee, and Stoney On Sung's eyes stare at him with bone-dry eyes.

Chu Wanning, slightly stunned: "Why, I have one too"

He looked up at Xue Zhengyong, but saw that the vulgar man was looking at him with a smile on his face, and lifted the wine in his hand to offer a distant toast.

So silly.

But then I think Xue Zhengyong is really

Chu Wanning stared at him for a moment, unable to resist a small smile rubbing the corners of his mouth, he too raised his own wine towards his Holiness and drank it down in one go.

The gold leaves were later all distributed to the apprentices, and after three rounds of wine, the table finally came to life as the performances continued on stage.

The main thing is that the three bear children don't seem to be so afraid of him anymore.

As for Chu Wanning, he's always been a thousand glasses too many.

"Master Master, let me read your palm."

The first person to drink was Xue Meng, who was a little less clear-headed.

He tugged Chu Wanning's hand and held it up to his eyes. If he hadn't had three glasses of wine in him, he wouldn't have dared to take such an offence.

"The lifeline is long but intermittent, and the body does not seem to be particularly well." Xue Meng cooed, "Prone to illness."

Mo Ran laughed, "Quite accurate."

Chu Wanning glared at him.

"With a long slender ring finger, you are very lucky to be rich, Master."

"The three lines have the same origin, and the end branch of the love line dangles into the wisdom line, generally willing to sacrifice for love" Xue Meng stared blankly for a moment, then suddenly looked up and asked, "Really?"

Chu Wanning's face turned blue as he gritted his teeth and said, "Xue Meng, I think you're tired of living."

The drunken Xue Meng was still unaware of this and smiled nervously as he continued to read, "Ah, and the love line has an island shape and is under the ring finger, Master, your eyes do not allow you to be blind."

Chu Wanning could not stand it any longer, so he withdrew his hand in anger and waved his sleeve to leave.

Mo Ran was about to die laughing, holding his belly for half a day, when he suddenly met Chu Wanning's cold, stern gaze and held his tongue, but his ribs ached.

Chu Wanning said angrily, "What's so funny about you laughing?"

He was about to leave, but Xue Meng tugged on his sleeve. Xue Meng dazedly pulled Chu Wanning down and buried her head in Chu Wanning's arms, wrapping her arms around his waist and rubbing her forehead against the lapel of her master's coat.

"Master," said the soft teenage voice, with a hint of petulance, "don't go away, come on, have another drink."

Chu Wanning looks like he's about to choke.

" Xue Meng you, you're being ridiculous, get off me"

At that moment, the little snowman on the stage suddenly squeaked and ran down, but it turned out to be the end of Elder Greedy Wolf's sword dance and it was Chu Wanning's turn in order.

All eyes were on Chu Wanning, and when they saw that Xue Meng had the audacity to hug Elder Yu Heng's waist and bury himself in his arms after getting drunk, the disciples were so dismayed that some even took their chopsticks down and stared at the corner.

Chu Wanning :""

The situation was so awkward that Elder Yu Heng had no choice but to stand or sit and let Xue Meng hold him with his arms and legs.

After a long period of silence, Mo Ran suddenly laughed dryly, "No, Xue Meng, you are so old, you are still pampered," he said, reaching out to tug the person, "Get up, don't rely on your master."

It's not that Xue Meng is trying to be petulant; if he could remember this when he's sober, he could slap himself twice.

But the man was so drunk that it took Mo Ran a long time to tear him off Chu Wanning's body.

"Sit back and see how many this is"

Xue Meng looked at one of Mo Ran's outstretched fingers and frowned as he replied, "Three."

Mo Ran :""

Shi Mei couldn't stop laughing and teased him too: "Who am I?"

"You're Shi Mei ah." Xue Meng rolled her eyes impatiently.

Mo Ran joins in the fun: "And who am I?"

Xue Meng stared at him for a moment and said, "You're a dog."

"" Mo Ran said angrily, " Xue Meng, I'm not finished with you."

Suddenly, at the table next to him, a disciple, who was either bold or drunk, pointed at Chu Wanning and asked in a loud, smiling voice: "young master, look who he is".

Xue Meng, who could not hold his liquor, could not even sit still and slumped over the table, dragging his cheeks and squinting at Chu Wanning for a long time.

Chu Wanning :""

Xue Meng :""

Chu Wanning :""

Xue Meng :""

After a long standoff, just when everyone thought Xue Meng was about to fall asleep, he suddenly burst into laughter and tried to tug Chu Wanning's sleeve again.

"Brother God."

The four words are loud and clear.

The disciples: ""

"Pfft."

Even though Chu Wanning had a bad look on his face and a bad temper, the law did not apply to everyone, and it was assumed that even if he was upset, he would not be able to smack everyone in the room with a question from heaven.

"Haha, Brother God."

" Elder Yu Heng is so good looking and really looks like a god."

"I'd have to come up with a cheesy one if you ask me. I can't help but think of a phrase every time I see him."

Someone asked, "What's the word?"

"Except for the three feet of snow on your body, who in the world is worthy of white clothes."

"Then you're really quite cheesy."

Chu Wanning's face went from white to blue to black and finally he decided to play it cool and pretend he hadn't heard.

After all, he was used to being treated with aloofness and reverence, and the sudden eagerness that came out of the festive atmosphere and the wine made him lose his cool. He didn't really know how to react to this situation, so he had to keep his composure.

But the faint colour of scarlet at the base of his ears betrayed his handsome, seemingly frozen face.

Mo Ran noticed and pursed her lips without saying a word, but for some reason an annoying jealousy suddenly tumbled through her heart.

It's not that he doesn't know Chu Wanning is good looking, but like everyone else, he understands that although Chu Wanning is handsome, his beauty is more of a razor sharpness, and when he's not smiling, he's always cold as snow, making him unapproachable.

To his dark and narrow mind, Chu Wanning was like a plate of crispy meat with all its flavours, but in a tattered and dirty food box, the only person in the world who had opened it and tasted its delicacies was himself. He doesn't have to worry about anyone discovering the dish and eating it.

But tonight, in the warmth of the fire, fuelled by soju, so many pairs of eyes are fixed on the once untouched food box.

Mo Ran was suddenly a little nervous. He wanted to cover the food box as firmly as he could swat away the annoying flies and chase away those who coveted his food.

But then suddenly he realised that, in this life, the crispy meat was not his. With the crystalline codpiece in his hand, he could no longer spare the time to chase away the wolves salivating over the meat.

Mo Ran, who had not expected Chu Wanning to be as serious as the other elders in preparing the Chinese New Year programme, presented a performance on the guqin. The disciples were filled with admiration and someone whispered, "I can't believe that Elder Yu Heng can play the zither."

"And it's played so exceptionally well that I'm going to lose track of the taste of meat."

Mo Ran sits silently, Xue Meng has fallen asleep and is lying on the table, breathing long and evenly. Mo Ran takes the wine jug he is holding and fills it up for himself, listening and drinking as he stares at the man on stage.

The irritation in my chest grows stronger.

In a previous life, Chu Wanning did not play any pieces at the New Year's Eve reunion dinner.

He played the piano in a way that only few, if any, people have ever seen.

At that time, Chu Wanning, who had been under house arrest by Mo Ran, was so upset that he saw an old tung wood zither in the garden and sat down on the ground, closing his eyes and playing the strings.

When Mo Ran returned, he saw the silhouette of Chu Wanning sitting in the courtyard, inexpressibly quiet and serene.

How he treated him back then

Ah, yes.

It was to hold him down and fuck him at the lyre, violating the moonlit, cold man directly in the courtyard. Mo Ran was so preoccupied with the wariness and relief of his own extinction that he didn't care how painfully uncomfortable Chu Wanning was, or even that it was past winter and that the Master, so afraid of the cold, had his clothes torn off and was himself on the cold stone surface until he could no longer bear it and passed out.

After months of recuperation, I couldn't get my spirit back.

Mo Ran said to him, "Chu Wanning, you must never play the piano in front of other people again. You know how you look when you play the piano."

He pursed up his lips, unable to find the right words, and said no more.

How much what

She is clearly dignified and calm, but for some reason, she is unbearably seductive.

Chu Wanning said nothing, his lips were blue and white, his eyes were closed and his sword brows were stern.

Mo Ran lifted his hand, hesitating for a moment, and stroked his furrowed brow. Fairy Tramper's movements seemed gentle, but his voice was still cold and unfeeling.

"If you don't listen, I will chain you to the couch so that you can do nothing but sleep with me. I will do what I say."

What Chu Wanning said in response

Mo Ran took another sip of wine and looked back at the stage with depression.

It doesn't seem to say anything.

And again, as if opening his eyes, he said a cold word

"Get out."

He can't remember.

In his life, he spent so much time with Chu Wanning that many things were no longer so clear, no longer so well-defined.

In the end, he only recognised one thing to the utmost: Chu Wanning was his, and even if he didn't like it, it was his to destroy, his to tear apart. He would rather crush Chu Wanning's flesh and blood in his palm, chew up his bones and gut him like a jackal or a tiger, than let anyone else touch him.

He wanted Chu Wanning's blood to breed his lust, his curse to grow in his bones and his eagerness to flow through his body.

Isn't he noble?

And then it was not to lie with his legs wide open, under the most wicked and wicked man in the world, in the bed of the most violent tyrant, and to be claimed by the hot and fierce blade of a man. He soiled him, inside, outside, all over.

It is not so easy to put on a garment that has been torn to pieces.

Mo Ran closes her eyes, her knuckles are blue and white, and her heart shudders.

As he thought about the past, he could no longer hear the lively sounds of New Year's Eve or the soothing piano of Chu Wanning.

All that remained in his mind was a cold, almost frantic voice, vulture-like, swooping and feathering from the dust before him, hovering for a long time.

"Hell is too cold, Chu Wanning, you come martyr me."

"Yes, you are a god, a light to others, Xue Meng Mei Hanxue the dawned people are waiting for you to shine on them, Master Chu, the sage." The voice laughed sweetly, smiled and laughed, then became abruptly ruthless, as if it were a soul split in two, angry as thunder, "But what about me have you shone on me? Have you warmed me? I have only the scars you have left on me O Sage, Chu Wanning "

"I will have your person and I will have your life. You will be their fire, and I will take you to my grave. Let you only shine on my bones; I will make you, and I will rot with me."

"Death and life are not for you"

A tremendous cheer went up.

Mo Ran's eyes snapped open, cold sweat already drenching his back.

The performance was over and all the disciples were clapping eagerly as Mo Ran sat among them, feeling a pallor in his eyes as he watched Chu Wanning walk slowly down the wooden steps with his tung wood guqin in his arms.

In that moment, for the first time in his life, he suddenly felt so absurd, and suddenly felt as if he had been mad and insane in his previous life.

In fact, Chu Wanning isn't so bad himself, so why bother?

When the wine is in your throat, you are at a loss for words, you are at a loss for knowledge, and in the end, you are drunk.