Yama Reborn

Chapter Ninety-Three [Chen Yanluo Artfully Crafts a Past, Empress Lu Sincerely Calls for Her Lover]

Four hours after Empress Lu woke up and called out "husband"...

Lu Yiyi, pah!

Lu Xixi finally fell asleep again.

After all, she was still injured. Following a forced outburst, the effects of the Empress's wounds and her weakened spiritual power took their toll. Despite her anxiety, confusion, and the endless questions bombarding her mind, she fell asleep.

Chen Nuo just said one thing:

"Explaining everything to you now would be pointless. You see, with this illness of yours, you just need to sleep it off after an episode, and your memory will come back when you wake up. So just sleep soundly, and we can talk about everything once you awaken."

What explanation? There was none! Isn't it tiring to make up stories?

Finally, after looking at Chen Nuo with pitiful eyes for four hours, Lu Xixi couldn't hold out any longer. Her head nodded bit by bit until, after countless nods, it tilted to the side and she fell asleep on the sofa.

Chen Nuo didn't dare to be too hasty and waited a few minutes until Lu Xixi's breathing stabilized...

He took a deep breath and used his Telekinesis to sense Lu Xixi's condition.

The woman's spiritual power was becoming more chaotic. In her consciousness, it was a mess, her spiritual energy shattered like broken glass.

He could vaguely sense that between clusters of fragments, connections were already forming, like threads—slowly bonding, slowly drawing together.

But the process was very, very slow.

Chen Nuo figured... Forget it! I don't dare to assume anymore! I previously thought it would take a long time for her to wake up, but after a touch on the behind, I became 'husband.' It's better not to make assumptions.

After waiting a bit more, Chen Nuo began to act!

What am I doing? Duh, aren't I afraid of the consequences? Just now, in a moment of urgency, I had admitted to being the husband... As if I could have denied it, right? After touching her behind, to not admit I was the husband was like asking for death with a knife already at my neck. But the consequences are serious! What if Empress Lu really woke up? What if she remembered this particular episode? Remembered me tricking her into calling me husband. What if she also remembered... me knowing about a red mole on a certain part of her body? That would be a big deal! Did I really think the Starry Sky Empress had the heart of a bodhisattva and wouldn't dare to kill? Better send her away quickly!!

Chen Nuo carefully released a little bit of Telekinesis, gradually enveloping the deeply asleep Lu Xixi in it, then gently guided her spiritual power to lead her into an even deeper sleep.

This process made Chen Nuo break into a sweat.

After doing all this, Chen Nuo picked up Lu Xixi and went out.

Half an hour later, Chen Nuo arrived at Niu Shou Mountain in the dark.

He returned to the spot beside Yulong Lake where Empress Lu had beaten up Boss Guo that evening.

He found a clean patch of grass and set the Empress down.

"There, Lu Xixi, I've been quite kind, you know. Tonight I truly saved your life! It's not that I don't want to look after you, it's just that things got a bit too complicated. If I had let you keep staying in my house... once you woke up, there would be no way to clean up this mess. That's why I had to bring you back here," Chen Nuo said as he gazed at the peacefully sleeping Lu Xixi on the grass.

The woman was deeply asleep, her eyelashes occasionally fluttering lightly, seemingly lost in dreams.

Curled up slightly, she looked somewhat pitiable.

Niu Shou Mountain isn't a real uninhabited mountain, and there are no wild animals in the mountains nowadays. Besides... the Empress is just asleep, not unconscious, and needn't fear any danger. When she wakes up... whatever it may be, wild animals or bad guys, nothing would be enough to serve as her midnight snack.

Chen Nuo reassured himself as he quietly left.

This should be fine now, right?

Chen Yanluo felt a sense of relief in his heart.

As he walked out of the mountain and toward more populated areas, he kept thinking to himself.

Although Lu Xixi had woken up in my house, she didn't know the specific address. She also didn't know her own first or last name. To her, it was an unfamiliar indoor environment. She only saw the inside of the place, never taking in the outdoors, and had no points of reference... She probably won't be able to find me.

With these thoughts in mind, Chen Nuo walked out of Niu Shou Mountain and reached an area that was somewhat populated.

Standing by the roadside, Chen Nuo suddenly felt a wave of confusion.

He stopped, took a cigarette out of his pocket, and lit one.

After a couple of puffs, he snuffed it out.

Damn, smoking only makes me more irritated. That woman... she won't be in any trouble, right? Even though she's the Starry Sky Empress, she... she's a fool. From my knowledge of her in a past life, she normally acted crazy and foolish, and it was only thanks to Little Candy being constantly by her side to take care of her. Now she's injured and has lost her memory—no one knows how long the amnesia will last. What if she encounters danger? What if her injuries worsen? If she encounters bad people... Hmm... encountering bad people isn't a worry; she can beat them. But what if she encounters a scammer?

Remembering Lu Xixi lying on the lawn when he left, her body pitifully curled up into a ball.

Uh... I'll just go back for a look, just a sneaky peek.

As if to reassure himself, Chen Nuo turned his head and re-entered the mountains!

He walked slowly when he came out. But he walked swiftly on his way back.

Once Chen Nuo entered the mountains, he no longer concealed his form, running through the trails at full force, as fast as a racing horse!

Soon, he arrived at the grassland by Yulong Lake, where he had left Lu Xixi.

But...

What the hell? Where is she?!

The space in front of him was empty; where Lu Xixi had been lying, the green grass still bore the impression of her body.

But the person was gone!

Chen Nuo began to feel an urgency in his heart.

Could she have been dragged away by wild animals? Hmm, no way! Niu Shou Mountain has no dangerous wild animals; creatures like jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards went extinct decades ago. This place is only four or five kilometers from the newly developed university town; in the year 2001, if any large wild animals were still around, that would be a true fantasy story. Then... did someone come and take her away?

Chen Nuo checked the area: there were no traces of footsteps on the grass...

Chen Nuo started to panic.

He searched around the lake for a long time, even diving into the water to look for her.

He found nothing.

"Lu Yiyi!! Lu Yiyi!!!" Chen Nuo couldn't help but shout.

After wandering by the lake and through the woods for nearly an hour, with no sign of Lu Xixi, he was at his wit's end.

Chen Nuo could only comfort himself: Maybe Lu Xixi woke up on her own and then left. Perhaps... she regained her memory upon awakening? Hopefully?

Actually, deep down, I'm still a little worried and feel a twinge of self-reproach.

But forcibly suppressing these feelings, Chen Nuo decided to go home.

After all, there's still someone lying at home. I have to go back!

When he arrived at the entrance of his neighborhood, he glanced at Ramen Guo, which had already closed for the day.

Boss Guo, 'Tank Hand,' must have taken the Fourth Miss and run off by now.

Entering the neighborhood and approaching his building, he saw from a distance a captivating figure standing there, turning in circles, a mix of innocence and panic on her face.

Chen Yanluo was stunned on the spot!

His back was soaked, and he broke out in a cold sweat!!

Lu Xixi also saw Chen Nuo, her gaze complicated as she looked over. Then she pouted her lips as if to call out, "Husband..."

Chen Nuo's complexion changed, and he reacted instantly, striding forward and seizing Lu Xixi by the shoulders.

"Where did you run off to? I woke up in the middle of the night and found you gone! I was scared and searched everywhere for you!!"

"...Uh?"

Lu Xixi was obviously startled, and whimpered, "I, I don't know. When I woke up, I saw I was by a lake. I was very scared, so I ran back here on my own."

"Let's go upstairs to the apartment first," Chen Nuo said, letting out a long sigh of relief.

Feeling a complex mix of emotions, Chen Nuo was somewhat helpless.

He took Lu Xixi upstairs to the apartment, and as soon as they entered, he pulled her onto the couch.

Then he voiced the doubt in his heart.

"How did you find your way back?"

Lu Xixi blinked and said, "I don't know... I woke up by the lake, felt really scared, then I cried for a while, and then I started tracking your scent, and I eventually found my way back."

Scent? Realization dawned on Chen Nuo.

Well, the Empress remembered my Psychokinesis. A Controller-level expert, terrifying indeed.

She had managed to find her way back safely, without any mishaps.

But the problem was...

She's fine! That means Chen Yanluo is in trouble! She found my home! If she could find her way back once, it means Lu Xixi has memorized where I live! It won't be so easy to shake her off next time. This 'husband' situation, how am I supposed to end it?

Chen Nuo sat on the couch, his face a picture of distress; after a while, he stood up, took a broom into the room, and began to clean up the aftermath of the previous fight.

He cleaned up the broken glass on the floor, and the shattered bed, now unusable, was carried out to the doorstep.

Lu Xixi watched Chen Nuo silently cleaning the room, feeling somewhat guilty in her heart.

She stood at the doorway, looked at Chen Nuo, and suddenly spoke in a low voice.

"You know... being my husband must have been hard on you."

Chen Nuo sighed. It's not that it's hard... it's just that it's life-threatening.

"Come on, let's talk for a bit." Chen Nuo simply pulled Lu Xixi back to the living room and poured her a glass of water.

"What do you remember now?"

Lu Xixi thought for a moment, then shook her head.

Chen Nuo frowned, "You don't remember anything?"

"I can't remember anything before I woke up," Lu Xixi shook her head.

Clearly, Lu Xixi suffered from event-related amnesia. She had forgotten everything that happened before waking up tonight.

She had completely forgotten her own personal history, experiences, and social relations.

But she hadn't forgotten some basic knowledge, like how to turn on the TV or how to eat.

It was almost dawn.

Lu Xixi's stomach suddenly made a gurgling sound, then she looked at her husband with flushed cheeks, captivatingly beautiful...

Chen Nuo slapped his forehead.

Right, I'm actually hungry too. Earlier in the evening, we had crayfish, and we hadn't even eaten half when we saw the Starry Sky Empress pounding on Fu Sheng. After coming home, we went to eat at Boss Guo's, and I hadn't had more than a couple of bites of noodles before being "knocked out" by Boss Guo and then followed to watch the excitement. But watching the drama doesn't fill the stomach! After being busy for most of the night, I'm actually hungry now too.

He got up, went to the kitchen, boiled half a pot of water, then cooked some noodles, cracked in a couple of eggs, and served up two bowls, bringing them back to the table.

"Come and eat something," Chen Yanluo said, deciding to just go with the flow.

Lu Xixi walked over somewhat timidly and took the chopsticks Chen Nuo handed her.

After the first bite of noodles, Lu Xixi seemed to squint her eyes slightly, "This is really good."

Chen Nuo didn't say anything, first sipped the broth, then started eating heartily.

"Um, can I ask you something, husband?"

"...You can," Chen Yanluo's eyes swiveled around.

This "husband" still feels a bit strange.

Lu Xixi hesitated, "The two of us... we're not ordinary people, are we?"

"Huh?"

Lu Xixi pointed towards the room, seemed hesitant and slightly embarrassed to inquire further, but couldn't help herself, "We fought in there tonight... Although I don't remember my past, normal people can't fight like that, right?"

Chen Nuo remained silent.

Lu Xixi continued, "I woke up by the lake, but I found that I could quickly sense your presence, that kind of power... I don't know how to describe it. Also, when I found my way back so quickly, I don't think a normal person could do that, right?"

"..." Chen Nuo thought for a moment, slowly chewed the noodles and egg in his mouth, and glanced at Lu Xixi.

"Could you tell me about it?"

Don't rush, Comrade Lu, I'm still making it up.

Two minutes later, Chen Yanluo put down his bowl and chopsticks, lit a cigarette as if reminiscing about the past.

"Ah... to speak of it, it's all fate," Chen Yanluo began telling the story with a world-weary tone.

"You grew up in a traditional Ancient Martial Arts family, where your father was a master of Ancient Martial Arts. One day, your family adopted a boy with exceptional talent – that was me. We grew up together, like childhood sweethearts. Unfortunately... it's all fate. We had been together for less than half a year when your father fell gravely ill and... sigh! He passed away. We then lived together, just the two of us. You're correct; we're indeed not ordinary people. Both of us are inheritors of Ancient Martial Arts!"

Lu Xixi gaped with wide eyes, suddenly confused, "But... when did we get together?"

"It's been a few years now."

"That's not right! Husband, you don't look that old! And I... I feel like I might be older than you? A few years? A few years ago, you would have been underage, right?" Lu Xixi frowned, feeling a little embarrassed, "Husband... you look very young, don't you? Is there a big age difference between us?"

Chen Yanluo's heart pounded; he suppressed his guilt, maintained a calm facade, and sighed deeply, "Age has never been an issue... when two people in love come together, why care about those worldly views?"

"Huh?" That was indisputable!

After thinking, Lu Xixi was still puzzled, "But several years ago... you were just a child, right? Husband, don't tell me we got together when you were that young?"

Chen Nuo sighed as if in resignation, took a couple of drags of his cigarette, and encouraged himself internally: Hold steady, don't panic! Our story is too complicated to tell, ah! Let's just say fate plays strange tricks on people! It's a long story… best left untold!

Lu Xixi wasn't having it!

She grabbed Chen Nuo's arm, "Husband, please tell me! I want to hear it! Will you tell me, please?"

"..." Chen Nuo looked at Lu Xixi, "Do you really want to hear it?"

"Yes!"

"You really need to hear it?"

"Yes!"

"...Alright then."

Chen Yanluo wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Damn it, those web novel writers in later generations won't be as tired as I am! If their stories are bad, the worst they get is readers sending them razor blades. If I mess this up, my life is on the line! It was ten years ago... That year, the spring was warm, and flowers bloomed. That year, the mountain flowers were resplendent. A ten-year-old boy, chased by villains, stumbled into the mountains by mistake. A beautiful girl and her elders lived in the mountains, dwelling in a simple hut, their days spent raising bees and gathering honey. In his blind panic, the boy burst into the mountains and disturbed the girl who was collecting honey... From first sight, the two of them formed an unbreakable bond for life...

Half an hour later.

"...Seeing the boy in such a pitiful state, homeless, the girl, although managing to chase away the villains, eventually took pity on him and took him in. From then on, the boy stayed in the mountains, keeping the girl company... The girl took the boy in, not only did she teach him martial arts, she also taught him many, many other things..."

At this point, Chen Yanluo looked tenderly at Empress Lu.

"That's right! Before we got married, you and I actually had the relationship of master and apprentice! It's just that you've never liked me calling you 'Master.' So, actually, for many years before our marriage, I always called you 'Auntie.' And you, you always called me... Guo... Ah, no, Nuonuo! Auntie~~"

Auntie?????

Lu Xixi's eyes went wide as she looked blankly at Chen Yanluo.

There was a moment of silence.

"Husband... before we got married, we were in a master-apprentice relationship, weren't we?"

"Yes."

"And... what's the name of our sect?"

"Hmm... Our martial arts are derived from the 'wood' element of the Five Elements, so our sect is called the Ancient Wood Sect! Before you married me, you had a name in the martial world... because you were already highly skilled at a young age, and your surname is Lu. So people called you... 'Little Deer Girl.'"

Ancient Wood Sect... Little Deer Girl... Auntie... Nuonuo... Lu Xixi was dumbfounded!!

Chen Yanluo muttered inwardly... Great Master Jin Yong, may your spirit in heaven... Ah, no, it's 2001 now. In this timeline, Great Master Jin Yong hasn't passed away yet.

Lu Xixi's mind was a mess; she found the story told by her husband incredibly tragic and bizarre.

Her first feeling was: absurd!

It was hard for her to accept.

But then... on second thought.

She felt an indescribable sense of familiarity!

Familiar!

Very, very familiar!

Chen Nuo's inner thoughts: Thankfully, I knew you in my past life and knew you were a wuxia fan!

Finally, Lu Xixi let out a long sigh and gazed into Chen Nuo's eyes, from which a tender feeling slowly emerged.

She suddenly reached out gently, clasping Chen Nuo's hand, caressing it delicately in her palm.

"Nuonuo... you've really had a hard time these years."

"Auntie... as long as I can be with you, everything is worth it."

Lu Xixi's youthful heart was instantly activated!

After hesitating for a moment, she whispered, "Then... how did we leave the mountain to live here? And your father... ah, no, our father, how is his illness..."

Chen Nuo's back was drenched in sweat once more!

"Uh, because we were living in the mountains, we suddenly received news that my father was seriously ill, so we left the mountains together and came here."

Hmm, I need to get Old Jiang out of here quickly! If Old Jiang wakes up and sees this woman... this woman who nearly crippled him, wouldn't Old Jiang be scared to death? Besides, the moment Old Jiang wakes up, all my plans will capsize!