Fallen Flowers Long to Follow the Flowing Water, but the Water Has No Heart to Love Them

Guo Jing strode happily into the house, a hearty smile on his face.

His Internal Force was already quite formidable, and his hearing and eyesight were sharp. He stepped through the door.

He keenly sensed that besides Huang Rong's aura, there was also the aura of a living person.

He thought to himself: Rong'er should be practicing her martial arts right now, so who is the other person?

He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over Huang Rong, who was smiling as she approached, before settling on the man sitting calmly at the table inside the room.

Lin Yu also looked up, his gaze sweeping over Guo Jing.

"Brother...?" Guo Jing cupped his hands in greeting, his tone earnest.

He was simple-minded; he only felt that this stranger had a unique aura and had appeared at Rong'er's residence, so he naturally wanted to find out more.

"Brother Jing, you've come at the right time. This is an old friend of mine, Lin Yu."

"His hometown has suffered a disaster and he's in some trouble. He has nowhere to go right now, so I let him stay here with me for the time being," Huang Rong explained.

Guo Jing, being a simple-minded and honest man, naturally trusted his friends implicitly and believed them without question.

Hearing about the misfortune that befell their hometown and the fact that they had nowhere to go, his chivalrous heart was immediately touched.

"Hello, Brother Lin, my name is Guo Jing." He waved his hand quickly, his face beaming with enthusiasm.

"Since you Rong'er's friend, then you are my friend, Guo Jing's friend. Brother Lin, if you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

His words were forceful and sincere, clearly coming from the bottom of his heart.

In his simple understanding, Rong'er was exceptionally intelligent, and any friend she trusted must be a good person. Helping a friend in need was only natural.

Lin Yu had also finished sizing up Guo Jing. Dealing with someone with such clear eyes and sincere words made him feel incredibly comfortable.

Such a pure and innocent heart is especially precious in this world.

He rose and returned the greeting with a clasped hand, his posture refined and elegant. "Brother Guo, you are truly virtuous. My name is Lin Yu."

"I am already deeply grateful to Sister Huang Rong and Brother Guo for not abandoning me in my distress. How could I dare to cause any further trouble? Brother Guo, just call me by my name."

Huang Rong watched the interaction between the two and secretly chuckled to herself. The identity she had made up for Lin Yu on the spot was handled flawlessly by Lin Yu.

"Alright, alright, don't stand there being so polite."

Huang Rong busied herself, pressing Guo Jing down onto a stool while laughing as she spoke.

As he spoke, he handed over the teacup, then turned to Lin Yu, his eyes filled with a teasing look that only the two of them could understand.

"Xiao Yu, don't be shy. Brother Jing is the kindest person in the world. If you treat him well, he will repay you tenfold."

Guo Jing felt a little embarrassed by her words, gave a sheepish smile, took the teacup, and drank it down in large gulps.

He put down his teacup, looked at Lin Yu, and asked casually, "Brother Lin, where is your hometown? What trouble have you encountered? If there is anything I can do to help, please don't hesitate to ask."

He asked directly, his question stemming entirely from genuine concern.

Lin Yu had already prepared a script, and immediately became the epitome of a drama queen.

His expression darkened slightly, and he sighed softly, "To my shame, my ancestral home is a small town in the south, where we made a living by collecting herbs."

"In recent years, natural disasters have struck one after another, resulting in a sharp decline in harvests. To make matters worse, we got into trouble with a local martial arts school that bullied and monopolized the market. Our family business was ruined, and our relatives were scattered... We had no choice but to wander here."

His statement was half true and half false.

Gathering herbs aligns with his purpose for this trip: to find the Five Elements Treasures.

The bullying by martial arts schools is a common occurrence in the martial arts world, which explains the origin of the story without prompting Guo Jing to delve into the specific details.

Sure enough, upon hearing that the martial arts school was bullying him, Guo Jing's thick eyebrows immediately furrowed, his fists clenched involuntarily, and he said angrily, "It's those bullies who rely on their power again."

"Brother, don't be sad. Such injustices will be judged by the people. If you want to seek justice, I, Guo, though not very capable, am willing to lend you a hand."

His chivalrous heart was ignited, and he couldn't wait to raze that martial arts school to the ground.

Huang Rong listened from the side and chuckled inwardly; Xiao Yu's lie was quite cleverly crafted.

It perfectly captured Guo Jing's sense of chivalry.

She interjected at the opportune moment, giving Guo Jing a reproachful look. "Brother Jing, don't be in such a hurry."

"Xiao Yu has been traveling a long way and is exhausted. He needs to settle down first so that we can make long-term plans. Whether it's revenge or rebuilding the family business, it's not something that can be done in a short time."

Upon hearing this, Guo Jing immediately realized his rashness, scratched his head, and said apologetically, "Yes, yes, I was too hasty. Brother Lin, you should rest well first. Miss Rong'er is safest here."

Lin Yu smiled slightly and said, "Brother Guo is very kind, I appreciate it. Right now, I just want to settle down for the time being and make plans slowly. I am already very fortunate to have been taken in by Sister Huang Rong."

The topic was dropped there.

Huang Rong turned and went to the kitchen to bring out several delicate side dishes and warm wine that had been prepared beforehand. The three of them sat around the table.

Guo Jing was hungry from his journey and ate with relish, not forgetting to invite Lin Yu to start eating.

Soon the moonlight shone into the courtyard. Guo Jing had already returned to his room to rest, as he needed to get up early the next day to practice his martial arts.

Huang Rong and Lin Yu (number two) sat facing each other at the stone table. The leftover wine on the table had not been cleared away, and a pot of tea had been placed on it instead.

"Xiao Yu."

Huang Rong rested her chin on her hand, gazing at the crescent moon on the horizon. Her tone, less carefree than during the day, became more composed. "You know, knowing roughly what the road ahead holds, yet still having to watch the people around you walk it step by step—that feeling can be quite agonizing at times."

Her words were clearly referring to Guo Jing and the future Fate of Xiangyang.

Knowing the plot gave her a precognitive advantage, but it also placed an unspeakable burden on her.

She chose not to slip out of control, allowing the storyline to develop roughly in the direction she knew.

It is both to take advantage of foresight to maximize benefits and a cautious test of divine will or the butterfly effect.

Lin Yu (Number Two) picked up his teacup, the rising steam blurring his features. "Sister Huang Rong, you've done an excellent job, planning ahead and winning from afar."

"True change isn't necessarily about overturning the plot, but about making crucial choices."

"As long as one possesses cultivation and insight that transcend the original trajectory, any obstacle can be overcome with sheer force."

Upon hearing this, Huang Rong's eyes lit up, and she smiled, "You really know how to talk. Those guys in the group are always so elusive."

"Then Sister Huang Rong, you and Brother Guo..."

Lin Yu asked the question he was most curious about: since Huang Rong chose not to change the plot...

"Sigh, just like you said, it's about making crucial choices."

"I didn't end up with Brother Jing, but we became close friends." Huang Rong sighed.

She has Chat Group, and her perspective and understanding far exceed that of this world.

"If I had gotten into the Chat Group after I was with Guo Jing, I might have thought the same thing as you." Huang Rong gently turned her teacup, her expression enigmatic.

"The fallen petals yearn to follow the flowing water, but the flowing water has no intention of lingering over the fallen petals," Lin Yu murmured unconsciously as he sipped his tea.

From his perspective, Guo Jing kept glancing at Huang Rong every morning, never letting Huang Rong out of his sight.

Even though Guo Jing was simple-minded and didn't realize that he liked Huang Rong.

But you can't hide the look in someone's eyes when you like them.

Huang Rong glared at Lin Yu fiercely. "If you can't speak properly, then shut your mouth."

Lin Yu's lips curled into a smile, but he didn't say anything and continued drinking his hangover tea.