Chapter 13: I Know You Are An a.s.sa.s.sin

“So, the houses in this town would not be an option?” Su Shuilian frowned when she heard Lin Si Yao's simple and brief report. It was hard to believe that she could not afford a house here.

Although this town was in a remote area, from Lin Si Yao’s words, it can be deduced that Fan Luo City was connected to the lands of Da Hui country’s two major western fortresses. As the merchants headed back and forth between east and west, the town naturally became more prosperous day by day. Moreover, with the increased population of people who settled, it consequently elevated the estate prices of Fan Luo Town.

"I remember that on the way here, we pa.s.sed by a small village, no?" Su Shuilian recalled seeing the village when she was on the carriage. Although it was near dusk and it was hard to see clearly, there was definitely one.

Living in this populated town has its conveniences, but even if she managed to purchase a house, without a proper job it will be difficult to maintain a life here. Su Shuilian could not guarantee that her embroidery could pay for all the expenses here. And as for Lin Si Yao, she still remembered the words of the black clothed man; he was an a.s.sa.s.sin. She will not rely on the money earned from the deaths of others. It is better just to purchase a piece of farm land and house near the smaller villages. This way, even without another form of income, they would not starve in the winter. Not to mention, raising two wolves in the small villages would not attract as much attention, right?

With this thought, Su Shulian was even more convinced to find a small village near Fan Luo Town.

Lin Si Yao replied with a nod, “Fan Hua Village, it's ten roads away.”

“Ten?” Not mentioning her physical stamina, just walking there would take more than half a day.

“I will take you.” Lin Si Yao added as if he seemingly read Su Shuilian's distraught expression. This rendered Su Shuilian speechless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. She wasn't crippled, yet she still needed him to carry her around?

—

Early dawn the next day, Su Shuilian and Lin Si Yao came downstairs to the lobby of the inn. They asked to have several meat buns and similar sorts of provisions to take away so that they can eat it on the way to Fan Hua Village. Since it was decided that they were to buy a house there, it's best to go early to see if the houses for sale were suitable for them.

The two wolves followed in a single-file line and obediently carried the remaining fruits in a basket and the tiger fur.

Speaking of the basket of wild fruits, the boy who was in charge of feeding the wolves had wanted some, but was scared to take in front of the watching eyes of the wolves. He had wanted to talk to them to maybe get two for himself as finding such wild fruits were rare. Fan Luo Town was far from the mountains, and almost no such fruits could be found nearby. Therefore, seeing such rare fresh fruits, this boy, who was about sixteen couldn't help but long for some.

Su Shuilian wordlessly gave him half the fruits in the basket. She also had the boy give a portion of those fruits to the maid who had helped with her hair everyday.

The boy was dazed by the graceful demeanor of Su Shuilian as she walked away. Tsk tsk, in this day and age there were many beautiful women, but rare for one to be so courteous. In Fan Luo Town, every n.o.ble young lady always displayed an arrogant front. If he were to marry a girl like her, then his mother would be in so much joy.

However, the boy's mind took a turn as he thought of the frost-like man who was always by the girl's side. He could not help but s.h.i.+ver. Tsk tsk, really, it's like a fresh flower which was planted in…uh… Dragon's feces ba. That man was much more handsome and taller than himself, but so what? One can just tell from her feixiang hairstyle that he still has not wooed her over yet. Curling his lips, the boy turned and went back into the inn to taste the fruits.

—

Su Shuilian once again was able to witness Lin Si Yao's beautiful qinggong footwork. She could not help but envy and wondered if she could learn to do the same. She wanted to be like him, with just a tap of his toes to jump so high, in a blink of an eye and move several meters away. No matter branches or leaves, can be used as leveraging. She wanted to be like him, to be able to jump so high with just a tap of his toes, to move several meters away in a blink of an eye. Being able to use anything as leverage, no matter if it’s a branch or a leaf …

But then again, this was only wishful thinking. It's said to become skilled in qinggong or martial arts, one must start learning as a little child. Once a person reaches a certain age, their bone and muscle structure will have already set and it will be impossible to learn then. Well, when she gives birth to a baby, she'll raise him up to a strong fighter.

Ya! What are you thinking! Holding her hot cheeks, she shook her head hard. She quickly pushed down her inexplicable thoughts; she's becoming crazy ah!

Lin Si Yao puzzlely sweeped her a glance. In his heart, he knew she has gone into another daydream.

On the still early road where no one has woken up, Lin Si Yao, who was carrying Su Shuilian had finally made it to the entrance of Fan Hua Village. He gently place her down on the rocks next to a century old peach tree. Not too long after, the wolves had also caught up as they heavily breathed.

Lin Si Yao lifted his brow; their speed had greatly increased. In the future they can be used to do things such as guarding the house. That's not a bad idea.

Although the wolves had felt a cold chill on their backs, they did not know what Lin Si Yao had in mind for them. They suddenly ran to Su Shuilian with their tails heavily wagging as they begged for food.

"Here." After giving a meat bun to Lin Si Yao, Su Shuilian took a small bite of another herself.

After taking the last small bite of her bun, Su Shuilian took a look at Lin Si Yao whose back was facing her as he stared far off in the direction of Fan Hua Village. She didn't know what he was contemplating about.

"Are you familiar with this area?" Su Shuilian gently got up and came next to him. She took a deep breath, the early morning dew along with the smell of rice paddies really lifted her spirits up.

After hearing her, Lin Si Yao's body twitched. His heart was bitter. Just ten years ago, he was a n.o.body on the streets. Eight years after, he became the number one a.s.sa.s.sin in Feng Yao Court. The years following, the tasks he had taken were immeasurable; he had lost count of the amount of people he had killed. Not to mention, from complex and populated sites of Fan Lou town, to the spa.r.s.ely populated deserts, to the difficult to survive terrains, all of these places he had gone to.

"If you don't want to answer it, then don't. I was just asking la, there's no other meaning to it." It's not as if Su Shuilian didn't notice the expression on Lin Si Yao's face. Recalling his past ident.i.ty, she knew his heart must have some difficult things that he can't speak of, so she immediately withdrew her question with a smile on her face.

Of course, Lin Si Yao heard the sincerity in her words. He turned around and looked at her bright and clean forehead, thinking for a moment before he opened his mouth, "Do you know what I previously was?"

Su Shuilian dazed out for a moment before she nodded her head. Although she did not get where he was going at, but she definitely did not hear incorrectly then.

This time, it was Lin Si Yao's turn to blank out. He had always thought that she was unaware of his former ident.i.ty; after all, many people were fearful of people like him. However, she nodded. What does that mean? That she accepted him, the bringer of death with blood-stained hands?

"Aren't you afraid?" Lin Si Yao finally asked the question that had long been in his heart. He looked at her face and expected her frightened expression.

Su Shuilian was stunned for a moment. Afraid? Oh yes, to kill without any trace of emotion, and kill in a blink of an eye, killers are suppose to be ruthless. However, she glanced at the expressionlessly cold man in front of her. Although she could not read him, but by the clenching of his fists, she knew he was feeling uneasy at the moment. Of course, no matter what he was before, at least during the time she had spent with him she had never felt any fear or anxiety. On the contrary, she felt at peace and was safe with him. Therefore, she had subconsciously forgotten his previous ident.i.ty.

So, Su Shuilian shook her head and said, "you never had the intention to hurt me," saying this, she looked up at Lin Si Yao with her sparkling, black pearl-like eyes. Taking that into account while collecting her courage, Su Shuilian said, "Uh, that… Lin Si Yao, when we live together in Fan Hua Village… Promise you won't do what you did before." She did not want the villagers to look at him in fear, she wanted him to live, from now on, as a ordinary and happy villager.

"Ok," Lin Si Yao nodded his head unhesitantly. He had no plans to return to Feng Yao Court. He was also tired of the days where he had to run around with a knife in his mouth. If possible, if she was willing, he hoped to live with her for the rest of his life. To stay by her side in this quiet and peaceful village … but was this just his wistful thinking?

"Then let's go." Su Shuilian pulled his sleeves and pointed toward the magnificent sunrise to the east, "I believe the villagers have woken up as well. Let's wish us luck."

"Mn." Lin Si Yao followed by her side as they headed toward the center of the town. The two wolves had played enough and followed them by their sides as they inspected the village that their owner may possibly settle in.