Chapter 78: The Reunion of the Four 'Si's

As Su Shuilian was peeling the snow peas for lunch, she glanced at Lin Si Yao confusingly, thought for a moment and softly said, "Since you all are fellow sworn brothers, inviting him for lunch is a must." The manners ingrained in her couldn't bear the awkward situation any longer.

"Sworn brothers? Did he say that?" Lin Si Yao's eyebrows furrowed at her words.

"Eh? Are you not?" Su Shuilian gazed at him with her head tilted. Her eyes were full of suspicion.

It was only because he said they were colleagues that she allowed him in the house.

"Um, I guess we are." Lin Si Yao paused before nodding, seemingly reluctant to admit it. Ha, he had to give Si Shan props for thinking of that. Feng Yao Court was the biggest relations.h.i.+p they had, yet he had invented a ridiculous explanation like fellow disciples to trick Shuilian.

Lin Si Yao's discontent at Si Shan's sudden arrival started to loosen.

It was true that Si Tuo, Si Shan, and Si Luo were closest to him in the past. Because they had entered the Feng Yao Court at similar times and were all about the same age, they would often go drinking in the Court when they didn't have a mission.

At that time, who would've thought that things would have turned out like today? They were still the top a.s.sa.s.sins of the Feng Ya Court, but he had become a farmer.

Lin Si Yao suddenly laughed at the thought. He was fine being a farmer, as long as the person beside him stays with him.

He met Su Shuilian's gaze as he looked up, and held back a grin. "Well, it couldn't hurt to have a drink with Si Shan at noon." After all, a drink between two men had nothing to do with their statuses.

"Okay, then I'll have him wait in the main room." Su Shuilian smiled as she saw him ease up and prepared to go call Si Shan, who was bored yet unwilling to leave. They couldn't stay in the kitchen while having the guest stand outside. The sun was nonexistent in the early spring, so the weather was rather cold.

"I'll go; you can get back to embroidering." Lin Si Yao pulled her to her feet and sent her to the room.

"It is really ok?" Su Shuilian looked at him worried. Two grown men were going to work in the kitchen while she was going to sew?

"Of course." Lin Si Yao snuck a kiss on her forehead and led her out with a smile. "I'll call you once lunch is ready."

Then, he turned and walked towards the courtyard. Hmph, even if he was invited to a meal and wine, he'll have to work for it! Lin Si Yao grudgingly thought.

Sitting on the chair under the peach tree, Si Shan's nose tightened as he saw Lin Si Yao walk his way. His expression didn't change, though he felt a s.h.i.+ver down his back at the sight of Lin Si Yao…

—-

Making a fire was easy. Si Shan took a bundle of dry firewood into his hands. If Si Ling was willing to invite him in and even drink with him, cooking a meal wasn't a big deal at all. It wasn't like he hadn't cooked game in the wild before.

"Don't burn the fireplace down." Lin Si Yao couldn't help but reminded. The first time he lived in here, it was only after numerous tries had he successfully boiled a pot of rice that wasn't charred nor raw. One must contain the fire; controlling the fire's intensity, however, was still something that was uncertain.

"I'll leave this pot of rice to you. If it ends up inedible, you know what'll happen." After that, Lin Si Yao lazily picked up a wicker basket and walked out to the southern courtyard to pick vegetables.

What? He was just going to be left alone like this? Si Shan lifted his face, which was black with soot, from the fireplace. Seeing the empty kitchen, he paused for a second before exasperating, "Are you really afraid that I'll burn down the kitchen?"

But even if it came to that, he can just extinguish the flame with his inner energy. He wouldn't actually end up burning the house down, either. Lin Si Yao must've thought this, too.

Si Shan angrily lowered his head and started to strike the firewood together.

Scritch- What did he mean that I'll know what'll happen! The worst would be them not seeing each other again! And how did that even matter!

Scritch- He wasn't even hungry; he had come here looking for some fun!

Scritch- He should've learned from Si Tuo and came in the middle of the night, he might've even been able to witness Si Ling in bed!

Scritch- Oh-

Finally succeeded!

When he saw the fireplace burning strongly and brilliantly, Si Shan felt a rush of excitement that extended to the heavens.

Did this mean that he, Si Shan, was also qualified to become a farmer?

Eh? Since when had he started to have such ambitions? Could he really be tired of killing and want to start over?

One a.s.sa.s.sin G.o.d was picking out the fresh vegetables needed for lunch, and one top a.s.sa.s.sin was fiddling with the kitchen fireplace- just for a pot of rice that wasn't raw nor charred.

Suddenly, the gates of the outer courtyard were pushed open. Two strangers with handsome features and cold atmospheres walked through the door that Lin Si Yao left ajar.

They strolled through the small yet charming courtyard.

Xiao Chun's hairs stood on end, and he glared at the uninvited guests while growling lowly. His growls was transmitted into the south yard, it was as if to warn Lin Si Yao something is going on at the northern courtyard.

"Tch, since when did Si Ling change? He even has a pet, now?" Behind Si Tuo, Si Luo snickered. He was the most outgoing of the four, lacking Si Ling's coldness, Si Tuo's insensitivity, and Si Shan's awkwardness.

He, Si Lao, did everything he felt like doing. He lived how he wanted to live. It was as if amenities didn't reach his mind at all. And they really haven't.

Si Tuo calmly scanned Xiao Chun, who was staring fiercely at them and ready to pounce. He was a little surprised, oh! There was a light of anger s.h.i.+ning in the wolf's eyes, was it because Si Luo had called him a "pet"?

—-

The five people sat down around the dinner table.

There were six house dishes on the table, though none of them had any meat. The three uninvited men were amused; Si Ling definitely did this on purpose. They could see with their two eyes that the two wolves outside were eating better than they were.

Lin Si Yao's cold stare pierced through Si Lao, who was still sizing up Su Shuilian.

"Ahem…" Si Shan humorously coughed, and b.u.mped his wrist against Si Luo who was sitting by him. The latter turned around with a confused look in his eyes. Si Shan rolled his eyes as to say 'don't look anymore, or there will be nothing for you to eat.'

It was only then had Si Luo felt the frost-emitting Lin Si Yao glare at him. He couldn't help but secretly laugh. Ha, Si Ling had really fallen head over heels. It's no wonder even the most stoic Si Tuo mocked him as a 'lover'. Very interesting.

He only thought that Su Shuilian looked familiar, glancing at her a few more times.

Half a year ago, he and Si Shan had traveled to the Imperial Capital Feng Cheng to take up missions, there was one particular poster posted all over the city. Didn't the woman with a high reward value offered by the Jing Prince's Mansion resemble the Su Shuilian that had married Si Ling? Could it be…

"Sao'zi, where are you from on your mother's side?" Si Luo disregarded Lin Si Yao's killer gaze entirely, and started to chat with Su Shuilian.

It's over! Si Shan thought.

He naturally guessed Si Lao's intentions. After all, he was the one who had accompanied him to the Capital. Si Shan still remembered the contents on the wanted poster. Jing Prince's Mansion's Fourth Lady had disappeared, and three hundred silver would be given as a reward for her whereabouts. That amount was quite tempting, and rumors of the matter spread all the way from the large streets to the back alleys. But he never would have thought…

Si Shan's gaze darkened. If she really was the Fourth Lady of the Jing Prince's Mansion, did Si Ling know about it?

Su Shuilian never expected that Si Lao, who she had met for only the first time, would ask about her maternal origins. How should she reply? Or, how should she lie?

"Si Lao!" Lin Si Yao growled at Si Lao's rudeness.

"Si Lao, that's just unacceptable." Si Tuo backed him up.

"I'm just asking. Could it be… That Sao'zi has something to hide?" Si Luo snickered sinisterly and asked again.

It wasn't about the three hundred silver, although acquiring it wouldn't hurt. After all, that was a year's worth of a salary for him. a.s.sa.s.sination was still a pain, wasn't it?

What mattered most was that he was simply bored. He just wanted to watch a good show and see just how far Si Ling had broken through. He wanted to see specifically how far he had advanced. If Si Ling could push all three of them out of the west corridor, it would be great if he could also complete the mission that they were a.s.signed.

After all, there couldn't possibly be more than one person who broke through all nine barriers of the realm in the entire Dahui Kingdom. It'll be a waste if he didn't use it!

"Yao!" Su Shuilian pulled Lin Si Yao's hand back and shook her head at him. It wasn't something that she needed to keep secret, and they must be only worried for Yao that he might have married someone questionable. So, Su Shuilian decided to reveal some of the things she knew. As for whether they believed her or not, that would be up to them.

"I don't remember the past. I don't know what happened to me before, all I know was that when I woke up, I didn't have any memory at all." She lowered her head and eyes as she explained.

This wouldn't be lying, right? She indeed did not have recollection of her current body's past. The old Su Shuilian can sink to the bottom of heart and not see the light of day ever again. Or else, she might be burned at the stake by the local people.

After all, the whole matter was extremely strange.

If she was sitting on the other side of the, she would also find it hard to believe.

"Amnesia?" Si Luo and Si Shan looked at each other upon her answer.

"What do you know?" Si Tuo's brows jumped, and Si Shan and Si Lao's expressions told him that it wasn't as simple as wanting to know where Su Shuilian's family was.

Lin Si Yao felt a pang in his heart after he heard Su Shuilian's softly spoken reminisce. He gazed coldly at the three before slowly saying, "Eat first. Talk later."