Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 2561: Chapter 2562: Removing the Mask

”Zhitian said yes,” Jianqi replied.

”Let’s go see him; we didn’t properly thank him last time, and I almost mistook him for Ning Yu,” Bai Ruozhu said to Jiang Yichun.

Jiang Yichun took her hand, and the two went straight to the front hall, where they indeed saw the Yin Yang Master who had helped them at the Fushan Residence.

Although everyone wore masks, the demeanor and voice were unmistakable.

Shanhu was also called over, but unfortunately, she was unconscious at that time and hadn’t seen him. Nevertheless, she still expressed her gratitude.

”May I know the name of our benefactor?” Shanhu asked.

”It’s just a small favor, no need to call me a benefactor. I am called Xinghai,” the man said.

Bai Ruozhu glanced at the Astrologer, ”You two seem fated, both having the character ’Xing’ in your names.”

The Astrologer laughed, ”We even sparred a few moves; it felt like a case of meeting too late.”

Qiu Zhi immediately chimed in, ”Mr. Xinghai, would you like to spar with me?”

Xinghai didn’t refuse, ”Alright, just a friendly match.”

Not wanting a fight right away, Bai Ruozhu glared at Qiu Zhi, unable to scold him, and had to retreat to the side with Jiang Yichun.

In the center of the yard, Xinghai and Qiu Zhi began their spar. As it was an ordinary spar, they kept a certain distance, using talismans or magic techniques against each other.

Bai Ruozhu kept watching Xinghai’s movements. He used magic techniques familiar to her, combined with a bit of Yin Yang Techniques, which were entirely different from the Astrologer’s fighting style and Qiu Zhi’s Dragon and Tiger Sect Techniques. Instead, it somewhat resembled the Astrology Tower’s magic techniques.

The more she watched, the more her heart raced, and she tightened her grip on Jiang Yichun’s hand. Jiang Yichun looked at her with some confusion, seeing her staring intently at Xinghai, and felt very strange.

Did he not understand his wife? Could she really fall for someone after meeting twice? Was there something wrong with Xinghai?

Bai Ruozhu snapped back to herself, turned her head to Jiang Yichun, and whispered, ”I feel he resembles my senior brother again. Before, I thought the demeanor was entirely different, but the moves he made look more and more similar.”

Jiang Yichun wasn’t very familiar with Ning Yu, and only said, ”Find an opportunity to let him take off his mask.”

Soon, their spar ended, and Xinghai nodded at Qiu Zhi with a smile, saying, ”The Taoist Magic of Zhongyuan is indeed not in vain, I concede.”

”Not at all, your adaptability in battle is impressive. If it were a real fight, I wouldn’t stand a chance against you,” Qiu Zhi, being straightforward, spoke his mind.

The Astrologer burst into laughter, ”Don’t flatter each other, you’re both experts.”

The three of them shared a moment of mutual admiration, and Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but say, ”We are fortunate to meet, and it counts as friendship. Would Mr. Xinghai mind removing his mask?”

As soon as she spoke, the atmosphere turned unusually awkward, especially as the corner of Xinghai’s mouth beneath the mask drooped, and his lips pressed tightly, revealing his displeasure at the moment.

Jiang Yichun hurriedly spoke up, ”Please don’t misunderstand, sir. My wife’s senior brother encountered difficulties and disappeared. When she saw your magic techniques were very similar, she became a bit anxious.”

Upon hearing this, the Astrologer also became anxious, his eyes fixed intently on Xinghai.

Xinghai smiled, ”It seems to be a misunderstanding. I couldn’t possibly be your senior brother; otherwise, how would I not know myself, and why wouldn’t I recognize you?”

As he said this, he showed no intention of removing his mask. However, he glanced at the Astrologer from the corner of his eye, seemingly deep in thought.

”Is it inconvenient for you to remove the mask, sir?” Bai Ruozhu asked persistently.

”My face is disfigured; removing it would only frighten you,” he said rather lightly, almost indifferently.

Bai Ruozhu felt it was not appropriate to press further, yet she felt she shouldn’t miss this opportunity. Perhaps Ning Yu had been poisoned, causing him to forget who he was?

It’s not impossible, considering that a part of the ”Poison Classic” had appeared in Fusang.

Jiang Yichun understood Bai Ruozhu’s thoughts and said, ”Please don’t be offended, sir. It’s just that my wife is worried that her senior brother may have been poisoned and forgotten some things, which is why we have had such difficulty finding him.”

Xinghai smiled slightly, ”I truly haven’t forgotten anything, but since you are persistent, I will remove the mask.”

After saying this, he indeed removed the mask, revealing some old burn scars on his face. Although the wounds had healed, the face was covered in pits and twisted flesh, but the brightness of his eyes was striking, evoking a sense of pity.

Bai Ruozhu’s heart sank; it was indeed not Ning Yu. Those were old scars, and if Ning Yu had been injured in a disaster, the wounds wouldn’t be this color.

For a moment, she felt particularly disappointed and said weakly, ”I misunderstood, causing you inconvenience, and I apologize.”

Xinghai put the mask back on, ”It’s alright, I’ve long accepted it; wearing the mask is to avoid frightening others. As long as you’re not scared, it’s fine.”

”We were rude to remind you of something sad, Mr. Xinghai. To apologize, let us treat you to a meal,” Jiang Yichun said.

”Alright, then it’s better to accept your invitation,” Xinghai agreed with a smile, seeming very approachable at this moment, quite unlike his previous aloof demeanor at the Fushan Residence.

Bai Ruozhu had already adjusted her mood by this time, admitting that she had been too impatient.

”I’ll go to the kitchen to arrange the meal; you all continue chatting,” she said hurriedly, finding an excuse to leave.

Jiang Yichun explained to Xinghai, ”My wife is just overly concerned about her senior brother’s safety, so please don’t take it to heart, sir.”

Xinghai smiled, ”I won’t.”

But at this moment, he also felt something strange in his heart; after all, wasn’t it this sense of familiarity that led him to meddle and help Bai Ruozhu and the others back then?

If it wasn’t for his physical condition at that time, he wouldn’t have interfered.

In the kitchen, Yizi and Teng Ya offered a few words of comfort to Bai Ruozhu, to which she smiled and said, ”I’m fine, it’s just that I felt a bit pushy, which made it awkward and embarrassing for me to stay.”

”You’re just eager to find someone, Master. But Mr. Xinghai’s face is truly unfortunate; I wonder if it can be healed,” Yizi said with sympathy.

”It’s difficult; such severe burns, if treated in time like Master Puru, could be better, with shallower scars. But his wounds have healed for many years; recovery is hard unless...”

Unless it’s a skin graft. But she had no experience in that area, and facial skin is not easily grafted, especially on the nose, so this path is clearly not feasible.

Seeing Bai Ruozhu shaking her head to herself, Yizi and Teng Ya knew there was nothing to be done and didn’t ask further.

Soon it was dinner time, and Bai Ruozhu arranged a lavish table of dishes and brought out fine wine from Zhongyuan, personally pouring wine to apologize to Xinghai.