Chapter 200 - 87: Catching the "Snake" (Part 1)

"But don't meet."

"Are you sure?"

"It might not come to that."

"Be careful."

Zhang Shutong turned off his phone.

Humans are such strange creatures. The moment you make a decision, all your doubts seem to fly away.

So he also rested his chin on his hand and watched the scenery outside, unsure what this view meant to Lu Qinglian.

Cyan Snake.

Progeny.

Longevity.

Temple Priestess.

Forbidden zone.

The photo.

The tattoo.

His mom was talking again, telling him to bring more friends home to play—the kind of thing it seemed every mom said.

She also mentioned that after dropping them off, she was going to the mall to get her nails done. It was only then that Zhang Shutong remembered. 'The last time I saw Mom at the mall, wasn't she getting a manicure then, too?'

It seemed that every time she appeared, he would end up meeting a girl, and events would reach a turning point. Zhang Shutong listened to her patiently, his own tone light. He figured his mom genuinely thought this was her chance to finally enjoy a well-deserved break, now that her son was out of her hair.

Zhang Shutong also cherished this hard-won tranquility. Because once the car reached their destination, it would be a completely different scene.

While he could still listen to his mom's cheerful chatter, he felt he should pay close attention.

They drove the rest of the way in silence.

Building after building receded rapidly in the car window. The apartment blocks, the roadside trees, the empty streets—all of it gradually fell away, leaving only vast white snow.

His home was on the east side of town, so it was close to the mountains. After just ten minutes, the towering form of a mountain became visible up ahead.

Zhang Shutong knew this place. He had taken Lu Qinglian home once before.

This time, his mom dropped them off at the foot of the mountain.

The snow at the entrance hadn't melted yet. The mountain path snaked upward, and every few steps revealed withered trees. In several places, black mountain rock was exposed, a stark contrast of black and white, the cold light glaring.

He waved goodbye through the car window. His mom told him to have fun. He just smiled and said, "Of course we will. You have fun at your spa day, too. I promise I won't call and wake you up from your nap at noon."

"Alright, I'm off then. You two be careful." His mom waved to Lu Qinglian.

Lu Qinglian offered a goodbye as well.

The two of them stood in the empty, snow-covered landscape, silently watching the car as it slowly drove away.

The wind at the foot of the mountain was strong. They stood together, one dressed for an outdoor hike, the other as if on her way to officiate a temple ceremony. The contrast was so stark it was almost comical.

But Zhang Shutong knew that once they got out of the car, everything was different. This wasn't a school trip or a picnic. The girl standing beside him wasn't ordinary. And no matter what awaited him up ahead—whether it was his own needless worrying or immense danger—there was no turning back.

"What exactly are you trying to do?" After a long pause, Zhang Shutong's tone changed.

"Student Zhang Shutong, try asking less ambiguous questions." Lu Qinglian lowered her gaze; he saw she was tightening the sash of her cyan robe. "Why don't you tell me what it is you want to know?"

"At my house just now, you said, 'I need to get back quickly, or my grandmother will worry,' right? But how would your grandmother know classes were canceled today? Or rather, how would she know you'd be coming back during the day?"

"Oh, that. She doesn't know." Lu Qinglian said faintly. Zhang Shutong turned his head and saw the cold wind tangling her hair. "It was just an excuse I came up with on the spot. It has some holes; you don't need to worry about it."

"Don't need to worry about it?"

"It's just a convenient excuse. When you get used to using one, you stop paying attention to whether it's logical. You could substitute anyone into that story. Don't take every word I say so seriously. Sometimes I mean it, and sometimes I'm just talking."

"And what you're saying now?"

"This probably counts as 'just talking'." She raised her eyes. Once again, Zhang Shutong saw those eyes, devoid of any emotional ripple.

He frowned.

"Can you just give me a straight answer for once?"

But Lu Qinglian met his gaze nonchalantly.

"You're growing impatient, aren't you? Agitated. Wondering why this person never tells the truth, why she dodges everything with vague excuses. I suppose I understand."

Then, Zhang Shutong saw the corners of her lips lift into something that wasn't quite a smile, just a subtle curve.

"But, Zhang Shutong, have you ever noticed that in this regard, you and I are actually quite similar?"

"You're full of lies yourself."

"How many people have you lied to?"