Reborn As The Short-Lived White Moonlight of the Tragic, Powerful Male Lead - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After Xie Lanting entered the Dongyang Bookstore, Gu Yunqi did not follow him inside. He waited outside until Xie Lanting emerged, then resumed his tail.

He had no idea what had transpired inside the bookstore, but standing here on the main street at this very moment, Gu Yunqi felt a twinge of regret. He shouldn’t have run away from the wedding—not just because he needed to endure humiliation for his great cause, but because…

If he hadn’t run away, he wouldn’t have encountered Xie Lanting in the wild. If he hadn’t encountered Xie Lanting, he wouldn’t have secretly followed him to Dongyang. And if he hadn’t come to Dongyang, he wouldn’t have discovered that this city was so saturated with the scent of ink that the “Clear Breeze/Bright Moon” ship was heard on every corner, occupying half the territory of the novel world.

More importantly, he wouldn’t have discovered that the grand Immortal Lord Lanyue… was actually a drama queen.

…

Xie Lanting also hadn’t expected that in broad daylight, in the middle of a peaceful street, he would actually encounter a “scammer”!

The man attempting the scam was a youth, dressed simply but not shabbily, thin but not wretched. Before he even touched the hem of Xie Lanting’s robe, he went “splat” and collapsed right in front of him.

Then, rolling left and right, he grabbed Xie Lanting’s leg and wailed, “Ahhh! My leg! My leg!”

Good heavens. Xie Lanting’s spirit surged. He hadn’t expected that after successfully dodging all sorts of scripted scams and “staged falls” in the modern world, he would get to experience the feeling of being extorted after transmigrating.

First, a fortune-telling charlatan in the bookstore; now, a fake fall on the street. To be honest, it felt a bit fresh.

Gu Yunqi’s attention had been momentarily drawn to the books at a roadside stall. When he looked back, a man was inexplicably down in front of Xie Lanting. In the blink of an eye, a crowd had surrounded them.

The speed and precision of the onlookers’ movement were comparable to sect disciples. It was clear that at any time, the potential of the first-line “gossip-eating masses” was bottomless.

Gu Yunqi’s hidden guards disguised themselves as passersby at a melon stall, exchanging looks of disbelief.

Being a cultivator with sharp ears and eyes, Gu Yunqi quickly heard the contents of the man’s wailing and the surrounding chatter.

“Whoa, is his leg broken? He definitely has to pay up!”

“That guy looks thin and tall, but is he that strong?”

“Hey, look at the sword at his waist. He’s either a martial artist or a cultivator. Those people always have great bodies and hidden strength!”

Gu Yunqi frowned. He knew perfectly well that Xie Lanting hadn’t touched the man. The Immortal Lord lived a secluded life on a high mountain; he likely hadn’t seen such common marketplace scenes. After a thought, Gu Yunqi began moving through the crowd, intending to bail Xie Lanting out.

Xie Lanting naturally heard everyone’s comments clearly. Looking at the wailing man on the ground, he suddenly clutched his chest and took half a step back.

The crowd: “?”

Xie Lanting wore a mask that hid his eyes and brow, concealing much of his expression and limiting his range of performance. But no one mattered—it was time to flex his acting muscles.

Clutching his chest, Xie Lanting coughed twice, his voice thin as silk. “I am but an injured soul; I clearly did not touch you. If we truly collided, the one lying down should have been me.”

The man on the ground was a pro at being a rogue. He had his accusations ready to burst out, but Xie Lanting was faster, seizing the initiative to lament piteously: “Dragging my broken body, I have exhausted myself chasing after my fiancé who fled our wedding. I was already weary in heart and soul, and now, arriving in this place, I meet one such as you who distorts black and white. How can human hearts be so treacherous? Why does the world bully me so!?”

The “fiancé who fled the wedding,” Gu Yunqi, who had just squeezed to the front of the crowd: “…”

Gu Yunqi’s mind moved faster than his hands. He immediately whipped out a mask and slapped it on his face, hiding his features completely.

It wasn’t that he felt guilty; it was just… uh, making the most appropriate choice for the current situation. Yes.

As Gu Yunqi masked up at lightning speed, Xie Lanting’s voice choked up. He raised his sleeve to cover his face—though he was actually hiding the upward curve of his lips. This was his first time “dueling” with a pro, and he had nearly made himself laugh.

But the onlookers saw his movement and assumed he was so devastated he was moved to tears, wiping them away with his sleeve.

The rogue had never met someone who “cried” back at him. He froze for a moment. The key was that Xie Lanting was full of emotion—his “crying” seemed more real than the scammer’s!

Even with only half a face showing, Xie Lanting’s features were delicate, his skin as white as jade, and his figure elegant. Whether he was playing the weakling or the heartthrob, he had an advantage. Right now, the “weakling” act was working wonders.

The direction of the crowd’s gossip shifted instantly—

“Oh, how pitiful!”

“With his build, even if he is a cultivator, he wouldn’t shatter someone’s bones just by passing them on the street, right? Are cultivators not allowed to walk the streets anymore?”

“Exactly! And look at the half of the gentleman’s face we can see—he looks quite pale. He’s clearly carrying injuries!”

Hearing the crowd’s change in tone, Gu Yunqi paused, then stepped forward. “I saw it just now. This man clearly tripped himself and is trying to pin it on someone else.”

The man holding his leg stopped rolling but hadn’t given up. His hands dutifully remained on his knee. “Are you two in league? You hit me and want to run? Is there no law? Is there no humanity!?”

Xie Lanting sneered inwardly. He lowered his sleeve. “If you have a… malady, why not let me take a look? Having been injured for a long time, I’ve picked up some medical skills. If nothing else, I’m quite good at bone-setting and massage. Although you want to extort me, I am kind-hearted. I fear that if you truly are injured and miss the window for treatment, it would be bad.”

As Xie Lanting approached and crouched down, the man nearly jumped out of his skin. But he remembered his “broken leg” persona just in time and managed to stay down. “What are you doing?! Don’t come over! Is everyone just going to watch?! Help! What is he trying to do!?”

Unfortunately for him, the crowd didn’t buy it. “Hey, just let him look. We’re all surrounding you; he’s right under our noses. What could he possibly do to you?”

“Right, right. What if he really does know medicine?”

Xie Lanting curled his lips into a smile. “I guarantee you’ll be able to walk immediately.”

With that, Xie Lanting reached out. With the speed of a striking viper, he clamped his hand firmly onto the man’s knee.

Gu Yunqi’s mouth twitched. He recognized this move. Xie Lanting’s fingers were placed perfectly; with just a bit of force from the fingertips, he could cause unbearable pain without damaging the bone or sinew. It was a perfect tool for discipline.

Gu Yunqi’s gaze involuntarily drifted to Xie Lanting’s fingers—slender, well-proportioned, with distinct knuckles, as white as jade. They were strikingly bright against the man’s knee.

The next second, the crowd heard the youth let out a blood-curdling scream. The man who was supposedly paralyzed and rolling on the ground just moments ago suddenly jumped three feet into the air, leaping up with all four limbs perfectly intact.

The rogue was in genuine pain this time. “AAAAAH! What did you do?! Damn it, it hurts!”

“Eh,” Xie Lanting stood up with a beam. “See? Isn’t he all better now?”

The onlookers were instantly filled with respect for his “miraculous touch.”

“Incredible! He really is cured!”

“Young Master, forget about your fiancé! Just stay here in Dongyang! Open a bone-setting clinic and start a new life!”

“Exactly! A heartless man isn’t worth your pining. After reading our Dongyang novels, you’ll be able to wrap any man around your finger!”

Gu Yunqi: “…”

In a short span of time, he had been fitted with countless “hats” (labels), and he felt numb. He shouldn’t be here; he should go open a stall specifically to sell hats.

Oh, and in this place where the “Clear Breeze/Bright Moon” ship was so popular, he could probably dye those hats green, too.

The rogue trembled and raised a finger, glaring at Xie Lanting. Xie Lanting stood with his hands behind his back, a smile on his face. He moved his lips slightly, using a secret “Voice Transmission” spell to send a sentence directly into the man’s ear.

Upon hearing those words, the man looked up in terror. Realizing no one else around had heard it, he immediately understood he had messed with the wrong person—this was a cultivator! He tucked his head in and scrambled away as fast as he could, terrified that Xie Lanting would settle the score.

Xie Lanting had just told him: “If you continue to be ungrateful, I’ll make sure your knee truly shatters.”

He had a smile on his face, but his words were chilling.

Gu Yunqi saw Xie Lanting’s lips move and guessed he had used voice transmission. Seeing the man run as if he’d seen a ghost, Gu Yunqi looked at Xie Lanting again and suddenly found him very interesting.

Rumor had it that Immortal Lord Lanyue loved nothing but the sword in his hand, a martial obsessive devoted to cultivation. They said his heart was colder than the snow on Snow Plum Peak—an absolute “High Mountain Flower” that could not be plucked.

But whether it was the chance encounter at the tea stall or today’s little performance, Xie Lanting clearly had a lively personality.

Hearing about someone a hundred times isn’t as good as seeing them once. His fiancé really didn’t seem like a cold, frozen snowflake.

…

The crowd dispersed. Xie Lanting walked up to Gu Yunqi and thanked him with perfect etiquette. “Thank you, sir, for helping me out.”

Gu Yunqi shook his head. “I didn’t really do much.”

Xie Lanting: “The fact that you were willing to speak up for me is very kind. I must say thank you regardless.”

Gu Yunqi was silent for a moment. His fingers moved as he braced himself. Slowly, he removed his mask in front of Xie Lanting.

Xie Lanting’s eyes lit up: Whoa, handsome!

The handsome guy who had stood up for him had a face like carved jade and eyes like morning stars. The sharp contours of his cheeks still held a trace of youth that hadn’t fully faded—he looked to be around twenty, yet he was half a head taller than Xie Lanting. His expression was very steady.

His voice was also very pleasant.

This man’s looks were practically dancing on Xie Lanting’s aesthetic preferences!

That’s right—Xie Lanting was gay. Male, interested in males. In all these years, this was the first time he’d met someone who made his heart skip a beat at first sight!

He didn’t know the man’s character yet, but based on the fact that he’d stood up for him, Xie Lanting had an excellent first impression.

Xie Lanting clapped his hands in praise. “Not only are you kind-hearted, you are a truly elegant gentleman. A pleasure to meet you.”

Gu Yunqi, who had been prepared to face Xie Lanting head-on, felt a question mark slowly form in his mind.

What does this mean? He doesn’t recognize me? Then why did he say he was exhausted from chasing his fiancé?

Gu Yunqi had a bold suspicion. He spoke tentatively: “You said your fiancé ran away from the wedding, and you chased him here?”

Xie Lanting felt it was necessary to maintain a solid “single” image in front of a high-quality male. “Oh, no. The situation is complicated. Actually, I’m the one who ran away from the wedding.”

Well then. Case closed. One wedding, and both newcomers ran away.

Gu Yunqi’s expression became very colorful.

The Gu family hidden guards, who were watching from the sidelines: Wow!

Chu Yi bought a melon from the stall, split it open with his palm, and shared it with Chu Er and Fifteen. The three of them held their melon slices, ready for a good show.

Xie Lanting: “To thank you for helping me, and since it’s about lunch time, my treat. Shall we go sit in a restaurant? What do you say?”

Countless thoughts flashed through Gu Yunqi’s mind. Only one word came out: “Good.”

“I am Qu Liushang. How may I address you?”

Gu Yunqi hadn’t had time to pick a fake name yet, but that didn’t stop him from improvising. “Wenren Yun.”

Wenren was his mother’s surname.

The hidden guards squatted by the melon stall, eating away. Incredible! The engaged couple meets, they don’t recognize each other, and both names are fake! The guards almost wanted to shout to the street: Folks, stop reading those books! Reality is way more exciting than fiction!