After dismissing his disciples away, Bai Ling and Niu Meimei greeted Chu Nuan formally.
"Niu Meimei formally greets Your Honor Chu Nuan. This is a small representation of my admiration for you. Please accept my sincere affections for Bai Ling, I promise to treat him well." Niu Meimei said as both her hands presented a small box decorated with lavish gold designs.
"Master….." Bai Ling called nervously. To Bai Ling, Chu Nuan is someone more important compared to family. He would naturally be ecstatic if she accepted their genuine feelings.
Pulling her lips up into a gentle smile, Chu Nuan took the present from Niu Meimei's hands. "Don't look so nervous, since Bai Ling chose you, there's nothing left for me to say." Placing it on the table next to her, she continued, " I leave him in your care."
In accordance to her acceptance, their relationship is firmly established.
"Moving on to official business, have you arranged for the things I needed?" Chu Nuan asked with a solemn expression. Her hands tapped on the table in a steady rhythm.
"Everything has been prepared as per your instructions." Bai Ling answered, removing his love struck expression. " Everyone is waiting for your return."
Nodding in understanding, Chu Nuan stood up from her position. "Then I leave everything in your hands." She said while exiting through the door.
Arriving at the courtyard, Chu Nuan was surprised to see Xie Luochen waiting there for her.
"Have you finished talking?" He asked, heart beating at an abnormal rate with her appearance. He now understood from the way she acted inside the main hall. Chu Nuan, she did not hold any special emotions towards his Master. Which means…....Ears burning, Xie Luochen shifted his body restlessly as his gaze lowered to his feet.
"We received a request a while ago. If you'd like, want to go solve it with me?" He said with rigid composure.
"Ah..that.." Surprised by his sudden invitation, Chu Nuan felt somewhat regretful. "That would be a little difficult." Feeling disappointed at this untimely proposal, her mood plummeted to some extent.
Alarmed by her unexpected refusal, he raised his head up in haste, "why? Are you going somewhere?" His hands clenched on the side, afraid of the answer he might hear.
Seemingly oblivious to Xie Luochen's concerns, Chu Nuan answered halfheartedly as she started to size up the man in front of her. "Yeah, I have to make a trip back to Hell." Looking at Xie Luochen's hardened expression and the chilly air that started to seep from his body, she probed carefully. "Do you...want to take a trip with me?"
"Ah?" He answered in astonishment.
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Unable to fully comprehend the situation at hand, Xie Luochen followed Chu Nuan in a dazed state of mind.
"I have a few things I need to do at the Bridge of Forgetfulness first." Chu Nuan said with one hand holding a red lantern while another holds a dragging list of tasks. "Follow close to me, it's easy to get lost among the souls if you stray off the path to Hell."
Walking along the dark road, Xie Luochen observes the surrounding area in silence every step of the way. Within this somber space, floating red lanterns travel towards the same direction as they guide glowing white orbs at a moderate pace.
The single path they are walking on slowly converges into one large road as the owners of those lanterns reveal their forms. Envoys along with the souls they escort assemble in front of an imposing black gate. While guards equipped with chains safeguard the entrance way in solemn fashion as each individual is checked in detail .
Ignoring the long line of souls, Chu Nuan walked directly to the front of the gate. Flashing her black tablet at the stationary guards, she greeted them with a smile before strolling past. "He's with me."
Moving past the guards, Xie Luochen looked up in awe at the view laid out in front of him. Different from the images described in books and on the web. The Hell before him is a combination between ancient and modernization. Ancient buildings along with people wearing robes spread out on many corners of the street. Colorful trams, rickshaws, and carriages ran from one side of the road to another.
Buzzing shop owners and inspecting customers stream through stores of many varieties. From entertainment houses to restaurants and unique boutiques, the scenery ahead expanded Xie Luochen's modest worldview.
"Let's go visit the Bridge of Forgetfulness first." Chu Nuan spoke whilst treading onto a nearby tram. Paying a fare for two, they found seatings close to the back of the near-empty vehicle. "It'll take about an hour before arrival. Take a rest if you feel fatigue, I'll wake you up upon arrival."
Listening to her advice, Xie Luochen leaned against the window on the left with closed eyes. Feeling the pleasant wind blowing on his skin, his consciousness sunk bit by bit into oblivion.
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"Hey! Be careful with those materials, they're freaking expensive!"
"You guys, don't let the tourists walk too close to the construction site!"
Loud shouting and clamoring noises enter the vision of Xie Luochen's sleepy senses, tugging him awake. The panned out view in front turns out to be even more chaotic than first imagined. Orange and white barricades spread out across the ground as envoys wearing hard helmets haul one large pile of wooden planks after another. These usually elegant and mysterious guides now abandoned their noble exterior to squat on the side of the road. Some feasting on peanuts as others discuss building plans in coarse language.
The moment Chu Nuan arrived at the grounds, like a beacon of light, all eyes shined with fervent faith. "Your Honor!" Excited voices rang out in an intense vibrato as the crowd of envoys in black rushed forward like a crashing tsunami.
Stopping within a yard before reaching Chu Nuan, they all knelt in succession, "welcome back, Your Honor!!"
Waiting for the crowd to settle down, Chu Nuan's arm wrapped around Xie Luochen's waist. Pulling him forward to stand within sight, she replied with a corner of her mouth lifted in arrogance. "I'm back, for now."
Noticing her subtle actions, the kneeling followers paused in astonishment for a second before their ecstatic gaze landed on the uneasy man next to her. Lips splitting into a wide passionate grin, they greeted with even more energy compared to before. "Welcome back, young master!!!"
Overwhelming confusion caused Xie Luochen to take a step back without thinking. But the slim arm around his waist obstructs and pulls him even closer than he was a moment ago. Tiptoeing to reach his ear, Chu Nuan whispers to him in pampering encouragement. "Shh, don't you see the excited atmosphere? Just let them be for now and don't be bothered by them, I'm here you see." Eyes narrowing into crescent moons, her lips brushed playfully by his flushed skin before leaving to address the awaiting attendant.
Receiving the list of tasks, Chu Nuan quickly scanned through the incomplete duties in advance. While an envoy strides forward in careful demeanor, "would the young master like to rest on the side or….." his eyes pass from him to Chu Nuan's before returning to look at Xie Luochen.
Unnerved by such strange treatment, Xie Luochen gazed coldly at the envoy while answering in brisk short sentences. "No need. Also, I'm not your young master."
Instead of being uncomfortable with such alienating treatment the envoy instead turned even more approachable. Nodding his head in agreement the envoy's eyes flashed with revelation as he accepted his words. "Right. Right. You are not our young master, of course not. You are Her Honor's young master!"
"Phff." Unable to hold back the laughter any longer, Chu Nuan couldn't help but laugh at Xie Luochen's cold attitude and the envoy's earnest interactions. So cute, she thought, wiping the tears formed at the corner of her eyes.
She can't really understand the point in his coldness nor the harshness in his words. After all, he became a tiger without fangs the very moment he met her.
Focusing back to formal business, her sight swept across the broken bridge, aimless souls, and curious tourists. Calculating the math in silence, many possible plans appeared consecutively before it settled into a few options. Clearing her throat while making a waving motion to indicate dismissal. "All of you get back to work. I need the bridge to be completed as soon as possible. The ones in charge of the bridge, souls, and Meng Po stay, the rest are dismissed."
Having a concrete plan in place, the first destination Chu Nuan chose is Meng Po's station. The second most respected place other than King Lunhui's palace, the tenth King of Hell.
Even before arrival, a voice full of grievances boomed through the atmosphere. A shrilling wail drilled itself into everyone's poor ears, causing them to stagger with dizziness.
"I DON'T WANT TO BE MENG PO ANYMORE!! WAAHHH!"