Forgotten Tale of Jianghu

Fairy Blossom Pavilion was one of the many establishments owned by the Golden Tiger Fortress lord, Sangguan Jin Hu. However, this particular restaurant was grander than most, as it had been built specifically for his daughter, Sangguan Yun'er.

The entire place exuded opulence. Every furnishing was made from the finest materials, with intricate embellishments decorating the walls. The round dining tables were carved from polished jade, their surfaces reflecting the warm glow of the lanterns above.

The restaurant was designed as a two-story structure. The upper level offered a clear view of the ground floor, with tables arranged along the outer balcony, enclosed by a carved railing. The architectural design left the center open, allowing an unbroken line of sight between both floors.

A narrow bridge extended from one of the upper-level tables, leading to a single, secluded round table positioned precisely at the heart of the restaurant. The placement ensured that anyone sitting there had a direct view of everyone below—and, in turn, could be seen by all.

Seated at that very table was Sangguan Yun'er, now eighteen years old, her beauty blossoming into something more refined with time.

She sat at her private jade table, delicately sampling her meal. With every slow bite, her gaze wandered past the railing, observing the patrons dining below. The seat had been designed to provide her with an unobstructed view of the entire restaurant—its entrance, the tables, and every guest who stepped inside.

Coincidentally, it also meant that every person who entered Fairy Blossom Pavilion would see her first.

At that moment, a man strode through the entrance. His face was partially obscured by a dark cloth mask, leaving only his sharp eyes and the upper portion of his face visible. He was clad in a fitted black outfit that accentuated his well-built frame.

Yun'er's attention sharpened. The man's gaze swept coldly across the restaurant before locking onto her.

He stilled.

Then, as if confirming something, he gave a slight nod in her direction and continued toward an empty table directly across from her.

Sangguan Yun'er's heart skipped a beat.

Those eyes…

She had seen them before.

That piercing, ice-cold gaze had once been burned into her memory. No matter how much time had passed, she had never forgotten it.

It was him.

Even after two long years, she still remembered.

From her elevated seat, she watched as the man sat down and gave his order to a passing waiter. He was too far away for her to hear his voice, but the moment he reached up and pulled down the cloth covering his face…

"Huh?"

Shock, disbelief, and an irresistible yearning—her voice barely escaped her lips in a whisper of astonishment. What she was seeing right now was Xin Long's face. The very Xin Long she had dreamed of countless times before.

At that moment, sharp eyes met hers—eyes she could never forget. That gaze alone made her heartbeat quicken, something she couldn't help but notice.

Joy. Yes, it was joy. A joy so profound it sent her heart racing. It was the look she remembered, the look from the one she remembered. Unable to suppress her emotions, her right hand unconsciously reached to smooth over a fold in the soft pink dress that draped over her frame, covering the delicate curve of her right thigh.

Just then, Xin Long shifted his gaze toward the shop boy who had brought over their drinks. As the servant placed the cups on the table, Xin Long picked up a flask of wine from the tray, his eyes returning to her. Then, he raised the flask ever so slightly.

An invitation.

Yes… A silent gesture inviting her to join him.

With a swift movement, she leaped down from the upper floor using her Qinggong technique, landing gracefully below. Without hesitation, she stepped toward him, each stride smooth and deliberate.

Xin Long, watching Sangguan Yun'er approach, curved his lips into a slight, artificial smile. The emotions in her eyes made him certain—she was someone who had never forgotten him. And yet, her flustered expression, the way she struggled to conceal her embarrassment, was something he found amusing.

Perhaps that was why, as a way to test her, he lifted the flask of wine once more, inviting her to drink.

Unbeknownst to her, while she had been mid-air, he had already dropped a single pill into the open flask.

A pill that would send the proud Sangguan Jin Hu into a deep, dreamlike trance.

This was merely the first step in repaying an old debt.

A quiet smirk flickered across his lips, yet the expression he wore remained nothing more than a well-crafted mask…

The pill he had dropped into the flask was called Endless Dream. It was one of the many secret formulas recorded in his father's medicinal scriptures. As a child, he had often read those ancient texts, wandering through the mountains and forests to gather herbs. The result of those years of learning and exploration was this very pill—one he had crafted himself.

As its name suggested, Endless Dream caused those who consumed it to experience an illusion so vivid that reality and dreams blurred together. When night fell, the person would find themselves in a dream-like trance, caught in a fantasy with the one they desired most. Their mind would weave a love story so enchanting that they could hardly distinguish it from reality.

However, the effects of the pill lasted only a month. Once that time passed, its influence would fade completely. If the person was already poisoned or had impurities in their system, the effects would weaken even further, lasting no more than a single day.

During his five journeys with the Seductress Wei Wei for business matters, he had always made a habit of gathering rare medicinal ingredients. Using the prescriptions recorded in his father's texts, he continued refining his craft, developing new medicines. The reason he created this particular pill was simple—revenge for his mother.

Even as he maintained the polite, artificial smile, he observed her closely, noting the flicker of emotion in her shimmering eyes as she sat across from him. And then, she spoke.

"I thought I would never see you again in this lifetime..."

He let out a small smile, gesturing with his left hand toward a seat. Once she settled in, he responded with the same feigned smile.

"I never expected to see the most stubborn woman I've ever known sitting across from me like this… And I certainly never thought you'd agree to share a drink with me... After all… I am nothing more than a drifting vagabond..."

Yet even as he spoke those words, he knew they were empty. A well-crafted lie.

Because the one who had always occupied his heart—the one who truly mattered—was not her.

It was the girl he had once called "Sister" at the apothecary in Kunming City.

End – 22