CHAPTER 1424: CHAPTER 1508: PREVENTING TROUBLE BEFORE IT HAPPENS

Haoming’s appearance is a bit dazed. Ever since someone died tonight, he’s been in this absent-minded state. He wears a wooden expressionless face, which seems more like a natural mask, hiding all his inner thoughts. Even Shujun and Yixuan, who have lived with him for over twenty years, now find it hard to see through his wooden, dazed face and discern his inner thoughts.

However, the dog that bites doesn’t bark, and some people don’t talk often, but when they do, they hit the bull’s-eye.

"Qinghe, a portrait!"

Pushing out these words from his mouth, he then spat out, word by word: "Know your enemy, prevent trouble before it happens!!"

Clearly, he agrees with Third Brother’s idea. But he thought one step further; if they want to guard strictly, knowing just a name won’t suffice if they don’t know the other’s appearance, lest mistakes be made. Therefore, he believes they currently need a portrait of Qinghe, so that when they encounter him later, they can recognize him at a glance.

Shujun raised an eyebrow, speaking out what seemed a mixture of sentiments: "Though I don’t know Qinghe personally, Prince Meng once told me that Xiao Qinghe seems to resemble me."

Yixuan suddenly remembered the man he’d seen at the Cloth Store, who was afflicted by the Mind-Bewitching Gu and once had an outburst in front of his wife.

That man’s eyes were very much like Third Brother’s, with a demeanor similar to Brother and Second Brother, his features also carried the likeness of other brothers.

It shouldn’t be possible.

How could there be such a coincidence in the world?

Shujun smiled desolately, "Let’s leave this matter aside for now, no matter how things turn out. I am Xiao Hui’s husband, who or what is Xiao Qinghe? Even if I am his substitute, so what? Ultimately, Xiao Hui loves me now, and that’s enough." But these words are merely self-deception. Ever since learning from Prince Meng that Qinghe’s young appearance somewhat resembled his own, he’s been unsure.

Does Xiao Hui love him for himself, or is it the influence of emotions affected by Dong Dabao?

Ah, this is all a tangled mess, so troubling, so vexing. Yet, humans are like this—thinking too much makes the mind weary. If one could simplify things and think less, the heart could be more at ease. So, instead of getting tangled in these thoughts, it’s better not to ponder or think at all.

Ultimately, he will guard her; even if she chases him away, he won’t leave, until the end of time. Even if he dies and his soul vanishes, he is determined to pursue her and stay by her side.

...

That night, Lao Si mentioned wanting to get a portrait of Qinghe. Shujun thought why go to the trouble when among them in their village, other than the brothers and his wife, it seems everyone else has seen Qinghe.

For example, Yun Ge, Yun Ge couldn’t possibly not recognize Qinghe. So he said, ’Leave this to me.’

The next day.

Shujun approached Yun Ge mysteriously, "I want to ask you something."

"What?" Yun Ge had just woken up, still a bit groggy and hazy.

"What does Qinghe look like?" Shujun felt a bit uncomfortable; this name pricked his heart like a thorn now and then.

Yun Ge paused, "Why do you ask this?"

Shujun laughed bitterly: "You’ve seen it too, Xiao Hui has a significant reaction to Qinghe. All us brothers agree that knowing thyself and knowing thy enemy leads to victory. Since we want to guard tightly and prevent anything unforeseen, at least we should first figure out what he looks like; otherwise, should he stand in front of us, and we still don’t know who he is, we’re bound to be at a disadvantage."