Chapter 46: Different Times 12

Chapter 46: Different Times 12

The night was deep, and as they strolled through the intricately carved corridor, they listened to Zhang Yunjiang's enthusiastic voice.

"This area is for guest rooms. You can choose any that you like; it's up to you. If you need anything or want something to eat, just look for Uncle. Oh right, the chess room is over there."

Eager to play chess with Xie Wufang, the old man's mind was preoccupied. After a brief introduction, he inadvertently led them towards the chess room, his eyes filled with anticipation as he looked at the young man with black hair and blue eyes.

The "Uncle" he mentioned was an even older gentleman, likely a butler or steward of sorts. He had approached them earlier with some surprise, now smiling warmly at the group of unfamiliar guests.

"Such a lively evening, Yunjiang. Have you found another skilled chess player?"

The white-haired uncle chuckled, clearly well-acquainted with Zhang Yunjiang. "Go to the chess room quickly. I'll take care of these youngsters."

Yu Bai, suddenly labeled as a "youngster," was a bit surprised but still politely greeted the old man, "Hello, Uncle."

This uncle appeared to be in his seventies or eighties, making Yu Bai and the others indeed seem like children in front of him.

Of course, this didn't apply to Xie Wufang, who was not bound by Earth's time system.

"Hello, hello!" The uncle, seeing Zhang Yunjiang's radiant expression, also broke into a wide smile. He warmly offered, "Would you like to sit down and have a cup of hot tea first? Or do you want to take a look around? It's up to you."

Walking alongside the older brothers, He Xi's face was filled with awe. Unable to resist, he whispered in amazement, "This place is so beautiful, like the gardens we visited during our spring outings."

Yan Jing, equally astonished, took half a moment to regain his voice. He whispered, "Goodness, I don't even dare to speak loudly here. I feel like we should have bought tickets."

He Xi's voice was even softer as he echoed, "Me too, me too."

Yu Bai, trying hard not to laugh, suggested, "Do you guys want to follow Uncle and explore around?"

Perhaps due to his experiences with the extraordinary, after the initial shock, he quickly adapted to the understated yet luxurious scenery and courtyard.

At this moment, he was more interested in watching Xie Wufang and Zhang Yunjiang play chess than strolling through the garden.

...Even though he would have to personally start learning Go the very next day.

Just the thought of it made his head hurt in anticipation.

But, tomorrow's problems could wait until tomorrow.

Human beings were indeed adept at evasion.

Abu happily agreed to Yu Bai's suggestion, "Sure, take your time. Let me know when you're tired!"

Despite his advanced age, the elder was robust and had a steady gait. Upon hearing this, he immediately prepared to guide the guests around the vast estate.

Before turning away, Abu remembered something and looked at Zhang Yunjiang, who was about to lead Xie Wufang to the chess room. He asked with concern, "By the way, Yunjiang, is Fu Gui really alright? Did you see him?"

"I didn't see him, but he's fine," replied Zhang Yunjiang. "He said he had an epiphany and is probably somewhere pondering over chess."

"Wow!" The elder was taken aback. "It's been ages since I've seen Fu Gui like this."

"Yes," Zhang Yunjiang's voice echoed from afar, tinged with a hint of amusement. "He even said he'd defeat me utterly!"

The elder chuckled, shaking his head in amazement. "That's great, that's great."

With his gaze returning to the two young men before him, he finally let out a sigh of relief and focused wholeheartedly on entertaining their guests for the evening. Surprisingly, he noticed that both of them seemed to be smiling.

Yu Bai, who initially didn't recognize who Fortune was, was now struggling to maintain his composure. "Fortune..."

Yan Jing couldn't hold back her laughter and exclaimed, "What a great name! It sounds prosperous!"

Uncle Yuan had such an unexpected nickname.

To be honest, compared to the refined-sounding Jade March, Yuan Fenggui seemed more fitting for this irascible and crude old man.

Both were laughing, while the short girl looked puzzled, and the even shorter boy wore a mortified expression.

The old man paused, instinctively explaining to the guests, "Fortune is an old friend of Yun Jiang's. I've watched him grow up since he was a child. I was startled when I heard he was missing, but fortunately, nothing happened to him..."

As he spoke, he suddenly narrowed his eyes and closely examined the little boy. "Speaking of which, you resemble Fortune quite a bit!"

Unaware of the truth, the elderly man marveled at the coincidence. The boy, who had been addressed, quickly lowered his head and hurriedly moved aside, calling out in an especially clear voice, "Let's go, let's go! I want to see the garden! Oh my, it's the first time in my life that I've seen such a beautiful big house!"

"Alright, alright, take your time," the old man hurried after him, adding with regret, "Little buddy, your hunchback is quite severe. You look like a little old man!"

Hearing this, the boy with the hunched back nearly stumbled on the spot.

He quickened his pace even more, almost running.

The old man called out to him in concern, "Little boy, slow down. It's dark at night, and you might trip. I'm a real old man; I can't walk that fast!"

Yan Jing, still giggling uncontrollably, held hands with He Xi as they followed behind the elderly man and the young one. He mockingly recited, "I've never seen anything like this in my life! Oh my god!"

"..." Yu Bai laughed so hard that his stomach started to ache. Breaking away from them, he said, "I'm going to the chess room to watch them play. You guys carry on exploring."

The moonlit night shone upon the tranquil courtyard. The man who had been walking ahead seemed to have heard something from afar and stopped to wait.

Noticing that Zhang Yunjiang had suddenly slowed down beside him, he looked over in surprise. "What's wrong?"

Following Xie Wufang's gaze, Zhang Yunjiang saw the young man approaching from a distance. Realization dawned upon him. "Oh, I forgot. Doctor Little Yu is interested in Go, so he must want to watch too. You're teaching him tomorrow, right? Let's wait for him and head to the chess room together."

Xie Wufang softly acknowledged, "Mm-hmm."

As they waited, Zhang Yunjiang glanced at the young man beside him and then at the figure making its way towards them. He couldn't help but remark, "You two seem to be very good friends, don't you?"

Earlier, this exceptionally talented young man had bluntly refused to teach him but then promptly offered to teach someone else.

Zhang Yunjiang, witnessing the differential treatment firsthand, did not feel angered; instead, he was impressed by the uncommon sincerity and frankness displayed.

He also felt a sense of understanding empathy.

It was only natural for people to differentiate between close and distant relationships, resulting in varied treatments. This was an entirely normal phenomenon.

However, few were as straightforward and unguarded as this young man.

At that moment, the young man with the rare gray-blue eyes, upon hearing his words, showed a slight reaction. He spoke softly, "Very good friends?"

It was as if the question was directed back at him.

For a moment, Zhang Yunjiang was unsure whether the tone conveyed dissatisfaction with the description or a simple inquiry.

After some thought, he believed it to be the former. Thus, he corrected himself voluntarily, "No, not just good, he's my best friend!"

Despite having known each other for only half a day, from various subtle signs, Zhang Yunjiang could tell that their relationship was deeply intimate, far exceeding that of ordinary friends, akin to a rare soulmate one encounters in life.

However, he didn't expect the young man beside him to murmur softly upon hearing this, "Not me."

Hmm?

Zhang Yunjiang was momentarily taken aback.

Before he could think of something to smooth over the situation, he heard the other person ask calmly, "What does friendship mean to you?"

Who did 'you' refer to in this question?

Perplexed, Zhang Yunjiang assumed it was directed at him and Doctor Little Yu.

Perhaps the stillness of the night had stirred his thoughts. In the face of this unusual inquiry, he recalled the note still tucked away in his chest pocket, the kindly but unrelated family butler who had watched him grow up, his deceased parents and late wife, and the always empty and cold mansion.

Friendship.

He was old, while Doctor Little Yu was young, appearing more like a university student. She likely hadn't married or had children, and was thus not at an age where one would be most attached or nostalgic for their parents.

Their lives were in starkly different stages, like the fading night and the impending dawn.

Ironically, at this moment, the meaning of friendship seemed to hold a similar significance for both of them.

Thus, Zhang Yunjiang pondered for a moment before responding to Xie Wufang's question with great solemnity.

"A friend signifies having a companion on life's journey," the elder sighed. "It lessens the loneliness."

"One goes through life all alone, encountering mere passersby. Parents grow old and cannot be kept by our side, and children are too young to stay. In the end, it is only friends of similar age who can accompany us the longest."

If one were fortunate enough to find an intimate and unwavering partner, they would undoubtedly also be the best friend in that lifetime.

The gentle evening breeze rustled the tree branches, casting shifting shadows. The elder's words carried a tinge of wistfulness and gratitude, as if countless years had rushed past in the night, stirring a sense of nostalgia in those who listened.

Yet, the young man standing beside him seemed unaffected. He listened quietly to the answer and then remarked, "So, friends are crucial."

A clear voice suddenly interrupted, "What is crucial?"

Yu Bai had just approached the pair, his mind still preoccupied with wealth. His fair face still wore a broad smile from earlier, and he hadn't noticed that Xie Wufang and Zhang Yunjiang had stopped to chat.

Having heard only half the conversation, he casually asked, and the man in front of him promptly replied, "Friends."

They were discussing this topic, it turned out.

Yu Bai was taken aback, then, noticing the subtle curiosity in the other's eyes, he chuckled and nodded, "Yes, friends are very important."

If not for Yuan Fugui, no, Yuan Yuhang, storming the funeral home in outrage at the behavior of that group of ungrateful relatives, Yu Bai wouldn't have discovered that the deceased elder was Zhang Yunjiang. Perhaps the two would never have crossed paths again in that alternate dimension.

If Yu Bai hadn't gradually learned about his enigmatic non-human neighbor in the loop, eventually lowering his guard to become his first human friend, asking for his name, and embarking on globe-trotting adventures with him, none of what followed would have occurred. There would have been no colorful and lively escapades, only monotonous silence day after day.

Yu Bai spoke with conviction, and those around him picked up on this certainty, prompting them to ask, "Are friends very important to you?"

His voice was soft, and the moonlight bathed his jet-black hair, as dark as the night.

"It's of great significance."

Yu Bai gazed into the gray-blue eyes, conveying his message with unusual seriousness.

"To me, you are the most important person."