Doomsday Jigsaw Puzzle

Chapter 211: Chapter 15: The Necessary Conditions for Attending a Gathering

"But this name, just a name, has no meaning other than that. She’s called Jiuyan, but have you ever seen her father and older brother, her closest relatives? She’s been swept out of the banquet hall by the lunatics of the family. What value do I have to her for her to even recognize me as a family banquet person?"

White Mist found this quite interesting.

"What’s your purpose in approaching Jiuyan? Why do you want to climb up to the Jiuyan family?" White Mist asked herself.

She had been through the experience of marrying a wife and bearing children. Although he was still bewildered, not understanding the emotions between people, he felt a part of his emotions was missing.

She was startled by this realisation. In fact, White Mist was dumbfounded by what he said to himself.

"Oh, oh, I forgot to let you in to sit down, sorry, something’s not right," Jiuyan said hurriedly and ran away.

"I am a good guest."

White Mist said:

Jiuyan’s gaze was complicated.

"Uncle, the person who saved me, was you talking to me, White Mist."

Her gaze was slightly vacant, a point of light in her eyes that was always missing, and Jiuyan could never feel the pleasure of this kind of forced smile. What was most naturally key was not actually the corner of the mouth or the arc of the brows, but the eyes.

"Were you and him friends?" Jiuyan looked at her.

"Looking at friends," White Mist responded very calmly.

Jiuyan was the first to speak out, "White Mist, what are you doing here, you’re the Seventh Army Investigation Team’s long queue leader."

White Mist didn’t know what to say for a moment.

Jiuyan didn’t like the smile on his face, it wasn’t good enough in his eyes. Though naturally, she should smile even more, but she understood Jiuyan’s reasoning.

She didn’t need to see the smile on her face to understand her emotions and thoughts, because he knew there was no meaning in this type of smile. He had even previously told her that she didn’t need to force such a strained smile anymore.

Perhaps this girl had realized her own mistake in what she said, or maybe he had suddenly thought of something.

And she was no longer clenching her fists.

Even if the smile of Jiuyan was still a bit forced, it gradually became more natural after being measured against Liu Chengzi’s corrections. White Mist was slightly surprised by this subtle change. There was not even a hint of that sweet beauty of tone.

What was so important about her to White Mist?

Could it be that she was showing her extreme joy to express herself to someone who couldn’t understand happiness at all? Why would she smile for no reason, clearly being joyless?

This was one thing he couldn’t explain to her.

White Mist was forced to show a smile in front of this young lady, even though she had never thought that she was incapable of feeling joy, just like her own daughter and Jiuyan.

It wasn’t a good sign for him when White Mist followed right behind her.

They didn’t like talking much, and Jiuyan understood just a little bit of the situation. It seemed that these two people were not too excited to meet.

Thinking, Jiuyan called him "little uncle" casually. Could it be that Gao Baiping considered her his own father and older brother? After all, just entering this hospital alone, she was doing rather well. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

Especially Jiuyan, who Qin looked up to and was only a few years older than his own older brother. Was she not his own aunt, which made Jiuyan feel strange?

Jiuyan let Qin call her "little uncle," and Jiuyan was wondering how she should refer to Qin.

His first encounter with Jiuyan was after the conversations with Empress Wu and Qin’s thorough handling of the regulation committee meeting.

Although to him, Jiuyan was still some kind of relative, he acted as though he mourned a lost love from just yesterday, but he knew perfectly well that Jiuyan was not his own child, she was a descendant of his family.

Of course, this was in the closed gambling hall. The most significant reason for his memory erasure might have been exactly that.

At the same time, he was absolutely loyal to the true ruling class of the family, but although Qin had lived for quite some time, his heart did not hold an old man’s melancholy and he didn’t lack energy.

This was a family secret.

Yet, he found it very difficult to be happy again, even though he hadn’t lost his joy.

The inner emptiness left him unable to feel the grief in Qin’s heart, as he had even killed his own children in a bizarre incident when they were just young, unable to feel any joy or pleasure. He would have been happier if his children had died sooner, as he had once brought up both a boy and a girl.

But Qin remembered Jiuyan. Jiuyan, however, did not recognize Qin.

But the joy often touches those who are happy as well, and he could have episodes of anger and annoyance.

He and Jiuyan shared the same condition of emotional deficiency.

Every time Jiuyan hugged him, it was the moment Jiuyan was born, it was only during Jiuyan’s existence that he was able to experience the love that Jiuyan lacked.

But every time he experienced it, it was no less than ninety-five days, and he did not have to experience such long durations, but he had two strong eye powers, and held on even longer and stronger than his family’s other guardians, and he never had to rely on sadness and fear.

Each and every hardening outside the tower that had come to life over the years was his companion of life, which had exceeded a hundred years.

It also put him in a level of inverted superiority, having a power dynamic that was underneath several of his fellow rulers.

Jiuyan was indeed that ultimate weapon. Outside, there were families that had their own ultimate weapons.

There was an ancestor who was very powerful inside the forbidden land, which was something the family heads knew about. Few people from the Jiuyan family knew, as he had always maintained his youth and was often outside the tower.

Jiuyan’s great grandfather was indeed Jiuyan, to be precise.

He was the second person in the Jiuyan family to possess the same kind of eternal power. Comparing Jiuyan’s family today to Gao Baiping, his hierarchy was several generations distant, as each generation of the Jiuyan family only had two people.

But in reality, Jiuyan was not actually Jiuyan’s elder brother.

This child, who was not fond of his father or elder brother, knew already when he had a detailed conversation with Jiuyan in the white mist for the very first time; Jiuyan didn’t like him that much, and he was not Jiuyan’s elder brother.

This small aunt had a certain desire, and White Mist could feel it; his words lacked urgent haste, and were only a slight expression of a minor longing.

He was not afraid of the outside world, which was not a madhouse.

"This is what I want, I want to go out and see. I want to go see the outside world. I want to go out, and only by diligently practicing to smile, do I not want to change into a normal person just because of White Mist, and if I am content with my own desires, I will open up and change," said Sister Orange.

She had thought of wanting to go out.

But things had become difficult over time.

That girl in the painting, that painting of her surrounded by the sights she had ever seen, was just a game of painting on that flying machine on the screen, which was also what she did while staying in the garden at the time when she was little.

She had always been waiting here in this place.

In fact, she didn’t really care much about being in this place, despite what Jiuyan had said.

Jiuyan said, "It’s because only people who are not normal would be confined here. That’s why it’s important."

"Normal people are not that important."

"White Mist, do you feel that my smile would become more normal if I’m happier...?"

Jiuyan had a few things he couldn’t let go:

Since he didn’t have much else good to talk about, it was unsuitable to chat with Jiuyan, given the latest news being the primary concern.

He planned to just drop by and deliver the gift, because there really was nothing else to see with Jiuyan.

"But what I need to do is already done, even though I am a poor man, this is just a time with the tower," he said.

"Oh, you just came not long ago."

"I should be going as well."

White Mist, with full assurance, looked at Jiuyan who was about to leave right after:

Jiuyan nodded a little as he walked away.

"Goodbye, little uncle," he said.

"I still have things to do. Go on with your chat," he said, after being silent for a few seconds, his expression very strange.

But he seemed to have something to smirk about. He could very well end up in a deadly situation the next time he encountered Jiuyan outside the tower.

White Mist said nothing.

"Oh, it doesn’t matter, if you find that White Mist needs help, my military investigation team will be there. It doesn’t really matter," he said.

"If you run into anything bothersome later on, you can connect with my family, because now there is a small group that has established a third-level order in the Jiuyan family," he said, standing up and taking a slightly deeper breath.

"Thank you, little uncle, but I still can’t go out... Wait a bit longer."

Jiuyan really wanted to go out, but he discovered he couldn’t settle the bill.

Jiuyan hoped that his life after the fog might have some impact on her, a girl from a noble family, not like himself who was vastly different from the white mist.

"If you really want to go out, I can accompany you, since your father won’t say anything."

Although he still had his own bok choy that was being bullied by a pig, Jiuyan also knew his own condition and that he was not entirely without filial piety to his daughters or fatherly kindness in the past.

Even though Jiuyan was technically a great-great-granddaughter, it seemed she should not feel too impressed, given the outward definition of her arm’s elbow turning outwards, the big daughter staying inside, without going out.

However, Jiuyan felt a bit more self-aware, despite all this.

From his childhood, Jiuyan had always been the focus of everyone, a genius with extraordinary talent, a head above the crowd, and even better than his ancestors by a notch.

He looked at Jiuyan with one glance. Chu Qing was still not really the white mist, and Jiuyan might not even be able to leave the madhouse yet.

"Oh my god, if I could just go to that place you mentioned and buy you some of those orange girl things, I would be alright with leaving here with you."

"No need."

"Thank you, Bai Wu. I, too, will buy you a gift!"

Jiuyan knew that this pen could be useful after completing a simple task.

This was simply a magical painting tool.

Bai Wu took out a color-changing mood pen with infinite ink that he found leaking from his mouth at the market.

Jiuyan showed his "amiable face smile" once again.

"...Really?"

"Yes, it’s a gift for you today. I have to deal with more important matters, especially since I was queueing up, debugging, and recently quite busy."

However, Chuanbai had Liu Haitian as a guide, and Jiuyan gradually became aware of it, besides Bai Wu. Everyone must be preserved, wanting to seek Jiuyan if they had any intentions, but Jiuyan definitely had a deeper motive for him, tearing out his heart and lungs.

And yet, he made a big step forward.

Bai Wu squinted his eyes and smiled, showing that the young mistress was still very smart.

Jiuyan did not mention another sentence, "Your message about the sea snail has not returned either." It was all because of Jiuyan’s own responsibility. "You haven’t been looking me up for a good many days."

Could it be because Bai Wu is specially in charge of the orderliness of his own responsibilities? Why was it specifically Bai Wu?

Originally, Jiuyan did not understand how to treat people... She had just saved the best side for herself. It was only revealed now that Jiuyan had first given Bai Wu water to pour, and only then, Bai Wu had given Jiuyan water to pour.

Jiuyan had even replaced several books on the shelf, but the tiny smile on his glasses was almost all that changed in the room, apart from moving out a small table lamp for Liu Chuan’s daughter.

Room 816.

Even though Jiuyan had met many more of his own family members than Qin, he felt quite uneasy about it.

But after some contact with Jiuyan, Jiuyan seemed very normal other than having a somewhat paralyzed face, and he had no other diseases.

He felt strange being admitted to the madhouse, a person who can’t feel joy would eventually be missing regularly, but to his surprise, it was Jiuyan.

Jiuyan felt it was weird just to come and go without saying anything, Bai Wu said as he walked in.

"Don’t you think it’s awkward for us to stand at the door talking? Can we go in and chat?"

But to their surprise, everything did as expected. Qin Tianping’s foresight had predicted these actions. Jiuyan was quite frank with Bai Wu though.

"..."

"Not exactly, because of me."

"I don’t believe you truly like Jiuyan."

Jiuyan frowned.

"The higher your position in a noble family, the prettier these girls are, so to speak... you can’t be bringing a girl like that."

"You wouldn’t be saying I can’t bring a girl, would you?"

"Every noble who arrives will bring their spouses or house servants, but of course, they also have some individual responsibilities to take care of. Naturally, not many will bring spouses... except for people like us who live in the same circumstance," Qin said.

"What’s the matter?"

"Oh, just some minor issue. I forgot to tell you something important," Jiuyan said with a faint smile.

Gao Baiping chuckled, "You have something to announce to the team?"

"Yes, you scare people a bit with the frequency of those tower outings, little brother. What, did you get kicked out of the tower or something? A while back, I would have given you a call, but now you’re back on your own," Jiuyan addressed Chu Qing sharply.

As soon as he picked up the phone, Bai Wu could clearly hear Jiuyan’s distinct voice.

Bai Wu had been making mistakes since the banquet, and from receiving Jiuyan’s phone call, he guessed that tomorrow’s gathering at the villa would be important.

He feared that before commencing their first search for the end-game puzzle pieces in the tower with Team 7, he should try to figure out a way to avoid confronting these few individuals at the top of the hierarchy.

For Jiuyan, distancing himself from the banquet was actually a bad thing, especially considering he was related to all of Jiuyan’s closest associates.

Bai Wu wouldn’t be managing the banquet anymore.

"If my language skills are as sharp as yours, I could probably complete the reconnaissance on my own. You guessed right, Jiuyan," Bai Wu said.

"I hope your sharp language can represent your team as the vanguard in the next tower outing. Remember me, I won’t let you pass so easily, Bai Wu," Jiuyan sneered with disdain.

Bai Wu didn’t flinch at all, "How hard could ranking preordainments be? If it’s just a big mistake, my team would let you pass, especially if Jiuyan likes you."

Direct in his response, and not taking any detours, Bai Wu replied directly, leaving Jiuyan behind.

A certain degree of attention was drawn to him, standing in the courtyard, exuding a breezy elegance.

Having walked only a few steps, Bai Wu spotted Jiuyan as soon as he walked out of the thick walls, leaving the madhouse.

...

...

"I’ll think of a solution, okay? You answer me," said Bai Wu, nodding his head, suddenly finding himself soft-hearted, though he was trying to give people hope.

"Please, I just want to go out and see... Don’t trick me. This is the gift I want the most, Bai Wu," Jiuyan said.

He planned to take a good rest the next day after attending Ming Chao’s wife’s gathering at the villa.

Bai Wu didn’t want to think too deeply about anything, and certainly not about any kind of annoyance, even though suddenly he found himself thinking of seeing River Yimi and Jiuyan... it felt like one very annoying issue.

If only returning to his original state would rid him of his fallen nature, then he wouldn’t really be worried about Jiuyan’s fall, especially if it was in the Chuanbai school grounds.

Bai Wu chickened out a little.

"Um... roughly," Wu Bai replied.

"Is there really such a place? Really?"

With his big eyes wide open in thought, Jiuyan looked at Bai Wu incredulously.

"I will find a way to take you to see it, once everything is prepared. But that place is still not ready yet. Maybe one day, soon, you could find a zone somewhere that would suit you," he continued, trying to make sense of the bizarre idea.

Bai Wu felt very different from ordinary folks, certainly when it came to certain places Jiuyan mentioned.

"In this world where occasions can be bizarre and fantastical, from the noise outside where the madmen are, the legitimate patients are locked inside the sickrooms, and the facade is as chaotic as a shield and a healer. You’re not necessarily abnormal here," Jiuyan said.

If Jiuyan were to expose herself to the world outside the madhouse, she wouldn’t really want to. At heart, she might not be too keen on revealing too much about herself to others, especially at a time when she feels more welcome elsewhere.

"I didn’t want to only hear about these places from you. I do not wish to be involved in these accidents. But... you will show me some outside scenes, perhaps even tell me of great incidents outside," Jiuyan said, hoping she wouldn’t find herself looking abnormal by doing something she fear doing one day—venting her feelings outward.