The lovers walked to their horses. When the group was about to merge onto the main road, two women rode their horses quickly past them, heading towards Peace Town. The lovers and Hu Qingge jumped onto their horses and continued to merge into the main road. Not far away, they saw a carriage stopped in the middle of the road, and the two females who had ridden past them also stopped.
"I told everyone not to bring too many things, now we are stuck," Guo Longtong complained, clearly exasperated.
"Just keep pulling," Fang Yaoting urged, trying to budge the carriage.
"No way. This won't budge," Guo Longtong frowned, pulling harder.
"Everyone gets out of the carriage," Fang Yaoting commanded.
Coming out of the carriage were Lee Dachin, Wu Xiangmei, Wu Meirong, and Guo Yingyu. The four people standing on the side of the road didn't know what to do. Guo Longtong spotted two horses heading fast their way. He waved frantically to the two riders.
The two women on horseback stopped.
"Please help our horses?" Guo Longtong called out. "Our carriage is stuck!"
The lady in white looked at the lady in black and red. "Hongse, let us help them," Huang Yueliang suggested.
"How far is Peace Town from here?" Huang Hongse asked Guo Longtong, her voice brisk.
"Lady, we are going there," Guo Longtong smiled, relieved.
"Great, we also want to go to Peace Town," Huang Yueliang said.
Huang Hongse and Huang Yueliang dismounted and went to check the carriage.
"I regret to say," Huang Yueliang announced after a brief inspection, "but the wheel is broken."
"Our best choice is to leave your things here and then take another carriage back here for your belongings," Huang Hongse assessed. "It seems that it will rain soon."
"Oh.....That is a bummer," Guo Longtong sighed. He smiled at the two ladies. "I am Guo Longtong from Peace Town. What is your name?"
Huang Hongse looked at Guo Longtong, her eyes narrowing. "Your surname is Guo?" she asked.
"Yes?" Guo Longtong replied slowly, surprised by the directness.
"Do you know Guo Baiyu?" Huang Hongse pressed.
Guo Longtong looked at Huang Hongse sadly. "Yes, he was my first cousin," he said, his face full of sadness.
"Was?" Huang Hongse asked with surprise, a note of shock in her voice.
"He is dead," Guo Longtong confirmed, nodding.
"He is dead?" Huang Hongse shouted in surprise, unable to believe it.
Guo Longtong nodded again.
"What about Zhao Renshu?" Huang Hongse quickly asked.
"He is still alive, but I don't know where he is," Guo Longtong replied.
"Do you know where he lives?" Huang Hongse questioned.
Guo Longtong shook his head. "No."
"Let's help first, and then we will talk about Renshu," Huang Yueliang interjected, seeing the growing group.
"Someone is coming to us!" Lee Dachin shouted happily, pointing with his left index finger.
Guo Longtong waved his hands high and ran towards the approaching horses. "Help!" he cried.
"Slow down," Guo Baiyu murmured to Zhao Renshu, noticing the figures.
"Is that person looking for death?" Zhao Renshu scoffed, recognizing Guo Longtong's frantic wave.
The two horses stopped completely. Guo Baiyu and Zhao Renshu dismounted.
"Please help us, our carriage is stuck," Guo Longtong greeted, bowing in the middle of the road to show respect.
Zhao Renshu then looked at this outstanding scholar, then at Guo Baiyu.
"After so many years, you have not changed at all," Zhao Renshu smiled, shaking his head.
Guo Longtong lowered his head, then rolled his eyes up, raising his face to look at the source of the familiar voice. He looked to the right and saw Zhao Renshu smiling at him, scratching his chin with the thumb of his left hand. He looked to the left; Guo Baiyu was holding the reins of his horse, while Ping'an was still sitting on the horse's back. Guo Longtong's face lit up with excitement.
"Baiyu!" Guo Longtong shouted excitedly. He rushed forward and held Guo Baiyu tightly. "Baiyu!" he sobbed again.
Hearing the name "Baiyu," everyone else rushed over. Hu Qingge also dismounted from her horse, sensing the tension.
Guo Longtong sobbed, "I thought you were dead. I cried for seven days. Why did you pretend to be dead?" He hit Guo Baiyu twice on Guo Baiyu's left chest. "You are so mean... I thought I would never see you again!"
"Longtong, I thought I was dead," Guo Baiyu explained, a small smile on his face. "It turned out that the medicine Renshu gave me was the sleeping pills I left behind when I left Peach Blossom Valley."
"Uncle will be happy to see you," Guo Longtong said, pulling back, a hopeful look in his eyes.
"I don't want to see him. We parted under bad terms," Guo Baiyu replied, his voice firm. "Moreover, his eldest son passed away two and a half years ago."
"If your uncle can accept us, he will have one daughter-in-law and another son," Zhao Renshu stated bluntly, anticipating the inevitable family conflict. "Otherwise, the situation will remain the same. Guo Baiyu is dead. The one standing right here is Guozhao Baiyu."
"Guozhao.... Ah...." Guo Longtong murmured, realization dawning. "So, the three of you are the famous Guozhao Hunters."
The other group finally reached the lovers.
Huang Hongse stared at Zhao Renshu, her expression cold. Wu Xiangmei and Guo Yingyu stared at Guo Baiyu, their faces a mixture of surprise and anger.
"We have not finished the conversation," Huang Hongse said, referring to her earlier pursuit.
"I believe we have," Zhao Renshu retorted, meeting her gaze.
Hu Qingge held onto Zhao Renshu's left arm, looking at Huang Hongse. "Who is she?" she whispered.
"One of the Red Moon Hunters, Huang Hongse," Zhao Renshu replied dismissively.
"Who is she?" Huang Hongse asked madly, glaring at Hu Qingge.
"Her name is Hu Qingge from Border Towns City, a fairy of the Bee Clan," Zhao Renshu stated.
From behind the Huang sisters stood the Wu sisters (Wu Xiangmei, Wu Meirong), Guo Yingyu, Fang Yaoting, and Lee Dachin.
"Guo Baiyu!" Guo Yingyu shouted angrily, coming face to face with Guo Baiyu. "To avoid marriage, you pretend to be dead. How shameful!"
"In this case, the only disgraceful thing I saw is a shameless family that forced their son or brother to die," Zhao Renshu said indifferently, stepping to stand next to Guo Baiyu. "This person here, he is my brother and Ping'an's husband."
"That Guo Baiyu is dead and buried. I am no longer a member of the Guo family," Guo Baiyu said calmly, his voice unwavering. He looked at Zhao Renshu, and then at Ping'an. "This is my family."
"How shameful? Your family?" Wu Meirong scoffed, her eyes wide with disdain.
Guo Baiyu walked to Ping'an and held her right hand. He smiled warmly. "This is my wife."
"Did you hear, Miss Wu?" Zhao Renshu asked, looking at Wu Meirong and Wu Xiangmei. "I don't think he can be louder and clearer than this."
Wu Xiangmei said nothing, staring intently at Ping'an and Zhao Renshu. The exchanged words between Wu Meirong and Zhao Renshu quickly heated up. Wu Meirong sent out three needles directly at Zhao Renshu. Huang Hongse, reacting swiftly, sent one of her flags to stop the needle's attack.
Huang Hongse gave Wu Meirong an ugly expression, clearly disapproving of the attack.
"To be honest, I don't need your help," Zhao Renshu grumbled to Huang Hongse, annoyed by her intervention.
"Shut up," Huang Hongse snapped. "At that time, you were not being clear."
"What do you mean 'me'?" Zhao Renshu protested. "I explained it as clear as I can!"
"Your explanation is stupid and unreasonable," Huang Hongse retorted.
"Stupid? Unreasonable?" Zhao Renshu turned fully towards her, his eyes blazing. "Who is this stupid and unreasonable person? Look at yourself, chasing a man from Waterfall City all the way to Peace Town? Now, my dear, that is stupid and unreasonable."
"I need a clear answer!" Huang Hongse insisted.
Zhao Renshu and Huang Hongse started quarreling furiously, their voices rising. The two opponents stared at each other with murderous intent. Guo Baiyu noticed that what should have been a reunion had quickly become a nightmare.
"It's going to rain," Guo Baiyu announced, interjecting calmly. "Let's repair the wheels."
Guo Longtong, worried that everyone would fight, jumped in and agreed with Guo Baiyu. "Yes, let's hurry up!" he urged.
"Renshu, drop it," Guo Baiyu commanded. "Let's go help."
Zhao Renshu left, muttering to himself, as Huang Hongse and Hu Qingge followed him closely.
The people temporarily fixed the rear wheel axles, and the carriage started to move again. The group slowly moved towards the town. They heard thunder and saw lightning streak across the evening sky.
The group of friends stopped at the first inn on Sunset Street. The lovers stopped their horses in front of the inn.
"Baiyu, what are you doing?" Guo Longtong asked, surprised.
"We are resting in this inn," Guo Baiyu replied.
"Aren't you going to rest at my house?" Guo Longtong pressed.
Guo Baiyu shook his head. "No, we will rest here. You can take the carriage with the rest of the people to your home."
"Are you afraid of seeing your father?" Guo Yingyu challenged, stepping forward.
"I am not afraid," Guo Baiyu replied, his voice calm and firm. "Because it won't change anything. I have a clear conscience."
The lovers watched as the horse carriage slowly disappeared down Sunset Street, leaving them alone.