察觉有人靠近,段清明微微回头,神色平静.清澈的池塘边,几根细长的竹竿下,一个不超过十岁的男孩,在斑驳的树荫下注视着他.孩子穿着淡绿色的长袍,身形如同一根竹笋,瘦削,挺拔,富有韧性.
客人的孩子?
段清明一眼就猜到他的状态了.他礼貌地笑了笑,然后又继续看书,显然没什么兴趣.
顾平林顿时皱起了眉头.
他的灵觉都这么敏锐了...原来如此,竟然开始修炼心法了.大家族子弟也难怪,不过我又慢了一步.
不过,两年后我就能加入灵心宗,得到造化经了,这个差距很快就能弥补了.
顾平林定了定神,段庆明的冷漠倒是没有让他失望.
前世,他们的初次相遇,便是如此.那温柔的面具下,隐藏着一颗如此傲慢空洞的灵魂,永远在追寻着足以让他心动的刺激.或许,只有那个女人...顾平霖心中的,不仅仅是恨,还有一种扭曲的骄傲.能被段庆明这样的人视为情敌,实属难得.
他们素来是死对头,顾平林比任何人都了解他.
视而不见,不代表他没注意到.很多人都被他平静的外表所蒙蔽.所以顾平林什么也没做,只是站在那里.
一个在竹林下,一个在花丛中.
一个在注视着另一个.
一个在读书,却没有翻页.
原本平静的空气渐渐变得诡异起来,一场无声的决斗仿佛开始了.
才喝了一盏茶,一股凌厉的威压便从另一侧袭来.习惯了这股威压的顾平霖只觉得双眼更加灼热.一个是早熟的天才,一个是重生的战魂.两人之间没有言语,但意志却如同钢铁般碰撞,形成一种无形的张力,仿佛要窒息空气.
一炷香燃尽,
又一炷香燃尽.
远处,传来阵阵笑声——外面的宴会结束了,宾客们开始漫步走进花园.庄园的这个角落却感觉与世隔绝,仿佛有一道透明的墙将他们与世隔绝.
终于,段清明淡淡一笑,低下头,从绣花躺椅上站了起来.
一举一动都遵循着贵公子的礼仪,精准而优雅.
一条浅色的发带松垮地垂在他乌黑的长发上,上面串着两颗金色的小珠子.他手里拿着卷轴,不慌不忙地走到顾平林面前.他微微垂下目光,挑了挑眉,什么也没说.
段庆明虽然只比顾平林大几岁,但身材却已高大,接近十三四岁的少年,站在同龄人面前,浑身散发着一种沉稳的威压.
But Gu Pinglin wasn't fazed. He met that gaze head-on.
The boy's features were refined, eyebrows set a little too close—giving the illusion of a constant frown. His lips curved in a gentle, well-mannered smile, the very picture of a dignified young master.
Yet those eyes…
Upturned at the corners like a phoenix's tail, with a faint natural red tinge above the lid. Set against inky black pupils, they gleamed with a strange allure—soft, charming on the surface, but at their depths: pure cold.
Only when he held a sword and faced an opponent would those eyes truly come alive—flaring with madness and thrill.
Those eyes had haunted Gu Pinglin's nightmares.
"You will always be the one who loses."
The devil's words still echoed in his ears.
Gu Pinglin smiled coldly inside.
Across from him, Duan Qingming was studying him in return.
The boy before him was strikingly pretty, with cool eyes and sharp features. Not the air of a noble son—but there was something about him… something aggressive.
Not a child of a noble family.
Duan Qingming's gaze sharpened.
It was subtle, but Gu Pinglin noticed the flicker of suspicion.
He's sharp, but still young. No matter how smart, he doesn't yet have the composure to hide his thoughts behind smiles. This is not yet the man from my past.
Gu Pinglin's heart wavered slightly. He withdrew his hostility. He was a grown soul, after all—what was the point of fighting a child who had yet to grow?
He would wait.
"What's your name?" Duan Qingming suddenly asked.
His voice was still soft, childish—not the deep, poised tone from Gu Pinglin's memories. Gu felt a bit bored, ready to leave… but paused.
He locked eyes with him and said slowly,
"Your rival."
The sharpness of the tone didn't quite match the elegance of his face.
"Oh? A rival, is it?" Duan Qingming chuckled, like an amused older brother. "Quite the ambition."
He reached out naturally and took Gu Pinglin's hand. "Are you lost? Shall I take you to your mother?"
Gu Pinglin had no intention of hiding his identity today. He wanted his rival to start preparing early. Still, he wouldn't be so easily drawn in by childish tricks.
He pulled his hand back. "I'm not lost."
"Oh?" Duan Qingming's smile grew warmer. "Then shall I accompany you to your mother?"
Gu Pinglin frowned. This overly polite tone reminded him of the Duan Qingming who always smiled like a fox in spring. Even at this age, he was already full of schemes, fishing for his identity with a child's methods.
Interesting.
Gu Pinglin turned fully toward him. "You want to know who I am?"
Duan Qingming said nothing.
Gu Pinglin grinned. "Then guess."
Duan Qingming looked at him for a long moment. "If I want to know, it won't be hard."
Such arrogance was inborn.
Gu Pinglin didn't move.
A kick sent him tumbling into the pond behind the bamboo.
The water was shallow—Duan Qingming wasn't worried he'd get hurt. He didn't call anyone either, just watched to see how he'd react.
Gu Pinglin climbed out slowly, unfazed. His face had turned slightly blue from the cold water. Looking down at his soaked robes, he said,
"I should change."
"Oh? And where are you going for that?" Duan Qingming asked, still smiling.
"To change clothes, obviously," Gu Pinglin replied. "I am a guest, after all. Surely you wouldn't have me walk around soaked like this. Or should I name you when they ask what happened?"
Duan Qingming narrowed his eyes. "Wait here. I'll send someone."
Gu Pinglin interrupted lazily, "And if you slip away? Who do I settle the score with?"
He added calmly, "I'm Yu Feibai."
If he let him leave now, in less than an hour the entire household would know a boy had fallen in the pond. His identity would be out. Claiming to be from the third-rate Yu Clan was a good enough cover.
Sure enough, Duan Qingming smiled. "Ah, so you're from the Yu Clan. The sixth son, right?"
Gu Pinglin's brow twitched. "The sixth died young. I'm the tenth."
No holes in the story. Duan Qingming nodded slightly, accepting it. He turned and led Gu Pinglin through a quiet path, away from prying eyes, out of the garden, across a few corridors, and finally into a private courtyard.
⸻
The courtyard was pristine. The buildings were elegant, the eaves intricately carved, and not a speck of dust on the stone tiles. Duan Qingming had a slight cleanliness obsession—Gu Pinglin remembered that from his past life.
It was the day of a major family banquet, so only two maids were left to watch the residence. Seeing Duan Qingming, they greeted him with smiles.
Without a word, he brought Gu Pinglin inside, past a screen and into a well-furnished study. Beyond a smaller door was a tidy bedchamber—clearly his own.
A maid brought over a set of clothing. "Shall I help the young master change?"
Duan Qingming frowned. "He's wearing my clothes?"
The maid teased, "Whose else? Surely not the servants'."
Duan Qingming scoffed, eyeing Gu Pinglin. "He's not even as good as a servant."
Rude words for a noble son, but Gu Pinglin wasn't angered.
His calm reaction surprised Duan Qingming. As the future head of the Duan Clan, he rarely encountered anyone who didn't react to his provocations.
Still, he glanced at the silver outer robe the maid had brought and shook his head. After a murmur, she returned with a more ornate outfit.
Red. In contrast to Gu Pinglin's earlier green.
"It's a celebration today. Something festive suits the mood," Duan Qingming said with adult-like dignity.
The maid chuckled. "Of course, young master."
没有香.顾平林记下了这一点.对对手来说,细节决定成败.他接过衣服,迅速换好衣服.
红色虽然鲜艳,但却让他苍白的肤色看起来更加好看.
目的达成,顾平林随意道了声谢,转身就要走,却被胸口抵住的一本书拦住了.
"嗯?"他问道.
"你利用了我,难道不应该告诉我你的名字吗?"段清明凑近了些,眼中寒光闪动,"你又不是禹家的十世子."
这比顾平林预想的要快.
他面无表情."我不知道你在说什么."
"真正的余天,不会图谋夺走我的衣服."段清明冷冷说道,"你要它做什么?"
这个版本的段庆明,还只是个孩子——但显然不习惯被人耍,稚嫩的脸上露出毫不掩饰的怒意,猛地抓住顾平林的手腕,一甩手.
还未等他施压,顾平霖便配合的张开了手掌.
"哦,顾家..."段清明瞥见了那块刻着字的玉佩.
这个结果,连顾平霖都感到意外,这年纪,就这么有智慧,难怪前世败了.
他淡淡的说道:"顾平林."
"私生子."段清明瞬间回道.
不难猜.他记得所有贵族继承人——但这一位不在其中.而且顾老爷从不公开自己的私生子.
但顾平林并不觉得羞耻.出身卑微又如何?没人在乎他,他只能拼命争取每一点修为.
段庆明这是在挑衅他,这是他惯用的伎俩.
顾平霖笑了笑,"成为正统继承人,并不代表你就赢了."
他对段庆明了如指掌.他的母亲早逝,父亲再婚.段庆明凭借早年的智慧保住了自己的职位——但一年后...
即使是天才儿童也无法战胜周围的狼.
顾平林摇了摇头.
"你很有趣,我喜欢."段清明仔细观察着他说道.
顾平林挑了挑眉.
"我明白了,你偷偷溜出去错过了宴会,就是怕你继母责罚,所以才用我当掩护."段清明冷笑一声,"再用我,我保证你吃亏."
现在他听起来就像一个正常的孩子.
顾平林也没再回答,转身就走.
走了几步之后,他停了下来,回头看了一眼.
"你有眼睛."
然后他就走了.
这句意味深长的话,让段清明愣住了.
他看了一眼正在叠着绿色衣服的侍女——脸色顿时冷了下来.