These words caused the expressions of the people in the hall to change slightly.
Yuan'er smiled, unconcerned. She'd heard Yuan Xun say such things countless times since childhood. Seeing her smile, the atmosphere in the hall grew even heavier. Her smile could be interpreted as tacit agreement.
Besides her, only Gui Datong could laugh.
"Good lad, I really like you! Let's have a good drink tonight."
Yuanxun grinned and said in a high-pitched voice, "You old codger, you can't outdrink me. I'm known as the one who can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk."
"I'm not going to get drunk! I refuse to believe it!"
Yuan'er smiled faintly again. Indeed, she really liked people who were pure and honest... She envied them.
She turned her head and saw that Pei Junwu and Yi Chunjun were both looking at her strangely. Pei Junwu lowered his eyes to avoid her gaze, but Yi Chunjun kept staring at her and smiling, as if he was plotting something wicked.
Chapter 16 of "The Smile of the Flower": The Dance of the Chrysanthemum Fairy
The rain stopped in the middle of the night, and the morning was exceptionally fresh, with the flowers, grass, and trees all carrying the fragrance of moisture.
Yuan'er stood under the eaves watching the water droplets hanging on the tiles. Today, Yi Chunjun was going to teach Xiao Juyuan the Chrysanthemum Fairy Dance, and Pei Junwu would play the piece that her great-uncle wrote for her mother.
I thought she was calm enough about this kind of "loss", but when it really came down to it, she still needed some courage to go and see it.
Tuoba Yuanxun came out of the next room, holding his head. He and Uncle Gui had both gotten drunk the night before and made a scene for most of the night.
"Xiao Yuan." Seeing her standing there so gracefully, he smiled brightly. "What are you doing standing here? Come on." He naturally came up and took her hand. "Isn't it the demon Yi Chunjun who's going to teach Ju Yuan to dance today?"
She let him lead her, and from his simple and sincere expression, she felt a sense of relief. Having a carefree and happy person by her side was a comfort to her.
Tuoba Yuanxun walked and laughed.
Yuan'er couldn't help but laugh, "What are you so happy about?"
Yuanxun burst into exaggerated laughter, "I really want to see Senior Brother Yi dance like a woman. He's already good enough... I also want to see Senior Sister's expression when she watches him dance. Ouch, ouch, my stomach hurts." He suppressed his laughter, looking very uncomfortable. "If it weren't for watching this good show, I wouldn't be able to get out of bed at all."
A good show? It certainly was a good show.
As she approached the small square, she heard the long, intermittent notes of a piano; he was casually plucking the strings.
Several maids lingered in a corner, whispering and laughing quietly. Their master hadn't chased them away, and they were more than happy to stay and watch the spectacle. Just seeing these few people was enough to please the eye.
Tuoba Yuanxun pulled her along in a hurry, and before she could hesitate, she saw those people who made her heart ache slightly.
Yi Chunjun chuckled as he manipulated Xiao Juyuan's arms and waist, teaching her basic movements. Xiao Juyuan learned very diligently, letting him touch her all over.
Aside from Yan Minyu, who was frowning and pouting with a look of resentment, no one thought that Yi Chunjun and Xiao Juyuan had any issues with the taboo against men and women touching each other. Yi Chunjun was very safe with women, at least that woman was safe... If he and Pei Junwu were to get so close, everyone would probably scream and go crazy.
Yuan'er stared at Yi Chunjun's face; he was truly an interesting person. The way he pointed out kung fu with a straight face, the way he scheming with a mischievous smile, the way he exuded a captivating charm... she couldn't help but laugh.
Pei Junwu's zither suddenly rang out with a loud "zheng," startling everyone. Yuan'er trembled slightly as well, but she didn't look at him. Yi Chunjun had said that after that kiss... she should never look at him again.
Tuoba Yuanxun recovered quickly after being startled by the music, and sat down on the stone bench next to Yan Minyu with great enthusiasm, even asking the maid to pour him tea. Because he didn't let go of her hand, Yuan'er could only sit down next to him.
"Where is Uncle Gui?" he asked Pei Junwu.
Pei Junwu's tone was as calm as ever, but with a distinct hint of coldness: "They've already gone back."
“Senior Brother Pei,” Yi Chunjun called out leisurely, and everyone frowned in unison, their expressions perfectly synchronized. The fact that he could address him with such rich meaning truly impressed everyone. “Play the Chrysanthemum Fairy Melody for me.”
Play for me?
Another sound of swallowing hard filled the air, but Pei Junwu seemed to be absent-minded as he nodded. It was unclear whether he was thinking about something else and ignoring Yi Chunjun's teasing, or whether he had already gotten used to it and remained calm.
"Juyuan, let me dance it once first, and you watch carefully." Yi Chunjun's tone when speaking to a woman made everyone breathe a sigh of relief, and their breathing returned to normal.
Every gesture and movement of his was so elegant and handsome, completely devoid of any effeminate affectation. Yuan'er stared blankly as he danced gracefully to the music. His mother's chrysanthemum dance was proud and charming, while his dance was noble and refined.
Chrysanthemum dance suits her mother, and it seems to suit him well too.
Tuoba Yuanxun stared at him infatuated. He had originally thought that he would dance like a seductive male courtesan, but he never expected that he would be so captivated.
"Brother Yi, you are so beautiful," Tuoba Yuanxun said, stunned.
Yi Chunjun stopped and smiled at him, "You can't like me, because I only like Senior Brother Pei, and you'll be sad."
The music went off-key as it rose. Pei Junwu stopped playing, his face stiff, and his lips twitched.
"No!" Xiao Juyuan seemed genuinely anxious. "You can't like him. He... he's my future husband." She blushed as she said it directly and stomped her foot playfully.
Yi Chunjun was very magnanimous, saying, "It's alright, I can't marry him anyway."
Pei Junwu took a deep breath, somewhat exasperated, "Yi Chunjun, many heroes from the martial arts world will be attending the birthday banquet. Don't keep spouting nonsense and make yourself look bad!"
"Strange?" Yi Chunjun scoffed. "My liking for men is none of anyone else's business. What's so strange about it? I'm not talking nonsense. Whoever I like..." He smiled faintly, "I'll just say it directly. Hiding it will only make you suffer!"
Yuan'er trembled slightly, her eyes unexpectedly meeting Pei Junwu's deep gaze as he looked at her, before they both looked away, each lost in their own thoughts.
"Juyuan, it's your turn to jump." Yi Chunjun's voice was abrupt and loud. Yuan'er glanced at him, and he was glaring at her with a cold smile.
Watching Yi Chunjun teach Xiao Juyuan to dance step by step, Yan Minyu suddenly cried, "I hate Uncle Lan."
Yuan'er and Yuanxun both looked at her in confusion.
"He should be teaching Senior Brother Yi kung fu properly, why is he teaching him this stuff?! He's the one who caused Senior Brother Yi to end up like this!"