"She's acting all girly, like the youngest child."
With an official badge hanging from his waist, the wicked-looking constable turned around, his triangular eyes suddenly twitching.
"You've misread it, you've misread it. The youngest brother isn't Cao Cao; he can't just appear whenever he wants."
After calming himself down a bit, he raised his eyebrows, his expression intimidating, and turned around.
"Good morning, Eighth Senior Brother."
The beauty smiles sweetly as she greets the rising sun.
His thin face puffed up again and again, finally turning into a heart-wrenching scream.
"Damn it, the youngest is here!"
On the eighth day of the tenth lunar month, the people of Xia County witnessed two extraordinary sights.
First, the county's wicked constable, with a very unusual and strange expression, ran off at a speed rarely seen in the world.
Secondly, a handsome young man watched the passenger ship slowly leaving the shore, his expression even more stern than the constable's usual demeanor.
As the saying goes, only those who laugh last have the truth. Young master, you laughed too soon!
Volume Two, Chapter Five of Guan Ju
The autumn sky is clear and crisp, the sky is as clear as a shallow stream, and a few wisps of tranquil clouds drift across the horizon.
Thump.
Green beans bounced in the bamboo basket.
Thump, thump.
The beans collided with each other, just like the strange thoughts beneath the calm exterior of the bean peeler.
"Hey, you've finished cleaning a basket so quickly." Yu Zigui peeked out from the kitchen, his sleeves tied tightly with cloth, and looked at one of them with slight surprise. "Ziyu, I didn't expect you to be just as good at housework as my senior brother."
Shangguan Yi glanced slightly to her side, then looked at her with a gentle gaze. "I know a lot, Zigui is well worth a try."
“If we’re going to test them, we don’t need my Twelve.” Fu Xian picked up the bamboo basket without saying a word. “Young Master Shangguan has many admirers. If we test them all, who knows when it will be.” He glanced at Shangguan Yi with his pale eyes, then handed the beans through the window.
"Are you and Ziyu old acquaintances, Senior Brother?" Sensing the undercurrent between the two, Yu Zigui asked softly.
"I wouldn't call myself an old acquaintance, we've only met a few times." Sitting back in the courtyard, Fu Xian looked at the handsome young man opposite him. "The Shangguan family in Jinling lives a life of luxury, the simple meals at your private residence might not suit your taste, sir."
The order to leave was given tactfully, but to everyone's surprise, the man not only ignored it but also said, "Brother Fu, there's no need to blame yourself. I've never been picky about food."
With a cold snort in his heart, Fu Xian stared intently at someone. "After our parting three years ago, did Young Master Shangguan enjoy his drinks to the fullest?"
"I had a great time."
"oh?"
Both were dressed in simple cloth robes and appeared to be scholars at first glance, but upon closer inspection, they were quite different. If Fu Xian was "washed away the spring colors with little moisture, dyed the flowers with no trace," then Shangguan was "spring breeze and spring rain pass before the eyes, the waters of Jiangbei and Jiangnan lap against the sky."
“If it weren’t for Brother Fu’s ‘good wine,’ how would I have met Zigui?” Seeing his disbelief, Shangguan Yi asked him with a half-smile, “Zigui, it was drizzling that night at the dilapidated temple, wasn’t it?”
"It started off like that, but then it got a bit too heavy." Not noticing the two of them acting strangely, she buried herself in chopping vegetables, and this casual remark made Fu Xian's expression change.
"May I ask how Young Master Shangguan sobered up from the 'drunkenness'?"
"Hmph, Brother Fu, isn't it too late to be in such a hurry now?" Shangguan Yijun glanced at him, a strange look flashing across his eyes. "I wasn't the only one who was drunk that day. I solved the problem exactly as Brother Fu did."
"you--"
Let him think the wrong way, Shangguan Yi still said, "In that case, I should thank Brother Fu. If it weren't for Brother Fu's kindness in facilitating our relationship, how could Zigui and I have gotten to know each other, become acquainted, and then stay together?"
The two spoke softly, when they heard a flurry of footsteps coming from the outer courtyard.
"Sixth Brother, what happened at Tianlong Mountain!"
The young man in brocade robes stumbled in, his exquisite lips slightly distorted, and in his panic, he forgot to cover his face with his fan. Upon seeing the uninvited guest in the courtyard, the distortion intensified.
"You, you, you!" The hand holding the fan trembled uncontrollably. "Sixth Brother, what is he doing here!"
"Ziyu is my guest." A slender figure emerged from the kitchen, as elegant and composed as she had been years ago. "Seventh Senior Brother, it's been a long time."
The paper fan fell to the ground with a thud.
"It's not hot outside, why are you all sweaty, Seventh Senior Brother?"
It has nothing to do with the weather; he's sweating from cold.
"Where's Lao Ba?" Veins bulged on his forehead. That shameless Lao Ba had actually tricked him into coming back like this!
Fu Xian pointed to the backyard. "Old Ninth is 'building rapport' with him."
Very well, it seems he's not the only one who's been fooled.
He picked up the fan, concealing the fierceness in his eyes, and walked towards the backyard without looking back.
"Your sect's way of communicating is quite unique." Shangguan Yi chuckled, glancing meaningfully at the three faces, which were more captivating than any Western painting.
Rong Ye snapped open his fan, hiding the bluish tinge around his eyes.
Annoyed that the hand holding the fan was always blocking his view, Xun Dao glared angrily. "Damn it, you're not a woman, what are you covering up for!"