Lan Wuxie remained calm:
"Speaking."
"Nan Chu Manor has always been on very good terms with Lan Ying Palace, so there's no need to elaborate. My daughter, Bo Hai, has always admired the martial arts of Lan Ying Palace. Perhaps she could follow Pavilion Master Lan in her training? My daughter's talent is average, but she is quite meticulous and enjoys serving others, fetching tea and water. What does Pavilion Master Lan think? Hahahaha!"
Hua Chongyang's smile froze.
Does this mean Bo Hai is to be given to Lan Wuxie?
Beside him, Bo Jiang smiled like a fox, alluring and cunning. Lan Wuxie remained silent, staring intently at Hua Chongyang. Bo Feng glanced at Hua Chongyang, then at Lan Wuxie, and laughed three more times:
"Hahaha! There's no rush, Pavilion Master Lan, please take your time to consider this! My daughter is the most patient person!"
He drank the wine in his glass, then turned around with a hearty laugh:
"I'll go take a look around first, you all continue chatting!"
Lan Wuxie stood closest to Hua Chongyang, gazing at her intently, his lips barely moving as he spoke:
"What does Master Hua think...?"
Hua Chongyang held the wine cup, still containing the same wine from the beginning. She slowly brought the wine to her lips, took a sip, and smiled calmly.
"Congratulations, Master Lan, on finding such a beautiful woman."
Lan Wuxie's expression remained unchanged. After a long while, he nodded and said softly:
"Good, well said."
He extended his wine glass directly towards Bo Hai, who was standing to the side:
"Pour the wine."
Bo Hai took the wine glass, filled it, and handed it back. Lan Wuxie refused, took a step closer, and with two long, slender fingers, lifted the thin veil covering Bo Hai's face.
"From this day forward, you belong to me."
Beneath the thin veil, a snow-white and beautiful face was revealed. Her long eyebrows were like paintings, her eyes were like peach blossoms, her red and lustrous lips were incredibly beautiful, her forehead was broad and delicate, and her chin was pointed and thin, making her look pitiful.
It still looks familiar, but I don't know where it is.
Hua Chongyang couldn't bear to look at it any longer.
Even in her most desperate moments, she never imagined that she and Lan Wuxie would end up like this.
65. Tavern...
The spring night breeze was already much warmer. As soon as he stepped out of the gate of the Southern Chu Villa, Hua Chongyang flicked his sleeves:
"It's so hot."
Ye Laoqi and his men were waiting not far from the door. As soon as they saw Hua Chongyang and Bai Lu go out, they came to greet them.
"How about it?"
"Qingling didn't come; only Cheng Sheng and Xing Yanshui did."
Ye Laoqi looked at Hua Chongyang:
"I'll have them bring in a sedan chair."
"It's just a few steps, why use a sedan chair?"
"Judging from your complexion," Ye Laoqi examined you closely again, "you look like you've been exhausted for days."
Hua Chongyang remained silent, walked a few steps to the alley entrance, and turned in the opposite direction:
"You guys go back first, I'll go for a walk by myself."
After saying that, he turned and walked away without looking back.
Ye Laoqi looked at Bai Lu with surprise, and carefully lowered his voice:
"What's wrong?"
Bai Lu's expression was indifferent:
Bo Feng gave Lan Wuxie a woman. Lan Wuxie accepted her.
"What?!"
"That woman is only somewhat attractive because of her eyes and chin; the rest of her is absolutely hideous! Lan Wuxie actually wanted her despite her ugliness; he really isn't picky! How could Hua Chongyang have ever taken a liking to her in the first place—"
She stopped abruptly, looked at Ye Laoqi, and seemed to suddenly realize something:
"Eyes and chin..."
Bai Lu then realized that Bo Hai's eyebrows, eyes, and chin were almost identical to Hua Chongyang's, no wonder he looked so familiar to her.
She turned to look at Hua Chongyang.
Ye Laoqi was still anxiously pressing for answers:
"And then what happened? Did the poster get into a fight with Lan Wuxie?"
Bai Lu couldn't help but roll her eyes:
"Forget it. Even if Hua Chongyang could bring himself to do it, judging from Lan's appearance, he wouldn't lay a finger on her. Even a blind man could see he deliberately accepted that woman in front of Hua Chongyang. How could that man be so despicable?"
"To be honest, Lan Wuxie is ruthless, no matter how ruthless she is to others, but she really has no way to deal with the Lord of the Tower," Ye Laoqi sighed. "But the Lord of the Tower is just enduring the pain—that's how women are, the worse the man is, the more they can't forget how good he was to them. My eldest sister once told me privately that it seems Chongyang will never be able to let go of Lan Wuxie in this lifetime. I really don't know what will happen in the future, will he really suffer like this for the rest of his life?"
"She's only twenty. How many men are there in the world? She can just remarry."
"Remarry? That sounds nice." Old Master Ye sighed again. "In terms of looks and presence, can any man in the world find another like Lan Wuxie? Once you've eaten meat, who can swallow radishes and wild vegetables? Besides, Lan Wuxie isn't just a piece of meat; she's a thorn in her heart."
Bai Lu snorted coldly.
Old Seven Ye was still sighing:
"Could it be that the brothel has bad feng shui? From the eldest sister to Liu Da, Chu San, and Huang San, they've all been unlucky in love, and now it's Hua Chongyang's turn. I really don't know what will become of you and Fu Shun—"
Bai Lu shouted:
"Shut up! You're not even twenty, but you're nagging like you're eighty? You're a jinx, you're even cursing a nursing baby!"
Old Seven Ye quickly covered his mouth.
Bai Lu huffed and puffed, pacing back and forth in circles. She glanced up at Hua Chongyang, who was walking away, then stomped her foot, turned to look at Ye Laoqi, pursed her lips, and hurried after Hua Chongyang. After a few steps, Hua Chongyang turned back, looking exhausted.
"Don't follow me, I'll be back in a bit."
Bai Lu stopped, her figure even taller than Hua Chongyang, standing in the street. After a long while, she bit her lip, looked up, and had a look of gritted teeth on her face:
"Hua Chongyang."
"how?"
"Are you really so desperate for him?"
"I don't want to mention him."
"Don't think I don't know. Ever since the day you met him, you've been loitering on the rooftop until after midnight every night."
"I want good fortune and happiness."
"Do you want Fu Shun, or Fu Shun's father?"
"Say what you want."
"I'm only asking you because it's you; I wouldn't bother asking anyone else! Don't act like you can't reason with a child!"
"You were only fifteen to begin with."
"And you? You're only twenty, how much older can you be than me?"
Hua Chongyang couldn't help but smile:
"At least I'm a mother, a sister with a younger sister. Don't argue with me, Aru, I really don't have the energy."
Bai Lu gritted her teeth, then turned her face away after a long while:
"I'll only say this once. If you want to go with Lan Wuxie, I won't stop you. But don't even think about making me call him brother-in-law in the future!"
Hua Chongyang was taken aback.
After Bai Lu finished speaking, she turned and left, her back view radiating anger, as if she were arguing with someone again.
Hua Chongyang stood there, his eyes welling up with tears. After a long while, he shook his head.
"Go? Where can I go?"
She strolled leisurely until she reached the Broken Bridge of West Lake. After crossing the water's edge, she saw the Half-Drunken Pavilion on the street in the distance. Surprisingly, the lights were on inside, and there were people coming and going.
How strange.
She lifted her skirt and walked over by herself.
Those coming and going from the entrance clearly looked like ordinary drinkers. How could this place have truly become a tavern in just a few days?
Someone came out and lifted the curtain. Through the crack, Hua Chongyang saw that the person sitting behind the counter by the door was none other than Lan Cao. She instinctively turned to leave, but before she could turn around, Lan Cao saw her and chased after her like a whirlwind:
"Come in and have a drink!"
Hua Chongyang forced a smile:
"It's getting late, I need to go back now."
Lancao smiled sincerely:
"The Pavilion Master isn't inside. One of the ingredients in the prescription I gave Yan Bailu last time is missing from outside Lan Ying Palace. I've brought it to you; please come in and wait."
"I'll wait here."
Lancao, with a "I'll be struck by lightning if I'm lying" expression, held up three fingers:
"The Pavilion Master is really not inside."
Hua Chongyang hesitated for a moment, then followed him inside. Standing in front of the counter, she casually turned around and froze when she saw a table by the window.
Lan Wuxie and Bo Hai sat there, with Bo Hai's back to her and Lan Wuxie facing her.
She didn't bother to investigate Lan Cao's lie; her first thought was to turn and run away, but Lan Cao forcefully dragged her to a nearby table. Lan Cao, smiling nonchalantly, put down the wine pot and cups, then ran off saying:
"Sit down, I'll go get the herbs."
She had no choice but to sit down with her back to Lan Wuxie.
There were still two or three people sitting in the tavern, sitting around a table, chatting and drinking.