Chapter 321: Too Many Melons, Can

"What do you mean by that? Why call me a good person?"

Chen Guanlou set down his wine cup and squinted at the other, his gaze fixed on cheeks as fresh as a lotus emerging from water—now strangely unfamiliar.

Thanks to the goodwill filter he'd built up over these past days, it hadn't turned into outright loathing from just one sentence. If anyone else had handed him the "good person" card, he'd have flipped the table and stormed out on the spot.

"I…" Just as Zhong Susu didn't know how to explain, she suddenly rose and rushed outside.

Chen Guanlou followed her out.

A Grand Master!

A Grand Master has arrived!

Did the Grand Master come for him—or for Zhong Susu?

In an instant, Chen Guanlou was utterly lost.

"Disciple bows to her Master!" Zhong Susu stepped forward and bowed deeply to the beautiful woman standing atop the roof.

"Have you finished your worldly affairs?" The woman loomed above, untouched by mortal dust; her exquisite face radiated only coldness and an unbridgeable distance.

The woman's true age was impossible to gauge—she looked young, as if she could pass for Zhong Susu's sister. Yet the aura radiating a hundred meters around her was far beyond what any twenty-something girl could possess.

"Your Master?" Chen Guanlou stared, dumbfounded, at Zhong Susu. "She's your Master?"

"Master," Zhong Susu first bowed respectfully, "I still have some minor matters to settle."

The haughty woman snorted coldly. "Hurry up."

Only after receiving permission did Zhong Susu turn back to Chen Guanlou. "Brother Chen, I'm sorry—I deceived you."

"You…"

Chen Guanlou had too many questions; he didn't know where to begin.

"Your Master? If you have such a powerful Master, why bother asking me for help? Why pretend with me? You've truly made a fool of yourself." Chen Guanlou's chest burned with resentment—not just deception, but outright mockery. With a Grand Master as your Master, what in the world couldn't you fix? Not just escaping trouble—even restoring Zhong's official post would be trivial.

A storm of fury churned inside him; he wanted to explode right there.

For the first time ever, he'd been deceived so thoroughly. That business with Pan Niangzi didn't count. The worst part? The deceiver was just a girl barely in her teens.

Beautiful women are never to be trusted. Whether eight, eighteen, or twenty-eight—they're all untrustworthy. If you believe a woman's words, pigs can fly. Women are born liars—especially beautiful ones.

Terrible! Terrible! Terrible!

"This is such a simple matter—I could handle it myself. Why trouble my Master?" Zhong Susu said, as if it were obvious.

Chen Guanlou nearly spat blood, yet had no grounds to argue.

Of course—she was just testing her skills, leveling up. This small matter didn't require her Master's intervention. Anything solvable with money, beauty, or wit, she could handle alone.

"So I'm just your tool, right?"

"I'm truly sorry, Brother Chen. Deceiving you weighs on my heart. You really are a good person—virtuous, capable. You'll surely find a beautiful bride to share your life. As for me…" She gazed at her distant Master, eyes filled with reverence and admiration, "I will follow in my Master's footsteps and walk the Martial Path. My path in life was decided long ago."

Chen Guanlou stared at her, watching the emotion in her eyes—and suddenly realized something profound.

"You practice martial arts?"

"Of course!" As soon as she spoke, Zhong Susu floated effortlessly onto the wall, then landed lightly on the ground. "I'm sorry for deceiving you. I hope Brother Chen can forgive me. The Zhong family remembers your kindness—we will repay you when the chance comes."

"You…" Chen Guanlou's heart surged. Just moments ago, as she leapt onto the wall, he'd clearly sensed the shift in her Qi—far from an ordinary martial artist. He made a bold guess.

"You're a Hidden Lineage?"

A living Hidden Lineage.

"You noticed." Zhong Susu didn't deny it; she openly admitted she was Hidden Lineage. "When I was very young—around five or six—my Master took notice of me and took me as her disciple. She secretly taught me her arts, and for all these years, no one in my family knew. I never expected you'd see through it at a glance—you truly have seen much."

She even laughed, as if being discovered was amusing.

"I planned to discuss with my Master—once I turned sixteen, I'd ascend the mountain to train under her. But my father happened to fall into trouble just then. I thought, this is such a small matter—no need to trouble my Master. So I kept it hidden."

"Now that today's matter is settled, I must go with my Master. Brother Chen, thank you for all you've done these past days—running errands, easing my burdens. I'm deeply grateful. If you ever face hardship, take this fruit—light it, and I'll receive word at once and come to aid you. This is my promise to you."

Zhong Susu pulled out a small, glossy green fruit, no larger than a thumb, its type unidentifiable, and handed it to Chen Guanlou.

Chen Guanlou sighed and silently took it.

What could he say?

He couldn't beat her senseless right in front of a Grand Master. Nor could he forcibly drag Zhong Susu into marriage. A forced melon is never sweet—he had no taste for forcing women into bed.

Sleep must be mutual. Life itself is the same!

Most crucially, Zhong Susu's cultivation was no joke. Judging from the Qi fluctuations earlier, she was at least Seventh Rank.

At sixteen, already Seventh Rank—she was a genius.

No wonder the Grand Master had taken notice of her as a child, secretly taking her as a disciple and teaching her arts. Chen Guanlou looked up at the solitary, peerless Grand Master on the roof—he could see the woman's deep affection for Zhong Susu.

"Finished chatting? Then let's go!" The Master's icy voice suddenly rang in his ears.

Zhong Susu nodded. "Brother Chen, I must go! I wish you great fortune. I've left you a gift inside—I hope you'll accept it as my token."

"What should I tell your family if they ask about you?" Chen Guanlou suddenly had a flash of insight—a perfectly reasonable question.

"Please tell my Lady that I'm grateful for her care all these years. As for Father, I've already made arrangements. When the court issues a general amnesty, they can return to the capital."

"Lady Zhong is only your stepmother—not your biological mother. Why thank her alone?"

"Because she treated me well—never harshly. She hired me tutors, gave me every privilege, and was generous with gifts. My mother died giving birth to me. Had it not been for Lady Zhong's protection, I'd be dead already. Just tell her these words—she'll understand. As for Father, don't worry—I'll leave it to her to explain."

"Cheng Lingzi, you rarely come to the capital—why rush to leave? The last time we met was fifty years ago. I've missed you terribly!"

Another Grand Master suddenly arrived at the small courtyard.

Chen Guanlou's scalp prickled.

Danger—