Chapter 9: Lu Wushuang Was the First to Be Flirted With

Shangzhou is located in southeastern Shaanxi.

Gu Qing rode a donkey and, based on information from the Beggar’s Sect, arrived in Shangzhou; along the way, beggars had been guiding him, effectively escorting him all the way until, before a tavern, a beggar patched with countless mends halted, pointing remotely and saying, “Brother Shi, the boy named Yang Guo is inside. This matter involves the Quanzhen Sect—we won’t get involved.”

Gu Qing nodded to the beggar, walked to the bottom of the building, tied up his donkey, and climbed upstairs.

On the second floor, several tables were arranged; by the window sat a man and a woman—the man was handsome but carried a hint of frivolity in his manner, while the woman wore all-white robes, her face tinged with faint anger.

After seeing the two, the man immediately turned his gaze toward Gu Qing; their eyes met, they nodded to each other, and Gu Qing sat down at a nearby table.

“Sir, what would you like to order?”

“What are your specialty dishes?”

“Stewed dishes, hot tofu, stir-fried pig’s lung, pork pancreas buns…”

“Pig’s lung, buns…”

Gu Qing ordered two items; the so-called pork pancreas bun was an Song-era term, equivalent in modern times to pork tenderloin sandwiched in bread. After ordering, he drank two sips of tea before finally turning his gaze to the man and woman.

The handsome man was Yang Guo; before sneaking into the Ancient Tomb on Zhongnan Mountain, Gu Qing always observed Yang Guo and Xiaolongnu first, so he recognized Yang Guo—but Yang Guo did not recognize Gu Qing. The woman in white was not Xiaolongnu, but Lu Wushuang.

Gu Qing had just arrived and did not know what Xiaolongnu was doing, but seeing Yang Guo and Lu Wushuang laughing and teasing each other, he realized Yang Guo was eating substitute food.

The bond between Yang Guo and Xiaolongnu began with Xiaolongnu falling first in love, while Yang Guo was slow to realize his own feelings—or rather, he had feelings too, but they were suppressed by the master-disciple status and other constraints. Inside the Ancient Tomb, Yang Guo followed Xiaolongnu’s every rule rigidly, daring not to overstep, suppressing his own nature.

Only after breaking free from these restraints did Yang Guo dare to be with Xiaolongnu.

Yang Guo was born with a naturally flirtatious streak; in the original Condor Heroes, after Xiaolongnu left, he found Lu Wushuang’s angry expression reminiscent of Xiaolongnu’s and often teased her; seeing Wanyan Ping’s eyes, similar to Xiaolongnu’s, he kissed her eyelids. Through these trials, he finally understood his own heart and pledged himself to Xiaolongnu.

Even after pledging himself to Xiaolongnu, Yang Guo never reined himself in.

In the Valley of Absolute Desolation, he casually flirted with Gongsun Lü’e; only after Guo Fu chopped off his arm did Yang Guo truly mature.

“What are you staring at?”

Lu Wushuang suddenly turned her face, eyebrows raised, scolding Gu Qing: “Have you never seen a girl before?”

As a child, Lu Wushuang had broken her foot, and the bone was improperly set; since then, she had always limped, making her hypersensitive to stares. Moreover, having been raised by Li Mochou, her temperament carried a touch of ruthlessness; sensing Gu Qing’s scrutiny, she immediately snapped.

“Miss, please don’t misunderstand.”

Gu Qing would never jump up to argue with her, nor would he beat them up over a petty quarrel; instead, he smiled and said, “I was born with the gift of physiognomy. Just now, I looked at the two of you—you’re clearly made for each other, destined to be wed!”

Whether as husband and wife or sworn siblings—that’s up to how things develop.

Upon hearing this, Lu Wushuang’s face flushed crimson; she scolded herself inwardly—she had been sitting quietly, and no one could possibly have noticed her limp; why had she reacted so sensitively and shouted?

As for Yang Guo…

Lu Wushuang lifted her eyes slightly, her gaze holding a trace of affection.

“Don’t talk nonsense!”

Lu Wushuang blushed, but Yang Guo grew anxious; he immediately stood up, pointing at Gu Qing: “I’m warning you—don’t speak recklessly!”

At this stage, Yang Guo appeared to be teasing Lu Wushuang into mild anger, but in his mind he was imagining what Xiaolongnu’s expression would look like in such a moment—he was clearly eating substitute food. Hearing Gu Qing’s blessing sent him into a panic.

“Oh…”

Seeing this, Gu Qing drew out the sound, quickly bowed in apology: “You two aren’t a couple? My apologies, my apologies.”

Hearing Gu Qing’s words, Lu Wushuang felt as if a knife had pierced her heart; her face turned pale, she sat silent, her eyes slightly moist.

Yang Guo watched Lu Wushuang’s expression, feeling helpless; he had once known ways to make her laugh, but now he had no heart for it.

The two were dejected, but Gu Qing was delighted. The pork pancreas buns and pig’s lung arrived; Gu Qing ate heartily, savoring their expressions as his side dish, chewing noisily.

“Brother Yang, why hasn’t Master returned yet?”

After a period of silence, Lu Wushuang found Gu Qing’s eating noises too loud and grating; she gathered herself and asked Yang Guo directly.

In Lu Wushuang’s mind, Xiaolongnu was Yang Guo’s master, so she never considered them as a couple; after a spell of gloom, she still took the initiative to break the awkwardness by speaking to Yang Guo.

One could only say that Lu Wushuang was the first to be flirted with—and the first to suffer heartbreak.

Yang Guo gazed out the window, his expression slightly grim: “We just wait.”

Since descending Zhongnan Mountain with Xiaolongnu, Yang Guo had always felt Xiaolongnu carried some hidden burden, often leaving him for stretches. He held deep reverence for her; every time he asked, she would frown, deterring him from pressing further.

At this moment, Gu Qing had finished eating. He picked up the teapot and walked to Yang Guo’s table, swished tea leaves in his mouth, then drank several gulps down. This behavior irritated both Yang Guo and Lu Wushuang.

“Little Yang, do I speak with any ill intent?”

Gu Qing asked Yang Guo.

“Little Yang…”

Yang Guo’s face twitched; he turned his head away… this man reeked of tea, surely not trying to set up a date.

Yang Guo was pondering how to trick Gu Qing twice and get revenge.

Gu Qing placed silver coins on his own table.

Gu Qing had originally had no silver, but the Beggar’s Sect had unearthed too much gold at Yanghuzhuang; though he claimed he didn’t want it, he’d still stuffed himself with plenty. Now that he’d eaten, drunk, and rinsed his mouth, he was about to seek out Xiaolongnu when he saw two figures—one white, one yellow—fighting continuously as they approached from outside the window.

The woman in white was Xiaolongnu; the woman in apricot-yellow Daoist robes was Li Mochou.

In their battle, Xiaolongnu was at a disadvantage, relentlessly pursued by Li Mochou. Inside the window, Yang Guo saw this and immediately prepared to leap out and fight beside Xiaolongnu.

“Little Yang! Sit down!”

Gu Qing pressed his hand on Yang Guo’s shoulder; Yang Guo instinctively used internal energy to resist, but felt Gu Qing’s strength was wondrously continuous, effortlessly pinning him to his chair.

“I’ll demonstrate only once—watch closely, learn well.”

As he spoke, Gu Qing drew his sword and launched into the Quanzhen Sword Art, weaving it into Xiaolongnu’s Jade Maiden Sword Technique.

As the Hero, before the protagonist, one must know how to steal the spotlight.

Please, please follow me—I’ll do anything!

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(End of Chapter)