Chapter 161

Qi Tuizhi, truly unable to bear the shame of being questioned further, could only toss out a line: "At that time, I was also looking for him, but I didn't find him."

Having spoken, he hastily found an excuse about having urgent matters and made a quick exit.

Otherwise, he feared the mocking glances from the surroundings would burn holes all over his body.

To be sure, if this were outside, the students gathering here might still praise him a bit, after all, he was a celebrity figure of sorts. Unfortunately, here, absolutely no one would praise him; it would be good enough if the malicious glances didn't pierce a hundred holes in him.

Because here, he was a rival in love!

Even after Qi Tuizhi had reached the doorway, he could still hear voices from inside: "Young Lady Pei asks a good question. I've long been displeased with that surnamed Qi. When Ye Wufeng was alive, he was like a quail; his name was heard nowhere. Now that Ye Wufeng is dead, he comes out to pretend."

"Exactly. Every day he claims to be the number one new talent. What arrogance is there in being a substitute? If you didn't know, you'd think he killed Ye Wufeng himself."

Pei Chuyun replied quite gently: "Don't say that. I haven't killed anyone..."

"How could Young Lady Pei be like those people from the Jianghu? Young Lady Pei's hands are for writing poetry!"

Qi Tuizhi held back a mouthful of blood in his throat and fled quickly, disappearing from sight.

Pei Chuyun dealt with the flies now and then, clearly having finished eating long ago and able to leave, yet she acted as if trapped here, her beautiful eyes constantly glancing toward Lu Xingzhou's direction.

Those eyes seemed to speak, clearly written with: "Didn't we agree you'd pursue me here? I've given you the chance, why are you only focused on eating?"

She truly couldn't hold it in anymore; finally, she parted the crowd and walked gracefully toward Lu Xingzhou: "Young Master Lu, I wish to discuss something with you."

Lu Xingzhou looked up: "Ah, Young Lady Pei, please wait. I'll speak after I finish eating."

He lowered his head; the chicken leg in his food tray had been stolen by A'nuo.

Lu Xingzhou: "..."

A'nuo smiled apologetically: "Master, you've finished eating."

Pei Chuyun hid her slender hand within her water sleeve and secretly gave A'nuo a thumbs-up.

Lu Xingzhou could only say: "Young Lady Pei, the spring breeze is perfect today. Could we go out for a walk?"

The crowd: "?"

Pei Chuyun said indifferently: "There is nothing that cannot be said to others; let us speak right here."

The onlooking crowd let out a long sigh, utterly excited. Look, not only did the number one new talent suffer a setback, but even Lu Xingzhou, who had history with her, suffered a setback.

Young Lady Pei is indeed a high-peaked flower, pure and immaculate!

Lu Xingzhou felt both amused and helpless in his heart and could only say: "Then, Young Lady Pei, please speak your mind."

Pei Chuyun said: "On Qingdai Mountain in Qingyao Garden, between two ancient pines, stands a stone tablet inscribed with a poem titled 'Jianzi Mulanhua'. Recently, it has spread wildly throughout the capital; countless people have flocked to the garden just to catch a glimpse of this poem. Everyone is guessing who the author is. Does Young Master know the news?"

Lu Xingzhou said: "Why ask me? Asking the garden owner wouldn't they know better than anyone?"

"This garden belongs to Sheng, the chief editor of the Hero Rankings. Many have gone to ask, but Chief Editor Sheng only said the author does not wish to seek the spotlight." Pei Chuyun gazed at him and slowly said: "As everyone knows, Young Master Lu and Chief Editor Sheng share a deep friendship. Chief Editor Sheng usually does not know any literary figures."

The crowd looked at one another.

Was Pei Chuyun suspecting that Lu Xingzhou wrote that poem?

If it truly was Lu Xingzhou, writing such a masterpiece yet claiming "not to seek the spotlight," compared to Qi Tuizhi's earlier "I am skilled in both civil and military arts," that was simply...

Lu Xingzhou found it quite amusing in his heart. The little demon girl clearly knew he wrote the poem; asking this publicly on purpose was to promote his name for him. She said "you come pursue me," but what she did was practically the opposite.

After thinking for a moment, he said: "If it were me, would Young Lady Pei be willing to go out and chat? There are too many people here; I, Lu, dislike discussing matters under the gaze of a crowd."

Pei Chuyun widened her innocent eyes: "It really was you?"

"Yes."

The crowd erupted in uproar.

Pei Chuyun bit her lower lip, as if agreeing to a man's invitation in public made her somewhat troubled, yet she finally made the difficult decision: "Very well, let us speak outside, but not too far."

A'nuo finished the chicken leg and, satisfied, pushed his master out the door, while Pei Chuyun followed hesitantly.

The onlookers looked at each other, unsure of their own feelings.

Why is this Lu Xingzhou so wicked!

He really tricked the goddess out!

But if that poem was truly written by him, he is a genuine all-around genius in civil, military, and medical arts; his competitiveness is somewhat terrifying...

Fortunately, his leg is lame, and he must have a useless burden pushing his wheelchair beside him; at least they are not alone.

No one knew that over there, the dog couple, appearing as pure and bright as a clear day after rain, went out the door, rounded a corner, turned through a corridor, and arrived behind an old house. Lu Xingzhou stood up, shoved Pei Chuyun against the wall in a wall-dodge: "Young Lady Pei, you said there is nothing that cannot be said to others, wanting to speak in public, yet refusing to come out with me?"

Pei Chuyun smiled apologetically: "Didn't I obediently come out with you?... I found the excuse for you! And I even helped promote your reputation!"

Lu Xingzhou sized up her small, weak appearance and smiled: "Why be so good?"

"I felt you were a bit unhappy just now, head down, shoveling food with a sour face... when Qi Tuizhi appeared?" Pei Chuyun grabbed his hand and shook it: "How could I possibly be hooked away by someone like that? Rest assured~"

"To be honest, I don't have much of an opinion on Qi Tuizhi." Lu Xingzhou smiled ambiguously: "Young Lady Pei is so beautiful; it is quite normal for a gentleman to seek her. He is also maintaining his decorum and hasn't said anything brainless."

Pei Chuyun said cautiously: "Then what are you unhappy about?"

Lu Xingzhou said nothing.

Actually, it was a fleeting small worry in his heart, because Pei Chuyun is from the Chana Hehuan Sect. Such a scene of men surrounding her, constantly hooking a large group of simpers, is precisely the lifestyle state she has pursued since childhood, and choosing puppets to control or draining them dry is an extremely routine practice for her.

Pei Chuyun herself did not come for this; she merely, as a daughter of the Pei family appearing openly before the public, naturally led to such a situation given her conditions. But she did not come for this; her master did. This is precisely one of the intentions of the Chana Hehuan Sect wanting her to return to the Pei family. Using the Pei family identity to hook rich targets is far more useful than using the identity of the Hehuan Saintess.

Lu Xingzhou knew Pei Chuyun did not think that way herself; saying he feared she would truly hook men and drain them would only hurt Pei Chuyun's heart.

It was just that a man's heart inevitably feels jealous, so his emotions were not quite right.

After a long while, he said in a low voice: "It's not your fault... I am jealous, with so many men surrounding you..."

Pei Chuyun blinked her eyes: "Truly jealous?"

"Truly jealous."

Pei Chuyun smiled, her eyebrows and eyes curved, and felt a small happiness in her heart instead.

Jealousy means liking; who would be jealous over something they don't like?

At the very least, there is possessiveness.

"You said it yourself: you come to pursue me and block away the flies. This scene was anticipated by Young Master long ago; Young Master wants to protect A'nuo..."

Indeed, it was said long ago that Lu Xingzhou was not in the right; he could only sneer, "It's just that someone provoked too many flies, exceeding expectations. You don't know there are other girls in the canteen; their eyes when they look at you are practically blazing with fire."

"Fine, fine, fine. Being too beautiful is all Ah Nuo's fault." Pei Chuyun wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered into his ear, "If Ah Nuo doesn't attract bees and butterflies, then Ah Nuo will just provoke the Young Master, okay..."

Ah Nuo shivered, turned her head, and refused to look further.

So disgusting.

Her master's response was equally disgusting: "Isn't Miss Pei pure and virtuous? Now she's provoking men?"

Pei Chuyun's eyelashes trembled slightly: "Then please punish the Young Master..."

In the next moment, the man kissed her, with a bit of rough punishment born of jealousy.

Pei Chuyun was actually very happy, responding with graceful compliance.

Late spring afternoon, silent, slightly damp. Beyond the corridor lay a small pond where dragonflies skimmed the tips of young lotus leaves; ripples gently spread across the pond water. Occasionally, the faint sounds of insects and cicadas chirped, making the environment even more elegant and tranquil.

Beyond the house, muffled human voices drifted over, reaching the ears of the illicit lovers and adding to their thrill.

"Sigh, Miss Pei is truly too beautiful... I can't think of tea or food, can't think of tea or food."

"Yes, if I could just hold her small hand, I'd be willing to shorten my life by ten years."

Lu Xingzhou's hand slipped under the hem of Pei Chuyun's clothes.

"Don't even think about it. Miss Pei has strict family upbringing and is very self-respecting. Someone like her will only marry into a powerful clan in the future; ordinary people don't stand a chance. As for holding her hand, just looking at her hand is enough."

Pei Chuyun panted, her small hand reaching up to touch the boat oar, gently stroking it.

"What about Lu Xingzhou?"

"Lu Xingzhou has very little chance; after all, he lacks a good family background, and the Pei family wouldn't look favorably on him."

"Didn't they say he is Huo Shang? Doesn't the Huo family count as a good background?"

"The relationship between him and the Huo family... even if one day he truly reclaims his ancestral roots, the Pei and Huo families are enemies, so it's even less possible."

Lu Xingzhou also began to move downward; Pei Chuyun clenched her teeth tightly, barely able to hold back.

"What sound is that?"

Someone poked their head over to glance in this direction but saw Ah Nuo standing dazedly behind the wall, her hand still gripping the wheelchair handle, while the rest of her was hidden behind the wall and invisible.

"Oh, it's just Lu Xingzhou and Miss Pei talking by the pond over there. The child is just standing there watching; nothing will happen."

In reality, Ah Nuo had been driven away long ago and forbidden from watching; this was simply her standing on the other side of the wall holding an empty wheelchair, acting as a human "Under Maintenance" sign.

The overly stimulating illicit affair left Pei Chuyun far less resilient than usual; she soon slumped weakly against the wall, her eyes vacant, relying entirely on Lu Xingzhou's strength to keep her from sliding to the ground.

Lu Xingzhou placed his finger at her lips; it was somewhat wet.

Pei Chuyun panted for a while before her eyes finally regained some focus; she gave him a look that was half-resentful, half-accusing, then slowly took his finger into her mouth.

"Are you satisfied... with the Young Master's Imperial Academy tryst?" Pei Chuyun mumbled, her eyes seductive like silk threads.

This was truly stimulating for Lu Xingzhou as well; his heart was still pounding: "Not quite enough yet. Just one spot by the schoolhouse pond; that's nowhere near the end..."

Pei Chuyun giggled softly: "Then the Young Master should try harder. Ah Nuo is not only waiting for your tryst but also needs you to protect her flowers... If you can't stand seeing so many flies around Ah Nuo, please come and drive them away yourself."

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ps: After reviewing for so long, I'm crying~

(End of this chapter)