Chapter 214: Yangzhou City

"I was lying to you, I've already washed!"

Lin Fan picked up a piece of pastry and put it in his mouth, nodding with satisfaction.

"Shi Qingxuan truly has a pair of skillful hands. These pastries are truly exquisite and delicious. You should have some too!"

Lin Fan praised Shi Shi Qingxuan while picking up another piece of pastry and handing it to Shi Shi Qingxuan's mouth.

Shi Shi Qingxuan opened her mouth and ate it in a daze. Seeing the pastry crumbs on Lin Fan's hand, she couldn't help but lick them.

"Hiss!"

Lin Fan felt a bit numb. A cold and elegant woman making such a charming gesture—this contradiction and contrast made Lin Fan exclaim that it was hard to hold out.

Shi Shi Qingxuan also realized the impropriety of her previous action and hurriedly turned around and fled with the pastries.

Lin Fan shook his head helplessly. He hadn't finished eating yet, why did Shi Shi Qingxuan run away?

Fortunately, he had already eaten in the small world, otherwise, how could he be full with just one piece of pastry.

Fortunately, Shi Shi Qingxuan reacted quickly, ran back with the pastries, stuffed the plate into Lin Fan's hand, and turned to run again.

"Shi Qingxuan, are you willing to come with me?"

Lin Fan grabbed Shi Shi Qingxuan's hand, then pulled hard, pulling Shi Shi Qingxuan into his arms.

"Lin Fan..."

"Shi Qingxuan, don't worry, I promise I will treat you well. You can follow me to roam the Jianghu. If you don't like the disturbances and noise of the Jianghu, I have a way to keep you from being disturbed. Come with me, don't waste your prime years in this quiet forest building!"

Lin Fan began to confess his love deeply to Shi Shi Qingxuan.

"Will you treat me well for the rest of your life?"

Shi Shi Qingxuan couldn't help but ask after hearing this.

"I promise, if I can't do it, then let me..."

Lin Fan couldn't finish the rest of the words because Shi Shi Qingxuan blocked his mouth with her slender jade hand.

"Lin Fan, I want to go to the Jade Crane Nunnery in Chang'an to pay respects to my mother. Are you willing to accompany me?"

Shi Shi Qingxuan suddenly asked Lin Fan with a serious expression.

"Naturally, even if it's to the ends of the earth, I am willing to go with you, Shi Qingxuan!"

Lin Fan had no objections; it was just a matter of going to the Jade Crane Nunnery to pay respects to his mother-in-law, a mere trifle.

"Lin Fan, do you know? My mother once said that when love breaks through the door, there is no way to escape! Now I finally understand what she meant. That door is set within the heart; once the heart's door is knocked open, one can no longer evade it. I am willing to leave with you!"

Shi Shi Qingxuan said to Lin Fan with deep emotion.

To this day, she could finally understand the words her mother had spoken.

Looking at the elegant and tranquil face before him and listening to her moving words of love, Lin Fan could not help but lower his head and kiss her. Shi Shi Qingxuan was no longer shy as before; she responded boldly and passionately, expressing her resolve to Lin Fan.

After a long while, the two slowly parted, their eyes meeting with infinite affection, and even the air seemed to turn sweet.

"Let's go, Shi Qingxuan. From this day on, I will take you to ride through the Wu Lin!"

Lin Fan stroked Shi Shi Qingxuan's face and smiled.

"Wherever you go, Shi Qingxuan will go. Even if I am abandoned by you in the future, Shi Qingxuan will have no regrets!"

Shi Shi Qingxuan's love was undoubtedly intense; once she decided to love someone, she would not hesitate even if it meant throwing herself into the fire like a moth to a flame.

Outsiders would find it hard to imagine that a woman so tranquil, elegant, and orchid-like in temperament could be so fervent regarding love.

"Only when the mountains have no edges and the heavens and earth unite would I dare to part from you. I will never abandon you!"

Lin Fan pulled Shi Shi Qingxuan tightly into his embrace. Since he had already regarded this woman—who was at times timid and at others bold—as his own, how could he ever let go?

Afterward, Lin Fan held Shi Shi Qingxuan as he mounted the Night-Shining Jade Lion, bade farewell to the secluded forest cottage, and galloped off into the distance.

Shi Shi Qingxuan did not know where she would be going with Lin Fan, but where the heart is at peace is home. As long as she could accompany the one she loved, nothing else mattered.

With a beauty in his arms and a fine horse beneath him, one could say that life's triumphs could be no greater than this.

Before they knew it, the two had arrived near Yangzhou City.

Looking at Yangzhou City not far away, Lin Fan's expression was somewhat subtle.

"What is it, Lin Fan? Is there something wrong with Yangzhou City?"

Shi Shi Qingxuan, nestled in Lin Fan's arms, looked up at him with curiosity.

"It's nothing. This is actually my first time coming to Yangzhou City!"

Lin Fan naturally would not say that Shi Shi Qingxuan's original partner was a small-time hoodlum from this very city named Xu Xu Ziling.

The legend of the *Twin Dragons of the Great Tang* began with these two small-time hoodlums in Yangzhou City.

The two entered the city. Shi Shi Qingxuan looked left and right from within Lin Fan's embrace; having lived long in the secluded forest cottage, she rarely saw such bustling scenes.

Moreover, after following Lin Fan, she seemed to have found a pillar of support, her temperament becoming more innocent and lively as she unleashed her true nature.

"Sister Zhen, two meat buns, please!"

Just as Lin Fan was slowly passing through the street on the Night-Shining Jade Lion, a voice caught his attention.

"Little Zhong, Little Ling, do you have any money?"

The beautiful woman addressed as Sister Zhen asked with a smile.

"Sister Zhen, although we don't have money now, we definitely will in the future. When that time comes, we will repay you double!"

Even though Kou Zhong was still just a small-time hoodlum, he was one with grand ambitions. He and Xu Xu Ziling comforted and supported each other, both claiming the other would achieve great things in the future, but in reality, they were merely comforting one another; they were also filled with confusion about the future.

They probably could never dream of the achievements they would attain later, could they? One would become a hero known throughout the Wu Lin, and the other would nearly become the supreme ruler of the world.

Lin Fan watched this scene with interest and felt great appreciation for the Wei Wei Zhenzhen before him.

Because her maiden family owed money and her father was obsessed with wealth, she had been sold as a concubine to Old Feng, who sold buns. However, Old Feng had a shrewish and jealous wife, so although he drooled over Wei Wei Zhenzhen, he had never been able to have his way.

Yet it was precisely because of Old Feng's covetousness that his wife was extremely hostile toward Wei Wei Zhenzhen, making life in the Feng household difficult for her.

But she still maintained a kind nature, from time to time using vegetable and meat buns to help Kou Zhong and Xu Xu Ziling. Without her care, perhaps these two hoodlums would have starved to death long ago.

Unfortunately, due to a twist of fate, she later followed Yuwen Yuwen Huaji and eventually died for love alongside him.

"Are you very interested in this woman?"

Shi Shi Qingxuan naturally noticed Lin Fan's special focus on Wei Wei Zhenzhen.

"A pitiful, kind, and tragic woman!"

Lin Fan summarized Wei Wei Zhenzhen's life in three words.

"I haven't seen the rest yet, but I did see the kindness!"

Shi Shi Qingxuan saw Wei Wei Zhenzhen secretly handing two buns to Kou Zhong and Xu Xu Ziling.

The reason she could see Wei Wei Zhenzhen's kindness was naturally because Kou Zhong and Xu Xu Ziling were ragged and disheveled, looking like beggars who couldn't afford to pay for buns.