Chapter 16 The storybook is nothing, I just wanted to touch you. ...

What brings you here?

Lian Quesheng yawned, his dark circles making him look haggard. Just as he was wondering whether he should cover them up, he noticed the same spot where a high-ranking, amnesiac sect leader was also dressed.

"Did you and Jiang Feiwan have a three-hundred-round battle last night? You look like you've drained all your energy. Don't come looking for me if you have any problems, I can't beat him either."

Shen Jiuxu stared at him for a while, feeling that he was different from what she had imagined. Jiang Yu probably wouldn't like such an unreliable person!

"Why are you staring at me? Do you have a crush on me? Let me tell you, that won't do. I've always been a chaste person."

Lian Quesheng watched as his once most well-behaved friend became like a block of wood, enduring his discomfort while listening to his ramblings for Jiang Yu's sake, and he couldn't have felt more satisfied!

"What were you doing last night? He's injured."

Shen Jiuxu pushed open the door and walked straight in. Lian Quesheng followed behind him dejectedly, closing the door behind him. "If he didn't tell you, then I can't tell you either!"

That sounds like adding fuel to the fire!

"His wrist injury is severe and he needs to rest well. Did he use a sword again last night?" Shen Jiuxu pressed. He couldn't explain why he cared so much about someone, but he just didn't want anyone to get hurt again.

He didn't want to see Jiang Feiwan in pain!

"What's the use of telling me this? I can't stop him, and I can't beat him either. It's already a favor that Jiang Feiwan didn't slap me away. I might have a lot of money, but I'm not stupid."

"You're being completely unreasonable."

Lian Quesheng grew angrier the more he thought about it. The couple didn't treat him like a human being at all. It was one thing to make him take the blame for their previous mistakes, but now they actually had the audacity to ask him to stop Jiang Yu from taking action!

You don't want to live, but I do!

"Alright, alright, he doesn't want you to know, it's no use asking anyone. I'm going to sleep, so don't bother me." Lian Quesheng said, jumping onto the bed, pulling the covers over his head, and then rolling himself up like a pretzel. "Remember to close the door when you leave!"

Shen Jiuxu endured for a while before finally pulling back the covers and saying, "Get up."

Lian Quesheng had never suffered such torment before and began to suspect that his gentle and well-behaved friend had not lost her memory, but had been possessed by some unreasonable villain! This was really unreasonable; such a wicked act of force and robbery was clearly Jiang Yu's style.

What...does he like?

"Who is it?" Lian Quesheng was so sleepy that tears welled up in his eyes. He would rather Shen Jiuxu knock him unconscious than have him grab him like a madman and ask him questions he had no idea how to answer.

"Oh...you mean Jiang Feiwan! How would I know? Why do you always ask me about him? We're not even related." Lian Quesheng was so tired that he fell asleep by the end.

Shen Jiuxu didn't hear what his last words were, but he couldn't just drag the man out and interrogate him like that; it would be too damaging to his image. If Lian Quesheng woke up and went to Jiang Feiwan to complain, it would be a huge loss.

After a while of fussing, it was already broad daylight outside, and several disciples of Star Palace finally got up for their morning practice. This was the first time they had gotten up early to practice since leaving Star Palace, and if Lian Quesheng hadn't been here, none of them would have bothered to pretend at all.

Ye Zishan slowly drew the Star Staff from his waist, swung it a few times, then glanced at Shen Jiuxu, his face turning red and white in turns. "Senior Brother Xichuang, I feel like something's off."

"What?" Just as Xi Chuang was about to ask a question, he saw Ye Zishan gesturing to look to the right with his eyes slanted. Shen Jiuxu was standing alone under the tree, looking very lonely.

The two looked at each other, biting their lips, deciding it was best to remain silent.

With a flick of his spiritual power, the branches and leaves on the tree twirled a few times before falling to the ground. Shen Jiuxu pondered for a moment, then took his sword and walked over. Ye Zishan was so frightened that he thought Shen Jiuxu was too traumatized and was about to do something that could kill someone, so he quickly hid behind the west window.

Shen Jiuxu walked straight past them without even glancing at them. His silver-white sword flashed, and Ye Zishan only saw his clothes fluttering before he disappeared without a trace.

Since the restrictions on Yunshui City were lifted, the streets and alleys have become bustling with activity, with vendors everywhere and their cries echoing throughout the city.

Peng Shan was the second son in his family. Since his father passed away and he separated from his eldest son, he usually stayed by his family's bookstall, occasionally selling a few books. Sometimes, when a big customer from Mingyue Tower came to buy some romance novels and sheet music, he could earn a few more taels of silver.

Just as he had found some newly published storybooks for the girls and sat down to rest for a while, a man dressed as a scholar approached the stall. He looked about seventeen or eighteen years old, and he was wearing a blue veil furtively, revealing a pair of round eyes that stared straight at him.

"Isn't this the young man from the Feng family? Why aren't you at the private school today? Aren't you afraid your parents will find out and give you a good beating?"

Peng Shan joked that they were neighbors and got along well. When they had nothing to do, they would go to each other's houses, squat in the corner, and chat.

In addition, the Feng family was the only family in that alley that produced a scholar, so everyone knew him. However, the boy was mischievous and playful by nature, and he was always sneaking around. When his parents caught him, the sound of bamboo sticks hitting him would come from the neighboring courtyard.

Peng Shan was used to it; he knew as soon as he saw him that he was skipping class again. "I reckon your parents will be here in about half an hour. You'd better hurry back to your studies."

"Hey, Uncle Peng, please, don't tell my parents. I'll just grab two books and leave right away." Feng Shengcai clasped his hands together and made several exaggerated bows. "I... I've fallen for a woman, but I don't know what to do. They all say that books have tricks for dealing with women. Could you recommend two to me so I can go back and learn?"

"You, Feng Shengcai, instead of studying properly, what are you thinking about all day? If your parents find out, they'll probably beat me too." Peng Shan dared not sell to him. "Hurry up and leave, I can hear your father's footsteps."

"Uncle Peng—"

"You little brat, stop right there! I'll beat you to death this time!" A powerful voice rang out from afar, and Feng Shengcai was so frightened that he forgot all about books and ran away as fast as he could.

"there."

Shen Jiuxu kindly gave directions to Master Feng, who had rushed over in a great hurry. The man didn't even turn his head and followed after him, leaving only a "Thanks, young brother."

Peng Shan assumed it was just some enthusiastic young man and didn't look at it, continuing to tidy up the books on the ground.

A hand was stretched out in front of him, with distinct and long knuckles. A few taels of silver were quietly placed in the center. He was stunned for a moment. He had never seen anyone pay before buying anything!

"Those books he mentioned earlier... are they really useful?"

Peng Shan looked up suspiciously. Are young people these days using the tricks from books to woo girls?

Shen Jiuxu's ears turned red from his gaze, and they felt hot to the touch; if they weren't in public, they might have even emitted wisps of smoke.

"Take these books home and read them. If you don't need them, come back to me and I'll give you a refund." Peng Shan carefully selected several stories about a weak scholar meeting a wild fox, a down-on-his-luck general encountering a forest maiden, and a nobleman's son falling for a temple monk. These were the best-selling books recently.

“But I say, young master, one must be flexible. You can’t just follow what the book teaches. I suggest you go to Mingyue Tower. You might just learn some tricks there.”

Seeing that he was young and well-dressed, Peng Shan couldn't help but say a few more words, "Why don't you take this? This is a rare private copy. I'm only selling it because you're offering so much money."

He shoved it into Shen Jiuxu's arms and whispered in his ear, "Those families were all vying to ask me for it, but I didn't sell it to them."

"Thank you, shopkeeper."

Shen Jiuxu didn't look at what it was. He carried a large pile of storybooks back home. Halfway there, he found a shady spot under a tree and sat down. The rare book that Peng Shan had given him was on top of the pile. Its dark blue cover looked very serious. He opened it and prepared to read it carefully.

With a "whoosh," the book was thrown into the bushes some distance away. Shen Jiuxu buried his head, covered his face with his hands, and two wild flowers sprouted from his hair, swaying wildly as if they were demons dancing wildly.

He never expected...that...that was actually...

Erotic pictures! The shopkeeper didn't know whether he preferred men or women, so he gave him a book that covered everything. This was far too stimulating for Shen Jiuxu, who had lost his memory.

He shouldn't have believed these things!

He just fell in love with Jiang Feiwan, even though he was a man. So what if he was a man? He wasn't a good person either! He was clearly a tree!

From this perspective, the person and the tree are a match made in heaven.

Shen Jiuxu convinced himself, silently picked up the rare book from afar, put it in his collection bag, and then went back with a calm expression on his face.

"Why are you up so early?"

Jiang Yu had already gotten up and was standing in the courtyard waiting for him. Today he was wearing an apricot-yellow outfit, which was quite different from the cold and aloof widow in black he had been last night.

The disciples, who were shoveling food into their mouths, didn't even glance at him. After all, they had witnessed another side of him. In their eyes, the current Young Master Jiang was a fragile white jade bottle with high cultivation, who killed without blinking an eye and was absolutely not someone to be trifled with.

"I'm going out to buy something."

Shen Jiuxu put one arm around Jiang Yu's shoulder and gently squeezed it. Jiang Yu didn't understand what he was doing and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, I just wanted to touch you."

Jiang Yu: ...

"The matter is resolved, I'm going back now."

Shen Jiuxu was still basking in the joy of the fact that the man had let him touch him and hadn't refused the touch, and that according to the book, the next step was to take advantage of him. But he was stunned by the words "I'm going back," as if a thunderbolt had struck him directly on the head.

"Where are you going back to? What will I do if you leave?"

A note from the author:

----------------------

Shen Jiuxu: Today is a day of hard study!

Jiang Yu: So, I'm your guinea pig?

Shen Jiuxu: (Recalling the storybooks he had read) No, you are my answer.

Jiang Yu: [Milk Tea]

Lian Quesheng: You two, shut up! Shut up! Why am I always the one who gets hurt? Why?