Yang Xi looked at the unserious Shen Yunzhi and was at a loss for words. After a long pause, he forcefully shook off Shen Yunzhi's clothes and denied with a cold face, "I didn't!"
Shen Yunzhi stumbled and almost fell, but what could be more interesting than discovering this secret?
Even if he falls flat on his face, it's worth it.
"No?" Shen Yunzhi steadied himself, smugly exclaimed a few times, closed his eyes slightly, and cheekily moved closer to Yang Xi:
"Yang Xi, based on my experience, you just like her!"
"Shen Yunzhi!" Yang Xi shouted angrily, pressing his sheathed longsword fiercely against Shen Yunzhi's neck.
Shen Yunzhi was struck in the neck by the blade, and felt a sharp pain. He grimaced and clutched his shoulder, "Ouch, Yang Xi, are you serious?!"
Fortunately, the blade was still sheathed; otherwise, with that brute's strength, his head and identity would have been separated.
Seeing Shen Yunzhi in pain, Yang Xi finally learned his lesson.
He sheathed his blade, gaining the upper hand, and coldly mocked, "A man's word is his bond. I told you that if you dare to talk nonsense, I will not be polite."
"You!" Shen Yunzhi raised his neck, pointed at Yang Xi with his right hand, and opened his mouth in a fit of rage. "So what if you know some kung fu? What's so great about that?"
Yang Xi looked down at Shen Yunzhi with cold eyes, as if he were a clown, and a slight smile appeared on his lips. "What? You're not convinced?"
Enraged by this nonchalant tone, Shen Yunzhi retorted, "I... I really refuse to accept this! I refuse to believe I can't handle you!"
Shen Yunzhi rolled up his sleeves, clenched his fists with an itchy grin, and charged at Yang Xi, shouting, "I'm going to fight you to the death today!"
Going all out?
Yang Xi smiled, his eyes appraising the old man's frail arms and legs with amusement. "I'm always ready to play along."
Halfway through his attack, Shen Yunzhi saw that Yang Xi was still standing motionless in the same spot, not even blinking, clearly not taking him seriously.
That's true. Even if there were ten of us, we wouldn't be enough to defeat the guy on the other side. If we really anger this guy, we'll only be asking for trouble.
He silently withdrew his fist, coldly snorting to save face: "Fine, a gentleman uses words, not fists. How could I, a gentleman, stoop to the level of a brute like you who brandishes knives and spears? Humph!"
Yang Xi was speechless at his thick skin: "If I am a brute who wields swords and spears, then you, Shen Yunzhi, are a shameless sly fox. Neither of us is as good as the other."
Shen Yunzhi: "..."
After releasing the river lanterns, Li Jiao took Tang Qingyu's arm and walked up the stone steps. "What were you two talking about?"
"What else can we talk about? Well, naturally..." Shen Yunzhi wanted to complain to Li Jiao, but halfway through his sentence, Yang Xi's sharp gaze pierced through him.
Shen Yunzhi rubbed his still sore neck, glanced at the extremely excited Tang Qingyu, and wisely took back his words, "No... nothing, we two men were just joking around. Qingyu, it's better for a little girl like you not to listen."
Tang Qingyu gave a shy and smiling "Mmm," while Li Jiao glared at Shen Yunzhi, "You're about to become a father, how come you're still not serious?"
“I…” Shen Yunzhi pursed his lips, looking aggrieved.
Yang Xi glanced at him indifferently, then turned to look at Tang Qingyu, who was wrapped tightly in his clothes due to the cold. "We've been out for quite a while now. Brother Feng is probably already waiting for us. Let's hurry over to Jixiang Restaurant and meet him."
Tang Qingyu was like an obedient little girl; whatever Yang Xi said, she agreed, saying, "Okay."
After they left, Qian Rushan, who had been hiding in the shadows, emerged with a dark expression. Looking at the river lanterns floating on the water, he seemed to feel a lump in his throat.
"No wonder that little slut Zhou Chenyu was so clueless; it turns out she really has her eye on this Yang guy. How am I any less than that brute surnamed Yang?"
The attendant stood bowing to the side, and seeing his master's displeasure, he winked and tried to say something nice:
"That's right. Second Master, you've said kind words and sent good things to her home, but Miss Zhou still ignores you. She's really so clueless. How can Yang Xi compare to you, Master?"
"If she had any sense, she would have married into our household long ago and lived a good life like the other ladies in the mansion. Why would she need to suffer?"
"However, this shows that she was born with a lowly fate and is not fortunate enough to enjoy your kindness. Such an unlucky woman will bring you great misfortune if you get involved with her. Second Master, you'd better not get rid of her."
don't want?
Qian Rushan may have cursed and swore, but he knew perfectly well what he was doing with the woman he had his eye on.
He slowly walked to the riverbank, picked up a river lantern that was burning perfectly, and through the acrid smell of the burning wick, he seemed to smell the unique scent of perfume on the woman's body.
Qian Rushan toyed with the river lantern, looking at the rows of graceful young women on the opposite bank, and sneered contemptuously: "How can a mere woman like Zhou Chenyu affect me? I'm not afraid."
Seeing his master's involuntary smile, the servant immediately changed his address.
“What you say is true, sir. Our sixth wife was just as proud and arrogant as that Miss Zhou at first, and refused to marry into the mansion no matter what. But she was still subdued by your methods and obediently brought into the mansion as a concubine.”
"Our Second Master has the protection of his master and son-in-law, and the support of his eldest daughter's several shops. He's both rich and powerful. What woman could possibly refuse him?"
"In my opinion, this girl will be yours sooner or later."
Qian Rushan looked at the servant and patted his face. "I like hearing that. Go and collect your reward later."
The servant knelt down excitedly and thanked him, "Thank you very much, Second Master."
"What a glib-tongued scoundrel! Why thank me? You did a good job, you deserve a reward." Qian Rushan proudly raised his head, pleased for a moment, then his face darkened, and he crushed the lotus lantern in his hand into pieces.
"By the way, we can discuss Zhou Chenyu's matter later. Right now, I'm more interested in knowing whether that old hag Chen Cuiping actually did anything for me! Once the Mid-Autumn Festival is over, I'll make her come see me!"
——
As instructed by Feng Chuli, Yang Xi and Shen Yunzhi escorted Tang Qingyu to Jixianglou. After exchanging a few pleasantries, the three of them turned into another quiet street with few pedestrians.
Following the moonlight, the group walked for a while longer. Yang Xi looked at the tightly closed gate in the distance and said calmly, "Sister Jiao, I'm home. It's dark now, so be careful on your way back."
"Alright, you're usually very busy with official duties, get some rest." Li Jiao smiled gently, then approached Shen Yunzhi, who was wearing a sour face and hadn't said a word. "What's wrong with you two?"
"It's nothing." Shen Yunzhi still remembered the grudge from that blade, let out a cold snort, took Li Jiao's hand, and walked away without looking back.
Yang Xi observed Shen Yunzhi's behavior but didn't take it to heart. He stayed where he was and watched the two walk away before turning around and entering the house.
It was late at night, and the elderly people in the family had all gone to sleep.
Yang Xi went straight back to his room, lit the candlestick, placed the long blade on the sword rack, washed his hands, and reached for the belt at his waist. He immediately felt the broken marks on the belt.
Hearing Shen Yunzhi's incessant chatter in his ears again, he paused for a moment.
He took off the belt and held it in his hand, looking at the long blade on the shelf with a heavy expression. After a long silence, he put the belt away and gradually calmed his chaotic mind.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com