"Have you heard that Yang Bowen seems to have fallen in love at first sight with someone in the capital?" The refined scholar whispered to Lin Su while holding his folding fan. "He is the most talented person in Qinghe Prefecture, but even heroes cannot resist the temptation of beautiful women."
"Brother Zhiyuan has always been close to Brother Bowen, do you know which girl he is in love with?" asked another person.
"I said that anyone would make the girl's reputation not so good." Lin Su was too lazy to get involved in Yang Cheng's affairs. If others don't offend me, I won't offend others. There is not much difference between the protagonist and ordinary people.
"Brother Zhiyuan is really boring, and still such an old pedant. But I heard that you went to Cuinong Pavilion that day and redeemed someone. I didn't expect you to have such a refined interest." Someone joked.
Lin Su smiled and said, "Brother Lu Li, you've misunderstood. It's just that the child's parents once saved my life. How could I stand by and watch without helping the son of my benefactor when he's in trouble? Besides, the child is just a servant, not as filthy as you say."
Rumors are true or false, depending on what you say and do. One wrong word may ruin yourself. But since it is based on gratitude, no one can say that Lin Su did something wrong. They can only say that he is grateful.
"So that's the reason. Brother Zhiyuan is so righteous. I admire you." The men bowed one after another.
Lin Su smiled without saying a word, accepting it completely.
At this point the topic changed, some people believed it but some did not. When Yang Cheng was painting in his mansion, someone came to visit him in the hope of supporting each other in the future, which also mentioned Lin Su's move.
"He just likes those things and made up the story on purpose. A girl sold to a brothel has no parents or brothers to be found, and he has no right to say anything." The man was quite disdainful.
Yang Bowen did not stop painting, but just said: "A gentleman does not speak behind people's backs. What he said may not be false."
Even if she really likes men, so what? If there is a person who is extremely beautiful and unparalleled in the world, even men will admire her.
But the difference in status is there, and it is destined that you will never get it in this life.
"Brother Bowen, you're staying at the mansion and don't know. I've found out everything. The person who was redeemed wasn't some servant, but an unregistered prostitute named Qingxi." The man tutted, "The brothel owner said he was carried out after being slept with. You really think Lin Zhiyuan is such a good man, and he saved my life. It's a pity he said that."
"If that's the case, he's a bold man." Yang Cheng looked at the person in the painting, fanning him gently with his fan and said, "I think that young man is also very good-looking."
"It's something made of rouge and powder, so who knows?" the man continued. "But it's said that the young prostitute looks like someone. It was Brother Yuman who said that after he came back from the capital. He said he looked like the son of the Minister of Personnel, or Qi Yi. You know Brother Yuman is always fond of the ways of men, so it's normal for him to have been to a prostitute's house. I guess what he said is pretty close."
"What did you say?!" Yang Cheng lost his composure and looked at him excitedly, almost tearing up the painting in his hand. "Who do you say it looks like?"
"Son of the Minister of Personnel, what's wrong? It seems like he's about 70% like her." The man looked at Yang Cheng's excited expression and was a little puzzled. "Is there any problem?"
"It's about 70% similar..." Yang Cheng rolled up the scroll and paced back and forth a few steps. "He was carried out after he fell asleep. Lin Zhiyuan, could it be that you also... But how could you humiliate him like this?"
How can a young waiter compare to that man?
The man saw him mumbling, confused: "What humiliation?"
"Qi Qingyi, the son of the Minister of Personnel, possesses exceptional literary talent and is a role model for contemporary scholars," Yang Cheng began. "Lin Zhiyuan has met him, and I think he admired him but couldn't have him, so he found a replacement. This is clearly a humiliation."
The man also stood up: "In this case, if Qi Qingyi knew about this, I'm afraid Lin Su would be in big trouble."
"No," Yang Cheng refused subconsciously. "If he knew, it would only dirty his eyes and pollute his ears. Let's go talk to Brother Zhiyuan about this. Even if he likes this, he shouldn't humiliate that person."
That man is handsome and handsome, but someone found a substitute to suppress him. I'm afraid he will be angry.
Lin Su would take time to visit Qing Tang in the small courtyard. He had changed out of the gauze clothes of the brothel and put on ordinary linen clothes. His eyebrows and eyes were still not covered at all, but instead the worldly air around him was gone. He looked childish and cute, really like a beautiful book boy.
When Lin Su didn't come, he rarely went out. He really cleaned the yard as Lin Su said. The books and bedding were all hung out to dry, the tables, chairs and benches were all wiped clean, and even the firewood pile in the kitchen was neatly arranged.
When Lin Suchu bought the courtyard, it was barely tidy. But when he came back, he felt extremely comfortable walking, sitting and lying there. Less than half a cup of tea after he sat down, Xiao Qingtang brought him tea and cakes, staring at him eagerly.
Because of working, there was some sweat on his forehead, and a few blisters on his originally slender white fingers, but the smile on his face and the light in his eyes were not comparable to when they first met in the brothel.
"Master Su, try this cake. If there's anything wrong with it, I can change it." Qing Tang looked at him with sparkling eyes.
Lin Su tasted the cakes and then the tea. He was staring at him the whole time, as if waiting for a compliment. If it were someone else, they would probably feel a lot of pressure from being stared at. Lin Su stared at him expectantly and said, "It's very well made, but I don't like sweets. It would be better if you put less sugar next time."
"Yes, Master Su." Qing Tang's eyebrows curved.
Lin Su drank tea and ate a lot of cakes under his expectant gaze. After giving him enough face, he asked, "Have you practiced calligraphy these days?"
Qing Tang's expression froze for a moment, and he scratched his cheek gently and said, "Of course I have practiced it, but it's really not worthy of being presented in a formal setting."
"Bring it here and show it to me." Lin Su said.
Qing Tang brought over a thick stack of papers and blushed slightly as she handed it to Lin Su: "Qing Tang's handwriting isn't even a fraction as good as Master Su's."
The handwriting that the young master casually annotated on the storybook was better than those of his former teachers. He had some confidence in his handwriting, after all, he had attended a private school. But after comparing it with the young master's, he really wanted to throw it away.
Lin Su looked at the handwriting on the paper. It was not particularly bad. Anyone who could read could recognize it. It was just a little childish and had not yet formed a structure. The fact that he could recognize so much must have been what he learned in a private school when he was young. Although places like brothels sometimes required him to recite poems and compose couplets, the poems he recited and the couplets he composed were not what ordinary scholars would use. They probably learned more about how to serve guests well.
"You do have some basic knowledge. If you can surpass me right from the start, wouldn't it seem like all my more than ten years of studying have been in vain?" Lin Su did not condemn him. Everyone's experience is different, and the same standard cannot be applied to everyone.
Qing Tang had been with him for a long time and knew that he would not get angry easily. He no longer felt the initial uneasiness. However, the more he spent time with him, the more he felt that the young master was very different from those sour Confucian scholars. Hearing what he said, he smiled sheepishly and said, "Young Master Su is right."
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