Chapter 616 Seriously? Even handsome guys get friend-zoned? [5k2, please vote!]
The second floor of Yunshui Pavilion.
With the help of her younger sister Fang Shengnan, Fang Juxiu finally managed to get rid of the Li family's young master.
It's nothing more than an excuse to issue an indispensable "good guy" card; it's been the same all along.
Before leaving, Fang Juxiu carefully instructed the young master of the Li family not to mention to outsiders that he had met the two of them that day, and to keep his mouth shut.
The infatuated young master of the Li family didn't think much of it, assuming that the Fang sisters had secretly come to Xunyang City for a visit, just like last time on the Lantern Festival, not wanting their elders to know.
The young master of the Li family readily agreed.
Before being sent away, the young master of the Li family didn't forget to turn back and explain:
"Madam Fang, Second Madam Fang, I came here with some friends today, but they dragged me up to drink this health-preserving tea ceremony. Actually, I was planning to stay for a short while and then leave..."
"Mmm, okay..."
Fang nodded mechanically, responding calmly, though somewhat perfunctorily.
She didn't even bother to ask about his cronies, completely ignoring them.
They watched as the young master of the Li family, seemingly reluctant to leave, went downstairs and departed.
Fang pursed his lips, lowered his head, and reached for the teacup on the table.
At the same time, she tilted her head slightly as if by accident.
Out of the corner of his eye, Fang Juxiu spotted a tall, slender figure in blue sitting alone at a table in the corner by the window on the second floor, picking at food and admiring the street view.
This handsome young man in a blue scholar's robe seemed to have come down from the top floor, a place specializing in health-preserving tea ceremonies. Just now, when she was being harassed by the young master of the Li family, he paused on his way down the stairs, turned around, and went up to the second floor to order a table of snacks to go with his drinks...
"Sister, this kid surnamed Li is quite obedient and a nice person. Did I kick him too hard last Lantern Festival?"
There were quite a few guests on the second floor. Fang Shengnan wasn't as wary or observant as her older sister. She asked, looking a little embarrassed.
"Yes, next time we must not resort to violence. If something can be resolved with words, we should never resort to violence first, otherwise we will be at a disadvantage. Shengnan did a good job this time and was much more patient."
"It's all thanks to my sister's excellent teaching. Sister, tell me..."
"Walk."
Fang Shengnan was interrupted by Fang Juxiu halfway through her sentence.
The latter got up and walked downstairs as if nothing had happened.
Fang Shengnan had no choice but to pick up her sword and follow.
"Sis, it's not even afternoon yet. Why are we leaving so early? We already have a lead. Let's have some tea and wait until it's time to go..."
"Be quiet and stay close to me."
Fang raised his sleeves without turning around, then walked downstairs with his head held high and chest out, gently waving his folding fan.
Her voice was so soft that only Fang Shengnan, who was right behind her, could hear it clearly.
...
The midday sun outside the window fell warmly on the wooden tabletop.
It also has to make people feel sleepy.
Ouyang Rong held the small teacup between two fingers, brought it to his lips, and took a few sips. It was truly warming and refreshing.
After watching the young master of the Li family, the "young master in pink and white", and the "young master in blue" leave and go downstairs one after another at the table not far away.
He remained motionless, basking in the sun, and picked up a few bites of food to put in his mouth.
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
Ouyang Rong paid the bill, put his hands behind his back, and strolled down the stairs.
Stepping out of the Yunshui Pavilion, the hustle and bustle of traffic and people hit you immediately.
Ouyang Rong ignored him, turned a corner, and skillfully walked towards a dimly lit alley next to Yunshui Pavilion.
Today, as he was seeing off a friend, he was dressed in a simple blue scholar's robe, keeping a low profile.
Upon entering the alley, a carriage was waiting inside. In the driver's seat, Ali leaned against the back panel of the carriage with his arms crossed, a felt hat covering his face, as if he were resting.
"Young master."
Noticing Ouyang Rong's return, he immediately took off his hat and gestured towards the car.
"Um."
Ouyang Rong responded calmly and boarded the carriage.
Inside the carriage, a young man in a blue suit, carrying a knife, sat waiting.
It is Yan Liulang.
Ouyang Rong faintly smelled a strange odor mixed with the smell of blood.
After settling down, ask:
"Is Lady Rong still at the old state prison?"
"Um."
Yan Liulang nodded and reported the truth:
"Another suspect was arrested for illegally possessing the Yunmeng Token. This morning, I led my brothers to assist Lady Historian in arresting the suspect and taking him to the old state prison. Senior Yang is still interrogating him in the water dungeon, and Lady Historian is waiting for the results."
"The Lady-in-Waiting said that I am not needed for the time being, and asked me to return first. Oh, by the way..."
He took out a bronze short sword carved with a ferocious dragon from his sleeve and handed it directly to Ouyang Rong.
"The Lady Historian instructed me to give this to you. This Yunmeng Token is a newly discovered one. Including the previous ones from the heroes Zheng Jun and the Guo family, this is the third one, but they all have the same design."
Ouyang Rong took the Yunmeng Token, glanced at it, and then took out a handkerchief to wipe away the oily bloodstains.
This Yunmeng Token is indeed the same as the one Zheng Jun handed over before, and should be of the same level.
Seeing this, Yan Liulang lowered his head and sniffed the fabric at his shoulder, saying somewhat embarrassedly:
"There was some bloodshed this morning. The old state prison is no place for a human to live. It's damp and gloomy, especially since a new water dungeon was recently set up... I don't know how the pampered Lady Historian can stand it. Your Excellency, it's best not to go there later."
"When I came, I changed out of my constable's uniform and just put on some clean clothes. Does it still smell a bit? I hope you won't mind, Your Excellency."
Ouyang Rong shook his head:
"I still need to go and visit Lady Rong later... She's had a tough time this time, running back and forth between Xunyang Grottoes and Xunyang City. The old state prison is too far away. We can transfer the prisoners to the new state prison in the suburbs later, which isn't far from Xunyang Grottoes and will be more convenient for her..."
"Yes, I was just about to say that. The prison really needs to be changed."
Yan Liulang nodded, then, as if remembering something, he frowned and said seriously:
"By the way, Your Excellency, the Lady Historian said that the number of Yunmeng Tokens issued by Yunmeng Sword Swamp this time seems a bit excessive and suspicious."
"In the past, Yunmeng Jianze was known for being extremely stingy in distributing this item. I don't know if this time it's to win people's hearts and make them resist us, but they've really gone all out."
"However, so far, the three Yunmeng Tokens we've found are all of the most common level. The Lady Historian said that when one insect is found, there's definitely a whole nest of insects in the house..."
"She suspected that there were still people in Jiangzhou who were secretly possessing Yunmeng Tokens, perhaps even higher-level ones. Such people, who could get Yunmengze to issue higher-level Yunmeng Tokens, must be elites trusted by Yunmeng Sword Swamp. They are definitely more dangerous than the likes of Zheng Jun and the Guo family head. We need to find them out as soon as possible..."
Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes and wiped the bronze short sword. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke:
"Okay, Liulang, go and investigate two people for me later."
"Please speak, Your Excellency."
Yan Liulang was also puzzled as to why the magistrate had suddenly changed the subject, so he simply clasped his hands in a respectful gesture.
Ouyang Rong tilted his head, seemingly glancing in the direction of Yunshui Pavilion.
Moreover, he whispered a few words in Yan Liulang's ear.
"Sixth Brother, go to Yunshui Pavilion first and check the two guests who had lunch on the second floor at noon. They were women disguised as men... Then go to Xunyang Ferry Wharf and Sifang City Gate checkpoints to check the relevant travel documents... See if the two women's surname is Fang... But don't arrest them yet and alert them..."
Inside the carriage, some soft, intermittent whispers could be heard.
Before long, Yan Liulang clasped his hands in a deep fist salute.
"Yes, Your Excellency."
Without asking any further questions, he immediately got out of the car and left.
After everyone left, Ouyang Rong sat alone in the carriage, bowing his head to wipe the Yunmeng Token clean.
He wrapped it in a handkerchief and casually stuffed it into the empty space under the seat, placing it together with a long, lyre-shaped wooden box.
Just then, Ouyang Rong paused slightly, his keen ears hearing a familiar sound of footsteps coming from the alley outside.
"Young master."
A hesitant voice came from outside the carriage curtain, and Ouyang Rong immediately lifted the curtain.
He saw what was happening outside and looked slightly surprised.
A figure in pink and white was seen walking straight toward the carriage.
Not far behind the "painted-white young master," at the entrance of an alley, a "young master in blue" was waiting with a sword in his hand.
The latter bit his lip and squinted as he looked at Ouyang Rong, his expression showing some impatience and displeasure.
But it remained where it was, as if it had been ordered not to leave...
As Ali was about to get up, Ouyang Rong secretly reached out and subtly tugged at the back of his shirt.
Fang raised his sleeves and climbed straight into the carriage.
Ouyang Rong's expression remained unchanged, and he stayed in his original position without moving.
Fang Juxiu sat down with a normal expression.
The two faced each other, their eyes meeting.
They were both intently looking at each other.
Fang Juxiu spoke first.
"Young master, do you know me?"
"Um."
Ouyang Rong nodded slightly: "Actually, I know the young master of the Li family better."
"So, you're also a friend of the Li family's young master?"
"I guess so, but we're not very familiar with each other."
Fang raised his sleeve and pursed his lips.
She glanced a few more times at the handsome face of the young man in the scholar's robe in front of her.
Fang Juxiu was used to this type of person, but it was rare to see someone so handsome among them. Crucially, his handsomeness wasn't effeminate, but rather possessed a heroic air. But unfortunately…
"Why is the young master following me?"
Fang Juxiu chose to ask directly, demonstrating a very proficient approach to the process.
"Well, I wouldn't say I followed anyone. I didn't move at all while I was in the car. Anyway, I wasn't with anyone."
Ouyang Rong thought for a moment and then answered.
Fang Juxiu seemed unsurprised and offered no rebuttal, saying softly:
"You witnessed what happened to Young Master Li just now, sir?"
“Yes, I saw it.” Ouyang Rong nodded honestly.
"That's good, it saves us some trouble."
Fang Juxiu smiled gently and said:
"Actually, compared to when I first met Young Master Li on the Lantern Festival, you are much better. You didn't follow me all the way here and make me feel embarrassed... However, it's not that Young Master Li is a bad person. He is very understanding and a very good man. I like to be friends with such understanding and good men, and I'm sure you are too. You are no less than Young Master Li in this respect, and you are a good person as well..."
Ouyang Rong was listening attentively with a rather serious expression.
But the more he listened, the stranger his expression became.
Just as Fang Juxiu sat down in the car, Ouyang Rong was still secretly touching the Mo family sword box in the space under the seat with his heels, and even adjusting the muscles in his body to a sitting posture that defied common sense, with the outside tense and the inside relaxed. His eyes were also observing the subtle fluctuations in her aura without making a sound.
But right now...
Seeing Ouyang Rong's unusual silence, Fang Ju observed his calm, handsome face and suddenly said:
"Young master is indeed handsome; I'm sure he has quite a few ladies who admire him..."
"that……"
Ouyang Rong coughed lightly to interrupt and took the initiative to ask:
"What brings you here uninvited?"
Fang stopped mid-motion, then said in a sincere tone:
"Oh, it's like this, young master, could you please stop following me? To be honest, I feel a little apologetic, but I don't really remember when you met me. I wonder if it was the same Lantern Festival night as with Young Master Li."
"Actually, I snuck out that Lantern Festival. My elders at home are too strict, and my sister and I are both carefree, so we couldn't bear the pressure. We wanted to get out and about more, and this time was no exception..."
She changed the subject, her expression becoming increasingly sincere, and said gently and kindly:
"So, young master, could you do me another favor and ask me not to mention to outsiders that I saw my sister and her younger sister at Yunshui Pavilion?"
Ouyang Rong's lips twitched slightly.
Fang raised his sleeve and bit his lip slightly, his posture sincere and polite, waiting patiently.
Ouyang Rong and Fang Juxiu looked at each other for a while.
He didn't know how much time had passed when he quietly released his heel from the long violin case and nodded slightly.
"Thank you, young master. That's all for now. We're friends now, so please take good care of me. I look forward to chatting with you again sometime..."
Fang raised her sleeves to get out of the car, but before she did, she seemed to remember something and casually asked:
"By the way, I haven't yet asked your surname, young master. I apologize for my rudeness."
She turned around and smiled at Ouyang Rong, but her tone was anything but impolite.
Ouyang Rong thought for a moment, then scratched his forehead:
"My surname is Ouyang, and my given name is... Huaimin, um, Ouyang Huaimin."
“Ouyang? What a good surname. From a feng shui perspective, compound surnames are very auspicious. Compound surnames are not common among ordinary people, but if you go to places like Qinghuafang in Luoyang where powerful and wealthy people gather, the proportion of people with compound surnames immediately increases. This is called ‘great seclusion in the court,’ and there is a reason for it.”
Fang Juxiu gave the man opposite her a slightly higher look, as if she had brought up a topic that interested her, and couldn't help but talk a little more.
"Perhaps." Ouyang Rong smiled. "Thank you for the compliment."
Fang Juxiu glanced at him and shook her head:
"As for the character 'Ke,' Ouyang Huaimin... Huaimin... the literal meaning is acceptable, but it's slightly inappropriate, mainly because it doesn't match. In any case, it doesn't match the name of another outstanding person with this surname whom this young lady admires... This is just a frank statement from my heart. I hope Young Master Ouyang won't take offense. Since we are friends, there's no need to stand on ceremony."
Ouyang Rong nodded without hesitation, and said with a sigh, "That makes a lot of sense. I agree. Huai Min is indeed inferior."
Fang Juxiu gazed at the seemingly forced nonchalance on his face, pursed her lips, and gave an apologetic look:
"Young master, please don't say that. They are all good names; it's just a comparison... Well then, I won't say any more. Farewell."
After speaking, Fang raised his sleeves, clasped his hands in a salute, and stood up gracefully.
"Oh, right."
But halfway down the road after getting off the bus, she paused slightly and uttered a single sentence:
"Young Master Ouyang, you'd better avoid places like the top floor of Yunshui Pavilion... To be honest, it's fine for a man to be a womanizer, but things that are too easily obtained with money can easily lead to disillusionment and a loss of the ability to find happiness and joy in normal romantic relationships later on."
"So we still have to be careful. After all, we're just ordinary people. We can only buy smiles with money, not genuine feelings. We're not the kind of romantic geniuses who can use their talent and charm to make beautiful women fall for them and write poems that will be praised for generations, attracting women from all walks of life to admire them wholeheartedly..."
"Of course, even a handsome young master might be tempted by that. He might be a little more sincere, but it's not much better than buying it with money. After all, beauty is fleeting, and this has been true throughout history..."
At this point, she became somewhat saddened and sighed.
"It's just a young woman's sentiment; Young Master Ouyang, you should listen to both sides for the best results."
Fang Juxiu's tone was sincere and gentle, and it was clear that he had a lot of genuine feelings to say.
"Uh, okay, I'll pass it on to my tea-loving friends." He nodded.
So you're the young master of the Li family?
Fang raised his sleeves and smiled, then walked away without looking back.
I watched the "painted-white young master" disappear into the alleyway.
Ouyang Rong lowered the carriage curtain, touched his chin, and looked around the empty carriage that still held a faint fragrance.
He suddenly smiled:
"Sorry, but even friends need to be thoroughly investigated."
His tone was equally sincere.
Two sincere people.
...
"Sis, how is she?"
"Let's go, everything should be fine now. He won't follow us anymore. He's actually a well-mannered and knowledgeable young man."
After a pause, Fang Juxiu added, "And he's quite handsome, the kind with a dashing and heroic air. Shengnan might like him."
"How could that be? I would never like guys who hit on any pretty woman they see or can't take their eyes off her. Besides, I'm not getting married. This heroine is here to fight evil and protect the innocent!"
Fang Shengnan was so dissatisfied that she almost jumped up.
"Alright, alright." Fang Juxiu helplessly patted her head, but was glared at and brushed away by the female knight.
Fang Shengnan snorted:
"Romantic love is a minor matter. You're the same way, sister. You've never lacked male suitors, but you've always politely declined. Why are you teasing me now?"
"no the same."
"What's different?"
Fang Shengnan held her sword with both hands and pursed her lips:
"It's just that you look down on them. I don't believe that if a truly outstanding man you admire and approve of were to pursue you, your sister would still be able to maintain her composure."
"You're too young to understand, I'm not going to argue with you."
Fang raised her sleeves and walked forward calmly.
Fang Shengnan followed behind, taking another look at her older sister's slender figure.
In terms of figure, her older sister is actually not as good as her. As for looks, her older sister is better at dressing up and is slightly better than her. However, they are sisters after all, and they look somewhat alike, both inheriting their looks from their mother...
However, strictly speaking, their appearance was normal to pretty, not stunningly beautiful, but they were considered high-quality unmarried young women by the wealthy families in Xunyang City.
However, Fang Juxiu is gentle and quiet, knowledgeable and reasonable, with a scholarly air. She speaks softly and gently, clearly a lady from a well-to-do family, suitable for being a good wife and mother, generous and capable of managing a household. Compared to Fang Shengnan, she is definitely more attractive to men, as can be seen from the fact that she has suitors from time to time.
But Fang Shengnan knew that although her older sister seemed gentle and approachable, speaking softly and easily, she was actually quite reserved and aloof at heart, with a hint of pride that was not easily noticed by outsiders...
A low voice came from ahead:
"Let's go, let's go to Taoshouzhai in Xingzifang first."
"When shall we return the Cloud Dream Token to that senior?"
Fang Shengnan asked in a low voice.
Fang raised his sleeves and pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "No rush, finding that young master is the most important thing."
"Okay, it's exactly once every three days, let's go stake it out..."
At this point, Fang Shengnan looked somewhat confused.
"Hey, sister, with the city under strict control now, why isn't that young mistress hiding properly? Why is she running out every three days to buy pastries? It can't be just because she's greedy, can it? Strange, who is she buying all this food for?"
Fang Juxiu also frowned slightly.
...
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(End of this chapter)
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