Hua Guniang eventually followed Li Xunle into the nearby house, her expression somber, clearly heartbroken by Yan Liang's words.
Li Xunle was closest to the two and witnessed their deeply moving conversation up close. He had no doubt about the flower girl's identity and even marveled inwardly at Yan Liang's supposedly heart-wrenching love story, a hint of sighing appearing on his face.
Those watching as the top scholar brought the stunningly beautiful young woman into the mansion, a hint of unspoken admiration on their faces, couldn't help but connect the dots to the message conveyed by the scene just moments before—
This third-place scholar is indeed dashing and debonair, living up to his name.
The vermilion gate slowly closed, and the flower girl's apricot-colored dress disappeared from everyone's sight. Everyone was still immersed in the story that had just unfolded before them, and the street was quiet for a moment.
"...He really is the third-ranked scholar." Someone murmured in admiration. "That young lady is as beautiful as a fairy, she is indeed a good match for the third-ranked scholar."
"But isn't the third-ranked scholar in love with Miss Yuze?"
Another question was raised.
"In my opinion, the third-ranked scholar clearly still has feelings for that flower girl, and Miss Yuze is probably..." someone sighed.
People outside the door were discussing love stories related to the third-ranked scholar, while inside, Yan Liang was lying on the stone table, laughing so hard his shoulders were shrugged.
When the servants of the Li family saw the third-ranked scholar walk into the courtyard with his head down and then lie on the table, they had some doubts: Could it be that Young Master Yan is crying?
Although they wanted to go forward and ask, they didn't know where to begin. Fortunately, the eldest young master of the family soon followed them into the courtyard, followed by a girl in an apricot-colored dress. The servants exchanged glances and quietly withdrew.
When Li Xunle entered the courtyard and saw Yan Liang's appearance, his first thought was the same. He felt strange, but when he got closer, he heard the young man's suppressed...laughter?
Li Xunle: "...Brother Yan?"
Li Xunle was somewhat worried. He had heard of people who went insane after being traumatized... which was quite similar to Yan Liang's current state.
Wang Lianhua watched helplessly as Yan Liang lay on the table, laughing like a fool, while Li Xunle looked even more like a fool, worrying about Yan Liang.
"Don't worry," Wang Lianhua said irritably, sitting down at the stone table. "He'll be fine after he laughs for a while."
Li Xunle was dumbfounded: "...???"
Wang Lianhua realized that he had just used Hua Guniang's voice, so he said again, "It's me."
"Senior Wang?!"
Li Xunle looked at Yan Liang in surprise, then at the girl in the apricot-colored dress in front of him. Suddenly, the content of Wang Lianhua and Yan Liang's quarrel in the Red Sleeve Pavilion yesterday popped into his mind, and he realized: "Miss Hua is the wife who cheated on me?"
Wang Lianhua's eye twitched, and he said, "You remember quite well, but since you heard it yesterday, why didn't you recognize me today?"
Li Xunle: ...Who would have thought that you would pull this stunt so unexpectedly, senior?
"Because you acted so well." Yan Liang laughed until his stomach hurt, then sat up straight, leaning on the table, and said with a smile, "If I hadn't seen 'Flower Girl' before, I probably wouldn't have recognized her at first glance either. Wang Lianhua... you're truly a talent."
Li Xunle nodded silently. He had been watching from the sidelines and genuinely believed that Yan Liang and the girl had a sad and pitiful past. That was why he felt sympathy for the girl who was left behind by Yan Liang and went up to talk to her.
Thinking back now, when he spoke to Miss Hua, the way she looked at him was indeed a bit strange... They only exchanged a few words before Miss Hua said she wanted to explain the truth to Mr. Yan and followed him into the house.
Li Xunle didn't know whether to admire or feel helpless about Senior Wang's behavior of maintaining the "pretty girl" persona even until the very end.
“Flower Girl…” Wang Lianhua heard this title again and finally couldn’t help but say, “I don’t remember saying this surname.”
"You used the name Yuze back then, but I am right here in the capital. My story with 'her' has spread throughout the capital. I can't keep calling you Yuze, can I?" Yan Liang smiled slightly. "Besides, you are as beautiful as a fairy. Wouldn't the surname 'Hua' be a perfect match for you?"
Wang Lianhua gave a light hum, somewhat surprised that Yan Liang was so frank in praising her.
"And I haven't seen your face for many years," Yan Liang added, his emotions genuine. "Seeing you today brings back so many memories."
He remembers every friend in his heart.
Having thought that their separation would be like the stars Orion and Sirius, never to meet again, Yan Liang was naturally overjoyed to see an old friend here. When the familiar face of "Wang Yuze" appeared before him again, Yan Liang recalled the journey the three of them had taken together.
Yan Liang's direct attack surprised Wang Lianhua, who stared at him for a long time before looking away.
Yan Liang could frankly express his joy, but Wang Lianhua was not that kind of person. But some things need no words; they are understood naturally between them.
Yan Liang and Wang Lianhua were just bored and had nothing better to do than have another confidante for the newly promoted third-ranked scholar. Wang Lianhua was ruthless in tricking Yan Liang, and after that, Yan Liang's reputation for being a womanizer rose again, and he was often teased by his colleagues in the Hanlin Academy.
Yan Liang used this as grounds to demand compensation from Wang Lianhua. He had just finished practicing with his staff and was resting that day. Wang Lianhua had been watching him the whole time, and upon hearing Yan Liang's words, she readily agreed to provide compensation.
The next day, news spread throughout the capital about the tragic and desolate experiences of Miss Hua and Young Master Dongfang after their departure. It was also revealed that both Young Master Dongfang and Miss Hua had their own reasons for leaving Young Master Yan.
Yan Liang: ...What kind of compensation is this?!
Wang Lianhua said that this story shifts the focus to the flower girl and the young master of the East, thus reducing the burden on Yan Langjun.
Yan Langjun: ...Thank you.
Since the story of the young woman traveling thousands of miles to the capital to find the third-ranked scholar spread throughout the city, the scholar's reputation has been spread once again, and it even seems to be overshadowing the death of the Vice Minister of Rites.
People's lives revolve around food, clothing, shelter, and transportation, but they also need interesting stories to pass the time. The young and handsome scholar was entangled with two beautiful girls, leading to a series of poignant love stories.
Yan Liang had heard the discussions among the people and was deeply impressed by the wisdom and ingenuity of the ancient working people.
Some people agreed that the third-ranked scholar and the most beautiful courtesan should be together, arguing vehemently: "The third-ranked scholar and the most beautiful courtesan fell in love at first sight! My aunt's brother's nephew's friend's friend is a colleague of the third-ranked scholar, and he said it himself!"
Those who support the third-ranked scholar and the flower girl argued even more vehemently: "The flower girl's surname is Hua, isn't she a match made in heaven with the third-ranked scholar? Not to mention that the third-ranked scholar clearly still had feelings for the flower girl, it was only a matter of time before their old feelings rekindled!"
"Stop talking! A real man should want both!"
...
Such examples are numerous and varied. In short, everyone was excited about the romantic tales of the third-ranked scholar, and some even wrote stories about it and circulated them among the people. The main characters were still the third-ranked scholar and the two young ladies.
But what they didn't know was that the two girls were the same person.
Wang Lianhua, you are truly a femme fatale.
Yan Liang sighed, glancing at the storybook in front of him, and took a sip of tea.
The woman, a veritable femme fatale, reached out and snatched the storybook from in front of Yan Liang. She frowned, flipped through it, and then threw it back on the table: "The things are ready. It's your turn."
Yan Liang readily agreed, got up from the stone bench, rolled up his sleeves, and began grilling fish.
With nothing to do, Wang Lianhua suddenly had a whimsical idea and asked Yan Liang to grill fish; Li Xunle responded enthusiastically and prepared all the necessary tools for grilling fish.
How did you know I could grill fish?
He asked curiously.
Wang Lianhua gestured with his chin toward the roof: "I saw it there the night the palace examination ended."
"You're that idiot standing on the roof in the middle of the night, enjoying the breeze?" Yan Liang asked in surprise.
Wang Lianhua: "Do you want to die?"
Yan Liang changed his tune: "Just how many faces do you have?"
The face he saw on the rooftop that day was completely unfamiliar.
Wang Lianhua said arrogantly, "Have you forgotten that I am known as the Thousand-Faced Prince?"
The Thousand-Faced Gentleman naturally has more than one face.
Li Xunle was completely confused. Wang Lianhua told him about his visit to this place on the night of the palace examination. Yan Liang added that he had only glanced at Wang Lianhua and then looked away because she was climbing on someone's roof in the middle of the night like a fool.
Wang Lianhua gave him a cold glance, but Yan Liang pretended not to notice.
Yan Liang's skill in grilling fish had long been honed to perfection; the fish he grilled was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with an aroma that could be smelled from outside the house.
Yu Huatian walked in just as the three of them had begun eating the fish.
He surveyed the scene in the courtyard with a cold gaze: in the center of the courtyard stood a shelf with three plates of grilled fish on a stone table; Li Zhuangyuan in white robes, Yan Tanhua in gray robes, and a girl in an apricot-colored dress stood around the table, holding bamboo chopsticks, looking at them in surprise.
As the owner of the residence, Li Xunle bravely stood up and asked the uninvited West Depot supervisor with a puzzled look, "Supervisor Yu, what brings you here?"
Yu Huatian met his gaze, but couldn't ignore what was happening behind him.
The girl in the apricot-colored dress quietly swapped her grilled fish with Li Xunle's plate, while the third-ranked scholar watched calmly from the sidelines.
Yuhuatian: "..."
He paused for a moment before finding his voice, and said coldly, "Excuse me, the Western Depot has something to ask Li Xiuzhuan and Yan Bianxiu."
Yan Liang's heart stirred, thinking of Liu Changmin, who was on leave and hadn't come to work today.
Yu Huatian insisted that they go to the West Depot for a talk. Yan Liang looked at the fish he had only eaten a mouthful of and felt very reluctant to part with it. Li Xunle hadn't eaten a single bite and looked even more dejected than Yan Liang. Yu Huatian had no choice but to coldly order the two men to take their plates and chopsticks and get into the West Depot's carriage.
Li Xunle's joy was obvious. Yu Huatian saw the smile in his eyes and held back for a long time before he managed to keep quiet about how the girl in the apricot-colored dress had replaced his plate of grilled fish.
Yu Huatian: ...Did this person even notice that his plate of fish was noticeably smaller than the original one?
Author's Note: Wang Lianhua: My nephew's fish is bigger than mine, I'd better switch it before he sees it.
Yan Liang (watching the play): My thoughts—
Li Xunle (sincerely): What brings you here, Rain Supervisor?
Yu Huatian: ...Why don't you look behind you?
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2020-02-18 23:56:47 and 2020-02-19 22:57:44!
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: Poetry and Wine in Youth (1);
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: Natsume Mio (5 bottles); Yiyu Kyogen (2 bottles);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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