Chapter 55: Not Good at Socialising
The entire world was completely silent at this moment, as if time had stopped. Only the gentle wind at the riverside of the River of Trust continued to blow lightly.
At the same time, a face of absolute beauty appeared in front of the youth’s eyes.
In the ancient times, there were beauties that hid the moon and shamed the flowers, sunk the fishes and alighted the birds. Yet, Yun Qingwu didn’t fall behind them. With her long, curved eyebrows, bright pupils, snow-white skin, her lips fainting showing a shade of red, like the most breath-taking stroke of brush in a vast snowy landscape.
Except at this moment, this face of absolutely beauty, was in a state of complete shock. Her delicate lips were slightly agape, and disbelief filled her bright pupils.
Not only did Yun Qingwu not dare to believe, the maids beside her at this moment also stood with their mouths agape and their eyes wide-open. Staring at this youth in front of them, they were simply unable to react.
Too fast!
In a flash, the veil on Yun Qingwu’s face had appeared in the hands of this youth. It felt as if that piece of cloth had never even left the youth’s hands.
Below the stage, even Yan Xiu’s constant ice-cold expression also seemed incredible at this moment. His thin lips opened and shut, shut and opened, his eyes filled with a look of disbelief.
Most exaggerated of all was Meng Yushu. His eyes were round and wide-opened, a fist instinctively stuffed into his mouth. His two cheeks were so stuffed that it even reddened, yet he didn’t realise.
The expressions of the scholars that were previously jeering were now completely frozen at this moment.
Silence. Nobody made a sound.
Because...
Nobody could ever imagine that something like that had just happened.
"Hmm, not too bad! The Reeds and the Rushes... how could you not be able to pursue that man? Looks like lady is burdened with a worry!" The youth looked at Yun Qingwu, and sighed unexpectedly.
Then, he turned around and walked down the stage. Walking directly to Yan Xiu’s side, he picked up the hundred taels silver note beside Yan Xiu’s hand and caressed it, his face beaming delightedly.
"Everybody has seen it, I have already unveiled the veil, this silver note naturally belongs to me!" After finishing his sentence, the youth kept the hundred taels silver note into his pocket and strolled away into the distance, perfectly contented...
"Yun Qingwu’s... veil has been removed?!"
"Unveiled just like that?"
"This is too beautiful! She can collapse a city with one look, then collapse a country!"
"Wait a minute... did he say silver note?!"
Even though the scholars’ hearts were shocked upon facing such a situation, but after seeing Yun Qingwu’s absolute beauty, they were completely mesmerised. After a long time, somebody finally managed to react.
"Catch him!"
Quick, catch that lecher!"
After their initial, what erupted was fury that filled the Heaven. At this moment, the hearts of the scholars were completely ignited, nobody bothered about the rules of the Hundred Flower Gathering anymore.
In broad daylight, within the Heaven and Earth, he had actually dared to commit such an errant act.
Furthermore, he had even blasphemed the purest goddess in their hearts, if this could be tolerated, what could not?
"Where is he?"
"Where did he run to?"
The scholars began to search everywhere, yet unfortunately, the youth had already disappeared without a trace. Not even his shadow could be seen in the scene of the Hundred Flower Gathering.
"How could you not be able to pursue that man?" Yun Qingwu managed to regain her composure at this moment. Looking at the direction the youth had disappeared into, her lips parted slightly. Nobody knew whether it was due to anger, or something she had suddenly thought of, but her face actually revealed a faint smile.
This scene instantly stunned the angry scholars once again. She was indeed endowed with a natural beauty that was impossible to hide.
"Pack up, let’s leave!" The smile of Yun Qingwu’s face disappeared in a flash. Instead of covering her face with the veil again, she walked back slowly towards the pleasure boat at the riverside, her expression completely calm.
"Yes, Lady!"
...
As Yun Qingwu left, the Hundred Flower Gathering came to a close, leaving a bunch of scholars cracking their fists, swearing that they would find that lecher and take revenge for shaming Yun Qingwu.
"What a lad, I, Meng Yushu, will definitely not let you off!" Meng Yushu felt his slightly painful face. Gripping the sword on his hand tightly, an icy glint glowed in his eyes.
On the other hand, Yan Xiu was also nowhere to be seen, as if he had vanished in thin air.
...
On the pleasure boat, Yun Qingwu sat quietly on a red sandalwood crafted chair, with a red desk in front of her. A guqin lay on the desk in front of her and beside the guqin, a bronze, animal-shaped censer emanated a faint floral aroma.
"Lady, servant is curious about one thing!" A maid dressed in a golden long skirt standing beside Yun Qingwu looked at her and asked softly.
"You want to ask me why didn’t I dodge?"
"Yes, given Lady’s enlightenment state, if you didn’t wish to... who would be able to unveil your veil?"
"What if I said I dodged?"
"This... he looks like he’s only around fifteen or sixteen years of age?"
"That’s right, only fifteen or sixteen years of age!"
The maid didn’t speak any further, but her expression was truly horrified. Yun Qingwu similarly didn’t speak, her bright pupils silently gazing at the ripples on the river surface.
...
Within the Huai An County, in an alley a hundred meters away from the Western city gate.
A youth wearing a coarse blue robe was stopped in his tracks by a youth wearing a fine robe. Behind the finely clothed youth, a strong bearded man followed riding on a Three-Eyed Scarlet Flame Tiger.
"Robbery?" The youth looked at the strong bearded man behind the finely clothed youth, then looked at the Three-Eyed Scarlet Flame Tiger he sat on. The edges of his mouth curved into something that seemed like a smile, his expression remaining calm and composed.
"No!" The finely clothed youth shook his head.
"Then, can you let me pass?" The youth continued to ask patiently.
"No!" The finely clothed youth was just as patient.
The youth didn’t say anything further, and silently eyed the two people in front of him. The edges of his mouth all along curved into a smile, and stood just like that on the spot.
"Yan Xiu!" The finely clothed youth waited for a while, then finally spoke again.
"Fang Zhengzhi!" When the youth heard Yan Xiu speak, he wiped the smile off his face for the first time, appearing somewhat serious.
"I’m not good at socialising, but, I am quite curious about you." When Yan Xiu finished his sentence, it seemed rather challenging for him, as if it was the first time he had said so many words in one breathe.
"Unfortunately, I am not interested in men." Fang Zhengzhi twitched his mouth.
Blocked by a stranger youth, who then shouted that he was very interested in him. No matter how he looked at the situation, it didn’t seem very normal. Or, this person called Yan Xiu in front of him, like he said, really wasn’t good at socialising.
Yan Xiu’s expression changed, as if he was somewhat disappointed at Fang Zhengzhi’s words. This was this first time he had taken the initiative to interact with a stranger, yet he was rejected.
Give up?
This thought instantly disappeared. Because, in Yan Xiu’s dictionary, these two words, give up, didn’t exist.
Then, he thought of the advice his grandfather gave to him before he embarked on his journey. When interacting with others, especially when it was the first interaction, he should be sincerer.
"I can give you some money!" Yan Xiu thought of the delighted smile on Fang Zhengzhi’s face when he picked up the hundred taels of silver, and felt that he could express his sincerity a bit more.
The strong bearded man behind Yan Xiu shifted slightly. Looking at Yan Xiu, his expression turned awkward. He felt that his young master was really about to hit a wall today.
Because, after uttering such words, as long as it was a scholar, he would definitely be infuriated.
"Sure, then can you treat me to a meal?" When Fang Zhengzhi heard, he didn’t even stop to think before quickly accepting his offer.
"I can!" Yan Xiu nodded.
"Then, let’s go!" With somebody to treat him to a meal, Fang Zhengzhi became enthusiastic and quickly walked towards Yan Xiu. Then, shoulder to shoulder, they began to walk out of the alley.
The bearded strong man looked at these two people in front of him. His expression instantly became extremely strange. His mouth was opened widely, and stared till his eyeballs almost popped out. Then, he finally sighed. "It seems that my young master is actually very good at socialising!"