Chapter 231: The Single Character ‘Qing’

Sitting in an elegant seat on the third floor, Sikong Wangxing’s eyes would occasionally drift toward Lin Xun’s table.

At that table, Lin Xun was chatting happily with his colleagues, constantly critiquing the dancers on the floor below.

“Why is this girl dancing so stiffly?”

“This girl’s smile is very unnatural.”

“This one must be a newcomer; she looks quite nervous.”

“Why is this girl dressed so skimpily? Isn’t she afraid of the cold?”

Lin Xun’s critiques naturally reached the ears of Sikong Wangxing and Zhu Ling.

Originally, for Zhu Ling, although she had felt a sense of familiarity toward this “Young Master Lin” before—even having an urge to bite him—

after arriving at the Spring Breeze Tower, that familiarity had long been discarded in favor of the unprecedented novelty of the place.

At this moment, Zhu Ling was busy looking around the Spring Breeze Tower; she had no time to worry about him.

Anyway, if she couldn’t remember, she just wouldn’t think about it.

Besides, the older sisters dancing gracefully downstairs were so pretty; their waists looked just as soft as Sister Nongqin’s and Sister Sikong’s.

However, that man’s critiques caught Zhu Ling’s attention again.

Zhu Ling pouted her small mouth, finding the man a bit annoying.

Those sisters were dancing very well; it wasn’t as bad as he claimed.

Furthermore, if they’re dressed skimpily, then don’t look; why do you keep staring at their legs?

Hmph! Hypocrite!

As for Sikong Wangxing, she didn’t have many thoughts like that.

She just kept watching Lin Xun. If possible, Sikong Wangxing wanted to learn his wife’s name from their conversation.

Unfortunately, this Young Master Lin and his colleagues were only drinking and eating, critiquing the dances on stage, or cursing about how their superior was such an ‘Aqua’—they rarely spoke of private matters.

As she watched, in Sikong Wangxing’s mind, this man named Lin Pei overlapped more and more with the person in her memories.

For some reason, in her heart, she felt that he was Lin Xun.

At the same time, sitting in his seat, Lin Xun felt Sikong Wangxing’s gaze from behind, making him feel completely uneasy.

He shifted his weight back and forth as if ants were biting his backside.

But Lin Xun believed he would definitely not be discovered.

His disguise was so good; how could he possibly be found out?

Still, this feeling was truly strange.

Although he and Sikong Wangxing would eventually dissolve their engagement,

regardless, Sikong Wangxing was still his fiancée.

He was watching girls dance, and his fiancée was watching him watch girls dance…

This feeling was truly uncomfortable.

“No! I have to leave quickly. Otherwise, since Sikong Wangxing and I are still bound by the Qingtian Xuannü Technique, I don’t know what kind of interaction might occur.”

“Does the Young Master know Young Master Lin?”

Sitting beside Sikong Wangxing, a Courtesan poured her a cup of wine.

“Ah… no, I don’t know him,” Sikong Wangxing’s eyes flickered. “It’s just that this Young Master Lin looks a bit like an acquaintance.”

“I see.”

The Courtesan simply smiled. Although she hadn’t been in the’seafood industry’ for long, her ability to read people was not bad.

The relationship between this girl and Young Master Lin was likely not that simple.

However, it wasn’t her place to say much.

At that moment, on the first-floor stage, the skimpily-clad dancer finished her performance, and the crowd began showering her with tips.

Even on the third floor, many talented scholars spent lavishly for the beauty’s dance, and Lin Xun’s table was no exception.

Although they were on the third floor, with the exception of Lin Xun, it didn’t mean they were actually poor.

Take Old Sun, for instance; could he have taken ten concubines if he didn’t have money?

Their fathers were all famous wealthy merchants in Luo City.

Lin Xun, however, was quite disdainful of this behavior of driving up’seafood prices’.

Whether in his past life or in these ancient times, it was because of people like this that seafood prices skyrocketed! This kind of trend was unacceptable.

Soon, however, a maid came forward and announced that the Ice and Snow Festival was approaching, and the festival’s poetry gathering would be filled with scholars. Her Young Miss loved poetry and wished to discuss poems and songs with the talented men tonight.

“Sister Fang, what does this older sister mean?” Zhu Ling asked innocently.

Zhu Ling didn’t understand why this dancing sister didn’t want tips but wanted poetry instead. You can’t eat poetry.

And why discuss poetry at night?

The Courtesan found this difficult to answer and didn’t know how to explain.

It seemed that no matter how she explained it, she would be staining this young girl’s snow-white soul with color.

“She is making a name for herself.”

Just as the Courtesan was struggling, a mature older woman stepped out and sat beside them with a smile.

“The girl who just finished dancing has only recently made her debut, so her reputation isn’t widespread. If she wants to become famous, poetry is the best way. A brilliant, widely-recited poem can greatly increase her popularity, and her value will inevitably double. In the future, it won’t just be about these small tips.

Furthermore, if a truly beautiful verse is passed around, a story of a scholar and a beauty becomes a celebrated tale.”

As soon as the mature woman finished speaking, the scholars in the Spring Breeze Tower acted as if they had been injected with chicken blood, each composing poems to describe the dancer.

In any case, writing poetry didn’t cost money. If they happened to win her favor, it would be a huge gain!

Sikong Wangxing heard the verses composed by these scholars, but she didn’t take them in. She kept watching him in front of her, who was just drinking, wondering if he would compose a poem.

If he did and produced a brilliant verse, then there was a high possibility she truly had the wrong person.

After all, Young Master Lin was world-famous for his spear techniques and was obsessed with cultivation; how deep could his attainments in poetry be?

Noticing Sikong Wangxing’s gaze, the mature woman smiled. “Actually, if we’re talking about who’s best at poetry, it’s none other than that Young Master Lin.”

“Young Master Lin?”

“That guy?”

Zhu Ling hadn’t expected that this man, who was judging people’s clothes while staring unblinkingly at their legs, could actually compose good poetry.

“Yes,” the mature woman smiled. “But unfortunately, this Young Master Lin only writes poetry for his wife.”

Saying this, the mature woman gave a soft sigh.

“Guests, don’t look at how Young Master Lin watches the dances more seriously than anyone else. In reality, when he comes to our place, he really is just watching the dancing. Others say Madam Lin keeps him on a tight leash, but I think it’s because Young Master Lin truly loves Madam Lin.”

“That man?” Zhu Ling was very surprised, not quite believing what the woman was saying.

“Yes,” the mature woman said with a smile. “Madam Lin is also a famous beauty in our Luo City. Her surname is Jiang, and her name is the single character ‘Qing’.”