Chapter 266: It… It’s Not Like That

Following their gazes, Qi Yu realized that a young girl with an exceptional temperament was sitting at the banquet.

The girl’s black hair reached just to her waist; her snowy skin and pitiable tenderness truly made one feel a strong desire to protect her.

Especially with the anxiety and worry in her eyes, combined with her exquisite face, it felt as if she were the only person left in the world.

This was the first time Qi Yu had seen a girl as beautiful as Your Majesty.

However, her beauty was of a completely different kind compared to Your Majesty’s.

One was a poignant beauty, the other a noble beauty.

The two could not be compared, yet both were equally unforgettable.

“Luo City truly is a place of remarkable people,” Qi Yu sighed with emotion, then continued to listen to the poems and observe the scholars.

Although the girl was beautiful, his mission was more important.

Because the Poetry Garden had to finish before the Ice Lanterns were released, the process wasn’t very cumbersome, and soon, it was time for the final poem.

The maidservant, Xiao Fang, stepped forward timidly and gave a slight bow to everyone.

When she saw Xiao Fang, Sikong Wangxing also raised her head, her eyes brightening as she looked at her.

The girl’s dazzling eyes caused those who looked at her to momentarily lose themselves.

In fact, for Sikong Wangxing, if she hadn’t wanted to hear Big Brother Lin’s poem as soon as possible, she would have long since left the Poetry Garden to find him.

“This poem was composed by a School Teacher from Luocheng Academy,” Xiao Fang spoke slowly.

Just as Xiao Fang finished speaking, low-voiced discussions broke out among the banquet guests.

The previous poems had all been written by Provincial Graduates of Luo City or, at the very least, famous talents; yet now, a School Teacher from Luocheng Academy was writing poetry—

Although the School Teachers in Luo City were also Provincial Graduates (except for Lin Xun), they were almost all the type who hadn’t ranked well in the Spring Examinations and had no connections to fill official vacancies, eventually ending up teaching at Luocheng Academy.

Yet all the Provincial Graduates present aspired to serve the Qian Kingdom, contribute to this era of peace and prosperity, and leave their names in history.

Hearing the faint murmurs, Sikong Wangxing’s willow-like brows furrowed slightly, and she felt very unhappy.

No matter how Big Brother Lin wrote, the girl had already decided that she must obtain the original manuscript of this poem and keep it by her pillow every night.

“The Melody Name of this poem is ‘The green jade table’, and its title is ‘Wang Xing’.”

“Wang Xing.”

As soon as the maid finished speaking, Wang Xing was first stunned, and then her cheeks flushed slightly.

Could it be that this poem is—

“It seems this poem was written specifically for Sister Wangxing by Mr. Lin.”

Madam Wang smiled as she held Wang Xing’s small hand.

“Madam Wang, please don’t tease Wang Xing. How could Big Brother Lin…”

“Why not? Otherwise, where would the name ‘Wang Xing’ come from?”

Seeing the shy look of the girl beside her, Madam Wang wished she could immediately pull this tender and exquisite girl into her arms.

“Miss Wangxing, you probably aren’t Mr. Lin’s cousin, are you?”

Hearing Madam Wang see through her, Wang Xing’s cheeks turned even redder as she raised her head.

“Not only are you not Mr. Lin’s cousin, but Miss Wangxing must also like Mr. Lin very much, right?”

“Madam Wang, Wang Xing…”

“There’s no need to explain,” Madam Wang gently stroked Wang Xing’s long hair. “It’s fine. If you like him, then you like him. Why force yourself to act like you don’t? Why go through all that?”

“But Big Brother Lin doesn’t like Wang Xing.”

“Is that so?” Madam Wang smiled slightly. “But so far, according to my husband, Mr. Lin has only ever written one poem for Miss Qinger. And today’s piece is a ci poem. A shi poem for Miss Qinger, and a ci poem for Sister Wangxing—does Mr. Lin really not like Sister Wangxing?”

“Madam Wang…”

The girl, who was already incredibly embarrassed, wanted to say something more, but Madam Wang gently pressed her finger against the girl’s pink, cherry-like lips.

“Sister Wangxing, it’s nothing for a man to have three wives and four concubines. Is it that Sister Qinger won’t allow Mr. Lin to take a Secondary Wife, or is it that Sister Wangxing is unwilling to truly tell Mr. Lin what’s in her heart?”

“But regardless, let’s first listen to this poem Young Master Lin has written for Miss Wangxing.”

Just as Madam Wang finished speaking, the maid Xiao Fang nervously unfurled the Xuan Paper in her hands and began to read it aloud slowly.

The maid Xiao Fang’s voice slowly spread through the courtyard.

The Talented Scholars, Provincial Graduates, Young Ladies, and even Lord Qi of the Hanlin Academy sitting at the very front—all of them slowly sat up straight as each word of the poem was read.

When Xiao Fang’s last word fell, Lord Qi and the talents of the Poetry Garden all stood up.

The girl stared blankly at the piece of Xuan Paper that bore the poem he had written with his own hand.

It was as if at this moment, the girl stood where the lights were dim, watching him search for her incessantly until he suddenly turned his head. People came and went along the roadside, but in that moment, in each other’s eyes, there was only the other person.

“Waaaah, Big Bad Guy, I’ll never believe you again…”

“Really, I was truly wrong.”

“Waaaah, you lie to me every time.”

“Didn’t I come back?”

“Waaaah, you only know how to bully me.”

“Really, when the candle went out just then, by the time I realized it, you were gone. I was looking for you the whole time.”

“Liar, Big Pig Trotter, I don’t believe you.”

“Fine, if you don’t believe me. Does your foot still hurt?”

“Mhm.”

“Then let it hurt; anyway, after hurting for a while, you’ll get used to it.”

“Big Bad Guy!”

“Hey, don’t bite me! If you bite me again, I’m going to leave you behind.”

“Ahhh, I’m sorry, I won’t leave you behind. Let go first.”

“Hmph. Bad guy…”

Leaning on Lin Xun’s shoulder, the girl pouted her small mouth, her eyes blinking as she looked at Lin Xun’s profile.

When Lin Xun went back to the Haunted House to find Zhu Ling, he found her hiding in a cabinet, shivering.

Lin Xun hadn’t expected that Zhu Ling would actually be so frightened by some props in the Haunted House that she twisted her foot.

In the end, Lin Xun had no choice but to carry her out on his back.

“Big Bad Guy, your hand!” Zhu Ling’s cheeks were flushed red as she punched Lin Xun’s shoulder.

“Oh.” Lin Xun sheepishly moved his hand down from Zhu Ling’s thigh.

Lin Xun really hadn’t intended to take advantage of her; he was just lost in thought about how to make his escape.

Because in another incense stick time, it would be time to release the Ice Lanterns, and he didn’t have any more time to spend with Wang Xing and the Little White Rabbit.

“Hey, Little White Rabbit, is your foot better? The ointment from Medicine King Valley has very good effects, right?” As they walked, Lin Xun asked, adjusting the Little White Rabbit on his back.

“Not… not yet,” Zhu Ling said guiltily, her arms hooked around Lin Xun’s neck.

“How much longer?”

“I… I don’t know.”

“You wouldn’t be pretending because you don’t want to walk and want me to carry you, would you?”

“It… it’s not like that.”

“Then get down and walk yourself. If we’re seen by someone we know, it’ll be very hard for me to explain.”

“I don’t want to…”

The Little White Rabbit buried her head in Lin Xun’s back, appearing somewhat like Life Qi, somewhat coquettish, and somewhat soft.

“I just don’t want to.”