novelden Chapter 203 Xu Jingyun and Lin Shu Meet Again
Chapter 203 Xu Jingyun and Lin Shu Meet Again
Grand Tutor Cui simply stood up and bowed in a gesture of respect as a peer, while Lin Shu and Zhu Yao remained seated, their movements unchanged.
"You don't have to be polite!"
Nangong Jin smiled, gesturing for everyone to rise while secretly sizing up Lin Shu before finally looking at Zhu Yao with a teasing, irritating tone:
"I heard that you, old Grand Preceptor, are having a grand banquet at your residence today. I just happened to be passing by and came in to ask for a drink. I'm sure the old Grand Preceptor won't mind!"
Nangong Jin's face behind the mask was full of smiles. He originally wanted to call her an old woman, but fortunately he stopped himself in time. Later, he simply went all out and called her the old national advisor!
A crack appeared on Zhu Yao's stiff face. That damned Nangong Jin kept reminding her of the fact that she was 'old'!
Just you wait! One day, she'll make that bitch Nangong Jin suffer a terrible death!
Thinking it over, Zhu Yao looked down at her fair and delicate skin and the organs that were constantly deteriorating and needed to be replaced at any time. She thought to herself: Once she finds that pendant, she can restore this body to health and make it young again! It seems that she can't delay any longer with Zhu Yu!
"Clan Chief!" Seeing that Zhu Yao remained lost in thought and did not answer, while the Regent looked on with a mocking expression, and the people around them were secretly watching the spectacle, Zhu Ke couldn't help but speak up to remind her.
Zhu Yao snapped out of her daze, looked at Nangong Jin, and said with a hint of unwelcomeness in her voice, "Your Highness, you flatter me. Someone, add more seats..."
"Hey! Why go to such trouble, old Grand Preceptor? I think your seat is quite nice. I'll just make do there for now!"
Nangong Jin waved his hand to stop the attendant who wanted to add a seat, and turned his head to signal the golden-robed man, who was also wearing a mask, to follow him: "Jing'er."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yao's expression instantly turned sour. Did that bitch Nangong Jin want to take her place, usurp her position, and make her lose face? If that were the case, he was probably overthinking it!
Before Zhu Yao could think further, Nangong Jin had already led Xu Jingyun to Lin Shu's side, his voice carrying a hint of seriousness: "This must be the Pavilion Master of Wushuang Pavilion! Truly a woman of great bearing and noble character!"
Lin Shu kept her eyes half-closed, ignoring the other person.
Nangong Jin didn't mind. Instead, he turned to Xu Jingyun and said, "Jing'er, there aren't enough seats. You can sit with the Pavilion Master!"
Seeing that Lin Shu didn't react, he quickly urged Xu Jingyun, who looked unwilling, to sit down.
However, Nangong Jin was not wrong; there was indeed not enough space here to extend the table, so they could only add a single table.
Although Nangong Jin said there was no need to add a table, the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion couldn't just stand there like the Regent! (Unless he really went to steal Zhu Yao's place.)
As for why he didn't go to the empty seat to Zhu Yao's left and insisted on squeezing in Lin Shu, only Nangong Jin himself knew the reason!
Lin Shu leaned against the left armrest of the seat, supporting her head with her left hand. Suddenly, she felt someone sit down next to her, but this person seemed unwilling to get close to her, wishing to stay far away from her. Lin Shu was quite satisfied with this!
While the servants were arranging seats, Nangong Jin took the opportunity to wink at Xu Jingyun beside him several times. Unfortunately, they couldn't communicate properly. Xu Jingyun, with her brows furrowed behind her mask, simply turned her face away, preferring not to see him.
Seeing that Xu Jingyun ignored him, Nangong Jin had no choice but to turn around and see that the seats had already been arranged. He then casually sat down.
Then, with a carefree air, he leaned back in his chair, picked up his wine glass, and slowly took a sip. Feeling something was missing, he glanced at the people in the main hall and, with an air of familiarity, gave the order:
"Tsk! How can such a joyous occasion be without beautiful women and dancers? Men, play the music! Bring out the singers and dancers!"
Everyone: "..."
Zhu Ke's lips twitched as he looked at Nangong Jin's utterly impolite manner, then he turned to see what instructions Zhu Yao would give.
Zhu Yao nodded with displeasure, and Zhu Ke clapped his hands. The dancers and musicians filed in...
The dancers were alluring, and the music was melodious. Nangong Jin squinted his eyes in enjoyment, his fingers tapping lightly on his legs to the rhythm, his head swaying gently to the music...
Just when everyone thought the banquet was coming to a peaceful end, trouble arose again:
And all this turmoil stemmed from the appearance of a man—
The story begins when that song and dance performance just ended:
These past few days, Azhu has been thinking about escaping, but no matter how he tries to hide, he is always caught and brought back before he can even leave the mansion. He has been taking medicine and undergoing acupuncture for several days, and his mind has actually recovered quite a bit. However, he still has one thought in his mind: to find Lin Shu.
As it happened, his escape today was Zhu Yao's birthday. After being discovered by the guards, he saw a group of dancers heading towards the flower hall, so he quickly blended in with them...
And so, Ah Zhu took advantage of the chaos among the dancers. When the performance ended, he didn't realize what was happening and bumped into all the dancers, leaving him standing alone in the hall.
The crowd turned to look at him and found a young man of about seventeen or eighteen years old, dressed in a white shirt with the character '巫' embroidered on his chest, looking quite noble from head to toe.
Lin Shu's gaze also fell on A Zhu, thinking that she had only just begun to look for him and he had already appeared on his own! Moreover, judging from his attire, his status in the Witch Clan must not be low!
Zhu Ke was afraid that this kid would ruin the birthday banquet, so he urged him quickly: "Hurry up and get out."
Ah Zhu was overjoyed and quickly turned to leave. As he turned, he caught a glimpse of a gaze. Looking back, he saw a pair of peach blossom eyes as beautiful as jewels, and he stopped in his tracks.
Ah Zhu would never forget those eyes, for they were the only thing he had ever liked since he lost his senses. So he blinked, pursed his lips as before, and uttered two words: "Sister..."
Lin Shu looked away without responding.
Just as everyone was wondering who A-Zhu was calling, he had already run up to Lin Shu, tugged at her sleeve, and called out again, "Sister!"
"You've mistaken me for someone else." Lin Shu pulled her hand away, her voice as if it had been chilled to the bone (her current identity is the Pavilion Master of Wushuang Pavilion, so naturally she couldn't possibly know Azhu).
This was the first time she had spoken that day. Her voice was deep and pleasant, yet colder than the winter frost, chilling to the bone.
"Sister...you can't abandon Azhu! Azhu is so good..."
"Get lost." Lin Shu didn't even glance at the other person, seemingly not giving them a second look.
Azhu was stunned for a moment, then buried her head and started to sob. She thought to herself: If I didn't recognize those eyes and smell that scent, I would probably think I had mistaken her for someone else.
Those present, seeing A-Zhu crying so sadly and Lin Shu with her indifferent expression, couldn't help but imagine the love and hate between the two.
Especially Xu Jingyun, who was next to her, finally turned her head and started to look at Lin Shu properly. The woman's cold voice just now felt very familiar to Xu Jingyun! Could it be her?
Turning my head, I saw that the woman was wearing a mask, and from the side I could only see her loose hair and beautiful thin lips.
Xu Jingyun then looked at the pretty man who called her "sister." If you said there was nothing between the two of them, probably no one would believe it.
Thinking of this, Xu Jingyun felt a sudden, inexplicable tightness in her chest, for reasons she didn't know why.
[Just now I actually thought this person resembled Lin Shu! I must have been blind! Those thin lips look so cold-hearted, how can they compare to Lin Shu!]
"Tsk tsk! How heartless and ungrateful!" Xu Jingyun felt a pang of bitterness and couldn't help but mutter a sarcastic remark to Lin Shu, her voice tinged with frivolity and a hint of jealousy.
Upon hearing the voice and tone, Lin Shu's pupils contracted, and she immediately turned her head to sized up the person beside her. When she saw the other person's languid posture, the corners of her mouth slightly lifted...
Then, following the person's gaze downwards, she noticed the incongruous white purse with green bamboo trim at the waist, worn rough from the owner's constant caresses. Lin Shu's eyes darkened, and she slowly turned her head, without immediately questioning or exposing the truth.
But her right hand, hidden in her sleeve, curled up slightly, and a hint of a smile flashed in her eyes:
[Ah! Angela Hui! I've finally found you!]
-