Xie Yanlai crossed his arms and looked into the distance. What right did he have to watch others’ excitement, especially that foolish girl’s?
She was foolish enough to treat him as a lifeline.
……
……
On the streets, imperial guards rushed to watch the excitement, and in a grand mansion, Liang Qiang was also hurrying to leave.
Liang Qin and several girls blocked his way.
Liang Qin asked: “Has that Chu Zhao still not admitted defeat?”
Liang Qiang laughed heartily: “Admit defeat? Miss Chu is fighting more courageously than ever, and moreover, she’s not losing every time—she’s started winning now.”
Qi Leyun stepped forward: “How is that possible!”
Standing at the back, Chu Tang nodded: “With so many people coming to compete, there must be some mediocre ones.”
If Chu Zhao could defeat the mediocre Chu Ke, naturally she could also defeat other mediocre scholars. There were plenty of mediocre scholars in the world—many people were even inferior to her.
“So how long will she keep this up?” A girl asked. “Losing constantly would be one thing, but winning makes it even harder to end gracefully, doesn’t it?”
Many people couldn’t accept losing, especially losing to a young girl. Wouldn’t that make things even more endless?
Liang Qiang nodded with a smile: “Exactly. Now even more people are going to Chu Garden, and the competitions have become quite intense.”
What did “intense” mean? The girls exchanged glances.
“They’re no longer being polite to Miss Chu.” Liang Qiang said, sighing lightly. “Before, they would stop at the right point, but now they must vent their frustration and won’t let anyone save face.”
How heartbreaking. A young girl being a bit arrogant was nothing—being bullied like this was truly excessive.
“I can’t talk to you anymore.” He said. “I need to go right away and support Miss Chu.”
With that, he hurried off.
That girl admired him. If he went now and stood nearby, she would feel reassured when she saw him.
Alas, this was all he could help her with. As for marriage, he had no say in the matter.
Liang Qin and the girls called after him several times without success, watching the young man rush off as if on fire.
“Will this just go on endlessly?” Qi Leyun said, looking at Chu Tang with sympathy. “Then you still can’t go home.”
Poor thing. Because of this sister, Chu Tang couldn’t return home.
“It’s fine, just stay comfortably at my house.” Qi Leyun said generously, happy to show favor to someone who disdained her.
But Chu Tang shook her head and said thoughtfully: “I think we should go take a look too.”
Go to that kind of occasion? The girls looked at each other. They all knew Chu Zhao—how embarrassing would it be to be implicated?
“Don’t you all think,” Chu Tang looked at everyone, her eyes bright, “that this competition is growing in momentum? Doesn’t it resemble the Small Spring-Gazing Garden Literary Gathering?”
……
……
Night had shrouded the capital. The capital was as brilliant as daylight, and in this radiance, the Xie family residence was unremarkable.
Where Third Young Master Xie resided was even more like an isolated island, cut off from the world’s prosperity.
“The Small Spring-Gazing Garden Literary Gathering?”
Xie Yanfang set down his brush and looked at the old servant before him, his picturesque features slightly surprised in the lamplight.
“That Miss Chu actually hasn’t admitted defeat?”