At the Qingyang Marquis Residence, the place was now filled with guests. The eldest young master of Qingyang Marquis, Qing Xiangming, had today invited all the young ladies and gentlemen of Yao City to celebrate his younger brother Qing Xiangxin’s birthday. The originally quiet marquis residence had become exceptionally lively because of this!
Looking at the grand hall packed with banquet tables and people coming and going, Ye Chu thought to himself that Qing Xiangming really doted on Qing Xiangxin. Even though his father would not celebrate Qing Xiangxin’s birthday, he had taken it upon himself to invite all the young masters and misses of Yao City.
“Ye Chu! Why has Lord Pang Shao not come?” Liang Shan had assumed Pang Shao would attend, yet unexpectedly only Ye Chu had shown up. Liang Shan’s heart could not help but leap wildly. Without Pang Shao to back Ye Chu up, given Ye Chu’s reputation, who knew how many people would want to deal with him.
“He is probably in some woman’s embrace right now!” Ye Chu shrugged his shoulders. In his heart he also cursed Pang Shao inwardly, thinking that if Pang Shao had stepped forward, he himself would not have had to come personally to fetch the lingzhi!
“So that means Lord Pang Shao will not be coming?” Liang Shan jumped in fright. “If he is not coming, you still dare to show up here? Leave quickly. No one has noticed you yet. There is still time to get away!”
Seeing Liang Shan ready to retreat without Pang Shao’s support, Ye Chu rolled his eyes. “Is it really that serious? This is not some dragon’s pond or tiger’s den! There is food and drink here. Why should I leave?”
After saying this, Ye Chu casually found a seat, sat down, and grabbed a handful of snacks from the table to eat.
Liang Shan was anxious but had no way to stop him. Just as he was thinking of how to drag Ye Chu away, he noticed Ye Chu staring fixedly in one direction.
Following Ye Chu’s gaze, a handsome young man with a rather spirited and dashing air appeared in the hall with a bright smile. The moment this youth appeared, he instantly became the centre of the circle. Many people gathered around him, constantly greeting him. It was as though all the light had converged on him.
“Qing Xiangming has changed quite a lot in these three years. From being unremarkable, he has become the leading figure among the younger generation in Yao City. Look over there. Surrounding him are the young masters of Anping Marquis, Jiashang Marquis, and Baidu Marquis. In Yao City, those people also have noble status, yet they can only serve as his foils. Although Qingyang Marquis’s position is not as high as Anping Marquis and the others, Qing Xiangming has become the centre of this group of marquis’s sons!” Liang Shan sighed. “I hear Qing Xiangming’s strength has reached the sixth layer of true qi. Among the younger generation, few can compare to him.”
“Are you envious of him?” Ye Chu saw Liang Shan sighing and asked with a smile.
“Nonsense! Who would not be envious!” Liang Shan looked at the group of beautiful young ladies surrounding Qing Xiangming with undisguised jealousy. “If I had his strength, that group of young ladies would definitely be clustered around me instead!”
Ye Chu did not interrupt Liang Shan’s daydreaming. He looked at Qing Xiangming, who had become the centre and was being surrounded by everyone, thinking to himself that this fellow indeed enjoyed quite a reputation in Yao City. Even the sons of marquises ranked higher than his father were willing to lower themselves for him.
Just as Ye Chu was pondering these things, a clear and cold voice sounded beside his ear. “I told you that you cannot stay long in Yao City. I never expected you would actually appear at Qing Xiangming’s banquet! Have you forgotten how you once indulged your subordinates in raping a maidservant of the Qingyang Marquis Residence? Coming here, Qing Xiangming will not let you off easily.”
“Hm?!” Ye Chu followed the voice and looked over. At some point Su Rong had appeared nearby with Zhang Su’er standing beside her. Today Su Rong wore a long dress that highlighted her tall and graceful figure, light and elegant. Her jet-black hair gleamed like lacquer, her skin was like jade, and her beautiful eyes sparkled with charm, resembling a peony bud about to bloom. Beautiful yet not gaudy, gorgeous yet not vulgar, utterly enchanting and captivating in a way that stirred the heart.
“So what do you think I should do then?” Ye Chu smiled as he looked at Su Rong. He had not expected this woman to take the initiative to speak to him.
“Leave here! Leave Yao City!” Su Rong’s eyes were cold and clear. Her red lips parted to utter those words.
“With such a beauty in Yao City, how could I bear to leave!” Ye Chu’s gaze fell on Su Rong, carrying an indescribable wickedness.
Liang Shan saw Ye Chu still teasing Su Rong and slapped his own forehead hard. “It’s over. This fellow really has not given up! He still has the mood to flirt with Su Rong right now! Does he love Su Rong that much?!”
Zhang Su’er was furious and shouted at Ye Chu, “How can you be like this! If not for the fact that you helped us last time, who would care whether you live or die! Su Rong, let us go! Let him die in Yao City!”
After cursing Ye Chu, Zhang Su’er still remembered the previous favour. She held back her raging temper and said, “Listen to us. Leave Yao City!”
“Yao City has beautiful mountains and clear waters, and beauties as numerous as clouds! Naturally I cannot leave!” Ye Chu laughed. “As for someone coming to trouble me, let them come if they have the courage! After all, I am a dashing and handsome young man, a romantic gentleman, a peerless genius skilled in both literature and martial arts. Would I be afraid of them?”
Liang Shan watched Ye Chu boasting wildly in front of Su Rong and thought to himself that Ye Chu must be utterly obsessed with her. But what kind of woman was Su Rong? How could she possibly be fooled by a few boasts?!
“You have not the slightest skill in literature or martial arts!” Zhang Su’er could not help cursing loudly. A notorious scum of Yao City actually dared to claim he was skilled in both literature and martial arts. Fortunately only they had heard it. If those talented young geniuses had heard, they would probably come straight over and slap Ye Chu.
“Able to wield a brush to control lolis in literature, able to pin down married women in bed with martial prowess! Does that not count as being skilled in both literature and martial arts?” Ye Chu could not help recalling the definition of an outstanding man from his previous life. He thought to himself that in his past life he really had achieved that much, so claiming to be skilled in both was not an exaggeration.
“Scoundrel!” These words made both Su Rong and Zhang Su’er blush furiously. They thought to themselves that indeed a dog could not stop eating shit. A scoundrel was a scoundrel. They had almost thought he might have changed. It seemed the saying that one’s true nature is hard to alter was still an absolute truth!
“Let us go!” Zhang Su’er dragged Su Rong away, no longer wanting to bother with Ye Chu.
“Hehe! I knew you were filthy!” Liang Shan heard Ye Chu’s words and could not help chuckling wickedly. He had not expected that after three years Ye Chu’s realm had improved again!
Back then the line “Daring to compete with the nine heavens for charm, daring to break the goddess’s secluded spring cave” had been quoted by countless playboys in Yao City. Liang Shan believed this new line would soon spread throughout Yao City as well, with that group of young masters eagerly reciting it.
Ye Chu watched the two women sway their delicate figures as they left, a slight smile curling at the corners of his mouth. He thought to himself that occasionally teasing people like this was quite enjoyable. It really did bring back a bit of the feeling from his days drifting through nightclubs.
…
“Miss Su Rong! You have come!” Qing Xiangming, who was surrounded by the crowd, spotted Su Rong. He extricated himself from the encirclement with a face full of smiles and went to welcome her.
This woman was a bright pearl of Yao City. Few men in Yao City did not fall at her feet. Even though Qing Xiangming could be considered the centre of his own circle, when facing Su Rong he still could not help feeling a trace of inferiority and did not dare to pursue her lightly.
The moment Su Rong appeared, she instantly stole Qing Xiangming’s limelight. The crowd could not help but surround both Su Rong and Qing Xiangming in the centre. But clearly far more people gathered around Su Rong. In the end, a beauty always held the advantage!