My Wife Is A Sword Immortal
Chapter 225 - 185: Lifting the Tray to Eyebrow Level (Two in One)

Chapter 225: Chapter 185: Lifting the Tray to Eyebrow Level (Two in One)

The novel gathering was still ongoing.

Ye Ruoxi didn’t seem to be choosing female companions for the men purely based on her whims of the moment. She also spoke with the ladies present now and then, or asked Li Jinsu and Du Yifu about their situations, pondered for a bit, then reached out her hand to point from afar, indicating her selection on the "Mandarin Duck Scroll."

Li Jinsu was standing by Ye Ruoxi’s side at the moment, under the scrutiny of the ladies by the brook. Although he felt somewhat ill at ease, he didn’t forget about his junior brothers who had come with him.

Especially Zhao Rong, the junior brother at the forefront.

Li Jinsu had been keeping an eye on him and, at this moment, seeing Zhao Rong size up the woman he found quite "troublesome", Li Jinsu couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on.

He thought his young junior brother was quite steady before... but after all, he was still too young, a youthful temperament.

It’s the toughest age to reason with, to put it bluntly, rebellious, believing one can cross any chasm and level mountains and seas; to put it nicely, it’s the scholar’s spirit, fearless and audacious. The same is true in the matter of women.

Over the years at the Academy, Li Jinsu had seen far too many such instances.

After matching another pair of "mandarin ducks", Ye Ruoxi glanced over and noticed his furrowed brow.

Following Li Jinsu’s gaze, she saw a young scholar in a blue robe who had been behind Li Jinsu all this time. She thought him mature for his age, but it turned out... well, he also had wandering eyes, hard to control; still, it was normal.

Ye Ruoxi smiled at Lingfei, who was brewing tea, then surveyed Ji Qianyi behind Zhao Rong, and pondered slightly.

She turned back to Li Jinsu and whispered, "I’ll find a different girl for him."

Li Jinsu wanted to express his gratitude, but the next second he was stopped by Ye Ruoxi’s sideways glance, and he simply coughed lightly without further pleasantries.

Before long, it was finally Zhao Rong’s turn.

Ye Ruoxi smiled and asked, "What name does the young master go by?"

Zhao Rong replied, "My name is Zhao Rong, styled Ziyu, Miss Ye can just call me Zhao Ziyu."

Ye Ruoxi pretended to scrutinize him carefully, then spoke to the girls by the warm brook, "Hmm, worthy of being a young talent from the Academy... Ziyu, come with me. Sister has thought this through for you; Sister Lin is just the right match."

With that said, she didn’t wait for Zhao Rong to respond and turned to walk in the direction of a certain spot by the warm brook, where there was a charming girl that Ye Ruoxi had already chosen, a teacher’s younger sister of a gentle and pleasant temperament.

However.

Ye Ruoxi noticed that many people were still watching her from behind after only a few steps.

The student called Zhao Ziyu hadn’t followed her.

Ye Ruoxi turned around in puzzlement.

Zhao Rong, who had been hesitating on how to stop her, seized the moment and straightforwardly said, "I appreciate the kindness, Miss Ye, but I must apologize as I already have a companion."

With a polite bow, he stepped slightly to the side and walked toward a certain direction that someone had been observing for quite some time.

Ye Ruoxi was taken aback. He already had a partner?

In an instant, she cast a blaming look at Li Jinsu, but the next second, she realized Li Jinsu was ignoring her, his gaze fixed on the direction of Zhao Rong’s departure, and he even subconsciously stepped forward, nearly ready to chase after him.

Ye Ruoxi immediately understood and quickly turned her head to look.

In her field of vision, Zhao Rong left her with just an upright figure from behind, and in the same direction as this receding silhouette was a quiet woman in simple dress, brewing tea.

She wasn’t the only one who noticed this scene; many others did too because Zhao Rong had been at the front of the line and was the first man so far to reject Ye Ruoxi’s choice, choosing his partner on his own. Not to mention the Residence Students from Taiching Prefecture and the scholars from the Academy who were still eagerly waiting in line.

Zhao Rong could feel more and more eyes converging on him from all directions, and even the laughter and chatter of the women at the gathering gradually quietened down. Despite this, his expression remained calm and his steps steady.

Since Zhao Rong had set foot in the Taiching Four Mansions to find Qing Jun, he had anticipated receiving many surprised stares and facing various scrutinies. After the uncontrollable kiss with Qing Jun at the Four Seasons Hall a few days ago, certain things had already changed, and these anticipations had gradually become reality, to which he was slowly getting accustomed.

Whether he was a suitable match was for others to judge, but the feelings were a matter between him and Qing Jun alone.

Having other people’s glances and gossip interfere was like a third party meddling in a relationship, the greatest disloyalty between the two.

Therefore, Zhao Rong felt no apprehension at the moment but was somewhat... concerned.

His eyes were fixed on the table that was growing closer. Lingfei was still head down, focusing on her tea, seemingly unconcerned with the commotion at the gathering and with Zhao Rong who was approaching her.

The missus’ temper must not have subsided yet. If she’s still sulking, then perhaps it’s best not to go over there...

Although that was his thought, Zhao Rong still made his way to the brook and stopped in front of Lingfei’s table.

At that moment, he didn’t immediately take a seat, but instead bent his head and sent an inquiring gaze, waiting for her to look up.

One breath.

Two breaths.

Three breaths.

Lingfei still hadn’t raised her head to look at the man blocking her sunlight.

Zhao Rong cleared his throat, a tentative and... a reminding call, "Qing Jun."

Lingfei still didn’t respond.

Amidst a quietness that had lasted for a while, murmurs gradually rose around the area.

Ye Lanzi was sitting at a nearby table to Lingfei, watching this unfold with a somewhat strange expression. But soon after, she nodded slightly. Good job, Sister Lingfei. Hang him out to dry a bit longer. If you keep being silent and covering your face after being kissed like that day at the Four Seasons Hall, he’ll trample all over you in the future...