Volume 1, Chapter 38: The Filially Blind Workhorse Eldest Brother in an Ancient Imperial Examination Novel 18

The lights were dim, casting a soft, warm glow. The music played, captivating and soul-stirring. It was a private, misty sanctuary, and even the incense in the air seemed to carry an intoxicating scent. In such an atmosphere, an inherent sense of ambiguity took hold, further fueled by the fact that the young women had all had a bit to drink over the past few hours. Liquid courage often emboldens the timid.

Han Ziyu did not know what exactly had happened to her, but seeing her complexion looking rather poor, he felt, as an outsider, that he had no place to speak. Watching her eat her steak bite after bite, Zhan Junyu found that even the plain, simple porridge in his own bowl suddenly tasted much better.

In a garden at the Prince of Pingnan’s estate in Hangzhou, Wu Gui looked at Meng Changsheng with a faint smile. Clad in a dragon-patterned robe, he appeared exceptionally heroic.

Anna’s pretty face broke into a smile as she nodded gently at Hu Ye, signaling that she had received his encouragement. Meng Changsheng, naturally, did not believe a word Yan Qingcheng said; he suspected she was only saying these things to superficially draw closer to him while worsening his relationship with the Tianxin Sacred Monastery. A flash of cold light crossed his eyes, though he quickly masked it.

Watching Ye Dongsheng, Ye Zhixing felt her heart cooling inch by inch, as if she were sinking into the frigid, dark depths of the sea. Guo Jing and Huang Rong were both deeply moved; Guo Jing, in particular, refused to let Hu Ye leave, insisting that if they were to die, they would die together.

“...Is that the Ring Spirit?” Ji asked, feeling uncertain. After all, the spirit had not spoken for a long time, claiming to be entering a dormant phase; how could it be speaking now?

Qingming sat on the edge of the bed and gently pulled Mary into his arms. Mary sobbed and laughed against his chest, her emotions spinning out of control. The eyes of those around them grew red, and Mr. Wood even wept openly. Qingming held Mary, his head buried in her neck, suppressing his own hot tears as he silently let her vent her grief.

“Could there be something wrong with this Ma Angde?” Ye Wudao frowned as he watched Ma Angde chatting with acquaintances.

Huang Ming’s words could be ignored, but Ye Hua paid close attention to Youmaoxiang’s remarks. Although he suspected there was some peculiar relationship between Youmaoxiang and Firefly—making her comments inevitably biased—her reasoning was sound.

After finishing another steamed bun and a bowl of rice, he marveled to himself, “It seems that if I don’t find a way to earn more money, my family won’t be able to afford to feed this six-foot frame of mine.” Seeing Zhang Lan roll her eyes at him, he couldn’t help but laugh.

Only when Han Xingke sat down beside her did Ouyang Suwen finally feel at ease. With three against four, the disparity was not too great, and relying on her own methods, she was certain she would not be suppressed by Consort Chen’s faction.

Liu Danian took a closer look and realized it was Wang Yunli and He Qingming. Yunli was riding the bicycle with Qingming seated behind her. Yunli smiled triumphantly and playfully apologized to Liu Danian.

However, would Feng Liuzi really let them pass their tribulation so easily? Could he ever find peace without stripping the skin off those twelve old bastards?

“Wait, Xian’er, I have a feeling something isn’t right. This is all too easy to find,” Chu Nanxuan said, his heart filled with doubt.

Han Ya was first flustered by Lang Ming’s words, and the final sentence left her feeling mortified, yet surprised and delighted. She looked truly adorable.

“...I know your eyes are beautiful, but could you please stop looking at me so terrifyingly? It’s as if I owe you a fortune I refuse to pay back.” Just as Gui Die was about to reach for food under Huo Haoduo’s inscrutable gaze, the interruption came.

“The Feng family has met with disaster while away,” Chen Lei said, looking at us once everyone had gathered.

Of course, I only made that decision after confirming that neither of them suffered from a heart condition.

“Brother Ma!” Under the sway of Liu Yun’er’s coquettish, hip-swaying performance, the old man, though initially reluctant, finally felt compelled to act out of passion for a beauty.