Chapter Fifty-Five: The Eccentric

In the garden before the reception hall, several young men of the Shi family trailed eagerly behind Zuo Shi, their faces plastered with obsequious smiles, each vying for attention, desperate to make an impression on her. Among them were both distant relatives and those of direct descent, such as Shi Tianxiao and Shi Tianluo.

Within the sea of blossoms, Zuo Shi appeared somewhat distracted. Her steps were slow and unhurried, never pausing as she idly swung a small watering can, her manner casual, almost like a sprite flitting amidst the flowers.

Shi Yan emerged from the reception hall, hesitated briefly, then strode straight towards the garden, making his way directly to Zuo Shi’s side. He reached out his hand and said, “Let me have a look at the tortoise shell.”

“Now you come to curry favor with little Shi? Where did you run off just now?” Shi Tianxiao grumbled in dissatisfaction.

“Grandfather had something to discuss with me,” Shi Yan replied offhandedly, his tone indifferent. “I only agreed to help because I promised Grandfather Zuo. My reasons are different from yours.”

“Our reasons? What reasons do we have?” Shi Tianxiao’s voice quavered with guilt. Suddenly, he clapped a hand over his nose and exclaimed, “Shi Yan, what’s that smell on you?”

A sour odor was beginning to emanate from Shi Yan. Initially, no one paid it any mind, but prompted by Shi Tianxiao, the sycophantic Shi family youths, previously engrossed in flattering Zuo Shi, all recoiled, pinching their noses and cursing Shi Yan’s lack of decency.

Surprisingly, the sole woman present and the focus of all attention, Zuo Shi, did not avoid him. She stood there with her watering can as before, seemingly unbothered by the sourness wafting from Shi Yan.

She gazed at him in astonishment, curiosity flickering in her heart. All the young men who ever came to see her would dress to perfection, sometimes even dousing themselves in floral essences—just like Shi Tianxiao and Shi Tianluo, who had bathed in flower dew beforehand for fear of offending her with any stray scent.

But this man was the exact opposite—his martial attire was rumpled and dust-laden, clearly unwashed for some time, and he even carried the distinct scent of recent training.

Clearly, this fellow didn’t take her seriously at all!

Zuo Shi blinked in surprise, quickly reaching this conclusion. Yet, instead of annoyance, she found herself intrigued by Shi Yan.

Noticing that everyone else had stepped away, leaving only Zuo Shi standing calmly, Shi Yan nodded to himself and said coolly, “Where’s the tortoise shell?”

“In the reception hall. I’ll fetch it right away.” As soon as her melodious voice faded, Zuo Shi’s long legs carried her away. Her figure flickered and vanished among the flowers.

She moved with such astonishing speed—like a bolt of lightning—that even Shi Yan saw only a fleeting shadow, unable to track her completely.

Shi Tianxiao and the others stared, dumbstruck. Only then did they realize that, besides her beauty, Zuo Shi was a martial artist of a whole level above them.

As quickly as she had gone, Zuo Shi returned. Barely five or six seconds had passed, and she was back before the look of astonishment had faded from Shi Tianxiao’s face.

With one hand, Zuo Shi hefted a tortoise shell the size of a washbasin and appeared before Shi Yan in the blink of an eye, offering it to him. “Here you go.”

Shi Yan nodded, reached for the shell—and was nearly pulled off his feet by its sudden, immense weight. Only by mustering his inner strength did he manage to steady himself, exclaiming, “So heavy!”

He glanced at Zuo Shi, somewhat unhappy—was this girl trying to embarrass him? But upon closer inspection, her clear eyes held no trace of mischief; she hadn’t meant to make things difficult.

“I’m not sure what material this shell is made from, but this single piece weighs seven to eight hundred jin,” Zuo Shi said, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, unaware of Shi Yan’s silent grievances. “I was startled myself when I first picked it up.”

“Seven or eight hundred jin!” Shi Tianxiao rubbed his temples, feeling a chill run down his spine.

Zuo Shi had just carried seven or eight hundred jin with one hand as though it were nothing, and moved as swiftly as lightning. This starkly reminded him of the gap between their abilities, leaving him with a sense of powerlessness.

And Shi Yan, after just a brief stumble, managed to grip the heavy shell firmly. This display opened Shi Tianxiao’s eyes, confirming that Zuo Shi’s earlier assessment was far from unfounded.

“Shi Yan, you—” Shi Tianxiao, though not exceptionally talented, was certainly no fool. He was about to point out Shi Yan’s peculiarity, but stopped himself, recalling that Shi Yan’s secrets were likely being guarded by Shi Jian.

Shi Yan remained impassive, ignoring Shi Tianxiao. He scrutinized the tortoise shell, then nodded to Zuo Shi. “These are the oldest kind of characters. I’ll need some references to decipher them. Come with me to my room.”

With that, Shi Yan carried the shell and headed towards his quarters.

“Alright.” Zuo Shi nodded and followed at a measured pace.

“Brother, should we go too?” Shi Tianluo asked quietly after Shi Yan and Zuo Shi had left, his expression peculiar.

“Ahem, might as well see what they’re up to,” Shi Tianxiao replied, curiosity getting the better of him. He glanced back at the reception hall, and seeing no one emerge, trailed after Shi Yan.

Shi Yan’s residence was a three-story stone building. The ground floor was cluttered with miscellaneous items, the second served as living quarters, and the third was lined with enormous bookcases filled with ancient tomes and records of relics.

After leading Zuo Shi upstairs and seeing Shi Tianxiao and the others approaching, Shi Yan called from the doorway, “I need quiet. Don’t come in!” He promptly shut the door and said to Zuo Shi, “Let’s go upstairs.”

She nodded obediently and followed him up to the second floor.

“Take the shell to the third floor and sit for a bit. I need to bathe and change clothes—I’ll join you soon.” Shi Yan handed the shell back to her, casually gesturing towards the stairs. “Just go up there.”

“Why the sudden urge to bathe?” Zuo Shi wrinkled her pretty nose and shot him a sideways glance.

“I’m uncomfortable myself, not doing it for you. Don’t flatter yourself, little miss.”

“You’re the one flattering yourself!”

“Don’t waste time—go to the third floor. I’m undressing.” Without the slightest inhibition, Shi Yan peeled off his martial robe and tossed it onto a nearby rack, standing there in nothing but shorts, his well-built torso exposed. He glanced lazily at her. “Aren’t you leaving?”

Having spent days in arduous training, his clothes removed, his muscular physique was revealed in full—every line taut and powerful, without a trace of excess, as if forged from iron and steel, brimming with masculine vigor.

His utter lack of modesty clearly flustered Zuo Shi. She blushed, cursed Shi Yan under her breath, grabbed the tortoise shell, and hurried up to the third floor.

His figure’s not bad at all, she thought as she climbed the stairs.

The third floor spanned two hundred square meters. Besides the many bookcases, there were all kinds of odd jars, ancient cups, and assorted curiosities.

After arriving, Zuo Shi pulled a random ancient book from a shelf and flipped through a few pages, only to realize she couldn’t read a single word.

She shook her head. What a strange person!

Zuo Shi’s interests were broad—she’d dabbled in botany, tea, astrology, herbs, and forging, though her laziness kept her from pursuing any one thing for long. She’d immerse herself for a time, then move on to the next fascination.

Most of the books on the third floor concerned history and the habits of ancient people—subjects in which she had little interest. The rare readable text she glanced through proved dull, reinforcing her impression that Shi Yan was eccentric.

Why care so much about how the ancients lived? What does it matter to you? Is it useful?

She pursed her lips, thinking Shi Yan was even more unlearned than she.