Xiang Xieyue was sick and weak, but he was a gallant man. Learning that he had some ancient books hidden in his house, Qin Yufeng borrowed a book from Xiang Xieyue immediately. Later, they agreed to come to the restaurant today, and Xiang Xieyue would bring the ancient book for Qin Yufeng.
“Brother Qin, I’m flattered. How can I achieve success in the exam? I just want to have a try, so that my many years’ hard study won’t be in vain. Whether I can succeed, it’s not important. Just look at me, you’ll understand, Brother Qin. Even if I succeed in the exam, I’m afraid the Emperor won’t be pleased with me, not to mention anything else.” Xiang Xieyue smiled bitterly and pointed at his thin body.
To be an official, at least he must have a healthy body, but he did not look well.
“Brother Xiang, our body, hair, and skin are given by our parents. We should cherish them. As for the official rank, it was a little bit in a bubble. You don’t have to care.” Qin Yufeng took the wine on the table, poured a cup of it for himself, and smiled at Xiang Xieyue. “Let me propose a toast to you, Brother Xiang. Would you like to have a cup of tea instead?” he asked.
He had long noticed that Xiang Xieyue was drinking tea, so he guessed that his body could not bear wine. Thus he did not force Xiang Xieyue to drink wine.
After hearing Qin Yufeng’s words, Xiang Xieyue frowned slightly. Suddenly he laughed, reaching for the wine pot that Qin Yufeng had put down, and filled up the cup in front of him. Lifting the cup heroically, Xiang Xieyue smiled at Qin Yufeng and said, “There’s no harm in having a drink with you, Brother Qin!”
Qin Yufeng reached over to cover Xiang Xieyue’s cup and persuaded, “Brother Xiang, you are not in good health. You don’t need to accompany me with wine. You can drink tea instead of wine.”
“When I meet you who are so free and easy, it will be hypocritical if I take a cup of tea. Brother Qin, don’t worry. Although I’m weak, I’m able to bear the alcohol of this cup.” As he said, there was persistence in his brows. “I consider you as my good friend, and I think you have the same idea.”
At his words, Qin Yufeng could only withdraw his hand. Now that Xiang Xieyue had said this, he would appear somewhat hypocritical if he continued persuading him. As an unrestrained person, he had thought that he would never take the imperial examinations and win fame in his life. Assisting King Chu to ascend to the throne would be more cheerful than to be the Number One Scholar.
But now, he didn’t think so anymore.
Picking up the cup of wine in his hand, he toasted to Xiang Xieyue, and then drank it up.
Xiang Xieyue also took the wine cup and drank it down.
Although they didn’t drink at the same time, they drained it at the same time. Then they lifted their cup in their hands to show it to the other, proving that there was no drop of wine. As they found that the other party was looking at them, they immediately laughed simultaneously as if they were close friends who had known each other for many years.
After that, they sat down again.
Xiang Xieyue ate a few bites of dishes, suppressing the uncomfortable feeling in his heart, but his face was a little paler than before. Obviously, it meant that wine was no good for him. Fortunately, the uncomfortable feeling didn’t last long. After swallowing the food, color returned to his face, and he asked puzzledly, “Brother Qin, you’re such a free and easy person, but why are you going to take the exam to get an official rank?”
He really appreciated Qin Yufeng, and according to what he said, the latter seemed to be unwilling to be an official.
There were few congenial companions, so Qin Yufeng made no secret of it. Giving a sigh, he replied, “Brother Xiang, sometimes worldly people will inevitably do worldly things. There are some things that cannot be done if you aren’t an official. I am a worldly person, and what I’m going to do is worldly things. In this worldly world, I just want to protect a beautiful image in my heart, and thus I have to do it.”
He had always been in high spirits in front of people, and had never sighed like this. However, he had some things that had always been hidden in the bottom of his heart and he had never talked to others about it. Maybe because Xiang Xieyue was so friendly that he drank with him or because it was rare to encounter a congenial friend, Qin Yufeng told him about his secret. Though they had only seen each other twice, they felt like old friends who had known each other for many years.
“Brother Qin, you love someone, but you can’t be together?” Xiang Xieyue was really curious. “With your appearance and talent, is there a woman who is unwilling to care for you? If she will marry you only after you have achieved an official rank, you’d better not love such a snob.”
He thought that Qin Yufeng had a crush on a lady, and that lady did not like him, or that she would marry him after he passed the exam. Such a woman was the last thing Xiang Xieyue liked. His gaze involuntarily looked out the window while he was speaking. The carriage was still parked there. His smart manservant was standing in front of the carriage and talking to the coachman. It seemed that the conversation was still very animated because the coachman was laughing.
He couldn’t help secretly wondering if she was still inside.
“How could she be that kind of person? In my heart, she is like the noble cloud in the sky.” Qin Yufeng smiled bitterly, poured himself another cup of wine, and drank it. He was usually a self-disciplined person, but he drank two cups of wine today. Maybe because his heart was stirred by something. Fortunately, he knew that the person sitting opposite could not drink too much, so after the second cup, he pushed the jug away, took out the teacup himself, poured a cup of tea, and drank.
Then he changed his subject, restoring calmness and beaming, “Brother Xiang, if you feel that it is inconvenient to live in the hotel, you can live in my house. We can read books together. It won’t be bad.”
Knowing that Qin Yufeng was reluctant to talk about private matters, Xiang Xieyue did not press. He just smiled back and replied, “No, thank you. I don’t want to disturb you, Brother Qin. If there is any inconvenience in the hotel, I’ll come to you.”
They chatted for a while, and made an appointment for the next meeting before Qin Yufeng left.
At the staircase, Xiang Xieyue’s manservant stood aside, saluted him respectfully, then passed him to the door of the half-covered private room and entered.
“Sir, the Third Miss of the Mo Manor is indeed inside. I just inquired about it specifically. At first, the coachman refused to tell me, but when I gave him some silver, he told me that Third Young Miss Mo was going to order a batch of accessories here. It may take a long time.” the manservant reported cleverly. As his eyes fell on the cup in front of Xiang Xieyue, he opened his mouth, saying, “Sir…”
“Okay, I know, I will pay attention next time. Off you go.” Xiang Xieyue reached out to stop the manservant from continuing. He smiled in a good mood, stood up, and went outside casually.
“Sir, where are you going?” the manservant asked in confusion.
“Go and see Third Young Miss Mo…” A smile appeared on Xiang Xieyue’s pale face, a bright color floating in his eyes, and the smile was rather clear.
Mo Xuetong entered the clothing store in order to customize some clothes, not only for herself, but also for Feng Yuran. She was about to have a birthday soon, and must prepare a few sets of clothing. Now that she had come out, the tailor didn’t have to come to her house to measure. Besides, she could take a stroll for relaxation.
The location of this store was good. There were some stores of women’s accessories beside it, so she could go shopping together. Mo Xuetong asked the coachman to stop the carriage on one side of the road and took a few people to go inside. The store was tastefully furnished and large in size. The customer could choose the material directly downstairs, and then there were special people upstairs to take the measurement, and in the waiting area, some people would bring tea for customers.
Mo Xuetong was accompanied by her big maidservants who were close to her. She ordered two sets for each of them. These maidservants twittered to choose materials. Mo Xuetong rarely came out ever since they arrived in the capital, causing these maidservants to have no chance to go shopping. It was rare that they had time and mood to come out, so everyone was very happy.
Mo Lan was worried about her safety and stayed with Mo Xuetong. Mo Xuetong smiled and raised her hand, saying, “Go and choose with them. Anyway, it’s not far away, it’s just downstairs. After you choose, you will come here and ask them to take a measurement. Within such a close distance, you can hear me even if I yell. It’s okay. ”
“But, My Lady…”
Mo Lan wanted to say something more, but was interrupted by Mo Xuetong, “Go, go, hurry up. I will taste the tea and seeing the scenery here alone. It’s not bad, huh.” Then she pointed at the bustling street outside, where people came and went and did everything, It was indeed very lively.
“Mo Lan, let’s go downstairs. We will come up soon.” Mo Yu stretched out her hand to pull her and smiled. After all, they were just teenage girls, who liked beautiful clothes. Since they could choose new clothes, and had fun, they were all in a good mood, feeling happy.
Mo Xuetong was sitting on the brocade bench beside the window, leaning on the side and looking out of the window. At this time, there were not many people upstairs, and only a few ladies were sitting not far away, also waiting to make new clothes. There wasn’t any conspicuous person. Mo Lan thought that if she picked it up quickly, it would only take her a while and it should be fine. She nodded, and was pulled down by Mo Yu.
Seeing a few maidservants go downstairs, hand in hand and smiling happily, Mo Xuetong couldn’t help beaming. She lifted the teacup in her hand and took a sip, thinking this store was very good at doing business because the tea was also good. As customers drank tea while looking at the lively street scene outside, they would not feel bored even if they had to wait for a long while.
“Third Young Miss Mo, can I have a seat with you?” A gentle voice rang in her ears. Mo Xuetong froze for a moment, only to remember that since she got married to Feng Yuran, almost no one had called her like that. And she couldn’t remember who would call her like this for a moment. She looked back in surprise, and saw a handsome face, but that person looked sick and was in extremely bad health.
Mo Xuetong blinked, not remembering who this young man was for a moment!
Xiang Xieyue smiled and gently said, “Have you forgotten me, Third Young Miss Mo? Thanks to your rescue in the Puguang Temple, or else I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold on then.”
Hearing what he said, Mo Xuetong really remembered it. It turned out that he was the young man she met in the Puguang Temple. At that time, she sent a nanny to take care of him, and when she came down the mountain, the nanny also came back, saying that the man’s own servant had returned. As her eyes fell involuntarily on the manservant behind him, she could tell that he was a clever man.
“It’s you. Please sit down.” Mo Xuetong smiled slightly and said generously.
This was a clothing store, and it was not only for women. Not far away, there was a man waiting, and it seemed that he had also met a familiar person. He was talking to a woman. This was not a private room, so they were not alone. It was not disgraceful to chat outside.
“My name is Xiang Xieyue. I just saw you enter the store outside, so I came in specially to thank you for saving my life.” Xiang Xieyue beamed slightly. Without hiding his name, he told Mo Xuetong his name. The reason for coming up this time was very decent, and it made people feel good.
“You don’t have to be so courteous, Young Master Xiang. I believe that no matter who met you, they would stop to help you, so you don’t have to thank me especially,” Mo Xuetong responded politely, but her smile was somewhat alienated. Although she did save the person in front of her, she didn’t want to have too much to do with him.
