Chapter 55 A Ruthless Slap in the Face

Qin Zian had been ridiculed by Qin Ruo several times, and now he wished she would be humiliated in front of everyone.

When he saw Qin Ruo casually move a few black and white pieces and then arrogantly claimed to have solved Master Mingjing’s chess game, Qin Zian didn’t stop her. He deliberately wanted to see Qin Ruo make a fool of herself.

He stood there silently, not even bothering to look at the chessboard that Qin Ruo had just touched.

Master Mingjing had set up a broken game at Qingfeng Residence three years ago. Countless literati and scholars, even his classmates from the academy, had tried to solve it.

Even he himself had tried, but no one had been able to solve it.

It was precisely for this reason that Qingfeng Residence teahouse became famous.

Now, Qin Qiuxi, who had never been to school, had only learned a few characters by chance.

She dared to boast that she had solved Master Mingjing’s broken game.

It was truly ridiculous!

Seeing the crowd gradually gathering around, Qin Zian felt a sense of vindictive pleasure.

He didn’t care about the saying “one rises and falls together.”

The area where the chessboard was placed was now surrounded by people.

Qin Zian felt his chance had come. He turned around and loudly reprimanded Qin Ruo.

“You’re just greedy for fame and fortune. You’ve never been to school for a day, how can you solve a chess game? Is this a place where you can act recklessly?”

The onlookers were all eager to see the game, and no one paid any attention to Qin Zian’s words.

Qin Ruo didn’t rush to refute Qin Zian. The eyes of the masses were sharp.

Since someone was sending their face to be slapped today, she would grant their wish.

“Wow, she actually solved it! I can’t believe it, this girl has such chess skills. Good! Good!”

“Master Mingjing’s chess game, was it really solved by this girl? Excuse me, excuse me, let me see…”

The first people to see it exclaimed in admiration.

Suddenly, there were even more people around the chessboard.

Qin Zian stood outside the crowd, hearing everyone say that Qin Ruo had really solved the chess game, it was like a bolt from the blue.

Qin Zian’s face was full of disbelief. He didn’t believe that Qin Ruo could really solve this broken game, and he tried to remind everyone not to be mistaken.

A familiar voice suddenly reached his ears.

“Miss, I apologize for the interruption. There are a few parts of this chess game that I don’t quite understand. Would you be so kind as to demonstrate the process of your solution again? I would like to learn from you.”

A young gentleman, with a gentle and elegant demeanor and a scholarly air, looked away from the chessboard, his eyes burning with anticipation as he bowed to Qin Ruo.

Qin Zian looked at the person who was bowing to Qin Ruo with humility, and his feet felt like they were stepping on cotton, making him feel weak all over.

He recognized the person in front of him. It was Lu Jingchen, a senior two years ahead of him, a prominent figure at Luming Academy.

Lu Jingchen was known for his literary talent, and even the prefect who had visited the academy had praised his writing.

Lu Jingchen loved chess, everyone at the academy knew that.

In his spare time, Qingfeng Residence was the place he frequented the most.

Based on Lu Jingchen’s current attitude towards Qin Ruo, Qin Zian didn’t need to look at the chessboard to know that Qin Ruo had really solved the game.

That senior, who had once been like a star from heaven, unreachable, was now bowing to Qin Ruo and asking for guidance. What could be more shocking to Qin Zian?

“I’ve met Senior Lu.”

He gritted his teeth, stepped forward, clasped his hands together, and bowed respectfully to Lu Jingchen.

Lu Jingchen simply nodded casually and immediately turned his expectant gaze back to Qin Ruo.

Qin Zian felt uncomfortable and embarrassed, but he was also unwilling to accept it.

Seeing Lu Jingchen’s attitude, he could only wisely step aside.

“Why not? If you’re interested, then watch carefully. I’ll only go through it once.”

Qin Ruo’s expression was calm, she quickly returned the pieces on the chessboard to their original positions, and holding a piece in her hand, she gradually restored the chessboard to its previous state.

In her previous life, Qin Ruo had a photographic memory.

She had glanced at the chess game when she entered Qingfeng Residence and had already memorized it.

Coincidentally, she found that she actually knew how to solve this broken game.

So, when she was in the private room, she deliberately asked the waiter a few questions.

The waiter told her that Master Mingjing’s chess game, which had started at ten taels, had been increasing in price over the years and was now worth one hundred taels.

She didn’t care who Master Mingjing was, but hearing that she could get one hundred taels of silver for solving the game, she had a plan.

She planned to put those one hundred taels of silver in her pocket when she left.

Qin Zian kept nagging, so Qin Ruo simply took this opportunity to strike down this arrogant scholar.

She could get the money and make Qin Zian unhappy, a win-win situation.

Lu Jingchen hoped she would demonstrate the process of solving the chess game again, and she readily agreed, just to beat this fallen dog, Qin Zian.

“I understand, thank you for your guidance. I wonder who your teacher is, Miss, to have such superb chess skills?”

Lu Jingchen’s tone was excited, completely unlike his usual calm demeanor.

Qin Ruo chuckled and placed the last piece on the chessboard.

“I’ve just seen others play a few times and figured it out myself.”

“Miss, you have extraordinary talent, I admire you, I admire you! May I have the honor of playing a game with you?”

He didn’t treat her with any disrespect because of her simple clothes and hairpins.

Lu Jingchen thought that Qin Ruo was just not convenient to say, so he tactfully changed the subject.

Of course, he also genuinely wanted to play a game with Qin Ruo, so he invited her.

“I’m afraid I can’t fulfill your wish, I have something important to do today…”

“Senior Lu invited you, just accept it. What are you putting on airs for?”

Qin Zian had already forgotten about why Qin Ruo knew how to play chess, and he stood up and interrupted Qin Ruo’s words.

Lu Jingchen came from a good family and was also good at writing.

Qin Zian had once tried to befriend Lu Jingchen, and he even learned chess to find some common ground.

But Lu Jingchen’s attitude towards him was distant, always lukewarm.

Qin Zian watched Qin Ruo go through the chess game again in a short time, and he was deeply struck. He felt very tormented.

He was upset because he thought Qin Ruo’s way of making money was not respectable, but she had solved Master Mingjing’s chess game.

She had just moved a few pieces and got one hundred taels.

He considered himself a scholar, and there were many respectable ways to make money, but he hadn’t earned a single copper coin today.

Now even Senior Lu, who was always arrogant, was treating her differently. Thinking about his own behavior just now, wasn’t he just a clown?

Qin Zian’s mood was very complicated, he was both ashamed and angry.

When he heard Qin Ruo refuse Lu Jingchen, he couldn’t help but scold her again.

All he could think about was that if Qin Ruo could seize this opportunity and win over Lu Jingchen, it would be like helping him.

With this relationship between him and Qin Ruo, wouldn’t it be easy to find a chance to befriend Senior Lu?