Chapter 934: What to Do When a Childhood Sweetheart Appears

When Ye Wenxin started to get bored, the storyteller picked up on the topic. Being a professional storyteller, he showed great interest in this talented young woman, quickly getting Ye Wenxin out of the one-sided conversation.

The two became increasingly shameless as they talked. Toward the end, they discussed what positions to use the first time.

Fei Chai was the youngest among them, but after the storyteller egged him on, he had learned much about those activities. He pretended not to be curious, trying to be chivalrous before Ghost Mother.

Unfortunately, Ghost Mother was not the pure and innocent figure he imagined. She even went out of her way to ask Fei Chai a few questions. His face turned bright red, and he edged closer to Ye Wenxin, regarding her as a comrade.

“……”

Ye Wenxin felt annoyed. However, something quickly drew her attention.

They finally arrived at Six Academy. Ye Wenxin looked around and saw the bold, sweeping characters on the signboard in front of her.

[Six Arts Academy]

“Six Academy” was the common shorthand the Golden Age Dynasty had designated for the Six Arts Academy. As the name would imply, it was a private school. This place upheld the principle of equal education for all, teaching civil and martial arts. It was the largest academy in the entire dynasty.

Most young men and women from the capital’s noble families had graduated from Six Academy. Given its fame, the academy became a social gathering spot whenever classes weren’t in session. More importantly, high-ranking officials and nobles often came here to scout for talent. Hence, the place became a stage for many to show off their skills, hoping they would attract a patron and live a life of wealth and glory.

Young Master Lü was a Six Academy graduate and one of such hopefuls. He had been painting here for the past three years, snatching the hearts of countless young ladies.

Of course, Young Master Lü had added that tidbit himself. His face was decent-looking at best. Ye Wenxin suddenly regretted not transforming into Ye Liangchen to spite him.

“It looks like that guy is not here today. You all can look around, but don’t go too far. This place is full of nobles and officials. While the Fang family does have some influence, it would still be a hassle if anything goes wrong.”

Seeing that neither his rival nor his beloved had appeared, Young Master Lü seemed ready to start painting again.

Upon receiving permission to explore, Ghost Mother dashed away in a flash. Although she looked innocent, Ghost Mother was cunning and ruthless, so Ye Wenxin didn’t worry about someone taking advantage of her.

“Miss Gu, wait for me!” Fei Chai shouted, rushing after Ghost Mother.

The storyteller was more interested in bigwig gossip. Holding a broom, he went to eavesdrop on the young ladies chatting nearby.

That left Ye Wenxin and Han Shanxue still at their posts.

Ye Wenxin noticed Han Shanxue scanning her surroundings. She seemed curious about the place, too. But as a hired hand and their group’s oldest, she stayed put.

Ye Wenxin decided to try raising Han Shanxue’s favorability a bit. She considerately offered, “Take a break, Miss Han. I’ll keep watch.”

Han Shanxue acted like she hadn’t heard. Ye Wenxin didn’t insist. She sat by the lake and tossed stones into its waters for fun.

The stone skimmed across the lake’s surface before falling in, startling the fish below into scattering. Ye Wenxin was about to toss another when she heard a feminine shout.

“Which house’s maid are you?! You dare to disturb me feeding the fish!”

The voice was loud enough to give Ye Wenxin a jolt. Looking closely, she noticed a girl across the lake shouting in her direction.

She wore a light blue brocade dress. Her appearance was average, but her expression indicated a terrible temper. Nobles like this were a dime a dozen. The girl seemed to think her words had petrified Ye Wenxin and immediately looked smug.

Ye Wenxin picked up a few more stones and tossed them into the lake. They hit the water, sending ripples through the spot where the fish had just begun to gather, scaring them off again.

The girl glared hard at Ye Wenxin. Ye Wenxin grinned brightly at her. She loved it when someone was fuming but couldn’t do a thing to her.

The girl’s maid stepped onto the lake’s surface, a sword in her hand, intending to teach Ye Wenxin a lesson. In this era where everything was a contest of whose parents had more power, it seemed the world had a new mode—competing through servants.

Ye Wenxin had already restricted her cultivation to the Golden Core stage. She used a basic sword technique from the Azure Wings Sect to face the incoming attack.

The sword technique itself was a distraction. As she unleashed the move, eight differently colored swords materialized in the air. Of course, this was the furballs’ handiwork. Ye Wenxin looked at the solid-looking blades and thought they could kill someone.

Fortunately, the maid was no weakling and dodged all eight swords. The conjured swords slammed into an artificial rock formation behind her, triggering a deafening explosion. Seeing the water rising like a tsunami, Ye Wenxin felt dread and quickly looked toward Young Master Lü still painting by the lake.

Han Shanxue was one step ahead. She froze the waves before they could hit the shore. Then she pulled out an umbrella, blocking the splashing water from reaching her, her expression indifferent.

“Eh? What happened? Why is the lake water frozen?” Young Master Lü reacted late to the noise. When he saw the ice wall before him, he jumped in shock.

“Uh, I used too much force with the sword technique just now. Some water splashed out, that’s all,” Ye Wenxin replied awkwardly, trying to brush the matter off.

The girl stormed over with her maid in tow, looking furious.

But the moment she saw Ye Wenxin’s boss, she froze.

“Brother Lü,” the girl called.

“Xiaoyu (Little Fish)? What are you doing here?” Young Master Lü’s expression turned complicated, though Ye Wenxin could see the two knew each other. Still, there was an awkward tension between them.

“I heard you got into a fight with my older brother, so I came to check on things,” the girl explained her reason for coming to Six Academy. Young Master Lü looked even more uncomfortable.

She sighed, but then her eyes lit up upon noticing Han Shanxue. She asked Young Master Lü about Ye Wenxin and Han Shanxue.

“So they’re the helpers you asked your sister for?” the girl asked.

Young Master Lü shook his head. “No, my sister’s been busy lately. I didn’t dare bother her. I hired these people myself. Where’s your brother? Didn’t we agree to settle things today?”

“My brother has something to take care of, so he’ll be late. But can’t you two stop fighting?” the girl tried to persuade him. “You’ve been brothers for so many years.”

Ye Wenxin quietly listened to their conversation. She now knew the girl’s identity. No one would have expected two sworn brothers would become strangers in such a short time.

She could also tell the girl had a crush on Young Master Lü. Sadly, childhood sweethearts would always lose to tragic beauties falling from the heavens.