“It’s true!” Zhidong was anxious. He wasn’t blind these past few days and could see that there was some affection between his young master and the cold-faced Young Lady Li next door.

Moreover, Qi Yun had just left yesterday, and now a Young Master Qin had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He couldn’t help but consider for his young master.

“Young master.” Zhiqiu was also a bit uneasy, “This isn’t entirely impossible. After all, Young Master Qi and Lady Wei are also on the guest list for today’s poetry gathering. Moreover, Young Master Qin has long admired Lady Wei. If he uses Young Lady Li to humiliate Young Master Qi today to avenge his lost love, it’s not out of the question.”

Thud——

The book in his hand fell to the ground with a sound. Those beautiful phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and his throat suddenly felt a bit parched.

Today, Secretary Qin was hosting. When everyone arrived at Yuqing Pavilion, the women and men were led separately by maids and servants to the two-story small building by the lake.

From the high vantage point, the lake surface rippled with emerald waves. Just looking at it stirred thousands of words and phrases in one’s chest.

As soon as Meng Jun sat down, someone approached him.

“Jiulang!” Sang Shen greeted him jovially. He swept his gaze over the people coming up one after another, and immediately spotted Qi Yun, who had been granted marriage yesterday.

Sang Shen lowered his voice, “I thought he wouldn’t come to the poetry gathering anymore. After all, with the lady he’s been pursuing for years and his future legitimate wife both here, if he says anything slightly inappropriate, who knows what kind of gossip it would stir up.”

Hearing this, Meng Jun also looked up. After a night, Qi Yun’s complexion was much paler than before, probably due to disappointment and lack of sleep.

The young man sighed softly, just as he was holding a cup to drink some tea to moisten his throat. Sang Shen beside him suddenly got excited, “Eh? Is that Young Lady Li?!”

His voice wasn’t loud, but everyone around suddenly fell silent.

Everyone stared in amazement at Li Ruantang, who was slowly coming up the stairs, accompanied by Secretary Qin. Her jade-like inner garment was tightly wrapped around her neck, and the pomegranate red brocade dress with gold threads revealed its splendid flowers with her every step.

With her wide sleeves fluttering, treading on the bright spring day, she truly seemed like an otherworldly immortal.

Those indifferent apricot eyes, like glass beads, gently swept over everyone present, bringing that hint of a smile from her lips softly to her brows.

Thud——

It wasn’t clear whose folding fan had fallen, but in an instant, the hall that had just been silent became lively again. The young men were talking and laughing softly, but their gazes never left the gentle-browed Li Ruantang.

Just a brief eye contact with her was enough to make them blush.

Who would have thought that the usually cold and intimidating lady would have such a graceful and jade-like day.

Sang Shen, sitting next to Meng Jun, drew in a sharp breath. His ears had also turned red, but fortunately, that bit of nervousness didn’t last too long. He patted his chest secretly and said to the equally stunned young man, “It’s a good thing I already have someone I like, otherwise I might have really been a bit flustered. Jiulang, you live next door to Young Lady Li……”

While Sang Shen was still muttering in amazement beside him, Meng Jun’s heart was already beating uncontrollably fast.

Yet that gentle gaze, the tenderness he had seen countless times in Hu Village, didn’t linger on the young man, and even seemed to deliberately pass over him.

Meng Jun understood in his heart, she must still remember the grudge of being bitten last night. The young man lowered his head, not even hearing what Sang Shen was saying.

He sat there quietly.

The noble ladies had been socializing for half a day, and as the feast began, looking at the lake scenery, there was less probing and more poetic sentiment.

After three rounds of wine, some were wielding brushes and splashing ink, while others were deep in thought, pondering. After all, there were more young women and men at this banquet. Secretary Qin socialized for a while, exchanged a few words with Li Ruantang, and then entrusted all the hosting duties to Young Master Qin.

The originally praising poems gradually turned into intertwining sorrow and melancholy, though it wasn’t clear who started it.

Sang Shen had already written his poem early on. He glanced at the lady sitting opposite, and his handsome face immediately blushed with spring feelings, turning his face away shyly.

The sun glittered on the rippling waves, unparalleled in its beauty.

Before another round of wine could pass, Wei Yunruo had also finished her poem. Her reputation preceded her, and as soon as she put down her brush, almost everyone gathered around, some agreeing, some praising, and some jealous, creating a noisy crowd.

The young man sat by the window, the sound of flowing water in his ears, but the brush in his hand still refused to fall.

Sang Shen, after being shy for a while, caught sight of the hesitating Meng Jun from the corner of his eye and curiously approached, “Oh? Jiulang, this half of your poem is good, but it’s too implicit.”

“If you’re keeping it for yourself, it’s fine, but if you’re planning to give it to someone, it’s a big taboo.”

“Eh?” Those beautiful phoenix eyes flickered, looking up in confusion.

Sang Shen coughed lightly, and seeing that no one around was paying attention, he lowered his voice and said, “Jiulang, isn’t the main purpose of love poems to convey feelings? It’s good to be refined in your words, but what if you encounter someone who doesn’t understand romance? What if she can’t figure out that layer of meaning?!”

Can’t figure it out?

The young man stared blankly at Li Ruantang, who was tilting her head to listen to Young Master Qin. Her face was gentle, showing no signs of irritation.

That’s right, she definitely hadn’t figured it out, or as she said, she hadn’t had time to open his paper package.

Otherwise, Li Ruantang wouldn’t, wouldn’t be sitting so close to other young men.

The bitterness barely suppressed in his throat was dispersed by these repeated denials. The young man lowered his head, no longer hesitating, and clearly wrote his feelings into the poem.

His shy eyes were far more spirited than the rippling lake light behind him. The scorching sunlight seemed to have cast a layer of mist, making his beautiful face appear as hazy as a painting.

Li Ruantang glanced slightly, the smile on her lips deepening.

Young Master Qin had just spoken to her about writing a poem. Suddenly seeing this lady slowly reveal a smile, his heart immediately seemed to ring with gongs and drums, forgetting all about Wei Yunruo.

When the young man tidied up his writing brush and ink and raised his head to look for Li Ruantang, what he saw was this sweet scene of female gentleness and male shyness.

“……”

He frowned slightly, watching Qin Rong gradually moving closer to Li Ruantang’s side. He picked up the poem with ink not yet dry and stood up abruptly.

Startled, Sang Shen beside him trembled, instinctively grabbing Meng Jun’s sleeve, “Jiulang, this matter is already settled, why seek more heartache.”

Given Lord Meng’s status, he would certainly not allow Meng Jun to become a secondary husband to Wei Yunruo.

He hurriedly tried to persuade him.

But the young man was particularly determined. He broke free from Sang Shen and took several steps forward with a pitter-patter.

Wei Yunruo, surrounded by the crowd, was the first to see Meng Jun walking over. She smiled slightly, nodded to those around her, and with her hands behind her back, went to meet him.

In an instant, all the scrutinizing gazes fell on the silent Qi Yun. It’s worth noting that when he was pursuing Li Ruantang before, he had suppressed all the young men who were interested in Li Ruantang. At that time, nothing was certain, yet he was so domineering. How much more so now with Meng Jun, who had designs on his future wife-master?

The young man was like jade, his extremely beautiful phoenix eyes seemed to contain countless stars, looking over brightly. A faint pink tinged his cheekbones, like the most brilliant peach blossom on a branch, so alluring that one had to clench their fingers to suppress the urge to embrace him.

Wei Yunruo was extremely pleased.

Even if Meng Xiaozhi objected again, what could he do? As long as this young master was devoted to her, she had ways to bring him into her backyard.

Such a beauty.

Wei Yunruo reached out her hand, but before she could touch the fluttering wide sleeves, the young man’s face had already reddened several degrees more. His focused gaze did not give any attention to Wei Yunruo who had come out to meet him halfway, but passed through her, looking straight at the seated Li Ruantang.

She had said he was still young.

If he, in his youth, publicly presented a love poem to her, she should no longer mind the biting incident.

The young man’s hand holding the paper trembled slightly. He said in a gentle voice, “Young Lady, I wrote a poem, can you help me take a look?”