There was the sound of knocking at the door, and Chen Yuan turned to look, "As soon as I come back, there's someone paying us a visit. I'll go see who it is."
Chen Yuan opened the door and saw a somewhat weathered and worn-looking man.
"Sir, is there something you need?" Chen Yuan asked, looking around.
"I'm looking for Mu Tingxuan." The middle-aged man said.
The man's voice was low and hoarse, and he sounded forlorn.
Zhuang Hao walked to Chen Yuan's side and said cordially to the visitor, "Sorry, there's no one called Mu Tingxuan who's living here. You're at the wrong place."
"There isn't?" The man asked, frowning.
Zhuang Hao smiled and shook his head, and said resolutely, "There isn't."
The middle-aged man stared at Zhuang Hao for a long time and said, "Then I'll come again another day."
Chen Yuan looked at the man's back as he left and said, "Zhuang Hao, who is that guy! Why did you lie to him!"
"That person? If Yi Fan's lucky enough, then that person could very well become Yi Fan's father-in-law." Zhuang Hao said, crossing his arms.
Chen Yuan's eyes widened and he said, "Yi Fan's… Father-in–law? He's Mu Tingxuan's father? Are you sure?"
"He had the bearing of someone skilled in wood-based martial arts, his strength is at the ninth level, and he also looked similar to Mu Yueshan in appearance. There was also the symbol of the Muling Sect on his clothes. There's no doubt that that was the Mu Xingzhi who had betrayed the Mu Family back then." Zhuang Hao said.
Chen Yuan looked at Zhuang Hao and said, "There's a chance that he could become Yi Fan's father-in-law in the future! Is it really okay for you to just drive him away like that?" Yi Fan that guy's a total nutjob, he's even more troublesome to provoke than Qi Shaorong. Only Qi Shaorong's words were harsh, but Yi Fan's way of doing things were ruthless when he really set his mind to it.
"It's fine, Shaorong recently told me a story about making three calls at a thatched cottage [1]. If that guy is sincere, he'll definitely come back." Zhuang Hao said.
"Three calls at a thatched cottage? What's that!"
Zhuang Hao shrugged and said, "I'm not too sure either. I was told that a guy named Liu Bei [2] had sought the aid of Zhuge Liang [3], a great expert, who was living in seclusion in a thatched cottage at the time. He visited Zhuge Liang three times. He didn't have any luck the first two times, but the third time, Zhuge Liang was finally moved by him, and he agreed to his request for help."
"That expert was actually living in a thatched cottage, it's really too tragic." Chen Yuan said, stroking his chin.
Zhuang Hao shrugged and said, "Shaorong said that Zhuge Liang was a man who had incredible foresight. He could sit within a command tent and devise strategies that would ensure victory a thousand li away, and kill without spilling blood. He even scared away 150 000 enemy soldiers by playing the qin and putting on a show [4]. He's very capable, the reason why he lived in a thatched cottage was probably because he's a relatively low-key person!"
Chen Yuan nodded and said, "So it's like that! Who's Liu Bei then?"
Zhuang Hao, "He's a fierce and ambitious person who dreamed of ruling the world!"
Chen Yuan, "Did he succeed?"
Zhuang Hao, "I suppose you could say that he was successful!"
Chen Yuan, "Was this Liu Bei person very strong?"
Zhuang Hao shook his head and said, "I heard Shaorong say that he's not very strong, however, he's very good at tricking people. That guy tricked a large number of strong but simple-minded people into following him to conquer the world!"
Chen Yuan thought about it and said, "Then it sounds like this guy's really amazing! But I guess he's probably not that good, I've never even heard of this Liu Bei person before! How did Young Master Qi come to know about him!"
Qi Shaorong walked out with his arms crossed, "What are you two talking about me for?"
"We're talking about Liu Bei, this is my first time hearing about him." Chen Yuan said.
Qi Shaorong looked at Chen Yuan disdainfully and said, "What do you mean, you've never heard of someone like Liu Bei before! How could you be so ignorant and ill-informed! Then again, it's not really your fault…" Liu Bei was someone from his past world. If the people in this world knew about him, then that would be weird.
Chen Yuan nodded and said, "You really can't blame it on me! If you're going to blame anyone, you can only blame Liu Bei for not being famous enough!"
Qi Shaorong: "…"
"Why did you open the door, did someone come visit?" Qi Shaorong changed the topic and asked.
"Supposedly, Yi Fan's father-in-law was here just now, but he was lied to and sent away by Zhuang Hao." Chen Yuan replied with eager attentiveness.
"Whose father-in-law did you say was just here?" Yi Fan walked out and asked.
"Yours! Ah! It's still a little too early to say that it's yours. Looking at your abilities, if you want to successfully woo Mu Tingxuan, it'll be very difficult, very, very, difficult…" Chen Yuan said.
Yi Fan: "…"
Yi Fan looked at Chen Yuan and said, "Young Master Chen, do you think that just because you're the heir of the Chen Family, I won't beat you up!"
Chen Yuan: "…"
Zhuang Hao looked at Yi Fan and said, "Do you want to tell Mu Tingxuan about Mu Xingzhi's visit!"
Yi Fan pursed his lips and said, "I'll wait for the right time to tell him."
Chen Yuan looked at Yi Fan and asked cautiously, "I have some news about the Yi Family, do you want to hear it?
Yi Fan glanced at Chen Yuan and said, "Sure."
"Yi Xun abandoned Yang Man and married a few more concubines. Yang Man, Yi Bing, Yi Huo, and Yi Chuxue were sent away from the Yi Family, and they're now living in a small mountain village [5]." Chen Yuan said.
Yi Fan smiled bitterly and said, "I already guessed that this would happen, Yi Xun that guy is actually a really fickle person!"
Chen Yuan crossed his arms and said, "He hasn't been doing too well either. Yi Xun used to be the Acting Head of the Yi Family, but he was dismissed from his duties."
Yi Fan smiled and said, "Really?"
The Business Alliance was very efficient. After Mu Yueshan tried making a move against Qi Shaorong, the Business Alliance intensified their efforts in suppressing the Mu Family.
All of the Mu Family's businesses were beaten down and in complete disorder, and Mu Yueshan couldn't help feeling overwhelmed and weighed down by all these problems.
Knowing that Qi Shaorong did this for Mu Tingxuan, many people from the Mu Family placed the blame onto Mu Tingxuan's head, but those who went to find Mu Tingxuan were all inexplicably beaten back by a mysterious person.
"Father." Mu Huai was looking for Mu Yueshan.
Mu Yueshan looked at Mu Huai, frowned, and said, "Why are you here?
Mu Huai looked at Mu Yueshan and said, "Father, how about I go find Mu Tingxuan and return to him what I owe him."
Mu Yueshan agitatedly looked at Mu Huai and said, "What nonsense are you spouting, you don't owe him anything."
Mu Huai looked at Mu Yueshan and said, "Father, if we continue like this, the entire Mu Family will be destroyed."
Mu Yueshan said nonchalantly, "This is us adults' business, you don't need to worry about it."
"Father, some of the elders have the same idea, don't they?"
Back then, Mu Yueshan had dug up the wood-spirit core from Mu Tingxuan's body and put it in Mu Huai's body. Although it was secret, many people in the Mu Family knew about it. Now that Qi Shaorong was helping Mu Tingxuan take revenge on the Mu Family in such a crazy manner, some people had proposed to let Mu Huai return the wood-spirit core to Mu Tingxuan.
Mu Huai was originally a model of excellence among the younger generation of the Mu Family, and all the youths of the Mu Family were deeply envious of Mu Huai. Now that it's been revealed that the origin of Mu Huai's wood-spirit cores wasn't very proper, everyone would look at Mu Huai with strange eyes whenever they saw him. Mu Huai's reputation had taken a serious hit.
Zhuang Hao sat by Qi Shaorong's bed. Qi Shaorong was close-eyed and sleeping soundly.
Qi Shaorong turned over, opened his eyes, and was startled when he saw Zhuang Hao sitting by the bed.
Qi Shaorong scratched his head and sat up.
"What are you doing here?" Qi Shaorong asked.
"I wanted to tell you something, but I saw that you were sleeping and didn't want to wake you up, so I was just waiting here." Zhuang Hao said.
Qi Shaorong scratched his head and said, "You couldn't wait outside?"
Zhuang Hao said disapprovingly, "Waiting here means that I can tell you the news as soon as possible!"
Qi Shaorong, "…What is it then, what important thing do you have to tell me?"
"Mu Tingxuan's father dropped by." Zhuang Hao said.
[T/n: Wait, I'm so confused, lol didn't they already tell QSR this??? But they were interrupted, so I guess QSR went to sleep and ZH decided to tell him again… Idk.]
Qi Shaorong, "Really? It's not that big of a deal!"
"Right! That's why I didn't wake you up immediately, but waited by the side instead."
Qi Shaorong: "…"
"Ah! Shaorong, did you know? You snore a lot when you're sleeping, you'll snore and snore and snore… [6]"
Qi Shaorong's expression became distorted and he said, "Thank you so much for informing me, I really didn't know that I snore in my sleep."
"You're so cute when you snore, like a little pig…"
Qi Shaorong couldn't help but tightly grip the bedsheets. Zhuang Hao this idiot, just who's he calling a pig? Zhuang Hao, this idiot, he's the one who's like a pig.
Qi Shaorong looked at Zhuang Hao, ground his teeth, and said, "Thank you for your compliment."
Zhuang Hao smiled and said, "You also like to pout your lips when you're sleeping, it makes me really want to kiss you…"
Qi Shaorong: "…"
Zhuang Hao blinked. He suddenly pressed Qi Shaorong onto the bed, and kissed him fiercely.
Qi Shaorong was half asleep and half awake at the time, and he wasn't able to react quickly enough, so Zhuang Hao's sneak attack was a success.
Qi Shaorong slapped Zhuang Hao's face, "What are you doing?"
"You looked like you wanted me to give you a kiss." Zhuang Hao said innocently.
Qi Shaorong took a deep breath and said, "Who wants a kiss from you? Is there something wrong with your eyes?"
Zhuang Hao looked at Qi Shaorong and said, "If you think you suffered a loss because I gave you a kiss, I'll let you give me a kiss back!"
Zhuang Hao puckered his lips and leaned in front of Qi Shaorong. Qi Shaorong's expression was twisted. Zhuang Hao, this idiot, could he have been possessed by something?
Yi Fan opened the door and walked in, just in time to see Zhuang Hao and Qi Shaorong kissing. Actually, Zhuang Hao and Qi Shaorong weren't really kissing, but from Yi Fan's point of view, they looked like they were.
Qi Shaorong pushed Zhuang Hao away and said, "Scram."
Zhuang Hao aggrievedly moved away.
Qi Shaorong looked at Yi Fan and asked, "A-Fan, what's up?"
Yi Fan said, "It's time to eat."
Qi Shaorong nodded and said, "Okay, I'll get up right away."
Zhuang Hao, " I…"
Qi Shaorong looked at Zhuang Hao and said angrily, "Get out."
Zhuang Hao gave Qi Shaorong a grieved look, and unwillingly left.
Zhuang Hao followed Yi Fan out. Yi Fan looked at the handprint on Zhuang Hao's face and said, "Young Master Zhuang, the marks on your face are very distinct! If you go out looking like that, I'm afraid it'll damage your reputation! "
Zhuang Hao rubbed his face and said, "There's a price to pay for everything. Even if you want to get slapped, I'm afraid there's no chance of that happening for you yet!"
Yi Fan: "…"
Zhuang Hao rubbed his face and the marks on his face quickly disappeared.
Yi Fan looked at Zhuang Hao and said, "They all said that Young Master Zhuang Hao was a cold and aloof person. After getting to know you, Young Master Zhuang, I'm looking at you with new eyes now [7]."
"Don't fall in love with me, I'm not interested in you." Zhuang Hao said seriously.
Yi Fan took a deep breath and said, "Young Master Zhuang Hao, don't worry, even if I go blind, I won't ever fall for you."
Zhuang Hao smiled lightly and said, "That's good to hear…"
"Young Master Zhuang, I'm shocked at how thick your face is." Yi Fan said mockingly.
Zhuang Hao rubbed his face and said, "It's pretty good, I guess."
Yi Fan: "…"
Footnotes:
Making three calls at a thatched cottage: As Liu Bei did when he sought the aid of Zhuge Liang, a master strategist then living in seclusion. An idiom―To make earnest and repeated requests of somebody (to take up a responsible post).
Liu Bei: Lived during the Three Kingdoms period of China, which started after the end of the Han dynasty, and was followed by the Jin dynasty. At the time, China was divided among the states of Wei, Shu, and Wu. Liu Bei (161-223) was a warlord at the end of the Han dynasty and founder of the Han kingdom of Shu (c.200-263), later the Shu Han dynasty. His Shu Han kingdom claimed legitimacy as the successor of Han.
Zhuge Liang: Zhuge Liang (181-234) was a military leader and served as the chancellor and regent of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period. He's recognised as the most accomplished strategist of his era, and is a symbol of resourcefulness and wisdom in Chinese folklore.
Scared away 150 000 enemy soldiers: This is a fictional incident in the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which romanticises historical events in the late Han dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period. This event took place during the first of a series of campaigns (Zhuge Liang's Northern Expeditions) to attack Shu's rival state, Cao Wei. In the first Northern Expedition, Zhuge Liang's efforts to conquer the Wei city Chang'an were undermined by the Shu defeat at the Battle of Jieting. With the loss of Jieting, Zhuge Liang's current location, Xicheng, became exposed and was in peril of being attacked by the Wei army. In the face of imminent danger, with the main Shu army deployed elsewhere and only a small group of soldiers in Xicheng, Zhuge Liang came up with a ploy to hold off the approaching enemy. Zhuge Liang ordered all the city gates to be opened and instructed soldiers disguised as civilians to sweep the roads while he sat on the viewing platform above the gates with two page boys flanking him. He put on a calm and composed image by playing his guqin. When the Wei army led by Sima Yi arrived, Sima was surprised by the scene before him and he ordered a retreat after suspecting that there was an ambush inside the city. Zhuge Liang later explained that his strategy was a risky one. It worked because Zhuge Liang had a reputation for being a careful military tactician who hardly took risks, so Sima Yi came to the conclusion that there was an ambush upon seeing Zhuge's relaxed composure. The basis for this story in Romance of the Three Kingdoms is an anecdote shared by one Guo Chong in the early Jin dynasty (265–420), however there's a lot of doubt as to whether this anecdote is true or fake.
Small mountain village: So "mountain village" in can also refer to a manor house, villa, or be used in a hotel name. I'm just going to go with "mountain village" because the other definitions don't make sense. In the previous chapter, it said that Yang Man and the rest were sent to the outskirts of the capital though, so idk, maybe they moved again?
Snore and snore and snore: Zhuang Hao actually said the words "huluhulu" a whole bunch of times, which is the onomatopoeia for wheezing or snoring lol.
Looking at you with new eyes: To look at somebody with new eyes; to have a whole new level of respect for somebody or something; to sit up and take notice (of somebody's improved performance, etc.)