บท 24: Invitation
In the eastern suburbs of Yanjing, at a street that was neither bustling nor entirely secluded, Lei Yun led Xian Yue to a residence that could not be called luxurious, yet it was far from being shabby. The red wooden door had no golden plaque indicating the residence's name and lacked the imposing stone lions typically found at the entrances of affluent families. There were even no gatekeepers.
"This is the young master's villa in Yanjing," Lei Yun said, pointing to the house in front of them.
Xian Yue smiled, closed her eyes, sniffed the air around her, and turned to Lei Yun, "There's surprisingly no scent of cosmetics."
"The young master has never brought a girl here before," Lei Yun replied, approaching her. He was naturally taciturn and conducted himself with strict propriety, and his words held weight. In that moment, his serious tone left no room for doubt.
"I thought this was your young master's hideaway for his secret affairs," Xian Yue teased, passing by Lei Yun and pushing open the red wooden door. She stood at the entrance with her back to him and stretched lazily. "It's naptime; I'm feeling sleepy."
Looking out, the spacious courtyard, covering several acres, was quite expansive. Several pavilions stood among the flowering trees, giving a sense of openness. Inside the courtyard, the green bamboos swayed gently with the rippling water, casting dappled green shadows. A breeze rustled the branches, causing the leaves to dance gracefully and produce a fine mist, making it feel as if one were in a dreamlike forest. The stones in the courtyard were arranged in an arching manner, nestled amid the green bamboo, adding a touch of charm and elegance.
Xian Yue's gaze lingered on the similarly shaped stones for a few seconds. She tilted her head to look at Lei Yun and chuckled softly, "Are you sure your young master doesn't have a secret lover hidden away?"
Lei Yun stared at her, his expression quite serious, and nodded emphatically.
"Then why is there a mess here? It's dizzying to look at," Xian Yue remarked, shaking her head. She lightly tapped the steps with her toes and spun out, moving with the grace of a soaring swallow, like a butterfly dancing in the forest. The elegant colors of her clothing clashed brilliantly with the afternoon sunlight, unrestrainedly invading her vision.
Xian Yue balanced on the highest artificial hill in the courtyard, turned around, and smiled at the dazed Lei Yun. "Lei Yun, I'll tidy up the courtyard for your young master."
In the bright sun, the young woman in plain clothes stood against the wind, her smile radiant. Her bright eyes seemed to overshadow all the light in the world, just like that person, whose every word and gesture made others feel inadequate.
Lei Yun snapped back to reality, frowning in annoyance at his momentary distraction, but quickly restored his usual serious demeanor.
Under the bright blue sky, as a gust of wind blew, the bamboo swayed violently. The sound of breaking branches echoed in his ears, and then the neatly arranged green bamboos suddenly fell, not haphazardly but all in the same direction, each falling in perfect time, ultimately forming a circle. As the last bamboo fell with a thunderous crash, the similar-sized stones erupted in the center, sending rocks flying and scattering like fine white snow across the lush green bamboos, creating a dazzling contrast.
The ground was a mess, utterly chaotic. Lei An recalled Lei Yun's words about tidying up, and anger surged within him as he glared furiously at Xian Yue. "You're a destroyer," he gritted out.
However, he saw that Xian Yue was quite pleased with herself, holding her chin high, with an expression that seemed to say, "What can you do about it?" The simple four words "clean it up yourself" seemed insufficient to quell his inner discontent and anger.
"The world is full of spirits; the mountains and trees have feelings. How can you treat them so harshly? If this gets out, won't it disgrace your name as a heroine?" Lan Ruyun said, looking at the instantly lifeless bamboos with a hint of sorrow.
"Don't you think this act is exactly what a chivalrous person in the jianghu should do?" Xian Yue replied, observing the courtyard that obviously didn't require a gatekeeper. It turned out to have hidden depths; if anyone ignorant of its nature wandered in, they would surely never return. Truly, the place reflected its owner.
Xian Yue turned to look at Lan Ruyun, who was mourning the trees, and suppressed her smile, coldly remarking, "Such hypocrisy."
"Haha."
"Haha."
Suddenly, Bai Zhanfeng, who had been standing behind Lan Ruyun, burst into laughter, feeling delighted. He had tried several times to challenge Lan Ruyun without success, and seeing someone treat him like that made him feel an undeniable pleasure.
"You're the same—arrogant and conceited," Lan Ruyun remarked, watching Xian Yue's retreating figure. "We can go in after Lei An cleans up."
Xian Yue turned around while bouncing and waved her sleeve. "Lan Gongzi, I'm not a cleanliness freak."
She then turned to Lei Yun. "Lei Yun, take me to rest and prepare something delicious for me."
When it came to food, her eyes unconsciously sparkled, bright as the stars.
Just as she was about to turn away, a servant in plain clothes suddenly appeared at the entrance, stretching his neck to peer inside. He hesitated, wanting to enter but unsure.
"Lan Gongzi, someone is here to visit," the servant said.
Upon hearing Xian Yue address Lan Ruyun, the servant's face lit up. He quickly ran over to Lan Ruyun and looked up at him, increasingly certain that this person was someone of significance.
He had initially thought that it was merely a gang from the jianghu, but he hadn't expected such an outstanding character to be present.
"I am a servant of Lord Lou, and the Third Prince is hosting a banquet tomorrow evening. I hope Lan Gongzi will grace us with your presence. This is an invitation from my lord," the servant said, bowing slightly as he presented a pale yellow invitation with a kirin design to Lan Ruyun.
Lei Yun took the invitation from the servant's hand, and Lan Ruyun glanced at the servant and said, "The Third Prince is very considerate. I will certainly attend tomorrow evening."
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