Misty Rain of the Old Times

After carefully listening to Chen Xuan's words, He Hongyi smiled and said, "I didn't know much about you before, but that doesn't stop me from admiring you. Thank you for expressing your feelings. I understand."

Anyone could tell that Chen Xuan rejected their advances without hesitation. Such an attitude would be hurtful to any girl; her sincere feelings were met with unrequited love, which was very embarrassing.

But He Hongyi is no longer a little girl. She knows that happiness is something you have to fight for; it won't fall from the sky. If she has someone she admires, she should try her best to pursue them. As for the outcome, she should try not to have any regrets. It's better than missing out without even taking any action.

As people of the martial arts world, we dare to love and hate. How would we know we can't get what we want if we don't try?
From her perspective, Chen Xuan had already been very straightforward. The most important point was that he didn't dislike her appearance. This gave her a chance, and a high probability, for Chen Xuan to fall in love with her. As for achieving true mutual affection, that would require her to work hard to achieve. There's a big difference between two people liking each other.

Of course, as of now, it would be nonsense to say that she loves Chen Xuan so much. They have only met a few times and haven't even exchanged many words. To say that she loves him or not is just bullshit.

To put it bluntly, she was attracted to Chen Xuan's appearance, strength, and personality after meeting him. As for appearance, it's the same for both men and women; it all starts with looks. That's how it is in a world that judges by appearance. However, strength is the most important thing. There's nothing shameful about a girl admiring someone strong. With Chen Xuan's strength, countless girls in the world would be willing to throw themselves at him, and she's no exception. Coincidentally, her appearance, figure, and strength far surpass those of ordinary women, so she has a great chance. As for personality, she hasn't spent time with him yet, so she needs to get to know him better later.

In short, Chen Xuan had something that attracted her more than anyone she had ever met, which is why she was willing to lower herself and take the initiative to pursue him. Otherwise, what would she be after? Would she want a man who doesn't shower for half a month?

Given He Hongyi's excellence, it's no exaggeration to say that there would be a line of people admiring her that could stretch for miles. Yet, she didn't fancy any of them and instead took the initiative to pursue Chen Xuan.

Guo Qingxue, who was standing nearby, also understood Chen Xuan's clear refusal. She felt extremely distressed and tears welled up in her eyes.

She traveled a long way to express her feelings, thinking that a beautiful marriage was about to begin. But it seems that it ended before it even started, and all the beautiful scenes she had imagined of walking hand in hand with her sword in the martial arts world were shattered like bubbles.

That's how young girls are; they think of everything too beautifully, always believing that taking action will bring rewards. In the end, they haven't experienced much of the harsh realities of life. She's already incredibly lucky. If Chen Xuan were more malicious, he could have swindled her out of money and sex, and sold her off, and she'd probably still be happily oblivious.

Seeing He Hongyi's still bright smile and unmoved expression, Chen Xuan wondered, "What do you understand? Did I not explain myself clearly enough? Or did I say all that for nothing? I can't just make things awkward for everyone."

Hearing Guo Qingxue choke up beside him, Chen Xuan felt a headache coming on again. Girls crying is the most troublesome thing. He doesn't have much experience in comforting girls. He can say all sorts of sweet words to his wife, the little princess, since no outsiders know. But he really can't bring himself to say sweet words to other girls.

Why are you crying? People who don't know the situation might think I'm bullying you.

Thinking to himself, Chen Xuan turned back hesitantly and said, "Miss Guo, don't cry. I didn't do anything to you."

Upon seeing this, He Hongyi's heart stirred, and she almost burst out laughing with a smile in her eyes. She realized that Chen Xuan had no idea how to coax girls. Thinking about it, it made sense; someone as outstanding as him would most likely have girls throwing themselves at him.

He Hongyi quickly realized that boys like this are actually easy to pursue. As long as you take the initiative and try not to do anything that will annoy him, things will gradually fall into place. On the other hand, if you do something wrong and make him unhappy, you will probably only need to do it once to have no chance at all.

Tears streamed down Guo Qingxue's face, blurring her vision. Looking at Chen Xuan with extreme grievance, she asked, "Brother Chen, do you hate me?"

"When did I say I hated you? You can't just say things like that. If word gets out, your entire Cold Mountain Sword Sect will come after me for an explanation," Chen Xuan said, both amused and exasperated.

"Don't you hate me?" Guo Qingxue felt a little better, but then she sobbed, "Then why don't you like me? Is it because I'm not pretty?"

It must be admitted that Guo Qingxue is undeniably beautiful, with a tall and slender figure and fair skin. But what kind of logic is this? Just because you're pretty doesn't mean I have to like you? That kind of liking is nothing more than a biological instinct to lust after your body.

Chen Xuan shrugged and shook his head, saying, "You're very pretty, but you're still young and don't understand what 'like' or 'dislike' means at all."

“I’m a grown woman now, not a little girl anymore,” Guo Qingxue stamped her foot, but she was secretly pleased because Chen Xuan said she was pretty. How could a young girl not be happy to be told she was pretty by the 'Brother Yang' she had been searching for for so many years? She was so easily satisfied.

After thinking for a moment, Chen Xuan said, "This has nothing to do with age or figure. You are the little princess of the Cold Mountain Sword Sect. You are usually too well protected. You are very naive and have never grown up. To put it bluntly, you are immature and act on a whim. Do you know how scary it is when you suddenly come up and say you like me?"

"I don't care, I like you anyway, I won't marry anyone but you, I'll even be your concubine, as long as you don't bully me, I'll be satisfied as long as you let me follow you," she said stubbornly.

Chen Xuan felt exhausted. Why couldn't she understand? She said she wouldn't marry anyone but me. Little girl, do you even know what you're saying?

You can't take those kinds of words seriously. Once a young girl gets carried away, she'll say anything without considering the consequences. All I could do was say, speechlessly, "Well, I'm honored, thank you."

"So, Brother Chen, you've agreed?" Guo Qingxue exclaimed in surprise, suddenly grabbing Chen Xuan's arm and hugging him tightly. She was overjoyed, her face streaked with tears, making her look exceptionally adorable.

To this, Chen Xuan could only say that youth is so innocent and naive.

No, was I ambushed? He shook his head, half-laughing and half-crying, and said, "I didn't promise you anything. We've met a few times, and we've gotten along quite well. I consider you a friend, so don't push your luck."

“I said I wouldn’t marry anyone but you, and you said thank you. Doesn’t that mean you agreed to my proposal?” Guo Qingxue said, holding her arm tightly.

He Hongyi raised an eyebrow, immediately displeased. "I haven't even gotten close to Young Master Chen yet, and you, a young lady, aren't you ashamed?" She immediately stepped forward and pulled her away, using a little skill to easily pull her off. Her tone was gentle but intimidating: "Miss Guo, girls who aren't reserved will be disliked."

"Mind your own business. I only treat Brother Chen like this," Guo Qingxue glared at her angrily. As she was about to put her arm around Chen Xuan's arm, she noticed that Chen Xuan had already moved away two steps without her noticing. Her gaze towards He Hongyi became even more hostile. Luckily, she couldn't beat him, otherwise they would have started fighting.

Chen Xuan, who had been about to pull her arm away, was stopped by He Hongyi. He gave her a thank-you look, noticed the little girl glancing in their direction several times as if she wanted to say something but hesitated, so he walked to the living room and forcefully ended the farce, saying, "It's already afternoon, you haven't eaten yet, have you? Eat first, so people won't say I neglected you."

Actually, he hadn't eaten for long and wasn't hungry at all, but since the Xiao Miao siblings had come from afar, he had to treat them.

It has to be said that even when facing the beast tide in the underground Sun City, Chen Xuan was not this tired. He knew they were coming for him, and thought that if he talked things out, everything would be fine. But he ended up in trouble. If he had known this would happen, he would have preferred to avoid them.

Who understands this kind of trouble?
Guo Qingxue shook off He Hongyi's hand, snorted, and followed. She regained her composure by circulating her internal energy, and a subtle smile appeared on her lips, like a smug little fox.

With He Hongyi's cultivation level, how could she not notice this small change in her? She was immediately struck by a thought, realizing that this little girl was not simple.

"Roujia, please serve the food," Chen Xuan called out, then turned to the two women and said, "Please have a seat. We've come from afar, so please don't find the simple fare too simplistic."

"No way, I'm happy just to see Brother Chen," Guo Qingxue said sweetly, quickly sitting down next to Chen Xuan and giving He Hongyi a provocative look.

He Hongyi ignored him and sat down on the other side of Chen Xuan without leaving a trace.

Chen Xuan felt a pang of melancholy. While the two beautiful women beside him were certainly in a good mood, their demeanor meant he had to be careful what he said; a single misstep could lead to serious trouble. So, after they sat down, he called to Zhou Xiaomiao and her brother, who had just changed, "Xiaomiao, Fugui, come sit here. You must be tired from the journey. Have something to eat first."

The siblings had changed into clean clothes, no longer looking as disheveled as before, but the fabric was coarse and simple. With Guo Qingxue in red clothes around, they seemed very reserved, not daring to look up at anyone, nodding obediently and sitting down, afraid of causing trouble.

At this moment, Zhou Xiaomiao was still anxiously thinking that Brother Chen had guests at his house, and their arrival seemed to be at an inopportune time.

Seeing this, Chen Xuan spoke again: "Xiao Miao, Fu Gui, don't be shy, coming here with Brother Chen is like coming home."

"Yes, thank you, Brother Chen," Zhou Xiaomiao nodded softly, still feeling a bit awkward, while Zhou Fugui grinned, not thinking about it at all.

Su Roujia and Du Juan were busy setting out the dishes. With guests present, even though Chen Xuan usually didn't care much about formalities, he dutifully didn't plan to sit at the table.

Having successfully diverted attention, and with outsiders present, Guo Qingxue couldn't very well discuss matters of personal relationships. Curious, she subtly inquired of Zhou Xiaomiao and her brother, "Brother Chen, who are they?"

“Zhou Xiaomiao and Zhou Fugui are siblings. I met them a few years ago when I went to study in Mocheng with the young master. In those years, I had no relatives or friends in this world, and they were like my younger brother and sister,” Chen Xuan said with a smile, without explaining further.

Upon hearing this, Guo Qingxue's heart stirred. She wondered if they held such importance in Brother Chen's heart. Since they were acquainted in Mocheng, she should inquire about the area within the influence of the Cold Mountain Sword Sect and secretly take care of them. Brother Chen would surely be very pleased.

Thinking to herself, she said seemingly innocently, "Doesn't that mean you knew them back when I knew Brother Chen?"

Did we even know each other back then? We just made up some connection out of thin air.

Understanding her little scheme, Chen Xuan nodded and said, "More or less. When I first arrived in Mo City, Xiao Miao helped me a lot with finding a place to stay."

So you knew her before I did? Guo Qingxue's eyes darkened slightly; the young girl was very sensitive.

Zhou Xiaomiao looked up and said cautiously, "No, back then my family was poor. I worked for Brother Chen to earn a living. It was only because Brother Chen didn't look down on us that we survived until now."

“The past is the past, why bring it up?” Chen Xuan said with a smile.

After hesitating for a moment, Zhou Xiaomiao carefully handed Chen Xuan a beautiful wooden box, saying nervously and expectantly, "Brother Chen, perhaps we are a little late, but there's something I still want to say: Happy New Year! This is a gift for you; I hope you won't find it offensive."

The box wasn't large, and while the wood might not be top-grade, it was still quite good. The workmanship was exquisite, clearly made by a girl's hand; it was definitely crafted by Zhou Xiaomiao herself.

Chen Xuan stood up, took the package with both hands, and said with a smile, "Thank you. I also want to wish you a belated Happy New Year. May I open it and take a look?"

"Well, it's a pen holder I made myself. I just don't know if Brother Chen will like it," Zhou Xiaomiao said with a sweet smile, secretly rubbing the hem of her clothes with anticipation.

After opening the box, inside lay a pen holder carved from purple bamboo. The workmanship was exquisite and delicate, and it was also engraved with a poem. It was written by Xiao Gao a few years ago after he had been drinking, and Xiao Miao had carved it onto the pen holder.

Looking at it closely, Chen Xuan was absolutely delighted. He said to Xiao Miao, "This is one of the best gifts I've ever received. I love it. Thank you, Xiao Miao."

Chen Xuan plans to place it in the most conspicuous place on his desk so that every time he sees it, he will remember that it was a young girl who traveled a long distance and risked countless dangers to personally deliver it to him, making it more precious than any treasure.

"I'm glad Brother Chen likes it," Zhou Xiaomiao smiled sweetly, her anxiety subsiding.

Guo Qingxue was secretly annoyed. She had only been looking for Brother Chen and had even brought a gift. Would he dislike her?

As they were talking, Su Roujia and Du Juan had already served the last dish. Seeing this, He Hongyi looked at Chen Xuan and asked casually, "Young Master Chen, who are these two young ladies? They've been so busy serving us, why don't they take a seat with us? I hope they're not overshadowing us."

After serving the dishes, Du Juan and Su Roujia stood behind Chen Xuan and waited. They smiled but didn't say anything. As always, no matter how casually Chen Xuan treated them, they always respected their place. Now that the guests were in front of them, they had no right to speak unless Chen Xuan gave the order.

Chen Xuan smiled and said, "Miss He, these are Du Juan and Su Roujia. They depend on me for survival now, just like family."

Then Chen Xuan looked at the two of them and said, "Sister Roujiajuan, would you like to sit down and have something to eat together?"

"No, no, sir, we've only been eating for a short while," the little maid quickly waved her hand.

Upon hearing this, Guo Qingxue's heart stirred. Su Roujia and Du Juan were both exceptional beauties, one mature and aloof, the other petite and adorable, no less so than her. Thinking of Chen Xuan's upcoming marriage to Princess Fuyao, she couldn't help but look at Chen Xuan with a resentful gaze and ask, "Brother Chen, are they your concubines?"

In her mind, only concubines were not allowed to sit at the table when there were guests, and Chen Xuan came from the wealthy Gao family, so it was perfectly normal for him to have picked up such habits.

In short, Brother Chen is surrounded by beauties. How much favor will I get if I follow her? I'll be happy with whatever it is, I just hope the princess doesn't beat me up for no reason.

She's already thinking about the future before her wishful thinking has even begun.

Upon hearing this, even He Hongyi began to watch Chen Xuan's next reaction. If the two women were indeed Chen Xuan's concubines, then her chances would increase dramatically, since she was no less capable than them.

Before Chen Xuan could say anything, Du Juan hesitated for a moment and then spoke up, "You two have misunderstood. We are not worthy to serve you, sir. We are merely maids."

Guo Qingxue was slightly taken aback upon hearing this. These two beautiful women were just maids, and Brother Chen could actually control himself? This was a good thing, proving that Brother Chen was not a lecherous man. But in this case, she didn't seem to have any advantage. Could she win Brother Chen's favor?
Even He Hongyi was surprised. If they could only serve as maids to her beloved, then it would be difficult to get what she wanted. After all, even the great beauty she spent every day with had not been favored, so her looks were not a bargaining chip to impress Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan had no idea what they were thinking and didn't dwell on it. He greeted them, "Let's eat first. Please forgive us if we haven't been hospitable enough. By the way, Miss Guo, Miss He, would you like some wine? Xiao Miao, you two can skip it and have some soup. Drinking alcohol isn't good for your health at your age."

As Chen Xuan spoke, he thought to himself that He Hongyi was alright; she was mature, steady, and knew when to advance and retreat. She wouldn't pester him and make him feel disgusted. On the other hand, Guo Qingxue was just a young girl. When she was willful, she was a headache. He couldn't very well speak harshly to her or even kill her, but she was also easy to deal with. She must have come secretly. He could just notify the Cold Mountain Sword Sect to send someone to take her away.

What's going on here? I was just peacefully relaxing and letting life go on, and suddenly everyone started coming to my door... (End of Chapter)