Misty Rain of the Old Times

Upon hearing Chen Xuan's question about whether she wanted to drink, He Hongyi replied without hesitation, "With the bright spring sunshine and gentle breeze, if Young Master Chen is in such a refined mood, I, Hongyi, will certainly keep you company to your heart's content."

She fell in love with Chen Xuan at first sight when they met last year. Now that the trivial matters have been settled, she has come alone from afar to pursue her own love and happiness. Naturally, she has no reason to refuse this rare opportunity to spend time together.

At the beginning, everyone is just a stranger. It takes time to get to know each other and eventually be together. Chen Xuan doesn't accept her now, but she believes that with effort, she will definitely be able to win him over.

Although almost everyone in the martial arts world drinks alcohol, He Hongyi is an exception. She doesn't completely abstain from alcohol, but no one has ever seen her drink. In private, she only occasionally takes a small sip.

The reason for this is that she believes drinking will affect her thinking and senses, and that drinking will lead to mistakes, especially for girls. She is also one of the ten most beautiful women in the martial arts world of Yuhua Kingdom, and countless people are watching her. If she gets drunk, it will be very dangerous, and she may be drugged or poisoned. Therefore, she has never drunk alcohol in front of outsiders.

But Chen Xuan is different. He is the man she loves, so she is naturally happy to have him, even more so than she could ever want. Even if she gets drunk and Chen Xuan takes the opportunity to do something inappropriate, hey, wouldn't that be exactly what she wants?

Not to be outdone, Guo Qingxue chimed in, "Brother Chen, I'll drink with you too, let's have a good time. Actually, I'm already very happy to see you. I'm already drunk. After eight years, I've finally found you, the one who sold me kebabs back then, not the one I saw a few times before. Over the years, I've imagined countless times what it would be like to meet you again. Your appearance, your voice, although different from what I imagined, are even better than I expected."

The girl seemed to have endless things to say. The person she had been searching for for many years was right in front of her. All the events of yesterday were vivid in her mind. It was all worth it.

Although she was young at the time, she was already old enough to understand things in this era. Everything that happened in the desert was etched deep in her memory, and she went to pursue the most dazzling existence in that incident. It had nothing to do with liking or disliking. What did she, a girl of ten or so, know about liking? It was only as time passed and the girl grew up that she vaguely mistook it for liking, and then she took it seriously and even believed it without a doubt. The key is that people in this era, in many cases, once they make up their minds, nothing can change them, even if they are wrong, they will be wrong to the end.

Chen Xuan was well aware of this and didn't follow her train of thought. Instead, he smiled and said, "You are guests, so of course we must treat you well. I happen to have some homemade wine here that's still drinkable, though a bit strong. I don't know if it suits your taste."

"As long as I'm with Brother Chen, even water tastes like nectar," Guo Qingxue said excitedly, her eyes almost never leaving him.

They are martial artists with considerable skill, and they are not children anymore, so a little alcohol is naturally harmless for them.

Without thinking too much about it, Chen Xuan simply treated it as entertaining a guest, so he looked at Su Roujia and said, "Roujia, go and get a jar of wine, the kind that costs thirty-five."

He worried that no matter how high their academic achievements, the two of them wouldn't be able to enjoy it; girls, after all, tend to have milder tastes.

The little girl responded and left. Chen Xuan didn't forget to call out to Zhou Xiaomiao and her brother. Actually, he was most concerned about them at the moment. Children shouldn't drink alcohol, so he kept telling them not to be shy and to eat more.

Zhou Fugui was slow-witted and carefree, burying his head in his food. Occasionally, he would grin and say, "It's delicious." Zhou Xiaomiao, on the other hand, was very reserved and couldn't relax at all. Perhaps it was because there were strangers around. She didn't dare to reach for food and only ate what was in front of her. Chen Xuan took the initiative to help her pick up food and thought about finding a time to use the rotating table.

Soon the wine arrived, and Du Juan poured a glass for each of the three of them, while Zhou Xiaomiao and her brother served a bowl of soup.

All attention was on Chen Xuan, so he raised his glass and said, "Putting everything else aside, I'm really happy that Xiao Miao and her brother, Miss He, Miss Guo, could come. It's been a long time since this place has been this lively. Come on, let's clink glasses. No need to drink it all, just relax."

Then the group clinked their glasses, and Zhou Xiaomiao and her brother followed suit, raising their soup bowls and taking a sip.

Even though Chen Xuan said it was up to her, He Hongyi and Guo Qingxue still tilted their heads back slightly and drank the wine in one gulp.

As He Hongyi tilted her head back to drink, her long, slender neck was revealed. The fiery red dress on her chest was taut, showing off an amazingly rounded curve. Moreover, a drop of wine even trickled down her lips and into the collar below her collarbone.

Upon tasting the beverage, He Hongyi was visibly stunned for a moment, and a blush instantly rose to her cheeks, making her already radiant beauty even more captivating.

With a slight movement of her throat and a sip of wine, she exhaled softly and said, "Young Master Chen, this wine has a strong effect." She then set down her cup, lowered her gaze slightly, and added, "I may bother you in the future, please don't be offended, I won't annoy you. I only hope that your residence will not be lonely and desolate."

Seeing this, Chen Xuan laughed and said, "It's my own brewed wine. If you don't like it, that's fine. I'd be happy to have someone to talk to. I'm usually quite bored anyway. I just hope... you won't make things difficult for me."

"I understand, and I certainly won't make you feel disgusted," He Hongyi said with a smile. She didn't reject her arrival, even if it had nothing to do with romantic feelings. This was a good start, and feelings can develop over time. That's how relationships are built up little by little.

Guo Qingxue downed her drink, then stuck out her tongue, revealing eight pearly white teeth, and exclaimed, "Brother Chen, this wine is so spicy, like a ball of fire!"

As she spoke, she fanned herself twice with her small hand, and beads of sweat appeared on her forehead.

Seeing this, Chen Xuan was speechless and said, "Miss He, Miss Guo, it seems you don't drink alcohol?"

"No, Brother Chen, don't underestimate me. I can hold my liquor really well. I used to steal my dad's liquor all the time. With my cultivation level, a few jars of liquor are nothing to me," Guo Qingxue blurted out, as if she wanted to show off. Then, realizing what she had said, she weakly added that she drank it all by herself, trying to be like an adult, thinking that being able to drink meant she was grown up.

With her cultivation level, a few jars of wine were indeed harmless, but whether she would get drunk was another matter. In fact, she had never drunk alcohol before, but she didn't want to be outdone by He Hongyi. Could she just watch them drink while she did? She had to participate.

"That's just a small cup, less than two coins' worth, and he's already talking nonsense?" He Hongyi replied frankly, "Hongyi is indeed not good at drinking. As a woman, it's always good to be careful when you're out and about, and not give anyone an opportunity to take advantage of you. But if it's Young Master Chen, Hongyi will gladly keep you company."

Nodding, Chen Xuan said, "If you can't drink, then don't. Drinking is never a good thing."

"It's alright, I'll follow your lead. It's my honor to drink with Young Master Chen," He Hongyi said with a light smile.

Guo Qingxue stubbornly insisted, "Brother Chen, I really can drink a lot. If you don't believe me, let's have a contest."

"What are you comparing?" Chen Xuan said, "Come on, have some food to calm your nerves. Most of the dishes are on the spicy side, I hope they suit your tastes. Roujia's cooking skills are superb, so I've been taking her everywhere I go lately."

Behind Chen Xuan's house was a large greenhouse, so even this envoy, facing a food shortage, didn't lack fresh vegetables. Guo Qingxue took a bite of the stir-fried pork with chili peppers and immediately exclaimed with delight, "Delicious! It reminds me of the roasted meat Brother Chen sold me years ago, which was also spicy. But I haven't tasted that flavor in all these years. It seems Brother Chen has always liked spicy food. Over the years, I've traveled all over the country following in Brother Chen's footsteps, and I've long since grown accustomed to this taste."

“It’s normal that Miss Guo can’t taste the same flavor as back then, because I personally grilled it with cumin. It’s a secret recipe, so don’t tell anyone. After that trip to the desert, I rarely grill meat anymore,” Chen Xuan said jokingly.

Putting down her chopsticks, Guo Qingxue looked Chen Xuan up and down with surprise, saying, "Brother Chen, as far as I know, you were only twelve years old back then, right? How did you manage to disguise yourself as a middle-aged man? I'm not doubting your abilities, but it's just too incredible for your age back then. If you hadn't recently admitted at the Tai Xuan Sect that you were Yang Guo, even after seeing you so many times in recent years, I wouldn't have been able to connect you with Yang Guo. Oh, by the way, Brother Chen, don't worry, I didn't deliberately investigate you. It's just that after Gao Zhuangyuan passed the imperial examination, news about him and the people around him spread."

"It's nothing shameful," Chen Xuan smiled and said, "Perhaps it's because my martial arts talent is a bit stronger than others. Back then, on the way to Mo City with the young master to study, I naturally broke through to the Innate Realm. After about a year of consolidation, coupled with the martial arts techniques I practiced, changing my physique and appearance was quite simple."

"So, Brother Chen, you broke through to the Innate Realm at the age of eleven?" Guo Qingxue asked in disbelief. She was almost nineteen years old now and hadn't even touched the threshold of the Innate Realm yet. This was with the guidance of her elders in the sect and various resources. Compared to that, what did the so-called geniuses count for in front of Brother Chen? The previous generation of Feiyu Sect produced a seventeen-year-old Innate Realm expert named Gao Jingyu, who is still talked about with great interest.

Chen Xuanxin thought that he could have broken through one or two years earlier, but he did not pursue efficiency and force a breakthrough in advance. Instead, his internal energy reached an incredible level in the acquired realm and broke through his dantian on its own. Moreover, more than 90% of his internal energy was hidden by him according to the characteristics of the cultivation method he practiced. Otherwise, it would not have been impossible for him to step into the innate realm at the age of ten or nine. However, there was no need to show off such a thing. Who would be responsible if it scared the children?

He Hongyi looked at Chen Xuan in amazement and exclaimed, "It's unbelievable! An eleven-year-old with innate talent! I've never heard of such a thing!"

Guo Qingxue thought for a moment and asked doubtfully, "But that's not right. Even if Brother Chen reached the Innate Realm at the age of eleven and then cultivated for another year, how could he possibly kill Liu Zhenwei, a top Innate Realm expert who had been famous for many years, with a single sword strike from a distance? That's an expert that even my grandfather couldn't defeat despite using all his power."

She had personally experienced what happened back then, and now, considering Chen Xuan's situation, there were too many things she couldn't understand.

Chen Xuan didn't even need to answer her question. He Hongyi said matter-of-factly, "Instead of dwelling on how Young Master Chen was able to kill Liu Zhenwei at the age of twelve, why not think about what level Young Master Chen is at now? Before the New Year, in your Jing Kingdom's capital, he even killed a veteran Grandmaster of the Wei family. If you think about it this way, isn't it easier to accept?"

"That's true," Guo Qingxue immediately realized and felt relieved.

He Hongyi looked at Chen Xuan again, making no attempt to hide her burning gaze, and said, "Young Master Chen's world is beyond the comprehension of us mere women. What an honor it would be to be by your side."

As she spoke, He Hongyi recalled what Chen Xuan had done in the Misty Marsh years ago. What a dangerous situation he had been in, yet he had calmly and effortlessly suppressed it and then left in a carefree manner. Whenever she thought of these things, her heart, which had originally thought that men were nothing special, would pound wildly. She had tossed and turned for countless sleepless nights since then, and her heart could no longer accommodate anyone else.

With her cultivation level, she is a first-rate figure in the entire martial arts world. Here, first-rate does not only refer to her cultivation level and strength, but also to her influence and reputation in the martial arts world. Of course, this is based on her strength and does not include her appearance. So what do men mean to her?
But she just happened to meet Chen Xuan. She was so proud that she couldn't even muster the slightest desire to compete with him. For someone like her who seemed low-key but was actually arrogant, Chen Xuan was the most terrifying and deadly poison. That's why she was "poisoned" after only meeting him once, and it was an incurable one at that.

That's the situation, and it's quite simple. That's why she was willing to lower herself and travel a long distance to offer herself to him, even if it meant being a concubine.

He Hongyi is one of the ten most beautiful women in the martial arts world of Yuhua Kingdom. If the news gets out, who knows what kind of storm it will cause.

Of course, most of the stories are positive, after all, Chen Xuan's strength is undeniable, how many people would dare to criticize him? At most, they might say a few sarcastic remarks in private, but it could also turn into a joke, a joke directed at He Hongyi. People would only say that she is blind to her own vanity, and would not laugh at Chen Xuan for being so arrogant that he wouldn't even look at her when she offered herself to him.

Why did we end up talking about this again? He Hongyi's intense gaze was making Chen Xuan a little overwhelmed, and Guo Qingxue's clear and straightforward gaze also made his scalp tingle.

Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the quietly growing, lush peach tree. After all these years, it still hadn't grown much. Chen Xuan thought to himself, "I planted a peach tree, but it won't grow. So the peach blossoms are blooming on me instead?"
Does planting peach trees inevitably lead to unwanted romantic encounters?
Or perhaps back then, when he was corresponding with his young wife, he casually chose a "peach blossom" 'nickname' and it actually came true? After all, there are only wrong names, not wrong nicknames, and a 'nickname' is a kind of nickname, right?
That's nonsense. It mainly depends on the modeling skills, and personal ability is also a key factor. Otherwise, why would any girls pay attention to you? Not to mention that one after another, beautiful women would rush to your door.

It's a good thing I've been slacking off and haven't been loitering around aimlessly, otherwise I probably wouldn't even have a peaceful day. Now there are already signs of this happening.

Muttering to himself, Chen Xuan forcibly changed the subject, saying, "Eat your food, don't just talk. Would you like another drink? Xiao Miao, Fu Gui, you're both growing, you need to eat more. There's more if you're not full. The more you eat, the happier I'll be."

"Come on, Brother Chen, let's keep drinking! We won't leave until we're drunk!" Guo Qingxue said, raising her glass. He Hongyi also raised her glass in response.

Are you sure you can drink? We're not leaving until we're completely drunk. Where will we go after we get drunk? Do we even have a place to stay?
...(End of chapter)