Misty Rain of the Old Times

Chapter 574 Drunk
The meal lasted from noon until the afternoon. The little girl and her friends had prepared quite a lot of food, but He Hongyi and Guo Qingxue didn't have big appetites, so most of it ended up in the stomachs of Zhou Xiaomiao and her brother.

The siblings were so poor that they couldn't bear to waste a single drop of oil; they would lick the remaining oil from their bowls clean.

Chen Xuan had just eaten not long before this meal and wasn't hungry. He had been drinking almost the entire time and was worried that Zhou Xiaomiao and her brother would overeat. Moreover, he had been watching them for a while and was getting hungry. So, he ate two more bowls of rice near the end of the meal.

The jar of wine that was brought out weighed about four or five catties, and Chen Xuan drank most of it. Even so, He Hongyi and Guo Qingxue, who shared a small portion, both got drunk. They were not good at drinking. On the contrary, Chen Xuan was very sober, and apart from a slight smell of alcohol, he was as if he hadn't drunk anything.

At first, they were quite restrained, but after a couple of drinks, and given that they were already quite relaxed and even unguarded in front of Chen Xuan, they started to get a little tipsy.

He Hongyi was alright; she drank with Chen Xuan when he raised his glass and occasionally took the initiative to raise her glass herself. Guo Qingxue, on the other hand, kept taking the initiative to clink glasses with Chen Xuan, even though she was not used to the taste of alcohol.

As a result, she fell asleep on the table halfway through the meal, purring softly like a kitten. She had instinctively wanted to lean on Chen Xuan, but he helped her onto the table. He wouldn't take advantage of her while she was drunk, especially with so many people watching. He didn't want people to think he was taking advantage of Guo Qingxue's drunkenness.

Towards the end, He Hongyi was also flushed and her eyes were glazed over. Under the influence of alcohol, she became even more open about her feelings, and her gaze towards Chen Xuan was so intense that it was almost dripping with desire. However, she was still conscious and did not make any bold moves.

Looking at the sky, He Hongyi turned slightly to Chen Xuan and said reluctantly, "Young Master Chen, it's getting late. I'll take my leave now and come see you again later. I hope my appearance hasn't bothered you."

Her voice was very pleasant, with a slight trailing tone, which, to put it bluntly, was a little lilting, like a feather brushing against the tip of the heart, making one's heart itch. Perhaps she had deliberately hidden this before, but Chen Xuan had genuinely not noticed it before.

Seeing that she was a little dizzy and unsteady when she got up, Chen Xuan stood up and hesitated, saying, "It's not that I'm worried. I'm happy that such a beautiful girl like you took the initiative to be friends with me. I don't know how many people would envy you. But Miss He, are you still going to take care of yourself? You've drunk quite a lot of wine. Are you really okay?"

"Thank you for your concern, Young Master Chen. I'm fine. Besides, with my cultivation level, this little bit of wine is nothing. I'm just a little unaccustomed to it, but I'll be fine soon. And I've been wandering the martial world for so many years. To be frank, what kind of trouble could possibly happen in Yang County?" She smiled and shook her head gently.

She was a member of the martial arts world, and she didn't wear many ornaments. Her long black hair was simply tied into a high ponytail with a bright red ribbon, which was neat and tidy. Therefore, there was no tinkling sound when she shook her head.

Chen Xuan still remembered the first time he met her outside the Misty Swamp. Although she didn't have a cold and arrogant face, she still had a look that kept people at a distance. Now that they had spent time together, perhaps because his mindset was different, he realized that she was actually a mature and sophisticated woman, especially with her fiery gaze that was quite alluring, as if she had a hidden fox spirit attribute.

A strange thought popped into his mind, but out of politeness, Chen Xuan said, "We are new to this place and unfamiliar with everyone. Do you have anywhere to go? If not, my humble abode has guest rooms available."

Chen Xuan was conflicted when he tried to persuade her to stay. She had come all this way to see him; he couldn't just ignore her, that would be impolite and disheartening. But what if showing her kindness led to misunderstandings? And what if she actually stayed? It would be difficult to explain things clearly, especially since she had come alone. Chen Xuan knew her purpose; could he really let her stay indefinitely?

It's a dilemma, no matter which way you look at it.

Fortunately, He Hongyi didn't put Chen Xuan in a difficult position. She smiled and said, "Hongyi would be more than happy to do so, but it's not suitable right now. I've already booked a courtyard inn and plan to stay there for a while. I'll head back now."

Chen Xuan was a little overwhelmed by her gaze, his scalp tingling. Although it was very tactful, He Hongyi's meaning was crystal clear. She was practically saying that as long as he agreed, she would stay, and that she would be his whole person, not just living there.

This wasn't just Chen Xuan's narcissistic guess; after all, He Hongyi came to him with the intention of giving herself to him.

As previously stated, although He Hongyi was beautiful, currently, apart from her appearance and figure, there was nothing about her that Chen Xuan found appealing or acceptable. Therefore, even though he understood her meaning, he could only pretend not to understand and say, "In that case, I'll see you off."

Hearing this, He Hongyi was overjoyed. At least the person she loved hadn't been indifferent to her, which was already very satisfying. However, she shook her head and declined, saying, "Young Master Chen, please wait. There are still guests here. I won't disturb you any longer. I'll take my leave now."

You should still send a gift, even if it's just to the outside of your residence; it's basic etiquette.

Without wasting words with her, Chen Xuan turned around and said, "Sister Juan, you two take care of the drunk Miss Guo first. I'll go see Miss He off."

She's drunk, we can't just leave her on the table and let her sleep, even if she's already dozed off for a little while.

Du Juan nodded and said, "Yes, sir. Shall we help her to the guest room?"

If you tell her to sleep in the guest room, she'll definitely refuse to leave. Chen Xuan hardened his heart and said, "Help her to my recliner, cover her with a blanket. Even though she practices martial arts, we should still try to prevent external evils from entering her body."

After giving Chen Xuan his instructions, he followed He Hongyi, who was already heading out of the residence. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Zhou Xiaomiao was actually clearing away the dishes, so he quickly instructed her, "Xiaomiao, you don't need to do this. Roujia and the others can do it. You are a guest; there's no reason for a guest to do these things."

"It's alright, Brother Chen. I'm just killing time anyway. You should go ahead, the guests have all gone far away," Zhou Xiaomiao said with a sweet smile.

"Alright, let me take care of them first," Chen Xuan had no choice but to let her go.

He quickly caught up with He Hongyi, and the two walked side by side along the winding path towards the edge of the grove, about three feet apart. Neither of them spoke for a moment.

With Chen Xuan by her side, He Hongyi, slightly tipsy, moved with a lighter pace, her face as beautiful as a peach blossom, her beauty beyond compare.

After a moment of silence, she looked around and said, "Young Master Chen, this place is truly wonderful. It's quiet amidst the hustle and bustle, with a beautiful environment that makes one yearn for it."

What she longed for wasn't this environment. Chen Xuan pretended not to understand and laughed, "It's alright, it cost a lot of money to set up, but I can only provide the plan; the craftsmen did the actual layout."

He Hongyi knew it was too early to get what she wanted, and that being too hasty would be counterproductive. She paused for a moment, looked at Chen Xuan, and mustered her courage, both expectant and apprehensive, and said, "Young Master Chen, could you not call me Miss He? You can call me Hongyi. And, could I call you Brother Chen?"

The way she addressed him after spending time together was too formal, making her feel a great distance between them. That's why she mustered up the courage to say those words. Actually, she wanted to call Chen Xuan "Chen Lang" instead, but that was still far off, and bringing it up would only backfire.

Hearing this, Chen Xuan replied without hesitation, "Red-clothed, there's no need for that. It's just a form of address, feel free to call me whatever you like. Just call me Brother Chen. And if you don't mind me saying this, you're probably quite a bit older than me. I don't mean anything by it, but the lifespan of someone at the Innate Realm is 120 years. Red-clothed, you're at the peak of your youthful beauty. Even in your sixties, you can still maintain the appearance of someone in their late twenties. Uh, you can just call me Ah Xuan, that's what my friends call me."

He Hongyi chuckled to herself, thinking to herself, "You really don't know how to coax girls." She took another step, this time with a lighter pace, and called out to Ah Xuan in a charming voice. She felt extremely happy, and the distance between them closed by a large step.

Chen Xuan nodded and followed.

The grove of trees around the house wasn't very big, and in just a few words, the two of them arrived at the entrance outside the grove.

He Hongyi stopped, her gaze gentle, and said, "Ah Xuan, I'll leave you here. You still have guests; it's not good for you to leave. I'll go back by myself from here; I'll be fine."

Seeing her dazed and confused state, Chen Xuan nodded and said, "Alright, be careful on the road."

"Ah Xuan, you're joking. You saw my skills back in the Misty Swamp," He Hongyi smiled, then looked up and took a step closer to Chen Xuan, her eyes burning with passion. "Ah Xuan, before I met you, no man could catch my eye. But since I met you, my heart has been unable to hold anyone else. I've been longing for you day and night, and now I'm finally by your side, right in front of you. It's hard to say goodbye now. So, may I hug you?"

Startled for a moment, Chen Xuan laughed and said, "Red dress, are you drunk?" "Yes, I'm drunk. Otherwise, I wouldn't have dared to be so bold. I'm sorry to have made you laugh at me, Ah Xuan. I'll go now and come find you later. Just don't find me annoying," she said with a forced smile, her eyes darkening.

Seeing this, Chen Xuan opened his arms and said, "There's a difference between men and women, so although it's a bit inappropriate, what I want to say is, please don't think I'm taking advantage of you."

Overjoyed, He Hongyi stepped forward without hesitation and threw herself into his arms, resting her head on his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his waist, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, as if to firmly remember his warmth and scent, her heart filled with secret delight.

Didn't you just say you wanted a hug? Why did you actually grab me? Who's taking advantage of whom here? And were you serious about that inhalation? Was it some kind of super-powerful lung-like breath?

With her soft, warm body pressed against his skin, it would be a lie to say that Chen Xuan wasn't a little tempted. It was just a normal reaction; he wasn't so lacking in self-control that he hesitated for a moment before raising his hand to put his arm around her shoulder and gently patting her.

Without pushing her luck, He Hongyi released her grip after two breaths, took two steps back, and said contentedly, "Thank you, Ah Xuan, I'm so happy."

"I should be the one saying that, since I'm the one who got the better deal. Shall we hug again?" Chen Xuan said with a smile, pretending to open his arms again as if he was still not satisfied, trying to take care of the girl's feelings in this way.

Fueled by alcohol, Chen Xuan became extremely bold. He Xuan did not refuse the hug. In a pleasant mood, He Hongyi looked at Chen Xuan strangely and said, "It seems that I should take back what I said before. Is it that you can't help but hug beautiful women and won't refuse them?"

She didn't mean anything by asking that; she was just curious. Confident that she was no less than any other girl, if Chen Xuan was really like that, it would be easy for her to give herself to him.

Faced with this question, Chen Xuan nodded seriously and said, "Red-clothed, what are you saying? I'm a normal man too, okay? Let alone a beautiful woman throwing herself at me, I can't bear to refuse, even if she's ugly, I can't resist!"

To her surprise, this was the reply. He Hongyi was taken aback for a moment, but naturally didn't take it seriously. She waved her hand and said, "Ah Xuan is joking. Alright, I'm leaving. You should go back too."

"Yeah, come over and visit sometime. I have some friends, but they all have their own careers. They're not like me, content with their lives and just drifting through life. I get pretty bored sometimes, as long as I'm at home," Chen Xuan nodded and didn't try to persuade him to stay any longer.

She nodded and said "okay." When she turned around, there was no trace of drunkenness left. Her face was full of smug satisfaction at having made the trip worthwhile. She was thinking about when to come back to see Ah Xuan and what excuse to use to take things a step further.

Men are all the same; how many can truly resist a girl throwing herself at them? Once they get a little taste of sweetness, they want more. Although she's a woman of the world, don't think she doesn't understand the principle that a woman pursuing a man is easy, especially when she's willing to be his submissive. How many men can withstand such a test?

Seeing her walk away and disappear around the corner, Chen Xuan turned back, only to smile wryly. How could he not know that she was pretending to be drunk? With her cultivation level, that little bit of alcohol would have been metabolized by the time she drank it.

'I've never been a good person, and having three wives and four concubines has always been my dream. I just happen to live in this era, so why deceive myself? It's not like I can't afford it. The prerequisite is mutual affection; otherwise, it's just awkwardness. Simple awkwardness—even the prettiest girl will get tired of it eventually. It won't last. Who can say what the future holds? Let's take it slow and let nature take its course.'

Chen Xuan knows what kind of person he is. The dream life he talked about with Xiao Gao when he went north back then is very likely to come true, and the trend is already moving in that direction.

Before he turned eighteen, Chen Xuan had never thought about these things. Now that he has the means, why should he restrict himself? Otherwise, what's the point?
Chen Xuan knew perfectly well that He Hongyi was feigning drunkenness. Although Guo Qingxue's cultivation was far inferior to hers, she was still from a prestigious sect. Was she really that easy to get drunk? Feigning drunkenness was inevitable and not surprising at all.

'Tsk, trying to cling to me like this? How naively foolish! This young lady is too innocent; isn't she afraid of being taken advantage of?'

With that in mind, Chen Xuan quickly came up with a plan.

Back at their lodgings, the living room had already been tidied up, and Su Roujia was showing Zhou Xiaomiao around. They were about the same age and came from similar backgrounds, so they had a lot to talk about and could quickly become good friends or even besties.

Zhou Fugui found some free time to practice his boxing. He was completely focused and had no other thoughts. His mind wasn't working properly, so he devoted himself to it wholeheartedly. From another perspective, isn't this also a special talent?

Zhou Fugui's brain disorder is congenital and incurable, but as his cultivation level increases, it can improve a person in all aspects, and perhaps one day he can become a normal person.

It's hard to say about this, but Chen Xuan will keep an eye on it.

Guo Qingxue had already been taken to the pavilion by Du Juan. She was curled up like a cat on the recliner and fast asleep. She seemed carefree, but in reality, she was pretending and paying attention to the movements around her.

Upon seeing this, Chen Xuan asked, "Sister Juan, is Miss Guo alright?"

"She's so well-behaved, not crying or making a fuss. Rumor has it that Guo Qingxue of the Cold Mountain Sword Sect is spoiled and willful, but it seems the rumors are untrue," Du Juan replied, then hesitated before asking, "Master, what should we do with her now? If I may say something, she makes no attempt to hide her feelings for you, but given her prestigious background, leaving her behind in an ambiguous situation is ultimately inappropriate. However, in her current state, we can't just find any place to settle her and leave her unattended. If she's taken advantage of, the Cold Mountain Sword Sect will definitely come demanding an explanation. While you're not afraid, it will still be a considerable trouble."

For her, everything is considered from Chen Xuan's perspective, but she will not make decisions on her own.

Du Juan was telling the truth. Chen Xuan pretended to consider it for a moment and said, "That young girl is ignorant, but how can I be ignorant? She was just acting on a whim. If I really did anything to her, the Cold Mountain Sword Sect would come after me to the death."

"What should we do?" Du Juan also pretended to be troubled, not thinking that anything could be difficult for her master. With her cultivation, how could she not notice that Guo Qingxue, who was pretending to be asleep, was eavesdropping?

Guo Qingxue's little trick was no match for Chen Xuan. He chuckled easily, "That's easy. Let her go back to where she came from. Here's what we'll do, Sister Juan, with your connections, notify the Shadow Assassin Sect to send a message to the Cold Mountain Sword Sect, saying that Guo Qingxue came here without permission. That way, it won't be long before the Cold Mountain Sword Sect sends someone to take her away. They'll keep a close watch on her, and it won't be very likely that she'll be able to sneak out again."

“What you say is true, sir. I’ll go and make the arrangements right away,” Du Juan nodded and was about to take action.

Even though they had no connection with the Shadow Assassins, Chen Xuan didn't think there was anything wrong with ordering them to do things, and Du Juan also felt it was only natural. It was an honor for the Shadow Assassins to run errands for their master.

Hearing this, Guo Qingxue couldn't keep up the act any longer. She immediately jumped up and pleaded, "No, Brother Chen, please don't send me away, okay?"

Putting aside his playful thoughts and refraining from teasing her, Chen Xuan said seriously, "Miss Guo, just because of a childhood memory, you disregarded everything and secretly came to find me. As far as I know, Sect Leader Guo only has you as his precious daughter. Have you ever thought about how your actions will worry them? So you should tell your family to go home as soon as possible."

“Brother Chen, you know my feelings better than anyone. Do you really hate me that much? All these years, I don’t believe you didn’t know I was looking for you. Why did you turn a blind eye? Look at me, am I not pretty? I don’t believe you are really unmoved,” she said to Chen Xuan with great emotion, stubborn and aggrieved, tears welling up in her eyes again.

Upon learning the exact location of 'Yang Guo,' she rushed to find him without hesitation, even preparing to spend her life with him regardless of the consequences. If she were to return like this, she feared she wouldn't be able to bear the blow.

Everyone's been young, right? Rebellious teenagers can easily go to extremes if not careful. Chen Xuan had her own way of dealing with this, easily managing her pace by saying, "Since you care about me so much, will you obediently listen to me? I don't like willful and immature little girls."

“I’ve already said I won’t marry anyone but Brother Chen, so of course I’ll listen to you obediently,” she nodded without hesitation.

Seeing that she had fallen for it, Chen Xuan laughed and said, "Since that's the case, then you should listen to me obediently, go home, and don't worry your parents."

……

(End of this chapter)