High-class Spring Joy

"Third Young Master, the guard with the broken halberd."

Qingyuan bowed and said, "I've always heard that you don't like to participate in these gatherings of young masters and ladies. Why are you here today?"

She wasn't mistaken; Chu Jingxian used to be the most mysterious person in Bianjing, and almost no young ladies or gentlemen from prominent families knew him.

It's said that his family business is too large and his industries too numerous, keeping him so busy that he's rarely seen. Others say that the Third Young Master has always been an oddball, so naturally he can't share the same interests as ordinary young masters and ladies.

Both versions of the story are highly credible.

After all, many of these young masters and ladies are arrogant because of their background and status. Although they are afraid of the Third Young Master's authority, they also look down on him for voluntarily going into business. It's just that their fear prevents them from showing it in the slightest.

Qingyuan thought that, given the Third Young Master's personality, he wouldn't come today.

"Miss Qingyuan, that's an excellent question. Our young master has never liked attending banquets, nor does he like to feign elegance or be insincere. He prefers quiet."

As Zheji spoke, he practically told Qingyuan the answer himself: "But that was in the past. Now, the situation is a little different..."

"Broken halberd!"

Chu Jingxian's voice was sharp: "You seem to envy Chen Sha?"

Zheji immediately shut up on the spot; he would be a fool to envy Chensha!

Chen Sha, being a glutton, found the food made by Qing Yuan so delicious that she couldn't control herself and almost finished it all. She was punished by the young master and is still lying on the bed crying in pain!

He wasn't as physically strong as Chen Sha, so he didn't dare to envy him.

Chu Jingxian then looked at Qingyuan: "Spring is warm and lively, and even though I can't see it, I still want to come and feel the spring breeze for a while."

"Yes. Actually... there's more than one way to experience the world. Young master, you don't need to be too hard on yourself. It's good to relax occasionally."

Qingyuan smiled and said, not noticing Chu Jingxian's frozen lips.

Harsh criticism.

Her use of the word so precisely and directly was truly beyond Chu Jingxian's expectations.

Chu Jingxian suppressed the strange feeling in his heart, "Is the Buddha statue finished?"

"Don't worry, young master. You painted that Buddha statue, and it's also for my future. Of course, I will put my utmost effort into embroidering it well."

Qingyuan answered honestly, but seeing more and more young ladies from noble families at the women's banquet, she couldn't help but feel a little worried.

The next moment, Chu Jingxian spoke as if he could hear her thoughts: "Don't be nervous. Although those noble ladies have learned needlework since childhood, Qingyuan's embroidery is the best I have ever encountered. There is no need to worry or be anxious. As long as nothing unexpected happens, the chances of winning this match are extremely high."

When he spoke, his voice was like flowing water, cool yet carrying a calming power.

Qingyuan was actually feeling better; although she was still nervous, she wasn't as terrified.

"Thank you, young master. If your kind words come true, I will make you honey for a month as a token of my gratitude!"

After Qingyuan finished speaking, she hugged the embroidered Buddha image in her arms and ran into the women's banquet.

"A month of sweetness..."

Chu Jingxian's lips curved into a smile as he said helplessly, "Little girl, aren't you afraid I'll get cavities?"

Zheji thought to himself, "If my young master can laugh like this, whether or not he eats candy is secondary."

After Qingyuan left, Zheji pushed Chu Jingxian into the men's banquet.

Upon seeing Chu Jingxian's appearance, the men who had been chatting and laughing just moments before fell into an eerie silence.

Among the young masters from prominent families, some were so close that they could communicate with just a glance, their eyes filled with confusion. Most of them looked at each other with a "why is he here too?" expression, their brows furrowed in bewilderment. They dared not provoke Chu Jingxian because of his status, nor did they want to provoke him, especially because of his status.

They dare not provoke them because of fear.

The reason for not wanting to provoke them is out of contempt and disdain.

Some were simply surprised, since Chu Jingxian never attended such occasions.

finally--

"Brother."

Chu Jingyu's voice broke the eerie silence as he walked to Chu Jingxian's side: "Since you're here, why didn't you send someone to inform me? We could have set off together."

"It's alright, I just had a sudden urge."

As Chu Jingxian spoke, he let Chu Jingyu push him away.

When Chu Jingyu spoke, he was the legitimate son of the Marquis of Zhenguo, whose background and status were far superior to theirs.

The group of young masters naturally dared not look at anything anymore and started chatting again.

Chu Jingyu pushed Chu Jingxian to his position; the path was made of pebbles.

To be honest, his relationship with Chu Jingxian was not good; it was extremely bad.

So bad that Chu Jingyu didn't even bother to hide his disgust for him in the Marquis's mansion.

But no matter what, it was in public, and it was on behalf of the Marquis of Zhenguo's family, so naturally they wouldn't let Chu Jingxian lose face.

Inside, it's up to you.

When we are abroad, we share both glory and loss.

The reason why Chu Jingyu disliked his elder brother was quite simple.

Lady Dou was not the old Marquis's first wife, but his second wife.

His legal wife gave birth to Chu Jingxian and then passed away.

Chu Jingyu couldn't understand why his mother cared more about Chu Jingxian than her biological son, even though he was clearly her biological son.

Unable to hate his mother, he could only hate himself, his brother who had taken away his mother's love yet appeared selfless, noble, and incredibly virtuous.

That's utterly hypocritical.

Neither of them spoke again, but the voices of the young masters around them could be heard, along with many invitations for Chu Jingyu to compose poems.

Chu Jingyu was already in a bad mood because of Qing Yuan's words that morning, and seeing Chu Jingxian made him even more upset, so he refused.

However, his gaze couldn't help but fall on Chu Jingxian beside him.

Chu Jingxian sat in the sandalwood wheelchair, looking like an old monk in meditation, his expression completely unchanged, as if he were deep in thought, fiddling with something in his hand.

Everything else was fine, but when Chu Jingyu glanced around, he noticed a piece of purse that Chu Jingxian was holding in his hand.

Chu Jingyu frowned immediately.

The fabric is dark green, the bamboo embroidery is light blue, and even the tassels are the same color!

The purse he had seen at Qingyuan's place was extremely similar in both color and pattern.

Chu Jingyu's sharp gaze fell on Chu Jingxian, his voice not loud, but carrying an anger he himself was unaware of: "Brother, where did you get this purse?!"