Chapter 178: Chapter 177: Li Yujian and Chen Liwei
Later, while Li Zhang was being pulled away by Jingxuan to look at one of the performers’ spirit instruments, Chen Liwei found himself standing near the quieter side of the courtyard and not far away was Li Yujian.
Chen Liwei thought Li Zhang was the most interesting member of the Li brothers.
Li Zhang was loud, quick-tempered, easy to provoke, and very honest about his dislike. His reactions were visible on his face before he even spoke. Teasing him was simple. One only needed to say a few words, and Li Zhang would immediately want to fight.
That kind of person was fun. But Li Yujian was different.
Chen Liwei noticed Li Yujian earlier, standing near Li Jain while the adults spoke. The eldest Li brother had barely spoken during the banquet. He did not chase after attention, did not react to praise, and did not show any obvious interest in the guests.
His black eyes looked dull at first glance, almost lifeless, yet Chen Liwei had the uncomfortable feeling that those eyes had never missed anything.
Now, when Chen Liwei turned toward the corridor, he found Li Yujian already standing there. Chen Liwei was stunned for a moment, he didn’t even notice when the other party came over.
The lantern light fell across Li Yujian’s dark robe. His flute was still held loosely in one hand, his expression was calm enough to make the quiet corner feel colder than it should have been.
Chen Liwei did not look away. Instead, he walked over with a smile: "You are Li Yujian." It was more of a statement than a question.
Li Yujian looked at him: "You already know that."
Chen Liwei’s lips curved faintly: "I do, I only wanted to see whether you would respond."
"Why does it matter to you?" Li Yujian asked
Li Yujian’s words were not polite but Chen Liwei didn’t find it awkward.
He looked at Li Yujian carefully, as if he were examining a weapon that had not yet been drawn from its sheath.
"You and I are very similar. You are the pillar of your family, aren’t you? The one who holds everything together while your brothers act out."
Li Yujain shook his head: "That’s not true."
"You are far more interesting than Li Zhang. He wears his emotions on his face. While you hide yours behind a wall of politeness. It makes me wonder what you are actually thinking when you speak with the guests." Chen Liwei said at last.
Li Yujian’s expression did not change: "My brother would be very unhappy to hear that you have less interest in him. Also, my thoughts have nothing to do with you."
Chen Liwei smiled: "The way you look at people is really offensive. You look straight into their soul giving them no way out."
For the first time, Li Yujian’s eyes sharpened and the air around them became heavier: "You are very bold for a guest, Chen Liwei."
"Oh look, you know my name." Instead of taking a step back, his interest grew even more: "I am merely being honest. I find your presence very fascinating."
Li Yujian’s gaze became colder: "You think danger is an intellectual game because you have not had enough of it. You believe that provoking others makes you seem clever."
Chen Liwei tilted his head: "It does, wouldn’t you agree?"
Li Yujian looked at him for a long while and shook his head: "You are not as smart as you think you are."
Chen Liwei’s expression did not change: "Maybe you’re right."
Li Yujian: "One day, you will press the wrong button, and you will learn that some people do not react to your games because they are not playing by your rules. You seek to see what’s underneath people, but be careful; what you dig up. Some things are buried for a reason."
Chen Liwei frowned and stared at Li Yujian, suddenly aware that he had met a tough opponent this time. The other party had already considered the worse case scenarios and had the resolve to act on them.
Chen Liwei felt uncomfortable, yet curiosity got the best of him: "I understand now, why your brothers follow your lead and speak highly of you. They don’t just rely on you, they fear the line you draw."
Li Yujian did not deny it: "They follow because they know I won’t mislead them. I will do whatever it takes to keep them safe. That is not something you should want to test."
"I will be more direct. Your brothers are your weakness."
"You are wrong again. They are my strength. Believe it or not, each of them are perfectly capable of standing on their own. I need them more than they need me." Li Yujian said: "Listen, you can tease Zhang, compete with him and even make him angry, as long as you know where to stop. Otherwise, you should expect my visit earlier than you think."
Every time Li Zhang comes back from school, if he’s not complaining about homework, then he’s complaining about Chen Liwei. Li Yujain had been meaning to make this Chen Liwei guy for a long time.
Chen Liwei raised his eyebrows: "Are you threatening me? You are very mistaken. I’m not some young master who push without force. You might seem strong, but do not let confidence cloud your judgement."
Li Yujian’s expression softened: "You should not confuse restraint with weakness."
Chen Liwei clenched his fist: "Unfortunately, you’re not enrolled into Vermillion Sword Hall. I hope we meet again. I want to see what you do when someone truly gives you a reason to unleash your veil desire."
Li Yujian’s eyes became still. Then he answered softly: "You should not want that."
Chen Liwei’s smile remained unchanged, but this time, it did not reach his eyes. Before either of them could say more, Li Zhang’s voice rang across the courtyard: "Chen Liwei! Stop hiding over there!"
Chen Liwei glanced toward him.
Li Zhang walked over and crossed his arms, clearly suspicious of the private conversation.
"What were you saying to my eldest brother?" Li Zhang demanded.
Chen Liwei smiled again, returning to his usual calm expression: "Nothing important. We were just chatting."
Li Zhang narrowed his eyes: "You’re just chatting? I’m warning you, don’t you dare try to provoke my eldest brother!"
Li Yujian walked past them both and said calmly: "He was only talking."
Li Zhang looked between them: "That’s exactly why I am worried."
Chen Liwei let out a soft laugh: "Why are you so worked up?"
"I’m just looking out for you, as your school mate. Provoking my eldest brother is not a smart choice."
"Understood, schoolmate."
...
After the performers finished the first dance, another group took the stage. This time, it was a sword-and-drum performance. The dancers moved with more strength, and the drumbeats made the whole courtyard feel energetic. Li Zhang’s attention was pulled away again, though he still glanced at Chen Liwei from time to time as if afraid the boy would disappear before he could settle the score.
Chen Liwei sat at the side under his mother’s satisfied gaze.
His mother clearly thought the greeting had gone well. After all, the boys had spoken for quite a while. Whether the conversation had almost turned into a fight was not something she was concerned about.
As the banquet continued, the servants began preparing for the gift-giving portion.
This was one of the formal parts of the celebration. Guests who had brought gifts would come forward, offer blessings to Li Cheng and Li Zhang, and then the gifts would be recorded by the servants.
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