Chapter 240: Chapter 159: Plot
THUMP.
Tossing the waiter, whose face was white with fright, to the floor, the effeminate man strode directly toward the second floor.
Wen Shishan walked up to Zheng Xiu and Chu Chengfeng’s table, head held high and chest puffed out. His gaze shifted between the two of them before finally settling on Zheng Xiu’s face, which he scrutinized for a long moment while grinding his teeth.
’What the hell?’
Looking down from the floor above just a moment ago, all Zheng Xiu had noticed was that the man had a rather shapely ass.
Now that Wen Shishan was right in front of him, Zheng Xiu glanced up at the man’s fair neck, then at his rather pronounced chest muscles. ’Holy shit,’ he cursed inwardly.
This Wen Shishan was a woman.
"Brother Chu..." A film of moisture suddenly clouded Wen Shishan’s eyes. Clasping her hands behind her back, she asked in a trembling voice, "Is this your... new flame?"
"Bullshit!" Zheng Xiu shot up from his seat, stumbling back several steps in alarm until he was right at the railing, nearly tumbling off the second floor.
Zheng Xiu hadn’t been able to control that reaction; it was one that came from Gongsun Mo’s own memories.
Of course, even if it had been his own reaction, he would have backed away just as far.
He sucked in a sharp breath.
’Old Thief Chu, you son of a bitch. You really screwed me over.’
"You’ve misunderstood, Knight. I am Gongsun Mo..."
"Gongsun..."
The moisture in Wen Shishan’s eyes vanished in an instant. She stared at Zheng Xiu, her expression changing abruptly.
Just a moment ago, this woman disguised as a man had looked so pitiful and wronged. In the blink of an eye, her expression had shifted to one of shock and disbelief.
Chu Chengfeng suddenly interjected, "Eldest Young Master Wen, his surname is Gong. We only met a few days ago by chance and decided to have a few drinks since we hit it off. He isn’t from the Jianghu, and we certainly don’t have... the sort of relationship you’re imagining."
Beside them, Zheng Xiu nodded vigorously, putting on an innocent expression.
Before Wen Shishan could react, Chu Chengfeng sneered, "Besides, who I, Chu Chengfeng, choose to associate with is none of your business. Don’t you forget the venomous oath you swore before your father’s memorial tablet all those years ago. Or are you saying you want to settle things with a duel to the death, right here and now?"
"Excellent! Just excellent! Truly worthy of the Third Young Master of Meihua Manor. Excellent." Wen Shishan took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, all emotion had vanished, leaving them as placid as a still well. "My apologies for the intrusion."
Wen Shishan’s shoulders trembled as she walked away, but she never looked back.
The commotion had been rather loud, but the teahouse itself was so noisy, and the private tables on the second floor were spaced so far apart, that it would have been difficult for anyone not intentionally eavesdropping to grasp what had happened. After a brief lull, the lively din of the teahouse returned.
Chu Chengfeng heaved a long sigh. Only then did he seem to remember Younger Brother Gongsun was still with him. He shot a complicated glance over at Gongsun Mo, who was still by the railing and looked ready to jump at any second. A helpless expression crossed his face. "Younger Brother Gongsun, please, let me explain..."
"Say no more, Brother Chu!" Zheng Xiu stared at Chu Chengfeng in horror. "First, just tell me... are you... you know... into men?"
"Huh?" Chu Chengfeng’s eyes widened. He shook his head emphatically, then tilted back his head and drained the jar of yellow wine in a single gulp. "I can explain everything," he said fiercely. "It’s absolutely not what you think, Younger Brother Gongsun! If you don’t believe me, you can come with me to a brothel. I’ll even throw caution to the wind, call over four or five girls, and... prove my innocence right in front of you!"
’No, that’s not it.’
Zheng Xiu watched the evasive Chu Chengfeng.
He recalled from Gongsun Mo’s memories that at this point, the real Gongsun Mo hadn’t grasped the gravity of the situation at all.
’What Zheng Xiu was thinking about right now wasn’t Chu Chengfeng’s sexual preferences.’
’It was...’
’...that Gongsun Mo himself... was the problem!’
’In front of Wen Shishan, Chu Chengfeng had deliberately concealed Gongsun Mo’s surname!’
...
"I am Gongsun Mo, from Southeast Luzhou..."
"Alright, alright... Though we only met by chance, it feels like we’re old friends..."
"You should just lie low at the inn for a few days so you don’t get yourself killed. After all... swords don’t have eyes!"
"Is it a coincidence... or something else?"
...
Zheng Xiu was suddenly overcome by a wave of dizziness.
The figures, the scenery, Chu Chengfeng’s wry smile—everything swayed before his eyes.
When Zheng Xiu’s head cleared, he found himself already seated across from Chu Chengfeng again.
As he looked at Chu Chengfeng’s helpless expression, the man’s image as a frank and carefree Jianghu Knight began to crumble, like a mosaic losing its tiles one by one.
In that moment, Zheng Xiu finally understood one thing completely.
Chu Chengfeng had designs on Gongsun Mo.
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