Yu Tang knew this wasn’t her responsibility, but whenever she thought about this matter, she would feel sad.

A’Tiao, who had accompanied her, was very indignant and said, “Miss, I’ll go catch him and bring him back. That brat—what kind of talk is that? Something happened in their family, and they’re blaming our family.”

Yu Tang stopped him, saying, “He’s still young. Having suddenly lost his brother, he’s distressed. Speaking somewhat inappropriately is natural. Don’t make a fuss over this matter. If the elders of both families find out, they’ll all be upset.”

In her previous life, after her parents died, she had also vented her anger on many people, even including the Pei family. She had thought that if the Pei family hadn’t been lax in their patrols, how could Changxing Street have caught fire? But nighttime patrols originally weren’t the Pei family’s responsibility. The Pei family only helped patrol the shops because Changxing Street mostly had their family’s shops, incidentally helping these few merchant families who also did business on Changxing Street. Yet when something happened to her family, hadn’t she still blamed the Pei family in her heart?

A’Tiao couldn’t go find Wei Xiaochuan again and muttered under his breath. Just then, a man’s pleasantly surprised voice sounded near Yu Tang’s ear: “Miss Yu?”

Yu Tang looked toward the sound and it was actually Li Jun.

He wore a sapphire blue cloud-patterned medallion straight robe. His jet-black hair was swept up high, adorned with a white jade hairpin. His forehead was fair and clean, his eyes bright—dressed much more maturely than the last time they’d met.

“It really is you!” Li Jun’s face was full of pleasant surprise. He said urgently, “I thought it looked like you from afar, but for a moment I couldn’t believe my eyes. What are you doing at the county school? Is there anything I can help with?”

Yu Tang smiled at him politely and said, “It’s nothing. I came to see a relative’s child.”

The corners of her eyes still bore traces of having cried.

Li Jun wanted to speak but hesitated.

Yu Tang bid him farewell.

Li Jun quickly called out to stop her and said sincerely, “Miss Yu, if you have any matter, you really can tell me. I usually study at the prefectural school with my elder brother. But the instructor here at the county school is Mr. Shen Shanyan, Shen Fang’s clan uncle. He was the Tanhua of the Jimao year examination and once served as Grand Secretary in the Hanlin Academy. He’s proficient in classics and history. Later, weary of the disputes in official circles, he accepted the Pei family’s invitation and came to Lin’an City to be an ordinary instructor. He’s a very learned person and my elder brother’s teacher. If I can’t do it, I can ask my elder brother to help you find Mr. Shen.”

Yu Tang was very surprised.

Living two lives, she had never known that Lin’an City’s county school was a place of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, with such talented people.

But Li Jun grew excited and said, “Miss Yu, I came here with my elder brother. Do you know? Zhou Zijin has also come to Lin’an. Though you probably haven’t heard of him. Lord Zhou was the Zhuangyuan of the Renwu year examination, a legitimate son of the Zhou family of Nantong. His grandfather was the Emperor’s tutor, his father once served as Chief Grand Secretary, his eldest brother is the current Minister of Personnel, he also has an uncle in the Court of Judicial Review, and he himself served as Secretary in the Ministry of Justice. His whole family is very impressive. He came to Lin’an City to visit Third Master Pei. You surely know Third Master Pei—Pei Xiaguang, Pei Yan. Lord Zhou, knowing Mr. Shen was working as an instructor at the county school, specially came with Third Master Pei to call on Mr. Shen. No one else knows. My father is from the same examination year as Second Master Pei of the Pei family, and my elder brother often goes to the Pei family to ask Second Master for guidance on his studies, so we learned they came to the county school. My elder brother specially brought me here to show my face in front of them…”

He was like a peacock spreading its tail, wanting to attract Yu Tang’s attention.

Hearing that Li Duan was also here, Yu Tang only felt as uncomfortable all over as if caterpillars were crawling on her.

She interrupted Li Jun’s words, saying, “Second Young Master Li is overthinking. I really have no matter. The elders at home are still waiting for me to return. I’ll take my leave first.” Having said this, she gave A’Tiao a look and turned to leave.

Li Jun was stunned. Seeing Yu Tang walk more than ten steps away, only then did he come to his senses and quickly called out to stop Yu Tang.

Yu Tang turned around in puzzlement.

Li Jun stood there with a completely flushed face, stammering as if he didn’t know what to say.

Yu Tang understood completely.

In her previous life, Li Jun had never seen her, yet Lin Shi said he had fallen in love with her at first sight. She had clung to this notion, enduring Lin Shi for many years. In this life, fate played tricks—Li Jun had seen her and actually fulfilled Lin Shi’s lie from the previous life—Li Jun had fallen in love with her at first sight.

Unfortunately, she was utterly sick of the Li family. No matter how good Li Jun was or how sincere toward her, she had no intention of having any relationship with the Li family.

Yu Tang said coldly, “Next time, Young Master Li should think clearly about what you want to say to me before calling me to stop!”

If she wanted Li Jun to give up on her, she couldn’t be pleasant and kind to him.

Li Jun indeed showed shame on his face.

Yu Tang walked outside with A’Tiao.

Li Jun bit his lip but chased after her.

“Miss Yu!” He blocked her path and stammered, “Miss Yu, that, that Mrs. Tang, my mother said she’s already been to your house several times. Your family… wants a live-in son-in-law. Don’t worry, wait a few days. My father should have a letter back in the next few days… I, I am willing…”

Before he could finish his words, he saw Yu Tang’s complexion turn pale and rigid at a visible speed.

What was this about?

Li Jun muttered to himself, and his voice grew even louder, as if making a declaration: “Miss Yu, rest assured. Our family has two sons. I know your family wants a live-in son-in-law. No matter what, I’ll get my father to agree. Wait for me!”

“Li Jun, what nonsense are you spouting!” A man’s furious voice interrupted his words. “Get over here!”

This familiar voice…

Li Jun turned around abruptly and saw his elder brother’s handsome but iron-gray face. Behind his brother also stood the inscrutably profound Third Master Pei, Pei Yan; the somewhat schadenfreude Zhuangyuan Zhou; and the dumbfounded Mr. Shen.

“Elder Brother!” Li Jun hunched his shoulders and carefully called out to Li Duan.

Li Duan wished he could slap this brainless brother to death.

Today was such a good opportunity—a Zhuangyuan scholar, a Tanhua scholar, and a successful candidate from two palace examinations. Others wanted to curry favor but had no chance, yet he ran here to flirt with someone else’s young lady and brazenly declared he wanted to become a live-in son-in-law at their house. Simply disgraceful to scholars.

As the thought flashed through his mind, his heart stirred.

Live-in son-in-law?!

Could that young lady be Miss Yu?

Li Duan couldn’t help glancing at the woman opposite his brother.

Just this one glance, and he could no longer look away.

Average height, her figure not as willowy thin as currently fashionable, but with long legs and a slender waist, curves graceful. She wore a very ordinary white fine-striped gauze jacket, with a crimson eight-paneled embroidered flowering branch horse-face skirt below. Her hair was styled in double spiral buns, with a cluster of jasmine flowers inserted behind the buns. Small silver clove earrings sparkled in the sunlight, setting off that touch of red at the corners of her eyes, adding a hint of charm to her elegant beauty.

No wonder the Fu family had also gone to propose marriage.

Indeed very beautiful.

Li Duan couldn’t come to his senses for a long while.

Zhuangyuan Zhou watched from the side and laughed mockingly. He unfolded the black lacquered gold-painted Sichuan fan in his hand, breaking this momentary silence: “One flushed and red-eared, one like pear blossoms in rain—who knows what grievance has been suffered.” As he spoke, he glanced at Li Duan with a smile. “Come, come, come. Whatever the matter is, tell us about it, and we’ll make the decision for you.”

As if Li Duan were the Queen Mother of Heaven blocking a destined romance.

“Zijin!” Shen Shanyan called out Zhuangyuan Zhou’s courtesy name with a stern face, saying, “This isn’t the capital. Restrain yourself a bit. Don’t bring your capital ways to Lin’an City.”

He was a man about fifty years old, tall and thin, with completely white beard and hair, a serious expression. He wore a bright blue coarse cloth robe and looked not like a Tanhua scholar but like a repeatedly unsuccessful scholar.

Zhuangyuan Zhou seemed somewhat afraid of him. Seeing his displeasure, he laughed a few times and looked toward Pei Yan.

Pei Yan, however, was looking at Yu Tang.

He had encountered this young lady again.

He still remembered the scene when he saw her at Zhaoming Temple.

She had worn a madder-red Hangzhou silk embroidered flowering branch jacket, her hair in a cloud-following coiffure. As she walked, the soft silk clung to her body, her waist delicate as if it could be grasped in one hand, like a willow branch. The silver-gilt pearl hairpin inserted slantwise at her temple was like a swing, against her snow-white face.

The young men under the Enlightenment Pine had competed to rush before her offering courtesies.

But at this moment… her eyes were red, her face pale as white silk, staring blankly at Li Duan.

Pei Yan couldn’t help looking toward Li Duan.

Perhaps because he had come to see them, he was dressed very formally. Maroon five-bat medallion Hangzhou silk straight robe, a lotus-colored headband on his head, a purse and gold three-piece set hanging at his waist. Fair-skinned, handsome features, posture like a pine tree—just standing there quietly, he brought to mind praise like “orchids and jade trees.”

It’s just that his expression right now was somewhat off.

His eyes stared fixedly at that Miss Yu of the Yu family, not blinking once…

Could this Young Master Li of the Li family also have some story with this Miss Yu?

Pei Yan curled his lip but was nearly knocked into a stumble by Zhou Zijin rushing over and draping his arm over his shoulder.

Zhou Zijin whispered in his ear, “Hey, what’s with that look? Don’t tell me you also know this young lady? What’s the situation here? To make a man shout about wanting to become a live-in son-in-law regardless of everything—this young lady is no simple matter! Tell me about it, I’ll definitely keep it secret for you!”

Pei Yan frowned and impatiently knocked his arm off his shoulder, saying, “Stop acting crazy.”

Zhou Zijin’s lips moved slightly, looking like he had something to say. Shen Shanyan’s heart sank, fearing he would say something shocking again, and quickly coughed heavily several times.

Li Duan wasn’t completely muddle-headed and came to his senses.

He felt somewhat guilty.

Through ten years of bitter study by the cold window, he had never looked at any other woman even once. But this girl before him made his heart itch, unable to not scrutinize her carefully.

He quickly organized his thoughts and said to Li Jun, “Aren’t you going to pay respects to your elders? All your learning has gone to the dogs.”

Li Jun, red-faced, stepped forward to bow to everyone.

Pei Yan casually raised his hand, indicating Li Jun needn’t be too formal, then asked Zhou Zijin with an indifferent expression, “Are you leaving or not? If you’re not leaving, then I’m leaving first!”