Chapter Forty-One: I Just Want to Follow You

Kuang Shao didn’t care about having just been bumped into; he hurried over. “Hey, beautiful, where’s Zhan Yu?”

“I’m not ‘beautiful’!” Xuan Xuan stepped back warily. This flamboyant man not only had an outrageous taste in clothing—decked out in bright red from head to toe—but seemed to have a memory as flashy as his appearance.

Kuang Shao was momentarily stunned. Hadn’t she told him last time not to call her “beautiful”? He remembered that much, but for the life of him, he couldn’t recall her actual name.

Seeing his silence, Xuan Xuan decided this man was simply too troublesome. Her teacher had once warned her about men like him—social butterflies. And this one, in particular, was clearly bold and presumptuous. She had no intention of staying near him.

She shot him a look and turned to leave.

“Hey!” Kuang Shao quickly caught up. He hadn’t seen Zhan Yu in days, and suspected this girl was the key to finding him now.

“Don’t go.” Kuang Shao smacked his own head. What was her name again? Xuan? Xuan… “Xuan Xuan?”

Xuan Xuan ignored him. She was supposed to meet Wan Qi Lian Hao soon to look for new medicinal herbs—it was almost time.

Since Xuan Xuan continued to ignore him, Kuang Shao didn’t mind at all; he followed along behind her. He’d long since been trained by Zhan Yu to endure being ignored.

“Are you going to see Zhan Yu?”

Xuan Xuan glanced at him. Not only was he flamboyant and forgetful, but also shameless.

Kuang Shao tried to ping Zhan Yu’s communicator, but was hung up on. This only strengthened his resolve to follow Xuan Xuan. “Take me with you.”

Lately, whenever Zhan Yu was with Xuan Xuan, he wouldn’t pick up Kuang Shao’s calls. Kuang Shao grew anxious. “Xuan Xuan?”

She gave no response, and kept walking toward the spot where she’d arranged to meet Zhan Yu. They always communicated in the Green World.

“Hey, beautiful, what are you shopping for?” Kuang Shao thought maybe he’d gotten her name wrong since she still ignored him.

“I’m not ‘beautiful’!” Xuan Xuan looked at him seriously. His memory really was terrible.

Kuang Shao lamented inwardly. If you’re not called ‘beautiful,’ then what is your name? How am I supposed to know if you won’t tell me?

She looked at him, thinking: didn’t he already know?

“Xuan Xuan?” Kuang Shao guessed. This masked girl probably only Zhan Yu could handle. Silence may be golden, but this was taking it too far.

She nodded slightly, thinking: so he does know, yet he still asks.

She checked the time. Usually, Zhan Yu was the one waiting for her, but this time she’d come early to the Pearl Tower. Still, Zhan Yu should be arriving soon.

Seeing that Xuan Xuan finally responded to him, Kuang Shao grinned, “Where are you two heading?”

Xuan Xuan wondered if this man was simply a chatterbox.

“Why do you wear a veil?” Kuang Shao asked, genuinely curious.

She touched her veil. She used to think going out without it would be troublesome, but now she wasn’t so sure. She’d probably be appearing on the star network with her father, and if she showed up as she looked now, it would surely frighten him. She wanted to find some medicinal herbs with Zhan Yu; on the Mata Continent, she’d once concocted a potion to alter her appearance, even if only temporarily. Better than nothing.

She realized how telling one lie required a hundred more to cover it up.

Kuang Shao saw her lost in thought and reached out to pat her.

Xuan Xuan stared at him warily. Her teacher had been right.

What did I do? Kuang Shao wondered, freezing with his hand awkwardly suspended in the air.

But Xuan Xuan saw it differently. This flamboyant man had already tried to touch her twice.

Just then, Zhan Yu arrived to find Xuan Xuan giving Kuang Shao a wary look, while Kuang Shao stood, hand half-outstretched, looking a bit anxious.

“What’s going on?” Zhan Yu asked.

“He tried to touch me,” Xuan Xuan said, pointing at Kuang Shao.

Kuang Shao yanked his hand back immediately. He hadn’t even managed to touch her!

Zhan Yu didn’t know the whole story, but Kuang Shao’s reputation preceded him. In the Imperial Capital, he was infamous as a playboy; back in school, he’d chased after everyone from teachers and upperclassmen to first years, regardless of age—almost crossing gender lines, too.

Zhan Yu stepped forward, shielding Xuan Xuan behind him, warily eyeing Kuang Shao.

“What did I do?” Kuang Shao protested. “We’ve been brothers for decades—don’t you trust me?”

Zhan Yu pressed his lips together, gave Xuan Xuan a quick glance, then said to Kuang Shao, “You have a record.”

Xuan Xuan took another step back. She knew it.

Kuang Shao’s eyes widened. “You’re choosing her over decades of friendship?”

Zhan Yu remained silent. They said a rabbit doesn’t eat the grass by its own burrow, but Kuang Shao wasn’t like that. Despite being a few years older and just newly an adult, he’d already had plenty of girlfriends—and always people close by.

But Xuan Xuan always spoke plainly: if it was so, she’d say so; if not, she’d say not. Clearly, she was more trustworthy than someone with Kuang Shao’s reputation.

Kuang Shao looked so aggrieved. He was strikingly handsome in a bold, flamboyant way, especially in his red outfit—a long coat flowing to the ground, more like an ancient robe than a modern coat, yet with not a trace of fragile scholar in it. His motorcycle boots gleamed with metallic luster. Underneath, a low-cut red sweater, which should have looked garish, only made him appear more nobly ostentatious. The deep V-neck revealed a delicate collarbone, criminally attractive. His face, full of wounded grievance, would have made any other girl feel sorry for him.

But standing across from him were Zhan Yu and Xuan Xuan, who took no notice of his looks or his supposed heartbreak. In fact, hearing Zhan Yu mention his “record,” Xuan Xuan was even more convinced that her teacher had been right—social butterflies were to be avoided at all costs.

Zhan Yu took another step forward, not wanting Xuan Xuan to see Kuang Shao’s pitiful expression. The women of the Imperial Capital and their school had no taste, including his own grandmother; whenever Kuang Shao made that face, no matter what he’d done wrong, he was instantly forgiven.

He couldn’t let Xuan Xuan fall for it, too.

Seeing Zhan Yu’s actions, Kuang Shao realized he cared, so he exaggerated his grievance, pointing at Xuan Xuan. “You’d abandon me for her?”

Zhan Yu’s gaze grew even colder.

“After all these years, you’d choose her over me? How could you do this to me?” Kuang Shao pressed on.

Xuan Xuan glanced at Zhan Yu, then at Kuang Shao’s pitiful expression—the picture of a jilted spouse. She looked at Zhan Yu in bewilderment.

“Shut up.” Zhan Yu ground out the words through clenched teeth.

“Why should I shut up?” Kuang Shao, encouraged by Zhan Yu’s attention, grew even more dramatic. “You’re abandoning me and you want me to shut up? After all these years, you’d just cast me aside? How could you?”

Zhan Yu exploded. “Kuang Shao!”

“I know I’m Kuang Shao. So you do remember! I’ll tell your grandfather you’re shirking your responsibilities to me!” Kuang Shao seemed on the verge of tears.

Xuan Xuan watched Kuang Shao’s expression, then looked at Zhan Yu. She could only imagine he was being accused of abandoning his wife and child.

Xuan Xuan took another step back. Birds of a feather flock together; even if Zhan Yu seemed decent, who knew if he might catch whatever Kuang Shao had? Besides, she’d heard there were rumors about men being couples—could this be the case? Was Zhan Yu really abandoning him?

Seeing Xuan Xuan retreat, Zhan Yu’s heart sank. He growled in a low voice at Kuang Shao, “Are you looking to die?”

“You’re even threatening him! Just wait until your grandfather finds out how you treat him,” Kuang Shao retorted, pretending to wipe his eyes.

They’d met each other’s families? And he was still being abandoned? Xuan Xuan took another step back, her gaze at Zhan Yu growing stranger. How excessive.

“Hmph.” Zhan Yu snorted coldly, suddenly unhurried.

Kuang Shao froze. He’d seen Zhan Yu’s scheming side before and had suffered for it. Secretly, he wiped his eyes again. “I’ll just follow along and keep quiet.”

Zhan Yu shot him a cold look.

“I’ll just tag along, silent as a shadow,” Kuang Shao insisted, summoning all his shamelessness. Otherwise, Zhan Yu would ditch him for the masked girl.

He was terribly curious about her, and now strongly suspected Zhan Yu had feelings for her. The way he cared—it was suspicious. He wanted to be rid of Kuang Shao? Not a chance.

Zhan Yu looked at him but said nothing, just curled his lips into a cold smile.

Kuang Shao shivered at that smile, sensing trouble ahead. “I just want to tag along,” he muttered pitifully.

Xuan Xuan thought: even though society was more open now, it was still brave for the two of them to be so open about their relationship—especially with Kuang Shao so pitiably chasing after Zhan Yu, even if it was a bit undignified. Still, it was worthy of sympathy. She nodded, “You can come along.”

“Xuan Xuan, you’re so kind.” Kuang Shao’s smile was so radiant that Xuan Xuan was momentarily dazed.

Social butterflies truly were dangerous. If he smiled like that on the battlefield or in the lab, it could be catastrophic.

Xuan Xuan took two more steps back. Best to stay far away from such people.

She glanced at Zhan Yu—no wonder he wanted to ditch Kuang Shao. Now she understood and nodded in comprehension.

Kuang Shao pouted. Was he really so frightening? Why did she keep moving away?

Zhan Yu saw Xuan Xuan retreat again and was secretly pleased. He didn’t care if she misunderstood his relationship with Kuang Shao; after all, that could be explained. What really worried him was Xuan Xuan falling for Kuang Shao’s tricks.

Is it really just that you’re afraid she’ll be fooled? Or are you afraid she’ll be taken with him?

Once she’d distanced herself from the social butterfly, Xuan Xuan said, “Let’s go.”

Kuang Shao hurried to catch up, not daring to look at Zhan Yu.

Zhan Yu remembered the reason for their outing and, after shooting Kuang Shao one more look, followed after them.

Kuang Shao kept looking back over his shoulder, convinced that Zhan Yu’s gaze was somehow off.

P.S. Guoguo’s book is highly recommended: “The Noble Girl of the Tea Garden.” One morning, she woke up to find herself in another world—with a cute little brother to boot! She’s a darling wherever she goes, the kind of girl who makes people and flowers alike turn to watch. But what’s with the ramshackle hut and threadbare bedding? Is this the 3.0 version of “Struggle”? Sigh, the stars overhead remain silent, while the children below yearn for tea. Alas, poor children with no money can’t drink tea—they have to grow it themselves! And you over there, don’t loiter in my tea garden—my precious tea leaves have already been bewitched! And you, too—bored, are you? How about helping out with the tea? Trust Mou Xue, and you’ll always have tea. Everyone, come and grab onto her coattails!