Mar 29, 2026
IMPORTANT READ: I’m sorry everyone. I haven’t been able to upload new chapters coz life is a b*tch sometimes. I’ll try at least to upload once a week if not my usual schedule. Thank you all for the support!
Chapter 72 — Such a Rascal! • An Old Friend?
“Old Song still needs to go with me to handle something. You all go back first with Brother Zhao,” Ling Jingxuan said.
Knowing they probably wouldn’t adapt to his spending habits so quickly, he didn’t bother explaining further. Instead, he turned to Song Yang-shi and her children.
I wonder if my little buns will stomp their feet in anger when they see these people…
“Yes, Master Xuan.”
After watching them leave, Ling Jingxuan and the other two climbed into the carriage one after another. Song Gengniu flicked the whip, and the carriage rolled forward smoothly.
“Mm, looks like those ten taels were well spent. From now on, when the little buns go back and forth every day, their bottoms won’t get jolted sore anymore.”
The inside of the carriage was almost entirely padded with soft cotton cushions, and the space was fairly large. Ling Jingxuan nodded in satisfaction.
Yan Shengrui grabbed his hand and idly played with it. “As long as you like it.”
“You say that like you were the one who bought it for me. Can you have a little shame?”
Rolling his eyes, Ling Jingxuan shot back without hesitation. This man… how could he be even more shameless than him?
“What’s mine is yours anyway. Whether you buy it or I buy it, it’s still ours. Things like ‘face’ are for outsiders to see. Between us, there’s no need for that.”
Most men would have already jumped up in anger at such words. But Yan Shengrui simply lifted his arm, hooked it around Ling Jingxuan’s neck, and leaned comfortably against his shoulder, his face full of teasing mischief.
He liked it when Ling Jingxuan didn’t stand on ceremony with him.
Fine.
Someone clearly enjoys being bullied.
Ling Jingxuan’s temple twitched. Before he could even respond, Ling Jingpeng—sitting across from them—burst out laughing.
Then he suddenly realized he might have interrupted something and hurriedly covered his mouth, shaking his head repeatedly, as if to say: Please continue. Pretend I don’t exist.
“Great. Now you’ve turned me into a joke.”
Ling Jingxuan shot Yan Shengrui an annoyed glare and simply ignored him. This bastard—he could probably drive even a saint to tears. Only someone with a hole in their brain would try to compete with him in shamelessness.
“Ahem…” Yan Shengrui coughed twice in exaggerated seriousness. “Jingpeng, your brother’s shy. Why don’t you step outside for a moment?”
Ling Jingpeng froze, instinctively turning to look at his older brother.
The next second—
“Get lost!”
Enduring no more, Ling Jingxuan kicked him without mercy.
Yan Shengrui had clearly expected it. Laughing, he caught Ling Jingxuan’s leg and pressed it onto his own.
“Alright, I was just teasing you,” he said with a grin. “Jingxuan, you hired so many workers… are you planning to finish the manor and fish ponds all at once?”
“Let go!”
Pulling his leg back and forcing his legs together again, Ling Jingxuan took several deep breaths before answering.
“Mm. The house can be built in stages, but the manor and fish ponds can’t wait. The details will depend on what the construction team says.”
Originally, he had planned to work on everything little by little. But now that he had bought servants, there were more hands available. Naturally, the plan had to change.
If they had enough manpower, he’d rather finish everything in one go.
“By the way, Big Brother,” Ling Jingpeng said, pointing outside toward Song Gengniu, who was driving the carriage. “Who are they?”
“I bought them. They’re servants.”
“What?!” Ling Jingpeng blurted out. “You even bought people? Brother, you’re dead. Xiao Wen is definitely going to nag you to death.”
Before he could finish speaking, Ling Jingpeng shot up from his seat as if spring-loaded.
He had only just taken people back to measure the land. When they confirmed it was more than two hundred mu, Xiao Wen’s expression had turned so grim it looked like his heart might stop from the pain of it. And now—now his brother had gone and bought several servants on top of that.
Anyone with half a brain could imagine what kind of reaction their tight-fisted little nephew would have.
For the next few days, peace at home was out of the question.
“Hey—could you not remind me of that?” Ling Jingxuan groaned, his face darkening as he pressed a hand to his forehead. He had only just managed to force himself to forget about it.
“Big Brother, I’m serious,” Ling Jingpeng said earnestly. “We’re just farming folk. Why would we buy servants? Aren’t you basically asking for trouble?”
Earlier, when Ling Jingxuan had been paying, Jingpeng’s mind had been completely occupied with calculating how much those two hundred and thirty mu of land must have cost. He hadn’t even noticed that his brother had bought people as well.
Now that the realization finally sank in, he was both shocked and pained.
Buying people definitely couldn’t have been cheap.
“Alright, alright, I get it. What’s done is done. At worst, I just won’t buy any more in the future,” Ling Jingxuan muttered under his breath, unable to stand his younger brother nagging like one of the little buns.
Yan Shengrui chuckled and slipped an arm around his shoulders.
“Buying servants has its advantages. You’ll understand later,” he said calmly. “Jingpeng, some things have to be calculated in the long run. You can’t only look at immediate gain. As for Xiao Wen, don’t worry—I’ll talk to him. I guarantee I can convince him.”
“Really?!”
Ling Jingxuan turned toward him instantly, his face lighting up.
Heaven knew how much he feared his son’s endless lecturing.
Yes, he had earned this money himself. He could spend it however he pleased, without caring about anyone else’s opinion. But Xiao Wen was still his son, and everything he did was for the sake of this family. Whenever he saw that small face trying so hard to look mature and responsible, Ling Jingxuan simply couldn’t bear to go against him.
“Of course,” Yan Shengrui said with a smile. “Xiao Wen is a sensible child. As long as we explain the benefits of buying servants, he’ll understand.”
“Shengrui… have I ever told you that you’re really handsome?”
If Yan Shengrui could persuade his son, forget praising him as handsome—even saying I love you wouldn’t be impossible.
As for how sincere those words would be… that was another matter entirely.
“No, you haven’t,” Yan Shengrui replied lazily. “But it’s not too late to say it now. Although compared to that, I’d rather have something more… substantial as a reward. For example…”
Completely ignoring the presence of the gigantic third wheel sitting in the carriage, he leaned close to Ling Jingxuan’s ear and whispered his request.
When he finished, he even extended his tongue and lightly licked the curve of Ling Jingxuan’s ear.
Ling Jingxuan’s body shrank back reflexively, sensitive to the touch. His phoenix eyes shot him a fierce glare.
Can’t you think of something else?
Even if he were willing, what exactly could they do in this situation?
Was this man deliberately trying to light a fire under him?
“Masters, there’s a bookstore here called Qingchen Bookshop. Would this one do?”
Amid their laughter and bickering, the moving carriage suddenly came to a stop. Song Gengniu’s respectful voice drifted clearly into the compartment.
The three of them immediately sobered. Lifting the curtain over the carriage window to take a look, they climbed down one after another.
The storefront of Qingchen Bookshop was not large. There was hardly any decoration to speak of—just shelves displaying common books and various brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.
Yet the moment Ling Jingxuan stepped inside, he liked the place.
For some shops, elaborate decoration was unnecessary. Returning to simplicity instead highlighted the essence of things.
Just like this bookshop.
The moment a guest entered, the first thing they saw was everything related to books. Nothing else distracted the eye.
“You go help Jinghan find the books he needs,” Ling Jingxuan said. “I’ll go to the counter and buy some brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.”
The brothers split up—one heading toward the counter, the other browsing the shelves.
Strangely, though several customers had already entered, not a single shop assistant could be seen.
After a while, Ling Jingxuan finally spotted someone behind the counter—a young man lying asleep on a reclining chair.
His eyebrows were sharp and elegant, as if painted. His nose was high and straight, his lips red like fresh blood. Paired with a delicate oval face and skin so pale and smooth it looked almost unreal…
If he hadn’t been wearing men’s clothing—and if his chest hadn’t been completely flat—both Ling Jingxuan and Yan Shengrui might have questioned his gender.
The man was undeniably beautiful.
So beautiful he didn’t quite seem real—more like a figure who had stepped out of a painting.
“Father, you’re sleeping again. You guys—”
A boy about ten years old suddenly came out from the back.
The instant he saw them—no, more precisely, the instant he clearly saw Yan Shengrui’s face—his fair little face turned deathly pale.
Clang!
The inkstone he had been holding slipped from his hand and crashed onto the floor.
His round apricot eyes widened in naked shock. His trembling lips made his fear obvious.
Yan Shengrui’s gaze darkened immediately.
His tiger-like eyes sharpened.
Meanwhile, Ling Jingxuan’s lips curled with interest as he openly examined the boy.
The child looked no more than ten years old. He wore a dark blue silk robe. Though fairly tall for his age, his frame seemed a little thin.
But when Ling Jingxuan’s eyes moved to the boy’s face, he paused slightly in surprise.
The boy’s brows… bore a faint resemblance to the little buns.
No—more accurately, they resembled Yan Shengrui.
Don’t tell me this one also came from the Imperial Family?
Since when did these high-and-mighty royal people start appearing everywhere like cabbages in the marketplace?
“Hm? Yan’er, what are you shouting about? I—”
The man sleeping in the chair slowly woke from his nap. His gaze instinctively turned toward the boy. Noticing something was wrong with him, the man followed the direction of his stare.
The moment he clearly saw Yan Shengrui’s face, his sword-like brows immediately drew together.
In the blink of an eye, the man who had been lounging lazily on the chair flashed forward and placed himself in front of the boy. His pale, beautiful face was now covered in cold vigilance and a faint hint of defiance. A trace of annoyance—so fleeting it was almost impossible to catch—flashed across his expression.
“Who are you?”
After a long moment of silent confrontation, the man suddenly concealed all signs of abnormality and asked the question coldly.
Only then did he seem to notice the nearly shabby clothing Yan Shengrui and Ling Jingxuan were wearing. In that instant, countless guesses ran through his mind, and a thoughtful look crept into his phoenix-shaped eyes.
“You know me?” Yan Shengrui asked, frowning, beating Ling Jingxuan to the question.
When he first saw them, he had indeed felt a strange sense of familiarity. But the feeling had disappeared quickly. Still, their unusual reactions had not escaped his notice.
His instinct told him they definitely recognized him.
“I don’t,” the man replied calmly. “If the two of you are here to buy books, feel free to look around.”
Even though he did not understand why Yan Shengrui seemed to have forgotten them, realizing that fact gave the man a bit more confidence.
“No. You definitely know me.”
This time Yan Shengrui spoke plainly, no longer bothering to circle around the matter. His tiger-like eyes burned like torches as they fixed firmly on the man’s face—so beautiful that it seemed almost excessive for a man.
“I’ve already said I don’t know you,” the man replied coolly. “Could it be that the young master is like those idle young dandies who see my face and begin entertaining improper thoughts?”
“If that’s the case, I advise you to give up. My appearance was given to me by my parents—I had no choice in the matter. But I am truly a man. I have a wife and children, and I have no interest in men.”
The man was undeniably beautiful, yet his temperament leaned toward cold aloofness and pride. He did not seem like the sort who would speak with such quick-witted sharpness.
And yet the scene before them was exactly that.
Ling Jingxuan, who had remained silent until now, let his eyes shift thoughtfully.
Any abnormal behavior had a reason.
Yan Shengrui was right—they definitely knew him. And very likely, they had once shared a close relationship with him. The man’s denial and unusual behavior probably had only one purpose: to completely sever any connection between them.
“Shengrui.”
Reaching out to stop Yan Shengrui, who looked ready to press further, Ling Jingxuan stepped forward with a gentle smile.
“My apologies. My husband spoke too abruptly. Not long ago he was injured and lost all of his memories. Your reactions made him misunderstand the situation. Please forgive the offense.”
“I am Ling Jingxuan, an ordinary farmer. My younger brother knows a few characters, so I came to buy him a few books. The children at home are also reaching the age to begin their studies, so I’d like to purchase some primers and the necessary brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones as well. Would you mind recommending a few for us, sir?”
In just a few sentences, Ling Jingxuan not only clearly explained Yan Shengrui’s condition—effectively giving the other party reassurance—but also stated their purpose for coming, subtly lowering the other man’s guard.
“If it is amnesia, then it seems I overreacted,” the man said after a pause.
“To be honest, this child rarely sees strangers. Whenever unfamiliar people appear, he tends to panic easily. I’m afraid we’ve made fools of ourselves in front of you.”
The man was clearly no simple character either. In only a few words, he smoothed the entire matter over as though nothing had happened. As he finished speaking, he nudged the boy lightly.
The boy gave Yan Shengrui one last suspicious glance before turning and heading toward the back courtyard.
With his back to them, the man watched until the boy’s figure disappeared from sight. Quietly, he tightened his slightly sweaty hands and took several deep breaths before turning around again.
“May I ask how old your younger brother is, Ling-gongzi? Does he hold any scholarly rank?”
In the span of only a few minutes, the man had already returned to complete composure. His pale face now carried a faint smile, yet it was unmistakably distant—giving the impression of someone standing a thousand miles away.
Ling Jingxuan raised an eyebrow slightly and exchanged a brief glance with Yan Shengrui, whose sharp gaze had never relaxed.
“My younger brother is fourteen this year,” Ling Jingxuan replied with a clear laugh. “He has no official rank yet, but he plans to take the Tongsheng examination this winter. I don’t understand what kinds of books he should study, so I’ll leave it to Teacher Chu to choose a few suitable ones.”
“How do you know my surname is Chu?”
The man’s pupils shrank reflexively as he blurted out the question in shock.
Ling Jingxuan explained calmly:
“Ah, so you must be Chu Ci. To be honest, I am acquainted with Shopkeeper Zhang from the Xinyuan Restaurant. Not long ago I consulted him about my children’s early education. He recommended Teacher Chu to me and briefly mentioned your situation. Combining what he told me with what I see here, I simply made a bold guess.”
A man in his twenties. Cold in temperament. Dislikes socializing. Runs a bookshop.
Those details alone were enough for Ling Jingxuan to deduce his identity.
What he hadn’t expected was such coincidence—walking into a random bookstore and meeting the very person he had been planning to visit in a few days.
Originally, he had intended to bring the three little buns here later.
“Your… your children?!”
Having heard the word children come from Ling Jingxuan’s mouth more than once, Chu Ci finally lost his composure.
He pointed at them in disbelief.
In his memory, Yan Shengrui had always kept far away from women. As for men, that was even more impossible.
So where in the world had these children suddenly come from?
Notes
- 童生試 (Tóngshēng shì) – The preliminary exam in the imperial examination system. Passing it allowed a student to become a tongsheng (a qualified candidate) and continue toward higher scholarly ranks.
- 楚辭 (Chǔ Cí) – The name of the bookshop owner. It also references the classical Chinese poetry anthology Chu Ci (“Songs of Chu”), a prestigious literary work.
If you enjoy what I do, consider buying me a coffee! A little coffee goes a long way!
Translator: LazyHermitGal
Author: LazyHermitGal
A Lazy Hermit Gal. A little support goes a long way! If you’d like to help me keep creating, you can do so at https://ko-fi.com/lazyhermitgal
