"We're just passing through, staying here for a couple of days and then leaving." Li Nianlong smiled faintly, turning to Zhao Linger, "Linger, when we enter the city, do you want me to buy you some candied haws?"
"Candied haws?" Zhao Linger's eyes lit up, excitedly nodding, "Thank you, Brother Menglong."
"Silly girl, why thank me?" Li Nianlong ruffled Zhao Linger's hair, a look of indulgence on his face.
Seeing this scene, Lin Yueru couldn't help but feel envious of Zhao Linger for some reason. She stole a glance at Li Nianlong, a handsome and imposing man.
Lin Yueru had seen many dandy young men since childhood, but none could compare to Li Nianlong. Not only was he young and handsome, with exceptional martial skills, but more importantly, he was very affectionate towards his wife. Such a man was simply the ideal husband that all women dreamt of, and Lin Yueru was no exception.
Unfortunately...
A trace of sadness flashed in Lin Yueru's eyes: he already had a wife.
As the daughter of the Lin family, how could she stoop so low? How could Lin Yueru not feel regretful?
From then on, Lin Yueru fell silent. Li Nianlong estimated the time and then, through the air, released her acupoints, clasping his fists, "Miss, I've been rude earlier. Please forgive me."
Lin Yueru snorted lightly and thrust her sword towards Li Nianlong.
Snap!
A move to seize the weapon, the sword changed hands, and Li Nianlong smiled faintly, turning the hilt towards Lin Yueru, "Miss has excellent martial skills, but a temper as hot as yours won't get you a good husband."
Lin Yueru blushed in embarrassment, "What's it to you whether I can get married or not!" Grabbing the sword back, she turned and quickly ran off.
Lin Yueru had been practicing martial arts for years, and her figure was particularly tall and slender, her legs long and slender. When she ran, she was like an elegant little deer, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
"Menglong brother, that lady seems angry." Zhao Linger said.
"These young mistresses always have bad tempers." With no one around, Li Nianlong held Zhao Linger in his arms, "Compared to our gentle and lovely Linger, they're far worse."
Zhao Linger blushed and leaned against Li Nianlong, "Menglong brother..."
Entering Suzhou City, Li Nianlong accompanied Zhao Linger around the city, buying two candied haws for her as agreed. Zhao Linger, who had lived on Xianling Island since childhood, had never seen so many people or so much excitement. She bounced around excitedly by Li Nianlong's side, like a happy bird.
"Menglong brother, this bracelet is so pretty."
"Menglong brother, what's that? It looks delicious."
"Menglong brother, is that rouge?"
"Menglong brother..."
Seeing Zhao Linger so happy, Li Nianlong felt that spending more money was worth it. However, as the day grew dark, Li Nianlong had to end their sightseeing for the day and take Zhao Linger back to the inn.
The inertia of 'history' was immense. Just as they arrived at the inn, they encountered a scholar in a yellow hat and blue robe being beaten up by several drunkards.
It turned out to be Liu Jinyuan, this naturally cold young master.
Li Nianlong scratched his head: Should he save him?
Before he could make up his mind, the kind-hearted Zhao Linger shouted, "Stop!"
Li Nianlong slapped his forehead. Well, he had to save him now.
A few drunkards were nothing. Li Nianlong dispatched them with three or two moves. He walked up to the heavily beaten Liu Jinyuan, "Are you alright, brother?"
Liu Jinyuan grinned and got up painfully, "Ouch! Saved."
Brushing off the footprints on his body, Liu Jinyuan politely bowed, "Many thanks for saving me, brother. I am Liu Jinyuan. May I know your esteemed name?"
Li Nianlong smiled faintly, "No need for such courtesy. I am Li Nianlong."
"Oh?" Liu Jinyuan's eyes lit up, "So you and I share the same surname Liu, we must be related from five hundred years ago!"
"Erm..." Li Nianlong coughed lightly, "What you said is quite true, brother Jinyuan."
Liu Jinyuan seemed very happy, turning his head to look at Zhao Linger, he asked, "May I ask who this young lady is?"
Li Nianlong smiled slightly, "This is my wife, Zhejing."
"So she's my sister-in-law." Liu Jinyuan quickly bowed, "Jinyuan is honored to meet you."
Zhao Linger had never encountered such polite manners before, feeling a little flustered. Seeing this, Li Nianlong smiled, "Zhejing is inexperienced, please forgive her, brother Jinyuan."
Liu Jinyuan smiled slightly, "Where are you and Zhejing from?"
Li Nianlong smiled faintly, "We come from Dongfang Xianling Island in Yueyang County. We have been reclusive for the past few years, and now we have come out to broaden our horizons and gain some experience."
"I see." Liu Jinyuan didn't doubt it and smiled, "I've hit it off with Brother Liu, so let me treat Brother Liu and Sister-in-law to a meal and have a chat, shall we?"
Li Nianlong smiled, "That's what I wanted, but I dare not impose."
After a night had passed, Liu Jinyuan, this bookish fellow, surprisingly stayed up all night and was still spirited. This made Li Nianlong look at him with newfound respect. Zhao Linger had already gone to sleep early. After sending off Liu Jinyuan, Li Nianlong saw that it was already bright outside. He walked to the bed and looked at Zhao Linger, who was sleeping like a baby. He smiled slightly, reaching out to gently stroke her cheek with his finger.
Her skin was as delicate as a peeled boiled egg, smooth and white. Li Nianlong couldn't help but kiss her cheek and whisper in her ear, "Linger, it's morning."
"Um, let me sleep a little longer!" Zhao Linger was still sleepy.
Li Nianlong smiled faintly, "Alright, let Brother Long accompany you."
Zhao Linger's cheeks immediately turned red, and she hurriedly got up, "No, no, Brother Long's sleep always takes a long time."
Seeing Zhao Linger's anxious expression, Li Nianlong chuckled and rubbed her nose, "Then let's get up! Brother will take you to places we didn't visit yesterday, and then rest for another night. We'll continue our journey tomorrow."
"Okay."
After Zhao Linger got up and freshened up, she and Li Nianlong walked towards other parts of Suzhou City. After playing for most of the day, by the afternoon, they saw a bustling crowd ahead.
"Brother Long, what's happening up there?" Zhao Linger's face was full of curiosity. "Shall we go take a look?"
Li Nianlong smiled faintly. "Sure, wherever Linger wants to go, we'll go."
"Hehe..." Zhao Linger felt sweet in her heart, linking her arm with Li Nianlong's and happily heading towards the crowd.
In the center of the bustling crowd, a large martial arts platform for recruiting husbands through combat appeared before their eyes. On the platform, a graceful girl, swift as lightning with her sword, was fighting against a burly man wielding double axes.
Although the burly man was tall and strong, emanating a fierce aura, his martial arts were mediocre. He was disarmed by the girl with a sword, first one axe and then the other. Subsequently, with three punches and two kicks, the burly man's arms were broken, wailing in agony. Even if they were treated, he would never again be able to intimidate anyone with axes.
Servants immediately carried the burly man off the platform, rushing him to the medical hall for treatment.
"What a waste," the girl sneered, looking disdainfully at the audience below. "Is there anyone else who's not afraid to die?"
"Hmph!" A burly man wielding double hammers stepped onto the platform. "Let me learn from the young lady!"
"If you want to fight, then fight. Why so much nonsense!" The girl impatiently tied her hair with a sword flower. "You'll be half crippled by the time I'm done with you, let's see if you still dare to be arrogant!"
"Courting death!" The burly man was obviously not someone with a good temper, roaring as he charged forward, engaging in combat with the girl.
At this moment, Li Nianlong and Zhao Linger arrived at the platform. Seeing the girl in purple on the stage, Li Nianlong smiled faintly: it was indeed her.
"Oh? Brother Liu!" A voice came from the right, and Li Nianlong turned to see Liu Jin yuan, wearing a yellow hat and blue robe, looking at him with surprise.
Li Nianlong smiled faintly. "Isn't this Brother Jin yuan! What? Are you here to watch the excitement too?"
Hearing the words 'watch the excitement', Liu Jin yuan seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, smiling faintly. "What excitement? The girl on the platform is my cousin."
"Oh?" Li Nianlong pretended to be surprised. "Isn't Brother Jin yuan well-mannered and talented? How could you have such a barbaric cousin?"
"Shh..." Liu Jin yuan hurriedly made a gesture for silence, his face slightly pale. "Don't let my sister hear that, or Brother Liu will be in big trouble."
Li Nianlong smiled. "Brother Jin yuan is exaggerating."
"Alas, it's not like that." Liu Jin yuan smiled bitterly. "My cousin is the most willful and stubborn. She can't stand others speaking ill of her. If she does, cutting off hands and feet would be considered mild."
"Ah!? That's so cruel!" Zhao Linger was a little scared to hear this.
Li Nianlong furrowed his brow. "Brother Jin yuan, your cousin is too savage! Just a few words of criticism and she wants to cut off people's hands and feet. Wouldn't marrying such a woman bring unrest to the family?"
"This... My sister is still gentle sometimes."
Seeing Liu Jin yuan's infatuated expression, Li Nianlong shook his head, patting Liu Jin yuan on the shoulder. "Brother Jin yuan, forgive me for saying this, but Brother Jin yuan is well-mannered and eloquent. You must come from a scholarly and official family background. Your cousin, however, has a martial spirit. If Brother Jin yuan is interested in her, I'm afraid your household will not have peace after marriage. If she goes berserk, she might even end up fighting with Brother Jin yuan... Alas! How can one live in such circumstances?"
Li Nianlong's words made Liu Jin yuan's face turn pale. "This... It shouldn't be... right?"
Although he said so, the tightened brow indicated his wavering. He and Lin Yueru grew up together, how could he not know her temperament? Before, he was simply enamored by Lin Yueru and chose to selectively ignore her flaws. Now that Li Nianlong brought it up, Liu Jin yuan began to think rationally, breaking out in a cold sweat.