A Good Match

The last time at the bookstore, Fujiwara Jiujing had seen Liu Chang'an and Zhou Dongdong each holding a soft, tongue-like ice cream bar in their mouths as they attacked each other.

At the time, he had assumed Zhou Dongdong was Liu Chang'an's child. The two of them both looked none too bright. Only later did he learn that Liu Chang'an was actually a student at a prestigious local university. The child, on the other hand, had not made anyone see her in a new light—she was merely a muddleheaded elementary school student. The only thing special about her was Fujiwara Jiujing's first impression: she looked a little swollen.

"Dragon-kun, that is why I call you Dragon-kun." Fujiwara Jiujing effortlessly deflected the other's wildly off-topic conversational style.

Why did a man like this draw Qin Yanan and Zhu Juntang into such frequent contact with him? It remained a mystery. Surely it could not be merely because Liu Chang'an had rather outstanding looks.

"Since you have recognized my true identity, let me also ask you a question frankly. Do you know what the ultimate great harmony of life means?" Liu Chang'an asked, looking at the faint smile on Fujiwara Jiujing's face.

People who always wore smiles on their faces made a good impression at first, but after spending more time with them, one would begin to feel that they wore masks every moment of the day. Their smiles looked more and more like insincere ones.

Liu Chang'an thought of Dongfang Shuo. Like Fujiwara Jiujing, Dongfang Shuo always wore a smile and called himself the "Banished Immortal." Later, however, that title became exclusive to Li Bai. The saying, "A great recluse hides at court," had also come from him.

In short, people like this were particularly fond of pretending to be cheerful. Seeing