I was wondering why she wasn't there. Dongzi hadn't come, that's why. No wonder Gangzi's one-man show was so awkward.
He'd even gone out of his way to ask about your situation, Dongzi, only for you not to show up and leave him hanging.
Inside Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong, who had still been enjoying the gossip, suddenly curled her fingers.
She sat on the bed, her face full of indignation.
She'd thought she had nothing to do that afternoon and could spend it happily gossiping at Spirit Hall.
After all, the gossip Lu Mingchuan had just revealed was juicy, and she was so fond of gossip that she simply couldn't resist.
That bastard had privately muttered that there was something wrong with her brain, but Bibi Dong had let that slide.
But in that bastard's eyes, Tang Yuehua—who was eight or nine years older than her—was actually prettier than she was.
That was one thing the beauty-loving Bibi Dong couldn't tolerate.
She looked down at herself.
Her legs were long and fair, her waist so slender it could be encircled with one hand, and she was curvy in all the right places. How could anyone her age have a better figure?
She couldn't see her toes when she looked down. Wasn't that good enough?
She was already sick of being compared with Tang Yuehua by the busybodies in Spirit City. Now Lu Mingchuan had gone and muttered about her in his heart, too.
No way. Bibi Dong absolutely wasn't going to swallow this.
"Yu Xiaogang, is it? You want me to come, huh? Then I'll make you wait. You stay right where you are—don't go wandering off. I'll be right there."
If she couldn't do anything to Lu Mingchuan, she could at least take it out on this dog, couldn't she?
Even though Bibi Dong's anger had built up enough, she still didn't want to lay a hand on Lu Mingchuan.
The things he revealed in his heart were things she would never be able to learn about, even by the time she died.
But Yu Xiaogang—the man whose inner thoughts she could only hear when she was close to him—was entirely different.
His head was full of damn nonsense. The only useful things he knew were the lessons taught to newly awakened Soul Masters at the junior academy.
By comparison, all Bibi Dong wanted now was to vent her fury on the other man who'd called her an idiot in his heart.
"Guards!"
South City Bookstore.
Soul Masters came and went in an endless stream. Every time, they'd stand at the bookstall looking as though they'd been swindled by a crooked merchant and wished they could leave at once.
But now, most of them had only made it halfway before the buzz-cut speaker inside the bookstore caught their attention, drawing them to stop and listen.
"Mingchuan, tell your teacher the truth."
Tang Yuehua suddenly nudged Lu Mingchuan's shoulder and asked curiously.
Tell you what?
Her question left Lu Mingchuan baffled.
"Do you know that shifty-looking little guy with the buzz cut?"
Good grief, that's a baseless accusation. Pure slander.
Lu Mingchuan shook his head blankly. "I don't know him, Teacher. What's wrong? Do you?"
He felt as if he'd just discovered Watson.
The guy might have run into Tang Hao on his way to Spirit Hall. The Clear Sky Sect hadn't gone into seclusion yet, so the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect and the Clear Sky Sect might still be working together.
That made everything fall into place.
Of course. How could the Clear Sky Sect leader's son not know the Blue Lightning Tyrant Sect leader's son? He's pretending they don't know each other.
Is he worried I'll let the cat out of the bag about the two sects being in contact?
Heh... You're giving my persona too much credit. Sure, Qian Daoliu took me to visit various sects, but with my carefree, unruly playboy personality, I don't remember a thing about any of that.
Look at you, all startled. You gave yourself away when I was thinking about whether to say I didn't know him.
Tang Yuehua narrowed her eyes slightly.
The hand gripping the wooden railing unconsciously tightened.
Know him?
Where would a good-for-nothing like her meet disciples from other sects?
Everyone knew her reputation as a good-for-nothing. How could she possibly know people with such lofty identities?
Amid her disappointment, Tang Yuehua also grew curious about how Lu Mingchuan knew so much.
She lowered her head at just the right moment. A bitter smile touched her lips as she mocked herself. "Your teacher has taught you for so long. Don't you know whether she knows him or not? We're all Soul Masters, but no one thinks much of a good-for-nothing like me."
"The only people your teacher ever comes into contact with are the wives of a few ordinary members of those sects. That's the only way she can talk to them."
You little brat, I've taught you for so long.
You know better than anyone what your teacher's like, don't you?
Lu Mingchuan awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. Sure, he knew. But you were also full of suspicious details. Anyone with an active mind would start imagining all sorts of things.
Still, Teacher is a pretty pitiful woman.
But pitiful as she is, I don't feel the slightest sympathy for her.
When Tang Yuehua heard Lu Mingchuan's thoughts, the bridge of her nose stung. Then she froze in place.
Go on!
Let your big sister see whether you're the kindred spirit she thinks you are. How could you stop after saying you didn't feel any sympathy?
Left hanging like that, she felt utterly vexed. Even a gentle, refined woman like her couldn't help wanting to say:
Are you teasing me with this stop-and-start nonsense?
But with Tang Yuehua's current composure and capacity for endurance, she quickly shook off her frustration and calmed herself.
She and Lu Mingchuan turned their attention to Yu Xiaogang, whose brow was furrowed with anxiety.
Meanwhile,
after making the journey, Bibi Dong soon arrived with a group of people at South Market.
But instead of going straight to deal with Yu Xiaogang, she searched the streets for Lu Mingchuan.
"That guy mentioned tea. Could he be at a teahouse?"
Recalling his thoughts and working out where she could get the best view of the bookstore, Bibi Dong fixed her sights on the teahouse across the street.
Sure enough, she spotted two heads leaning over the railing above.
Seeing Lu Mingchuan with Tang Yuehua, and noticing that his thoughts about her weren't as harsh as the ones he'd had about Bibi Dong, she immediately felt that the bastard was playing favorites.
Why did every thought about her start with calling her an idiot?
But as soon as he turned his attention to Tang Yuehua, he praised her beauty and felt sorry for her.
Those two definitely had something going on.
Bibi Dong slapped a hand against her heaving chest and would've bet her life on it.
Don't get angry. Don't get angry. Her target wasn't Lu Mingchuan; she was after someone else.
Bibi Dong sent her people to spread out among the passing crowds.
They slowly made their way toward the bookstore.
(Another day throwing money away. Why are there so many bastards around, all they know how to do is cheat people out of their money?)
(I still haven't carried out my plan to show off my knowledge in front of that naive Saintess at Spirit Hall and use it to secure a position there. It's a bit of a shame.)
(But it doesn't matter.)
(With so many ignorant commoners gathered around me, I've already accomplished what I set out to do.)
(With these brainless fools helping me, the next part will be much easier.)
(The Saintess of Spirit Hall? Hmph. She still won't escape my grasp.)
Before you continue