Yan Shushu and An Xiaolang hit it off after a lengthy conversation. Yan Shushu even invited him to feast at the famed Lotus Banquet on the inner lake.
At the Lotus Banquet, the dishes served depended on the route of one's boat and which drifting lotus-leaf cups one encountered. Each route offered a different assortment of dishes, with little overlap between them. Unless one sailed around the entire lake, one could not sample every delicacy, which was why so many people lingered there, reluctant to leave.
After An Xiaolang ate his fill, he returned the courtesy by inviting Yan Shushu to his residence as a guest, where they could also discuss the arts of Creation. Yan Shushu gladly accepted.
After an extensive discussion and dinner, the two agreed to continue the next day. Yan Shushu then took his leave and returned to his residence.
The moment he entered the hall, he stopped and looked to one side. A stern-faced middle-aged master craftsman was seated there, waiting for him. With a dark expression, the man said, "I've been waiting for you a long time, Shu..." He snorted. Every time he called Yan Shushu by name, he found the latter a little more displeasing.
He demanded, "What was that about? We told you to compete with that An Family brat and draw out his Creation techniques. Why did you tell him everything instead?"
Yan Shushu shook his head. "It wasn't that I changed the plan. Your plan was impossible to succeed in from the start."
The middle-aged master craftsman frowned. "How so?"
Yan Shushu said earnestly, "An Xiaolang is very intelligent. He may look carefree and rough around the edges, but he understands everything perfectly well. He would not easily fall for the plan you arranged. And from my probing, his Creation