They're Coming for Me!

"..."

After hearing his guard's words, a trace of helplessness crossed Jiang Xiaobai's face.

Still, helplessness aside, he might genuinely not have given it much thought before seeing Li Zhiwei.

But now that he had seen her...

With his modern mindset, if he had to choose, he would naturally choose the best.

Otherwise, wouldn't marrying into her family have been for nothing?

At that thought, Jiang Xiaobai nodded outwardly, looking as though he understood, yet his gaze couldn't help drifting toward Li Zhiwei again.

That figure, those curves-put her in a Japanese schoolgirl uniform, and wouldn't she send me straight to heaven!

Soon, as Li Zhiwei and her maid approached, the old man immediately greeted her respectfully. "Young miss!"

Li Zhiwei gave a soft acknowledgment.

Then her clear, captivating eyes slowly settled on Jiang Xiaobai.

There wasn't the slightest disgust in her gaze. Instead, a faint trace of curiosity flickered through it and vanished.

Then her gentle, melodious voice rang out. "Anyone who comes here is a guest."

"As hosts, how could we possibly turn someone away?"

At those words,

the old man's expression shifted slightly before he nodded. "You're right, young miss. This old servant acted rashly!"

With that, he turned toward Jiang Xiaobai and cupped his hands. "Heir Jiang, this old servant was discourteous just now. Please forgive me!"

Seeing this, Jiang Xiaobai immediately smiled and shook his head lightly. "You're being too hard on yourself, sir!"

Then his gaze returned to Li Zhiwei. "Thank you for coming to my rescue, Miss Li!"

Li Zhiwei merely shook her head gently without saying anything more, then continued deeper into the Poetry Gathering with her maid.

Her figure was graceful, her steps unhurried.

The gentle sway of her moon-white gown alone was enough to make it impossible to look away.

After they had walked some distance,

the maid beside Li Zhiwei finally couldn't resist sneaking a glance back at Jiang Xiaobai.

Then she smiled with pursed lips and whispered, "Young miss, this Heir Jiang isn't nearly as awful as the rumors say!"

"That little poem just now was rather cutting, but it was quite amusing!"

Li Zhiwei only gave a soft "Mm" in response.

Her expression remained serene.

Yet a faint ripple stirred in her eyes, as though she were pondering something.

There was no telling what she was thinking.

Meanwhile,

watching Li Zhiwei's retreating figure, Jiang Xiaobai couldn't help praising her inwardly again.

What an intelligent, enchanting woman!

A woman like her was different from an ordinary pretty girl.

Her beauty wasn't the sort that stunned through looks alone; it held elegance, and within that elegance lay serenity.

Merely standing there, she possessed a charm that made hearts stir.

Even Jiang Xiaobai, with his modern mindset, felt his heart flutter.

Yet while he was still absorbed in Li Zhiwei's retreating figure, a clear voice suddenly rang out.

"Ahem!"

The maid who had been following Li Zhiwei had somehow already made her way to the front.

She first cleared her throat softly.

Then her slightly playful voice rang through the crowd. "Young gentlemen, young ladies!"

"Thank you all for honoring us with your presence at my young miss's Poetry Gathering tonight!"

"Tonight, we have a splendid evening, beautiful scenery, the music of the zither, and flowers in full bloom!"

"Since you're here, please enjoy yourselves to the fullest!"

"In a moment, you may freely compose poems and exchange couplets, appreciate the zither performances, or discuss your learning!"

"If anyone produces an outstanding poem, my young miss will offer a few comments herself!"

"And of course..."

Here, the maid paused briefly, then smiled mischievously. "If someone truly possesses astonishing talent, perhaps my young miss will look upon him with special favor!"

At those words, the eyes of quite a few young men present immediately brightened.

Clearly, that last remark was what truly set their hearts racing.

After all, how many of those here tonight hadn't come for Li Zhiwei?

The Imperial College's Greatest Talented Lady.

The chancellor's daughter.

Great Confucian Lin's final disciple.

Any one of those identities was enough to send people flocking to her like ducks to water.

And she herself was so breathtakingly beautiful.

Winning the favor of such a woman could practically spare a man half a lifetime of struggle.

At that thought, a burning eagerness flashed in quite a few people's eyes.

Standing among the crowd, however, Jiang Xiaobai's gaze flickered slightly.

Then he turned toward his guard and asked, "What do you think... Weiwei's purpose is in holding this Poetry Gathering?"

"Weiwei?"

Hearing that form of address, the guard looked utterly bewildered.

He froze for a moment.

How did his heir... dare address her like that?

Wasn't he being a little too familiar?

At that thought, the guard's expression turned strange once more.

Still, he dutifully shook his head. "This servant is slow-witted. Isn't this... just a Poetry Gathering?"

"A Poetry Gathering?"

Jiang Xiaobai merely smiled. "A Poetry Gathering held at the Chancellor's Residence couldn't possibly be that simple!"

"Besides, since Li Zhiwei is the Imperial College's Greatest Talented Lady, there's no need to make such a grand affair of it if she simply wants to hold a Poetry Gathering!"

"There must be another purpose behind it!"

Huh?

The guard scratched his head, then looked at Jiang Xiaobai with some embarrassment. "Then... what do you think that purpose is, Heir Jiang?"

"And also..."

His expression grew even stranger as he couldn't help adding, "Heir Jiang, could you stop calling Miss Li that?"

"It sounds... rather odd!"

"All right!"

Jiang Xiaobai immediately nodded. "Then I won't call her Weiwei anymore!"

Hearing that, the guard breathed an inward sigh of relief.

Yet in the next instant,

Jiang Xiaobai said with perfect seriousness, "I'll call her Wei'er instead!"

"..."

The guard's expression froze on the spot.

Then a wry smile appeared on his face.

He might as well have stuck with Weiwei. At least that sounded a little more normal.

This "Wei'er" sounded unmistakably intimate, no matter how you listened to it.

Besides...

Did Miss Li know he was calling her that?

At that thought, the guard opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't dare persuade him any further.

He could tell that his heir had already lost his head completely.

Jiang Xiaobai, meanwhile, paid no attention whatsoever to his expression.

His gaze shifted slightly, and his expression grew more solemn. "I think... this Poetry Gathering isn't as simple as it looks!"

As he spoke, Jiang Xiaobai's face turned serious, and he lowered his voice.

"For all we know... they're coming for me!"