The Wang family's inner quarters.
Wang Gang distributed the fruit he had brought back among the maids. Seeing them beam with delight as they ate made him happy too.
"So this is what Jia Baoyu's happiness felt like!" Wang Gang smiled at the scene in the room. Back in the later era, reading Dream of the Red Chamber had made him miss his former life, but all he could do then was sigh, "At the time, I thought it was only ordinary!"
Now that he had returned, he naturally intended to enjoy it properly! But he had no intention of being like Jia Baoyu, powerless as the Jia Residence swayed in the wind and rain, able only to watch its lofty towers collapse.
The imperial examinations and martial arts-he had to grasp both, and his grip on both had to be strong!
"Ah!" Just as Wang Gang was lost in thought, a maid suddenly cried out. Everyone turned to look.
The maid said in alarm, "We've actually eaten all this fruit! If the mistress hears about it, she might get angry!"
Another maid said carelessly, "What does a little fruit matter? Why would that be worth getting angry over? You always make a mountain out of a molehill!"
The maid shook her head. "Serving Young Master every day, we don't notice it. He's broad-minded and naturally doesn't care about these little things, but that's made us all so carefree."
She glanced at Wang Gang and continued, "I've heard some women love sipping vinegar and nursing jealousy. They'll sulk and lose their tempers over trifles no bigger than a needle or a scrap of thread."
Then she suddenly covered her mouth and said in a fluster, "Did I just speak ill of the mistress? I didn't mean to!"
Wang Gang pressed a hand to his forehead and smiled wryly. "Xueyan, your green tea act is excellent!"
"Ah! I don't know anything about tea arts! Ask Sister Yingge if you don't believe me."
"Yes, Young Master, Xueyan really isn't very good at that!" Yingge said blithely. "But I hear there's a maid with the mistress who's very good at it! It's just that she's built..."
Yingge traced an exaggerated curve in front of her chest. "Far too big here!"
"Ah!" the little maids exclaimed. "That's so unseemly!"
"Exactly!" Yingge took a bite of pear and teased, "Every time she comes through a door, her chest arrives before she does!"
"Hahaha!" The little maids dissolved into laughter.
"All right, don't worry. The mistress won't scold you if she gets angry!" Wang Gang rose and gave them a sinister smile. "She'll kill you all, one little maid per sword stroke!"
"Ah!" The little maids cried out in alarm.
Waterside Cottage.
Ping'er stood outside the door, leaning on the railing and gazing at the lake, while her ears followed the sounds inside the room.
Ever since she had misspoken a few days earlier and angered her mistress, she had been treading carefully, terrified that her mistress would sell her off.
Fortunately, the young master's sister had come and quarreled with her mistress two days ago. Her mistress had been so busy being angry with her that she had not brought it up. Perhaps she had forgotten about Ping'er!
Still, she had to be careful, lest her mistress remember it again.
"Ping'er, is Mistress here?"
Ping'er turned and saw Rui'er running over in a hurry. She quickly nodded, and Rui'er pushed the door open and went inside.
Ping'er immediately pricked up her ears and heard Rui'er say, "Mistress, the young master is back!"
Clatter!
A noise came from inside, as though something had fallen to the floor, followed by Li Qingluo's haughty voice. "So he's back. What are you so flustered about?"
Rui'er understood Li Qingluo and paid no mind to her tone. She continued, "He stayed in the inner quarters for a while after coming back, and now he's gone to Emerald Bamboo Pavilion again!"
"What! That wretched thief-he's addicted to stealing!" Li Qingluo snapped. "Come! We're going to Emerald Bamboo Pavilion to catch him!"
The three of them once again charged toward Emerald Bamboo Pavilion in grand procession.
Wang Gang put back the account book containing the Lesser Formless Skill. He had already memorized the technique, and with the panel's help, he no longer needed it!
He looked up at the bewildering variety of other martial arts manuals but did not reach for any. What he lacked now was a foundation. Learning too many different martial arts would only spread his reputation points thin. It was not worth it.
He had just stepped outside when he saw the three women hurrying over in a flurry. Instinctively, Wang Gang looked at Ping'er.
What's unseemly about that? Those little maids simply haven't seen the world!
Ping'er seemed to notice Wang Gang's gaze. She quietly stepped back and lowered her head.
Rui'er noticed too and inwardly cried out in dismay. The first person the young master had looked at was not her mistress, but Ping'er. He really did want to take Ping'er for himself!
Before coming, Li Qingluo had prepared plenty to say. She had even rehearsed in her mind how to belittle him, how to mock him...
But the moment she saw Wang Gang, her mind went blank. All she could think of was how his cunning that night had bordered on the demonic, how decisive and ruthless he had been, how sharp and brutal! For a moment, she simply stood there in a daze!
Wang Gang glanced over the three of them, said nothing, and turned to leave.
Li Qingluo looked at the maids on either side. Feeling that she was losing face like this, she forced herself to summon her courage and shouted, "Stop right there!"
Wang Gang looked back at him, his gaze calm.
"What are you doing here?" Li Qingluo asked, though she already knew.
"Returning a book!"
"Who gave you permission to take it!" Li Qingluo blustered, fierce on the outside but weak within.
"I won't take it next time!"
"Mm..." Li Qingluo felt she had nothing left to say. How could she start an argument when he was so calm?
Seeing Wang Gang about to leave again, Li Qingluo asked, "Did you send your sister here?"
"No! She probably noticed my injury!" Wang Gang pointed to his neck.
Li Qingluo's gaze tightened. He had cut that wound. Having hurt her own husband on their wedding night over another man, she could hardly help feeling in the wrong.
"I didn't mean to!" Li Qingluo forced down her shame and annoyance and apologized quietly.
Surprised by Li Qingluo's attitude, Wang Gang gave her a puzzled look, then said in realization, "You want to ask about Duan Zhengchun, don't you? I did it!"
"Ah! Why did you..." Li Qingluo had just begun to ask when the sight of his calm expression filled her with anger. "What gives you the right to treat me like this!"
Wang Gang's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Then how should I treat you? Drown you in a pig cage?"
Hearing his tone, Li Qingluo suddenly remembered that night and could not help losing her nerve. Then, remembering that Wang Gang knew no martial arts, she thrust out her chest again and snapped, "Keep spouting nonsense, and you'd better watch out for my sword!"
"It's not as though I haven't seen it before!" Wang Gang sneered and slapped the sword at his waist. "My sword isn't exactly dull either!"
Only then did Li Qingluo notice that Wang Gang was wearing a sword too, but she could not help looking down on him. She had practiced swordsmanship since childhood. Surely he did not think handling a sword for a few days made him her equal!
Li Qingluo felt she was no match for him in a war of words, but when it came to martial arts, her response was a sneer!
"Then let me see just how sharp your sword is!" Li Qingluo drew her sword and thrust, her heart leaping with delight. At last, she could get the upper hand! Now would he still dare... huh?
Li Qingluo stared blankly at the sword tip before her throat.
Wang Gang's arm was longer than hers, and so was his sword. When his blade reached her throat, hers was still more than a foot away from him.
"That doesn't count. Again!"
Li Qingluo leaped back a step. This time, she earnestly deployed her swordsmanship, her blade weaving an unbroken succession of sword flowers, its cold gleam biting.
Wang Gang neither dodged nor evaded. He poured Qi into his sword and thrust. A chaotic metallic clanging rang out.
Li Qingluo looked down. His sword was at her throat again.
"Still want to compete?" Wang Gang's voice was calm.
"When did you learn martial arts?" Li Qingluo could hardly believe it. If Wang Gang knew martial arts, why had he not used them that night?
No, he had!
Duan Zhengchun had been injured by him! That meant he had never intended to kill Duan Zhengchun that night. Otherwise, she could never have stopped him! What was he trying to do?
"You lied to me! I'll kill you!" Fear turned to anger, and Li Qingluo swung her sword again. But her mind was in turmoil, and so was her sword!
Wang Gang found an opening, flicked her sword aside, and shifted his feet, closing in to seize her by the throat! "Still want to compete?" he asked coldly.
Li Qingluo froze.
"Why did you deliberately let Duan Zhengchun go that night?"
Wang Gang saw that she had gotten the wrong idea, but offered no explanation! He merely sneered. "Guess!"
He admitted it! Li Qingluo's thoughts instantly raced further, and she exclaimed in horror, "Did you already know about my relationship with him and marry me on purpose? What are you trying to do?"
Wang Gang cursed inwardly. Who would willingly find himself a green hat to wear! If I'd come back a few days earlier, I wouldn't have married you even if they beat me to death!
His face remained perfectly composed, however. "Guess!"
Whatever had occurred to Li Qingluo, her body swayed, and she nearly fell. The two little maids hurried to support her, terror in their eyes!