Chapter 63 - 62: For Changying, Qingyuan Gives the Xu Family a Show of Strength
Chapter 63: Chapter 62: For Changying, Qingyuan Gives the Xu Family a Show of Strength
Qingyuan wasn’t actually familiar with the city of Jianghuai, neither four hundred years ago nor four hundred years later. Four hundred years ago, transportation wasn’t as convenient as it is today. Four hundred years later, this was her first time coming to Jianghuai to shoot a scene on location.
Today, her impression of Jianghuai rested entirely on Pei Xuan, the Young Master of the Pei Family, who was known as the "Poetry and Sword Dual Master." This was simply because, on the day of the Empress’s ascension to the throne, Pei Xuan had actually attempted to assassinate her in the middle of the night.
Qingyuan didn’t live in the palace; she preferred the lively, mundane atmosphere of the streets and alleys. It was only the next morning that Zhuge Mingyue brought it up as after-dinner gossip: "Hmph, this Pei Xuan has quite the nerve. But if Her Majesty hadn’t ordered the Forbidden Army to stand down, how could he have moved so freely through the palace, let alone enter Her Majesty’s bedchamber?"
From then on, Qingyuan remembered this Poetry and Sword Dual Master who was famous for his arrogance. However, they interacted very little in court, remaining mere nodding acquaintances. Four hundred years later, this Young Master Pei had also disappeared into the long river of history.
Perhaps she was luckier than him, able to witness the Jiuzhou of today. But in reality, she wasn’t as lucky as him to leave a mark in history and have modern students memorize the poems he wrote.
Qingyuan sighed softly. Her face was overly stunning, constantly appearing on various advertising screens. She didn’t need to endorse any top luxury brands; her face itself was the epitome of top luxury.
Housekeeper Xu suddenly widened his eyes, crying out involuntarily, "You... You’re Lu Qingyuan?"
The Xu Group had actually invested in a few entertainment projects and collaborated with several artists, but Lu Qingyuan wasn’t among them.
"That’s me. I’m looking for Miss Changying. However, she should still be at school at this time, so I’d like to wait for her here first." Qingyuan’s smile deepened. "May I?"
Sister Xu also spoke up. "Hello. It’s like this: Jianghuai High School is a place for students to study, so it wouldn’t be appropriate for A Yuan to enter rashly."
"Looking for Miss Changying? O-Of course you can!" Housekeeper Xu stammered. "Please come in!"
Qingyuan entered the Xu Family’s vast manor, her brow furrowing slightly.
"A Yuan, what’s wrong?" Sister Xu had worked with her for a long time and could easily detect her mood changes.
Qingyuan thought for a moment before saying, "It doesn’t quite match my idea of a great family."
"Huh?" Sister Xu was taken aback, then whispered, "You can’t say that just because you’ve had the privilege of visiting Mr. Gu’s home. Compared to the Mingjing Gu Family, the Jianghuai Xu Family still falls quite short."
Qingyuan said flatly, "His falls far short, too." She had once come to Jianghuai with the Empress and seen the Jianghuai Pei Family of the past. The Pei Family of that era truly deserved its status as a top-tier aristocratic family.
"You can’t let Mr. Gu hear you say that," Sister Xu said nervously.
Qingyuan shrugged. She entered the living room and sat down on the sofa.
Housekeeper Xu walked over with a plate of exquisite pastries. "Since you visited so suddenly, we didn’t prepare much. Please don’t take offense."
Qingyuan smiled faintly. "I’m on a diet."
Housekeeper Xu hurriedly went to brew a pot of tea.
Qingyuan still refused. "If I drink tea now, I won’t be able to sleep tonight."
Sister Xu quickly smoothed things over. "Our A Yuan doesn’t eat or drink things outside casually. She hasn’t recovered from her illness yet."
Housekeeper Xu didn’t know whether to sit or stand; it was sheer torment. He found an excuse to leave the living room and contacted Old Madam Xu. "Old Madam, we have a guest at home."
"What guest?" Old Madam Xu was somewhat displeased. "Why did they come uninvited?"
"It’s Lu Qingyuan, a very famous actress. Both Miss Shuangqiao and Young Master Shuyan like her very much." Housekeeper Xu was sweating profusely from anxiety. "Old Madam, you’d better come back quickly."
At Jianghuai High School, during the long afternoon break.
Shi Changying took a stroll in the corridor before returning to the classroom and taking out her English book.
Lu Mi saw her and asked casually, "Hey, Yingying, aren’t you doing physics problems anymore?"
"I got tired of physics, so I’m memorizing English words for fun," Shi Changying said.
"Senior Sister, listen to yourself. Are those even words meant for human ears?" Song Qingmu was initially dumbfounded, then said with profound grief, "Even though you’re doing middle school physics problems and memorizing elementary school English words, if middle schoolers and elementary schoolers heard you say that, they’d beat you up!"
Lu Mi was also stunned for two seconds before suddenly clenching her fists. "Since Yingying is working so hard, I have to study diligently too and aim for a good score next year."
Seeing Shi Changying earnestly memorizing words from an elementary school English book, the students of Senior Class 17 inexplicably felt motivated to study.
Lu Mi turned her head again and asked, "Yingying, what are you having for dinner toni—why is your face so red?"
"Is it?" Shi Changying took out her folding pocket mirror and checked. "It is a bit. It’s probably just from the heat."
She didn’t pay it any mind and continued memorizing words.
During the third period, Shi Changying felt her head grow heavier and her body ache with fatigue. She simply rested her head on her desk, ears pricked as she listened to Teacher Bei’s lecture. Fortunately, it was Chinese class, which she could understand.
When class ended, Shi Changying originally planned to open her book and continue doing problems, but sleepiness and heat surged through her simultaneously, sapping her strength.
It was Lu Mi who first noticed something was wrong. She reached out and pressed her hand against Shi Changying’s forehead, jumping in shock. "Young Master, Yingying’s head is burning up!"
Seeing Shi Changying still fumbling for her pen, Shaoyuan grabbed her hand. His fox-like eyes, naturally full of affection, held absolutely no trace of a smile. "You’re burning up like this, and you still plan to study? We’re going to the hospital."
Shi Changying didn’t speak. She remained slumped on her desk, the unnatural flush on her face deepening. She looked listless, only feeling that her surroundings were incredibly noisy. She didn’t want to move at all.
"Yingying hasn’t fainted from the fever, has she? Did she not fully recover from her last illness?" Lu Mi was extremely worried. "We’d better call for an ambulance, or her brain will fry."
Song Qingmu was also anxious. "I’ll call, I’ll call! If she suddenly got a fever today, the virus must have been incubating for a long time!"
The other classmates also gathered around in concern.
"Classmate Shi? Classmate Shi, can you hear me?"
"What should we do, Young Master? Senior Sister seems unconscious. Has she already fainted?"
Shi Changying felt someone turn her body around with forceful movements. Such treasonous, insubordinate behavior—she should have punished this person for their crime, but her high fever made her not even want to speak.
Then she felt that what lay beneath her was no longer a cold desk, but a warm, soft, and broad back. Someone had hoisted her onto their back.
Shi Changying smelled the fragrance of amber and orchids, as if a cold moonlight had fallen over her—devoid of warmth, yet incredibly reassuring.
She tilted her head, resting her chin in a comfortable position.
"..."
The classroom suddenly fell quiet; all the noisy chatter disappeared.
Shaoyuan tightened his grip on Shi Changying’s lower legs to prevent her from slipping, then shot a glance at the dumbstruck Song Qingmu. "Has the ambulance arrived?"