Misty Rain of the Old Times

Upon seeing the signature on the visiting card, Chen Xuan initially had no recollection of who Sun Qingzhu was. Although they had met briefly in the square that day, they hadn't even exchanged greetings, and he had only glanced at the card. Therefore, he didn't take such an unimportant person to heart and selectively ignored them.

"Husband, who is it?" the little princess asked with great interest. She had been quite bored staying in the courtyard these past few days, and she had been working herself to the bone to ensure the continuation of the Chen family line. To her surprise, a girl had come to visit, and the little maid even said she was very pretty, her eyes shining like light bulbs.

Chen Xuan, completely unaware of his wife's scheming, stated bluntly, "Sun Qingzhu is one of the two women we saw in the square that day."

"The eldest disciple of the Grand Princess of Yuhua Kingdom? The one with extraordinary talent, possessing innate cultivation, one of the Ten Beauties. When did your husband meet her, and what brings him to you?" The little princess asked, her eyes blazing with gossip, as if she were investigating someone's background.

A black line appeared on Chen Xuan's forehead as he said speechlessly, "We've been together these past few days, how would I know her? As for why she came to see me, my wife, you'll see for yourself."

He handed the visiting card to the little princess, quickly glanced at it, and upon learning Sun Qingzhu's purpose, the little princess was visibly disappointed; it wasn't what she had expected. But she quickly perked up, saying, "She actually came to ask her husband for martial arts instruction? What's the point? Girls should be good wives and mothers. I really don't understand why so many people like swords and spears. But this is an opportunity. Even if she's one of the ten beauties of Yuhua Kingdom, just her status as the Grand Princess's disciple is enough for her to be worthy of her husband. This is an opportunity! Husband, you must seize it and try to win her over in one fell swoop!" She won her over and coaxed her home. "I believe you can do it, my husband. I've heard that her master, Princess Song Yuzhi of Yuhua Kingdom, is also a stunning beauty, but because of her age and cultivation level, no one dares to rank her among the top ten beauties. If you wish, my husband, after winning over Sun Qingzhu, you can also win over Song Yuzhi. I don't mind. Master and disciple, isn't that the kind of thing you men like? However, Song Yuzhi is too old; you can't bring her home. Like that Tingyin, I don't mind you keeping her outside. A grandmaster-level expert, my husband, aren't you tempted?"

After listening to the little princess chatter on and on, Chen Xuan found the topic quite amusing once or twice, but after a while, it gave him a headache. He selectively ignored it, shook his head speechlessly, and said, "Wife, you're getting more and more outrageous. That Sun Qingzhu definitely didn't come to ask for martial arts advice; it was probably just an excuse."

"Is there another purpose?" The little princess was bored by herself as her husband didn't respond, and instead looked surprised.

With a smile, Chen Xuan stood up and said, "I have a pretty good idea why she came. Let's go see her and see if it confirms some of my guesses."

The little princess was incredibly clever; she realized something from Chen Xuan's casual remark. Her smile faded, and she said seriously, "Husband, don't just talk the talk. Sometimes hesitation leads to trouble. When you need to be ruthless, don't hesitate."

My wife is so smart! She can sense something even though I didn't say anything. Luckily, she's gentle and obedient and never tries to outsmart me, otherwise I'd be completely under her thumb.

Feeling a pang of emotion, Chen Xuan said nonchalantly, "Why do you say that, my lady? Let's go, we shouldn't keep our guests waiting."

Some things were left unsaid, and the little princess smiled gently, still with that innocent and radiant look.

Since he was going to meet guests, Chen Xuan tidied himself up a bit. He couldn't be as disheveled and unkempt as he usually was in private; he had to be more formal.

The living room was filled with the faint aroma of tea. Sun Qingzhu sat upright, her slender waist held ramrod straight, like an unyielding spear. Even as she was about to face a grandmaster, a touch of unrestrained arrogance remained between her brows. She wore a long, cyan dress that seemed to be her own. Because she was a martial artist, the dress was neat and form-fitting. As she sat upright, the hem of the dress tightened slightly, outlining a rounded curve in her shapely buttocks.

She did not show any restraint as a guest; her expression was relaxed and natural. She was somewhat serious, but there was no arrogance that came with her status or background. She did not look around, but simply glanced around casually, occasionally taking a sip of tea.

"Miss Sun, I apologize for keeping you waiting. Please forgive any shortcomings in your hospitality," Chen Xuan's gentle voice came from behind as he led the little princess into the living room.

If it were an unfamiliar male guest, the little princess would not be able to show up. However, it would be better for a girl to be present. After all, Sun Qingzhu's identity was special. If a girl came to the door without the hostess's company, it would be hard not to make people think.

Upon hearing this, Sun Qingzhu immediately stood up, gracefully cupped her hands in a greeting, and said, "Greetings, Mr. Chen. I apologize for any inconvenience caused by my visit."

"Miss Sun, you're too kind. Please have a seat," Chen Xuan nodded in acknowledgment, then stepped aside to introduce, "This is my wife."

"Greetings, Madam Chen," Sun Qingzhu bowed again.

The little princess smiled and nodded, saying, "Miss Sun, there's no need for such formality. Please have a seat."

As they spoke, the little princess subtly observed her, nodding to herself inwardly. She thought to herself that this girl was beautiful and had a good figure, but her appearance suggested she was a bit arrogant and needed some tempering. She could be her husband's concubine, but she wondered if her husband had such thoughts. Oh dear, her old habit had resurfaced.

Chen Xuan's gaze lingered on her for a moment before looking away; it would be impolite to look at her any longer. Unlike that fleeting glance the other day, up close, he had to admit that she truly deserved to be one of the top ten beauties. Her figure and appearance were impeccable, though her eyes revealed a hint of arrogance. However, given her age, cultivation level, and background, such a personality was quite normal.

Sun Qingzhu was also secretly observing the couple. First, she thought to herself that the little princess was truly stunningly beautiful and elegant, with a temperament that even her childhood sweetheart, Ruyu, was slightly inferior to. Then there was Mr. Chen, whose appearance alone was truly the most outstanding in her life. In particular, his unintentional and natural ease made people feel very friendly. The two of them seemed to be a match made in heaven.

Her gaze lingered on Chen Xuan for a moment longer, her eyes carrying a hint of innocent curiosity and doubt. It seemed hard for her to imagine that such an ordinary young man, who was only outstanding in appearance and had an otherworldly temperament, could actually have the cultivation of a grandmaster, showing no signs of martial arts practice, and was even several years younger than herself.

Their eyes met briefly before parting. Sun Qingzhu took out a jade box from her sleeve and placed it on the small table beside her, smiling politely, "I apologize for the intrusion; I have prepared a small gift, a thousand-year-old jade ginseng, which has excellent effects on nourishing qi and calming the mind. I hope you will not find it offensive."

Chen Xuan genuinely disliked these formal occasions and felt awkward himself, so he simply let things be. After just three sentences, his true colors were revealed. He waved his hand casually and said, "Miss Sun is here! Why bring a gift? That's too much trouble."

Even the little princess couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. She looked at Sun Qingzhu with some helplessness and said, "That's just how my husband is. Please don't laugh at me, Miss Sun." Chen Xuan's carefree demeanor surprised Sun Qingzhu for a moment. She hadn't expected that this legendary young master would be so casual. However, she didn't mind. On the contrary, she felt quite comfortable. As a martial artist, she disliked formalities. If she weren't a guest and worried about being laughed at, she wouldn't have been so polite. She found it tiring.

“Mr. Chen is unconventional, and it is I who have lost my composure,” Sun Qingzhu said with a smile, her demeanor and tone inexplicably light and casual, secretly feeling slightly embarrassed for the politeness she had tried so hard to maintain earlier.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries and taking their seats, Chen Xuan, being a straightforward person, had no interest in engaging in feigned politeness with her. Looking at her with curiosity and a hint of bewilderment, he asked, "Miss Sun, I already know why you've come. Are you planning to have a match with me?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Qingzhu was dumbfounded. No, they had only just sat down, and they were already getting straight to the point.
Even the little princess couldn't help but pat him on the shoulder, speechless yet amused, saying, "Husband, is that how you talk to a guest?"

"Ahem, Miss Sun, please don't mind, it was just a joke," Chen Xuan chuckled, not at all embarrassed. That's just how he is. If we don't see eye to eye, so be it. We have nothing to do with each other anyway.

However, this did lighten the mood a bit.

Sun Qingzhu didn't mind. Although she was the disciple of the Grand Princess of Yuhua Kingdom, she was essentially a martial artist. She disliked hypocritical formalities and longed for the heroic spirit of the martial world. However, due to her master's status, she had to maintain a dignified demeanor. Chen Xuan's personality was exactly to her liking.

She smiled, nodded at Chen Xuan with a mixture of curiosity and eagerness, and said, "That's exactly what I was thinking. I hope Young Master Chen can enlighten me."

Chen Xuan's words silenced her; he waved his hand dismissively and said, "Not interested."

Sun Qingzhu originally wanted to see if Chen Xuan was as powerful as the legends said, but he didn't seem to have any intention of making a move at all. This made Sun Qingzhu a little embarrassed. No, you're not even going to make a move, and you're asking me if I want to have a match? I'm a girl, can't you be a little more tactful?
The little princess tried her best to maintain a polite smile, but secretly she was so embarrassed she almost wanted to dig out a three-bedroom apartment. She wanted to pinch Chen Xuan a few times. Her husband's personality was something most people couldn't keep up with. She was exhausted and thought, "I'm done."

Chen Xuan was genuinely uninterested, even if the other person was a great beauty. It was like a graduate student trying to explain one plus one equals two to an elementary school student—what was the point? That's just his personality; he says what he thinks. He wasn't intentionally trying to tease her, but her reaction was genuinely quite amusing.

The proud and aloof Sun Qingzhu was speechless for a moment, then said with a slightly conflicted tone, "It was I who was presumptuous. I hope Mr. and Mrs. Chen will forgive me."

Her main purpose in coming here to learn martial arts from Chen Xuan was not; it was just a side matter. Chen Xuan's refusal didn't make her feel disappointed; on the contrary, it made her seem somewhat offensive. After all, coming to someone else's house to start a fight is hardly the way of a guest. Coming here was her own decision, and given her personality, she couldn't think of a better reason. Anyway, she just wanted to see him first.

"Haha, Miss Sun, please don't mind. Although I have some minor skills, they are mostly self-taught. I don't have much experience in communicating with people. Besides, fists and feet have no eyes, and my house is too small to use them properly. You are a guest, and there is no reason to fight with a guest. That is not the way to treat a guest." As straightforward as he was, Chen Xuan was not going to embarrass her.

Without dwelling on these matters, Sun Qingzhu's main purpose in coming here wasn't to seek advice. After a brief exchange, she roughly understood Chen Xuan's personality—he disliked beating around the bush. So, she carefully organized her words and sincerely bowed, saying, "Mr. Chen, I have come here today not to seek martial arts instruction, but to make a request..."

Before she could finish speaking, Chen Xuan waved his hand to interrupt, maintaining his nonchalant and composed attitude. He slightly suppressed his smile and said, "Since it's an unreasonable request, then Miss Sun, please don't say it, lest we all be put in a difficult position. I'm a straightforward person, so please forgive me if I've offended you in any way."

Sun Qingzhu's expression froze instantly. Before coming, she had thought that Chen Xuan would refuse, but she did not expect him to be so decisive, not even waiting for her to finish speaking. To be honest, she was a little displeased. She had already humbled herself. Although he was a Grandmaster and the son-in-law of the Jing Kingdom's royal family, her master was also a Grandmaster and the Grand Princess of Yuhua Kingdom. He didn't even give her the face to finish speaking.

Knowing she needed his help, she took a deep breath to calm herself and said earnestly, "Mr. Chen, I have no intention of being offensive. I have come here today because I truly have a request to make. Please allow me to finish."

Fearing Chen Xuan would interrupt again, she continued, "Please let me know, Mr. Chen, that I have a close friend named Qin Ruyu, whom you may have heard of. She suffers from a strange illness and has been tormented by pain for years, having sought out numerous renowned doctors to no avail. We grew up together, and are closer than sisters. Her illness is my pain, and her youthful beauty is fading away, causing me immense distress. I wish I could suffer in her place. I have heard that you, Mr. Chen, possess extraordinary skills, and as the saying goes, medicine and martial arts are inseparable. I earnestly request that you come and help me diagnose her. Please feel free to ask for anything; I will do my utmost. Whether or not I can find the cause of her illness and find a cure, I will do my best. I will remember this kindness in my heart. Considering my sincere request, I hope you will grant my request. I will be eternally grateful."

After speaking, she bowed deeply and waited for Chen Xuan's reply, her expression and tone extremely sincere.

Such behavior even moved the little princess. However, as his wife, she would not take it upon herself to grant Chen Xuan's request. Joking aside, she would not allow Chen Xuan to take advantage of her vulnerability and make inappropriate advances. How despicable must a person be to do such a thing?
After listening to her, Chen Xuan gradually put away his nonchalant attitude. No matter how unreliable he was, he would never joke about someone's request to save his life.

Regardless of what kind of person Qin Ruyu is or why she suddenly showed malice, Sun Qingzhu's sincerity at this moment is undeniable.

In fact, after seeing Sun Qingzhu's visiting card, Chen Xuan roughly guessed her purpose. Her proud personality was so humble that she lowered her head and made a request for her best friend. Putting everything else aside, no one but a heartless person could remain unmoved by such affection.

After a moment's hesitation, Chen Xuan carefully chose his words and said, "Miss Sun, there's no need for that. I'm ashamed to say that I already know why you've come. Well then, my wife is currently in a special situation and it's inconvenient for her to go out. If it's convenient, could you please ask that Miss Qin to come over so I can take a look at her? Let me make it clear first, my abilities are mediocre, I can only do my best, please don't blame me if I return disappointed."

The reason Chen Xuan did not refuse was partly because he was indeed moved by Sun Qingzhu's genuine feelings, but more so because he wanted to find out what was so special about Qin Ruyu that she would harbor such malice for no reason!

...(End of this chapter)