Time Travel: I'm a Flower Thief

The four great families of Jiangnan.

Deep within the Su family mansion lies an elegant and tranquil waterside pavilion.

A light drizzle fell outside the window, wetting the green bamboo in the courtyard. Fu Yaoqin sat by the window, her delicate hand gently supporting her chin, gazing blankly at the dark clouds on the horizon.

Since escaping from Ya Yin Fang in Qingjiang City, she was secretly taken back to the Su family in Jiangnan by Su Mubai, and her emotions have not yet fully calmed down.

"I wonder how Sister Mu Pingting is doing? Is she alright?"

With a soft murmur, her gaze gradually drifted away.

My thoughts drifted uncontrollably into memories...

On that day at Ya Yin Fang, Fu Yaoqin and Mu Pingting were chatting by the window.

Normally, if Su Mubai wanted to see Fu Yaoqin, he would prepare a visiting card in advance, be courteous and gentle, and never overstep the bounds.

But that day, a very faint sound of clothes rustling in the wind suddenly came from outside the window. Before Fu Yaoqin could react, the window was suddenly pushed open.

Su Mubai was still dressed in white, his forehead damp with sweat, his usually gentle and refined eyes filled with shock.

Fu Yaoqin stood up in surprise, slightly annoyed: "Young Master Su, how could you be so rude?"

Su Mubai grabbed her wrist, his voice carrying a chilling gravity:

"I was just writing a visiting card for you in the elegant room of Linjiangxian, hoping to meet you."

Little did I know that the next room happened to be the private room of the Second Prince, Wang Yu, and I overheard him and his guard exchanging lewd words...

Dirty talk?

Fu Yaoqin blushed and shook off Su Mubai's hand: "Young Master, please have some self-respect!"

Mu Pingting pointed at Su Mubai and complained, "What lewd talk did you have to say while holding Yaoqin's hand?"

Su Mubai was so anxious that he was at a loss for what to do, and continued:

"I vaguely heard Wang Yu say: 'What is Xie Mo? A mere seventh-rank martial artist can pose a threat to the dynasty...'"

He wanted to see what Fu Yaoqin, Xie Mo's former lover in Qingjiang City, really looked like.

He also said...after he was done, he let his men have a taste too.

Upon hearing this, Fu Yaoqin was filled with shame, shock, and anger, her face instantly turning deathly pale: "Is...is it true?"

Just then, the main gate of Ya Yin Fang was kicked open violently, and someone shouted:

"The Second Prince has arrived! Who is Fu Yaoqin? Come out and pay your respects to the Second Prince!"

Fu Yaoqin was shocked. Her heart had long belonged to Xie Xiaoyi, how could she tolerate an outsider?

Moreover, what difference is there between them and beasts, given Su Mubai's message?

Su Mubai drew his sword a foot from its sheath, its cold light flashing, ready to fight to the death to protect Fu Yaoqin.

Mu Pingting was taken aback at first, then her mind raced, and she hurriedly said to Su Mubai:

"We commoners can't afford to offend the royal family! You take Yaoqin and leave! I'll cover our retreat!"

Fu Yaoqin was taken aback, then frowned and asked, "Sister Pingting, but you...?"

Mu Pingting smiled slightly, completely unconcerned:

"It's alright, everyone in your Ya Yin Fang knows me. I only need to give them a look and they'll understand. Then I'll just say I'm Fu Yaoqin..."

Fu Yaoqin's eyes reddened, and she grabbed her tightly, saying, "Sister Pingting, how can you do that?"

Mu Pingting gently bit her lip, then placed Fu Yaoqin into Su Mubai's arms, and said seriously:

"We're different! I'm a courtesan, you sell your art but not your body, I sell both. I don't care! I'll just consider it a dog bite!"

......

"Is Miss Fu feeling at ease staying here?"

A soft voice suddenly interrupted Fu Yaoqin's recollection.

Fu Yaoqin turned her head sharply, and the person who came was none other than Su Mubai's sister-in-law, Su Muqing's wife, Murong Shishi.

She quickly stood up, curtsied, and said softly, "Thank you for your concern, Sister Shishi. I'm staying here well, but I was worried about my Sister Mu."

Murong Shishi approached slowly, her gaze gentle, and asked softly, "I heard from Mu Bai that you and Young Hero Xie Mo... are acquainted?"

Fu Yaoqin's cheeks flushed slightly as she softly replied, "Young Master Xie's swordsmanship is superb, and his character is refined and elegant. He is a rare young hero in this era."

Hearing Fu Yaoqin praise Xie Xiaoyi so highly, and seeing the look in her eyes when she mentioned him,

Murong Shishi could tell at a glance that the relationship between the two was unusual, and a pang of jealousy welled up in her heart.

Seeing her sudden strange expression, Fu Yaoqin was completely puzzled and asked softly, "Does Sister Shishi know Young Hero Xie?"

Murong Shishi suppressed her jealousy and said calmly, "I was once robbed by the Ji brothers, notorious bandits, but Young Hero Xie saved me."

Upon hearing this, Fu Yaoqin nodded, a hint of pride unconsciously appearing on her face, as if the person praising her lover was the one being praised.

He said softly, "Young Master Xie is indeed like that. Although he can be a bit roguish at times, he has the best of heart and is a true chivalrous person."

Murong Shishi overheard this and secretly grumbled to herself:

"A chivalrous person? I think he's clearly just a lecher. He showed absolutely no chivalry when he touched someone's hand or put his arm around their waist."

On second thought, his martial arts skills were indeed quite good, especially...

She unconsciously thought of that move that wasn't a martial art—the Dragon Tail Swing!

Her face instantly turned bright red.

Just as the two were lost in their own thoughts, two steady footsteps sounded from outside the courtyard.

Su Mubai and his elder brother Su Muqing walked side by side towards the waterside villa, and immediately spotted the two people talking by the window.

Upon entering the room, Su Muqing spoke first, her tone warm and slightly teasing: "Shishi, what are you and Miss Fu chatting about? You seem to be getting along very well?"

Murong Shishi quickly wiped the blush from her face, gently smoothed a strand of hair at her temple, her expression returned to normal, and she replied with a faint smile:

"I was just talking to Miss Fu about Young Master Xie Mo. As you know, I was kidnapped by bandits a few days ago."

Thanks to his rescue, she escaped danger, and Miss Fu praised him as a chivalrous young hero.

Everyone was praising Xie Xiaoyi, and Su Mubai felt a pang of sadness and a tightness in his chest, a mixture of discomfort and admiration.

He nodded and said in a deep voice, "I lost a move when I sparred with him back then."

He disregarded past grievances and even helped heal my injuries. This man is highly skilled in martial arts and has a magnanimous heart; he is truly a chivalrous hero.

Su Muqing nodded upon hearing this, her eyes full of approval:

"He left in such a hurry that I didn't have a chance to properly thank him. I must make friends with such a person when I have the opportunity."

At this moment, in the waterside pavilion, the four people were talking amongst themselves, all praising Xie Xiaoyi.

No one ever spoke out that Fu Yaoqin's praise of him was out of deep admiration, and that she had already regarded him as the man of her life.

Murong Shishi's feelings for him were intimate, a deep connection of body and soul, a tender past unknown to others.

The brothers Su Muqing and Su Mubai regarded him only as a young swordsman worthy of their acquaintance.

Full of admiration, yet completely unaware that he had unknowingly become the "Hulk" in this love triangle.

The four of them took their seats one after another, and a maid served hot tea. The steam rose gently, and the drizzle continued in the courtyard. They chatted leisurely in a relaxed atmosphere.

Meanwhile, a thousand miles away, Xie Xiaoyi was engaged in a fierce battle with a thousand elite armored soldiers at the foot of Fuyu Mountain in the East China Sea.

......

(Unfortunately, you thousand people are now surrounded by me all by myself!)