The Smiling, Proud Wanderer: From the Moment He Picked Up Qu Feiyan

It is night, the moon is bright and the stars are sparse.

In the courtyard, a warm charcoal fire burned.

Shen An and the two girls sat around the stove. It wasn't cold at all; in fact, it added to the pleasant atmosphere.

After spending an afternoon together, Qu Feiyan and Wang Xiaocao had become quite familiar with each other. Qu Feiyan's desire to share was greatly satisfied, and Wang Xiaocao, who was initially reserved, became a loyal listener, occasionally letting out a well-timed exclamation, which made "Teacher Qu" speak even more enthusiastically.

Qu Feiyan, who grew up in the Sun Moon Cult, goes without saying, and Wang Xiaocao also didn't have many opportunities to play with girls her age. The two even felt like they had known each other for a long time.

At this moment, the two girls sat side by side on a soft couch that had been moved out, their hands supporting their chins, looking at Shen An, who was sitting on a bench, with bright, expectant eyes.

"Ahem." Shen An cleared his throat, his calm and composed demeanor giving him the air of a professional storyteller.

As the story unfolded, the two girls quickly became engrossed.

When they heard that Guo Jing first met the "little beggar" in Zhangjiakou, who was dressed in rags, had a dirty face, and was quirky in his words and deeds, Qu Feiyan and Wang Xiaocao couldn't help but laugh.

"This little beggar is so funny! Guo Jing, that silly boy, is actually so kind to him!" Qu Feiyan chuckled.

Shen An smiled slightly and continued speaking.

He recounted how Guo Jing generously treated the little beggar to a lavish meal, giving him all his money; how, in the freezing cold, Guo Jing took off his precious mink coat and draped it over the little beggar; and how, when the little beggar casually mentioned liking his little red horse, he actually offered to give him that prized steed…

Upon hearing this, Qu Feiyan's smile froze slightly for some reason.

She subconsciously glanced at the blue outer robe Shen An was wearing. It was the very robe Shen An had draped over her when they first met.

However, this thought only flashed through her mind for a moment, and she was quickly drawn in by the exciting storyline that followed.

Shen An's voice seemed to possess a magical power, completely drawing them into that world of swords and shadows, of tender emotions and affections.

"Young Master's words are much better than Miss Qu's," Wang Xiaocao thought to herself, but she quickly felt ashamed. How could she speak ill of her friend like that?

And the climax of this story has finally arrived.

When Guo Jing met the "little beggar" by the lake, he no longer saw the dirty boy.

"...At the stern, a woman was seen rowing the boat, her long hair flowing over her shoulders. She was dressed entirely in white, with a gold ribbon tied in her hair, which shone brilliantly against the snow. Guo Jing was stunned by the sight of this girl, who was dressed like a fairy. As the boat slowly approached, he saw that the girl was only fifteen or sixteen years old, with skin as white as snow, incomparably beautiful, and stunningly gorgeous..."

Just as Guo Jing dared not look any longer, the girl suddenly turned her head and smiled sweetly at him. Guo Jing looked and saw that the girl's appearance was seven or eight parts similar to that of the 'little beggar'! Except... the beggar's face had some soot on it...

"You...who are you?" Guo Jing stammered.

"That girl in white is none other than 'Little Beggar' Huang Rong!"

When Shen An finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.

Wang Xiaocao was shocked, her mouth slightly agape, marveling at this dramatic reversal.

Qu Feiyan froze completely.

Disguising one's identity...

Huang Rong disguised herself as a beggar, and she herself... she herself had disguised herself as a rustic village girl on the mountain outside the city.

Sending clothes...

Guo Jing gave Huang Rong a mink coat, and Shen An... Shen An also gave himself a blue robe.

I need something...

Huang Rong jokingly asked Guo Jing for his little red horse, and she herself... had also shamelessly asked Shen An for his sword...

Making food...

Shen An continued, recounting how Huang Rong, in order to help Guo Jing become an apprentice, prepared an exquisite "Beggar's Chicken" to lure Hong Qigong.

"boom!"

It was as if a thunderclap had exploded in Qu Feiyan's mind!

Beggar's Chicken!

Brother An... Brother An once made beggar's chicken for himself! Right there!

Huang Rong calls Guo Jing "Brother Jing" and herself "Brother An"...

One by one, case by case...

These fragments, which she originally considered interesting experiences, now present a startling and unsettling similarity when connected by the story of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes"!

Is this... a coincidence?

There are no such coincidences in the world!

Shen An didn't notice Qu Feiyan's unusual behavior, and her surprise was almost the same as Wang Xiaocao's. He got carried away and continued talking about the rest of the plot.

"...Later, Huang Rong used her intelligence to help Guo Jing escape danger on many occasions. She even devised a plan to have Guo Jing learn the world-renowned palm technique from Hong Qigong, the Beggar from the North..."

Shen An personally placed the last piece of the puzzle.

Huang Rong helped Guo Jing obtain unparalleled martial arts skills...

I... I also helped Brother An get the manual of "Heavenly Crippled and Earthly Defected Technique" from the Divine Cult!

The moment she thought of all this, Qu Feiyan even forgot to breathe. A surge of heat rushed from her neck to her cheeks. She could feel her cheeks flushing and even her ears burning.

"Feifei, what's wrong? Are you too close to the fire?" Shen An asked with concern when he saw her expression.

"Huh? I...no, no...oh yes, yes..."

Qu Feiyan felt her brain was overheating and couldn't function properly, so she hurriedly lowered her head and stepped back a little.

The fire seems really hot, but the young master's story is indeed captivating, making Miss Qu overlook even that. Miss Qu really loves listening to stories, Wang Xiaocao thought to herself.

Thinking of Shen An's concerned look just now, Qu Feiyan subconsciously bit her lower lip, trying her best to suppress the urge to smile.

It's hard.

She glanced at Shen An again, stealthily and quickly.

Shen An continued telling the story with great enthusiasm, seemingly oblivious to everything else.

But beneath his calm expression, is there... is there also a hidden, foolish yet incredibly sincere affection, just like Guo Jing's?

He told this story... Could it be... could it be that he was hinting at something to himself?!

God!

Brother An... he wouldn't... like me, would he?!

This thought stirred up a tidal wave in Qu Feiyan's heart.

She didn't hear a word of what happened after that. Her mind was filled with images of Guo Jing, Huang Rong, the village girl, the beggar, the green robe, the beggar's chicken... These images spun wildly in her mind like a revolving lantern, making her feel confused, ashamed, happy, and a little flustered.