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

The night wind was chilly, causing the lanterns under the eaves of the gatehouse to sway incessantly, their light flickering and casting shadows that made the girl's pretty face appear and disappear.

Seeing her expression, the scholar knew what was troubling her. He smiled slightly, took out a sealed letter from his sleeve, and handed it to her.

"In that case, I'll trouble you to deliver this letter to me."

After saying that, he seemed to recall something amusing, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He winked at Qu Feiyan and lowered his voice, saying, "I also wish you and Young Master Shen a long and happy life together."

Upon hearing this, Qu Feiyan's pretty face flushed red instantly, burning all the way to her ears. She felt both ashamed and anxious, and for a moment she didn't know how to respond.

How could others know about her relationship with Brother An... Brother An? This scholar is so rude! But then she thought about it and realized that in her haste, she kept calling him "my Brother An," so it's no wonder that others misunderstood.

Little did he know that the scholar had already used this incident to tease Shen An last night.

Qu Feiyan stamped her foot. When she took the letter, even her fingertips felt hot, as if the letter in her hand weighed a ton. Although she felt both ashamed and annoyed, there was also a hint of sweetness that she couldn't quite put her finger on, all mixed up in a jumbled mess.

She received the letter and was about to turn around when a sudden thought flashed through her mind, and she remembered something.

"Please wait, sir!" she hurriedly called out to the scholar who was about to turn and leave.

The scholar turned around, his eyes filled with a question.

Under the scholar's questioning gaze, Qu Feiyan took out a thin book from her bosom.

"This is... something Brother An wrote down last night after he came back. He was probably going to give it to you personally, but for now... I'll have to pass it on to you."

"So thick? This can't be an ordinary letter." Upon hearing this, the scholar glanced at the book, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, which quickly turned into a knowing smile.

"Hahaha..." He laughed heartily, "Then I'll really trouble you, young lady, to act as a go-between."

He tucked the letter into his sleeve, bowed deeply to Qu Feiyan, and said solemnly, "Please convey my message to Brother Shen: The journey is long and arduous, but I wish you a bright future. We shall meet again!"

Seeing that Qu Feiyan's worried expression had not lessened, he gently comforted her, "Miss, you don't need to worry too much. Young Master Shen is a lucky man, and he knows how to act properly. Nothing bad will happen to him."

After saying that, he didn't linger any longer. He turned around and walked out of the gate of Bailianfang, and his figure quickly disappeared into the deep night.

Qu Feiyan stood there, staring at the empty doorway. Those words of comfort had clearly had no effect on her. She felt the chill of the autumn night seeping into her very bones.

When she turned back to the gatehouse, Wang Xiaocao had already returned to the position where she was squatting on the chair.

"Sister Xiaocao," Qu Feiyan stepped forward, her voice softening, "It's late, you should go back to sleep, there's no need to wait."

"What about Feifei?"

"I'm going to find him."

After saying that, she disappeared into the neighborhood without uttering a word, leaving Wang Xiaocao in a daze.

When she reappeared, she was holding a gleaming dagger.

Qu Feiyan nodded to Wang Xiaocao and strode out the door.

Wang Xiaocao didn't stop her, or even get up. She just stared blankly at the door that Qu Feiyan had closed for a long, long time.

Qu Feiyan lightly touched the ground with her toes and moved swiftly, heading straight for Shigu Academy.

Relying on her memory, she followed the path Shen An had taken in search of Tian Boguang during the day, groping her way downstream along the banks of the Xiang River.

The river flowed swiftly, crashing against the rocks on the bank with a dull thud. A night breeze swept across the river, bringing with it a cool, damp mist.

Just as she was engrossed in her search, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a pair of eyes shining brightly in the moonlight not far away!

Qu Feiyan felt a chill run down her spine. Without thinking, she ducked down and, like a cat, silently slipped behind a large tree that was as thick as a person's embrace. She held her breath and stared intently.

A figure could be seen walking slowly along the riverbank.

The man was dressed in black, almost blending into the surrounding shadows. If it weren't for his eyes, which shone unusually brightly in the darkness like two cold, eerie stars, he would probably be difficult to spot even if he got close.

The man's movements seemed slow, but his steps were methodical, clearly indicating that he was not an ordinary martial artist.

He wasn't rushing along; instead, he walked and stopped frequently, his eyes darting around, constantly scanning the grass and shadows of trees on both sides of the riverbank, clearly searching for something.

Who is this person? Is he a friend or foe?

In the dead of night, I walked along the river, searching and searching, and found that he was no good!

Qu Feiyan's mind raced, completely unaware that her words had inadvertently insulted her as well.

She quietly slipped the dagger into her palm, her bright eyes peering through the gaps in the leaves, fixed on the figure moving through the darkness.

…………

After he finished speaking, Shen An had a sudden realization. He belatedly noticed that since his private conversation with Lin Zhennan, the surroundings had been unusually quiet, and even the burly men had not made a sound.

He glanced at it and immediately understood.

Li Donglai, the leader of Xiangdong, stood with his hands behind his back about ten steps away. His men were all blocked by his hand gestures and could not get any closer.

This person has excellent insight and sense of propriety. He clearly realized that he and Lin Zhennan had important matters to discuss, so he deliberately restrained his subordinates and created a quiet place for them.

Shen An secretly praised him: No wonder he was able to make such a name for himself on the Xiang River; he is indeed a wise and insightful person.

After the two finished speaking, Li Donglai quickly walked up. He first clasped his hands in a fist salute to Lin Zhennan and said a few polite words, then turned to Shen An with a face full of sincere admiration.

"If it weren't for your intervention today, young hero, we would have had to watch those two cannibals swagger away! This act of righteousness and helping those in distress is what makes a true young hero! That Shen An of the Songshan Sect, who has recently gained notoriety, is nothing but a braggart in front of you!"

After he joined Songshan, he had not yet met Shen An, but had only met Li Qingde a few times.

In his mind, Shen An was holding that damn "Sword Testing Tournament" at Shigu Academy today, which was a major event that attracted the attention of the whole city. How could he have appeared on this desolate riverbank and mixed up with the people from Fuwei Escort Agency?

As soon as Li Donglai finished speaking, Lin Zhennan turned his head to the side, trying hard to keep his expression straight.

Upon hearing this, Shen An almost burst out laughing, finding it both absurd and amusing. However, he remained outwardly calm, merely raising an eyebrow and asking, "Judging from Li Longtou's tone, it seems he has some reservations about that young hero Shen?"

"It's more than just criticism!"

Upon hearing this, Li Donglai seemed to have found someone to confide in, and immediately poured out his grievances, shaking his head and sighing repeatedly: "Young hero, you don't know, but Shen An issued an order forbidding us from operating under the banner of the Songshan Sect. My business on the Xiangjiang River has immediately become half-disrupted! How much cargo have I lost, how much silver have I lost... it's truly... alas!"

He beat his chest and stamped his feet in frustration, but then changed the subject: "However, on the other hand, it was indeed a good deed for him to shut down those shady gambling dens and usury dens in the city, and it shows that he had some good intentions."

Finally, Li Donglai lowered his voice:

"In my opinion, this young man is ultimately just a hot-blooded youth, full of youthful vigor but acting without considering the consequences. His intentions are good, but his methods are too crude. Such a person will probably not go far in the martial arts world, let alone accomplish anything great."

"I think it's pretty good." Shen An gently shook his head at him.

"Oh?" Li Donglai looked at him curiously. "What profound insights do you have, young master?"

"Because I am Shen An."