71: Chapter 71 Reunion on the Street, Old Kindness Reunited

Su Qinghe looked at the man before her; he had a well-proportioned build, his long hair was tied up, and he truly looked like a dashing Young Master.

If one only glanced at him, they would just think he was a reasonably handsome young man, but upon closer observation, one could discover an inexplicable calmness about him.

Su Qinghe stared intently for a long while, as if confirming something, then spoke with pleasant surprise:

"So it is you!"

The night breeze brushed across the long street, swirling up a few fallen leaves.

The surrounding clamor seemed to peel away instantly after that exclamation.

The surrounding passersby also locked their gazes onto them, looking curiously at the two, wondering what kind of relationship existed between this wealthy Young Miss and the man in front.

Su Qinghe was always cold and aloof in nature; even if Mount Tai were to collapse before her, she could sit as composed as ever.

But at this moment, bright ripples stirred within those eyes that were usually as still as an ancient well.

Her gaze was like a torch, locked firmly onto the man before her.

Chen Ran stopped in his tracks.

He looked at the beautiful, delicate woman before him, and the image of the ambushed caravan on the outskirts of Wuyue Mountain flashed rapidly through his mind.

Su Qinghe, a talented woman from Shenghai, the Senior Sister among the younger generation of Wenxin Hall, with astonishing talent...

Countless pieces of information surfaced automatically in his mind.

He hadn't expected that while just casually strolling through the capital, he would run into her, and she even seemed to have recognized him.

"Young Miss, you have mistaken me for someone else." Chen Ran's tone was flat.

He tucked his hands back into his sleeves and turned, preparing to take Jiang Mengli and walk around her.

"I would not be mistaken." Su Qinghe did not yield, stepping forward to block his path, staring at him with burning eyes.

"That day in the mountains, although you, Young Master, wore a bamboo hat and I could not see your true face," she said with an extremely certain tone, "but this figure, and your Qi, I, Su Qinghe, would absolutely not remember incorrectly."

She Cultivated the Dao of Confucianism, nurturing the Haoran Qi, and her perception was far beyond that of ordinary people.

Ordinary Martial Artists usually possessed an aura of ferocity and bloodlust, but the Qi on Chen Ran when they met that day was extremely unique; there was an unusually familiar feeling about him.

Therefore, meeting again, just by brushing past, she had recognized the man's identity.

Chen Ran was silent.

What is this... a dog's nose?

A scholar who Cultivates the Dao of Confucianism can actually lock onto me just by my Qi?

Or is it that this woman before me is extraordinary? Chen Ran secretly sized up the girl in front of him.

He didn't want to cause trouble.

In this ever-changing capital, getting involved with a star pupil of Wenxin Hall was equivalent to jumping into a whirlpool voluntarily.

But since the other party was so certain, denying it further would only make him appear guilty.

Su Qinghe saw that he didn't speak, so she took it as his tacit agreement.

She stepped back half a pace, folded her hands in front of her abdomen, bowed slightly, and performed an extremely proper and rigorous ancient greeting:

"If you, Young Master, had not acted righteously that day, I, Su Qinghe, and the dozens of people accompanying me would have long since perished in the Yellow Springs.

This life-saving grace, I, Su Qinghe, have always kept engraved in my heart, and have not dared to forget it for even a moment."

Chen Ran shifted sideways, avoiding half a position, not accepting her full bow.

"It was just a casual act." He scanned the pedestrians passing by on the long street, and seeing that everyone's eyes were focused on him, he said in a flat tone:

"Young Miss, there is no need to take it to heart. I still have matters to attend to, so I will take my leave."

Su Qinghe straightened up.

At this moment, her gaze naturally fell upon Jiang Mengli, who was behind Chen Ran.

Jiang Mengli wore a veil, with most of her face hidden behind the thin fabric.

Her moon-white long dress fluttered slightly in the wind.

Even though she had deliberately restrained her Qi, that cold and aloof quality was still impossible to ignore.

She stood there quietly, completely at odds with the noisy marketplace.

Su Qinghe felt a slight stir in her heart.

One couldn't see her face clearly, but she was definitely not an ordinary woman.

That figure, that posture, were also definitely not those of an average woman.

She didn't ask further, only politely nodded slightly towards Jiang Mengli, which counted as a greeting.

Jiang Mengli watched this scene with cold eyes, her beautiful eyes sizing up the scholarly-looking woman before her, and she snorted coldly:

"A Cultivator of the Confucian Dao... one look and you can tell she's not a good person."

Cough.

Chen Ran gave a light cough, interrupting this ominous atmosphere.

This Red Lotus Witch seemed to have a poor attitude towards these Cultivators who Cultivate the Dao of Confucianism.

Even when he had first started to Cultivate his Mind-Cultivation Technique, she had sensed that something was wrong, let alone Su Qinghe, whose Haoran Qi was likely hundreds of times stronger than his own.

Jiang Mengli pouted, then she shifted her gaze, looking toward a candied hawthorn vendor at the other end of the street.

"Young Master..." Su Qinghe withdrew her gaze, just about to speak up to ask him to stay.

At this moment, the guards protecting Su Qinghe finally reacted; no one had expected that this talented woman would actually walk straight away from the formation.

"Young Miss, be careful!"

A low, cold, and hard voice suddenly intervened, bluntly interrupting Su Qinghe's words.

A burly man walked out from the Su Family guard team.

He wore a dark cyan martial outfit, with a short black vest draped over his shoulders, and his gait exuded a dense, military Evil Qi.

Under the lamplight, an old, dark red scar at the tail of his eyebrow looked particularly ferocious.

Liu Zhong.

After the Wuyue Mountain ambush incident, Wenxin Hall discovered that many guards were actually moles, which had led to the information leak.

Therefore, they spent a large sum of money to recruit this elite group from veteran soldiers who had retired from the border, with him serving as the guard captain.

Thus, the entire guard team could be said to have been thoroughly purged, and naturally, they did not recognize who the person before them was.

He strode out, his figure like a thick stone wall, standing directly in front of Su Qinghe. A pair of eyes, as sharp as a hawk's, stared fixedly at Chen Ran.

"Who are you, Your Excellency?" Liu Zhong's hand pressed onto the hilt of the blade at his waist.

His thumb exerted a slight force, and with a soft "click," the blade guard was pushed open, revealing a sliver of chilling blade light.

Recently, the situation in the capital was tense, with undercurrents of various forces moving.

The Disciples of Wenxin Hall had become fat meat in the eyes of many, wanting to seize the opportunity to stir up trouble.

Su Qinghe had a special status; she was not only the eldest Young Miss of the Su Family but also highly valued by the Great Masters of Wenxin Hall.

Liu Zhong absolutely would not allow anyone of unknown origin to approach.

Especially this man before them; his appearance was too coincidental.

Years of experience fighting at the border caused Liu Zhong to choose the most vigilant posture.

Chen Ran glanced at him, ignoring him.

A seventh-rank Martial Artist, his foundation was built very solidly; he was a tough nut who had seen blood. But that was all.

Seeing this, Liu Zhong's eyes grew colder. He pressed forward half a step and said in a deep voice:

"My Young Miss has a body of gold and jade; if you are sensible, Your Excellency, it would be best to state your name. Otherwise, do not blame me, Liu, for being offensive!"

As soon as his voice fell, several Su Family guards simultaneously pressed onto their sword hilts, faintly spreading out to form a semi-encirclement.

Seeing this, the pedestrians on the street hurriedly avoided them, and the originally bustling street instantly cleared out a space.

"Liu Zhong!"

Su Qinghe's face sank, and she shouted sharply to cut him off.

She quickly walked around Liu Zhong, standing directly in front of Chen Ran, and turned to glare angrily at her guard captain: "Stand down! Who gave you permission to be rude to the Young Master?"

Liu Zhong's brows were tightly locked, his hand still pressed on the sword hilt. He looked at Su Qinghe, his tone anxious but exceptionally firm:

"Young Miss, this person's background is unknown, and he suddenly appeared here; I fear he harbors evil intentions! It is my duty to find out his background to avoid repeating the Wuyue Mountain disaster..."

"I said, stand down!" Su Qinghe's voice rose once again.

Liu Zhong gritted his teeth.

He slowly stared at Chen Ran for a moment, and finally released the sword hilt. With a "clatter," the long sword went into its scabbard. He lowered his head and retreated back into the guard team.

"This subordinate knows his crime," he said in a muffled voice.

Su Qinghe straightened her sleeves, straightened her back, and turned to face Chen Ran.

The anger on her face completely faded, replaced by a sincere and apologetic expression.

"My subordinate does not understand the rules; having fought outside for years, he is accustomed to being crude. He has offended you, Young Master. I, Su Qinghe, apologize to you on his behalf, and I hope you will be magnanimous." She bowed slightly once more.

Chen Ran nodded casually.

"It is no matter."

He didn't take the hostility of a guard to heart at all, especially since the other party was merely fulfilling his duty.

"Since you, Young Master, are in the capital today, I wonder if you would do me the honor of allowing me to play the host?" Su Qinghe looked at Chen Ran, her tone extremely sincere.

Seeing that more and more passersby were gathering, this was clearly not a suitable place for conversation.

"Very well." Chen Ran withdrew his gaze and nodded in agreement.

A trace of joy flashed in Su Qinghe's eyes.

"I know a teahouse; that place is quiet. Let us go there to talk." Su Qinghe raised her hand and pointed forward.