As the voice faded, two women who looked like maids, dressed in green skirts, disembarked from the magnificent canopied carriage, one after the other.

Oil paper umbrellas were opened.

Next, a tall man in black brocade robes lifted the carriage curtain and jumped down.

His face was pale, and with sword-like brows and star-like eyes, he could be considered handsome.

But a pair of long, narrow phoenix eyes gave him a sinister, effeminate air.

Especially under the overcast sky, his entire presence seemed somewhat gloomy.

He stood beside the maids and urged the person still in the carriage, "Third Sister."

"Coming."

Amidst a slightly chilly voice, a woman in a long dress, her face covered by a veil that revealed only a pair of peach-blossom eyes, stepped out of the carriage.

Her glossy black hair was adorned with a phoenix hairpin and pearls. Two neat strands of hair fell beside her ears, making her look even more stern and cold.

She glanced at the man and said coolly, "Second Brother, the family sent you to Shu State, but not to secure a marriage alliance with the Xiao Family."

Hearing this, the handsome man’s lips curled into a smile. "Don’t you think that eldest daughter of the Xiao Family is a perfect match for me?"

"I don’t."

Hearing the cold woman’s words, the effeminate man wasn’t annoyed. Instead, he smiled and nodded. "You’re right, Third Sister. Xiao Wan’er is indeed not worthy of me."

"Setting aside her sickly constitution, the now-weakened Xiao Family alone is no match for our Liu Family."

He finished speaking to himself, his smile tinged with a hint of wickedness. "But I did just catch a glimpse of her. Her looks are quite pleasing, comparable to yours."

The cold woman shot him a look and started walking toward the alley outside the East Market.

Seeing this, the effeminate man followed, muttering to himself, "Zhaoxue, do you think I should go to the Marquis’s Mansion tomorrow to propose, or should I wait a bit?"

"There’s no rush."

"Right. We’ve just arrived in Shu State, so we should indeed pay our respects to Third Uncle first."

"After we’ve seen Third Uncle, how about you accompany me to the Marquis’s Mansion to propose?"

"I’m not going..."

Deep in the alley, inside the restaurant called the "East Market Entrance Eatery," the place was buzzing with noise.

The small eatery was packed with people—locals from Shu State, travelers from afar, and even a few Jianghu People carrying sharp weapons.

The moment one stepped inside, the pungent aroma of chili peppers assaulted the senses.

Besides the din of chatter from all corners of the land, one could also hear the SIZZLE of hot oil meeting woks from the kitchen.

Since there were no private rooms, Chen Yi, Xiao Wan’er, and the others had to sit in the main hall.

However, none of them looked disgusted; on the contrary, they found it novel.

After simply ordering six stir-fried dishes, two stews, and a few bottles of tea, the group waited quietly.

Xiao Wan’er was in a good mood, a smile never leaving her face.

Even though the strong smells made her a little uncomfortable, she still looked around with great interest.

She hadn’t been out like this in a very long time.

Even when she left the mansion, it was mostly to go to the Medicine Hall or to the tenant farmers on their fiefdom. She almost never came to a place like this.

If Chen Yi hadn’t mentioned the Jishi Medicine Hall today, she wouldn’t have even remembered this place existed.

"This place is just like it was before. It hasn’t changed at all."

Chen Yi saw her happiness and asked with a smile, "When was the last time you came here?"

"Eleven years ago. Back then, Father and Mother were both still here. They brought me and my second sister here to shop."

"When we were about to return to the mansion, we happened to pass by. Father smelled the aromas from here, so he had the carriage stop and brought us in to eat."

"I remember my second sister and I ate so much..."

Xiao Wan’er spoke with a smile, her eyes filled with reminiscence, but it was inevitably tinged with a hint of sadness.

She was clearly thinking of her deceased parents.

Chen Yi saw this but said nothing, simply keeping a smile on his face for her.

Xiao Wuge listened with great interest, feeling no particular sadness.

Xiaodie’s attention was fixed on the fiery red stir-fry at the next table, and she was secretly swallowing her saliva.

Xie Tingyun and Shen Huatang had clearly been to places like this many times; they were quite familiar with the setting.

However, since sitting down, both of them had worn strange expressions and kept glancing toward the entrance.

Chen Yi, sitting opposite them, noticed their gazes. He glanced at the entrance, and his ears naturally caught some sounds.

"Second Brother, you plan to meet Xiao Wan’er here?"

"Of course."

"Me, the second young master of the Jing State Liu Family, meeting the eldest daughter of the Xiao Family in a common marketplace eatery. Don’t you find that interesting, Third Sister?"

"I don’t."

"But I have to remind you, this is Shu State. You’d best not go too far."

"Listen to you. Do I look like an idiot like Liu Jing? Why would I come here just to offend people?"

"Especially when it’s my future wife I’d be offending."

"Second Brother, the Xiao Family hasn’t agreed to your proposal yet. I advise you not to displease anyone in a moment."

"I know, I know..."

’The second young master of the Jing State Liu Family?’

’A marriage proposal?’

Chen Yi frowned to himself, looking at Xiao Wan’er, who was still smiling happily, completely unaware.

He had already guessed who was behind the words on the plaque given to Ma Liangcai earlier.

’But why now, of all times...’

’How irritating.’

But then again, many people and many things in life are rarely to one’s liking.

Before long, Chen Yi saw a handsome man in black brocade robes walk in.

Beside him was a woman wearing a veil, her bright eyes glinting with coldness.

After the two entered, the man looked toward Chen Yi, Xiao Wan’er, and their group.

Then they started walking over.

Xiao Wan’er naturally saw them too, but she only spared them a glance before continuing with a smile,

"Brother-in-law and Wuge, you two should eat more later. Huatang and I don’t have large appetites."

The words had barely left her mouth.

Xiao Wuge had just said "Okay," when the man walked straight up to them and interjected as if he knew them well.

"Miss Wan’er, rest assured, my appetite is not small either. I can help you with that."

Xiao Wan’er paused, the smile vanishing from her face. She asked with a hint of displeasure, "Who are you?"

The handsome man offered a smile and a bow.

"Liu Wen of Jing State, also known as Liu Liming, greets Miss Wan’er."

"I hope you’ll forgive my sudden intrusion."

With that, he paused slightly, and upon seeing Xiao Wuge beside her, bowed again. "And I greet the Young Master as well."

The woman beside him also curtsied, her voice cold. "Liu Zhaoxue greets you all."

Xiao Wan’er studied the two of them with a slight frown, clearly not understanding why people from the Jing State Liu Family had sought her out.

Just as she was about to speak, Shen Huatang leaned in and whispered a few words in her ear.

After hearing her out, Xiao Wan’er’s eyes widened slightly. She glanced at the calm and composed Chen Yi beside her and seemed to let out a sigh of relief.

Then, her expression turned cold as she said, "Since you know you’re intruding, please leave."

Liu Wen seemed to have expected this and shook his head with a smile. "They say that a chance encounter is better than a planned meeting."

"For my third sister and I to meet Miss Wan’er the very day we arrived in Shu State is truly a matter of fate."

"Why must Miss Wan’er push us away?"

At this, Liu Wen paused, looking at them with a smirk.

"Or could it be that Miss Wan’er is worried something might happen between me... I mean, *us*?"

The moment he finished, Xiao Wan’er’s brows furrowed tightly, her face icing over.

"Huatang, see them out."

Even Xiao Wuge sensed the visitor’s ill intentions and tensed his little face.

Xie Tingyun and Shen Huatang rose as instructed, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords.

Their auras turned cold and grim as they stared intently at the newcomers.

Seeing this, Liu Wen’s smile remained. Just as he was about to say more, Liu Zhaoxue stepped in front of him. "Please forgive us, Sister Wan’er. My brother meant no offense. We’ll leave now."

"Third Sister, you..."

Before Liu Wen could finish, Liu Zhaoxue turned and started pulling him away.

"I’m not done talking."

"Hey! Third Sister... no, I mean, Miss Wan’er, I will pay a formal visit in a few days!"

Chen Yi, who had been silent all this time, watched their retreating backs, a sharp glint in his eyes.

Under his Qi Observation Skill, he could see the auras emanating from them.

’Liu Wen’s True Essence aura is coarse and heavy.’

’Liu Zhaoxue’s aura is weaker than Liu Wen’s. She should be at the Sixth Grade Realm.’

’In that case, Liu Wen’s cultivation should be at the Fifth Grade Realm, a bit weaker than Liu Lang.’

After his assessment, Chen Yi discreetly retracted his gaze.

The tense atmosphere in the restaurant finally broke. The surrounding patrons breathed a sigh of relief and began to whisper amongst themselves.

Most of them were talking about the Dingyuan Marquis’s Mansion, the Xiao Family, and the Jing State Liu Family.

Hearing these whispers, Xiao Wan’er was about to get up and leave.

But then she saw Chen Yi raise his voice and ask, "Waiter, when will the food be ready? I’m starving."

"Just a moment, sir! It’s coming right up."

Huh?

Xiao Wan’er stared blankly at Chen Yi, but when he looked over at her, she instinctively lowered her head.

The words she had just heard from Shen Huatang had completely ruined her earlier mood.

The others also looked at Chen Yi with various expressions, seemingly a little confused.

Chen Yi glanced around and said with a smile, "Man is iron, food is steel. If you don’t eat, you’ll feel it."

"It’s rare for us to come out. We should at least try the delicious food Eldest Sister mentioned before we go back."

As he spoke, he reached out and patted Xiao Wan’er’s hand, asking,

"What do you think, Eldest Sister?"

Xiao Wan’er froze. Her gaze was fixed on the hand that had just left her own. A wave of heat rushed through her, making her forget all her previous displeasure. Only a single thought remained in her mind:

’He... he... he... touched my hand...’

Seeing her silent, Xiao Wuge chimed in approvingly, "Brother-in-law is right."

"Sis, we can’t let some nobodies ruin our mood, right?"

Xiao Wan’er was stunned for a good while before she snapped out of it. She lifted her head, revealing a slightly flushed face, and lightly slapped Xiao Wuge.

"What do you mean, ’nobodies’? You can’t be so rude."

Xiao Wuge’s eyes darted around, and he grinned. "Brother-in-law taught me."

"He also said you shouldn’t let other people’s mistakes affect your own mood. People who do that are usually pretty stupid."

Chen Yi was struck speechless for a moment, then laughed. He clearly hadn’t expected Xiao Wuge to remember something he had said so casually.

"I don’t recall ever saying that."

Xiao Wan’er’s face grew even redder. She shot him a reproachful look.

"You should teach him some better things, you know."

Chen Yi spread his hands. "Me? I’m really not that knowledgeable."

"If you don’t believe me..."

At this moment, whether she believed him or not was unimportant.

At least Xiao Wan’er was smiling, having temporarily forgotten the unpleasantness from before.

Seeing this, Xiaodie, Xie Tingyun, and Shen Huatang breathed a sigh of relief. It looked like they would get to eat their spicy lunch after all.

Chen Yi really hadn’t thought that far ahead. He just seized the rare opportunity to joke around and lighten the group’s mood.

"Brother-in-law, save me some sliced meat!"

"That’s mine..."

[Meanwhile]

Back in the carriage, Liu Wen’s face darkened when he heard the sounds of laughter and chatter from the restaurant.

He glared at Liu Zhaoxue and demanded, "Don’t you think you should explain yourself?"

Liu Zhaoxue stared out the window and said coolly, "If you had continued, Second Brother, you would only have been asking for trouble."

"From them?"

"Those two maids are Xie Tingyun and Shen Huatang of the Celestial Sect. Could you have beaten them?"

"And Xiao Wan’er—you’ve already displeased her. You still want to go propose marriage?"

Hearing Liu Zhaoxue’s words, Liu Wen froze. His anger vanished, and he smiled and nodded. "You’re right to remind me, Third Sister. I almost forgot what’s important."

"My mistake, my mistake."

Liu Zhaoxue gave a noncommittal nod but still didn’t look at him. Her gaze fell on the alley, her thoughts unreadable.

Liu Wen, however, seemed not to notice and said to himself, "That man from just now must be the Xiao Family’s live-in son-in-law, Xiao Jinghong’s husband. Heh, he certainly does look frail."

"Recently, I’ve heard rumors in Shu State that he can teach students to achieve success in the Calligraphy Dao. I don’t believe it. A mere live-in son-in-law..."

Just then, Liu Zhaoxue interrupted him in a low, haunting voice:

"Second Brother, that ’live-in son-in-law of the Xiao Family’ you speak of was a concubine-born son of the Jiangnan Prefecture Chen Family before he came to Shu State."

"Have you forgotten what Father taught you back then?"

"He told you to surpass Chen Qingzhou in talent and learning, and to overcome Cui Xiayang in Martial Arts."

Liu Wen paused, recalling the past. His face soured as he said, "I’d forgotten. So I have this old score to settle with him. If I get the chance this time, I’ll compete with him."

Hearing this, Liu Zhaoxue secretly shook her head and said in a cold voice:

"Let’s go. To Third Uncle’s house..."