HLnovel Chapter 248 A Lament
Chapter 248 A Lament
Chapter 248, Elegy
The Wangjiang Tower was busiest in the afternoon, with people eating, drinking tea, and young women playing instruments and singing tunes inside. It was truly a delightful time.
In the bustling Wangjiang Tower, apart from the sharp-eyed waiters, no one would notice which customer had arrived. But today was different. When a slender figure with a veil over her face and wearing a light lotus-embroidered gauze dress stepped into the tower, for some reason, everyone's eyes were drawn to her.
"Oh, ladies, are you here for a meal or to stay at the inn?"
The waiter found the visitor very friendly and greeted him with an even sweeter smile than usual.
Ye Pianran looked up and glanced around the Wangjiang Tower, noticing that most people were staring at her. She frowned slightly and said to the waiter:
"Hey waiter, is there a scholar named Wang living here? His wife got separated from him fifteen days ago, and he's been searching for her ever since."
"Hey, you mean him!" The waiter suddenly slapped his thigh. "He does live in our building, but I wonder what brings you here, young lady?"
Ye Pianran said, "Of course we have found his wife's whereabouts. Please ask the waiter to inform him. We will wait for him in the side room."
"Alright, alright, this way please, miss." The waiter said with a smile, leading Ye Pianran and her companion upstairs and opening the best private room for them.
As Ye Pianran left, the eyes of everyone in the hall involuntarily followed her until her figure disappeared on the stairs. Only then did the crowd snap out of their daze and begin to whisper among themselves.
"Who is that woman? There is such a beautiful woman in the capital!"
"Her face is covered, how do you know she's beautiful? She's probably an ugly monster!"
"Judging from her demeanor, she must be a young lady from a wealthy family."
"It's strange, I felt an instant attraction to her the moment I saw her..."
"..."
Ye Pianran, whose body had been modified, had exceptionally good hearing and overheard everything. Feeling extremely frustrated, she waited for Wang Shusheng in the side room, thinking to herself:
Why are all these people talking about me?
The creature 666 chirped twice in response, saying, "That's normal. After the host regularly drinks the spiritual spring water, all impurities are cleared from the body, making your aura exceptionally pure. In addition, you've cultivated the Tai Su Spiritual Needle Technique and have now broken through the first level, generating your own true qi. So, ordinary mortals are naturally attracted to you when they see you, chirp~"
"I see," Ye Pianran said with a sudden realization.
"When the host was comprehending the cultivation technique before, 666 reverted to its initial form and was unable to properly explain the key points of the cultivation technique to the host. Fortunately, the host is smart enough to not only comprehend it on its own but also make such great progress. 666 is very gratified~"
Ye Pianran smiled and thought to herself, "I actually have many questions I want to ask you. You must explain them to me properly when we cultivate tomorrow."
666 chuckled twice in a rather lewd manner and asked, "Oh, is the host going up the mountain to cultivate with Comrade Da Yang tomorrow?"
Ye Pianran paused, her cheeks quickly turning red. Fortunately, only she and Ye Lingyue were in the room, so no one noticed anything amiss.
While they were talking to 666, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the door. The footsteps headed towards their room and eventually burst in without knocking.
The one who rushed into the house was naturally Wang Shusheng. When he saw Ye Pianran and Ye Lingyue, his eyes gradually filled with wild joy, and his pale cheeks turned rosy.
"It's really you!"
Wang Shusheng clenched his fists, hurriedly took two steps forward, looked around the room, and asked:
"Did you really find my wife's whereabouts, young lady? Where is she? Where is she located?"
Seeing his anxious look, Ye Pianran's mood suddenly became heavy. She clenched her palms, unsure of what to say.
As if sensing her inner concerns, 666 in the space said:
"Host, this is the final step in the chain of quests. This quest will determine the overall evaluation of the mission, so please consider it carefully before making a decision~"
Ye Pianran paused for a moment, then replied, "I know, I will comfort him properly."
Ye Pianran raised her head and gave Ye Lingyue a look. Ye Lingyue nodded in understanding and stepped forward to make tea for the two of them without making a sound.
Eager to know his wife's whereabouts, Wang the scholar brushed aside Ye Lingyue's hand offering him tea and pressed her for an answer:
"Speak up! Where is my wife?"
Ye Pianran sighed and said, "Young Master Wang, we have indeed found your wife's whereabouts. However..."
"But what?" Wang Shusheng clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and pressed on, his eyes gradually reddening. "Just tell me, I can take it."
"But your wife... she can never come back."
Wang Shusheng suddenly stood up, knocking over the tea set on the table. His voice trembled as he said, "What do you mean, 'never to come back'? I don't believe it, I don't believe it..."
He shook his head, backing away step by step, his face filled with grief and panic.
"You must not have found her, so you made up a lie to deceive me!"
His sorrowful gaze pierced Ye Pianran's heart, causing her to ache as well. Faced with Wang Shusheng's doubts and disbelief, she silently took out the Guanyin jade pendant from her pouch and gently placed it on the table.
The jade stone tapped lightly on the table, producing a crisp sound. However, this sound was like the last straw that broke the camel's back, causing Wang Shusheng's hopes, which he had held onto for so many days, to completely collapse.
He rushed forward, grabbed the Guanyin jade pendant, and clutched it tightly to his heart. He opened his mouth as if to scream, but due to extreme grief, he could not utter a sound.
Tears streamed down his face, soaking his shirt and dripping onto the ground. He hunched over, curled up on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.
Ye Pianran applied some calming fragrance to her handkerchief and handed it to him.
Wang Shusheng did not take her handkerchief, but perhaps the scent of the calming incense worked its magic, and his out-of-control emotions gradually subsided, and his mind returned somewhat.
Gradually, Wang Shusheng stopped crying. He sat blankly on the ground, clutching the Guanyin jade pendant, feeling the throbbing pain in his heart with each breath. The last glimmer of hope for life vanished from his eyes.
Ye Pianran and Ye Lingyue knew he needed time to process this devastating news, so they patiently waited by his side. Only after Wang Shusheng's emotions were completely calmed by the calming incense did he move his chapped lips and speak in a hoarse voice:
Where...is she?
Ye Pianran paused for a moment, then replied, "Shuntian Prefecture."
Wang Shusheng took a deep breath, closed his eyes tightly, and after a long while opened them, said:
"I'll go pick her up and take her home."