Chapter 351 - 345_1
Ever since the last dispute with Lin Qing at Zhao Erhu’s house, his interactions with Lin Qing had gradually diminished. Jiang Wenshu was a proud man, and if it weren’t for the fact that Lin Qing was Lin Yue’s brother, he would have fallen out with Lin Qing directly. Understanding Jiang Wenshu’s character, Lin Qing found him unworthy of friendship. Moreover, his sister was involved, so it naturally became convenient to distance himself from Jiang Wenshu. He did not expect Jiang Wenshu to come over at this time. Lin Qing glanced at Zhao Erhu half-heartedly, and Zhao Erhu happened to look back at Lin Qing. For the first time, the two men shared a glance that contained something tacit.
"Wenshu is joking. Xiaoyue has always regarded you as a brother, but now that she is married, how could she continue to have relations with other men? With your extensive education, Wenshu, you must understand these principles better than anyone. Such elementary logic surely isn’t lost on you." Lin Qing’s words were spoken diplomatically, but the underlying message was clear to Jiang Wenshu. Lin Qing was particularly dissatisfied with the false accusations Jiang Wenshu had made last time, tarnishing his sister’s reputation and fearing that Jiang Wenshu would spout nonsense in front of everyone, so he preempted with his own comment.
"Aqing, since Xiaoyue sees me as a brother, how could I be an outsider? There’s no need for such formalities." Jiang Wenshu’s smile was somewhat stiff. The situation was different from last time, and faced with his academy peers, he still had reservations. Scholars value their reputations, especially Jiang Wenshu, who always boasted about himself.
"After all, we’re not blood relatives, and propriety must be maintained. Moreover, Xiaoyue has forgotten the past, so there’s no need for Wenshu to dwell on it."
Although the others did not understand the subtleties of the exchange between Lin Qing and Jiang Wenshu, they could tell something was amiss. From the sound of it, could it be that Jiang Wenshu harbored intentions towards Lin Qing’s sister? Though Lin Yue was indeed beautiful and gentle, she was already married and naturally should not be involved with other men. After the meal, their relationship with Lin Qing had improved significantly, and understanding more about his character, they were willing to form an association with him. This led to them stepping in to divert Jiang Wenshu’s attention.
"Brother Jiang is a well-known scholar in our academy. It’s a rare visit, and I’ve composed a few poems and would like to seek your insights."
"Indeed, we all hope Brother Jiang won’t hesitate to enlighten us."
After being led away, Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue lost interest in staying any longer, especially since they had helped Lin Qing with his shopping in the morning and Lin Yue still had her own shopping to do. As soon as Jiang Wenshu left, Zhao Erhu and Lin Yue also departed in their carriage.