Chapter 60
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Chu Lishu’s speculation had some basis. Although Pei Jin appeared cold, he had a beautiful appearance that could be considered androgynous. Meeting Lin Qingyang’s consistent aesthetic standards, he usually didn’t pay much attention to people he wasn’t interested in. People like Xu Wenze, Yu Zhang, and now Chu Lishu had all caught Lin Qingyang’s eye due to their appearances.
So, when Lin Qingyang seemed to know about Pei Jin, Chu Lishu’s immediate assumption was that Lin Qingyang had once been interested in Pei Jin, and that’s how he found out about Pei Jin’s preference for men.
Looking at the stunned Lin Qingyang, Chu Lishu suppressed a hint of something between his eyebrows and asked, “Is it really such a coincidence? Did I guess it right?”
Lin Qingyang took a deep breath, exhaled, and said with disbelief, “What are you thinking? How is that possible? Am I that fickle?”
“You’re not?” Chu Lishu directly picked up the conversation.
Lin Qingyang choked for a moment, and quickly waved his hand, truly unsure of what image he had in Chu Lishu’s mind.
“I’m not familiar with Pei Jin. If we were close, maybe he would have chosen to recruit me instead of Lin Qingxu.” Lin Qingyang explained.
“How do you know that he likes men? There’s no indication of that in the academy. He even insists on having a separate residence, not sharing accommodations with men.” Chu Lishu said.
Lin Qingyang finally understood the complexity of weaving a lie and had a quick look around the carriage, spotting some books.
“I… just happened to see him drop a book once, a kind of picture book depicting relationships between men. Can’t that prove it?” Lin Qingyang said.
Chu Lishu couldn’t come up with a reason to doubt now, especially remembering his own reaction when he once saw such picture books. No straight man would keep such collections.
“If the head of the Pei Clan only has siblings, a brother like Pei Jin and a sister like Pei Qianyu, and Pei Jin appears to have a preference for men, it would create significant issues within their lineage. The Pei Clan would inevitably face internal conflicts…” Chu Lishu lowered his head, analyzing the situation. He then muttered, “It’s indeed good news.”
Lin Qingyang’s mouth twitched. If the male lead were to find out that Pei Jin was actually a woman, he would likely exploit the conflicts within the Pei Clan even more.
In the original plot, both sisters of the Pei Clan were brought into the imperial harem. However, Pei Jin resisted the tyrant, maintaining a rebellious spirit. On the other hand, Pei Qianyu was a compliant member of the harem. Surprisingly, due to her submission to the tyrant, her status was even higher than Pei Jin’s, and she lived a relatively better life.
Lin Qingyang noticed a peculiar pattern in the male lead’s behavior while reading the novel. The male lead seemed to have a penchant for placing women who held grudges against him into the imperial harem as if it were a form of revenge and torment. Simultaneously, he made it clear to everyone that anyone who wanted to harm him was welcome to try, even if it meant sharing his bed with someone wielding a knife. He feared nothing.
He was such a madman.
Now, observing the current male lead, he appeared disinterested in female companionship. Despite spending nearly every day together in class, Lin Qingyang hadn’t witnessed any close relationships between the male lead and any woman. Even Cao Wanying, the granddaughter of Mr. Cao and the future dignified Imperial Noble Consort, whom the male lead got along with quite well, had minimal interaction. Lin Qingyang heard that Cao Wanying appreciated Chu Lishu’s talent and even praised his writings, leading to conflicts with Cheng Yi and Wang Tong’en, who targeted Chu Lishu.
Now that the male lead hasn’t completely turned dark and insane, engaging in a proper romance could steer the narrative away from a non-romantic direction. Given the male lead’s experiences of betrayal in familial and friendly relationships, finding redemption through love might enhance the portrayal of his character. If there is love in his heart, he might show mercy to the people of the country in the future.
Lin Qingyang entertained these wild thoughts on the way to the academy. By the time they arrived, it was nearly the afternoon class.
They quickly apologized to the head master for being late, received forgiveness, and then rushed to prepare for the afternoon class.
The afternoon class happened to be a refined arts class, centered around a game of Go.
Because they arrived at the latest, they were assigned to the last available Go room. Upon entering, they recognized a familiar face – Xu Wenze. It happened that he had returned today as well.
Xu Wenze had already started studying game records with a group of people. When he saw them enter, he took a moment to smile and greet them.
Lin Qingyang smiled back, but as he came to his senses, a sudden realization hit him. Wasn’t their last encounter a bit awkward due to a misunderstanding?
This… looking at Xu Wenze’s normal expression, it seemed as if that night at the Secluded Courtyard Pavilion never happened. Indeed, he was quite composed.
Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu took seats at the chess table next to them. They were handed a chess manual and instructed to study it first. Then, based on the manual, they continued to make moves, creating their own Go game.
The original body had no interest in learning Go at all, so Lin Qingyang didn’t inherit much in that regard. However, in the present world, Lin Qingyang had plenty of free time. Not only did he study painting, but he also dedicated time to learning modern Go. There were slight rule variations, though, so Lin Qingyang needed time to adapt.
After receiving the chess manual, Chu Lishu began arranging the pieces and studying it. However, during a conversation with Lin Qingyang, he noticed that Lin Qingyang was currently having difficulty understanding the manual. Instead of exposing this, Chu Lishu chose to proactively explain, behaving like a patient Go teacher. Meanwhile, several tables nearby had already started playing according to the manual, but Chu Lishu continued explaining to Lin Qingyang.
Lin Qingyang felt that he was indeed holding Chu Lishu back.
While he was contemplating this, Xu Wenzhe had already finished his game. This was mainly because his opponent was too weak, resulting in a quick end to the match.
After Xu Wenzhe finished, he naturally came over to their side. “Haven’t you started yet?”
“I’m still in the learning process…” Lin Qingyang chuckled.
“Cousin doesn’t usually play chess much. It seems like he doesn’t even remember the rules, so it’s taking some time,” Chu Lishu explained slowly.
In fact, there were a few chess lessons before, but Lin Qingyang happened to be sick and missed them. This was his first official chess game since arriving here.
After Chu Lishu set up the chessboard, he let Lin Qingyang make the first move.
Xu Wenzhe watched the game on the side, furrowing his brows lightly as if contemplating the chess moves.
At this moment, someone from another chess room approached, calling out Xu Wenzhe’s name.
“Young Master Xu, do you have time for a game?”
The person was none other than Pei Jin.
The representatives of the four major families mentioned earlier at the academy are Cheng Yi, Wang Tong’en, Pei Jin, and Xu Wenzhe.
Among them, Cheng Yi and Wang Tong’en are not even in Pei Jin’s eyes. Only Xu Wenzhe catches Pei Jin’s attention.
Occasionally, there are challenges and competitions like this to test each other’s skills.
Even though Xu Wenzhe appears indifferent, Pei Jin remains vigilant.
With his entourage, Pei Jin arrived, only to find Xu Wenzhe engrossed in observing the ongoing chess game, apparently not hearing her call.
Behind him, Pei Jin’s followers immediately stepped forward to represent their leader. The ongoing chess game on their side was thus interrupted.
The three at the chess table turned around and saw Pei Jin, the shortest among the men, with a handsome and cold face. He stared straight ahead, sweeping his gaze from Xu Wenzhe to Chu Lishu and finally fixing it on Lin Qingyang.
Observing Chu Lishu for a while, Pei Jin considered him a talented individual who could be recruited for his use. However, she was essentially an accessory to Marquis An Nan’s residence. Originally, Pei Jin planned to secure Lin Qingxu and incidentally bring Chu Lishu along. But recently, Chu Lishu had become too close to Lin Qingyang and Xu Wenzhe, making it difficult to include her. Nevertheless, it didn’t matter much; someone without a strong background or support would eventually realize the importance of choosing a reliable position.
As for Lin Qingyang… since arranging for someone to lure Yu Zhang to Marquis An Nan’s residence, Pei Jin had been observing. However, afterward, Lin Qingxu’s mother was punished, Yu Zhang was wrapped in straw and buried, and Lin Qingxu had yet to arrive. Instead, Lin Qingyang arrived unscathed. It seemed that Lin Qingxu had once again failed.
Pei Jin needed to reassess Lin Qingxu’s abilities. Although she wanted the support of Marquis An Nan’s residence, she didn’t keep any useless people by her side.
On the other hand, Lin Qingyang had repeatedly escaped unharmed. Pei Jin began to wonder whether it was just luck or if Lin Qingyang had some real skills.
At the same time, Lin Qingyang and Chu Lishu were also watching her.
Chu Lishu was contemplating whether Pei Jin would harbor any more murderous intentions towards Lin Qingyang. If so, he didn’t mind dealing with her here. If not, keeping her around could be useful. After all, using clever individuals would be more effective than using foolish ones.
Lin Qingyang, on the other hand, was thinking about why such a good-looking girl, who would look even better in women’s clothing, would target him, a relatively insignificant cannon fodder. He wondered if she could put down her hostility, and maybe they could become friends. In case she did become the protagonist’s woman in the future, he could even call her sister-in-law.
Pei Jin’s cold gaze swept over the three, then turned to her attendant. “Why did you speak so loudly? You’re disturbing other students’ matches.”
The attendant was not pleased. “Young Master Pei, look at the chaotic board. It’s obvious he’s already lost. Is there a need to continue? It’s clear that Young Master Chu is giving face to his cousin, leaving so many ways to end his life unblocked. I’ve never seen someone play this poorly.” He provocatively looked at Lin Qingyang and said, “Hey, Lin Qingyang, we played a game before, and your skills seem to have declined rapidly.”
Lin Qingyang felt instantly embarrassed. He didn’t understand why he played so poorly; he had put in a lot of effort. This performance wasn’t like him at all.
Xu Wenzhe spoke up directly, “Brother Lin’s moves are quite unique, not as they appear on the surface…”
“Heh, Young Master Xu, don’t cover for him. We know his skill level very well,” the attendants laughed.
“Watching the game without commenting,” Chu Lishu’s tone was calm, a warning that seemed powerless. Then, he made his move again. “Cousin, let’s continue.”
“Do we… still need to continue?” Lin Qingyang felt a bit disheartened and reluctantly put down his piece. Being defeated by the male lead’s chess skills left him in tatters.
Chu Lishu, on the other hand, seemed to lose interest, slightly furrowing his brows as he looked towards Xu Wenzhe.
Xu Wenzhe directly inquired the silent Pei Jin, “Young Master Pei, what brings you here?”
Pei Jin cupped her hands and said, “I apologize for the interruption. I’ve finished the chess game on my side, and with some time to spare, I was hoping to have a match with Young Master Xu. I still remember the last time, Young Master Xu won a move against me. I’d like to reclaim it. Oh, and also Young Master Chu…”
Pei Jin turned to Chu Lishu and said, “Young Master Chu won a move against me last time as well. Recently, I’ve delved into chess, studied various strategies, and gained many insights. Could we have another match later?”
Chu Lishu maintained a polite expression, but his words were firm, “I am currently in a game.”
Actually, Xu Wenzhe was not very willing to interact with members of those clans either. He found a pretext, saying, “I’m waiting for Brother Lin to finish his game. I’m planning to invite him for another round. I’m afraid I don’t have the time…”
“Young Master Chu seems to have finished here. I can play a game with Young Master Chu first. I believe you and Second Young Master Lin will finish your game quickly and won’t be delayed,” Pei Jin said casually.
Having said that, she walked directly to Lin Qingyang’s side and urged him as if to drive him away, “Second Young Master Lin, please, you can play a game with Young Master Xu first.”
Lin Qingyang knew he was being looked down upon. Perhaps he really couldn’t compare to these elite minds. He gave a wry smile and was about to stand up.
“We haven’t agreed yet,” Chu Lishu suddenly spoke up.
Pei Jin was somewhat surprised, feeling that these weren’t words Chu Lishu, who was usually intelligent, would say. “Discussing and learning together is a way for mutual improvement. Why wouldn’t you agree?”
Lin Qingyang sensed that Chu Lishu was a bit unhappy, but he also felt it wasn’t necessary. It was just another game of chess. He smiled and said, “Cousin, you go ahead. I’ll play a game with Brother Xu. After all, it’s a discussion among fellow students to enhance our skills.”
Chu Lishu was momentarily stunned, not having the chance to refuse yet, Lin Qingyang promptly stood up, defusing the tension in the atmosphere.
But just as Lin Qingyang was about to move to the adjacent chess table with Xu Wenze, someone stepped forward to snatch him away. “Since that’s the case, Brother Xu, play a game with me first. Lin Qingyang’s chess skills stink, and it’s a waste of time.”
Being criticized once was tolerable, but repeated comments were another matter. If the other party were a character in the plot, he could endure it, considering his status as an expendable character. But why should he endure such treatment from a background character? It was too stifling.
“Have you had enough? Everyone’s chess skills improve over time. Say one more word, and beware of my fist!” Lin Qingyang warned, raising his hand threateningly.
“Lin Qingyang, aside from resorting to violence against others or using your County Princess mother to oppress people, what else can you do?” the other person taunted fearlessly.
Indeed, as County Princess Yawen’s illness prolonged, Lin Qingyang’s connection with the royal family gradually weakened. The number of people who feared him decreased, and the little tyrant’s authority diminished. However, Lin Qingyang wasn’t someone easy to bully.
“Also… taller and more handsome than you!” Lin Qingyang, though a bit plump now, still had notable looks and height, especially when compared to the person challenging him. The provocateur was just slightly taller than Pei Jin, who was already quite petite. Moreover, his features were rather ordinary, even for a background character. Although Lin Qingyang might not be on par with the likes of Chu Lishu or Xu Wenzhe in terms of handsomeness, he was still more than adequate.
As this retort landed, a few suppressed chuckles echoed in the surroundings, even causing Xu Wenzhe to purse his lips, suppressing any impolite behavior.
“You…” The person who felt stung immediately became furious, jumping up and exclaiming, “We were just saying your chess skills are terrible. Why are you bringing up irrelevant things?”
“My chess stinks and yours smells like roses, huh? For masters like Brother Xu, it’s all the same. Anyway, Brother Xu has chosen me now. You can stay wherever you find it more comfortable.”
“Hilarious! If you can last over fifty moves against Brother Xu, I’ll call you Grandpa!”
Lin Qingyang’s temper flared up. “Fine, I’ll endure it just to show you. Wait until you act like a good grandson.”
After saying this, he grabbed Xu Wenzhe’s hand and continued, “Brother Xu, don’t go easy on me later. Give it your all. I refuse to believe I can’t last fifty moves against you.”
Xu Wenzhe was somewhat amused by Lin Qingyang’s childish behavior. He reached out and patted Lin Qingyang’s stiff shoulder, attempting to comfort him. “Even if I go all out, you’re definitely going to last fifty moves. No need to lose your temper over a friendly chess game.”
“No, I refuse to believe it… Brother Xu, let’s play. I must make him my grandson!”
Men and their pride!
Xu Wenzhe could only be dragged by Lin Qingyang to another chess table. The person behind them continued to follow, muttering, “Brother Xu, you can’t go easy on Lin Qingyang just because of your relationship. Chess should be played honestly.”
Suddenly, a loud slap sound echoed from a nearby chess table.
The sudden sound startled everyone, and they turned to look. Chu Lishu had a serious expression, his gaze fixed on the center of the chessboard. A well-defined hand firmly placed a black piece on the board. The stark contrast between the fair skin and the black piece caught everyone’s attention. Upon closer inspection, the previously dire situation on the board had completely turned around with this move.
As if a decisive general had beheaded the enemy, the black piece fell onto the chessboard, sealing the opponent’s fate.
For some reason, Lin Qingyang inexplicably swallowed, feeling an inexplicable sense of danger in the air.
Chu Lishu slowly raised his head, his eyes hiding a momentary restraint. His breath was faint, and he lightly bit his lip, portraying a beautiful person enduring pain. This sight tugged at the hearts of those watching.
“Sorry for the disturbance, everyone. I just felt a bit… sore in my arm. I lost control for a moment,” he explained.
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