Chapter 496: Chapter 496: Talented Scholar and Beauty Stories Are Too Cliché

When Tong Huaqiong and Lian Hengruo were discussing business and marriage, Gu Ruinian was not idle either; he was staring intently at Jufu Supermarket.

He lingered at the entrance of the Lian Family’s home, risking being chased away by the gatekeeper, for several days without a chance encounter with Lian Hengruo.

He couldn’t believe his luck was that bad.

While he lay sleepless, thinking of Lian Hengruo, he finally saw her carriage enter Jufu Supermarket.

Heaven did not let him down.

Gu Ruinian looked down at the unfinished story of a talented scholar and a beautiful lady overcoming family obstacles to be together and laughed.

Inspired by Tong Pandi and Li Ji’s story from the teahouse next door, he planned to write his own tale about accidentally encountering and eventually binding ties with the second Miss Lian, hoping the storytellers would perform it.

Such stories have been hotly pursued throughout history, especially when his narrative resonated so clearly with the people of Pingchuan County. These days, who doesn’t love a bit of gossip, especially if it sparks town-wide debate? This story would surely surpass that of Tong Pandi and Li’s.

He was confident his story would reach the ears of the Second Miss Lian.

However, when his half-written story was shown to the storyteller, it was tossed back into his arms for being too cliché.

"Mr. Gu, have you ever heard a story of talented scholars and beautiful ladies in Pingchuan County’s teahouses?" 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Gu Ruinian thought about it and indeed had not.

Perfect, his pen was just right for filling this gap.

The storyteller said, "It’s clear you’re young and naive. Our late Empress once threw a banquet in the palace. An imperial scholar from a poor family dared to dream of the Duke’s daughter and wrote an identical story for the storytellers. The Empress commented that it was the fantasy of a petty, self-proclaimed talent dreaming of a pure girl, saying how could a decent girl possibly pledge herself to a man over a handkerchief and a poem? It paints young ladies as too foolish. Since then, teahouses don’t welcome such stories; they’re too tacky, too vulgar, too calculating."

Gu Ruinian turned pale.

The storyteller was filled with disdain in his heart, knowing very well this crafty boy’s true intentions towards the second Miss Lian through the tale.

Nothing in the city escaped the ears of storytellers, and Gu Ruinian’s supposed "chance meeting" with the second Miss Lian was no exception.

Inspiration for story-making demands being at the forefront of gossip, catching headlines unknown to the city populace.

The storyteller thought, Gu Ruinian truly lived up to the late Empress’s words of a crafty scoundrel.

Gu Ruinian took his eyes off the storybook and continued staring at Jufu Supermarket.

He touched the handkerchief in his pocket.

This handkerchief, given by the second Miss Lian for him to wipe off mud, was washed and tucked neatly away, intending to return it the next time he met her.

He still hadn’t found the opportunity.

But today, the chance was right before him.

Tong Huaqiong escorted Lian Hengruo out the door.

Lian Hengruo’s carriage again passed by the spot where she and Gu Ruinian had first met, where the puddles had long been dried up by the scorching sun.

Upon exiting from Jufu Supermarket, Lian Hengruo saw Gu Ruinian, feeling a wave of disgust rise from within.

"Miss, that guy dares to fantasize about you, it’s nothing but a toad wanting to eat swan meat," scolded Ru Hua, Lian Hengruo’s maid, almost ready to jump off the carriage to tear him apart.

Lian Hengruo smiled slightly.

"Second Miss."

Tong Huaqiong watched from afar at the entrance of Jufu Supermarket, underestimating Gu Ruinian’s toad ambition as he directly blocked Lian Hengruo’s carriage.

Lian Hengruo wanted to see what Gu Ruinian was up to and called to stop the carriage, lifting the curtain to look out.

Ru Hua asked, "Who are you? What do you want?"

Seeing Ru Hua, Gu Ruinian was momentarily stunned; even the second Miss Lian’s maid was so beautiful, just like the maid from Cui Yingying who made the bed.

Maids are allies of their mistresses; winning over the maid would make things much easier.

As he was lost in thought, Ru Hua interrupted, "Daring to block our Miss’s carriage in broad daylight, be careful lest I call someone to break your legs."

Gu Ruinian glanced at Ru Hua. What a fiery little lady.

Just like Cui Yingying.

His gaze moved past Ru Hua towards Lian Hengruo, raising the handkerchief, his heart pounding, "Second Miss, my name is Gu Ruinian, and I’m grateful that you lent me this handkerchief to wipe off the mud last time."

Gu Ruinian deliberately spoke loudly, hoping to let people hear about his unusual relationship with Lian Hengruo.

The move indeed attracted quite an audience.

Gu Ruinian, pleased in his heart, continued to shout to the carriage, "I came especially to return it today."

Lian Hengruo looked puzzled, as if she totally forgot who this person was.

Not to mention the handkerchief in his hand.

How disgusting!

Gu Ruinian intended to spread rumors about her with just a handkerchief.

Not to mention a handkerchief, even a bellyband or bitter tea leaves wouldn’t let her be blackmailed.

Lian Hengruo glanced at Gu Ruinian, dropped the carriage curtain, and Ru Hua said, "What filthy handkerchief touched by some stinky man dares to flaunt in front of Miss."

Tong Huaqiong took the scene in, laughing so hard she nearly fell over.

Had Gu Ruinian watched too many ancient dramas, thinking clutching a handkerchief could grasp a woman’s purity?

Did he not know the rules of this world, where, even if unfavorable to women, a mere handkerchief or bellyband couldn’t control them?

Women accused of losing purity wouldn’t be forced to marry their assailant or have an arm cut for a mere touch... these occur only in operas, rarely in reality.

Conversely, violated women would file grievances, widows, divorced, or abandoned women could remarry.

In such a climate, hoping to become a son-in-law of the Lian Family with a mere handkerchief was as good as dreaming for Gu Ruinian.

If a handkerchief could lead to forced engagement, how could Lian Hengruo casually give him a handkerchief to wipe mud?

Tong Huaqiong was dying to rush over and see Gu Ruinian’s expression, which must be spectacular.

The carriage disappeared around the street corner before Gu Ruinian snapped back to reality.

He was briefly stunned, unable to believe Lian Hengruo cared so little for the handkerchief, seeing disgust in her eyes at both him and the handkerchief he held.

This is not how it was; during their first encounter, the second Miss Lian was not like this.

The look in her eyes then was piercing; he couldn’t figure out what had gone wrong.

Perhaps the second Miss Lian didn’t recognize him.

Maybe she recognized him but pretended not to in front of the maid.

Another possibility, she knew about the Wu Family’s issues, knew he worked at Wu Ji, thus extending her dislike for him.

Otherwise, upon hearing the name Gu Ruinian, her gaze immediately turned distasteful.

The second Miss Lian nearly considered marrying him; how could she forget Gu Ruinian’s name?

Perhaps she always knew he was Gu Ruinian, often visiting Jufu Supermarket, likely mentioning him before Tong Dajiao and Gu Taohua, who surely wouldn’t utter a kind word about him.

Gu Ruinian was overwhelmed with panic and grew resentful towards Wu Ji and Tong Huaqiong.

"Is that Uncle You Tian’s Gu Ruinian?"

While Gu Ruinian was reflecting on the entire matter, he didn’t notice a carriage stopping right before him until a woman’s voice jolted him back to awareness.