TGCFNM -Chapter 377 Something Just Feels Off

At this moment, Nangong Han looked at Chu Ling and invited, “My lord, do you want to go out to the outskirts for a trip? There’s a lake for fishing, the scenery nearby is quite nice, and there’s a small temple. At the foot of the mountain is the Zhuang family’s estate—it’s spacious, and you can even have a barbecue there…”

Chu Ling perked up as soon as she heard this. “Who’s going?”

“Some students from the academies, and a few young ladies…” Nangong Han smiled awkwardly. “You know how it is, my lord.”

Chu Ling nodded. “I understand. A subtle matchmaking event.”

Wan Sanjin leaned over. “Matchmaking?”

“It’s a chance for young men and women in the prime of youth to meet and talk. Much better than being married off blindly without ever having seen each other,” Chu Ling explained.

Wan Sanjin made a thoughtful “oh” sound. “Qingyu, are you going too?”

Fu Qingyu nodded. “Besides that, students from the major academies will also meet and exchange ideas. Including those familiar students you saw last time, my lord—they’ll probably go too… Essentially, it’s the last chance to relax before the imperial exams.”

Chu Ling nodded. “Then I’ll go. I’ll join the fun—it won’t cost anything anyway.”

Wan Sanjin’s face lit up. “No cost? Then we’re all going!”

Nangong Han relaxed a little. “Actually, it was Zhuang Tianyou who asked me to invite you, my lord. He wants you to come along. But if you do go, it’ll be a good chance to relax and enjoy yourself. That place is really quite nice.”

Chu Ling lifted her teacup and took a sip. “Why invite me? Curious about me?”

Shangguan Shi answered honestly, “My lord, you’re very famous here in the capital now.”

Chu Ling raised an eyebrow. “Me?”

Shangguan Cheng pointed at Wan Sanjin, then looked at Chu Ling. “My lord, all of you are quite famous.”

Chu Ling and Wan Sanjin exchanged proud glances.

Fu Qingyu couldn’t help but laugh at their expressions.

Nangong Han stood up to take his leave. “Then, my lord, it’s settled. Tomorrow morning, we’ll meet at the South Gate and head out together.”

Chu Ling replied with a nod, and Nangong Han left first.

A little while later, the Shangguan brothers also departed.

Fu Qingyu stayed behind, looking at Chu Ling. “Zhuang Tianyou probably wants to get to know you, my lord. After all, your skills are impressive, and behind you is even Prince Rui.”

Chu Ling raised an eyebrow. “Better to be friends than enemies. Acceptable.”

Fu Qingyu smiled lightly, glancing at Chu Ling and then at Wan Sanjin. “Originally, I worried that if you went, you might be targeted. But thinking it over, you won’t suffer any losses, so I don’t need to worry.”

“Don’t worry, don’t worry. Just take care of yourself,” Wan Sanjin said, then suddenly lowered his voice mysteriously. “That Shi Lanyu… isn’t going, right?”

“He’s been home for a while on some matters. He hasn’t come back, nor sent any letters,” Fu Qingyu replied.

Wan Sanjin nodded. “Good. Qingyu, I’ll see you off.”

Fu Qingyu nodded, exchanged greetings with Chu Ling, and then left.

A little while later, Wan Sanjin returned after sending someone off. His gaze flickered uncertainly toward Chu Ling, his face full of hesitation.

“Sir, I think Shi Lanyu is acting strange.”

Chu Ling raised an eyebrow. “Strange how?”

Wan Sanjin couldn’t quite put it into words, so he dragged a chair over and sat across from Chu Ling. “I didn’t really notice it before, but lately, something just feels off.”

Chu Ling thought for a moment. “If I remember correctly, it was Shi Lanyu who kept complaining to you that Third Miss Chu had designs on Fu Qingyu, which is why you went to your elder brother for information about me and ended up coming all the way to Sishui County.”

Wan Sanjin nodded, a bit embarrassed, and chuckled. “And along the way, we even took a wrong turn, which delayed us by a few days.”

Chu Ling laughed. “And I even threw a stone at you! I was thinking, who’s sneaking around spying on me like that?”

Wan Sanjin laughed too, but after a moment, his expression turned uneasy. “I remember Shi Lanyu told me to try persuading you, or just have someone from the Wan family deal with you directly. She also said she would be waiting in the capital for my good news.”

Chu Ling nodded. “But you ended up becoming our office’s adviser and running around everywhere with us, only returning to the capital these past few days.”

Wan Sanjin nodded. “So when I first got back, I was planning to look for Shi Lanyu, but he wasn’t at the academy. I asked Qingyu, and Qingyu said he had gone home and hadn’t returned.”

Chu Ling crossed her arms and looked at him. “So… what exactly feels off?”

Wan Sanjin let out a long, strange-sounding sigh. “Lately, I keep remembering the few words she said to me. They sounded normal, but there was something odd about them… Then I recalled when we first met as children. When I couldn’t recite my writing properly, he reminded me.”

Chu Ling’s eyes flicked. “You mean… you and Fu Qingyu were originally good friends, but Shi Lanyu somehow inserted himself in between, and now he seems very close to you both?”

Wan Sanjin’s eyes lit up. “Exactly!”

“You’re awfully possessive of Fu Qingyu,” Chu Ling teased. “Can’t you have one more friend?”

Wan Sanjin shook his head violently. “No, it’s not that. It’s that by reminding me to recite my writing and casually telling me about it when I went to see Qingyu… he even teased me a little. How should I put it? He’s clever, formidable, and somehow naturally blended in with us.”

Chu Ling recalled what Fu Qingyu had said and squinted slightly. “But in fact, Fu Qingyu is a little wary of him, and you’ve also subconsciously been on guard… The thing is, you grew up together, and when he became friends with you, he shouldn’t have been very old himself.”

Wan Sanjin nodded. “Yes, but… it still feels off.”

Ghost Scholar, standing nearby, seemed to understand a bit. “Fu Qingyu has always been smart and sensitive. When he senses something is wrong, he maintains the appearance of friendship, but inwardly, he doesn’t truly accept this friend… Sanjin’s mind is pure yet discerning. If Fu Qingyu is cautious of someone, then Sanjin will also subconsciously be on guard.”

Chu Ling repeated Ghost Scholar’s words and offered some advice. “So if you don’t like him, just don’t like him. If you feel guilty about cutting ties, just say our office has been busy, and there’s no time to meet and catch up.”

Wan Sanjin nodded slightly. “That’s fine too. It avoids dealing with him… I just feel like he can see through people’s hearts—it’s terrifying.”

“See through people’s hearts?” Chu Ling asked amusedly.

Wan Sanjin tilted his head and sighed. “He told me that on my twelfth birthday, my elder brother would probably give me a big gift, maybe a gold brick as tall as a person.”

Chu Ling’s eyes lit up—a gold brick as tall as a person!

“And my brother really did give it,” Wan Sanjin said, sounding a bit regretful. “But he wouldn’t let me spend it. He said to keep it for emergencies.”

Chu Ling frowned seriously. “…If your elder brother doesn’t lack a sister or brother, does he lack a daughter or son? I’m fine.”

Wan Sanjin was speechless. “…Sir, stay sane.”