GTB Chapter 86

Chapter 86: Fifth Brother, What Are You Looking At?

Chapter 86: Fifth Brother, What Are You Looking At?

On the banks of the Magpie Bridge River, the boatman looked at the two beautiful young ladies in front of him, clearly delicate and pampered daughters of wealthy families.

He asked uncertainly, “Are you sure you don’t want a boatman?”

“Is rowing a boat difficult?” Ji Shutíng and Jiang Jiuchu asked in unison.

The boatman looked at his small boat, a little worried that it might go out but not come back.

“Uh… it’s certainly not difficult for us, but it might be a bit difficult for you two young ladies.”

Jiang Jiuchu thought for a moment and said to Ji Shutíng, “Then let’s take him along! If we really can’t do it, we can have him teach us.”

“Alright!” Ji Shutíng didn’t really want to have an outsider on the boat; it wouldn’t be easy to whisper secrets. But she really had never rowed a boat herself.

However, when they got on the boat and picked up the oars, they realized how difficult it was. The small boat was completely out of their control, veering either to the left or to the right.

The busy boatman had to direct them here and point them there, more tired than if he had rowed himself.

“Fifth Brother, what are you looking at?” Shí Yuánchén’s voice came from behind, startling Shí Yan to turn his head instantly. “Oh! It’s Seventh Brother and Eighth Brother!”

He hadn’t expected these two to appear here as well. Seeing them looking towards the river, he suppressed the surprise in his heart and said with a smile, “I’ve been in Kyoto for a few days and haven’t had a chance to see the bustling scenery of the capital. I rarely get out to stroll around today and didn’t expect there to be such a beautiful riverside scene within the imperial city.”

As Shí Yan spoke, he continued to look at the river, but his gaze no longer lingered on any particular boat.

Shí Yǎn, on the side, glanced at Shí Yan with a cold glint in his eyes, then looked down at Jiang Jiuchu clumsily struggling with the oars, concealing the deepness in his eyes.

He then put on a playful and unrestrained look, teasing Shí Yan, “Fifth Brother is probably not looking at the scenery but at the beauty… of the person!”

The words startled both Shí Yan and Shí Yuánchén.

Shí Yuánchén looked at Shí Yǎn in surprise, thinking, is it really okay for his Seventh Brother to say it so frankly? Could it be that having his own princess liked by others is something to be proud of?

He thought about it. Having a beautiful and enchanting princess whom everyone envied did seem like something to be proud of.

No, he had to restrain his envious gaze towards his Seventh Sister-in-law in the future, lest his Seventh Brother secretly gloat.

However, Shí Yǎn’s next words caught him completely off guard.

“Fifth Brother, are you smitten with Miss Ji’s family? Miss Ji’s brother is the leader of the Imperial Guards, so her family background isn’t bad. How about… I have my Jiuchu help you put in a good word?”

Shí Yǎn curled his lips and looked at Shí Yan, the look in his eyes a dark current that only they could understand.

Shí Yan was slightly surprised. This kind of look didn’t seem like he thought he was interested in that Miss Ji at all, but rather like he was provoking or warning him.

However, he didn’t quite understand how his Seventh Brother had determined his intentions.

Just because he was standing here? Or because he saw him talking to Miss Jiang at Xianpin Pavilion…?

He suppressed his thoughts and smiled gently, “Seventh Brother misunderstood. How can one talk about liking someone after only meeting them once? I won’t trouble Seventh Brother.”

“Oh, I misunderstood.” Shí Yǎn said in an indifferent manner and continued, “It’s nothing. If you’re interested in the future, remember to tell me. After all, your sister-in-law and Miss Ji are good friends, so her words should be more effective.”

“Alright, thank you, Seventh Brother.” After Shí Yan gave his thanks, he turned and left directly, the gentle smile on his face fading away, replaced by an angry and gloomy expression.

It was as if the beauty he had been hiding in his heart had been brought out and whipped in front of everyone.

Shí Yuánchén looked at Shí Yǎn, “Seventh Brother, is it okay for you to say that? He definitely heard that you were doing it on purpose.”

What he wanted to say was, the other person hadn’t done anything! He was just looking, and he had met her even earlier than him, so what was wrong with that?

Thinking of this, he looked at Shí Yan’s back and suddenly felt a sense of shared misfortune.

Shí Yǎn glanced at Shí Yuánchén and turned to walk towards the West Magpie Street on the opposite side.

“What’s wrong with it? I’m already being polite by not throwing him into the river.”

As he spoke, he turned his head to look at Shí Yuánchén, “You’re so sympathetic to him. If I have the chance, I’ll definitely make you go down and take a bath with him.”

“Hey hey, I didn’t. Seventh Brother, don’t wrong me. How could I sympathize with him?”

As Shí Yuánchén spoke, he looked at the girl who had tripped because she turned her head to look at Shí Yǎn, changing the subject, “Seventh Brother, let’s take the carriage next time! Walking on the street like this, I’m afraid that these already ordinary-looking girls will become even uglier if they break their faces from falling, and they won’t be able to get married by then. Then you’ll become the culprit.”

Shí Yǎn swept a glance at Shí Yuánchén, immediately turned cold, and walked forward quickly.

“Forget it, I’m not rowing anymore.” Jiang Jiuchu completely gave up the idea of rowing herself and handed the oar to the boatman.

Although she had gotten a little better at controlling the direction, she couldn’t stand the soreness in her arms.

“I’m not rowing either; it’s too tiring.” Ji Shutíng also put down the oar in her hand, walked back to the boat shed, took a plate of melon seeds, and sat beside Jiang Jiuchu.

Jiang Jiuchu grabbed a handful of melon seeds that Ji Shutíng had brought, thinking that although a small boat was pleasant, it didn’t have the wide view of a houseboat and could only wander along the riverside street, unable to go to the big lake outside the city.

She couldn’t help but turn her head to look at the storefront on the side, towards the three-story Mo Feng Pavilion.

Suddenly, her gaze fell on the windowsill on the third floor. The white figure made her open her eyes wide, but she still couldn’t see clearly.

She hadn’t expected that it would be extremely clear when looking down from above, but when looking up from below, it was blurry and unclear, but her figure still stopped.

It must be Brother Fu! That windowsill seemed to be the location of Brother Fu’s private room. Had Brother Fu seen her?

“What are you looking at?” Ji Shutíng followed her gaze and found that Jiang Jiuchu was looking at Mo Feng Pavilion, so she whispered, “Jiuchu, perhaps you two have no fate. Let it go!”

Jiang Jiuchu retracted her gaze and looked at the sparkling water, “If you were deeply in love with Gu Changxuan and then forced to marry someone else, could you let it go completely from the inside out?”

Ji Shutíng paused upon hearing this. She wasn’t surprised that Jiang Jiuchu knew her thoughts but rather tried to put herself in her place and think about it, then shook her head, “I couldn’t.”

But after thinking about it, she added, “But if I were marrying the Seventh Prince, there’s still a possibility of letting go.”

“Why?” Jiang Jiuchu was a little puzzled.

“Because he’s handsome! What else could there be? I just like handsome men.”

Jiang Jiuchu pursed her lips. This Shutíng had never experienced love after all, and she really couldn’t empathize much.

She raised her head and glanced at the white figure on the windowsill on the third floor, her thoughts unsettled, and she couldn’t enjoy boating anymore.

“Forget it, let’s not row anymore. Let’s go to Jade Shop and sit for a while! It’s been a long time since I’ve been there.”

“Okay.” Upon hearing this, Ji Shutíng instructed the boatman, “Boatman, head back to shore.”

After the two of them went ashore, they walked towards Jade Shop. However, the white figure on the windowsill on the third floor, after they passed by downstairs and entered Jade Shop, also turned and left.