Chapter 25: An Invitation For a Cup of Tea
Lan-Xia Tea Parlor.
"Do he think he's still the same third young master as before? With him now crippled, only me, Jiao Heng, are worthy of everyone's respect inside this Fu-Rong City!" the third young master of Jiao Household made a mess on the tea parlor from hearing Qin Lan's name.
This place used to be Qin Lan's favorite spot to exchange his view on regards to music, chess, books, and art. But right now, it was turned into a place with no class at all, filled with spoiled young masters without potential humping on the courtesan like no tomorrow in its private rooms.
That is because another third young master has officially announced that he'll be "taking care" of this establishment.
Unlike Qin Lan, who prefer calmness, Jiao Heng is someone with enjoyed causing trouble wherever he goes. Relying on the reputation of the second-biggest household in this town, Jiao Heng is often seen flirting with women of different ages out on the street.
Fondling them in public as he collects the "protection money" was just a mere showcase of his vulgarity. But because there's nobody dares to step out to challenge the Jiao Household behind him, everyone can only keep one of their eyes closed whenever he walked across the street.
"Let's go." Jiao Heng suddenly slaps the woman who's working on his crotch. His strength of Third-Level Flesh Refining Layer caused the woman to faint from his slap as she knocked her head on the table afterward.
"Where, young master?" his butler asked.
"To where Qin Lan is, of course! Are you stupid?" Jiao Heng gave his butler a kick on the crotch as he slowly kept his tiny branch back into his pants. Perhaps his ego all stemmed from his imperfect manhood.
"Young... Young master, wait..." the butler struggled to stand up even with two servants helping him.
"Chase him. If all of us weren't by his side when he called, then our mother, sisters, and daughters will be the ones to face his wrath next." the butler said as he points his finger at Jiao Heng.
"Young master, open your mouth please," Lu Qing Yun fed a piece of grilled fish into Qin Lan's mouth after she removed the pesky little bones from the flesh. Standing behind them is Lu Yi and Huo Zunjie, who's busy devouring their spicier grilled fish.
"Both of you, can you eat properly? You're making our young master look bad here with that kind of attitude." Lu Qing Yun stares at both of them as she's annoyed with the sound they're making.
"Qing Yun, you should have some for your own too. Boss Ma, one more grill fish, please!" Qin Lan laughed at Lu Qing Yun, but still proceed to order a fish for her.
"Third young master is as elegant as always. Little Yun, take this fish from uncle Ma. I've removed the bone for you." the boss for the grilled fish stall delivered another skewer of grill fish to Lu Qing Yun as she fed what's was remain in her hand to Qin Lan's mouth.
"Third young master, I've brought you and your companion some water to quench your thirst." Boss Ma's wife came out from their house with a tray of four clay bowls and a clay water pot.
"Young master..." Lu Qing Yun hesitates to accept her kindness.
"Aunt Ma looks much younger these days. Did you found Boss Ma's secret stash of money again?" Qin Lan jokes. But his jokes were all relevant to the person. Since Boss Ma has a tendency to visit the gambling den opened by the Jiao Household often, the couple loves to fight whenever he loses all his money inside there.
"Third young master's word is too sweet. I'm happy because the tree behind our house has started to bear some edible fruits. I'll get this useless man to deliver some to the manor when it's ripe and ready." Aunt Ma said.
"Then I'll be looking forward to that day." Qin Lan smiled as he drank the water from the clay bowl without feeling bothered with its quality.
"Shall we go to the Lan-Xia Tea Parlor? I wonder if they added any new books there," Qin Lan naturally mentioned the tea parlor he frequented. But his words made the others felt differently.
"Young master, let's not go to the tea parlor..." Lu Yi said. As the servant serving Qin Lan the longest, how can he have no idea what has the tea parlor had become?
"Is it closed?" Qin Lan asked.
"Not closed! It's just that boss Ling has become my woman because you no longer able to satisfy her!" a loud voice came from afar to reply to Qin Lan's question.
When Qin Lan turned his head around, he's frustrated to see Jiao Heng walking towards him with close to twenty servants. The boss Ling he mentioned is the original owner of the tea parlor, who's also the musician with talent in zither.
At the same time, she's also the woman that Jiao Heng slapped unconscious before he left the parlor.
"Third Young Master of Jiao Household, please mind your words. What have you done to the Lan-Xia Tea Parlor when I wasn't around?" Qin Lan grabbed Lu Qing Yun's palm and had her change position with Huo Zunjie, allowing the two lads to stand in front instead of a lady.
That's because he knows what kind of man Jiao Heng is.
"I've told you. That woman is now a slut of mine because you're crippled. How can a cripple satisfy a woman on the bed? Hahahaha!" Jiao Heng laughed like a maniac without even bothering if people are paying attention to him or not.
"Qin Lan - Qin Lan, I can't comprehend what is inside your mind. Being a cripple like you, how are you able to find the confidence to come outside? I've heard that your grandfather is trying to match you and Hu Jia together too."
"Do you think she's going to marry you, a cripple? I think even an idiot would know that no matter what your grandfather does, the two remaining families are going to slowly come to support us. You might as well suicide and let your grandfather has a better year or two until our Jiao Family controls the Fu-Rong Town." Jiao Heng blurted out sentence after sentence in front of Qin Lan like he was trying to narrate what they're going to do.contemporary romance
But never in his life would he imagine that the current Qin Lan is no longer the immature one he was before. As a sect leader that used to govern over a billion people in a single sect alone, an individual like Jiao Heng is nothing but a disturbance, just like a fly hovering around your ears.
"Qing Yun, let's go to the Qin Family Pharmacy." Qin Lan made a change in his plan. Perhaps going to the Lan-Xia Tea Parlor right now wasn't the best choice as it might expose their strategy for the Annual Hunting Festival.
"Did I say you can go?" Jiao Heng is unwilling to let Qin Lan leave.
"Young master Jiao Heng, please mind your own status," Lu Yi raised his hand and blocked Qin Lan's view as Lu Qing Yun turned the wheelchair to a different direction. Luckily, Jiao Heng has no intention to made a move today, as there's something inside his mind as well.
Calmly, Lu Yi and Huo Zunjie retreated from their current spot and followed their young master as they headed towards the Qin Family Pharmacy.
"Young master!" two doorkeepers for the Qin Family Pharmacy immediately greeted Qin Lan the moment they caught him in their eyesight.
"Everyone! The third young master is here to pay us a visit!" the guards went inside to inform everyone else.
"Young master!"
"Third young master!"
The workers of the Qin Family Pharmacy came into sight as they gathered by the entrance one after another. Everyone was extremely thankful to Qin Lan that day for his selfless sacrifice.
Qin Lan's third granduncle came out not too long after that. But he only shows Qin Lan the most basic response before returning to the pharmacy with the others. After collecting a few kinds of medicinal herbs from the pharmacy, Qin Lan and the others decided to call it a day.
Their return to the Qin Family Manor went around the business street on purpose.
"Hello. The third young master of Qin Family, I suppose?" suddenly, a foxy and seductive voice belonged to someone they hardly know greets Qin Lan.
"You're?" Qin Lan didn't deny what she said and did not answer her question either.
"Zhou Mei of the Zhou Treasured Pavilion." this time, she introduced herself in a much more appropriate title.
"It was nice to be your acquaintance, Lady Zhou. I am indeed Qin Lan, the third son of the Qin Household." Qin Lan cupped his hands together as he greeted Zhou Mei properly.
"The Zhou Treasured Pavilion wishes to invite young master Qin for a cup of tea as we talk. Would young master Qin consider the invitation?" Zhou Mei's hand pointed at the Fu-Rong Town's most luxurious inn as she suggested that they went inside for a proper discussion.
"It is my honor to be invited by a beauty like Lady Zhou. Please," Qin Lan agreed to Zhou Mei's invitation without hesitation. But in exchange, the three servants of his is puzzled.
"Don't tell me, our young master is interested in her?"
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