“Is there a private room available here?” a delicate yet cold and haughty feminine voice asked. Although Qi Mingyue had only met her once, he still had an impression of her and her elder brother, Ruan Tianqi. He wondered if they were heading to Yunhao Manor for the Grand Assembly. Running into them here today was indeed quite the coincidence. As these thoughts crossed his mind, he found the situation rather interesting and let out a quiet chuckle before lifting his chopsticks.
Hearing that woman’s voice and seeing Qi Mingyue’s reaction, Qi Xutian naturally guessed that they knew each other. Pouring himself a cup of wine, he raised his cup and asked, “An old acquaintance of yours, Ming’er? Shouldn’t you go and say hello?” His tone carried a hint of playful mockery. Thinking of how his Ming’er had earned the title of Lord Shuiyue during his time outside the palace, and of how many women had fallen for his Ming’er, he couldn’t help but frown slightly, realizing the woman standing before him might be one of them.
How could Qi Mingyue not know that his Imperial father was displeased. Shaking his head, he said, “She is Ruan Tianqi’s younger sister, Miss Zilian. We have only met once. Father Emperor is reading too much into it again.” Since Ruan Zilian was here, Ruan Tianqi couldn’t be far away.
As expected, no sooner had the woman finished speaking than a man’s voice immediately followed, the two of them asking the waiter for a seat. The restaurant appeared to be doing good business and was probably full more often than not. At the moment, there already wasn’t a single seat available, yet the brother and sister were arguing with the waiter relentlessly.
“Young Master Ruan! Well, if it isn’t Young Master Ruan!” The seasoned old hand of the Jianghu, who had been recounting past events, clearly had a keen eye. As soon as he spotted Ruan Tianqi, he hurried to his feet to greet the other.
Ruan Tianqi turned to look and saw many people from the Jianghu sitting around a table not far away, its surface already in complete disorder with cups and dishes. Several of them, their faces flushed from drunkenness, rose to call out to him. A trace of disdain flickered across his eyes, yet he replied with apparent delight, “So it was you, Seniors. Tianqi failed to notice you. Please forgive my discourtesy.”
“No need, no need. Everyone knows what kind of man Alliance Leader Ruan is. If the father is a lion, the son cannot be a dog. Young Master Ruan possesses exceptional swordsmanship and outstanding character, making you one of the rising stars within the Wulin. It is our good fortune and honor to meet you today. How could we possibly presume to call ourselves your Seniors? Young Master, you are too modest.”
Hearing this, a hint of smug satisfaction flashed across Ruan Tianqi’s eyes. Just as he was about to say something more, he saw a figure slowly emerge from behind a screen. Clad in a silver robe, with black hair and an unhurried gait, the other’s graceful, handsome bearing was beyond compare. It was the very person he had been thinking about!
No longer in the mood for empty pleasantries, he left the table behind and hurried over. As he approached, the man turned around with a smile already playing on his lips, and Ruan Tianqi’s heart lifted with delight. “It seems Ziyao and I really are fated to meet. Even here, our paths have crossed.”
Please read The Elegant Dancing Years Chapter 80 on Project Bezemwagen :-)
Qi Mingyue had just finished teasing Qi Xutian about his jealousy. Seeing that they had almost finished eating, he planned to go and call Wu Yao to come down, only to find Ruan Tianqi already standing before him, still carrying himself with the same smug satisfaction. The smile on Qi Mingyue’s lips faded slightly. “To run into so many fellow members of the Jianghu here truly is quite a coincidence. If Young Master Ruan is looking for a seat, there’s one over there.” Still smiling, he cast a glance toward the people of the Jianghu who were openly watching them before pointing toward the private room where he had been dining with Qi Xutian.“So Ziyao arrived before I did, that’s even better! We can sit together.” Ever since Yan Qing had mocked him
This happened in chapter 55.
1 at Liufang Pavilion, Ruan Tianqi had not seen Qi Mingyue again. Hearing those words now, he was instantly overjoyed. Just as he was about to step inside, someone caught hold of him, stopping him in his tracks.
“Is Brother really going to leave Zilian all by herself?” Ruan Zilian had also spotted Qi Mingyue. She remembered their chance meeting on the road and how he had returned her gauze hat
This happened in chapter 54.
2 , and a sweet warmth spread through her heart. She had thought they would have little chance of meeting again, yet unexpectedly, they crossed paths here today. When she heard Ruan Tianqi step forward to speak with him without mentioning her, she immediately grew anxious.
Ruan Tianqi frowned, his impatience with his sister deepening. He gave her a perfunctory nod before turning his gaze back to Qi Mingyue, sizing the other up for a moment. “It has been quite some time since we last met, Ziyao seems even more remarkable than before. I recently heard the Jianghu has given you the title of Lord Shuiyue, which I think suits you perfectly.” He had never imagined that the piece Cheng Ziyao had played for him that day had been music of Tianyin, nor that the other was actually the successor of Tianyin. No wonder Cheng Ziyao carried himself with such effortless elegance. His every word and gesture spoke of calm composure, and he had shown no special deference simply because Ruan Tianqi was the Alliance Leader’s son. If anything, that only made Ruan Tianqi all the more drawn to what made Cheng Ziyao different from the rest.
“Zilian also thinks the title of Lord Shuiyue suits Young Lord Cheng perfectly.” Before him, Ruan Zilian showed none of her usual haughtiness. Instead, she revealed a delicate feminine charm and chimed in from the side, with a soft voice.
“Thank you, Miss Zilian. Ziyao has something to attend to for a moment, but will be back soon. If you are tired, why don’t you rest at my table for a while? Would that be all right?” He asked Ruan Zilian gently, his eyes filled with tenderness that was simply enchanting. Having already fallen for him at first sight, Ruan Zilian naturally had no reason to refuse. She lowered her gaze slightly, her cheeks faintly flushed, and nodded.
Qi Mingyue turned to leave, watching the two of them from the corner of his eye as they headed toward the private room where his Imperial father was seated. The corners of his lips curved into an unmistakable smile, yet his steps never slowed as he went upstairs to find Wu Yao and prepare to set out.
Meanwhile, Ruan Tianqi and Ruan Zilian entered the private room behind the screen, their hearts filled with joy. The moment they stepped inside, they were startled to see a man in white robes seated there. The man’s loose hair carried an aura of unrestrained wildness, while a golden mask etched with strange patterns covered half of his face. Yet even while merely sitting there, he radiated an immense and unfathomable pressure. A hint of bewitching charm lingered in the slight curve of his thin lips. Despite this overwhelming presence, his posture remained languid and casual, as though he cared little about anything, and he merely lifted his eyes to look toward the two siblings.
Please read The Elegant Dancing Years Chapter 80 on Project Bezemwagen :-)
“Who are you? Why are you here?” Ruan Tianqi was taken aback. Remembering that this was Ziyao’s seat, yet seeing such an enigmatic figure here instead, he had no idea what this man’s intentions were. In an instant, he moved to draw his sword.Qi Xutian had already heard everything that was said outside. How could he not know that the siblings before him had both developed feelings for his Ming’er that they should not have? He withdrew his gaze, and a cold glint flashed through his half-lowered eyes. Raising the cup before him to his lips, he calmly drank his wine without saying a word, as though he had never heard Ruan Tianqi’s questions.
As the son of the Wulin Alliance Leader, everyone had always treated him with respect. Never before had anyone dared to disregard him so completely, completely ignoring his words. Aside from that initial glance, the man had not even bothered to raise his eyes again. Ruan Tianqi felt a surge of anger, yet for some reason, he did not dare truly draw his sword. Facing that person, he inexplicably felt an overwhelming aura of power that made him afraid to show even the slightest disrespect.
Ruan Zilian stood nearby, and with a woman’s intuition, she sensed that the man before them must have some connection with Cheng Ziyao. Recalling Lord Shuiyue’s words to her, telling her to rest here, she figured that person wouldn’t harm her. She tugged lightly on Ruan Tianqi’s sleeve, signaling him not to say anything more, then took half a step forward and spoke to the man in white robes, “You must have heard. It was Ziyao who asked me to rest here. Who might I have the honor of addressing? If you are a friend of Ziyao’s, surely you would not ask me to leave, would you?”
Although her words were phrased as a question, her expression was far from pleasant, clearly revealing her displeasure. She had never expected that the elegant and refined Lord Shuiyue would have such a rude friend, who was simply considering everyone else beneath him, while radiating such an oppressive aura that it felt as though nothing in the world was worthy of his notice. After all, their father was the Wulin Alliance Leader. Who in the Jianghu would not give them some face? That man had clearly heard the people outside addressing her brother, yet even after seeing them now, that man showed not the slightest reaction.
Hearing the arrogance in Ruan Zilian’s words, Qi Xutian shook his head. Such a conceited pair of siblings, he truly wondered how Ruan Ao had raised them. And most unforgivable of all, they had developed improper thoughts about his Ming’er. Since that was the case, it seemed someone would have to discipline them properly. Setting down his wine cup, a sinister smile curved at the corners of Qi Xutian’s lips, and his slightly cold gaze swept toward the place where the siblings stood.
Sensing the coldness in his eyes, the two were startled, only to suddenly hear a clear and melodious voice coming from outside.
“It seems you two are getting along quite well, Young Master Ruan and Miss Zilian. Why don’t you sit down?” Qi Mingyue entered from outside with Wu Yao following behind him, seemingly oblivious to the strange tension in the room. He stood before the two of them with an unhurried air, a hint of surprise on his face as he spoke.
Hearing him address her brother as Young Master while calling her directly by her given name, Ruan Zilian was immediately delighted. Thinking of his thoughtfulness, she began weaving even more countless romantic fantasies in her mind. With her status, only a man like Cheng Ziyao could be worthy of her as her partner. Having made up her mind, the cold expression she usually showed others immediately softened into one of tenderness, and she gave him a graceful smile.
Please read The Elegant Dancing Years Chapter 80 on Project Bezemwagen :-)
Ruan Tianqi frowned beside her, but when he turned toward Qi Mingyue, his expression softened. “Ziyao, you are being too formal again. Why address me as Young Master? There is no need for such courtesy between us. That day, you played a piece of Tianyin for me, and I have yet to thank you properly.” As if intentionally showing their closeness in front of others, Ruan Tianqi said this while reaching out to put an arm around Qi Mingyue’s shoulder.Before his hand could even touch the silver robe, Ruan Tianqi only saw a figure flash before his eyes. The masked man had somehow appeared in front of him, and a searing pain instantly shot through his arm. It was almost as though he could hear his bones shattering. Cold sweat broke out instantly, and his face went deathly white. He barely managed to keep himself from collapsing. When he raised his eyes, he saw the person who occupied his heart already in another man’s embrace.
Ruan Zilian seemed utterly stunned. Watching her brother being subdued by another person while Lord Shuiyue was held in the arms of that enigmatic man, she was momentarily at a loss for how to react. She stood foolishly for a long while before suddenly coming back to herself, drawing the sword in her hand and swinging it toward that man.
Just as the tip of her sword reached him, the man merely made a light tap with the tip of his foot. Before she knew it, she was sent flying backward along with her sword, unable to control herself. She crashed down beside a table, sending the cups and dishes on it tumbling to the floor, and landed on the ground in complete disarray.
Qi Xutian tightened his grip. Hearing a faint cry of pain escape from Ruan Tianqi, he flung him aside. He then cast a brief glance at the frightened Ruan Zilian. There was still a slight smile at his lips, yet it was icy cold. He said softly, “Remember, Lord Shuiyue is not someone you are allowed to harbor feelings for. If you develop thoughts you should not have, abandon them immediately. Otherwise…… If you insist on courting death, I will gladly oblige.”
His faint voice was incredibly gentle, yet it carried an equally terrifying danger. Ruan Tianqi and Ruan Zilian felt a chilling killing intent sweep over them like a tide, engulfing them from all directions. Only then did they truly realize how frightening this man was. Suppressing their fear in their hearts, they suddenly understood from his words that he, too, had an interest in Lord Shuiyue.
Without realizing it, both of them turned their gaze toward the person in the silver robe.
Qi Xutian used Dominance. It's super effective!
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