145: Chapter 145 Cocktail Party

After Ximen Shu left, Jiang Xun picked up the contract on the table and read it again.

It was called a contract, but it was actually a deed.

The terms were written in great detail, and the various responsibilities and rights were clearly divided; it was a very normal commercial contract.

The two characters "Bai Jiu" that White Fox Jiu had signed were elegant and beautiful.

"Is there any problem with this contract?" Jiang Xun asked.

He didn't understand these things, but he still had to give a reminder where necessary.

White Fox Jiu propped up her chin and said, "As long as there is no breach of contract, there is no problem."

She walked to Jiang Xun's side and gently hugged him from behind.

Her breath puffed against his ear, ticklish and warm.

"What, are you worried there is a trap?"

Jiang Xun held the contract, "Being careful about everything is never wrong."

Moreover, he didn't even need to think to know that there must be something fishy about it.

With no relations, who would be so kind as to deliver such a big business deal to the doorstep?

Standing outside the script, he always felt that this fox wanted to scam him.

White Fox Jiu said softly, "I think Young Master Ximen is quite good. There are many wine shops in the county, but he specifically came to us to order wine; isn't it obvious that he wants to support our business?"

When she said this, her tone was much softer, as if she were speaking well of Ximen Shu, and her eyes kept fixed on Jiang Xun's expression.

Jiang Xun was silent for a while, then said sourly, "In my opinion, the one he wants to take care of has always been you."

After speaking, he lowered his head and said nothing more.

He was very familiar with the little tricks of men; with Ximen Shu's level of skill, Jiang Xun didn't believe White Fox Jiu couldn't see it. Unless she was doing it on purpose.

However, since this fox wanted to play, he would play along with her.

White Fox Jiu chuckled, lifted her head from his shoulder, moved to his front, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Are you afraid I will fall for someone else?"

Jiang Xun was silent and did not speak.

White Fox Jiu stared into his eyes, then gently pecked his lips.

"I will only ever love you alone."

Jiang Xun looked at her.

"Me too," he said.

White Fox Jiu buried her face in his chest again and hugged him tightly.

Love and hate are always relative.

Now, she also wanted to make Jiang Xun's heart transform from love to hate. To let him properly taste the path she had come from.

Jiang Xun's hand hung in mid-air, paused for a moment, and finally landed on her back. He patted it gently.

...

Even without Cultivating, time passed very quickly.

Seven days later.

Jiang Xun felt that the injuries in his body had recovered by more than half.

His movements were no different from a normal person; he didn't pant when walking, wasn't tired when going upstairs, and even had a better appetite than before.

But the more this was the case, the more he felt that the medicine White Fox Jiu gave him to drink was not ordinary.

He knew how severe his injuries were. His Meridians were shattered, his Divine Soul was so weak it almost dissipated, and his Dantian was like a broken bowl with a hole in the bottom.

Such injuries, if placed on any other Cultivator, even if they weren't crippled, would require lying in bed for years or even decades.

Yet, relying on these bowls of herbal medicine, he had actually almost recovered in less than a month.

Jiang Xun sat by the window, watching the people coming and going on the street below, his heart beginning to calculate another matter.

What excuse should he use to go out?

Although White Fox Jiu did not restrict his personal freedom, she did not allow him to leave the scope of the wine shop. Once he left too far, he would be called back by White Fox Jiu. And she always used the reason that 'Husband needs to rest more and is not suitable for going out'.

However, in these few days, Jiang Xun also roughly knew his location; he was still in the territory of the Central Prefecture. But it was on the edge of a place called Hexi Prefecture.

He had also inquired about where Dongyang Prefecture, where Qinghe County was located, was, but it was on the other end of the Central Prefecture, a distance of more than ten thousand miles away.

Jiang Xun sighed; it seemed that if he wanted to find Long Ninger, he still had to get past White Fox Jiu.

"Knock, knock, knock!" A series of knocks sounded, both light and urgent.

Jiang Xun withdrew his thoughts: "Come in."

The door was pushed open, and a thin, small figure poked in.

It was a half-grown little girl, looking about fourteen or fifteen years old, with a dark face and arms as thin as two dry sticks.

She was wearing an old blue-green jacket and stood to the side, appearing restrained. This was Chun Cui, a helper hired by Tao Fu. She specifically did some miscellaneous chores in the shop.

It was said that her parents were both dead, and she was wandering the streets alone when she was abducted by human traffickers and sold to Tao Fu for a dozen copper coins. Now she served Jiang Xun's daily needs.

Chun Cui stood at the door, looking timidly at Jiang Xun, her voice small, "Young Master... Young Miss said to ask you to go down."

"Understood." Jiang Xun nodded.

He stood up and walked to the door, but Chun Cui had already slipped away, the sound of her footsteps 'thump-thump-thump' on the stairs. He smiled, closed the door, and walked downstairs.

Jiang Xun arrived at the inner room where White Fox Jiu usually did the accounting.

White Fox Jiu was sitting at the table, with the account book that had been thumbed until the edges were frayed spread out in front of her. She supported her chin with one hand and operated the abacus with the other, her brows slightly furrowed, as if calculating some difficult account.

Over these few days, although Jiang Xun had completely believed that he was just a Mortal, and had never doubted that she was his wife, he always felt that something was wrong.

"Wife, did you call me here because there is something urgent?"

White Fox Jiu looked up, saw him, and her brows relaxed.

"There is indeed something that needs Husband's help," she said.

Jiang Xun walked to her side and sat down on the chair next to her.

"What is it?"

"Young Master Ximen is hosting a wine party tonight and invited me to attend." White Fox Jiu put down the abacus, "I just wanted to drag you, Husband, to go with me."

"A wine party?"

"Yes, it is said that they invited quite a few influential people in the county." White Fox Jiu paused, "I am afraid it is not very convenient for me to go alone."

Jiang Xun looked at her. She was wearing a new outfit today, and her hair was combed neater than usual.

"No problem." Jiang Xun said, "Staying in the shop all day, I also want to go out for a walk."

White Fox Jiu happily hugged him. "Then if I get drunk tonight, you must watch over me."

"Rest assured, I will definitely watch over you."

...

Evening.

Hecai Pavilion.

The night in Le'an County was not lively to begin with; once night fell, there was no one on the street.

But in front of Hecai Pavilion, it was brightly lit; several carriages were parked at the entrance, and the coachmen were gathered together chatting.

Hecai Pavilion was three stories tall in total and was the largest restaurant in Le'an County. With flying eaves and upturned corners, wooden pillars and black tiles, two large red lanterns hung at the entrance, with the three golden characters "Hecai Pavilion" written on them.

Jiang Xun and White Fox Jiu got off the carriage and walked to the entrance.

A servant came up to meet them, bowing his waist, full of smiles, "Two distinguished guests, are you here for a meal or to stay at the inn?"

"To attend the wine party." White Fox Jiu handed over an invitation.

The servant took it and glanced at it, the smile on his face deepening, "So it is Shopkeeper Bai, excuse my disrespect. Two guests, please go upstairs."

He turned to the side to lead the way, guiding Jiang Xun and White Fox Jiu through the lobby on the first floor. There were quite a few people sitting in the lobby, clinking cups, lively and extraordinary.

After going up to the second floor, the sound was a bit quieter. The third floor was even quieter; two servants stood at the top of the stairs, and seeing someone come up, they immediately lifted the curtain.

The third floor was an open hall with five or six tables set up, and quite a few people were already seated. Most were young men wearing various long robes; some were drinking tea, some were talking in low voices, and some were admiring the calligraphy and paintings hanging on the walls.

Jiang Xun glanced over; they were all scholars. A few had jade pendants hanging from their waists and rings on their fingers; one look and it was clear they were children from wealthy families.

"Shopkeeper Bai is here!" Ximen Shu walked out from the crowd, full of smiles.

He was wearing a light green long robe today, with a leather belt tied around his waist, and his hair was tied up with a jade hairpin.

"Young Master Ximen." White Fox Jiu bowed slightly.

Ximen Shu's gaze paused on her hot body for a moment, then he noticed Jiang Xun beside her.

"Brother Jiang is here too?" He joked.

"Can he not come?" White Fox Jiu held Jiang Xun's arm.

The smile on Ximen Shu's face remained. "Of course he can come, I was just afraid that Brother Jiang has just recovered from a serious illness and cannot drink alcohol."

Jiang Xun cupped his hands, "Young Master Ximen is too polite, I am only here to accompany my wife tonight, no need to mind me."

"How can that be." Ximen Shu turned to the side, leading the two inside, "Come, come, since Shopkeeper Bai and you have come, of course I must entertain you well."

As he spoke, he led White Fox Jiu to sit at a position next to the main table. That position faced the stage directly and had the best view.

When it came to Jiang Xun, Ximen Shu suddenly slapped his head and said apologetically: "I forgot that all the seats were arranged; since Brother Jiang came at the last minute, there are no seats left."

White Fox Jiu said anxiously: "Then what to do?"

Ximen Shu pointed to a seat on the outermost edge, "There is no one sitting there."

White Fox Jiu took a look at that seat, then looked at Jiang Xun.

"Young Master Ximen, my husband he..."

"It's fine." Jiang Xun interrupted her and smiled, "It's the same wherever I sit."

He walked to that corner and sat down. Beside him was a pillar, and his view was blocked by more than half. The chair was a bit low, and the height of the tabletop was just at his chest.

The set of bowls and dishes in front of him was also missing; there were no chopsticks, no wine cup. Ximen Shu glanced at it, said nothing, and turned to greet other guests.

After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere became lively. Some stood up to toast, some talked and laughed loudly, and some began to recite poems.

Jiang Xun sat in the corner, slowly drinking tea, watching all this.

"Is that Shopkeeper Bai's husband?" "I heard so." "He doesn't look like much, sickly." "I heard he is a scholar, met bandits on the way to the capital for the imperial examination, and his brain was smashed." "His brain was smashed? Won't he become a fool?" "Who knows."

The whispers of several students drifted into Jiang Xun's ears from time to time. He did not react, just took another sip of tea.

Ximen Shu walked over with a wine cup and sat down beside White Fox Jiu. "Shopkeeper Bai, I toast you a cup."

White Fox Jiu raised her cup, touched it lightly, and drank it in one gulp.

"Shopkeeper Bai has a good capacity for liquor." Ximen Shu smiled and poured her another cup.

White Fox Jiu did not refuse and took another sip. Ximen Shu's gaze paused on her face, then turned to Jiang Xun in the corner.

"Brother Jiang, why are you sitting there alone? Come over and have a few drinks."

Jiang Xun waved his hand: "I am not good at drinking, sitting and drinking tea is fine."

"How can that be?" Ximen Shu stood up and walked to Jiang Xun, "Everyone here today is a scholar, and Brother Jiang is also a scholar, how can you not mingle with the group?"

He turned his head to look at the other students: "Everyone, this is Shopkeeper Bai's husband, Brother Jiang Hu. I heard that Brother Jiang is also well-read, why not ask Brother Jiang to show us a hand?"

A few students looked at each other, their eyes carrying the light of watching a show.

"Brother Ximen is right, Brother Jiang, how about a poem?" "Yes, it's rare to gather together, Brother Jiang, don't be a killjoy." "Topic is wine, how about it? Does Brother Jiang have a masterpiece?"

They were polite in words, but their eyes were full of mockery. A person who wasn't even provided with chopsticks, what kind of masterpiece could he have?

Jiang Xun put down the teacup and looked at these people. Ximen Shu stood to the side, a smile on the corner of his mouth, waiting to see him make a fool of himself.

White Fox Jiu was also quietly watching this scene; everything Ximen Shu did was actually what she had in mind. Don't look at how Ximen Shu was still like a normal person now, but his Divine Soul had long been refined. As long as there was something White Fox Jiu wanted him to do in her heart, he would obediently go and do it. And he had no consciousness of being controlled. It was as if it were his own idea.

White Fox Jiu knew that whether it was Dao Xun, or Demon Lord Liandao, or Jiang Hu, he had never shown his true self to anyone. Only by letting Jiang Xun reveal his truly vulnerable side could she pry into the deeper parts of his heart.

Jiang Xun stood up. He was not nervous, not flustered, just walked to the window very calmly and pushed it open. The night wind blew in, carrying the chill of early autumn. The moonlight was like water, spilling onto the windowsill, spilling onto his face.

"Topic is wine?" He turned back, looking at those people, "Fine."

"Then I will use wine as the topic."

His gaze fell on the moon outside the window, and then he began: "A pot of wine among the flowers, drinking alone without a companion."

The voice was calm and low, quite atmospheric. The hall became quiet. The smiles on the faces of those students who were waiting to see him make a fool of themselves stopped involuntarily.

"Raising my cup to invite the bright moon, with my shadow, we become three."

"The moon does not understand drinking, the shadow only follows my body in vain."

"Temporarily accompanying the moon and the shadow, one must seize the moment for joy in spring."

When Jiang Xun heard the topic was wine, the first thing that came to his mind was the eternal masterpiece, "Invitation to Wine," but then he thought that reciting such a masterpiece to these people was truly a waste.

He thought of his own situation; it seemed like he had been in this world for so long, yet there were still not many people worth associating with. In his loneliness, this famous poem came to his mind.

The voice continued to sound, not recited for them, but for himself.

"I sing, the moon lingers; I dance, the shadow dances in disarray."

"When sober, we share the joy; after getting drunk, we each disperse."

Jiang Xun turned around, looking down at the teacup in his hand.

"Forever bound in a heartless journey, meeting again in the distant Milky Way."

The last word fell, and the hall was dead silent.

The smile on Ximen Shu's face completely disappeared. He stood there, still holding the wine cup in his hand, like a sculpture. He could appreciate the quality of Jiang Xun's poem. Without a doubt, this was a High Grade masterpiece.

Those students looked at each other, unable to speak. It wasn't that they hadn't heard good poems, but this poem—drinking alone among flowers, inviting the moon to drink together—that kind of loneliness, that kind of free-spiritedness, that kind of pride in the bones. It was not something an ordinary person could have.

Someone asked in a low voice: "Is this... written by him?"

No one answered. Because the answer was self-evident.

Jiang Xun returned to the corner, sat down, picked up the cup of tea that had already gone cold, and slowly took a sip. White Fox Jiu watched him. Her thoughts couldn't help but return to a thousand years ago; that detestable scholar also liked to recite poems just like this.

Ximen Shu gritted his teeth, turned and returned to his seat, and slammed the wine cup onto the table. With a bang. From this moment on, the atmosphere of the wine party could no longer heat up.