Xu Hengyi eagerly awaited Xie Jiang's agreement to fulfill his small wish.
At that moment, the door to the private room was knocked.
Xie Jiang cast him a smiling glance, neither confirming nor denying, and responded in the direction of the door.
"Come in."
A man in his thirties entered, his gaze fixed forward, and respectfully bowed to Xie Jiang.
"Young Master."
Xie Jiang had called for his family servant because he had something to say.
Xu Hengyi, with great perceptiveness, got up to leave, primarily wanting to explore and see around.
After finally getting his second brother's permission to visit Chunse Manyuan, was it not a waste to stay in the private room and eat a meal with Xie Jiang?
Xu Hengyi leaned on the railing of the third floor and glanced down at the stage.
He was immediately captivated, unable to move.
He had attended imperial banquets several times and had some experience, but a stage and a dance like this could still seize his attention.
It was unlike any song and dance he had seen before.
At that moment, the dancers on stage seemed to be imbued with life.
All the audience members felt as if they had been transported to another, undiscovered world.
The song ended, the dance concluded.
Xu Hengyi, having only seen the tail end, was lost in thought for a long time.
If the ordinary song and dance at Chunse Manyuan could be so magnificent, how astonishing must the dance of the twin sisters, Hua Fu and Hua Jin, be?
He was determined to witness the breathtaking dance of the twin sisters at least once!
He used to think that song and dance were merely entertainment during drinking sessions, never realizing that a piece of music and a dance could create a world of their own.
Xu Hengyi returned to the private room. Tian Kangtai had already left, leaving only Xie Jiang.
Lan Meng led the maids in, placing various dishes on the table.
Xu Hengyi could no longer hold back, leaning towards Xie Jiang and changing his small wish, "I want to see the twin sisters dance."
Xie Jiang nestled comfortably on the couch, "You'll see them soon enough."
"I heard the twin sisters only perform once a month, but they already performed at the beginning of this month."
So, when the twin sisters perform next month, would she bring him to Chunse Manyuan again? Without her bringing him, his second brother would never have allowed him to come.
Was this request too much?
She came here often anyway.
Just like today, she could bring him along casually.
Xie Jiang said boastfully, "Aren't I here now? They will perform."
"Your self-importance is too..." Xu Hengyi's retort was cut short by a commotion outside, and someone calling out the twin sisters' names.
Xu Hengyi's eyes widened instantly as he looked at Xie Jiang—could it really be true?
Xie Jiang nodded at him.
Xu Hengyi immediately ran towards the outside.
"Hey, eat first..."
Eat what!
When could he not eat!
"The sisters Hua Fu and Hua Jin have a new dance, and they are waiting for your guidance." Lan Meng had already opened the window, allowing them to see the stage outside through the beaded curtain.
"Do they still need me to add superfluous details at their current level?"
"Why wouldn't they? Every idea of yours is so wonderfully ingenious, priceless."
Xie Jiang smiled noncommittally, then thought about it and also got up to walk outside, leaning on the railing and asking Xu Hengyi, "Is it good?"
Xu Hengyi couldn't hear Xie Jiang's words; he stared at the stage, unwilling to blink.
Every flick of a sleeve, every turn, every step and leap, whether powerful or graceful...
Every frame was breathtakingly beautiful, every scene a myriad of stunning transformations, deeply etched into memory.
Xie Jiang turned to look at the stage, appreciating it quietly with a knowing smile.
How much sweat and perseverance did each scene that captivated the audience require?
But it was all worth it.
...
Xu Hengyi ate the delicacies on the table without tasting them.
His mind was filled with the scenes from the stage.
Especially at the end, when the song concluded, the twin sisters ascended and departed.
It was as if they had truly transformed into deities, leaving the mortal world behind.
Xu Hengyi found tears welling up in his eyes.
"This is the first time I've ever known song and dance could be so beautiful! It's truly so beautiful! So magnificent! I want to come again next time! It's so different from the dances I've seen at various banquets!"
Xu Hengyi marveled.
He couldn't quite articulate why it was so good.
It just felt good everywhere.
Anyone with eyes could see it was beautiful and stunning.
Xie Jiang ate slowly, glancing at him upon hearing this, "Developing an appreciation for art? Good."
Only then did Xu Hengyi feel hungry and quickly picked up his chopsticks. After eating two dishes, he was surprised.
"These dishes are made... with quite a bit of your skill?"
The dishes at Chunse Manyuan were so delicious!
"It's such a shame Second Brother isn't here! They even have boiled meat slices? Where did Chunse Manyuan get chili peppers?"
As Xu Hengyi ate, he became lost in thought, then quickly realized, "You sold the chili peppers to Chunse Manyuan, didn't you?"
Xie Jiang's family servants lived at Chunse Manyuan, and Xie Jiang was old acquaintances with Lan Meng and the others, so it was normal for them to have business dealings.
Then, after Xie Jiang left for Ninghe with his second brother tomorrow, he wouldn't have to worry about not having a place to eat for free?
Xu Hengyi's excitement lasted less than three seconds. Thinking that his family didn't allow him to come to Chunse Manyuan at all, he suddenly clutched his stomach and wept.
Would anyone believe him if he said he came to Chunse Manyuan just to eat?
"Can you have Chunse Manyuan deliver food to the Imperial Academy for me every day? I can pay double the price."
"You want delivery service too? Do you think Chunse Manyuan lacks your money? Or lacks a customer like you?"
Xu Hengyi fell silent.
After they had eaten their fill, they strolled around the pleasure house, following the lights to the garden behind.
Xu Hengyi did not expect to encounter Ruan Zijí so soon!
And in such a place.
What a fated encounter!
Ruan Zijí also did not expect to meet Young Master Xie here!
Xu Hengyi was sick!
To bring Young Master Xie to such a place!
Didn't he ask if this broken place could bear such great fortune!
Was he not afraid it would collapse!
Ruan Zijí froze for a moment, then quickly reacted.
He immediately shoved the scantily clad, beautiful young man in his arms under a cluster of flowering trees.
He kicked him forcefully twice, telling the young man to die there for now, not to come out, and not to make a sound!
Then, he quickly tidied his clothes, as if nothing had happened, and walked towards Xie Jiang with an air of purity.
"Young Master Xie! I didn't expect us to meet again so soon! I said we were fated!"
Xu Hengyi scoffed.
The swelling on Ruan Zijí's face had subsided, but the bright red five-finger marks were still obvious. To appear in public with such a face, and to speak of fate with Xie Jiang?
Moreover, Chunse Manyuan actually had a male brothel!
Xu Hengyi pulled Xie Jiang, wanting to leave.
It was getting late anyway, and it was time to go home.
Xu Hengyan was not here at the moment, so would Ruan Zijí be afraid of Xu Hengyi?
He directly shoved Xu Hengyi aside and gave him a threatening look, telling him to stop being ungrateful and get in the way!
Xu Hengyi, of course, was not afraid of Ruan Zijí and firmly stood between him and Xie Jiang.
Still reeking of his debauchery and not even cleaned up, he dared to approach Xie Jiang!
Xie Jiang pointed at the flower bushes, "Ruan Zijí, is it? You dropped something."