Chapter 507 - Discovery, the Joy of Xiang Xieyue (1/2)

Xiang Xieyue was sick and weak, but he was a gallant man. Learning that he had some ancient books hidden in his house, Qin Yufeng borrowed a book from Xiang Xieyue immediately. Later, they agreed to come to the restaurant today, and Xiang Xieyue would bring the ancient book for Qin Yufeng.

“Brother Qin, I’m flattered. How can I achieve success in the exam? I just want to have a try, so that my many years’ hard study won’t be in vain. Whether I can succeed, it’s not important. Just look at me, you’ll understand, Brother Qin. Even if I succeed in the exam, I’m afraid the Emperor won’t be pleased with me, not to mention anything else.” Xiang Xieyue smiled bitterly and pointed at his thin body.

To be an official, at least he must have a healthy body, but he did not look well.

“Brother Xiang, our body, hair, and skin are given by our parents. We should cherish them. As for the official rank, it was a little bit in a bubble. You don’t have to care.” Qin Yufeng took the wine on the table, poured a cup of it for himself, and smiled at Xiang Xieyue. “Let me propose a toast to you, Brother Xiang. Would you like to have a cup of tea instead?” he asked.

He had long noticed that Xiang Xieyue was drinking tea, so he guessed that his body could not bear wine. Thus he did not force Xiang Xieyue to drink wine.

After hearing Qin Yufeng’s words, Xiang Xieyue frowned slightly. Suddenly he laughed, reaching for the wine pot that Qin Yufeng had put down, and filled up the cup in front of him. Lifting the cup heroically, Xiang Xieyue smiled at Qin Yufeng and said, “There’s no harm in having a drink with you, Brother Qin!”

Qin Yufeng reached over to cover Xiang Xieyue’s cup and persuaded, “Brother Xiang, you are not in good health. You don’t need to accompany me with wine. You can drink tea instead of wine.”

“When I meet you who are so free and easy, it will be hypocritical if I take a cup of tea. Brother Qin, don’t worry. Although I’m weak, I’m able to bear the alcohol of this cup.” As he said, there was persistence in his brows. “I consider you as my good friend, and I think you have the same idea.”

At his words, Qin Yufeng could only withdraw his hand. Now that Xiang Xieyue had said this, he would appear somewhat hypocritical if he continued persuading him. As an unrestrained person, he had thought that he would never take the imperial examinations and win fame in his life. a.s.sisting King Chu to ascend to the throne would be more cheerful than to be the Number One Scholar.

But now, he didn’t think so anymore.

Picking up the cup of wine in his hand, he toasted to Xiang Xieyue, and then drank it up.

Xiang Xieyue also took the wine cup and drank it down.

Although they didn’t drink at the same time, they drained it at the same time. Then they lifted their cup in their hands to show it to the other, proving that there was no drop of wine. As they found that the other party was looking at them, they immediately laughed simultaneously as if they were close friends who had known each other for many years.

After that, they sat down again.

Xiang Xieyue ate a few bites of dishes, suppressing the uncomfortable feeling in his heart, but his face was a little paler than before. Obviously, it meant that wine was no good for him. Fortunately, the uncomfortable feeling didn’t last long. After swallowing the food, color returned to his face, and he asked puzzledly, “Brother Qin, you’re such a free and easy person, but why are you going to take the exam to get an official rank?”

He really appreciated Qin Yufeng, and according to what he said, the latter seemed to be unwilling to be an official.

There were few congenial companions, so Qin Yufeng made no secret of it. Giving a sigh, he replied, “Brother Xiang, sometimes worldly people will inevitably do worldly things. There are some things that cannot be done if you aren’t an official. I am a worldly person, and what I’m going to do is worldly things. In this worldly world, I just want to protect a beautiful image in my heart, and thus I have to do it.”

He had always been in high spirits in front of people, and had never sighed like this. However, he had some things that had always been hidden in the bottom of his heart and he had never talked to others about it. Maybe because Xiang Xieyue was so friendly that he drank with him or because it was rare to encounter a congenial friend, Qin Yufeng told him about his secret. Though they had only seen each other twice, they felt like old friends who had known each other for many years.

“Brother Qin, you love someone, but you can’t be together?” Xiang Xieyue was really curious. “With your appearance and talent, is there a woman who is unwilling to care for you? If she will marry you only after you have achieved an official rank, you’d better not love such a sn.o.b.”

He thought that Qin Yufeng had a crush on a lady, and that lady did not like him, or that she would marry him after he pa.s.sed the exam. Such a woman was the last thing Xiang Xieyue liked. His gaze involuntarily looked out the window while he was speaking. The carriage was still parked there. His smart manservant was standing in front of the carriage and talking to the coachman. It seemed that the conversation was still very animated because the coachman was laughing.

He couldn’t help secretly wondering if she was still inside.

“How could she be that kind of person? In my heart, she is like the n.o.ble cloud in the sky.” Qin Yufeng smiled bitterly, poured himself another cup of wine, and drank it. He was usually a self-disciplined person, but he drank two cups of wine today. Maybe because his heart was stirred by something. Fortunately, he knew that the person sitting opposite could not drink too much, so after the second cup, he pushed the jug away, took out the teacup himself, poured a cup of tea, and drank.

Then he changed his subject, restoring calmness and beaming, “Brother Xiang, if you feel that it is inconvenient to live in the hotel, you can live in my house. We can read books together. It won’t be bad.”

Knowing that Qin Yufeng was reluctant to talk about private matters, Xiang Xieyue did not press. He just smiled back and replied, “No, thank you. I don’t want to disturb you, Brother Qin. If there is any inconvenience in the hotel, I’ll come to you.”