Chapter 28 The Beginning and the End of Cultivation (1/2)

Shen Lian did not find what Governor Shuo said to be weird. Too bad, he was born under the Five-Starred Red Flag and grew up in the new China, the People's Republic of China.

He may have been slightly filial, but in terms of loyalty, he had none.

He smiled at Governor Shuo without saying further.

Indeed, there was no common ground between people with two differing principles. Why bother with further illustrations?

It was past noon when Governor Shuo sent someone to bring Meng Han back to the town hall.

Halfway back, Meng Han regained consciousness, but he pretended to be unconscious because he could not stand the shame and the looks from the passer-by.

At the same time, the Jianghu drifters who were monitoring the situation in secret had to re-evaluate their opinions on Shen Lian.

After all, Meng Han enjoyed a reputation in Jianghu. Even though he could not match the best constable in the world, Yang Ying, he was not just anyone either.

Shen Lian tested the waters and was feeling light and cheery. He did not bother himself with the mundane duties of the inn, and headed out alone.

The State Capital of Qing was not particularly big, but it was not small either.

Shen Lian was walking without impurities in mind. To an outsider, it would look as though he was not paying attention. Despite the obstacles on the street, he was not hit, tripped, or shoved by any.

”Is that Shen Lian?”

The sound was unfamiliar, but if the person spoke of his name, then it must be someone that he knew.

Shen Lian turned to the source of the voice and saw a stout middle-aged man looking at him.

Shen Lian racked his mind for a name. He recognized the person to be his eldest aunt's brother, Xu Hong, a relative of his.

However, his aunt, Xu, had never been fond of him. This was why Shen Lian only saw Xu Hong for a couple of times when he was young.

By right, Xu Hong would not be able to recognize him in person unless he had been paying attention to him.

Shen Lian dismissed his speculations after seeing the young servant girl clothed in green next to Xu Hong. If Shen Lian remembered correctly, the servant girl was from his uncle, Shen Qingshi's courtyard.

Although unable to give an exact name, Shen Lian was sure that he had seen that face before.

”I heard that your inn is opening today. How do you have the time to roam around?” Xu Hong smiled and asked.

”Those are not something that I should worry myself about. Uncle Xu, I don't see you bothering yourself with menial tasks whenever you open up a new pawn shop,” Shen Lian leaned in slightly and spoke without being overly enthusiastic or too detached.

”Haha, you child. You are so much more fun now as compared to last time. You wouldn't talk to anyone back then. Since we don't meet a lot, why don't you come over to my house for a while?” When Xu Hong found out from the servant girl that the attractive young man on the street was Shen Lian, he could not help but to extend his invitation.

It would seem that the Wutong Gods did not manage to have their way at the Shen family. According to his sister Xu, there was nothing notable besides Shen Lian.

When Xu Hong heard that Shen Lian's new inn was opening, he had sent gifts over. After all, he was his elder and was not obliged to be at the opening himself.

Furthermore, an inn was nothing as compared to the massive fortune of the Shen family. Even if the inn had a long history, it still would not be a big deal – even Shen Qingsan thought so.

When he left the Shen family, he thought of finding a way to see what Shen Lian knew. At the same time, the servant girl received instructions from Xu to visit one of the shops owned by the Shen family. She had to collect some rouge from the new collection, from the Yanshui Atelier of the Capital City. Xu Hong was keen to bring home some cosmetics as a gift for his wife too.

Xu Hong grew up in the State Capital of Qing and did not travel in a high-profile manner. He was strolling around and ended up assailing the young servant girl with obscenities.

The servant girl was not a child born to a servant in her Master's house, which was why she had some pride in her and refused to succumb to Xu Hong's authority. Just as she was fretting about what to do, she saw Shen Lian from the corner of her eyes.

Besides Shen Ruoxi, every girl in the Shen household who was under twenty would see Shen Lian as their dream lover. After all, Shen Lian was good looking and kind.