Chapter 112: A Formidable Woman (Fifth Installment)

After hearing Zhuge Jun’s words, Fang Xu felt a bit awkward.

If you didn’t choose it yourself, then why on earth would you tell Old Wu?!

Although that was what Fang Xu thought in his heart, how could he possibly say it out loud?

"But earlier..." Fang Xu scratched the back of his head, feeling embarrassed. The atmosphere was truly strange, even a bit subtle.

"Oh! You’re curious why I said I gave it to you? It was actually Sister Lian’er—" Before Zhuge Jun could finish, Shangguan Lian covered his mouth.

"Um... we'll come back in a moment..." With that, Shangguan Lian dragged Zhuge Jun out of the inn. Fang Xu could clearly see the look of desperate appeal in Zhuge Jun’s eyes.

In Fang Xu’s view, all he could do was offer a silent three-minute prayer for Zhuge Jun.

Shortly after, a crisp sound of snapping bones echoed from outside the inn, followed by Zhuge Jun’s miserable scream. These sounds made Fang Xu shiver.

He didn't even dare to move, choosing to stand there in a daze. After all, in his mind, without Shangguan Lian’s permission, how could he dare to move? He had just witnessed Zhuge Jun’s cautionary tale.

"Sorry... I've let you see something embarrassing," Shangguan Lian said, looking somewhat shy. But for some reason, her shyness felt like a form of intimidation to Fang Xu.

"No! No! No! It’s nothing at all!" Fang Xu waved his hands hurriedly, terrified of provoking Shangguan Lian’s displeasure.

"Um... where is Brother Zhuge now?" Fang Xu asked, looking curiously behind Shangguan Lian.

"You mean Brother Jun? He seems to be feeling a bit unwell, so he's resting in the carriage now," Shangguan Lian said with a sweet smile. Fang Xu was certain now.

That crisp sound of bones earlier must have been Zhuge Jun. He felt even more pity for the man.

"Hehe... hehe..." The atmosphere turned icy. Old Wu and Gu Bei, who were in the room, had chosen to leave him to face this situation alone.

It wasn't just a cold atmosphere; it was downright awkward.

Why was that? Because being alone with Shangguan Lian reminded Fang Xu of the tender moments in the carriage the night before.

This caused Fang Xu’s gaze to drift toward Shangguan Lian’s waist; after all, he had felt how slender it was only the day before.

Seeming to notice his gaze, Shangguan Lian lowered her head even further, beginning to toy with the hem of her clothes.

The situation became so awkward that even Old Wu and Gu Bei, watching from inside the room, felt uncomfortable. Old Wu felt a sense of frustration, as if his master was failing to live up to his potential.

In Old Wu’s eyes, his young master’s charm was truly beyond compare.

Why say so? To Old Wu, setting aside the current Emperor, even among those around Fang Xu—like Qiu Chuji—it was clear that this Shangguan Lian had a crush on him.

Perhaps, as Old Wu had said last night, his young master was perfect in every way, with intelligence and martial prowess that left nothing to be desired.

However, his emotional intelligence was truly enough to move the Great Qin to tears. In Old Wu’s opinion, if it weren't for Fang Xu’s talent, looks, and temperament, he would likely have spent his life in solitude.

"Do you think this outfit looks okay?" Shangguan Lian brushed aside the loose hair at her temples and asked in a soft voice, breaking the awkward silence.

"It fits perfectly. I must thank Miss Shangguan," Fang Xu said with a bow. Shangguan Lian pouted, looking at him with dissatisfaction.

"Is there something about me that displeases you, Miss Shangguan?" Noticing the pout, Fang Xu asked, confused.

"Are you going to keep your distance from me just because I gave you a coat?" Shangguan Lian grumbled.

"Uh... thank you for the coat, Miss Lian’er." Fang Xu finally understood and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

"As long as you like it... as long as you like it..." Shangguan Lian said, head bowed. Hearing this, Fang Xu didn't know how to respond.

"Sister Lian’er?! If we don't leave now, we won't reach Danyang County by tonight!" Zhuge Jun, who had been resting in the carriage, saw that Shangguan Lian and Fang Xu hadn't come down yet.

He couldn't help but clutch his stomach and walk to the base of the inn to urge them.

Fang Xu opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Zhuge Jun’s urging, leaving him to look at Shangguan Lian with an apologetic expression.

Shangguan Lian had been anticipating Fang Xu’s reply, but she realized that if not for Zhuge Jun, things might have been different.

Thinking of this, she nodded apologetically at Fang Xu with a smile and headed toward the exit first.

"Sister Lian’er, why hasn't my Brother Fang come down yet? Wait! Wait! Sister Lian’er! Calm down! Please, calm down! Put that thing down!" Zhuge Jun’s voice from below turned strange.

Standing on the second floor, Fang Xu heard it clearly. Downstairs, he heard Zhuge Jun’s screams and the sound of things being smashed.

Fang Xu swallowed hard. Even Old Wu and Gu Bei in the room felt a trace of awe—naturally, awe toward Shangguan Lian.

Once the smashing stopped, Fang Xu walked down slowly.

When he saw the devastation below, he couldn't help but wipe cold sweat for Zhuge Jun.

As far as he could see, nothing in the room was intact; it looked as if it had been ransacked. The innkeeper was huddled in a corner, weeping in terror while clutching a gold ingot in his hands.

It was hard to tell if he was crying over the ruined inn or the gold in his hand.

"Young Master Fang, let’s go," Shangguan Lian said with a smile. Fang Xu didn't say anything more; Shangguan Lian had already shattered his worldview, leaving him with no desire to resist.

Before getting into Shangguan Lian’s carriage, Fang Xu glanced toward Zhuge Jun’s carriage, wanting to see if the man was still alive.

But before he could confirm Zhuge Jun’s status, he was hurried into the carriage by Shangguan Lian.

Seeing this, Old Wu gave Gu Bei a brief instruction to take good care of Qiu Chuji.

He then followed them himself. After the events of the previous night, Old Wu really didn't feel comfortable letting Fang Xu go out alone; if something were to happen, he felt he couldn't bear the consequences.