Chapter 444: Jiaojiao, Do You Already Have a Beloved?

Desire walks beside me—yet cannot be grasped.

Thinking of it wounds the heart.

When Fatty Zhou, his chubby face planted squarely into the dirt, saw Zhu Ping’an come calmly down the slope without so much as a scratch, his mood plunged into the depths of despair. He had been secretly hoping—no, expecting—that Zhu Ping’an would tumble down after him and share in his misery. Misfortune, after all, should be borne together.

Yet reality was cruel. Zhu Ping’an was completely unharmed. Not a single hair out of place.

How heartbreaking. Truly, soul-crushingly heartbreaking.

No matter how one looked at it, this round of the horse race was a foregone loss for Fatty Zhou. By the time Zhu Ping’an and Fatty Zhou rode their horses into the spring outing gathering grounds, the noble youths waiting there—who had already been idle for the better part of an incense stick’s time—burst into laughter so hard they could barely remain upright.

Especially when their eyes landed on Fatty Zhou’s swollen, disaster-stricken face. At that sight, the laughter escalated to the point where several nearly passed out from lack of air.

“With that pitiful bit of meat you’ve got, better be careful you don’t get sucked dry by that vixen!”

Fatty Zhou put on a show of utter nonchalance. He flicked two ten-tael silver ingots onto the body of the noble youth who had bet against him, then lifted his chin high, nostrils pointing arrogantly skyward as he sneered, voice dripping with sarcasm.

“Two taels of meat? Hahaha! Don’t be jealous, brother. Let me tell you something, responsibly. Don’t be fooled by how skinny I look—my second brother is far fatter than yours. If yours is a little mouse, then mine is a full-grown elephant. No exaggeration. I can’t even count how many courtesan scholars have cried and begged just to spend one night with me.”

The noble youth tucked the silver into his robes, leaned casually against his fine steed, and ran both hands through his hair, striking a pose that he clearly thought irresistibly dashing.

“Go screw yourself! Who are you fooling? I’m a mighty eagle—yours is nothing but a scrawny little rooster!”

Fatty Zhou exploded on the spot. For a man, nothing was more unforgivable than disdain directed at one’s second brother. This insult—this Fatty Zhou absolutely could not endure.

“Hahaha! You don’t believe me? Fine. Dare to head into the little grove and compare?”

The noble youth shot Fatty Zhou a provocative grin, then glanced at Zhu Ping’an.

“You two came together, right? He’s your friend? Perfect. Come along and be a witness. Let your eyes be opened properly—so you won’t deny it later.”

As he spoke, the fellow even tugged suggestively at his trousers…

Y-you…

Fatty Zhou immediately lost his nerve. Though he had spoken boldly just moments ago, he knew all too well the true dimensions of his own second brother.

“Ahem… no thanks. I get dizzy at the sight of needles.”

Zhu Ping’an cast a quiet glance at the noble youth. Then, wearing an expression of honest simplicity, he shook his head gently and delivered the line in an utterly calm, unhurried tone.

Dizzy… at needles?

What did that—

Oh.

Ohhh.

At first, no one understood. But two seconds later, comprehension dawned—and the area erupted into thunderous laughter. From this day forward, it seemed inevitable that the noble youth’s name would be eternally paired with the title Brother Needle.

Zhu Ping’an had done this to help Fatty Zhou out. The poor man had already suffered enough humiliation today—another blow might have shattered him completely.

Moved to tears by this timely rescue, Fatty Zhou clutched Zhu Ping’an’s shoulder, calling him “brother-in-law” again and again, his gratitude spilling over like a broken dam.

Naturally, the noble youth was far from pleased at being mocked so thoroughly. Still, seeing that Zhu Ping’an was dressed in refined attire, he knew better than to assume he came from an ordinary household. And hearing Fatty Zhou repeatedly call him brother-in-law, the youth quickly pieced things together.

Fatty Zhou had a brother-in-law who was a top scholar.

“Tch. What’s the point of verbal sparring?”

The noble youth snorted, eyes flicking between Zhu Ping’an and Fatty Zhou as he issued a challenge.

“If you’ve got guts, let’s compete during the hunt.”

“Fine! You’re on, Brother Needle.”

Fatty Zhou agreed without hesitation. After all, the hunt was a competition to begin with.

“Fatty Zhou, I warn you—do not call me that!”

The noble youth trembled from head to toe upon hearing the cursed name.

“Alright then, Brother Needle.”

Fatty Zhou accepted the correction with exemplary flexibility.

“Damn it—just you wait!”

The noble youth shot them a vicious glare, then spurred his horse forward, riding off with several familiar companions.

The group was currently at the outer edge of the gathering grounds. Another hundred or so meters ahead lay the true heart of the spring outing—a broad expanse of open grassland. Carriages and tents dotted the area, forming a simple yet lively encampment.

Within the camp, graceful laughter floated through the air. Young women dressed in vibrant colors filled the scene—some flying kites, others chasing butterflies, while groups of girls clustered together chatting and playing games.

Of course, it wasn’t only women. There were even more men—sons of noble houses, offspring of civil officials, and youths from powerful families who had come seeking renown. Each put on a dazzling display, using every trick imaginable to draw the attention of the girl they admired.

Upon arriving at the camp, the people from the Marquis of Linhuai’s household immediately noticed the injuries on Fatty Zhou’s face and body. They hurriedly instructed servants to escort him into a tent for treatment and bandaging.

Zhu Ping’an didn’t see Li Shu anywhere. Most likely, the girl had gone spring-walking somewhere with her little maid, Baozi.

The second and third young ladies of the marquis’s household were all dressed exquisitely, and nearly everyone present was female. As the lone man among them, Zhu Ping’an felt a bit awkward. He handed his horse over to the household attendants and wandered off alone to explore the surroundings.

He hadn’t gone far when he noticed a lively commotion ahead. Seeing a small crowd gathered there, curiosity drew him closer.

And then he saw it—

Li Shu and her little maid Baozi were being blocked by four or five young men dressed in teal scholar’s robes.

Baozi clutched a delicate flower basket in her hands, inside which lay freshly picked blossoms, their fragrance faintly lingering in the air.

It was easy to guess what had happened. Li Shu and Baozi had likely been gathering flowers when they encountered these scholars. Struck by Li Shu’s beauty at first sight, the youths had naturally fallen into the age-old sentiment—a graceful lady, worthy of a gentleman’s pursuit.

On one hand, the scholars, though blocking her path, still behaved with relative courtesy. On the other, Li Shu herself appeared composed and unflustered, handling the situation with ease. Thus, Zhu Ping’an did not step in immediately. He remained off to the side, quietly observing.

If these scholarly youths dared act improperly, he would intervene at once to protect Li Shu and Baozi.

Moreover, Zhu Ping’an noticed several young men nearby who looked restless, clearly itching to play the role of gallant hero. They were undoubtedly waiting for these civil-official types to make a single misstep—so they could rush in, shouting triumphantly as they performed a dramatic rescue.

In fact, they probably hoped the scholars would do something inappropriate.

“Northern lands give birth to peerless beauty,
Standing alone, unmatched in all the world.
One glance topples a city,
A second steals a kingdom’s heart.
Who could know whether cities or nations fall—
Such beauty is never found twice.”

A particularly handsome scholar stepped forward first. With elegant flair, he flicked open his folding fan, closed his eyes slightly, and recited the poem with deep feeling and theatrical immersion.

At the same time, he subtly angled the fan so that the inscription upon it—calligraphy by the famed literary master Li Panlong—was clearly visible.

Faced with this impassioned, emotive recital, Li Shu didn’t even blink.

“Ahem.”

After finishing the poem, the scholar smoothly rested his hand against the tree trunk beside Li Shu, striking what he believed to be an irresistibly cool pose. Gazing at her with soulful eyes, he asked softly,

“Miss Jiaojiao… do you already have a beloved?”

Does Jiaojiao have a beloved?

Translated into plain, modern speech, it meant—

Beautiful lady, do you have a boyfriend?