Fellow Daoist! That scoundrel has written a new book again.

Chapter 248 Mourning for the Literary Scene of Biyi City

The young lady, whose real name is Wang Lian, recently bought a copy of "The Travels of Zhu" out of curiosity. After reading it, she felt that there was no better writing in the world than this.

When she handed out the invitation cards, she already knew Zhu's attitude and had no hope.

Therefore, the banquet arrangements are more like a small gathering of friends, with less sentimentality and more eating, drinking and having fun.

If Miss Zhu doesn't come, it would be a good idea to invite three or four friends over. We could enjoy some delicious food and read "The Travels of Zhu" to enhance the experience. That would be a wonderful thing.

Seeing his visiting card buried among a sea of ​​other visiting cards, Wang Lian never imagined—

I actually got noticed!

When she received Ms. Zhu's reply, her first thought was disbelief.

Then came the panic.

How could a girl like Miss Zhu, who could write such travelogues, possibly associate with such vulgar people and indulge in gluttony!

Wang Lian didn't know why only her invitation was favored by Miss Zhu, but that didn't stop her from making some adjustments to the original banquet arrangements.

Unexpectedly, the news of this adjustment spread.

Her Wang family wasn't the most prestigious in Biyi City, but when the young ladies and gentlemen from the top families came to see Miss Zhu, she couldn't refuse them no matter what.

Not to mention that he often organizes poetry gatherings and has made many friends.

Now that the news has arrived, the threshold of the Wang family's house has almost been worn down by the crowds.

There were too many guests, all vying for a seat.

Wang Lian was in a real bind.

She is easygoing and gentle, not good at handling mundane matters, and even less good at refusing others, especially since many people have a good relationship with her.

As more and more people came to the door, all of them were there for Miss Zhu.

Although she was somewhat timid, she knew that the host and guest of honor at this banquet was Miss Zhu. If too many people came, it would be noisy and crowded, and Miss Zhu might not be able to enjoy herself to the fullest.

We can't let our concern for saving face cause us to let our social obligations spoil Miss Zhu's enjoyment.

Thinking of this, she couldn't sleep that night.

I picked up a book at random, and it turned out to be "What's on the Other Side of the Mountain?"

Wang Lian frowned slightly, thinking of the book's reputation among literary circles. She had intended to find another book to pass the night, but for some reason, she inexplicably opened it again.

There was something Wang Lian had always been afraid to say—

She actually really liked Qi Suowei in the book.

Because Qi Suowei in the book is a completely different person from her, so unrestrained, fearless, and carefree.

But Wang Lian always had many concerns.

After reading until midnight and being influenced by Qi Suowei's behavior in the book, Wang Lian silently repeated "Don't be afraid, be brave!" several times the next day.

The book already said—

"In dreams, one is unaware of being a guest; one indulges in fleeting pleasures."

This statement is somewhat perplexing, but Wang Lian was a learned man, and after careful consideration, he could roughly understand its meaning.

Perhaps life is like a dream; how can one fully enjoy it if one is always hesitant and timid?

She gritted her teeth and turned down many people's requests.

She thought she would offend many people, but to her surprise, the people who accepted her invitation actually defended her!

They were extremely grateful.

She immediately realized this was an opportunity and used it to make many friends.

On the day of the winding stream banquet, she dressed herself up early and acted like the mistress of the Wang family.

Before the appointed time, all the guests had already arrived.

Many others wanted to take advantage of the situation; even though they didn't get a spot, they still wanted to see everyone's style.

This is significantly more people than planned.

Wang Lian had never single-handedly hosted such a large banquet before, and she immediately felt flustered. Not to mention those who hadn't received a reply from Miss Zhu, who were still waiting for her to make a mistake and laugh at her.

She instructed the strong men she had specially hired for the banquet to drive the people away as much as possible.

But before everything was settled, Miss Zhu's carriage arrived!

The crowd erupted into chaos, swarming forward to surround them.

Wang Lian's heart sank to the bottom.

This banquet wasn't perfect; I hope Miss Zhu won't be offended.

Will he storm off because of the noise...?

The thought of such a scene made her feel like the sky was falling. If Miss Zhu really walked away, she, Wang Lian, would probably become the laughing stock of Biyi City.

Wang Lian bit her lip, barely managing to calm herself.

I straightened my posture and greeted them at the door.

Before long, Miss Zhu, surrounded by the crowd, appeared before him. Wang Lian stepped forward, performed a scholar's bow, and said somewhat awkwardly:

"My name is Wang Lian. Thank you, Miss Zhu, for taking the time to come. Today, the Wang family is honored and its culture is radiant."

Was this a poorly worded statement...?

Wang Lian was about to add a few words when Miss Zhu helped him up.

She looked up and saw that Miss Zhu was not particularly outstanding in appearance, but perhaps it was her scholarly air that made her eyes calm and clear, and looking at her made people feel at ease for no reason.

Miss Zhu raised her hand in return and smiled:

"Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Wang. Shall we begin our meal soon?"

His tone was casual, without the airs of a literary master, and although it was our first meeting, he was not bound by formalities at all.

Wang Lian was somewhat dazed. A thought inexplicably popped into her mind—that book, "What's on the Other Side of the Mountain," must have been written by someone like Miss Zhu…

Then, remembering the reputation of this adventure story among scholars, she quickly dismissed this slightly disrespectful thought and laughed:

“Miss Zhu, please come with me.”

Then she turned and led the way. As she turned to the side, she raised her hand and gave the waiter a look, signaling to continue stopping people.

Observing Miss Zhu's demeanor, one sees neither arrogance nor restraint. Even amidst the praise of the crowd, Miss Zhu remains unmoved by any joy.

Is this the demeanor of a great person who doesn't show their emotions?

Moreover, the more people praised her, the more speechless Miss Zhu seemed to become.

Wang Lian recalled the rumors about Zhu Daren's outburst at the restaurant a few days ago, where he angrily criticized her article.

Could it be...

Wang Lian seemed to have realized something!

How could someone as accomplished as Miss Zhu only be concerned with personal fame and fortune?

She was grieving for the literary world of Biyi City!

After being away from her hometown for many years, when she returned, she was still the only one standing at the pinnacle of the literary world. How desolate and lonely that must have been...

This is the epitome of a great person.

Miss, this is... I hope that Biyi City will produce many talented people!

Thinking of this, Wang Lian felt a deep sense of respect.

No wonder he was able to write "The Travels of Zhu".

Seeing Miss Zhu reach out with her chopsticks and scoop up the plum and pear soup from the banquet, Wang Lian thought to herself—Miss Zhu hadn't blamed her for the banquet not being perfect, so she wanted to share Miss Zhu's burdens.

In Biyi City, although no one can match Miss Zhu's literary talent, she still has her merits.

We must not let Miss Zhu be saddened by this.

She mentally encouraged herself for a long time, then stood up and said, slightly stammering:

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are honored to have Miss Zhu here today. Since this is an elegant banquet, how can we be without poetry and odes?"

"I have prepared a song of praise, a 'Homecoming Ballad,' to comfort those returning home and to welcome the young lady back home."

"After enjoying the dance and music, we can compose a poem based on this and ask Miss Zhu to review it. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

As he finished speaking, Wang Lian caught a glimpse of Miss Zhu's chopsticks out of the corner of his eye, and seemed to pause for a moment.

Wang Lian silently praised herself in her heart.

This is exactly what Miss Zhu wanted!