Chapter 248: Plan Moved Up

Qiu Honglei: "..."Pei Mianman: "..."Xie Daoyun: "..."

"Doesn't this guy look incredibly punchable with how smug he is right now?" This thought simultaneously crossed the minds of everyone in the hall.

Rage points from the crowd +66, +66, +66...

Seeing the continuous stream of rage points in the background, Zu An felt extremely comfortable. It seemed that being low-key wasn't suitable for him after all. Being the center of attention was much more convenient for earning rage points.

Rage points from Chen Xuan +99, +99, +99...

Zu An glanced at him, a little surprised. From Chen Xuan's angry posture earlier, Zu An had expected him to charge over immediately. Was this all he was going to do?

Qiu Honglei clearly had similar concerns. She subtly moved, as if unintentionally positioning herself between the two men, then said with a charming smile, "So, Young Master Zu is here."

As she approached, Zu An caught a faint, delicate fragrance, neither exactly orchid nor musk. She had looked beautiful from a distance, but up close, her stunning beauty was even more breathtaking.

"Good thing I've seen a thing or two!" Zu An secretly congratulated himself. If he hadn't spent so much time with Chu Chuyan, his immunity to beauty might not have improved, and he would likely have made a fool of himself.

"If I'm not mistaken, Miss Qiu and I haven't met before, have we? Why are you suddenly asking about me today?" Zu An composed himself and met her gaze with a smile.

Qiu Honglei couldn't help but be taken aback. Most ordinary men, when interacting with her this closely, would instinctively avert their gaze, or a few would stare at her with desire. It was rare to encounter someone like him, whose eyes were clear and who met her gaze calmly.

However, she quickly recovered and said softly, "Although I haven't met you, Young Master, I have long admired you. I heard that you found a peerless treasure, the 'Traceless Illusion Lotus,' in the secret realm. Each petal of the Traceless Illusion Lotus can elevate one's cultivation by a minor stage, yet you gave up such a temptation and unhesitatingly gave it to your wife."

"Your love for your wife, Young Master, is enough to move all women in the world. As the saying goes, it's easy to find priceless treasures, but difficult to find a devoted lover. Miss Chu is truly blessed."

From her private room on the second floor, Pei Mianman scoffed, "What a foxy vixen! Chuyan, Chuyan, if you don't keep a close eye on your husband every day, some vixen from outside will steal him away sooner or later."

When the surrounding men heard Qiu Honglei use phrases like "long admired," the room erupted in chatter.

The news of the Traceless Illusion Lotus then sparked even louder exclamations. This matter had previously only circulated within a small circle of the upper echelons; most people were only just learning about it now.

Upon hearing that Zu An had actually given away the Traceless Illusion Lotus, everyone remarked that he truly spared no expense when pursuing women.

Another group secretly mocked him for his foolishness. After all, the disparity between him and Miss Chu was already significant. If Chu Chuyan's power surged even further, the gap between them would only widen. Marriages with too great a disparity were destined to break apart.

Naturally, as all these people saw Qiu Honglei's starry-eyed overtures towards Zu An, their jealousy and rage soared.

Seeing the surging rage points in the background, Zu An thought, *Is this woman doing this on purpose? She's completely putting me on the spot! Too bad she doesn't realize I'm different from others; the more people resent me, the happier I become.*

"Of course, I've always been good to my women. If Miss Qiu envies my Chuyan, you could consider becoming sisters with her. The next time I find a Traceless Illusion Lotus, I'll give it to you," Zu An said with a grin.

"This guy is utterly shameless," Xie Daoyun couldn't help but scoff. Was the Traceless Illusion Lotus so easy to find? He was just trying to win such a stunning beauty as a concubine with empty words! Moreover, he was just an in-marrying son-in-law of the Chu family, yet he was openly arranging for a concubine right in front of the Chu family members?

This was also the thought of everyone else present. If looks could kill, Zu An would have been pierced by a thousand arrows by now.

Qiu Honglei's face flushed slightly. "This humble one would not dare to compete with Miss Chu." Usually, these men would deliberately present their most elegant and polished selves to her, fearing to leave even the slightest bad impression. Yet this guy was so direct, asking her to be his concubine the moment they met?

"It's fine, she told me before that she doesn't mind if I have other women," Zu An said, waving his hand nonchalantly.

Pei Mianman: "???"

Xie Daoyun also looked at her brother in disbelief. "Did Miss Chu really say that?"

Xie Xiu smiled wryly. "Who knows if Miss Chu said it, but it's not the first time he's said it, and Miss Chu doesn't seem to have reacted. Perhaps their relationship isn't what outsiders imagine."

"What kind of person is Miss Chu, to allow him to take a concubine?" Xie Daoyun was utterly incredulous, and at the same time, she grew somewhat curious about the man downstairs. What exactly was going on?

The men in the hall were not so polite; many of them cursed out loud:"An in-marrying son-in-law, flaunting himself for no reason.""For someone as ethereal as Miss Chu to fancy him, it's already a miracle. And he's still thinking of finding other women?""Exactly! How dare he set his sights on Miss Qiu! This is outrageous!"...

Even Wang Yuanlong quietly poked Chu Yucheng's plump belly. "Did your eldest sister really say that?"

Chu Yucheng smiled bitterly. "I don't know either. Logically, given eldest sister's temperament, she shouldn't allow such a thing."

Chu Hongcai, who had been dazed earlier, also snapped back to attention and glanced at Zu An in surprise. He thought, *This guy really has guts. Doesn't he worry about eldest sister hearing these words? Even if she doesn't care, Uncle and Aunt certainly won't stand by.* However, having just stood on the same side and received his help, the two brothers found it difficult to undermine him at this moment. They simply moved quietly to the side, to avoid being caught in the crossfire of the angry crowd.

The most excited person was Wei Suo. "That's my deskmate and big brother, you know?"

"You should know that he's already won over half of the top ten beauties in our school. What's a mere Qiu Honglei compared to that?" He vividly described Zu An's various "romantic conquests" at school, leaving the people around him dumbfounded.

An in-marrying son-in-law reaching this level of notoriety—he must be one of a kind, right? Seeing their stunned expressions, Wei Suo seemed to bask in the glory, becoming even more animated in his commentary.

...

The indignant remarks from the surroundings reached Zu An's ears, but he paid them no mind. Instead, he quietly focused on the increasing rage points. He thought, *Go ahead and curse. The harsher you curse, the more rage points I'll get.*

Qiu Honglei's smile froze. Known for her social grace, she was momentarily at a loss for how to respond. After a long pause, she offered an awkward smile and said, "Today, I invited all of you young masters to appraise the guqin music. Let's discuss other matters another time."

As she spoke, her crescent-like brows subtly arched, the corners of her lips slightly turned up, and her eyes shimmered with a captivating charm. She exuded an aura of ultimate seductiveness.

The surrounding men felt their bodies go numb and readily agreed:"Exactly, if someone doesn't understand music, they should step aside and humbly listen to others' insightful opinions.""Miss Qiu, don't waste your time on people like him."...

At the same time, many people wondered why the red-haired man, who had been threatening Zu An, had suddenly fallen silent after hearing his name. It seemed he was intimidated by the Chu family's background. *Hmph, he can only shout loudly; at heart, he's a coward.*

At this moment, Chen Xuan gathered his subordinates. "Did you understand what I just said?"

"Understood!" His subordinates responded, their faces alight with excitement. They were, after all, fierce bandits, accustomed to doing as they pleased and settling scores. Having been confined by city rules, they had been itching for action. Seeing the dazzling luxury of the Immortal's Abode and the charming young women, their blood boiled. *Pulling off this job would definitely bring satisfaction for years.*

"If you understand, go and do what you need to do," Chen Xuan said, waving his hand, subtly dismissing his men. With a pair of sinister eyes fixed on Zu An in the distance, a cruel smile appeared on his lips. "It truly is 'what you seek far and wide, you find effortlessly nearby.' Brother, today I will avenge you."

It turned out he and Mei Chaofeng were brothers. Years ago, the Shi family had arranged for them to live under assumed identities—one operating an underground force in Mingyue City, the other acting as a fierce bandit outside the city, ambushing passing merchants.

Over the years, the two brothers had earned the Shi family a massive fortune. The Shi family had even promised to reduce their required annual tribute by half a percent starting next year, as a reward for their contributions. While half a percent might sound small, the wealth that passed through their hands was astronomical, making half a percent a considerable sum.

Just as the brothers were about to reach the pinnacle of their lives, Zu An suddenly appeared. He caused his brother's once highly profitable gambling den to decline, and the Plum Blossom Gang subsequently collapsed. Even more unbearable was that Mei Chaofeng had been killed!

The two brothers were orphans, dependent on each other since childhood, and their bond was far stronger than that of ordinary siblings. Therefore, upon hearing of his brother's death, his first reaction was revenge. Unfortunately, Jiang Luofu, both in status and cultivation, was beyond his ability to provoke. He could only target Zu An, as all of this had originated from him.

Initially, because Shi Kun had come to Mingyue City and promised to help him deal with Zu An, he had remained inactive. Who knew that shortly after leaving the secret realm, Shi Kun had quietly departed? Shi Kun had returned to the capital in disgrace because Shi Lezhi had died and there might be a master of the ninth rank accompanying Zu An, so he naturally felt too embarrassed to publicize it.

Chen Xuan, unaware of these details, believed that his brother's low status meant his life or death was not considered important by those in higher positions. So, since Shi Kun wouldn't help him get revenge, he would do it himself.

Over the years, he had always been ruthless, and anyone who had seen his face had been silenced, so he wasn't worried about his identity being exposed in the city. He had originally intended to first let his brothers relax at this courtesan competition, then scout the Chu family to plan his revenge. But who knew his luck would be so good that he'd run into Zu An right here! So, he decisively brought his plan forward. For now, he'd let that guy enjoy himself; later, there would be tears.

Rage points from Chen Xuan +631!

Receiving another burst of rage, Zu An subtly glanced at him, deep in thought.

"Was the music I just played so terrible that Young Master Zu has no thoughts at all about it?" Seeing him suddenly fall silent, Qiu Honglei looked at him piteously.