The Young Taoist
1270 Words
What… exactly is happening here?
Su Mingshuo was hopeful that Shen Chen would develop a good rapport with his children, but he had no real expectations.
After all, Shen Chen’s status was too lofty.
Even he, as Jiangcheng’s Governor, had to tread carefully around him.
Yet now, to his surprise—
His innocent, naive youngest daughter was actually getting along well with Shen Chen?
For a moment, Su Mingshuo wanted to slap his own forehead.
Of course!
Shen Chen may be the heir of the Shen family, but he was still a young man.
A young man filled with passion.
And Su Mengning—
Her beauty and grace were peerless in the entire empire.
Even someone like Shen Chen couldn’t remain unmoved, it seemed.
But despite this realization, Su Mingshuo couldn't entirely shake off a sense of unease.
Yes, he was a politician—
But he was also a father.
His daughter’s future was something he had pondered deeply for years.
Now, watching the scene before him, he felt like he might finally have an answer.
But...
"Mengning, the Shen family is not a place just anyone can step into..."
Not to mention—
Su Mingshuo’s brows furrowed slightly.
"That old fox Shen Fei’s son... Could he truly be as gentle as he appears?"
A Subtle Disruption
"Miss Su, have you been to the Flower Lantern Festival before?"
Shen Chen’s voice was calm, yet it carried a certain weight.
Su Mengning met his gaze and softly replied.
"Yes, Shen Shao, I’ve been a few times."
Before Shen Chen could respond, however—
A startled voice rang out.
"Huh? Mengning, you’ve been there before?"
Su Qingying's face was full of confusion as she turned toward her sister.
"But I remember that every year during the festival, you always stayed home!"
The moment those words fell, an awkward silence settled over the banquet.
Even the most clueless guests could tell—
This was a direct contradiction.
A deliberate embarrassment—
In front of their honored guest.
Su Xiao’s face darkened, his brows furrowing sharply.
Even Su Mingshuo’s smile stiffened ever so slightly.
Because it was obvious—
Su Qingying was sabotaging her own sister.
And in front of Shen Chen, no less.
Many of the noble ladies present nearly choked on their wine.
"Has she gone mad with jealousy?"
"She’s humiliating her own sister... in front of Shen Chen?"
It was unthinkable.
But for Su Qingying, the mere sight of Shen Chen and Su Mengning talking so naturally had driven her to madness.
She had calculated everything—
But never did she anticipate that her sister, who had always ignored men, would fall head over heels for Shen Chen.
And what was worse—
Shen Chen seemed to like her back.
If things continued this way—
There would be no place left for Su Qingying!
Mengning’s Response
But before the silence could stretch too long—
Su Mengning merely pouted slightly and glanced at Su Qingying with guilt.
Her voice was soft and innocent.
"Well… big sister never let me go out during the festival."
The tone, paired with her delicate, celestial-like beauty, nearly melted the hearts of every young man present.
"But… I would always sneak out anyway."
As she finished speaking, a small, triumphant smile blossomed on her lips—
Like a snow lotus in full bloom.
"Oh? And why weren’t you allowed to go out?" Shen Chen inquired.
Su Mengning hesitated briefly, then let out a small sigh.
"Because every year, whenever I appear, there would always be… um… overenthusiastic admirers."
"It gets quite troublesome."
The moment those words fell—
Several of the young noblemen present nearly buried their heads in the ground.
Because they were among those ‘overenthusiastic admirers’.
Calling them that was already a mercy.
To be more precise—
They were desperate, clingy, and utterly shameless.
Hearing this, Shen Chen merely chuckled softly.
"With your beauty, that is hardly surprising."
This was the first time Shen Chen had openly praised her appearance.
And at that moment—
Countless hearts shattered.
The young nobles winced in pain.
"Is the brightest jewel of the Southeast… about to be taken by Shen Chen?"
Against him, they didn’t stand a chance.
Meanwhile, the other noble ladies—
They looked at Su Mengning, then looked at themselves—
And despaired.
Because even they had to admit—
No man alive could possibly resist a girl like her.
"Damn it! Why couldn’t I have been born with a face like that?!"
Cloudmist Mountain
Jiangcheng.
Cloudmist Mountain.
A place of eternal mist, with warm winters and cool summers.
It was an officially certified 4A-class tourist attraction.
At any given time, the foot of the mountain was bustling with visitors.
Clever merchants had long since set up stalls, turning the area into a lively marketplace.
Now, during peak tourist season, Cloudmist Mountain was more crowded than ever.
The local tourism board was laughing all the way to the bank.
But suddenly—
A shrill, agonizing scream pierced through the lively atmosphere.
Even amidst the constant haggling and shouting, it stood out sharply.
People paused.
Heads turned.
Eyes sparkled with curiosity.
At the center of the commotion—
A young man, dressed in branded attire, with a gold watch glinting on his wrist, was clutching his swollen cheek.
A bright red handprint marred his face—
The force of the slap had even drawn blood.
His expression was a mix of shock and fury.
Because never in his life—
Had he ever imagined that here, in a mere mountain town—
He—
The son of Jiangcheng’s Regulatory Bureau Chief—
Li Hui—
Had just been slapped.
With wide, disbelieving eyes, Li Hui turned toward his attacker.
Standing before him—
A young Taoist, dressed in a worn-out robe, with an easy, self-satisfied smirk.
His gaze carried an unmistakable look of disdain.
As if Li Hui—
Was beneath him.
"Y-you—!"
Li Hui trembled in rage, pointing a shaking finger.
"You actually hit me?!"
The young Taoist tilted his chin proudly.
"Of course I did!"
His voice was clear and righteous.
"You filthy rich brats dare to bully women in broad daylight? Disgraceful!"
"I, Chu Qingyang, despise nothing more than those who prey on the weak!"
Having declared his righteous cause, Chu Qingyang turned dramatically—
Toward a young woman standing nearby.
She was stunning, with long, bare legs beneath a short skirt, a designer purse hanging from her arm.
Her lips were painted red, her nails immaculately manicured.
Gulp.
Chu Qingyang swallowed involuntarily.
Forcing himself to look away from her legs, he met her contact-lensed eyes and declared—
"Fear not, fair lady! As long as I am here, no villain shall lay a hand on you!"
Silence.
Then—
"What kind of ridiculous street performance is this?"
"Is this some kind of t****k prank?"
"A short-drama filming? Where’s the camera?"
"Did he seriously just call himself a Taoist hero?"
Even the girl in the short skirt finally snapped out of her daze.
Staring at the Taoist in front of her, her head spun in confusion.
"What the hell is wrong with this guy?!"
- Writer
