Chapter 37: Youth is Unaware of the Charm of Mature Women
Lin Xiu was truly exasperated. Did Zhao Lingyin have nothing better to do than to appear wherever he was?
Zhao Lingyin strode in, staring at Lin Xiu and Cai Yi’s intertwined hands, and asked, “What are you doing?”
Lin Xiu gulped, trying to explain, “If I say I’m just checking this lady’s pulse, would you believe me?”
Zhao Lingyin’s face was cold as frost as she retorted, “Do you think I would believe that?”
At that moment, Cai Yi conveniently withdrew her hand and proactively explained, “Madam misunderstood. Mr. Lin was indeed just checking my pulse…”
Zhao Lingyin shot a glance at Cai Yi, thinking about this big-chested, brainless woman. How could she not know Lin Xiu’s capabilities? He was clearly not checking her pulse; he must have been using that as an excuse to hold her hand and get fresh with her. What a shame she was trying to speak up for him.
This guy was good at everything except for his penchant for flirting.
Then she realized something, frowning. “Madam? What Madam?”
“Lingyin, let’s talk outside.” Lin Xiu took Zhao Lingyin’s wrist, giving Cai Yi an apologetic smile, and said, “Cai Yi, I’m sorry, I’ll explain later…”
Pulling Zhao Lingyin out of Lihua Courtyard, she forcefully shook off Lin Xiu’s hand and coldly asked, “Have you forgotten what I told you?”
Lin Xiu tried to explain, “It’s a misunderstanding, really a misunderstanding…”
Zhao Lingyin snorted coldly and said, “I saw you holding hands with another woman. You tell me this is a misunderstanding? Do you still care about that engagement?”
Although Lin Xiu felt no guilt, from Lingyin’s perspective, she certainly had her reasons to be angry and question him.
In truth, Lin Xiu had wanted to clarify things with her for a long time, but she had never given him the chance.
Taking a deep breath, he looked at Zhao Lingyin and said, “Actually, Lingyin, I never intended to marry a woman I’ve never met, no matter how beautiful she is or how high her Mystic Art talent…”
Zhao Lingyin replied, “It’s a matter of parental arrangement and a matchmaker’s words, and there’s a marriage contract in place. This isn’t just about what you want.”
Lin Xiu asked, “If it were you, would you be willing to marry a man with whom you share no feelings?”
Zhao Lingyin was taken aback, her lips moving: “I…”
Seeing her hesitate, Lin Xiu seized the opportunity to press on, “I think your sister wouldn’t want to marry me either. Since neither of us wants this, why not let each other go?”
Zhao Lingyin’s expression grew more uncertain as she murmured, “But this concerns the reputation of two families…”
Lin Xiu directly asked, “In your heart, is your sister’s happiness more important, or your family’s reputation?”
Zhao Lingyin fell silent.
Lin Xiu knew he had hit the nail on the head.
For a large family, reputation was incredibly important, but it also depended on the person.
Lingyin was undoubtedly a sister complex, and Lin Xiu could see that she cared deeply for her sister. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be so focused on him daily without attending to serious matters. She might not care about anything else, but she definitely wouldn’t disregard the Zhao family’s prodigy.
Lin Xiu pressed on, “So, I plan to wait for your sister to return so that we can jointly persuade the Lin and Zhao families to cancel that engagement. What do you think?”
Zhao Lingyin looked up at him, asking, “Do you really think so?”
Lin Xiu raised his hand to the sky and said, “If I tell a single lie, let me be struck by lightning and die without a proper end.”
What he said was indeed heartfelt and genuine, so he was not afraid to swear.
Zhao Lingyin gazed into his eyes and said, “My sister is a hundred times more beautiful than I am and possesses unmatched talent. If you regret it later, it will be too late.”
Not only was she a sister complex, but she was also a sister worshiper. In Lin Xiu’s eyes, her beauty could easily score above ninety. No matter how attractive another woman was, they could not compare to her.
Lin Xiu looked at her with disappointment and asked, “Is this how shallow you think I am? Lingyin, your awareness needs to be improved. While looks are important for a girl, the most important thing is the soul…”
“A person who visits a brothel speaks of the soul?”
“Zhao Lingyin, let me tell you this: I, Lin Xiu, have kept my integrity throughout my life and remain pure. You may trample my body, but you cannot crush my soul!”
“You still have your purity?”
“May I be hit by a carriage if I lie to you!”
Zhao Lingyin fell silent for a moment, seemingly accepting Lin Xiu’s words, and then said, “Even if you haven’t deceived me, until that engagement is truly dissolved, you cannot have any intimate relations with any woman…”
Lin Xiu protested, “That’s not fair; I…”
Seeing the cold aura emanating from Zhao Lingyin, Lin Xiu decisively said, “I promise you I won’t develop any relationships beyond friendship with them. Women only slow down my cultivation, except for you, Lingyin…”
…
In truth, Lin Xiu agreed with Zhao Lingyin. A person without integrity cannot stand, especially for two families. Morally speaking, he should maintain his purity for Zhao Lingjun until the engagement was dissolved.
This was not difficult to accomplish.
To be honest, for Lin Xiu now, the strange and various Mystic Arts were far more enticing than any woman. In his past life, he had seen every type of woman and tried every position; he was not that desperate.
Today marked the opening day of the Mystic Arts Academy.
Except for special circumstances, all students of the academy were required to report.
Lin Xiu had just moved into a new home, not far from the palace and the academy, but he still arrived early at the academy.
Unlike his previous visits, when the academy was quite desolate with hardly any figures around, today the paths were bustling with students chatting and laughing, making it lively.
Standing among the crowd, Lin Xiu’s eyes sparkled as if he had entered a den of foxes.
Every student here was a Mystic Artist, making the academy feel like paradise for Lin Xiu.
Long ago, Lin Xiu had studied the academy’s structure. Currently, there were over two hundred students, with ten in the Tianzi Academy, over thirty in the Dizi Academy, seventy in the Xuanzhi Academy, and the rest being students from the Huangzi Academy.
Among these students, only those from the top three academies would receive attention from the academy. Most students, like Lin Xiu, were merely reserve talents recruited by the imperial court. The court did not expect much from them, only that when needed, they would utilize their abilities to assist the court.
Today was the opening day; the dean would speak in Chongwen Hall at noon, and all students from the four academies were required to attend.
With still quite some time before noon, Lin Xiu arrived early at Chongwen Hall, where dozens of students had already arrived before him.
Lin Xiu observed the hall, noting that there were mostly male students, but also quite a few females. He had no knowledge of their abilities and felt hesitant to approach anyone.
Lingyin had yet to arrive, and as he stood alone in a corner of the grand hall, someone suddenly shouted at the door, “Come and see, the Minghe Princess is here!”
In an instant, the male students inside the hall erupted like a boiling pot, rushing out all at once, leaving Lin Xiu standing alone as the space around him cleared.
Lin Xiu glanced towards the door, then shook his head and muttered, “Youth is unaware of the charm of mature women, mistaking young girls for treasures…”
What was so special about the Minghe Princess? She was short and dark, and at such a young age, she already had a figure that resembled a runway model. He couldn’t understand what these people found appealing about her. From the earlier commotion, it seemed she had considerable popularity within the academy.
As Lin Xiu continued to complain about the Minghe Princess in his heart, he suddenly heard a voice beside him.
“May I ask, what does ‘mature woman’ mean?”
Lin Xiu turned his head and discovered he was not the only one left in the hall. Leaning against a nearby pillar was another young man, who now stepped away from the pillar and curiously approached Lin Xiu.
Lin Xiu didn’t provide a detailed explanation but glanced in another direction.
At the end of his line of sight stood a figure.
It was a young woman, tall and curvaceous like Lingyin, but even more voluptuous. Just standing there, she exuded an innate charm. Lin Xiu had noticed her as soon as he entered the hall.
This woman had an exquisite appearance, a perfect figure, and an exceptional aura—she was the epitome of a mature woman.
Compared to the Minghe Princess, this was the type Lin Xiu preferred.
The young man followed Lin Xiu’s gaze, and after a moment of shock, he looked back at Lin Xiu with an expression as if he had found a kindred spirit, lowering his voice to say, “Great minds think alike. I won’t hide it from you; I also think the most charming woman in the Mystic Arts Academy is Miss Wan’er…”
Lin Xiu glanced at him and said, “You have good taste.”
After arriving in this world, Lin Xiu only acknowledged two people’s aesthetics.
One was the Emperor of the Great Xia, and the other was this young man.
The young man smiled and said, “You’re not bad yourself. Great minds think alike; those guys don’t understand how to appreciate the beauty of women…”
For Lin Xiu, the most important thing about coming to the Mystic Arts Academy was to make friends.
Having finally met someone with good taste, he naturally wouldn’t let this opportunity slip by. He clasped his hands in greeting and said, “I’m Lin Xiu. May I ask your name?”
“Lin Xiu?”
Upon hearing Lin Xiu’s name, the young man was momentarily stunned, then asked incredulously, “You’re Lin Xiu, the son of the Duke Ping An?”
