The Eleventh Section: What is in his heart?

  As for whether the owner of the painted barge had performed a dance or not, Yi Han was no longer aware. At this moment, he was casually getting on a small boat and preparing to return. The boat had gone halfway when Yi Han seemed to hear someone calling out to him again. Had the owner of the painted barge regretted it and wanted to invite him back? Yi Han said to the boatman who was rowing, "Old man, please stop for a moment. Do you hear that? Is someone calling us to stop the boat?" The boatman smiled and said, "Is the young master's surname Yi? If so, then it's not wrong."

  The boat drew near, and Yi Han took a closer look, but it wasn't Autumn Ling. It was a maid dressed girl, Yi Han recognized her as the one who had asked questions on the Poetry Flower Boat last night.

  The maid said: "Young Master Yi, please stay, I've finally waited for you to appear"

  Yi Han exclaimed: "Wait for me, why wait for me".

  "The young lady of my house guessed that the young master would come to the Qinhuai lantern festival, and she also guessed that the young master wouldn't board her flower boat. She further guessed that the young master would surely get on that luxurious painted barge like other young masters do, so she ordered me to wait for you not far from that luxurious painted barge. As soon as I saw you come out, I immediately sent someone to chase after you."

  Yi Han hesitated and said, "Look, it's already late at night, isn't it a bit inappropriate for me to go see your young lady? Besides, if there are any guests on the boat, my sudden arrival might not be too convenient." He said that with his mouth, but in his heart, he didn't think so. He was eager to spend a romantic night with the beauty.

  "The maid said: 'Young master, rest assured, there are no other guests on the boat at this moment.'"

  Yi Han said: "Why is this".

  The maid said: "Please ask the young master to get on the boat first, and I will explain it to you in detail on the way." "Okay," he got on the small boat of the maid.

  "Young master, you just came out of that luxurious painted barge, don't you know? Tonight, all the influential and talented young masters are flocking to that barge. Who would still think of our young mistress? However, a few young masters did come to our young mistress's barge, but they were immediately stumped by the questions from the little maid, so in the end, the young mistress decided not to see anyone else tonight." The maid explained.

  She went up onto the boat and followed her maid upstairs into the second floor cabin. The entire painted barge was unusually quiet.

  Inside the bedroom, a dazzling woman with pearly whites and starry eyes, red lips and green sleeves, skin as smooth as frozen fat, plump and slender figure, at this moment, she was smiling and gazing affectionately at Yi Han. This is indeed a top-notch beauty, but compared to that luxurious painting boat woman, she was slightly inferior. Yi Han had already been stunned once tonight, so seeing the beauty now seemed much more calm.

  Yi Han sighed: "A painted boat floats in the middle of the lake, a solitary lamp shines brightly under the elegant canopy, what is it that beautiful women do not love, pitying the beauty who guards the desolate phoenix alone."

  "Are you teasing me, sir?" Shi Shi asked with a smile.

  Yi Han smiled and said: "How dare I, I am worried about you, thinking that yesterday you were so glorious, but today you are so cold and deserted with not even half a person accompanying you."

  Shi Shi smiled lightly and said: "Young Master has already come to accompany me, how can I be lonely? It's fine if those ordinary people don't see me, I can also have a quiet moment to myself."

  Yi Han smiled and said: "I am also an ordinary person".

  Shi Shi smiled and said: "Although the young master is a commoner, he has elegance within his coarseness."

  "How can there be elegance in vulgarity?"

  "Last night, I heard the young master play a tune on the zither. The young master can perform such an elegant thing in such a coarse and unrefined way. Isn't it that elegance is hidden within coarseness? I was fortunate enough to hear the young master's music, but unfortunately, I didn't get to see his face. I couldn't sleep all night."

  "Ah, let me take a look", Yi Han walked in and stared at Shi Shi, "You really don't look like you've slept well, your eyes are all dark".

  "Really?" Shi exclaimed in surprise.

  In a flurry, I have to go find a mirror.

  Yi Han boldly pulled Si Si back and smiled slyly: "No need to look for it, I have a mirror right here."

  Shi Shi's small hand was grasped by Yi Han, and she habitually pulled it back, trying to break free. Her eyes showed a hint of panic and pleading, as she said softly: "Young Master, please don't do this."

  Yi Han burst out laughing and said: "Sorry about that, I wasn't paying attention just now and accidentally grabbed the young lady's hand".

  "Does the young master really carry a mirror with him?" Po asked curiously, changing the subject.

  Yi Han quickly took a few steps forward, facing Poem and looking at her. The two of them were extremely close, their faces almost touching. If either of them moved just a little bit closer, they would bump into each other. All that Poem could see was Yi Han's entire face.

  Yi Han's eyes locked onto Shi Shi's, his voice low and gentle: "My eyes are your mirror, can you see yourself in them?" Shi Shi felt a wave of heat wash over her, accompanied by the strong scent of masculinity. She wasn't unfamiliar with being close to men, but Yi Han had leaned in without warning, leaving her unprepared. She knew nothing about this man, not even his name.

  This face-to-face encounter made Shi extremely uncomfortable, she wanted to take a few steps back, but her legs were soft and weak, numb and tingling, pleading: "Young master, don't do this, it's making Shi embarrassed".

  Yi Han had a mind to tease her, how could he bear to let go as she wished. The more embarrassed the woman was, the more playful he became. He didn't care about the impression of this fleeting encounter on himself. If one is restricted everywhere in life, what's the fun?

  "Alright," Yi Han said with a smile, his hand secretly wrapping around Shi Shi's slender waist. As soon as he was caught by Yi Han, her waist felt numb, and Shi Shi was startled, like a frightened rabbit escaping from Yi Han's grasp. Her eyes turned icy and proud, with a hint of anger in her expression.

  Yi Han felt a slight chill and unexpected surprise, but Shi Shi's expression at this time made him feel disappointed. The pleasure between men and women is about mutual consent, if not willing, then forget it. His entire demeanor changed instantly, no longer with any enchanting and infatuated look.

  "Miss Shi, I was rude just now, I suddenly remembered that there are still things at home, so I'll take my leave", and with that he quickly turned around and left.

  Shi Shi was stunned on the spot, she couldn't understand at all, just now he was still making moves with his hands and feet, a lecherous Yi Han suddenly became upright and honest, how could she know that Yi Han was dissatisfied with her not being bold enough, a true gentleman! If he heard this, he would definitely laugh secretly.

  Two encounters, and Yi Han has already piqued her interest. He is the second one. Why have she been encountering such things recently? Usually, it's men who try to figure out her thoughts, but now it's her turn to figure out someone else's thoughts. Is this what they mean by "one thing restrains another"? Ever since coming to Jinling, there hasn't been a man who isn't infatuated with her, listening to her every word and following her every command, even willing to squander his entire fortune just to see her once, yet ultimately unable to fulfill their desires.

  As for tonight, being robbed of the spotlight by the owner of that luxurious painted barge, she didn't mind. Ning Xue was a high and mighty young lady, and Shi Shi didn't dare compare herself to her. Ning Xue's thoughts had always been impossible to guess, let alone setting up a painted barge on Qinhuai Lake and inviting the talented scholars of Jinling. Even if it were an even more absurd and bizarre thing, Shi Shi wouldn't have found it strange. She was a phoenix, only staying in Jinling for a moment, and after the excitement passed, where would one go to find her? Elusive and ethereal, only Shi Shi truly existed.

  It was Ning Xue's sister, Ning Shuang's personality, although cold and ruthless, but Shi Shi could guess a few points.

  "Alas, Ning Xue, why must you come to Jinling to join in the commotion? Those men are like weeds in my eyes, how can you possibly look up to them?"

  Qiu Ling walked into the cabin and said to the beautiful woman sitting at the desk, "Miss, everyone has been sent away." This beautiful woman, the owner of this luxurious painted barge, was none other than Ning Xue in Shi Shi's words.

  Jining Sect's leader, Ning Shengrui, has two daughters. The elder daughter, Ning Xue, is gentle and elegant, with a beauty that is unmatched. The younger daughter, Ning Shuang, is cold and arrogant, with a calculating mind from a young age, often dressing as a man and having a beauty that rivals her sister's, but few people have seen her. Although the Jining Sect appears to be just an ordinary Jianghu sect on the surface, its power extends far beyond what can be seen. The Ning family is skilled at controlling the lifelines of various industries in the Central Plains region. As the saying goes, "with money, all things are possible." These powers, accumulated through wealth and hidden from view, should not be underestimated. No one understands this because, in the eyes of all major sects, the Jining Sect is just an unremarkable role. But they are wrong. The bodyguards by Ning Xue and Ning Shuang's side, Knife Girl and Sword Girl, are absolutely top-notch figures among the younger generation.

  Jian Ningxue didn't respond, so Qiu Ling repeated himself, "Miss, all the guests have left."

  "Oh, I see, Autumn Lin, what did you think of that young master just now?" Ning Xue asked suddenly with a dull and lifeless expression.

  Qiu Lingdao said: "Miss, which young master are you referring to? I don't know."

  Her beautiful and moving appearance suddenly became cold and unapproachable, but her tone was especially gentle, "He, the one who tried to take advantage of me".

  "Of course it's not okay, I originally thought that Yi Han was just a playboy, but I didn't think he would be so despicable and rude to Miss. If I had known earlier, I would have let Knife Sister kill him." If Yi Han heard Autumn Lin say this, he would definitely be stunned, this little girl is actually so ruthless, and treats him like that, that sister was called in vain.

  A gentle breeze blew across the lake, blowing into the cabin and messing up Ning Xue's hair. She gazed out the window at the bright moon and murmured, "You said I'd be so lonely, didn't you?"

  Qiu Ling waited quietly by the side without responding. The young lady usually looked gentle and optimistic, but she was also a sentimental person.

  A soft song and distant dance floated across the lake, but Ning Xue's face remained serene, as if she hadn't noticed. Her beautiful eyes were deep and quiet, peaceful and calm.

  After a pause, she suddenly smiled and said: "Right, he's so rude, I should be annoyed with him, but I don't care at all, instead I find him quite amusing".

  "Miss, don't be deceived by his appearance, he's actually a wolf in sheep's clothing."

  Ning Xue smiled lightly, "This person is full of tricks and is simply a lustful wolf." She leaned her knees on the table, her slender hands supporting her fragrant cheeks, striking a pose that was both sweet and captivating.

  Qiu Ling was shocked and asked: "Miss, why are you still looking at him with favor?"

  Ning Xue made an innocent face and scolded, "What can I do? I really don't dislike him. I didn't plan to drive him away in the first place. I thought he would be stubborn and not leave, but who knew he actually left. How boring, it's all his fault that I feel so uninterested now."

  Ning Xue's attitude suddenly made Qiu Ling feel relieved, and she chuckled: "Miss, the maid is really helpless with you. I don't know how many young masters have been deceived by your gentle appearance, and those poor young masters still think of you as a fairy."

  Ning Xue smiled and said: "I never wanted to be an immortal fairy, I want to be a witch, who let them willingly be played by me".

  Ning Xue stared blankly at the painting that Yi Han had just drawn, muttering to herself: "The style and brushstrokes of these two paintings are so similar, but if I were to believe that he really painted this when he was around ten years old, it would be like a fool talking nonsense. How is this possible? I wonder if he's also skilled in music; if he plays the zither, I'll dance - what a wonderful scene that would be."