Qin Lianyue spent forty thousand yuan on Shen Lang, telling him to pick any teahouse and have a drink.
Half an hour later, Shen Lang and Qin Lianyue arrived at Wang Bei Teahouse.
Shen Lang still had a deep impression of Zhen Mi's breathtaking melody from back then, so choosing Wang Bei Teahouse was an unconscious decision.
Qin Lianyue was a quintessential urban beauty. Her fashion was always cutting-edge, and her conversation topics were always the latest current events. If one wasn't up-to-date, they wouldn't be able to keep up with her.
However, Shen Lang also happened to be a trend-conscious person who watched the news punctually every day. He and Qin Lianyue found themselves conversing with great enthusiasm, to the point where Qin Lianyue had to praise Shen Lang's erudition.
Qin Lianyue and Shen Lang sat facing each other by the low table, looking like old friends who had known each other for years to anyone who didn't know them.
"Come, Shen Lang, have another cup."
Qin Lianyue picked up the teapot and refilled Shen Lang's cup, smiling.
"Alright—"
Shen Lang raised his cup, blew on the steam, and took a sip.
"Shen Lang, I've heard a lot about you from Tang Wuzui. I feel you're no ordinary person. Have you ever thought about soaring to the heavens one day?"
While Shen Lang was drinking his tea, Qin Lianyue smiled and said.
"Soaring to the heavens?"
Upon hearing Qin Lianyue's words, Shen Lang chuckled, "What do you mean? Are you trying to recruit me?"
"It's not me trying to recruit you; it's the Qin family."
Qin Lianyue spoke, "Have you ever heard the saying, 'The powerful Qin, the overbearing Qi, the greedy Kong'?"
"This saying refers to three of the five great families: the Qin family is the strongest, the Qi family is the most overbearing, and the Kong family is the most greedy. And the powerful Qin refers to the Qin family of Longdu."
Qin Lianyue smiled, "I am the eldest daughter of the Qin family of Longdu. The current head of the Qin family is none other than my father."
"Shen Lang, you are skilled in medicine, and your martial arts talent is exceptionally rare, seen only once in centuries. If you are willing to join the Qin family, we guarantee to provide you with a world where you can transform into a dragon of the highest heavens."
"Haha, you've made me tempted. However, I refuse."
Hearing Qin Lianyue's words, Shen Lang laughed, "If I accept the benefits the Qin family offers, then when the Qin family is in trouble, won't I be the first one to charge into battle?"
"I apologize, but I've never had a sense of contract. I often want to take benefits, but I'm not very interested in fulfilling obligations."
"How about this: the Qin family just gives me benefits, and I don't have to fulfill any obligations. Is that okay?"
"Pfft—"
Hearing Shen Lang's words, Qin Lianyue, who was examining something, spat out a mouthful of tea. She laughed at Shen Lang, "Are you a Pixiu? You only eat and don't excrete? You want benefits but don't want to contribute. Does such a thing exist in this world?"
"You see, you yourself said that such good things don't exist in this world, so it's even more impossible for me to accept the Qin family's recruitment."
Shen Lang looked at Qin Lianyue and smiled, "I am free and at ease now. If I accept someone else's benefits and heed their recruitment, it's equivalent to signing a contract of servitude. That's not something I would do."
"You're just looking for an easy life, letting yourself go."
Qin Lianyue rolled her eyes at Shen Lang and said, "True powerhouses should have ambition. Accepting the Qin family's recruitment might mean losing some freedom, but it provides a platform for greater development, something many people dream of."
"Forget it, let's not talk about this. You probably wouldn't understand anyway. Just pretend I didn't say what I said earlier."
Seeing Qin Lianyue's disappointed expression, Shen Lang smiled, "The idea of recruiting me is flawed. Even if I were willing, I have already made enemies with Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao. Are you willing to recruit me despite the wrath of the Qi and Kong families?"
"You truly are a restless fellow."
Qin Lianyue spoke, "I know you've offended Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao more than once, and you even caused a scene at Qi Tuojiang's engagement ceremony, making him a laughingstock. However, while Qi Tuojiang and Kong Wudao have considerable backgrounds, they don't have the strength to challenge the Qin family, at least not yet. The Qin family can protect you; it's up to you whether you're willing."
Shen Lang heard this and smiled, "No need. I prefer to protect myself with my own strength."
"Fan Yuqi, a traitor of the Qin state, placed his hopes on Prince Dan of Yan for protection. As a result, when Prince Dan needed to assassinate him, he beheaded him without hesitation. This proves one thing: relying on others for protection is unreliable."
Hearing Shen Lang's logical reasoning, Qin Lianyue was momentarily speechless, unsure of what to say.
At this moment, Zhen Mi, clad in red with hair as black as ink, heard that Shen Lang was at the teahouse and quickly descended from upstairs, finally arriving before Shen Lang.
"Brother Shen, it's so good to see you again."
Seeing Shen Lang, Zhen Mi's face bloomed with a smile.
"Mi'er, why are you here?"
Seeing Zhen Mi appear, the most surprised was not Shen Lang but Qin Lianyue.
Qin Lianyue looked at Zhen Mi with disbelief, clearly surprised by her appearance.
"Oh, Auntie, you've come to Longdu too?"
Seeing Qin Lianyue, Zhen Mi was both surprised and delighted.
"What? You two know each other?"
Seeing that Zhen Mi and Qin Lianyue knew each other, Shen Lang asked with curiosity.
"Brother Shen, let me introduce you. This is Qin Lianyue, my mother's sister, my aunt."
Zhen Mi pointed to Qin Lianyue and introduced her.
"So that's how it is..."
Shen Lang heard this and smiled, "No wonder I always felt Qin Lianyue resembled you in some ways. You're family after all."
"Of course! Auntie and I have lived together since we were children and grew up playing together."
Zhen Mi looked at Qin Lianyue and smiled, "My father opened this teahouse for me. He said the profits are my allowance. When I'm not attending classes at Nanling University, I come here to play the zither."
"Auntie, don't you always dislike leaving Longdu? How did you end up here, and it doesn't seem like you're here to see me."
Hearing Zhen Mi's words, Qin Lianyue gave a wry smile, "Do you think I *want* to leave Longdu? I'm here to find your uncle."
"Uncle?"
Hearing Qin Lianyue's words, Zhen Mi was shocked and said, "Is it that uncle I've never met?"
"Yes—"
Qin Lianyue replied, "I haven't seen him for many years. I'm almost forgetting what he looks like now."
"Do you remember his name?"
Zhen Mi spoke, "I've not only never met him, but I don't even know his name. I've only heard about him from others, but everyone seems to be very secretive about his name and reluctant to mention it. Auntie, what is my uncle's name?"
"His name?"
Qin Lianyue sighed, "His name is Qin Zangjing..."