Chaotic World Book-Chapter 53 - 52 Chapters Cui Yuanyong

The waiter and the shopkeeper both lay dead right there, liberated from the misfortune of amputation. The drinkers had all run off clean, and Zhao Changhe looked around, curling his lips with disdain, "Just now someone said they'd treat me to a drink. They ran faster than rabbits."

He directly took the leftover, untouched food from another table, sat in the middle of the tavern, and feasted as if someone had indeed treated him.

Outside, a clear laughter rang out, "Worldly Society fights, bodies lying everywhere, why would any proper person dare to sit and drink here? How about I treat you?"

Zhao Changhe, without lifting his head, replied, "Aren't you, Mr. Cui, a proper person either?"

Cui Yuanyong took a seat opposite him and smiled, "Maybe not."

"So, who's treating whom now? To think aristocrats mooch meals too, definitely not what 'proper people' do." Zhao Changhe casually poured him a drink, "Where's your sister? Why is it just you? Treating her is one thing, but treating you feels somewhat odd."

Cui Yuanyong slightly smiled, "Oh? Interested in her?"

"Forget it, I'm not interested in fools." Zhao Changhe rolled his eyes, "Still, no matter how foolish, at least she's a cute little girl, pleasing to the eyes. You're almost as handsome as me, which annoys me even more."

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Cui Yuanyong lost his words, laughing, "I think you're resistant because you suspect I have some ties with Yue Hongling."

As Zhao Changhe chewed on his beef, he sized up Cui Yuanyong for a long moment, then suddenly smiled, "Whether you like her or not, I can't say, but I know she wouldn't like you, so there's nothing to resist."

Cui Yuanyong grew curious, "Oh? Why so sure? Because you think she fancies you?"

"No," Zhao Changhe shook his head, "Her heart is with the Worldly Society, and who knows when she'll think of homecoming; she belongs to no one at this time, neither you nor me."

Cui Yuanyong laughed, "I feel like you're the same way. Be it Xia Chichi or Yue Hongling."

Zhao Changhe, expressionless, "If the person who understood me was your sister, we might be able to have a chat. You understanding me so well, what are you trying to do? I hear your Aristocratic Family often has such...'culture'."

Cui Yuanyong, looking into Zhao Changhe's eyes, couldn't tell if he was agreeing or just humoring him. Cui Yuanyong didn't press further, only chuckled, "That 'culture' isn't just in Aristocratic Families; it's even stronger in many villages. Maybe the Village Chief Zhao is more familiar with that."

Zhao Changhe: "... Damn."

Finally, Cui Yuanyong raised his glass in a toast, "This is the first time we meet, I'm Cui Yuanyong."

"Pleased to meet you." Zhao Changhe also raised his glass, clinking it slightly to show goodwill.

Before this, he had thought of asking Yue Hongling to make introductions, as he didn't want the atmosphere to be too tense with anyone. These Aristocratic Family connections were now tied to his own pretense of being the Prince and unraveling the mysteries of the world; he still hoped for a good exchange.

Especially since this guy didn't seem disagreeable. The courteous battle with Yue Hongling ended with mutual admiration, believing Yue Hongling was unintentionally kidnapped by bandits, he even carried injuries to rescue her, and afterwards didn't spread around that the bandit leader's wife was Yue Hongling herself... So far, Zhao's impression of him was quite favorable.

Plus, Cui Yuanyong had, intentionally or not, taken a bullet for him... That night he had tied up all of Beimang Mountain's men and delivered them to the Mangshan City Government Office, declaring the local government had annihilated the notorious bandits, accruing great merit.

This action might make people think Zhao Changhe was leaning toward the Cui Family, killing Fang Buping as a precursor for the Cui Family, but similarly, the Cui Family had taken the heat of being the "masterminds," causing the Blood God Sect and even the Four Symbols Sect's main attention to fall on the Cui Family. Others wanting to target Zhao Changhe also had to consider the Cui Family's stance.

Throughout this journey, it had all been rat-like schemes, hardly encountering any upright people, all connected to this matter. The pretense of being a Prince so far existed only between him and Xia Chichi's imaginations; others might not think the same way, but in reality, the upright people were cautious of the Cui Family—that was the truth...

Currently, since it is well-known that he had set out from Beimang, and his location was clear, if someone wanted to block him, they would likely do so on the main roads around Beimang and certainly catch him; thus, the journey had been perilous. However, as he traveled farther, it became harder for others to pin down his location. Perhaps with Cui Yuanyong helping to shield him a little, he would not need to be as tense as these past few days, where he grew anxious at the sight of beggars and inn servers. Honestly, living like this was unbearable.

If it wasn't for being well-versed in martial arts novels and paying attention to such plot devices, he might have been tricked long ago...

So, they weren't exactly "meeting for the first time"; Zhao Changhe had been followed by the siblings for several days now, having seen Cui Yuanyong's face countless times behind him. It was unclear why there had been no interaction until today when Cui Yuanyong decided to come drink.

Both clinked their glasses and drank up. Cui Yuanyong took out a silk handkerchief leisurely wiping his mouth, "Isn't it strange why we followed you for days without interacting, watching you cunningly tackle challenges and obstacles, only to show ourselves now?"

Zhao Changhe looked at his silk handkerchief, unable to suppress a twitch at the corner of his mouth, and could only say, "I am indeed curious. What were you thinking?"

Cui Yuanyong sighed, "If I say it was just for my sister to learn some tricks of the Worldly Society, would you think I'm lying..."

Zhao Changhe's mouth almost spasmed into convulsions, finally responding, "I feel like that might actually be true."

Cui Yuanyong laughed heartily, "Indeed, it's true. I took her out, and we never really encountered trouble until you set up a blockade. Even then, you didn't capture us; you let us go. From then on, our impression of you was pretty good."

"...So it was you two passersby, huh? I've forgotten what you even looked like."

"My family is flourishing with men, having only one sister... She has been spoiled endlessly since childhood, naïve and innocent, never acquainted with the sinister hearts of people or the evils of the Worldly Society. Although she possesses excellent talents, she refuses to practice diligently, and everyone indulges her, not speaking harshly to her. This time, she did not heed my advice and attacked your fortress at night, leading to her capture. Fortunately, despite being called a bandit, you, Village Chief Zhao, are a gentleman. It was her luck; otherwise, the lesson could have been unbearable."

Zhao Changhe bowed his head and sipped his drink, murmuring, "Indeed... a bit foolish..."

"Village Chief Zhao heroically released her, and afterward faced the squad leader's prosecution and risked his life. She was nearly frantic." Cui Yuanyong smiled and bowed, "I feel she has grown up a lot overnight. This truly is a significant growth experience you've provided her. Cui is grateful."

Zhao Changhe could only say, "It shows her innate goodness... Zhao is also thankful for her elixir."

"That's indeed true, my sister, although a bit spoiled, has always been good-natured," Cui Yuanyong continued, "So when she saw you leaving Beimang alone, looking somewhat frail, she kept pestering me to protect you. I told her, this is a tiger descending the mountain, a dragon entering the sea; how could there be a need for protection? Not only should she not protect, she should use the opportunity to gain experience... Making her learn from others mostly results in grumbles, but she obeys well with you."

Zhao Changhe: "..."

Cui Yuanyong drank another glass of wine, sighed, and said, "Do you know why I came to find you today without bringing her?"

Zhao Changhe shook his head.

"Because she saw you stride through numerous dangerous and tricky situations, and realized that she would have died countless times if she faced them. You, however, swept away all the demons and apparitions as if a Heavenly God descended... I noticed a change in her eyes. If she continued like that, she might gain more than just experience... so I had someone take her back home, and she was quite angry with me."

Zhao Changhe coughed dryly, lowering his head to drink without speaking.

The Cui Family has several Grandmasters on the Heaven, Earth, and Human List, and Cui Yuanyong is also at the Eighth Layer of the Mystical Gate and the Third of Hidden Dragon, a significant figure in the world. Yet here was his little sister, looking at a mere man of the Third Layer of the Mystical Gate, thinking he was a Heavenly God descending... Putting himself in Cui Yuanyong's shoes, it was enough to make one spit out blood, yet here was Zhao Changhe who'd done nothing wrong, still a benefactor of his sister, not someone he could punish, and he even had to show some support.

Cui Yuanyong truly felt his plight was the most unjust of all; reaching this point, he finally sighed, "Since my sister has gone back, Cui thinks he should sit down and have a good drink with Brother Zhao, make friends, and also ask what Brother Zhao plans for the future."

Zhao Changhe replied, "Could it be that the Cui Family really wants to recruit me?"

Cui Yuanyong shook his head, "Brother Zhao is above such commoners; that's not meaningful... What we want to know is actually what exactly is the relationship between Brother Zhao and Chief Tang of the Government Office?"