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At the Exalting Sanctum Amusement Park.
System time: 1:30 PM.
"Jinyan-gege, over here!"
Sushang, still clad in her white long dress adorned with floral patterns, bounced excitedly while waving from afar, drawing numerous curious glances from other visitors.
Rushing up to Sushang, Su Jinyan expressed his bewilderment, "Shangshang."
"How did you spot me from such a distance, wearing the Fool's mask and surrounded by this crowd?"
Sushang took Su Jinyan's hands, placing them over her heart with earnest sincerity shining in her eyes.
"Because Jinyan-gege is always Jinyan-gege."
"No matter if Jinyan-gege wears a mask or disguises himself..."
"Even if transformed into someone else's appearance, Shangshang would still recognize Jinyan-gege at first glance."
Su Jinyan's heartbeat momentarily slowed.
I... I've actually been flirted with by Sushang?
With unwavering conviction, Sushang declared, "I'd know it was you even if you turned to ash."
Su Jinyan gently pinched Sushang's upturned nose. "Silly girl, that line is unnecessary."
"Eh hehe~" Sushang giggled bashfully.
"Is there anything specific you want to do here, Shangshang?" Su Jinyan asked.
Eagerly, Sushang grabbed his hand. "Come on, Jinyan-gege, let me show you something special. Today, Little Gui is performing at the Exalting Sanctum amusement park as part of her tour."
"By my calculations, we should just make it in time for her lion dance performance."
At that moment, Guinaifen had finished her previous acrobatic act, eliciting continuous applause from the audience below.
She bowed gracefully. "Many thanks for your kind support, esteemed patrons."
"Next, Little Gui will perform the lion dance for everyone."
"Wishing you all prosperity and good fortune in the new year!"
An authentic lion dance typically requires at least four participants.
In their usual performances, Little Gui and Sushang would together portray a large lion, known as "Tai Shi." Another performer, the lion tamer, would wield a silk ball to tease and guide the lion. Lastly, someone would drum and beat the gong, setting the rhythm that dictated the lion's movements.
However, just after Little Gui announced the upcoming lion dance, an unexpected issue arose.
During the intermission, the lion tamer rushed frantically to Little Gui.
"Little Gui, we can't continue with the lion dance."
Confusion clouded Guinaifen's lovely features. "What happened?" she asked, concerned. "I've already promised this performance to our esteemed audience."
The lion tamer explained, "Aiyo, Xiao Gao and Miss Hua both fell ill suddenly; they can't participate now."
If only one person were missing, Guinaifen could have stepped in as a smaller lion, allowing another to handle the percussion. But with two absent, it was clear that the lion dance could not proceed.
Without the climactic lion dance finale, the circus troupe affiliated with Guinaifen faced inevitable ticket cancellations.
Just as Guinaifen felt helpless, Sushang, holding Su Jinyan's hand, sprinted backstage.
"Hey, Little Gui, how's the show going?"
Guinaifen's eyes sparkled as she excitedly grasped Sushang's delicate, snow-white hands. "Shangshang?! You've come at just the right time."
"It's like a timely rain, saving us from disaster!"
Confused, Sushang listened to Guinaifen explain the situation before confidently declaring, "Leave it to me, young lady here will handle this."
"Let Jinyan-gege perform the lion dance with you, and I'll take on the drumming."
"Huh?" Guinaifen blinked.
Su Jinyan seemed even more puzzled. "Lion dance? But I've never done that before. Drumming might be manageable though."
Sushang's lips curved upwards. "Little Gui, listen up. How much time until the show starts?"
Guinaifen glanced at the clock. "Five minutes."
"Surely, with Jinyan-gege's talent, five minutes is plenty of time! It'll be enough!" Sushang insisted.
Staring at her, Su Jinyan protested, "Shangshang, your choice of words is quite ambiguous. What do you mean by 'five minutes is plenty'?"
Looking distressed, Guinaifen pleaded, "Aiyo, Shangshang, stop messing around.
"I'm begging you to perform the lion dance with me; I promise I'll make it worth your while."
At that moment, Sushang appeared unusually shrewd. "Alright, Little Gui, let's pinky swear." She extended her little finger, gently hooking it with Guinaifen's. "Happy now?"
"Little Su, you'll play the drums. If you do well, Little Gui has a big reward for you," Sushang added.
Finding their exchange amusing, Su Jinyan readily agreed to join them.
From his understanding of Sushang, it was clear she intended to trick Little Gui.
Su Jinyan had already confirmed beforehand that Shangshang could not possibly be portrayed by Sparkle. The latter simply couldn't capture Sushang's delicate and charming essence.
But here arose another question: since when did this little dimwit, Shangshang, start enjoying pranking others?
Donning the Fool's Mask, Su Jinyan accompanied Sushang and Little Gui onto the stage.
The lion dance on Xianzhou adhered to specific traditions; just anyone hopping around wouldn't suffice.
As the fiery drumbeats reverberated, Sushang and Little Gui performed their lion dance with rhythmic precision.
They showcased a series of breathtaking acts—tightrope walking, climbing stools, pole scaling, high platform somersaults, moon gazing over water, agile rope traversing, lotus blossom leaps, and treasure exploration down steep slopes. Their skilled coordination, captivating movements, and heart-stopping performances left the audience awestruck, eliciting continuous cheers and applause.
Just as the curtain was about to close, during their final act of tightrope walking, an unexpected incident occurred.
Snap!
The wire high above suddenly snapped.
Sushang and Little Gui cried out in shock, teetering on the brink of a perilous fall that could result in severe injuries.
Without hesitation, Su Jinyan executed a swift falcon flip, positioning himself beneath them. Extending his arms, he skillfully supported the tips of their feet, preventing their descent.
Both girls breathed sighs of relief.
The vibrant red great lion shook its mane and gracefully leaped from his grasp onto the stage below.
The spectators assumed it was a deliberate stunt by Little Gui, rising to their feet and erupting into thunderous applause.
Su Jinyan had ingeniously averted what could have been a disastrous accident without arousing suspicion.
However, he couldn't find any joy in this feat. To him, the wire's break clearly bore Sparkle's mark.
After the curtain fell, Su Jinyan, expression grim, dialed Sampo's number:
"Sampo, give me Sparkle's contact information."
Sensing something amiss in Su Jinyan's tone, Sampo asked, "What happened? Did you run into trouble?"
Su Jinyan's voice was icy. "Give it to me quickly; I have urgent matters to discuss."
Sampo clearly understood the gravity of the situation as well. "Alright, I'll send it to you right away. But whether that guy responds is anyone's guess."
Initially, Sampo had intended to bring up splitting the performance fee with Su Jinyan, but now it seemed Sparkle had thoroughly enraged him.
Despite his pursuit of amusement, Sampo knew when to assess the situation and wouldn't risk further displeasing Su Jinyan at this moment.
Immediately after hanging up, Su Jinyan dialed Sparkle's number.
Sparkle's playful voice chimed from the other end.
"Ta-da! Sparkle making her entrance~"
"My dear, did you need something?"
Su Jinyan took a deep breath. "Sparkle, I have some questions for you. Just moments ago, during Shangshang and Little Gui's lion dance performance, the steel wire snapped."
Sparkle blinked her beautiful eyes. "My dear, do you mean... Is Lady Sparkle being accused of setting them up?"
Su Jinyan sternly replied, "I've run out of patience to indulge in your tiresome games any longer. Your pranks are now threatening my loved ones. If this happens again, I swear I will dismantle your absurd aesthetics of elation."
Sparkle covered her lips, giggling softly.
While Sparkle pursued amusement without regard for means, she had no direct involvement with the broken tightrope in the circus. Even if Sushang and Guinaifen fell from great heights and sustained severe injuries, it wouldn't amuse her. The illustrious Lady Sparkle had long grown weary of such low-level pranks.
But clearly, Little Su's defenses were now visibly breached.
Sparkle's beautiful eyes curved delightfully, her voice sugary sweet as if coquettishly teasing, "Then why don't you guess? Was it really me doing all this mischief~?"
Once suspicion arises, guilt is already presumed. Renowned botanist Liu Huaqiang once said, "When you doubt whether a melon is ripe or not, in your mind, that melon can no longer be trusted."
Thus, regardless of whether one cuts it open or not, it becomes meaningless.
Su Jinyan spoke calmly, "Sparkle, whether it was you or not...it doesn't matter anymore."
"I hope you can maintain this cheerful mood going forward."
On the other end of the call, Sparkle's breaths quickened, accompanied by faint gurgling sounds: "Darling, let's play a guessing game, shall we?"
"If you can figure out what Sparkle is currently doing, there will be a reward, oh~"
Sighing deeply, Su Jinyan replied, "You truly are...beyond redemption..."
As he watched the disconnected phone, Sparkle pursed her lips, then uncharacteristically flopped onto the sofa, wiggling her delicate snow-white feet gleefully.
"Haha, Little Su's mind always goes to the gutter."
"Wahh, dear..."
"I've told you twice already that I have no ill intent towards you, but it seems like you just can't take me seriously~"
Backstage at the circus, Su Jinyan sat between Sushang and Guinaifen, offering comfort, "Are you both alright?"
"Any leads on why the tightrope snapped?"
Guinaifen chuckled, "Heh heh, don't look so serious! They say surviving such a disaster brings good fortune afterward."
"As for the tightrope incident..."
"I've already asked someone from the circus to investigate the cause, Little Gui," Sushang added.
Tightrope walking was a regular act in the circus, with dedicated personnel inspecting the ropes before every performance. Throughout all his performances, Guinaifen had never encountered any mishaps. Yet today, this unexpected event occurred, making it hard not to suspect Sparkle's involvement.
Sushang interjected, "Let's set aside the issue of the broken rope for now."
"Today, let's focus on Little Gui fulfilling his promise."
Confused, Guinaifen asked, "Huh? Shangshang, what do you want me to do?"
Sushang took Guinaifen's hand, then reached for Su Jinyan's, intertwining their hands together. Finally, she placed her own soft little hand atop theirs.
"Little Gui, how about the three of us go on a date?" Sushang proposed.
"Eh?!?" exclaimed Guinaifen, taken aback.
Su Jinyan was utterly stunned by Sushang's request, his thoughts momentarily freezing.
What is going on? Could Shangshang be testing my loyalty to her?
But that doesn't make sense; Shangshang is so sweet and wouldn't do something like this. Besides, she wouldn't even consider such possibilities.
"Sushang," Su Jinyan cautiously asked, "Show me your Tai Xu Sword Energy."
In his mind, Sparkle might be the versatile Fool capable of countless transformations, but while she could mimic appearances, she couldn't replicate exclusive techniques unique to individuals.
Sushang extended her fingers as if holding a sword, releasing the distinctive aura of Tai Xu Sword Energy.
It wasn't a fake.
Gently touching Sushang's snow-white forehead, Su Jinyan noted, "Hmm, you don't have a fever either."
Sushang chided him, "Seriously, I'm being genuine here! Don't think of me as some fool."
"Little Gui Zi, you owe me a promise now."
"We're friends, right? You won't break it, will you?"
Guinaifen scrutinized Sushang with uncertainty. "Shangshang, tell me honestly, are you testing our sisterly bond?"
"This is the first time Little Gui Zi has heard such an outrageous demand from you."
"Testing?" Guinaifen cleared her throat, her expression turning serious. "How should I put this..."
"Little Su is indeed quite charming," Guinaifen admitted hesitantly. "I must confess, I do have just a tiny bit of interest in him."
"But only a tiny bit, mind you."
"As open and honest best friends and sisters, rest assured..."
"I would never stoop so low as to seduce your Jinyan-gege; it's utterly unethical."
Su Jinyan hastily chimed in, "Yes, Shangshang.
"You don't need to test me either; I harbor no such feelings towards Little Gui."
Sushang blinked her innocent, beautiful eyes. "It's alright, emotions can be nurtured over time," she said sweetly. "Initially, I didn't feel anything for Jinyan-gege either."
Still puzzled, Guinaifen asked, "But Shangshang, why did you suddenly suggest a triple date?"
Proudly puffing out her ample chest, Sushang replied, "Heh heh, this wasn't spontaneous at all."
"I've been cunningly plotting for quite some time, meticulously scheming, if you will."
Su Jinyan and Guinaifen exchanged looks, speechless.
Shangshang, aren't those rather negative connotations?
Sushang explained, "Father often says, 'The ancestral laws must not be violated.'
"We're sworn sisters, after all. Refusing to let Jinyan-gege be with you would go against our ancestral laws."
Su Jinyan and Guinaifen exchanged bewildered glances.
Seeing their confusion, Sushang chided them, "You're both so clueless."
"Haven't you heard? In joy we share our husbands, in hardship we stand together."
Guinaifen gasped, "In joy we share our husbands? Are Xianzhou's customs that liberal?"
Sushang nodded vigorously. "Yes, yes! In joy we share our husbands; true sisters must always share their spouses."
"Only by sharing a husband, enjoying him together, can hardships truly be faced as one."
Guinaifen had an epiphany. "That makes sense indeed. Such great sacrifices for being good sisters."
"If, after all this, we couldn't face hardships together in the future, it would simply be unjustifiable."
Su Jinyan's expression turned serious. "I remember now," he said. "There is indeed such a saying among Xianzhou traditions."
"So Little Gui, if we don't stay together, it would practically mean—"
Guinaifen's lips parted slightly. "It would practically invite divine retribution from lightning strike?"
Su Jinyan hesitated, speechless.
Guinaifen made up her mind firmly. "From now on, every date must involve all three of us."
"We cannot defy ancestral customs."
Sushang eagerly responded, "Mm-hmm!"
The system time now read 1:55 PM.
In just five minutes, it would be the appointed hour for his date with Shizun.
Considering how eager Shizun seemed about this rendezvous,
Fu Xuan might already be waiting at the designated location ahead of schedule.
Su Jinyan said, "Shangshang, Little Gui, how can we go on a date without bubble tea?"
"Wait here for a moment while I personally prepare two cups of Immortal's Delight for you both."
Sushang nodded obediently, "Sounds great! I'll have mine extra-icy."
Guinaifen chimed in cheerfully, "Little Su, I'm not picky when it comes to bubble tea flavors. Hurry back, though."
"And Little Gui, this is our first group date," Su Jinyan added mentally, Not just for you, even hearing it feels novel.
It's not that he hadn't daydreamed about group dates before, but those fantasies only involved Xueyi and Hanya. It was clear that Shangshang truly understood him, embodying the perfect girlfriend who fulfilled all his romantic fantasies.
For the first time ever, Su Jinyan realized there might be some advantages to being culturally uninformed.
At the Exalting Sanctum, within the amusement park's resting area...
Fu Xuan had clearly taken great care with her appearance; her pale pink hair was sleeker and smoother, while her petite frame exuded a delightful fragrance.
When Su Jinyan hurriedly arrived, the clock precisely struck two o'clock in the afternoon.
"Shizun, my apologies for keeping you waiting," Su Jinyan said, full of remorse as he gently took Fu Xuan's soft, delicate hand.
Fu Xuan's cheeks flushed slightly. "Hmph, I just got here myself; I wasn't waiting for you at all."
"But tell me, oh disobedient disciple, why do you seem so rushed? It's not like you." She paused, suspicion creeping into her voice. "Could it be that...?"
Before she could finish her question, Su Jinyan magically produced a cup of Immortal's Delight tea, as if performing a trick.
"Shizun, behold the Immortal's Delight tea I personally prepared for you."
Fu Xuan was exceedingly clever; once she started delving deeper into her suspicions, things could quickly go awry. Thankfully, a lovestruck maiden's intelligence often dipped during such times.
As long as one attentively charmed them, they wouldn't dwell on details that would otherwise appear highly suspicious.
Fu Xuan's cheeks turned faintly red. "Oh, how thoughtful... T-thank you..."
"And, during our date, perhaps refrain from calling me 'Shizun'?" Su Jinyan glanced around furtively, stealing a quick kiss from Fu Xuan. "How can I possibly agree to that?"
"It's precisely because you're my Shizun that it's thrilling. Even if Shizun were to carry my child someday, you'd still be my beloved Shizun."
Flustered, Fu Xuan pushed at Su Jinyan's chest. "Wretched disciple, who—who said anything about carrying your child?"
"Hmph, you won't even honor our initial agreement, yet you expect this venerable one to bear your children?" Fu Xuan had once marked Su Jinyan's wrist with a chastity dot—a spontaneous act fueled by playful intent.
Little did she know that her jest would become reality, as the chastity mark on her disobedient disciple's wrist indeed broke. With this breach, everything spiraled uncontrollably like a flood unleashed. From then on, her once-exclusive disciple embarked irreversibly down the path of becoming a heartless playboy.
Su Jinyan tried to kiss Fu Xuan's lips teasingly. "Does Shizun truly not want to give me a chance?"
Fu Xuan shyly turned his face away. "No, n-not here."
"There are too many prying eyes around. Let's go on the Ferris wheel instead."
The Ferris wheel was a large, rotating mechanical structure with passenger cabins suspended along its perimeter. As riders slowly ascended, they could enjoy panoramic views from high above. It was often frequented by young couples seeking intimacy. The confined and private space tended to heighten their emotions gradually. In such a setting, if one asked their girlfriend for a kiss, she usually wouldn't refuse. Of course, with one-way glass panels, more daring activities weren't entirely out of the question either.
Su Jinyan gently took Fu Xuan's delicate hand. "Then Shizun, shall we go queue up?"
"It seems quite crowded over there; I wonder if any acquaintances of mine are present."
He knew Fu Xuan had a thin veneer and easily blushed.
If they were to wait in line, Fu Xuan might choose to let him queue alone. This would give Su Jinyan an opportunity to slip away, leaving her here while he went off to meet Sushang and Little Gui on their separate date.
Fu Xuan softly parted her lips and linked her arm with his. "Alright."
Su Jinyan blinked, surprised.
Blushing slightly, Fu Xuan continued, "In the past, this venerable one would have absolutely shied away from such displays."
"But now, as your legitimate wife, it is only fitting to assert my claim through familiar acquaintances before those women."
Unable to resist the adorable sight of his Shizun, Su Jinyan instinctively pulled her into an embrace. "Does that mean kissing Shizun is also permissible?"
"Of course not," Fu Xuan chided playfully, "Save that for when we're inside the Ferris wheel carriage." She huffed, adding, "Speaking of which, this venerable one specifically used the Matrix of Prescience earlier today to glimpse our future during this outing."
Su Jinyan's heart stirred, but maintaining a composed demeanor, he asked, "Oh? And what did you foresee?"
Fu Xuan's lashes fluttered, visibly embarrassed yet indignant, "Too embarrassing! No more questions!"
Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Su Jinyan fell into contemplation.
Hiss, how embarrassing...
Could it be that my relationship with Shizun is about to progress further soon?
A long queue had formed before the Ferris wheel; at this rate, the wait would take ages.
Primarily, Su Jinyan worried that Shangshang and Little Gui might grow anxious waiting for him.
Unable to bear the delay any longer, he decided to leverage his financial prowess. As the saying goes, money makes the world go round.
With wealth on his side, Su Jinyan effortlessly moved to the front of the line and boarded the Ferris wheel.
Fu Xuan's delicate eyelashes fluttered as she nestled in Su Jinyan's embrace, sitting on his lap while pretending to gaze out the window.
Bzzz—
Text messages from Little Gui and Sushang arrived, urging them along:
Little_Gui: Hurry up! I've been waiting so long, even the flowers have wilted.
Sushang_UniqueAcc: Jinyan-gege, Little Gui can hardly contain her excitement for your date.
Just as Su Jinyan was about to reply, Fu Xuan gently pressed down on his phone.
Biting her lip with a hint of disappointment, Fu Xuan said, "A-Yan, I don't know who sent you those texts. But I hope, at least for this moment, you belong to me."
Su Jinyan pondered briefly, then leaned down to kiss her forehead tenderly. Watching Fu Xuan's crestfallen expression gradually transform into bashfulness, he wrapped his arms around her slender waist and softly kissed her plush lips.
Shizun's lips tasted sweet and cool, with a refreshing hint of mint lingering on them. Naturally, Fu Xuan shyly closed her beautiful eyes, allowing him to savor their softness.
Meanwhile, Su Jinyan prepared to reply to Sushang and Little Gui via text message. Notably, throughout this exchange, his hands remained wrapped around Fu Xuan's slender waist without moving—an action that naturally aroused no suspicion from her.
His ability to respond swiftly relied solely on his exceptional blind texting skills. However, upon reflection, his current username seemed somewhat inappropriate.
Thus, Su Jinyan changed his username from "Lady Fu Xuan's Dog" to "Miss Silver Wolf's Dog."
This alteration had two benefits: it increased Silver Wolf's favorability towards him and allowed him to shift any blame onto her—She forcibly changed my username; it's not my fault.
[Miss Silver Wolf's Dog: Passed by a gift shop, picked out some small presents for you both.]
[Wait for me, I'll be there soon.]
Fu Xuan's moist, sweet lips were utterly intoxicating. Su Jinyan tightened his embrace around her delicate form.
With a soft sigh, Fu Xuan felt an overwhelming sweetness in her heart.
Just then, Su Jinyan's phone vibrated again.
[Heartless Divination Machine: Wayward disciple, don't you know it's unacceptable to keep a girl waiting on a date?]
[This venerable one has been waiting for you for five minutes.]
[Expect severe punishment upon your return.]
Gazing at the charming and lovely Fu Xuan nestled in his arms, Su Jinyan glanced down at the text message she had sent.
His hands began to tremble slightly.
If the sender of this message is Shizun, then who is the person in my embrace?
Their lips gently parted.
Fu Xuan opened her beautiful eyes, puzzled, cheeks flushed with shyness yet still yearning for more.
Why did that traitorous disciple stop kissing me?