Time passed quietly, and a week went by in the blink of an eye.
This afternoon, the scorching sun hung high in the sky, and the summer heat was at its peak.
After finishing a set of sword techniques, the young white-haired Taoist Practitioner, Chongyun, felt heat radiating from his entire body, and his Pure Yang Constitution showed faint signs of restlessness.
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he decided, "I need to go buy a popsicle to cool down."
He walked toward his usual vendor with practiced ease, but as he passed the Sanyu Bookstore, he couldn't help but slow his pace.
The Bookshop was as lively as ever, with a few readers gathered at the entrance. They were huddled together, heads touching, eagerly passing around a thin booklet and occasionally letting out hushed but amazed and excited whispers.
Chongyun was not one to pry into other people's business and was about to walk past without a second glance when a few fragmented words drifting on the breeze suddenly caught his ear.
"...I really didn't expect it... that one from the Feiyun Commerce Guild..."
"Yeah, who would have thought she was actually a girl dressed as a boy..."
"Hey, I told you! What boy could look that handsome, like someone out of a painting? Turns out..."
"Second Miss! Tsk tsk, this title is just brilliant!"
"Look at this part: 'Applying makeup before the mirror, complaining that chest binding is more tiring than sword practice'... it's written so realistically! Could Mr. Lovia have gone undercover at the Feiyun Commerce Guild?"
"Who knows! But Lovia's writing has always been a mix of truth and fiction—it's definitely a good read, though!"
Hearing these snippets of conversation, Chongyun came to a sudden halt, freezing in place. The slight heat from his Pure Yang Constitution was instantly replaced by a wave of icy shock.
Xingqiu? Second Miss? Cross-dressing? Chest binding? Sword practice?
What on earth is all this?!
Chongyun's clear eyes widened, his face a mask of disbelief.
He and Xingqiu had known each other since childhood, practicing sword techniques and reading chivalrous novels together. Xingqiu was one of his most important friends—how could he possibly not know if Xingqiu was male or female?
This was simply preposterous!
A surge of indignation on behalf of his friend welled up in his heart. Frowning, Chongyun turned and walked toward the group of gossiping people. His voice was a bit stiff with urgency: "Excuse me! What were you all just discussing? What Second Miss?"
The group was in the middle of a lively chat and was startled by the sudden interruption. Once they saw it was a handsome young Taoist Practitioner with a serious and earnest air, one of them excitedly handed over the book in his hand, eager to share the gossip.
"You don't know yet, young man? This! Mr. Lovia's latest masterpiece! It's about the secret of the Feiyun Commerce Guild's Second Young Master, Xingqiu!"
After saying that, he pointed to the eye-catching title: "secret tales of feiyun: A Beauty Hidden in the Inner Chambers, the Second Miss's Sword Shadows and Book Fragrance."
Chongyun took the book, which felt light yet weighed like a thousand pounds, and his eyes quickly scanned the text. The more he read, the more expressive his face became, shifting from initial shock and anger to a look of being caught between laughter and tears.
The book had several chapters, but Chongyun stopped after reading only the first one.
Fate? Calamity? Cross-dressing? Applying makeup? And... and chest binding?!
This is just... too ridiculous!
The imagination is simply too wild!
Chongyun's cheeks involuntarily heated up; he could hardly imagine what Xingqiu's expression would be upon seeing these words.
Knowing Xingqiu, his friend probably wouldn't actually get angry; instead, he might find it quite amusing. He might even take the manuscript to tease others... but regardless of what Xingqiu thought, Chongyun felt that as a friend, he needed to do something.
"This... this is complete nonsense!" Chongyun looked up, his voice firm as he tried to dispel the rumor. "Xingqiu is clearly a man! I am his close friend; I know better than anyone!"
The group exchanged glances, mysterious "we understand" smiles appearing on their faces.
"Oh, Little Taoist Priest, you can know a person's face but not their heart!"
"Exactly! Maybe they have some unspeakable secret and are keeping you in the dark too?"
"Mr. Lovia's articles can't just be baseless rumors!"
Chongyun: "???"
He opened his mouth but realized he couldn't get through to these people immersed in the joy of gossip; they seemed more willing to believe this exciting and sensational "secret."
The heat from his Pure Yang Constitution seemed uncontrollable again, and Chongyun felt a bit dizzy. He hurriedly shoved the book back into the person's hand, didn't even bother to buy a popsicle, and turned to leave, his footsteps even a bit unsteady.
He had to find Xingqiu quickly!
On one hand, he needed to warn his friend about this bizarre rumor; on the other hand... a tiny voice deep inside was shouting: he had to immediately, right now, confirm Xingqiu's gender with his own eyes! Even if it was just a few more glances to soothe his mind, which had been left in tatters by this absurd rumor!
"Chest binding... more tiring than sword practice?"
Those words echoed uncontrollably in Chongyun's mind, and his face instantly turned red to his ears. He quickly shook his head and quickened his pace toward the Feiyun Commerce Guild.
What a mess!
In the afternoon, the sun blazed, and the stone paths of Liyue Harbor were bleached white by the heat, while even the cicadas' chirping sounded listless.
Halfway there, Chongyun suddenly remembered something and came to a sharp halt. He hesitated for a moment, a look of struggle flashing across his face, before finally turning around and rushing back to the Sanyu Bookstore.
Under the surprised gazes of those readers still fervently discussing, his face flushed, he gritted his teeth and quietly asked the Bookstore Owner for a copy of "secret tales of feiyun." When paying, he felt his fingertips burning, as if he weren't buying a booklet but something shameful.
Quickly tucking the thin booklet into his robe against his undershirt, Chongyun finally felt as if he had completed a task and breathed a sigh of relief, only to immediately feel twice as guilty for the act itself.
As he walked away quickly, he justified it to himself: This... this is definitely to better understand the content of the rumor so that I can clarify it for Xingqiu more effectively! Yes, know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated! It's definitely... definitely not for any other reason.
But the booklet against his chest seemed to radiate a faint heat, its presence strikingly strong. That line about "chest binding being more tiring than sword practice" began to circle in his mind again, making the flush behind his ears linger.
He subconsciously pressed the book in his robe as if it were a hot potato, yet he couldn't help but grip it tightly. His Pure Yang Constitution seemed to become even more active, stirred by his chaotic thoughts, making him feel even hotter.
"My sin, my sin..." the young Taoist Practitioner muttered under his breath, fleeing as if for his life as he sped toward the Feiyun Commerce Guild.
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