Chapter 27 Wants to See His Wife Dance
Gao You stepped into the teahouse.
Xiao Lingdang imdiately perford a proper greeting gesture.
“Brother-in-Law, please co in!”
What’s going on?
Gao You frowned, sensing sothing unusual.
“Brother-in-Law, please have a seat!”
Song Yinzhan smiled, guiding him to his usual private table. The cushions were soft, and the refreshnts were perfectly prepared.
Gao You didn’t stand on ceremony. He sat down and took a sip of the sour plum soup. It was chilled with ice!
Thoughtful.
Seeing his satisfied expression, Song Yinzhan breathed a sigh of relief and stared at him expectantly. But Gao You acted as if he hadn’t noticed and simply leaned back onto the cushions, closing his eyes.
“Huh?”
Song Yinzhan was stunned. She hadn’t expected him to ignore all the hints.
Shouldn’t he ask why she was being so attentive?
“Sister!”
Song Yinzhan ran to Zhao Pan’er, looking aggrieved.
“Brother-in-Law has no heart at all!”
Zhao Pan’er chuckled.
“How can you say that about my husband?”
“He does have a heart!”
Sun Sanniang teased, “Gao You’s heart is entirely devoted to Pan’er.”
“No matter what you do, it won’t matter to him.”
Song Yinzhan glanced at the completely relaxed Gao You and sighed.
“Sister…”
“I’ll have to leave it to you to persuade him.”
Zhao Pan’er nodded, and they all busied themselves preparing dinner.
______
A stick of incense later, everyone gathered to eat. Zhao Pan’er placed a piece of chicken into Gao You’s bowl.
“Dear, do you know about Prince Qian’s household?”
“Mm.”
So he did know—yet he had still refused to et their ssengers?
They had already visited three tis!
Song Yinzhan silently complained in her heart.
Zhao Pan’er continued, “The day after tomorrow is the birthday banquet for Princess Dowager Qian.”
“They’ve invited you to attend and paint a grand Longevity Celebration Portrait at the event.”
“Oh.”
Gao You nodded and said nothing more. He had only learned afterward that the Prince’s household had sent ssengers three tis.
When they had co—He had been too engrossed in conversation with Old Jia to pay attention to anything else. Or rather, Old Jia had been talking the entire ti, while he had barely spoken.
By the ti Old Jia left, his voice was nearly hoarse. But those details didn’t matter. What mattered was that the people before him were now acting as envoys for Prince Qian’s household.
The Prince’s residence had invited him three tis, sending a formal invitation from scholars.
That was a high level of courtesy. Gao You wasn’t so arrogant protagonist in a novel—of course, he wouldn’t flatly refuse. But agreeing too quickly would an missing a golden opportunity to set his own terms.
“Brother-in-Law, they’ve already asked three tis!”
Song Yinzhan finally couldn’t hold back and spoke up. Gao You acted as if he hadn’t heard, calmly eating his greens.
Ignored again, Song Yinzhan turned to Zhao Pan’er for help.
Zhao Pan’er tried again.
“Dear, Prince Qian’s household has shown great respect.”
“It would be inappropriate to refuse.”
Gao You looked at her.
“Are you going?”
“Yes!”
Zhao Pan’er nodded quickly. Since he was invited as a distinguished guest, he could naturally bring his wife along.
At that mont, Zhao Pan’er suddenly realized—Neither she nor Gao You had proper attire for such a grand occasion. But that wasn’t the imdiate concern. She focused on him.
“Dear, can you paint at the banquet?”
“There’s a condition.”
After holding out this long, Gao You finally put down his chopsticks and was ready to negotiate.
“What condition?”
Zhao Pan’er imdiately agreed.
“I’ll agree to anything!”
Gao You’s lips curved into a faint smile.
“I want to see my wife dance.”
“Dance?”
Zhao Pan’er was taken aback. She had been prepared for him to ask for money, fine wine, or even an extra month to paint—But he wanted her to dance?
She considered denying it, claiming she didn’t know how—But when she t his eager gaze, she hesitated.
After a mont’s silence, she nodded.
“Alright.”
“I’ll fetch the pipa!”
Song Yinzhan rushed to get her instrunt.
Xiao Lingdang and Yinping hurried to clear space in the middle of the teahouse. Everyone close to Zhao Pan’er knew she could dance. But she rarely perford, making this a rare opportunity they wouldn’t miss.
“Dear, you must keep your word!”
Standing in the cleared space, Zhao Pan’er held a delicate round fan.
Gao You nodded.
“Of course.”
Taking a deep breath, Zhao Pan’er unlocked the graceful dance skills she had long kept hidden. She moved lightly, her slender waist swaying like a willow in the wind. Her steps and turns resembled a flower swaying in the breeze, delicate yet full of life.
Gao You, swirling his wine cup, was srized. For a mont, he truly felt—Dancing with the moon’s shadow, is this still the mortal world?
_____
Ouyang Xu had just finished socializing and was on his way ho. Hearing the beautiful pipa lody, he drunkenly wandered to the entrance of Zhao’s Teahouse.
In the dim evening light, through the wooden fence, he saw—Gao You reclining on a soft cushion. And in front of him, Zhao Pan’er dancing gracefully. Ouyang Xu’s expression darkened.
Zhao Pan’er had always hated being reminded of her past in the courtesan world. She had never danced for anyone since leaving.He himself had never seen her dance.
And yet now—She was dancing for Gao You?
With Song Yinzhan accompanying her on the pipa?
Compared to Gao You’s refined and leisurely lifestyle—His past indulgences with courtesans suddenly felt utterly pathetic.
Damn it!
Ouyang Xu’s fury boiled over.
His good mood completely shattered.
When he got ho, he smashed over ten vases and drank two entire jars of wine before finally passing out.
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