A hint of shyness appeared on Yang Yuhuan's face, and she held Fang Yun's hand even tighter.
Nunu, however, fixed his eyes on the cold dishes and pastries. He pulled Fang Yun's clothes with one paw and pointed at the food with the other paw.
Fang Yun covered its eyes with his hands and walked up the stairs to the second floor.
"Oh... Humph!" Nunu turned her head away from Fang Yun's hand, and looked up at Fang Yun with dissatisfaction, as if asking if you dislike me for eating too much
After going up to the second floor, Fang Yun and Yang Yuhuan's eyes lit up. It was indeed different from standing on the first floor, the view was wider.
There was no one playing the piano on the second floor. Almost everyone was wearing scholar or juren robes. Some, like Fang Yun, wore ordinary brocade robes. There were also a few students with serious expressions standing on both sides.
Several people looked over here, and seeing that Fang Yun was a stranger, most of them ignored him. More people looked at the beautiful Yang Yuhuan.
There were also a few people who looked at Nunu after looking at Yang Yuhuan, and finally looked at Fang Yun again, as if they were thinking about something.
Fang Yun didn't know anyone, so he nodded slightly as a greeting, then took Yang Yuhuan's hand and walked to the window sill, looking outside.
Nunu jumped onto the window sill, gently wagged his tail, and looked around curiously.
Both sides of the Yudai River were crowded with people.
Fang Yun pointed to a bridge in the distance and said, "That should be Longtou Bridge. Let's go there before the competition starts. It's a pity that the bridge is full of people now, otherwise it would be nice to watch the dragon boat race at the bridge head."
"Well. When does the dragon boat race start?" Yang Yuhuan looked at the sandbar in the river curiously. This was the first time in her life that she had seen a dragon boat race on such a large scale.
"I really don't know."
"According to the military timetable, the dragon boat race starts at 10 o'clock, which is more than an hour from now. There is no rush." A pleasant voice came from behind.
Fang Yun and Yang Yuhuan looked back together.
A handsome young man who was a head shorter than Fang Yun walked over. His facial lines were soft, and if it weren't for the heroic look in his eyes, Fang Yun would have thought he was a woman.
Afterwards, Fang Yun looked at the person's neck and found that she had no Adam's apple. She was actually a woman.
The handsome young man held a fan in his hand, walked over, bowed to Fang Yun, and said with a smile: "I am Zhao Zhuzhen from the capital."
Fang Yun returned the greeting: "Fang Yun."
Fang Yun had deliberately lowered his voice, but a few people still heard it and immediately looked over here, staring at Fang Yun with strange eyes.
Zhao Zhuzhen didn't seem to care about Fang Yun's identity at all. He walked to Fang Yun, looked out the window, and said, "Brother Fang, you are not interested in dragon boat racing?"
"It's okay." Fang Yun has seen too many entertainment and sports.
"Brother Fang doesn't seem like a passionate scholar."
Fang Yun said calmly: "If your blood gets hot when you watch dragon boat races, it will be too cold when you kill monsters."
"Brother Fang is right. I will learn from your advice." Zhao Zhuzhen turned her head to look at Fang Yun. There was a hint of surprise and admiration in her eyes, as if she couldn't believe that such a young person could say such words.
"Brother Zhao, you are too polite. It is just a principle that everyone understands."
"But not everyone can say it, and not everyone can do it." Zhao Zhuzhen said.
"Brother Zhao is right. Fang Yun will learn from you."
Zhao Zhuzhen smiled, looked at Yang Yuhuan, and said, "Your wife is so beautiful."
"Everyone else says so." Fang Yun said with a smile. Yang Yuhuan gave Fang Yun a shy look.
Nunu looked at Yang Yuhuan in confusion, as if to say, Fang Yun is right, why are you rolling your eyes at him
Zhao Zhuzhen chuckled, revealing a mouthful of tiny white teeth, and said, "Those insightful people say that you have a lot of ideas in your mind, and those little idiots say that you are a lunatic. I didn't expect that you are really like a lunatic, with a strange temperament."
"Thank you for the compliment." Fang Yun looked at Zhao Zhuzhen with a smile. Her eyes were very clear, and were made especially bright by the sunlight outside the window, but there seemed to be something hidden behind the brightness.
"Weirdo." Zhao Zhuzhen avoided Fang Yun's gaze and looked outside.
Fang Yun and Yang Yuhuan were chatting in low voices, with Nunu occasionally interrupting with a few "oohs", and the two of them and the beast were particularly warm.
But Nunu still didn't give up. After a while, he pulled Fang Yun's sleeve with one claw and pointed at the pastries on the table on the second floor with the other claw.
Fang Yun reached out and turned Nunu's head to the outside, and Nunu immediately protested with whimpers.
Zhao Zhuzhen on the side smiled slightly and signaled the followers behind him to bring the cakes.
After a while, the attendant brought a plate of pastries and handed it to Zhao Zhuzhen.
Zhao Zhuzhen held the cake in one hand and handed a piece to Nunu with the other hand, saying, "Eat it."
Nunu's eyes lit up. She glanced at her, then turned to look at Fang Yun, seeking his opinion.
"Thank you, Brother Zhao. Please eat." Fang Yun said.
Nunu carefully stretched out his little paw, but retracted it the moment it touched the pastry. He looked up at Fang Yun again, his eyes full of anticipation.
Fang Yun shook his head helplessly, reached out to take the cake and handed it to Nunu, who then began to eat it happily.
"What an obedient little fox." Zhao Zhuzhen said with a smile.
Nunu immediately straightened his chest and raised his head, looking very proud.
"I am obedient, but I am too greedy."
Nunu immediately lowered his head like a deflated ball and continued to eat the cakes.
Zhao Zhuzhen showed a look of liking, and opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something, but seemed to think that it would be inappropriate to say so, so she changed her mouth and said: "If Brother Fang arrives in the capital, you can go to Zhuzhen Tower and sit for a while. Just say that you came with the little fox, and I will definitely arrive soon."
"It turns out that I, Brother Fang, am not as good as a fox!" Fang Yun said.
Nunu once again raised his head and chest, feeling complacent, but soon reacted and looked at Fang Yun angrily, as if asking what it meant to be worse than a fox? Is a fox so bad
Zhao Zhuzhen's eyes flashed with melancholy, and she said, "I'm...bound at home, with nothing to do to entertain myself. Seeing this little fox so clever, I can't help but like it."
"Well, if one day I can't afford to support Nunu, I will give her to you." Fang Yun said jokingly.
Nunu was stunned, the cake on his paws fell to the ground, his mouth opened, and the cake crumbs fell out. He hurriedly spat out the cake in his mouth out of the window, then used his paws to pat off the cake crumbs on his body, and finally covered his mouth and looked at Fang Yun seriously.
"Mmm! Mmm!" cried the little fox.
Fang Yun and the other two laughed together. Yang Yuhuan couldn't help but laugh and said, "Don't listen to Xiao Yun's scares. How could he bear to give you away?"
"Hmm?" The little fox looked at Fang Yun.
"Just eat with peace of mind. It will be no problem for me to feed you." Fang Yun took another piece of cake and gave it to Nunu.
Nunu looked at Fang Yun with great contradiction, then looked at the cakes, and looked back and forth four or five times. Finally, she took the cakes in a tragic manner, and then looked at Fang Yun aggrievedly, as if asking, "You won't feed me and then give me away, right?"
"Just eat it!" Fang Yun said with a smile.
Nunu pretended to lower his head, and when he was about to bite the pastry, he suddenly raised his head and looked at Fang Yun, fearing that Fang Yun would run away while he was eating.
Fang Yun stretched out his finger and tapped its little head, saying, "It may be small, but it has big concerns. If you don't want to eat it, I'll take it away."
Nunu immediately took the pastry away from Fang Yun, took a big bite, then looked at Fang Yun again, and seeing that Fang Yun was still there, she ate it with peace of mind.
Zhao Zhuzhen on the side couldn't help but cover her mouth and laugh, but soon realized that her action was inappropriate. A blush flashed across her face, and then she returned to normal.
After Nunu finished eating, Fang Yun took it in his arms and rubbed it. Nunu was not angry but very happy, thinking that this meant Fang Yun would not give it away.
More and more literati came to the second floor, and soon six people came over.
"Brother Zhao, we meet again."
Fang Yun and the other two turned around and saw a handsome and well-mannered young man greeting them with a smile.
"Brother Tong." Zhao Zhuzhen returned the greeting with a faint smile, but anyone could see her coldness.
The man didn't take it seriously and said, "Brother Zhao, could you introduce this handsome man to me?"
Zhao Zhuzhen smiled strangely and asked, "You don't know him?"
“Never met him.”
Zhao Zhuzhen's smile became even weirder, and he said, "Then I will formally introduce you two. Tong Li is the grandson of Tong Shilang of the Ministry of War and a student of Yuhai City. This one is Fang Yun of Ji County and a scholar before the Emperor."
The two were stunned and looked at each other. Neither of them expected to meet under such circumstances.
"What a coincidence, Brother Tong." Fang Yun bowed.
Tong Li immediately laughed heartily and said, "You have won the top two places in the county exam, three poems won the top prize, and you are a scholar in front of the emperor. I have admired your name for a long time, but I never thought I could meet you today. It is such a great honor! If you didn't want to compete for my country Jing in the dragon boat race, I would definitely take you out to drink all day."
Fang Yun smiled and said, "When did I say I wanted to have a dragon boat race? Yuhai City is full of talented people. I am just a recent scholar. How can I be qualified to participate in such an important dragon boat race? Brother Tong, you are joking."
"Ah? This is not like you. In my impression, you, Fang Yun, are a true hero who kills monsters and barbarians for the country and the people. How could you abandon the honor and disgrace of Jingguo and not participate in the dragon boat race?" Tong Li was extremely surprised.
"Brother Tong, you look down on the scholars of Yuhai Mansion, but I don't. I believe that the scholars of Yuhai Mansion will definitely defeat the literati of Qing Kingdom and win the first place. I will definitely cheer for my literary friends in Yuhai Mansion!" Fang Yun said with a smile.
Everyone present was silent. After Fang Yun finished speaking, everyone understood Tong Li's intention. If Fang Yun participated, he would accuse Fang Yun of looking down on the scholars of Yuhai City. If he did not participate, he would accuse him of disregarding the honor and disgrace of Jingguo.
"Brother Fang, what you said is so hurtful." Tong Li said helplessly.
Zhao Zhuzhen sneered, "Tong Li, don't try to be so rude. Do you think others can't hear your provocation? I came here to invite Fang Yun to participate in the dragon boat race to enhance the prestige of our country. If you ruin my good thing, you'd better be careful when you go to the capital next time."
"I..." Tong Li was interrupted by a scholar before he could finish his words.
"Tong Li, Fang Yun's coming to Yuhai City is a major event. You must not bring shame to Yuhai City!" The scholar's voice was full of coldness.
Tong Li's face changed when he heard the voice. He glanced at everyone and found that many people looked at him with unkind eyes.
The students were afraid that Fang Yun would snatch their place in Shushan, but the successful candidates didn't care.