Traveling through the starry sky just for you, I was a koi in ancient times

Huo Ying: "Where is he going and what is he doing?!"

Chen Erlang: "He said he was going to help a friend!"

When Huo Ying heard the word "library", he was furious and glared at Chen Erlang: "Library? Why is he, the owner of a bamboo shop, going there to join in the fun?"

Chen Erlang shrank his neck at his yelling and whispered, "Master Huo, don't be anxious... Sanlang said he was going to help a friend. That friend is called Pushan, and he's the manager of the library. Sanlang admires him very much, and the two of them are now very close..."

"Pushan?" Huo Ying frowned. "That name sounds unfamiliar. Who is he? How did Sanlang get to know him?"

Seeing his tone soften, Chen Erlang felt a little relieved and explained, "Mr. Pushan was the top scholar in the 36th year of Daqi. He is extremely talented, but... he is not very successful in the officialdom. Sanlang's acquaintance with him was also a coincidence."

Huo Ying folded his arms and snorted coldly, "Number one scholar? Why doesn't a number one scholar go to the Hanlin Academy to edit books, but comes here to manage a library? When did Chen Sanlang stop being a proper scholar and instead hang out with these 'frustrated talents'?"

Chen Erlang sighed and lowered his voice, "Mr. Huo, you don't know. Although Mr. Pushan was the top scholar, he was ostracized by the court because of his outstanding appearance and talent, but without any support from his family. Later, he left the capital to travel and met Miss Wang. Miss Wang appreciated his talent and invited him to be the manager of the library. She also invested in it herself. Sanlang... Sanlang also took special care of the library because of Miss Wang."

When Huo Ying heard this, he suddenly narrowed his eyes. His anger gradually subsided, and he showed a thoughtful expression: "Miss Wang? But that Wang Jinyi?"

"That's right." Chen Erlang nodded. "Since Sanlang met Mr. Pushan, he's been visiting the library frequently. On the surface, he says he's there to help with construction and discuss bamboo decorations, but in reality..." He paused, his voice lowering. "In reality, every time he's with Mr. Pushan, he's always trying to find out about Miss Wang in a roundabout way. He asks about her hobbies, her hangouts, even what books she likes to read... We all find it strange; Sanlang wasn't like this before."

Huo Ying suddenly sneered and shook his head, saying, "Good Chen Sanlang! I thought he'd really changed his ways and wanted to pursue academic studies, but it turns out he had other intentions!" His tone was filled with realization and a hint of disappointment: "But he's really interested in Miss Wang..."

Chen Erlang quickly waved his hands, "We dare not speculate! But Sanlang has been acting strangely lately. He used to focus on business and studying, but now he's constantly visiting the library, even discussing poetry and painting with Mr. Pushan. To me, he's not really trying to make friends with Pushan, he's clearly taking advantage of the situation to get close to anyone associated with Miss Wang!"

Huo Ying was silent for a moment, then suddenly sighed, his tone complicated: "This idiot..." He raised his head and looked towards the library, his eyes becoming profound, as if recalling something from the past. He whispered: "But...he once knew Wang Jinyi?"

Chen Erlang was stunned. "Ever? Probably not... Miss Wang is from the capital, and Sanlang has been in Xunyang since he was a child. If it weren't for Mr. Putian, I'm afraid we would have never met."

Huo Ying didn't answer, but just muttered to himself: "No wonder he has become a different person since he passed the imperial examination. He doesn't go to the provincial school, doesn't care about his business, and is mysterious all day long..." He suddenly looked up and looked at Chen Erlang sharply: "Where is the library? Take me there!"

Chen Erlang was caught off guard by his sudden change: "Now? But Sanlang..."

"Right now!" Huo Ying had already turned and walked out. "I want to see with my own eyes what this Chen Sanlang is up to! I also want to meet that Pushan champion—what kind of person is he that Sanlang would go to such great lengths to get close to him?"

He strode out of the courtyard with great speed, his sleeves swirling in the wind. Chen Erlang had no choice but to hurry after him, secretly grumbling inwardly: I wonder what kind of trouble these two will stir up when they meet...