Suijun starts with the principle of rewarding diligence.

The person chatting with Wang Xiaoya was named Jiang Lian, who was about the same age but had a face full of freckles.

Most of the women who came to watch the boat races were of average appearance. Anyone with even a little bit of beauty would have been snatched up by the gentlemen of the city long ago.

Women with such delicate features as Wang Xiaoya are few and far between.

Although she was only wearing a blue and white floral village girl's jacket, she still attracted the attention of a group of young men.

"Little girl, why do you look so gloomy?"

"Ugh, don't even mention it, it's so annoying." Wang Xiaoya sighed. "Dad keeps trying to set me up with my childhood friend next door, but I don't agree. This morning when I came to watch the boat races, he even gave me a lecture."

"Your childhood friend next door? What's his name? What does he look like? How good is he on the water? Can he support you?" Jiang Lian asked with great interest.

"His name is Bu Qu, and he's not bad looking." Wang Xiaoya rolled her eyes. "As for supporting me... I've been relying on my dad's help to survive for the past few months. I don't know what my dad saw in me, but he said he's honest. If I'm with him, I won't be bullied."

"Honest? What good is being honest?" Jiang Lian scoffed. "Your dad is really something. If you don't get bullied by him, you'll get bullied by outsiders. The key is, he can't even support himself. Isn't living with him just a living hell?"

Wang Xiaoya shook her head and sighed.

Suddenly, a carriage came along with a "clattering" sound and stopped by the lake.

A woman wearing a blue jacket and a white silk pleated skirt emerged from the carriage and was helped to the ground by the coachman.

Her appearance instantly attracted everyone's attention.

The woman looked around but didn't see the person she was looking for, and a hint of disappointment appeared in her eyes.

Suddenly, she saw Wang Xiaoya, her face lit up with joy, and she gracefully walked over, lifting her skirt.

"Little girl, it's been a long time."

"Sister Lotus Leaf? What brings you to the boat races?"

When Wang Xiaoya was little, she often played with lotus leaves, so they were old acquaintances.

After a long separation, they were naturally overjoyed to be reunited.

Seeing He Ye dressed in gorgeous clothes and with exquisite makeup, Wang Xiaoya was filled with envy: "Sister He Ye, the people who come to participate in the boat race are all lowly fishermen, they are not worthy of you."

Lotus Leaf covered her mouth and chuckled, "Little girl, you can't say things like that. Even shallow waters can harbor dragons."

Wang Xiaoya's eyes swept across the lakeside, finally settling on Chen Qing. She thought to herself, "Jiaolong, how come I don't see that? At best, he can only provide for me. I've been waiting here for so long, and he hasn't even come up to talk to me. Does he even care about me?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a small sampan slowly rowing by.

Wang Xiaoya looked up and saw that the person on the boat was Bu Qu. Her eyes darkened. She thought with displeasure, "Father must have sent him."

As far as I can remember, this childhood friend was just as stubborn as I was.

"Since he said he's not interested in me, he definitely won't participate in the rowing race for me." She glanced sideways, thinking, "Why am I thinking so much? I'm not interested in him anyway."

Jiang Lian also saw Bu Qu and chuckled, "Why is this guy holding back? The boat races are about to start."

Wang Xiaoya shook her head: "This person is my childhood friend."

"Oh, Bu Qu, is it?" Jiang Lian got excited. "He can't even support himself, yet he dares to lust after you. He's like a toad trying to eat swan meat. Let's see how I teach him a lesson."

Wang Xiaoya rolled her eyes: "Xiao Lian, don't talk nonsense. He's still my childhood friend, don't embarrass him."

Jiang Lian, one hand on her hip, said smugly, "Little girl, you're the most beautiful swan around here..."

She glanced at the lotus leaf and changed her words, "You're the second most beautiful swan around here, why would he have designs on you?"

Lotus Leaf listened, completely bewildered, thinking to herself, "Buqu can't support himself? What makes you think that?"

Too lazy to tie a rope, Buqu simply threw the anchor to the lakeside. After scanning the area, he spotted Wang Xiaoya and swaggered over.

"Little girl, your father sent me to pick you up and take you home."

Wang Xiaoya snorted coldly: "I have my own legs!"

Bu Qu shook his head, thinking, "I knew this would happen. If I don't let her have enough fun, she definitely won't want to go home obediently. Oh well, I'll take her home after the boat races."

"You're Buqu?" Jiang Lian looked him up and down, and when she saw his tattered coarse linen clothes, she looked disgusted.

She was already quite annoyed when she saw the messy state of the small boat.

Even if you're really poor, at least make yourself look clean and presentable.

With your filthy appearance, you don't take boat racing seriously at all.

Who would even look at you?

"Kid, our little girl is the jewel of Blackwater Lake, not someone you can covet. While anyone can participate in the boat races, not every boat will have a groom. You can't even afford to eat properly, and you're thinking of joining the boat races for fun?"

She put her hands on her hips and said disdainfully, "Let me give you a piece of advice: pack your things and leave before the rowing competition starts. Otherwise, you'll embarrass yourself later."

"Xiao Lian!" Wang Xiaoya tugged at Jiang Lian's sleeve, then apologized to Bu Qu, "She's just a big mouth, don't take it to heart."

Bu Qu didn't take it seriously at all.

Wang Xiaoya is Wang Erlang's daughter, and he can still patiently talk to her.

As for the girl in front of him, he had no time to pay her any attention.

Instead of arguing with her, you might as well go fish for treasure fish in Blackwater Lake!

Seeing that Bu Qu remained silent, Jiang Lian raised her chin, taking it upon herself to speak up for Wang Xiaoya.

Lotus Leaf chimed in at the opportune moment: "Bu Qu caught two precious fish these past few days and earned ten taels of silver. Why does it come out to you as not even being able to afford enough to eat?"

Two precious fish?

Ten taels of silver?

Ten taels of silver could equal a year's catch for an ordinary fisherman, and that would require him to not eat or drink.

This is a huge sum of money!

Wang Xiaoya and Jiang Lian's expressions suddenly changed, their gazes shifting between Bu Qu and He Ye.

Wang Xiaoya chuckled awkwardly, "Sister Heye, what are you talking about? When did he catch two treasure fish, and when did he get ten taels of silver? Isn't a treasure fish worth one tael on the market?"

Lotus Leaf smiled: "The Zhong family has recently been buying up precious fish at the fish market, five taels each, didn't you know? The person in charge of buying the fish is none other than me, Lotus Leaf. Bu Qu sold me two water-patterned fish, and I personally handed him ten taels of silver. Would I lie to you?"

Even though Bu Qu hadn't said a word, Jiang Lian felt a burning pain on her face. She wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground.

She glanced at Bu Qu furtively and found that he wasn't even looking at her; he still looked completely nonchalant.

do not judge a book by it's cover.

Jiang Lian finally truly understood the meaning of those words today.

If He Ye hadn't spoken, who would have guessed that this ordinary-looking, even somewhat ragged, young man was carrying a fortune and possessed such abilities!

Wang Xiaoya was also shocked. Recalling what He Ye had said earlier, she murmured to herself: Could it be that when Sister He Ye said "there are dragons in shallow waters," she was referring to him?

Bu Qu returned He Ye's smile: "I didn't expect Miss He Ye to be here too."