Chapter 390: Prospective Fiancé

The carriage soon left the South City Gate. After traveling for nearly half an hour more, the distant roar of a crowd could be heard.

Gu Fei lifted the curtain and saw a vast lotus pond.

Pink and white lotus flowers stood elegantly in the pond, which was surrounded by throngs of visitors.

The coachman stopped the carriage, looked back, and said, "My ladies, I can’t go any further ahead. I’ll have to park here."

Two maids disembarked first, followed by Sister Dan and Gu Fei.

Gu Fei craned her neck and saw two large, colorful pavilions standing side by side not far away.

Sister Dan tugged at her sleeve. "Didn’t you say you were competing against someone in chess? It’s over there. Come on, let’s head over."

They had only taken a few steps when a refined, handsome young man approached them. He caught a sudden sight of Gu Fei and froze, completely captivated.

Sister Dan suddenly tossed a handkerchief into the young man’s arms, gave him a smile, and then pulled Gu Fei away with a giggle.

The young man stared blankly for a moment, clutching the handkerchief. As if in a dream, he turned and began to follow the two of them, keeping a short distance.

They didn’t get far before men began to stare unabashedly at Gu Fei. In no time, a group of them was trailing behind her and Sister Dan. ’Did I not do my makeup right today?’ Gu Fei wondered, raising her fan to cover the lower half of her face.

After a short walk, they reached the pavilions.

One pavilion was large, the other small.

The large pavilion was filled with scholars and students. Gu Fei scanned the crowd for a while but didn’t see Su Chen.

She then glanced at the smaller pavilion, which was filled with young ladies.

As Gu Fei and Sister Dan entered, Qin Ying spotted Gu Fei from a distance. It was impossible not to—Gu Fei was simply too striking. A trail of men followed behind her, each staring with a stupefied expression, practically drooling.

Qin Ying rose to her feet. Gu Fei lowered the fan from her face and smiled at her. The pavilion instantly fell silent, followed by a collective gasp from the crowd.

"Good heavens, she’s beautiful."

"Who is that young lady? Why have I never seen her before?"

"How can anyone be that beautiful?"

Listening to the murmurs around her, Qin Ying unconsciously gritted her teeth. She walked up to Gu Fei, her expression cold. "So, Miss Gu has arrived."

Gu Fei nodded at her. "Miss Qin. Shall we compete now?"

Qin Ying gave a faint smile. "What’s the hurry? You haven’t even said what we’re competing in."

Gu Fei raised an eyebrow. "How about we compete in chess? A single game to determine the winner."

Just as Qin Ying was about to agree, she suddenly spotted Su Chen in the crowd.

He was dressed in a sapphire-blue brocade robe that made his handsome, jade-like features stand out even more. He was looking tenderly at her—or rather, at Gu Fei, who stood beside her. The warmth in his eyes looked as if it could melt anything.

At that moment, Gu Fei also saw Su Chen and gave him a radiant smile.

The tips of Su Chen’s ears flushed slightly red, and the smile on his lips broadened. His clear eyes were fixed deeply on Gu Fei, shining as if they held the stars.

Qin Ying stood to the side, watching their eyes meet, and felt her own heart ache with a sour pain.

Of the hundreds of students at the academy, Su Chen was without a doubt the most outstanding. His grace and his talent were unparalleled.

So, when her grandfather had tentatively asked her about it, she had been shy but had still given him a firm "yes."

Once he had her affirmation, her grandfather wrote a letter to her father in the Capital City.

Her father’s reply had just arrived yesterday. It said that he had already discussed the matter with Su Chen’s paternal uncle, Prime Minister Su. The prime minister was very much in favor of the match and had already written to Su Chen’s father in West Mountain County.

Her father also mentioned in his letter that since Prime Minister Su had given his approval, the matter was as good as settled.