Chapter 1755: Chapter 1755: Sense of Crisis
(Third Update)
This girl is called Dong Xiaowan, sharing the same sound as a famous courtesan from Jinling during the Ming Dynasty, but not the same characters.
She is the granddaughter of Dong Qichang.
Wang Hanying, Wang Xuyun’s grandson; He Shengning, He Lan’s grandson; Cheng Jiayan, Cheng Bushi’s youngest grandson; and Dong Xiaowan arrived together in a business vehicle. After getting out of the car, they all walked toward where Luo Ziling and the others were standing.
Luo Ziling, Yang Qingyin, Luo Yuqing, Ishihara Naka, and Xu Zhiyuan had their gaze fixed on Dong Xiaowan, while Dong Xiaowan, Wang Hanying, Cheng Jiayan, and He Shengning had their gaze on Yang Qingyin and Luo Yuqing.
Beautiful women are most attractive to men’s eyes, but they also draw women’s attention.
Neither Yang Qingyin nor Luo Yuqing expected such a beautiful girl to be among those learning under Luo Ziling, and Dong Xiaowan did not expect the girls around Luo Ziling to be so attractive.
Besides the three women, everyone else, including Luo Ziling, felt very happy.
Ishihara Naka and Xu Zhiyuan were originally playboys. Seeing several beautiful women around Luo Ziling and a lovely girl learning alongside them, their hearts naturally bloomed with joy. And Wang Hanying, Cheng Jiayan, He Chennning, the three young ones, felt happy being able to learn alongside Dong Xiaowan and often see Yang Qingyin and Luo Yuqing. Men, often excited by women—just as women are excited by handsome, wealthy, or affluent men.
Luo Yuqing and Yang Qingyin were both displeased that yet another beautiful woman appeared.
Luo Yuqing still hadn’t found her position, retaining feelings for Luo Ziling that went beyond sibling affection.
In Luo Ziling’s presence, she often behaved not at all like an elder sister, even sometimes wanting to be affectionate with him.
On several nights, when she dreamt those rosy dreams, Luo Ziling was the protagonist.
Toward Yang Qingyin and Ouyang Feifei, she occasionally felt jealousy, although she never showed it, or only expressed it playfully.
The beautiful women appearing around Luo Ziling, like Dai Shulan, always made her wary. Even though she told Luo Ziling that Dai Shulan was quite suitable to be his wife, she remained guarded and harbored deep-seated hostility toward Dai Shulan.
Of course, she preferred Dai Shulan to be Luo Ziling’s wife because Dai Shulan was gentler and even weaker in temperament compared to Yang Qingyin and Ouyang Feifei. Dai Shulan lacked the cunning of Yang Qingyin and Ouyang Feifei, neither her family background nor her personality pressured her.
If Luo Ziling married Dai Shulan, she could make more decisions, even potentially overriding Dai Shulan.
If Luo Ziling married Yang Qingyin or Ouyang Feifei, it wouldn’t be as easy to surpass them.
In the rivalry with Yang Qingyin and Ouyang Feifei, Luo Yuqing had no confidence in winning, but against Dai Shulan, she felt assured.
With too many beauties around Luo Ziling, she often felt uncomfortable and would not tolerate having more beauties nearby.
Today, seeing Dong Xiaowan dressed like this, she felt the woman had a special purpose, perhaps wanting to seduce Luo Ziling.
Luo Ziling is handsome, now famous, and his family background isn’t like most people’s; he’s also exceptional. Such a man is desirable, which woman wouldn’t be interested? More worldly women especially see him as a valuable mate.
Should Dong Qichang favor Luo Ziling and send his beautiful granddaughter to learn under him, using the opportunity to seduce Luo Ziling, eventually turning him into his granddaughter-in-law—at this thought, Luo Yuqing couldn’t help but admire the foresight of the Dong family.
So, her impression of Dong Xiaowan was extremely poor, almost viewing her with hostility.
Yang Qingyin’s thoughts were similar to Luo Yuqing’s; she couldn’t tolerate another beauty appearing around Luo Ziling.
Now, the beautiful women already around Luo Ziling gave her a strong sense of crisis.
However, she couldn’t express such thoughts, so she stood there indifferently, considering everyone mere air.
Wang Hanying was most familiar with Luo Ziling, while the others were meeting him for the first time, so he stepped forward to pay his respects first.
Because of past lessons, Wang Hanying didn’t perform a disciple’s ceremony, instead referring to himself as a junior.
The others also came up to pay their respects.
Dong Xiaowan gracefully bowed, her lips slightly curving into a faint smile as she looked at Luo Ziling, “Young lady Dong Xiaowan, sent by my grandfather to learn art under Mr. Luo. I request Mr. Luo’s guidance.”
Her voice was extremely gentle and smooth, everything she did was pleasing to the eye.
Like a woman who traveled through time from ancient times, classically unreal.
Luo Ziling was briefly distracted but quickly regained himself, smiling as he cupped his hands toward them and said, “I warmly welcome you to learn art from me, but you are not officially joining my school as disciples. Therefore, we won’t address each other as master and disciple. The rules while learning will be the same as those applied to disciples, and even stricter. I hope your performance satisfies me; otherwise, you may be expelled halfway through! It’s the same for everyone, and I won’t be lenient when the time comes.”
Although Luo Ziling spoke casually, his tone was indisputable, making Wang Hanying and the others feel alarmed.
The brief distraction from Luo Ziling was captured by Dong Xiaowan, making her internally smug and even looking down on Luo Ziling a bit. But seeing him instantly recover and warning them with such language, she was unexpectedly surprised.
Luo Ziling didn’t pay further attention to them, instead leading Yang Qingyin and Luo Yuqing upstairs.
Ishihara Naka and Xu Zhiyuan, who stood still unsure of what to do, hurriedly followed.
Wang Hanying, Cheng Jiayan, He Chennning, and Dong Xiaowan also followed them into the building.
Luo Liansheng chose the venue location on the third floor, and Luo Ziling didn’t take the elevator but instead led Yang Qingyin and Luo Yuqing up the stairs.
The others had to follow them up the stairs.
Once they arrived on the third floor, Luo Liansheng was already waiting there.
Seeing the incense altar set in the hall on the third floor, Luo Ziling couldn’t help but be amused.
His grandfather indeed wanted to hold a very formal apprenticeship ceremony for him.
Seeing Luo Liansheng, Ishihara Naka and Xu Zhiyuan hurriedly stepped forward to pay respects, referring to him as the founding master.
But Luo Ziling interrupted them.
“Since the formal apprenticeship ceremony hasn’t been performed yet, don’t call him founding master for now,” Luo Ziling stopped their salute and seriously told them that Luo Liansheng would host the apprenticeship ceremony for him shortly.
“Everything will follow tradition,” Luo Ziling seemed like an old scholar, “Apprenticeship is a very solemn matter, the rites cannot be neglected.”
Next, Yang Qingyin, Luo Yuqing, and the others witnessed what an apprenticeship ceremony was.