Eternal Life: My Talent Increases by 1 Point Every Day

Chapter 261: Chapter 180: Helping Each Other to Eliminate Rivals

"Hmm? Fang Yue? That’s impossible. You must be mistaken. He can’t possibly be here."

Wen Lan started, then looked in the direction Nu was pointing. By that time, however, Fang Yue had already disappeared into an alley up ahead.

When she didn’t see Fang Yue, Wen Lan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling incredibly fortunate.

’Of course. There’s no way Fang Yue could have come here.’

’Nu must have been mistaken.’

Last night, after hearing what her Third Grand-Uncle had said, she hadn’t believed that *that* Fang Yue could be the same one she knew.

But a seed of doubt had taken root, and the worry had kept her on edge all night.

She had just started to calm down, but Nu’s words had her genuinely believing for a moment that Fang Yue was really here.

’Thank goodness I didn’t see him.’

’Otherwise, I would have had to wonder if the Fang Yue my Third Grand-Uncle spoke of was truly the one I know.’

"I really did see him! Lan, come on! If we hurry, we can still catch him."

Nu pouted. She had clearly seen him, so why didn’t Lan believe her?

The more Wen Lan disbelieved, the more determined Nu was to prove she wasn’t mistaken.

With that, she wrenched her arm free from Wen Lan’s grasp and dashed down the street where Fang Yue had vanished.

Wen Lan watched Nu go, feeling a mix of helplessness and worry, and quickly ran after her.

The two of them soon vanished down the street.

On the street, only a man in a black robe remained, standing perfectly still.

The black-robed man gazed down the street, his eyes deep in thought.

After a long moment, the man in black followed in the direction the two young women had gone.

「Meanwhile.」

The Wu Family Residence.

Wu Wende looked at the Scholar’s Attendant before him and asked, "You’re saying you’ve already located the young woman from the Wen Family’s branch lineage? Hmm, good work. Make preparations. I intend to go and make her acquaintance personally."

"Yes, Young Master." The Scholar’s Attendant’s voice was ancient. "Shall I find a few local ruffians? You could then swoop in, the hero saving the damsel. It would surely win the young lady’s heart."

"Elder Wu, don’t trouble yourself with such things. Just have our people keep an eye on her," Wu Wende said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "And let’s not talk about ’hero saves the beauty’ again. That trick is ancient. It only works on the silly girls in the operas."

His Scholar’s Attendant was, in reality, a long-serving retainer of the Wu Family, a man from his grandfather’s generation. Decades ago, he had been his grandfather’s Scholar’s Attendant and bodyguard.

Later, a mishap during his Martial Dao cultivation halted his aging process, freezing his appearance. And so now, he served as Wu Wende’s Scholar’s Attendant and bodyguard.

"Oh? It’s ancient, you say?" the Scholar’s Attendant asked, surprised. "But isn’t that how it always goes in the operas? It doesn’t work anymore?"

"Yes. Elder Wu, just help me keep an eye on her. I have my own plans for everything else."

Wu Wende said with a faint smile.

~~~~~

「Six hours later.」

Zhenwei Restaurant, Earth City.

"Thank you so much for helping me find my sister. I am truly grateful," Wen Lan said to Wu Wende with a smile.

Hours earlier, she had looked away for just a moment, and Nu had slipped from her grasp and run off.

Who would have thought that just after rounding a corner, she would completely lose sight of Nu?

Before they left, she had promised her aunt that she would take good care of Nu.

But she had lost Nu almost as soon as they’d arrived. And this was Earth City, where the daily crowds were far larger than anything in Shanyang Prefecture.

Finding one person here was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Just as Wen Lan was about to seek help from her Third Grand-Uncle, this man—as handsome as polished jade—Wu Wende, had appeared with Nu.

Afterward, Wen Lan insisted on thanking Wu Wende, and since it was mealtime, it led to this dinner.

"Not at all, not at all. I can see you’re new here. Everyone runs into difficulties when they’re away from home. Helping others is as good as helping oneself. It’s nothing, and besides, you’ve treated me to a meal, so we can consider us even."

Wu Wende said with a faint, impassive smile.

’Hearing Wu Wende’s words, Wen Lan couldn’t help but think that someone from a Noble Family was truly in a different league from a country bumpkin like Fang Yue.’

’This man before her was polite, gentle, and refined—the very image of a perfect gentleman.’

After a little while longer, Wu Wende spoke, a hint of apology in his tone:

"Oh, that’s right. It’s getting late, and I must be on my way. I have an appointment at Wenyuan Pavilion in Yujing City with the Wen Family’s Third Master. If I don’t leave now, I’ll be late."

’The Wen Family’s Third Master? Wenyuan Pavilion?’

Hearing those two names, Wen Lan’s heart skipped a beat. ’Isn’t he talking about my Third Grand-Uncle?’

’He’s going to Wenyuan Pavilion, too. Could he also be one of the suitors?’

At this, Wen Lan thought she understood everything.

A thought stirred in her mind, and she asked, "Brother Wu, are you going to Wenyuan Pavilion to participate in the Wen Family’s selection of a suitor?"

"Hah," Wu Wende sighed. "It’s not by choice. The elders in my family are pushing me, so I have no choice but to go. This whole selection by the Wen Family is a wonderful opportunity, of course. But you can’t even meet the young lady of the Wen Family before the wedding. I have no idea if she’s even pretty."

"Of course," he added, "if she were even a tenth as beautiful as you, I would be more than satisfied."

Wu Wende put on a reluctant, put-upon air, as if he had no choice in the matter. But even as he looked helpless, he was secretly observing Wen Lan’s reaction.