The spring breeze was gentle, willow trees swayed gracefully, and the vast Xuanwu Lake resembled a huge, smooth mirror. In the warm glow of the setting sun, it shimmered with a golden radiance.

The spacious lake's surface was rippling with waves, and pleasure boats glided like arrows. Laughter echoed from the boats, and it was unclear which young ladies were enjoying the outing, creating a lively atmosphere.

Numerous scholars and gentlemen stood proudly at the bow of the boats, gazing at the flower-adorned boats carrying the wealthy young ladies. They wore expressions of eager anticipation. As they approached the flower boats, they suddenly underwent a transformation, adopting an appearance of upright dignity, not glancing sideways, gracefully waving folding fans, composing poems and essays, exuding a sense of refinement.

Several official boats concealed behind curtains floated on the lake, and the young ladies hidden behind the curtains secretly assessed the passing literati, selecting those who caught their fancy.

Standing by Xuanwu Lake, if one had to find a word to describe Lin Wanrong's current mood, it would be—unlucky, truly damn unlucky.

It had been a month since he arrived here, and bad luck had been his constant companion. Perhaps, from the moment he decided to join the company's tour to Mount Tai, bad luck had been with him. Especially when he saw that girl's name on the travel list, he had a feeling of unease.

And as it turned out, his suspicion was correct.

Lin Wanrong spat vigorously into the lake, and his mood improved slightly. It was a refreshing spit. He hadn't felt this good in a long time. Damn, in this era, there shouldn't be any old ladies with red sleeves chasing after me to fine me fifty bucks.

Lin Wanrong surveyed his reflection in the clear water. He had arched eyebrows, starry eyes, a prominent nose, and a friendly smile. If he were dressed in official attire, he would probably be more charming than those foolish scholars who enjoyed composing mediocre poetry in the lake.

Unfortunately, he was wearing a worn-out blue gown and a pair of tattered shoes. Compared to those literary figures, his appearance was somewhat shabby. Moreover, his distinctive short hair, different from the pedestrians on the road, could not be tied up with a ribbon, making him stand out even more in this environment.

Passing girls on the road, upon a single glance at Lin Wanrong's attire, immediately dismissed him without looking at his face, directing their gazes towards the so-called literati standing shivering at the bow of boats.

Suddenly, the girls on the roadside crowded towards the lake, continuously looking out at the lake, their excited exclamations sounding melodious.

"Wow, look, it's Young Master Hou Yuebaibai!"

"Wow, he's so handsome!"

"Wow, so romantic!"

"Ah, which young lady is so lucky?"

Lin Wanrong followed the direction of the girls' gazes.

On the lake, three painted boats floated downstream. Each boat had two stories, roughly six or seven meters high. Lanterns hung high, eaves and pavilions adorned them, and they exuded an imposing aura.

Flags fluttered on all three boats, and on the left and right boats, huge banners hung down from the top of the boats.

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The right one read "Spring Breeze Caresses My Heart," while the left one read "Only for Your Heart."

In the middle boat, a young nobleman stood at the bow, with a face like jade, gently holding a folding fan, smiling with grace, and his gown billowing. He exuded an indescribable charm.

The three painted boats faced a larger and more exquisite painted boat on the opposite side. It was even larger than Young Master Hou's three boats, with flying eaves and pavilions. Unfortunately, the curtains were drawn deep, concealing the people inside. On a huge lantern flying in the wind at the bow, a gilded character was written—"Luo."

"It's Miss Luo, the number one beauty and talented lady in Jinling!"

"Wow, she's so pretty!"

"Wow, so romantic!"

"Ah, which young lady has such fortune?"

Lin Wanrong was completely uninterested in the concept of the number one talented gentleman in Jinling, and he couldn't care less about the so-called number one beauty and talented lady in Jinling. In this era, women who dabbled in writing and called themselves beauties were as common as fleas on a dog's back. In his time, there were plenty of female writers who used their bodies for literary purposes, and he had long been desensitized to it.

"I heard that Young Master Hou has been pursuing Miss Luo for two years now. With his family background, literary talent, and reputation in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, he's definitely a suitable match for her."

A girl with a crush said excitedly, her face filled with joy, clearly a fan of Miss Luo.

"What if, but Miss Luo is a talented lady herself and the daughter of the Governor of Jiangsu. In terms of family background, she surpasses Young Master Hou. So, Miss Luo may not necessarily be interested in Young Master Hou."

Another girl, apparently a die-hard fan of Miss Luo, analyzed.

"In my opinion, Young Master Hou and Miss Luo, they're a perfect match, naturally meant for each other. Not just in Jinling, but in the entire Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, it's difficult to find a couple as perfectly matched as them."

The infatuated girl added, "These two are a perfect match made in heaven."

Lin Wanrong shook his head helplessly. Women were naturally curious creatures, and this trait seemed to be universal across all eras.

Young Master Hou had already stopped his painted boat beside Miss Luo's boat and was bowing respectfully, evidently saying something to Miss Luo's boat.

After a while, a lovely maidservant from Miss Luo's boat appeared at the bow and said a few words to Young Master Hou. His face first showed disappointment, but then it quickly changed to joy.

Lin Wanrong was too far away to hear what they were saying, but he could see the peculiar expression on Young Master Hou's face. Did Miss Luo accept or reject him? Why was this guy so unpredictable, showing both disappointment and joy?

The nearby women were equally puzzled. As Miss Luo's boat slowly moved away towards the center of the lake, her fans happily speculated, "See, I wasn't wrong. Young Master Hou might not have won Miss Luo's heart."

The infatuated girl chimed in, "Well, we can't be sure. Look at how happy Young Master Hou is right now. Maybe they have made secret plans under the moonlight."

"That's true. Young Master Hou and Miss Luo, they're a natural match. Considering the customs of this world, men and women should find a private place, especially on a moonlit night."

Young Master Hou, seeing that Miss Luo's boat was gradually moving away, continued to gracefully wave his fan, wear a contented smile, and maintain an affectionate gaze. His so-called romantic and passionate appearance left Lin Wanrong feeling uncomfortable.

Kid, what are you so proud of? Compared to me, your grandpa, in the art of wooing women, you're a thousand times, no, ten thousand

 times worse. Look at that infatuated expression on your face. Lin Wanrong thought with annoyance.

Lin Wanrong's sneer caught the attention of several women nearby. They cast their gazes on him, taking in his shabby attire and short hair. They couldn't help but giggle, and when they saw his expression, they all blushed and dared not look at him.

Lin Wanrong, standing at a height of 177 centimeters, had a well-built physique due to years of consistent physical training, giving him a powerful presence. His appearance was quite attractive, with healthy, wheat-colored skin. Compared to the fair-faced scholars of this era, he possessed a captivating charm.

It was no wonder that several women were reluctant to meet his gaze. This man had quite an impact on their hearts.

During his days at Peking University, Lin Wanrong had also been a somewhat famous dark horse prince, with many girls secretly admiring him.

"Where did this country bumpkin come from..."

"Look at his shabby appearance..."

"Huang, standing next to him, you're disgracing your own status. Let's move away from him..."

The literati-looking guys nearby, after witnessing Young Master Hou's performance, were already suffering from shattered confidence. The women next to them completely ignored them, instead directing their attention towards Lin Wanrong. How could the literati not be frustrated?