Chapter 258: Wine Does Not Intoxicate, But the Heart Does
This novel is translated and hosted on BCatranslation
“Chao Chao… Chao Chao…” Lu Yuan Ze unconsciously murmured the name of Lu Chao Chao.
It was all wrong. Everything was wrong.
No wonder…
After leaving Chao Chao, the Marquis Zhongyong Manor began to decline. And yet, he had treated Lu Jing Yao like a treasure—how laughable!
“Chao Chao, Father was wrong. It was all my fault. Chao Chao, will you come home with me?” Lu Yuan Ze knelt down, looking at Lu Chao Chao with an unprecedented gentleness.
“Don’t flatter yourself! You wanted to drown Chao Chao just to clear the way for Lu Jing Yao. Do you even deserve to be called her father?”
“Chao Chao isn’t even on the family registry—what does she have to do with you?”
“Lord Lu, please don’t falsely claim kinship.” Madam Xu’s face was full of disdain.
Lu Yuan Ze, truly greedy and foolish.
Lu Yuan Ze was so enraged he nearly spat blood, but in these past years, he had never given Chao Chao even the slightest bit of fatherly love. Now, even playing the sentiment card was impossible.
“Lord Lu, the Abbot has something to say to Princess Zhao Yang. Please, Lord Lu…” The young monk made a gesture of invitation.
Lu Yuan Ze was utterly humiliated, yet he couldn’t get close to Chao Chao at all.
Clenching his teeth, he dragged Lu Jing Yao down from the high platform.
Princess Consort Jing Xi smiled and asked, “Lord Lu, why are you coming down? Didn’t you say there was some fated connection?”
“Oh dear, leaving so soon?” She covered her mouth with a light chuckle.
Lu Yuan Ze could not put his frustration into words. He was both suffocated and furious.
Yet he had to suppress his rage, bow in courtesy, and then leave.
Once Lu Yuan Ze had gone far, the Abbot solemnly admitted his mistake to Lu Chao Chao, “This monk has caused trouble for the princess. It is my wrongdoing.”
If it weren’t for his prophecy years ago, perhaps Lu Yuan Ze and Madam Xu would not have reached this tragic end.
Madam Xu returned the gesture and replied, “It is Shi Yun who should thank Master Shi Kong.”
“He was the one who kept a mistress first, harboring ill intentions from the start.”
“With or without you, he would have made the same choices. He merely found himself a grand excuse.”
“None of this is your fault.”
Lu Chao Chao tilted her head at him. “Not blame you.”
“Chao Chao tummy big, Chao Chao tummy can hold boat.”
“Your eyes, can see?” The little one waved both hands in front of the Abbot.
The young monk’s eyes turned red as he spoke, “We sought out every famed physician across the land, yet no one could determine why the Abbot went blind. He truly cannot see at all…”
Lu Chao Chao let out a soft “Oh.”
“Hee hee, so you’re a good monk.”
“Last time, I thought you were siding with bad Daddy and even scolded you as a blind monk!” The little one had no filter, spilling everything out.
“Maybe, after sleeping, you’ll wake up and be able to see again.”
No one took the child’s words to heart.
“Chao Chao is mischievous, Master, please don’t mind her,” Madam Xu sighed. This little one’s mouth could truly be infuriating.
The Abbot’s eyelids twitched.
“The little princess speaks freely. Madam need not worry.”
The Abbot invited Madam Xu to listen to the scriptures on the platform, and she accepted with a smile.
Lu Chao Chao snuggled into her mother’s arms, dozing off as she listened.
She drifted into deep sleep amidst the Buddhist chants.
Once the grand dharma assembly ended, the Abbot rubbed his eyes thoughtfully.
“Master, are your eyes uncomfortable? During the sermon, this disciple saw you rub them several times.” The young monk asked with concern.
The Abbot hesitated. “It seems… I caught a glimpse of light.”
“Master, could it be… you can see?!” The young monk nearly leapt up in shock.
“No rush. The sight is still unclear…”
Doubt filled the Abbot’s heart.
Going blind was strange, but regaining sight was even stranger.
He couldn’t help recalling Lu Chao Chao’s words.
‘Calling me a blind monk…’
‘Maybe, after a sleep, you’ll wake up and see again…’
The Abbot’s hand, which was holding his prayer beads, stiffened, and a bizarre thought formed in his mind.
Could it be… because of her scolding???
Then he recalled the dazzling golden light of merit that enveloped her, and his face froze.
Perhaps… it really was because of her words.
“Amitabha Buddha.” The Abbot resolved to never tell fortunes again.
When Lu Chao Chao opened her eyes, it was already evening.
“Where’s Big Brother?” She rubbed her sleepy eyes, having slept through the entire day due to a nightmare from the previous night.
“The Eldest Young Master and Scholar Li were invited out by their fellow students.”
“Right now, Madam is entertaining General Rong.”
“General Rong has helped the Lu family many times. Madam specially prepared a banquet to thank him.”
“She even invited Master Xu Yi Ting to accompany them. They’re drinking in the main hall now.”
Everyone in the manor knew that General Rong Che admired Madam Xu.
But since Madam Xu had never agreed, General Rong dared not propose, fearing he would startle her.
“Shall this servant help you change?” Yu Shu asked with a smile.
Just as Lu Chao Chao was about to lift her blanket, she suddenly—
Her round eyes widened in disbelief, even carrying a trace of grievance.
Yu Shu and Yu Qin exchanged glances. What was going on?
Lu Chao Chao glanced at Windchaser, who was lying under the bed.
Pouting, she pointed at him. “Windchaser climbed on my bed today!!”
“No, he didn’t… This servant has been guarding the door all along,” Yu Qin said in confusion.
“No, no, Windchaser climbed on my bed.”
“Right, Windchaser? You climbed on my bed and even peed on it?!” Lu Chao Chao glared at him.
Windchaser looked at her, completely bewildered.
Yu Qin was about to say something when Yu Shu secretly shook her head.
“Maybe… maybe Windchaser really did climb onto the bed,” Yu Qin stammered, sneaking a glance at the blanket…
Lu Chao Chao cleared her throat.
“Windchaser, next time no peeing on my bed! This time, I forgive you…”
“Yu Qin, quickly help me change.”
“My clothes are all wet.” The little one spoke in a soft, milky voice.
Yu Qin’s shoulders trembled as she struggled to hold in her laughter and fetched a new set of clothes.
After dressing, Lu Chao Chao led Windchaser outside.
“Why isn’t Windchaser moving?” The dog lay on the ground, listless.
“Maybe the burden of guilt is too heavy…” Yu Shu muttered.
Lu Chao Chao, a two-and-a-half-year-old, wobbled as she walked, her tiny hair bun bouncing with every step.
At the doorway, she happened to hear the drunken confession of Rong Che.
“Shi Yun, I dare not hope for marriage… hic, I just want to ask, do you accept live-in husbands?”