Chapter 50: The Second Brother Returned Home
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
As the end of the year drew near, the first snowfall of the season had blanketed the capital in a serene layer of white, transforming even the most modest of flowers and blades of grass with a delicate dusting of frost. It was a picturesque scene of winter’s gentle embrace.
Amidst this wintry wonderland, Lu Chao Chao had shown remarkable growth at the tender age of ten months. She was a beautiful blend of her parents’ features, combining the best traits from both the Xu family and her father, Lu Yuan Ze. Her cheeks, plump with baby fat, resembled two little buns, so irresistibly chubby that one could hardly resist the urge to give them a gentle pinch. Her eyes, clear and round, sparkled with the brightness of stars, radiating pure innocence.
On this particular day, Lu Chao Chao was bundled up in a vibrant red jacket, her hair arranged in two adorable tufts, each adorned with a playful string of wool balls. She demonstrated her newfound independence by taking a few shaky steps without any assistance, much to the delight of those around her.
“Our young miss looked just like a doll prepared for the New Year festivities, so utterly charming,” Deng Zhi, a seasoned caretaker in the household, couldn’t help but remark. Having helped raise three boys in the family, she found Chao Chao to be uniquely endearing in comparison.
“Miss Chao Chao reached milestones earlier than her brothers too, beginning to talk and walk with notable swiftness,” Ying Xue, another attendant, concurred with a nod.
Observing the light snowfall outside and considering the freshly swept but still slightly snowy grounds, Deng Zhi expressed concern for the child’s safety on the slippery surface. However, Lu Chao Chao, brimming with excitement, eagerly expressed her desire to walk, her speech charmingly infantile, “Walk… walk…”
“I… walk,” she asserted, her pockets filled with pieces of chestnut cake, a treat she could now enjoy along with other soft foods like roasted sweet potatoes, chestnuts, rice flour, and various meat purees as she approached her first birthday. Among these, roasted sweet potatoes were her favorite; their sweet scent filled the air with delight after roasting.
Seizing upon her eagerness, Deng Zhi and Ying Xue each took one of her hands, carefully guiding her towards the main courtyard through the thin layer of early snow. Lu Chao Chao’s laughter rang out with each step, her tiny footprints leaving a charming trail behind her.
As they passed by the flower garden, the little girl’s attention was captured by a wilted flower. She released the hands of her caretakers and squatted down to examine it closely, her expression one of concern. When Ying Xue inquired about her actions, Chao Chao responded with a shushing gesture and softly explained, “Crying… wilting, crying…” pointing at an orchid with the profound innocence of a child who believes even flowers possess the capacity for emotion. Deng Zhi smiled at this display, reminded once again of the pure-heartedness that children possess.
“Very well, as the young miss desires. We will arrange for someone to move the orchid into a warm room later,” she gently persuaded, encouraging Lu Chao Chao to continue on her way. Given her young age and limited stamina, Lu Chao Chao soon found herself unable to walk any further. Sensing her fatigue, Deng Zhi tenderly picked her up in her arms as they hastened towards the front courtyard.
Amidst their brisk walk, a faint sound of sobbing caught Lu Chao Chao’s attention. It was a soft, pitiable cry that seemed to echo with innocence and vulnerability. Curious, Lu Chao Chao turned her gaze towards the source as they rounded a corner, where she spotted a young man dressed in a moon-white tunic kneeling solemnly outside a door. Nearby, under the shelter of the eaves, stood a frail girl clad in white, her face buried in her hands as she wept quietly.
From within the confines of the house, the irate voice of Madam Xu could be heard, her tone laced with fury and disbelief, “Your upbringing is utterly wasted! You’re already engaged! How dare you bring another woman here? This is an affront to your fiancée!” Madam Xu’s anger was palpable, her complexion flushed with rage.
Initially, she harbored doubts about Chao Chao’s internal words, especially considering that her second son, typically not prone to such drama, was already betrothed. But the scene unfolding before her—her son kneeling outside, adamant about introducing another girl into their household—ignited a fury in her so intense it left her feeling faint.
Lu Zheng Yue, the son in question, had cast a worried glance towards his mother. However, his resolve had hardened as his eyes settled on the door behind which Su Zhi Qing had stood. Miss Su had appeared fragile and forlorn in the cold, shivering as she stood outside, reminiscent of a delicate dendrobium orchid in dire need of support.
“Mother, I harbored no affection for Wen Ning, and the engagement was not of my choosing,” he had declared, his voice steady despite the tension. “My only wish was to marry where there is mutual love, to share a bond of affection as you and Father do, rather than to spend my life with a stranger out of mere obligation.”
Madam Xu’s anger had surged anew, causing her head to spin. The marriage between Yan Shu and Jiang Yun Jin had been a strategic arrangement by the old Marquis, a matter entirely separate from the current dilemma. The Wen family, once neighbors to the Lu’s and now reassigned, had a different history with Lu Zheng Yue. As children, the young Wen family’s girl would follow him around, affectionately calling him brother, hinting at a bond akin to childhood sweethearts.
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
Yet, after the Wen family’s departure from the capital three years prior, Lu Zheng Yue’s temperament had changed, leading to the current predicament. “I’ve always seen Wen Ning as nothing more than a sister. To force me into marriage with her would be akin to killing me, Mother. My feelings cannot be swayed,” Lu Zheng Yue confessed, the weight of his long-held sentiment heavy in his heart. Despite their engagement when he was but six years old—a time when Wen Ning’s childish charm was undeniable—he had realized that his feelings towards her were purely fraternal, devoid of romantic love.
“Mother, it was impossible for Qing Qing to marry anyone else,” Lu Zheng Yue began, his expression tinged with a mix of resolve and embarrassment. He then proceeded to share a pivotal moment from his past that had irrevocably linked his fate with Su Zhi Qing’s. “During my time studying abroad, I met with a dangerous incident and fell off a cliff. It was Qing Qing who had found me, carried me on her back, and saved my life.”
He continued, outlining the depth of Qing Qing’s sacrifices and the situation that had led to his unwavering decision. “Qing Qing had been alone in the world since she was a child, having lost her younger brother early on. She took it upon herself to care for me, and in doing so, her reputation had been unfairly tarnished.”
“Mother, I could not become someone who betrays and abandons those who have shown me kindness.” Over the months they spent together, Lu Zheng Yue’s feelings for Su Zhi Qing had naturally deepened. He admired her gentle and considerate nature, qualities he found all the more remarkable given her simple upbringing in the mountains, which he believed had preserved her purity.
Madam Xu’s reaction was fierce, her anger palpable. She found it hard to believe Lu Zheng Yue’s account, especially considering that he had not been alone during his studies but accompanied by two servants skilled in martial arts, who had kept in regular contact with the family through letters. After his fall, despite their extensive search covering every nearby village—including the village where Su Zhi Qing resided—they had failed to find him. This had led Madam Xu to suspect that someone might have intentionally concealed him.
“Mother, I was unconscious for three days. By the time I awoke, I was being cared for in Qing Qing’s home. It’s possible that during the search, Qing Qing was away in the mountains gathering herbs. Her home is impoverished, and my presence only added to her burdens,” Lu Zheng Yue explained with a heavy sigh. He recounted his feverish state, the delirium that plagued him, and the moments of lucidity when he would see Qing Qing before him, her cheeks flushed with a mix of exertion and embarrassment, her eyes brimming with tears as she tended to him. Their unintentional physical contact had left him startled, yet it was clear from her reaction that her intentions were pure.
Taking a deep breath, Lu Zheng Yue affirmed his resolve to take responsibility for the situation. “Qing Qing’s actions were driven by her kind heart. She had saved me without any thought for herself.”
Madam Xu, however, remained skeptical. “Had she not saved you, the servants would surely have found you,” she retorted with a hint of sarcasm.
The conversation then took a turn as Madam Xu voiced her suspicions more directly, questioning Qing Qing’s motives. “Given your status and wealth, how can you be so sure she didn’t rescue you with ulterior motives in mind, perhaps eyeing the wealth you represent?” she challenged coldly.
The girl standing at the door, Su Zhi Qing, appeared deeply hurt by these accusations. Filled with a mix of shame and indignation, she couldn’t hold back her emotions any longer and cried out, “Madam, why must you insult me in such a manner?” Her plea underscored the depth of her distress, caught between defending her honor and the painful realization that her goodwill was being questioned.
“Despite my humble beginnings, I’ve always lived with integrity. Had Zheng Yue not insisted, I would never have chosen to come to the capital,” Su Zhi Qing declared, her voice a blend of dignity and resolve amidst her teary-eyed visage. She conveyed her stoicism and acceptance of her lot in life with a poignant clarity. “I never harbored any intentions of marrying. If pushed to my limits, I was prepared to embrace a monastic life, seeking solace in the solitude and spiritual contemplation of a nun’s existence.”
“Being acquainted with Zheng Yue is the greatest blessing I could ever have imagined. To entertain thoughts of marrying him would have been far beyond my wildest dreams. My only wish was for Zheng Yue’s happiness in this life.” With these heartfelt words, Su Zhi Qing broke down in tears and retreated, her departure marked by a profound sense of finality.
Witnessing this, Lu Zheng Yue’s eyes filled with tears, a silent testament to the depth of his emotions.
The unfolding drama had elicited a palpable sense of exasperation from Madam Xu, who could feel the onset of a headache as tensions escalated.
“Don’t leave! Mother, if Qing Qing departs, I have no choice but to follow her,” Lu Zheng Yue declared, the raw emotion evident in his reddened eyes as he clutched Su Zhi Qing’s wrist with a firm yet gentle grip. Sensing her trembling, his heart ached even more profoundly.
With a heavy heart, he had bitten his lip and made a slight move as if to demonstrate his resolve by colliding with a pillar.
However, his dramatic gestures were suddenly interrupted by a mischievous, childlike chant that echoed around them, [Bump into the wall bump into the wall bump into the wall bump into the wall…]
[Bump, come on, bump, lovebirds bumping into walls, look at the lovebirds bumping into walls…]
The voice, laden with a sense of mischief and perhaps a touch of mockery, paused Lu Zheng Yue’s intended act of desperation.