Chapter 52: Morning Reminder
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
As the door creaked open, Su Zhi Qing’s face displayed a mix of emotions, mostly dominated by a sense of helplessness.
“Brother Zheng Yue,” she greeted, her voice heavy with sadness as Lu Zheng Yue stood at the doorway, his excitement to see her overshadowed by a disturbing thought. Since morning, he had been haunted by the possibility that the love of his life might be conspiring with Lu Jing Huai, leaving him feeling as if lightning had struck him.
“Brother Zheng Yue, what’s the matter? Does my presence trouble you?” Su Zhi Qing asked, pulling him inside.
Lu Zheng Yue hesitated for a moment before responding, “My sister is here.” He sighed and picked up his little sister, who had been watching the drama from a corner.
For a moment, Su Zhi Qing’s face showed a flash of annoyance, which quickly vanished unnoticed by the others. “Sister Chao Chao is so adorable and pretty,” she said, reaching out to caress her head. However, Lu Chao Chao recoiled, her tiny face scrunching up in disdain as she muttered, “Dirty…” This single word drained the color from Su Zhi Qing’s face.
“Chao Chao, you shouldn’t talk like that,” Lu Zheng Yue admonished, panic evident in his voice. He tried to smooth things over. “Chao Chao is just a baby and doesn’t know what she’s saying, Zhi Qing. Please, don’t take it to heart. She’s only ten months old.” Noticing Su Zhi Qing’s tears forming, he hastily placed Chao Chao on a chair and approached her to console her.
Tears welled in Su Zhi Qing’s eyes, but she stubbornly held back, deepening Lu Zheng Yue’s concern for her.
“It’s foolish of me to dream so ambitiously,” Su Zhi Qing lamented. “There’s a world of difference between us. It would be best if I returned to where I belong. Your attention was a blessing I never expected. I shouldn’t disrupt your family life.”
Lu Zheng Yue felt a surge of urgency. His responsibility towards her, especially after she had lost her honor saving him, couldn’t be ignored. “I have to make things right. I will marry you, Zhi Qing!” he declared with conviction, raising three fingers in a pledge. “You are pure and innocent, and this is my fault.”
He wanted to confront her about the situation with Lu Jing Huai, but the sight of her tear-filled eyes stopped him. Would expressing his doubts only insult her further?
Su Zhi Qing mustered a façade of strength and spoke to him with resolve. “Brother Zheng Yue, the last thing I want is to be a source of strife within your family. My only wish is for your happiness, not to cause discord. I don’t dare to dream of becoming your wife or disrupting your relationship with Miss Wen. If I could just remain by your side as a personal attendant, serving Miss Wen with respect, seeing you every day would be my greatest joy.” Her gaze, filled with sorrow, conveyed the depth of her emotions.
Lu Zheng Yue was deeply touched by her words.
Amidst this emotional moment, a voice within urged him, “Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her…” This caused Lu Zheng Yue’s face to flush with embarrassment. He retreated, only to find Lu Chao Chao watching him with wide eyes, intensely focused on him.
Feeling a headache coming on, Lu Zheng Yue regained his composure and kept his distance from Zhi Qing. He recalled how, after Su Zhi Qing fell off a cliff, she shyly removed her clothes to lower her fever. Given her purity and modesty, this was likely the boldest act she had ever undertaken. Despite his strong feelings for her, he remained committed to behaving honorably during their three months together.
Su Zhi Qing briefly showed annoyance before Lu Zheng Yue responded with conviction, “Zhi Qing, how can you consider being a maid? You come from a respectable family. It would be beneath you, and I can’t let you demean yourself.”
At this, Lu Chao Chao giggled. Su Zhi Qing’s feelings towards her turned sour, especially when Lu Zheng Yue asked, “Why is Chao Chao laughing?” With an innocent smile, Chao Chao replied, “Laugh her… want fall into arms.” This remark flared indignation in Su Zhi Qing, her face turning red.
The air became playful, with internal remarks like “Hahaha…” and “Does Second Brother want to be cuckold?” Lu Zheng Yue, puzzled, wondered what being a cuckold meant. Amidst the banter, Lu Chao Chao looked at him mockingly, insinuating, “Second Brother, naive.” She cheekily suggested in her mind, “If Second Brother has doubts, he should simply invite a trusted friend along with his beloved, and all will become clear… hehehe…”
Taking a deep breath, Lu Zheng Yue lifted Chao Chao and turned back to Zhi Qing. “Zhi Qing, now that we’re in the capital, let’s rest and recover for the day.” He hesitated before sharing his plans, “Tomorrow, I’ll introduce you to a close friend of mine. He’s exceptionally talented. You’ll like him.”
Su Zhi Qing pouted, expressing her preference. “If that’s what you wish, Brother Zheng Yue, I want you to know you’ll always be the most important to me.”
As Lu Zheng Yue left with Chao Chao, Su Zhi Qing leaned against the doorframe, her gaze lingering on him with false affection and longing, watching until he disappeared.
During their walk, Lu Zheng Yue asked a sensitive question: “Chao Chao, do you not like her too?” Reflecting on her mother’s sentiments, Chao Chao nodded energetically, “Mmmm! Bad!”
After returning Chao Chao to Tingfeng Yard, Lu Zheng Yue visited his elder brother at Mingde Yard, where he learned of recent family troubles. By the time he left, it was already past midnight.
Standing silently in the shadows of Tingfeng Yard, he saw the light still on inside. Madam Xu was feeding Chao Chao egg custard when Deng Zhi wondered aloud if they should invite the second young master inside. Madam Xu dismissed the idea, suggesting that a bit of cold might bring him back to his senses, considering the strain he had placed on her due to Su Zhi Qing.
Lu Zheng Yue eventually left, unnoticed by the occupants inside.
The following morning, he escorted Su Zhi Qing to meet his good friend, a moment he had been both anticipating and dreading. When he saw Su Zhi Qing dressed in a striking deep blue long skirt, a wave of emotion visibly passed through him. The color blue, a favorite of Lu Jing Huai’s, added unintended complexity to the meeting.
“Zheng Yue, I wanted to make a good impression, so I dressed with care. Do you think it suits me?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
The tension was palpable as Lu Zheng Yue fought to keep his composure. His admiration and turmoil mingled as he replied, “It suits you beautifully. Better than I could have imagined.”
Su Zhi Qing’s heart fluttered at his words, her reply laced with a hint of flirtation, “It’s all for you.” Together, they entered the restaurant, which Lu Zheng Yue had reserved in advance for privacy.
The waiter led them to a private room where a young man in a blue long robe was captivated by the calligraphy and paintings on the walls. Lu Zheng Yue struggled to suppress his bitterness, fueled by revelations about his father’s actions the night before.
“Brother Jing Huai…” he greeted, breaking the silence. Lu Jing Huai turned, his face lighting up with a warm, gentle smile that softened the tension in the air.
“Zheng Yue.” He embodied gentleness and refinement, true to a gentleman’s demeanor. With her gaze demurely lowered, Su Zhi Qing did not dare look directly at him. She followed closely behind Lu Zheng Yue, her movements marked by restraint, as if treading carefully in unfamiliar territory.
Once seated, with Su Zhi Qing next to Lu Zheng Yue and facing Lu Jing Huai directly, the conversation shifted towards well-being. “How have your injuries been healing, Zheng Yue?” Lu Jing Huai asked, his voice fake-concerned as he settled into his seat.
Lu Zheng Yue responded with a smile, acknowledging his lover’s pivotal role in his recovery. “With Qing Qing’s timely intervention, I was fortunate to survive,” he expressed gratefully.
With a supposedly clear and sincere gaze, Lu Jing Huai bowed to Su Zhi Qing, acknowledging her favor to Lu Zheng Yue and, by extension, to himself. “Zheng Yue and I share a deep bond of friendship spanning many years. Your act of saving him is akin to saving me. Please accept this drink as a token of my gratitude, Miss. Your kindness is appreciated,” he remarked, conveying respect for her actions.
Su Zhi Qing humbly deflected the praise, emphasizing the urgency of the situation that had compelled her to act. “Sir, you honor me too highly. Faced with a life in peril, how could I stand by idly?” she replied modestly.
Throughout their exchange, both parties maintained decorum, navigating the conversation with careful caution.