Chapter 54: Cunning Beyond Compare
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Lu Zheng Yue lay in bed for half an hour before finally sitting up, rubbing his throbbing head.
Su Zhi Qing sat quietly by the window, her serene presence forming a picture of grace and beauty.
“Brother Zheng Yue, you’re finally awake. Here, have some hangover soup.” Su Zhi Qing approached to support him, her heart aching at his pained expression from the hangover.
“Have you been waiting long? Qing Qing, you’re so kind.” Lu Zheng Yue concealed the darkness in his eyes as he watched Su Zhi Qing crouch down to help him put on his shoes.
After finishing the hangover soup, the two stepped out.
“Young Master Lu had some urgent matters and left earlier,” Su Zhi Qing added, seizing an opportunity to praise Lu Jing Huai. “But he specifically instructed me to prepare this hangover soup for you.”
Lu Zheng Yue smiled and nodded. “Brother Jing Huai and I are as close as brothers.”
Back at the manor, Su Zhi Qing felt sticky and uncomfortable. Using this as an excuse, she retired to her courtyard to rest.
As soon as she left, Lu Zheng Yue’s smile collapsed, replaced by a frigid expression that chilled to the bone. His fists clenched tightly, his knuckles faintly whitening.
[Love is a light, turning green and blinding bright… la la la…]
Before he reached the Listening Wind Courtyard, he heard the cheerful humming of Lu Chao Chao in her mind.
As soon as he stepped inside, a small bundle of energy launched itself at his legs.
“Second broth…” came a babyish voice. The little one grinned from ear to ear.
Lu Zheng Yue bent down as her tiny hands beckoned. “Did you miss Second Brother?”
Sitting nearby in a wheelchair, Lu Yan Shu held a book, leisurely flipping through its pages. “She kept saying she wanted to bring you some warmth.”
No sooner had he spoken than Lu Chao Chao placed a bright green hat on Lu Zheng Yue’s head.
“So… so stylish!” she exclaimed with childish delight.
[It’s perfect—fits my Second Brother like a dream!]
Lu Zheng Yue’s chest tightened, and he nearly coughed up blood on the spot. Lu Yan Shu’s lips quirked into a faint smile, amusement flickering in his eyes.
“Did you see him?” Lu Yan Shu asked softly.
Still holding his sister, Lu Zheng Yue gave a sullen nod. “It’s all a charade. Every bit of it—a scheme targeting Mother, targeting our family.”
Lu Yan Shu’s expression turned distant. “If she wants you to feel gratitude, then show her your gratitude—heavily.”
He had taken great pains to invite a few censors to the restaurant for this very purpose.
“Thank her? Big Brother, I can’t stomach it! They’re trying to pick us off one by one!” Lu Zheng Yue’s teeth gnashed in frustration.
They had even flaunted their affair right before his eyes.
“I never said you had to thank her personally,” Lu Yan Shu replied smoothly, turning another page. His demeanor was composed, almost indifferent.
He surmised that Lu Jing Huai and Pei Jiao Jiao’s plan to harm the Marquis’s heirs was kept secret from their father. The man valued his lineage and might favor Lu Jing Huai, but he would never allow Pei Jiao Jiao to endanger his three sons.
“Don’t speak further on this,” Lu Yan Shu said coldly. “Tomorrow, let the household arrange a banquet to express our gratitude. Doesn’t she want a family?”
“Then let her have one.” His brows arched faintly with icy intent.
Lu Chao Chao blinked, utterly baffled. [Oh no, how does Big Brother know everything?!]
[My Big Brother is truly the top villain!]
[Big Brother is so strong and smart. The whole family’s brainpower is concentrated in him… Thank goodness I saved Big Brother and his heart. Otherwise…]
[Otherwise, Mother would be humiliated, Big Brother would be forced to drink urine, Second Brother would die unjustly, Third Brother would lose his eyes and limbs, and Grandfather’s entire household would be executed…]
Lu Zheng Yue’s chest heaved, but he restrained himself with great effort. Lu Yan Shu’s gaze softened. No, it wasn’t his brilliance that saved them.
[Chao Chao, you are our salvation.]
“Come, Big Brother will take you to eat meat. What do you want? Minced meat?” Lu Yan Shu picked her up, his wheelchair gliding smoothly.
“Cluck-cluck!” she mimicked a chicken and patted her thigh.
Ah, Lu Yan Shu understood. She wanted drumsticks. Ever since that roast duck incident, she had become enamored with roasted drumsticks.
The kitchen often stewed chicken soup for her, but she grew tired of it. Climbing into the kitchen, she clung to the chef’s leg, pleading sweetly, “Uncle… Good Uncle…” Her soft, honeyed voice melted hearts as she clasped her hands and begged.
No one could resist her antics. Soon, the kitchen began preparing honey-glazed roasted drumsticks, tender and dripping with juice, just for her.
She would sneak into the kitchen to snack on these drumsticks, skipping her milk afterward. Deng Zhi kept watch for days before noticing the oddity. The head chef was moved to another kitchen, and an austere old nanny took over.
That arrangement lasted three days before the little one’s culinary privileges returned. Another staff rotation bought half a month of discipline before she was back to enjoying her favorites.
Madam Xu eventually surrendered, providing her with small, healthy snacks daily to keep her from pestering the staff. Despite this, her maids would secretly save treats for her, slipping jerky and other goodies into her pocket.
Her tiny stash now included peanuts, thumb-sized sweet potatoes, and chestnut candies. She tossed them into the nearest fire whenever one was lit.
“You won’t starve even in a famine,” Lu Yan Shu remarked, ruffling her pocket filled with small treats.
“Buy!” she declared grandly, pulling out a few silver pieces with a dramatic flourish.
“Alright, alright. We’ll buy plenty,” Lu Yan Shu replied with a laugh, his love for the mischievous child lighting up his features. Books were once his passion, but now his joy came from raising her—though only her.
The following morning, Madam Xu busied herself preparing a grand banquet.
Su Zhi Qing blushed. “This… isn’t it too extravagant?”
Madam Xu smiled warmly. “Miss Su, you are my Zheng Yue’s savior. No effort is too great. I’ve already summoned the Marquis to personally thank you.”
Su Zhi Qing’s eyes grew moist. “No one has ever treated me so kindly.”
Even the Old Madam took a liking to her. Su Zhi Qing’s attentiveness—offering massages and pleasant conversation—endeared her to the elder far more than Madam Xu ever had.
“Think of the Marquis’s Manor as your home,” the Old Madam said warmly. “If anyone dares bully you, this old woman will stand up for you!”
She shot Madam Xu a sharp look, though Madam Xu took no offense.
Su Zhi Qing lowered her head shyly. Her actions had all been meticulously calculated. Pei Jiao Jiao had divulged everyone’s preferences to her, ensuring she could win the favor of the entire household.
“The Marquis has returned,” a maid reported from the doorway.
The Old Madam’s expression brightened. “Quick, invite him in! The weather’s cold—make sure he’s not chilled.”
Lu Zheng Yue tugged lightly at Su Zhi Qing’s sleeve. “Don’t worry. As long as my father agrees, no one can stop our marriage. In the Marquis’s Manor, his word is law.”
Su Zhi Qing’s heart fluttered with anticipation. For Pei Jiao Jiao to remain a mistress for so many years, silently supporting this man, what kind of exceptional person was he?
Her curiosity burned as footsteps echoed outside the door.
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