Chapter 60: The Helper Becomes the Rival in Love
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Under the tranquil night sky of the serene courtyard, Madam Xu stood motionless, lost in deep thought. The night dragged on, sleep eluding her, while the indifferent snow accumulated on her shoulders. She seemed oblivious to its cold touch, her mind occupied by concerns far removed from the physical discomfort.
“Madam, please come inside,” Deng Zhi implored, her voice filled with respect and concern as she knelt before Madam Xu in the snow. Her plea was a silent testament to the palpable worry that filled the air, a gesture of desperation aimed at shielding her from the harsh cold.
The cold had already begun to affect Madam Xu, instilling a numbness that seeped through her entire being. Despite this, a sense of duty, or perhaps a burden far weightier, kept her anchored to that spot. She felt unable to move, to leave the silent watch of the courtyard.
The maid, her voice quivering from the cold or the gravity of her message, shattered the silence. “Last night… the lord needed water brought to him three times,” she disclosed, her words heavy with implication. Madam Xu’s face turned ghostly pale, blurring the line between the chill of the cold and the deep sting of heartache.
The mansion was enveloped in a profound silence, almost tangible.
When Lu Yuan Ze awoke, he found himself beside a woman whose beauty remained undiminished by the morning light. Her presence jolted him back to reality, a stark contrast to the confusion that had momentarily clouded his expression, catching Su Zhi Qing off guard.
The realization struck her hard—the events of the previous night were real, not figments of her imagination.
She noticed the bruises on her skin, each one a harsh reminder of the previous night’s errors. Shock took hold, manifesting in a tremble she couldn’t control, and her lip found itself caught between her teeth in a silent expression of disbelief.
It was a mistake. A grievous, unfathomable mistake.
Everything felt wrong, a chaotic whirlwind of emotions that seemed to suffocate her, trapping her in a relentless grip of fear.
Lu Yuan Ze, initially burdened by resentment, found himself moved by her evident fear. His words sought to offer solace, “I will explain to my wife. Do not fear, for she is a woman of great kindness and compassion. The fault lies with me; I acted inappropriately last night.”
Su Zhi Qing was on the verge of tears, a sense of dread consuming her. Her mind raced back to the lessons from Pei Jiao Jiao, who had meticulously prepared her to curry favor with the Lu family. But her intentions had never been to lead her into such a dire situation.
Despite the circumstances, she couldn’t help but be somewhat captivated by Lord Lu’s mature and masculine allure, recognizing that he was a man of a different caliber compared to the younger Lu Zheng Yue or Lu Jing Huai.
A knock on the door interrupted them. The maid’s voice, thick with emotion, carried a message that struck with the force of a hammer blow. “Lord, Madam has been in the courtyard all through the night. I implore you to see her. She has been out in the snow without relief…”
Lord Lu’s response was immediate and decisive. He stood, dressed hurriedly, and with a promise of an explanation to Qing Qing, he left, his actions marked by an urgency that underscored the gravity of the situation.
Su Zhi Qing, under the maid’s scornful gaze, felt an acute sense of humiliation, a sensation as piercing as needles. Yet, overshadowing even this was a fear that gnawed at her heart—her heart belonged to Lu Jing Huai. She was overtaken by a profound sense of trepidation, the knowledge of her true feelings for Lu Jing Huai casting a shadow over her future prospects with Lu Yuan Ze. She harbored a secret that, if disclosed, would lead to her social ruin, an ignominy from which there would be no recovery.
In that moment, Lu Yuan Ze, driven by urgency, raced back to the main courtyard, his feet bare against the cold ground.
There, amidst the snow, stood a woman whose presence seemed almost ethereal. Covered in snow, she swayed slightly, her gaze fixed on him with an expression void of emotion, as if awaiting the inevitable confrontation.
In a moment of acute distress, Lu Yuan Ze confessed with a panicked tone, “My dear wife… I must admit to a grave mistake I made last night. By some misfortune, I entered the wrong room, mistaking another for you.”
Madam Xu, rendered nearly immobile by the supposed shock, spoke with a voice roughened by emotion, her eyes brimming with tears, “My lord… You have been my constant companion for nearly two decades. It would be selfish of me to keep you only to myself. Please, allow me a moment to gather my thoughts.”
As Deng Zhi offered her support, a gentle movement caused a cascade of snow to fall from Madam Xu’s attire, symbolizing the coldness of the situation.
Turning to leave, Madam Xu’s strength seemed to leave her, and she collapsed into Deng Zhi’s arms, prompting a panicked exclamation, “Madam!”
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.
Lu Yuan Ze, on the verge of entering the courtyard, halted as Deng Zhi’s angry voice reached him, admonishing, “My lord, please refrain from further upsetting the madam! Ever since you mistakenly entered Miss Su’s room, the madam has been in a state of vigil all night.” After delivering this reproof, she carried Madam Xu into the privacy of the inner room.
Once inside, Madam Xu’s eyes fluttered open, revealing a spark of resilience. Without a word, several maids rushed to her aid, swiftly changing her clothing and providing warmth for her feet with heated water. The reviving effect of ginger soup was immediate.
Lu Chao Chao, visibly distressed at her mother’s condition, pressed her icy hands to her face, eliciting a shiver from the cold.
Madam Xu quickly retracted her hand, chiding gently, “Silly girl, do not hurt yourself with the cold. Mother here is fine; I was merely performing for his benefit.”
Such a performance was necessary to ensure he would feel compelled to formally take Su Zhi Qing into their household.
Noticing that Lu Yuan Ze had departed, Deng Zhi informed, “Madam, the lord has left the vicinity.”
He had lingered outside the courtyard for an extended period, only to be drawn away by news of Su Zhi Qing’s desperate act, purportedly near the brink of suicide.
“Madam, your intuition was spot-on. That Miss Su has indeed set her ambitions on the lord,” Deng Zhi remarked, acknowledging Madam Xu’s astuteness.
Lu Chao Chao’s eyes gleamed with admiration, silently exclaiming over her mother’s shrewdness.
Madam Xu, unable to suppress a burst of laughter, reflected on the true source of their family’s strength—not her own cunning, but the exceptional nature of her daughter, Chao Chao.
Despite Lu Jing Huai’s potential and burgeoning reputation, he lacked the maturity and depth of experience that Lu Yuan Ze possessed, making him a less suitable partner in these complex circumstances.
Their shared moment and the subsequent scandal of spending a night exposed to the elements had effectively barred her from entering the Lu family in any official capacity. Now, her only recourse was to attach herself to Lu Yuan Ze as her sole avenue of support.
Seeing her mother, weakened yet with a spark in her eyes, Lu Chao Chao felt a surge of confidence in their resilience.
In a bold move, Su Zhi Qing visited Sheng Feng Yard clad in a striking peach-red attire, a stark contrast to her previous demure appearance. Her vibrant presence seemed designed to provoke, coming to offer an apology after the events that had unfolded.
Deng Zhi, incensed by her audacity, questioned, “Madam, can you believe she dares to show her face here?”
With a knowing smile, Madam Xu responded, “Why wouldn’t she? She has the lord’s support behind her.”
Su Zhi Qing, her lower lip caught between her teeth and her movements somewhat reluctant, nonetheless made her way into Sheng Feng Yard with a noticeable swish of her dress. As she stepped inside, she immediately knelt down in the hall, the red marks encircling her neck starkly evident against her skin.
With a voice laden with remorse, she addressed Madam Xu, “Madam, the fault lies entirely with Qing Qing. It has nothing to do with the lord… Upon awakening this morning, I was struck by the enormity of my error and sought to atone through hanging myself.” Her appearance was that of a frail, delicate flower battered by the storm, barely holding herself together. “It was the lord who intervened and stopped Qing Qing.”
Madam Xu, though her eyes welled with tears, couldn’t suppress an inner chuckle.
In her every gesture and choice of attire, Su Zhi Qing seemed tailor-made to cater to the lord’s preferences.
It must have required significant effort from Pei Jiao Jiao to groom Su Zhi Qing for life in the Marquis’ mansion, educating her on the preferences and personalities of each member of the Lu family. Pei Jiao Jiao had not foreseen, however, that Su Zhi Qing would end up competing with her for the affections of the same man.
Madam Xu rose from her seat, her eyes glistening with tears that she held back, and reached out to help Su Zhi Qing stand.
“Miss Su, you come from a distinguished family, and I have no wish to add to your troubles. However, regarding your situation with Zheng Yue…” Madam Xu paused, her voice laden with a mix of emotions, suggesting a deeper complexity to the issue.
At this, Su Zhi Qing stiffened, her reply emerging in anxious, halting fragments: “Zheng Yue is merely a friend to me. Our relationship has always been purely platonic; we have never crossed that line.”
The true complication involved Lu Jing Huai, not Zheng Yue.
“That’s reassuring to hear,” Madam Xu expressed, a wave of relief seeming to alleviate some of her concern. “I have been the lord’s wife for many years, and he has been a man of strong principles, never keeping concubines or mistresses. In fact, Miss Su, your situation is quite unprecedented. With three sons and a daughter to care for, I am often too preoccupied to give the lord all the attention he deserves. It seems you and the lord are destined for a special connection. You don’t need to worry; the Marquis’ mansion is a place of simplicity and uprightness. Once you join our household, your main responsibility will be to care well for the lord. Should you give us another son or daughter, the lord would be immensely pleased.”
With a gentle pat on her hand, Madam Xu provided both reassurance and a subtle indication of a new beginning, prompting Su Zhi Qing to nod timidly in agreement. “Considering your heroic act in saving Zheng Yue’s life, to relegate you to the status of a concubine would be a disservice.”
Su Zhi Qing’s reaction was a quick, intense glare, her hands clenched in a tight fist, yet Madam Xu pretended not to notice the tension in her gesture.