Chapter 30 The snacks weren't like those of the pampered young lady from the Yue family, but rather...

For several days in a row, Le Jin stayed in Meng Shutai's courtyard. Although she was a little weak, she was doing well and her life was no different from before.

Only one thing...

Le Jin disliked bitterness. After drinking a bowl of medicine, she would be so bitter that she would remain silent for a long time, sitting on the bed contemplating life.

As soon as the medicine bowl was placed down, the person was stunned when suddenly their hand was grabbed.

Le Jin was startled and turned around to see Meng Shutai.

"Good medicine tastes bitter, but Lady Le drank every bowl. She's very good and remarkable."

That's how it is.

Le Jin felt a chill run down her spine.

Meng has absolutely no idea how to comfort people.

He probably picked up that childish idea that "taking medicine is nothing special" from somewhere. He doesn't understand that such a statement is no longer appropriate for Le Jin's age.

What's even more painful is that Meng Shutai was completely unaware of this.

And... Yue Jin vaguely felt that this person seemed to be enjoying it.

Seeing her clutching the blankets unconsciously in pain, he sat down on the edge of the bed, gently took Le Jin's hand, smoothed out each of her fingers, loosened the blanket from her palm, and covered her warm palm with his own, as if to comfort her.

His movements were extremely light and gentle, as if he deliberately slowed down, his cool fingertips almost brushing against her skin.

Even more terrifying...

Le Jin subtly withdrew her hand from his grasp, hiding both hands under the blanket, and muttered softly, "I'm not a child anymore, who wants this kind of praise..."

"What reward does Lady Yue want?"

A gentle smile appeared in Meng Shutai's bright eyes, as if he would agree to anything Le Jin asked.

Le Jin smacked her lips; the bitter taste still stubbornly lingered in her mouth, and she almost spat it out.

"I want something sweet... Do you have any candied fruit or dried fruit? Candy is fine too."

Meng Shutai nodded, got up and fetched a box of candied fruit, picking out a round, golden kumquat for her.

The candied kumquats were golden yellow, with sugar granules like snowflakes. Le Jin stuffed one into her mouth and chewed it heartily. The soft, chewy peel wrapped around the sweet, fermented fruit pulp, mixed with the refreshing tartness of the kumquat, and burst with a wonderful aroma in her saliva.

The sweetness on her lips and teeth was an irresistible physiological pleasure. Le Jin unconsciously smiled, her eyes crinkling, her shoulders swaying slightly, as happy as if she were riding a small boat on a lake.

Is there anything else?

Meng Shutai stared at her expression, but he was lost in thought. He only came to his senses when Le Jin called him. He then handed her a piece of preserved plum and smiled shyly, "Eat it."

Le Jin smiled and gave him a little smirk, which was considered a way of thanking him.

Meng Shutai held the box of candied fruit, looking down as he counted the varieties, but his eyes were glancing at Le Jin out of the corner of his eye.

Her happy face looked familiar; Meng Shutai seemed to have seen her somewhere before.

Unlike the pampered young lady from the Le family, she seemed like... someone else.

A dead man.

A eunuch and a young lady had the same expression, as if they had been brought back to life.

Meng Shutai narrowed his eyes, sensing an indescribable wonder in the upturned corners of Le Jin's mouth.

——

After being soaked in Meng Shutai's soft, sour water for several days, Le Jin couldn't take it anymore.

Staying by his side any longer would be like suicide.

But how could she get out of Meng Shutai's place? Le Jin really missed that abandoned storage room that the young monks didn't want...

Huh?! A little novice monk?

Like a cloud!

With Le Zhao absent, Ru Yunfu's guardian should rightfully be her, and Meng Shutai has no reason to stop her from going to see the horses.

Perfect!

"Little Master!"

The young novice monk sat beside it, bored, on a wooden stool, propping his head up with his hands and watching Ruyunfu.

When Yue Jin called him, the little novice monk trembled and stood up immediately, saying, "Lady Yue."

"Why are you so nervous?" Le Jin looked at him blankly and smiled as she reached out to pat his head like last time, but he flinched in surprise and took several steps back with his head down.

Le Jin was taken aback, feeling a strange sensation in her heart, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it, so she could only turn and touch Ru Yunfu.

Like Yunfu, a horse occupied an entire long shed by itself, leisurely swishing its tail and eating fruit with its head down.

Strangely enough, she only asked the young novice to help take care of Ruyunfuyi and Er at the time, so how come it is living so well now, even more comfortably than her?

"Why is there only one horse here? The gold I gave you for armbands isn't enough, is it?"

Just as Le Jin was about to take out another bracelet for the little novice, he stopped her.

"No, no, no... How could I let Lady Le spend money? It's all my duty, it's all my duty."

"How could I let you take care of me for nothing?"

"Oh dear, it was all ordered by the temple."

The young novice said, "I've been skipping my morning and evening prayers lately. My master told me to focus on guarding this horse, so my wife can rest assured."

Le Jin was dumbfounded.

There's no such thing as a free lunch. Why should she get away with it for no reason?

But the young novice remained steadfast, like an impenetrable wall. She could neither sway him nor get a reason from him, so she could only thank him again and again, along with Huayan Temple.

Full of doubt, Le Jin walked to the vicinity of the lamp hall. Suddenly, he saw many repairmen and carpenters bustling about.

She suddenly woke up as if from a dream, and exclaimed in surprise.

They burned down someone's main hall and hadn't even checked on the situation yet! This was the first time in her life she had made such a huge blunder, and Le Jin's sense of responsibility weighed heavily on her heart like a large basket of pebbles.

She lifted her skirt and ran like a nimble rabbit towards the lamp palace.

However, two monks suddenly appeared halfway through her journey, blocking her path side by side.

"Lady Le, the Lantern Hall is under renovation and there may be a danger of hammers and nails. You'd better not go there."

But she started the fire, and she couldn't just ignore it without feeling at ease.

"I'll just take a look. If there's anything that needs replacing, I can help out, right?"

The two monks exchanged a glance and shook their heads.

"The fact that Lady Le is safe and sound is the best thing for the temple."

"If something happens to you, we may never have peace again."

They stood in front of Le Jin with troubled expressions, gesturing for her to go elsewhere.

Le Jin stammered, "It's not that serious..."

She did make a mistake, but no matter how much we try to make amends, we won't let her do so. Instead, we're avoiding her like the plague.

Is she some kind of terrifying monster?

Le Jin kept turning back, trying to find an opportunity to sneak into the lamp hall to check the situation, but the two monks turned around and informed the others around them. The people quickly surrounded the lamp hall with a fence, and no one was allowed to get close.

Le Jin was completely dumbfounded.

However, not everyone in the temple kept their distance from her; some even greeted her warmly.

For example, Wu Yuzhen, the wife of a high-ranking official, and Zhang Xiangyun, the owner of Juede Winery.

The two were close friends who had come to Huayan Temple together to eat vegetarian food and pray for blessings. Upon seeing Le Jin wandering alone, they immediately went up to her happily and took her arm.

"Is this Lady Yue?"

A beautiful woman with fragrant makeup is like the long afternoon sun, making people drowsy and lazy to be alert.

Le Jin nodded with a simple smile.

How did you know?

The two ladies smiled and replied kindly, holding their fans, "Who doesn't know that Young Master Meng has a fiancée?"

"What?!"

Madam Zhang held Le Jin's hand affectionately, saying, "After Young Master Meng mentioned it in front of the lanterns, Madam, your name is now known throughout the temple. Given how popular Young Master Meng is, I estimate that the entire capital of Luoyang knows about it."

A bolt of lightning struck Le Jin, and she felt her vision go black and white in turns, and she saw many stars.

Wait a minute, weren't she and Meng Shutai currently at the stage of "abandoning their engagement"? How come he suddenly admitted it? What did she miss?

Le Jin licked her chapped lips, feeling helpless and confused.

She'd tried everything – flamboyant and arrogant, subservient and humble – but Meng Shutai remained unmoved. Forced into a dangerous situation to set fire to someone else's property, had he suddenly fallen in "love" with her?

She vaguely remembered that she had slapped him and kicked his shin.

What's he after...?

"Lady Le?" Madam Wu gently placed her arm around Le Jin's. "Why do you look so pale?"

Le Jin snapped out of her daze, weakly raising the corners of her mouth and giving an awkward laugh, "What...what did he say back then?"

Looking back on all the strange things that happened at the temple that day, it must be related to Meng Shutai.

Madam Wu smiled faintly, "She didn't say much, just something like 'Madam's actions are the responsibility of the Meng family'."

Madam Zhang waved her fan rapidly, her face beaming with joy: "It's such a pity that Lady Le didn't hear it! We heard from the monks who helped put out the fire that day that Young Master Meng has never been so thunderous before."

She pointed her fan at Le Jin, "It's all to protect you, my wife."

What wife doesn't long for her husband to be furious for her? If that husband is usually aloof, proud, and arrogant, then such anger is a rare and genuine expression of true feelings.

Madam Zhang and Madam Wu looked at Le Jin with eyes full of envy and sweet teasing, as if they were looking at a happy and harmonious ideal.

But "Ideal" himself just twitched the corner of his mouth, standing there blankly like a soulless wooden doll.

Meng Shutai, you tricked me...

She naively thought that the so-called "handling" was to admit her mistake, apologize, and make compensation. Instead of explaining things to her, it made others think that Meng Shuping was protecting her and hiding her away!

While other men might be willing to risk everything for their wives, Meng Shutai would never do that.

He was so engrossed in the act of loving all living beings, and he even tried to arrest her because she rode her horse recklessly. How could he possibly overturn right and wrong for her sake?

He just wanted to nail her to the pillar of shame so that he could annul the engagement and drive her far away.

Pooh!

I almost fell for his trick.

We must not let him have his way.

Le Jin's round eyes darted around, "Would the two ladies be willing to do me a favor?"

Wu Yuzhen and Zhang Xiangyun were slightly surprised and exchanged a glance.

Their conversation with Le Jin was not entirely without ulterior motives.

The Meng family held considerable influence in the eyes of the Emperor. Although the Censor-in-Chief did not hold a high official position, his inspection of the Emperor's imperial edicts could easily anger the Emperor. If they could establish a relationship with the Meng family, it would provide them with an extra way out. As a merchant, Madam Zhang would be even more eager to gain the protection of the Meng family.

Without saying a word, the two nodded emphatically to Le Jin.

Overjoyed, Le Jin asked directly, "How can I make my husband like me?"

Her words were so naive that they startled Wu and Zhang, who were first taken aback, and then burst into laughter.

"What are you laughing at..."

She had never been in a relationship, and Meng Shutai's situation was too complicated. The methods she learned from novels were completely ineffective, so she could only seek help from those who had actually experienced it.

Mrs. Zhang laughed warmly, pulling at her collar and fanning herself. "This can't be explained in just a few words. Why don't you come and sit with us for a while?"

"good!"

When women hit it off, their words flow freely and eloquently, revealing a kind of chivalrous openness. They chatted until the sun was setting, the incense burned by Madam Wu had burned out, and Le Jin... was almost full.

Originally, it was just for tea, but Madam Zhang brought out the finest pastries and fruits from the winery. Each one was lovely and exquisite, and Le Jin's appetite was whetted. She listened and ate non-stop.

“My husband and I are childhood sweethearts. He loved to stick to me when we were little. I don’t know much about winning a husband’s favor, but I’m best at taming him.”

Madam Zhang was forthright and frank, and she didn't shy away from talking about matters of the bedroom. She leaned closer to Le Jin and said, "Men can be summed up in one word: 'cheap'."

"He won't take it if you offer it to him with both hands; he'll only be interested if you keep him hooked."

Le Jin immediately shook her head, chewed the orange cake in her mouth, and swallowed it whole. "What if he turns around and leaves if I'm not good to him?"

Madam Wu refilled Le Jin's teacup. "Miss Le, this is what we experienced people say: you shouldn't pursue a man."

Le Jin held a pastry in each hand, then gulped down a teacup between her palms. "Really?"

Before a reply could be received, the maidservant outside the room entered first.

"Madam, Young Master Meng has come to take Lady Le back."

Why is he here?

Le Jin was stunned for a moment before she remembered that she had to take her medicine on time these days. She quickly explained to the ladies, "He is decocting my medicine. I almost forgot... I have to go now. Let's talk another day."

Just as Le Jin got up, Madam Zhang told her to wait and had her maid pack a box of pastries for her.

"Since you like it, Madam Le, I have plenty here. You can take some back with you."

"Okay, okay!"

Just as Le Jin happily agreed, a pleasant voice suddenly rang out in the room, robbing her of her joy.

"Avoid sweet and greasy foods while taking this medication."

Meng Shutai walked straight up to Le Jin, broke off the box of pastries she was holding, and returned it to Madam Zhang.

"Is this Mrs. Zhang from Juede Winery? Thank you for your kindness, but she is currently recuperating and cannot eat sweets, which might interfere with the effectiveness of her medicine."

Meng Shutai spoke gently without any blame, but Madam Zhang vaguely sensed a coldness in those beautiful eyes, which made her feel uneasy.

She accepted the pastries with both hands in a flustered manner, realizing she had made a mistake. Not daring to hide it, she glanced at Le Jin and said, "I understand. But Madam Le didn't mention that you've already eaten four or five plates of pastries... this..."

Le Jin stared at Meng Shutai, her pastries stolen from her, both surprised and resentful.

When did the doctor say she couldn't eat sweets? That's nonsense!

Seeing Madam Zhang's self-reproach, she tugged at Meng Shutai's sleeve to support her:

"But you gave me candied fruit when I was taking my medicine. Why can you eat sweets, but others can't?" (Author's note:)

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Meng Shutai: Possessiveness explodes