Chapter 5
You're done for, you're in big trouble.
A few cicadas chirped in the sweltering courtyard. When Lu Qin groggily opened her eyes, she found that the street and the pawnshop had disappeared, and Xuan Lan and Zhi Lan were nowhere to be seen.
She held her head, sat up, and looked around at the scene that was both strange and familiar.
It was empty; there wasn't a single person in sight.
Hiss... This furnishings... Isn't this the place where she was first drugged?
Has she returned to the Lu family mansion?
Realizing this, Lu Qin carefully recalled the furnishings here.
Yes, it's her former boudoir, and nothing has changed.
The only difference was the bedding on the bed. The bedding was folded very neatly, without a single wrinkle, as if no one had touched it for a long time.
Lu Qin did some quick calculations. The last time she came back was when she was bedridden. This time it must be sometime after she got married.
To confirm this, she touched her face and ran to the dressing table to look in the mirror—sure enough, she looked the same as before, still so beautiful, and dressed the same as she had on her way out that day, with a fresh and elegant light makeup and a light green skirt.
Why does the scene automatically switch every time she bumps her head? Is she being treated like a remote control?
Can I only tune to the Lu Mansion Channel and the Hao Mansion Channel?
Lu Qin sighed resignedly. Since she was already there, she might as well make the best of it. She got out of bed as usual, ready to bump into him again.
Get out of this awful place quickly, don't hinder her career.
She hesitated for a while, contemplating finding a softer spot to bump into, when suddenly she heard voices outside.
"Young Master is truly resourceful. He knows that no one will pass by the young lady's boudoir, making it the perfect place to discuss matters."
"It's all because Father is reminded of her by these things, and he ordered that the original furnishings in her room be kept. With him in charge, who would dare to offend her?"
The sound came from outside the door. Lu Qin, who was about to bang her head against the wall, suddenly stopped and instead tiptoed to the door, peeking outside through the crack.
The only person who could refer to himself as "this young master" in the Lu family mansion was her gambling older brother, Lu Ming.
As she expected, she saw Lu Ming's figure through the crack in the door.
Lu Ming, dressed in a brocade robe with gold thread and peacock feather trim, held a folding fan in his hand and spoke to a servant with his head held high.
Despite his equally arrogant demeanor, Lu Qin found Hao Jingshi to be less unlikeable.
The servant flattered, "A married daughter is like water spilled from a cup. Master will get used to it sooner or later. Besides, the eldest young lady is sickly and a bad omen. Unlike you, young master, who can share Master's burdens."
"Hmph, that's not necessarily true. It's just that Father dotes on this sickly child." Lu Ming's voice was shrill and extremely grating. "The people from the shop have sent word that they saw Lu Qin on that street last time. You understand what I mean, right?"
"Young master, please rest assured." The servant bowed slightly and said respectfully, "That shop has been kept under surveillance, so there won't be any problems. Everything has been arranged by this servant, and we are just waiting for your order."
"Hmph, that's right." Lu Ming flicked his fan and slowly fanned himself. "My mother is still too soft-hearted. She failed to get rid of Lu Qin last time. Luckily, I kept an eye on things and rented a shop next to the Hao family clinic so that I could keep track of their movements."
"Why waste this extra money, young master? Why not just hire an assassin and get it over with?"
"High investment, high return, what do you know?" Lu Ming tapped him with his fan. "Lu Qin has already married into the Hao family. Hao Jingshi is no ordinary person. If we kill someone under his nose, how can he not care? The best way is to get rid of Lu Qin by using him."
"Young Master is indeed exceptionally intelligent; I admire him greatly."
"Hmph, that's for sure... How could that sickly girl have the fortune to inherit the family property? Sooner or later it will all belong to me, the young master."
Lu Ming grew increasingly smug, his laughter uncontrollable. Hearing this, Lu Qin gritted her teeth in hatred.
This deer's cry, how sinister it is!
He truly is a gambler; in order to obtain this inheritance, he didn't hesitate to spend a sum of money to rent a shop and monitor her and Hao Jingshi.
"What the young master is saying is true..."
The servants began showering Lu Ming with compliments, rambling on and on about his nonsense.
Lu Qin was too lazy to listen any further, so she straightened up and tiptoed away from the doorway.
That's so unlucky.
The shop she was about to rent turned out to be the place where Lu Ming and Aunt Zhao had planted their spies.
That's so unlucky.
Filled with resentment, Lu Qin didn't care about picking something soft and just slammed her head against the wall.
Lu Ming, since you are ruthless, don't blame me for being unjust.
That sickly Lu Qin is long dead. I am Niohuru Qin, and I will make you pay a terrible price.
...
After a bout of dizziness, Lu Qin slowly opened her eyes again.
Through her still blurry vision, she saw Zhilan, who was looking at her anxiously, seemingly very worried.
Then came Xuan Lan. He stood next to Zhi Lan, fanning her with a fan, his face expressionless.
Finally, there was Hao Jingshi. This guy didn't even look at her. He just leaned back in his chair, fanning himself with a palm leaf fan in one hand and holding a pen in the other, writing and drawing on the ledger at the counter.
The three people huddled together, making the small clinic even more cramped, and even the gathered heat couldn't escape.
Lu Qin rubbed her forehead, sat up, and joined the crowded queue, her vision gradually becoming clearer.
This time, instead of returning to the Hao family mansion, she returned to the clinic.
It seems that her "kowtow-and-time travel" was just a soul leaving her body and flying back to the Lu Mansion, and she would eventually travel back to where her body was.
"Miss is awake!" Seeing her open her eyes, Zhilan's furrowed brows immediately relaxed. "Miss, you just suffered from heatstroke and collapsed to the ground. It scared me to death!"
"I'm fine." Lu Qin glanced at Zhi Lan. "Then how did I get here? Did you and Xuan Lan carry me in?"
Zhilan replied, "Xuanlan wouldn't dare break the rules; he's the one who found the son-in-law to bring you back."
"..." Lu Qin sighed and glanced at Hao Jingshi again.
Hao Jingshi acted as if he were deaf, not even turning his head, showing no concern whatsoever about whether she was awake or not.
Lu Qin coughed lightly, wanting to apologize and thank him.
However, since the two had just finished arguing, and couldn't bring themselves to back down, they waved to Xuan Lan and Zhi Lan, signaling them to return to the manor.
Honestly, she suddenly realized that the only person she could rely on now was her husband.
At least he knew martial arts and medicine, and he still cared about the Hao family's reputation by acknowledging her as his wife. With him by her side, she wouldn't die so quickly...
Lu Ming wanted to kill her, and Aunt Zhao also poisoned her. She really couldn't leave Hao Jingshi for a moment, otherwise she might die without a burial place at any time.
Is that correct?
She watched TV dramas where other characters were bound to some kind of cheat system when they transmigrated, but she was different; she was automatically bound to a vengeful ghost aunt and a husband who warded off evil spirits as soon as she transmigrated.
"Um, husband," Lu Qin leaned forward and called out to him in a high-pitched voice after Xuan Lan and Zhi Lan left, "Actually..."
Hao Jingshi casually raised his eyes: "Speak quickly if you have something to say."
"Actually, my husband!" Lu Qin gritted her teeth, determined to go all out, "I came here today to apologize to you!"
Hao Jingshi was stunned: "?"
"I couldn't sleep last night, constantly reflecting on my mistakes. I realized that what I said was really too much, and I feel terrible about it... I came to bring you food and make peace, but I didn't mean to cause you any trouble..."
Seeing that Hao Jingshi remained unmoved, Lu Qin racked her brains to think of sincere words.
Although they hadn't known each other for long, she had already figured it out: this young master Hao was the type who responded better to gentleness than force; the more forceful she was with him, the more rebellious he would become.
She thought for a long time, then finally gritted her teeth and said something cheesy:
"But my husband, I have you in my heart and I really can't live without you. Can you please forgive me this time?"
"…………"
Hao Jingshi didn't reply, his hands paused for a moment, and he looked at her with an expression that suggested she was crazy.
However, his expression softened a bit compared to before, as if he had been coaxed by those few calls of "husband" and his conscience had been awakened.
"Husband, I'm telling you the truth. I've thought it all through." Seeing that he had finally softened, Lu Qin softened her tone again, with a hint of coquetry. "They all want to kill me, but only you, my husband, have done your best to heal me. You are the closest person to me."
As she said this, she leaned over and took his arm, blinking her innocent eyes at him, her jewel-like eyes particularly charming.
She squeezed out two glistening tears: "My husband, I truly love you. What will I do if you abandon me?"
"...Who, who doesn't care about you?" Hao Jingshi was indeed susceptible to this soft approach, and he stammered, "I'm not a heartless man. Now that we're married, I'll treat you well and make sure you don't die, so I won't be remembered as a bad wife."
As he spoke, he seemed uncomfortable, as if he were covered in thorns, and tossed the palm-leaf fan aside.
Lu Qin was surprised that he was quite reasonable. Her eyes lit up and she came up with a plan.
She looked deeply moved: "My husband, you are such a kind and righteous person, completely different from what Aunt Zhao said."
"What's the meaning?"
"……nothing."
"Speak quickly."
"Then...then I promise I won't be angry after hearing that."
Even so, Lu Qin knew that Hao Jingshi would definitely be angry.
He was forced into a marriage without any reason, and his future in-laws were scheming against him in every way. How could he not be angry?
Hao Jingshi casually agreed and gestured for her to speak quickly.
"...That day I overheard Aunt Zhao instructing the servants, saying that my husband was a dissolute and unruly playboy who would surely mistreat me. To this day, everyone in the household still thinks that my husband is no different from a cynical devil."
Lu Qin began to speak in a detailed and detailed manner, and she was not lying. Aunt Zhao had plotted to force her to marry and had chosen this stubborn young master from the Hao family, all with the aim of making her life miserable.
"Aunt Zhao is not only wicked, but also greedy for wealth. She deliberately chose the Hao family, which is well-known, saying that if I am tortured to death by my husband, she can use this to extort money for my gambling brother to spend."
"Unfortunately, her plan backfired; her husband is not what she expected. If she knew how well her husband treats me, she would be furious."
"That's utter nonsense!" Hao Jingshi snorted coldly after hearing this, slamming his pen on the counter. "I've always been a chivalrous and upright person, how could I be the kind of despicable person she's talking about? I think she's the one who's a scheming villain, daring to plot against even me!"
"Yes, yes, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have said those things. Husband, don't be angry. They are all shallow people who only care about money. Don't take them seriously."
Lu Qin gently persuaded him, and then diligently moved the food box next to her over, opened the lid, took out the exquisite porcelain bowl inside, and handed it to Hao Jingshi's lips.
"Don't get upset in this hot weather, have some chilled plum soup."
Hao Jingshi glanced at it, said nothing, took the bowl and drank it all in one gulp, then tossed the empty bowl back into the food box.
He picked up his pen again and started writing and drawing in the ledger, his expression not good. It seemed he was holding a grudge.
Lu Qin said no more, took out a handkerchief and went over to wipe his mouth, secretly pleased.
Hmph, Lu Ming, you're doomed.
You're in big trouble!
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