Lu Zhaoan couldn't stand seeing Gu Yaoniang like this.
Three parts are guilt, seven parts are unwillingness.
He suggested, "I've prepared a pleasure boat. Yao Niang, would you like to rest?"
The implication was that they would rest and not go.
If you have the energy and spirit to go out and have fun, you can go to the painted boat for a look.
Gu Yaoniang looked at him with a half-smile. It was precisely this skill of speaking in half-truths that truly demonstrated the discreet behavior expected of a wealthy merchant from Shuojing.
She thought for a moment and realized that the weather was unbearably hot and humid, and being on the water might make her feel a little more comfortable.
"Let's go boating on the lake."
She made the final decision.
Lu Zhaoan smiled. His brows and eyes relaxed, and the tension from just now seemed to have vanished in an instant, as if it had never happened.
-
The back lake of Lujiazhuangzi is called a lake, but it is actually a wide and winding waterway diverted from the Jinshui River outside the city, which then flows into the main stream of the Jinshui River downstream.
The Jinshui River was also a popular place for the people of Shuojing City to cool off and escape the summer heat.
Looking at the small awning boat in front of her, Gu Yaoniang said with a helpless expression, "Is this a pleasure boat?"
Lu Zhaoan, Lu Zhaoan! You are at least one of the richest people in Shuojing City.
Lu Zhaoan remained calm and composed. He boarded the boat, reached out and lifted the curtain of the awning boat to invite Gu Yaoniang aboard.
Gu Yaoniang tried several times to lift her foot, but the boat was rocking, and she could not make up her mind to step onto the deck.
Bizhu reached out to support her, but Gu Yaoniang, leaning against Bizhu, still felt there was nowhere to put her feet.
Lu Zhaoan watched anxiously and reached out his hand to Gu Yaoniang.
Gu Yaoniang had been lingering on the shore for quite some time, and having exerted herself continuously, she was now feeling the heat, and beads of sweat were forming on her forehead. Without much thought, when she saw Lu Zhaoan's outstretched hand, she felt as if she had seen a savior, and without hesitation, she took Lu Zhaoan's hand, and with a little help, finally got onto the boat.
Although she was petite, she was still a grown woman. With the added weight of another person, the awning boat began to rock again, and Gu Yaoniang lost her balance. Lu Zhaoan held her hand tightly until she regained her footing on the boat, and then he let go of her hand.
Gu Yaoniang felt a strange emotion rising in her heart, like palpitations, and her heartbeat seemed to be somewhat out of control.
She lowered her eyes, not daring to look at Lu Zhaoan. But then she heard Bizhu's anxious call from the shore: "My lady!"
Gu Yaoniang turned her head and realized that the awning boat had already moved more than two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters) away from the shore. Even with Bizhu's skills, it would not be easy for her to jump onto the boat.
Lu Jing'an stood on the shore, arms crossed, watching with interest, without moving an inch.
Seeing Gu Yaoniang looking over, he pretended to be anxious and shouted at Lu Zhaoan, "Second Brother! I can't get up there!"
Very pretentious.
Gu Yaoniang secretly sneered in her heart.
Lu Zhaoan looked somewhat embarrassed and reserved. Whether it was from the heat or something else, his forehead was covered in fine beads of sweat, and his ears were a little red.
He cautiously stole glances at Gu Yaoniang's expression, and only when he saw that she showed no signs of anger did he breathe a slight sigh of relief.
"Gu... Yaoniang".
Lu Zhaoan wanted to bite off his own tongue.
He originally intended to call her "Lady Gu," but then felt it was too formal, so he changed his address to "Yao Niang" instead. However, when put together, it sounded like calling her by her full name, "Gu Yao Niang," which was not only formal but also quite impolite.
Lu Zhaoan silently cursed himself.
Fortunately, Gu Yaoniang didn't hold it against her.
Lu Zhaoan saw Gu Yaoniang looking at him with calm eyes, seemingly with a faint smile that seemed to see through his thoughts, but it also seemed to be his imagination.
"Shall we go back? Or should it just be the two of us, and we'll continue boating on the lake for now?"
He sought Gu Yaoniang's opinion, but his gaze swept around the cabin.
It was, after all, a meticulously decorated awning boat. Though small, it was fully equipped. A small table was fixed to the hull, upon which were placed seasonal fruits and some dried fruit snacks that Gu Yaoniang loved.
Gu Yaoniang looked around but didn't see a rowing boat. She turned to Lu Zhaoan and asked, "Can we still get back?"
She was already somewhat unhappy at this point.
In fact, ever since she arrived at this manor, she had a vague feeling that the two Lu brothers seemed to be intentionally or unintentionally creating opportunities for her to be alone with Lu Zhao'an.
The traditional separation of men and women is no longer strictly enforced. Gu Yaoniang is not a rigid or conservative person, and besides, Lu Zhaoan is not a bad person; he is, after all, a decent gentleman.
If it had been stated clearly, she might have been willing to comply. But Lu Zhaoan's actions seemed to imply acting first and informing later, making her feel disrespected.
Lu Zhaoan had no idea about her delicate thoughts!
He assumed that Gu Yaoniang was too lazy to go back to the shore, so he said to Lu Jing'an, "Go and tell the steward to prepare another boat. We'll wait downstream."
Lu Jing'an smiled broadly and waved to him, urging him to hurry up: "Go on, go on, second brother!"
Seeing that Bizhu was still hesitating on the shore, unwilling to leave, Lu Jing'an kindly said, "Come on, young lady. If you come with me, you'll see your wife later."
Bizhu just glared at him, puffing up her cheeks and not saying a word.
Lu Jing'an was in a good mood and, contrary to his usual behavior, did not argue with Bi Zhu. He simply hummed a song that only he could understand and slowly walked away.
Helpless, Bizhu watched as Gu Yaoniang's awning boat drifted further and further away, and had no choice but to leave with Lu Jing'an.
Gu Yaoniang was sitting in the cabin, treating Lu Zhaoan as if he were invisible, and eating the dried fruit on the small table.
Lu Zhaoan was confused and didn't know how to start a conversation. This was the first time he had been alone with Gu Yaoniang like this.
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