Chapter 29
The boy's chest was icy cold, and she unconsciously rubbed against it, tilting her head back and saying, "The system said I have to complete the mission, otherwise the whole world will collapse and restart, and we might not still be us. But there are benefits too. Dying and coming back to life will give you a healthy body. Doesn't that sound scary?"
Meeting her burning gaze, Zhu Yun blushed slightly, tightened his collar with his fingers, and asked, "Why aren't you saying anything?"
He had to write a memorial to the throne every five days and send it back to the capital. His servant would also present him with a thick stack of family letters, which gave him a headache just looking at them.
“Cang Shu, you read it,” Zhu Yun said.
"Yes." Cangshu took it and glanced at it word by word. "What does Madam mean by missing the young master and wanting to send Miss Cousin to Jinzhou to serve you?"
Zhu's mother had three daughters of marriageable age, among whom the youngest, Xia Fangqing, was the most beautiful. She had mentioned her to Zhu Yun several times, saying that she was the only choice for his future wife.
If Xia Fangqing comes to Jinzhou, it will be tantamount to putting Luo Yan in a dangerous situation.
Without a second thought, he ordered, "Refuse it." Zhu Yun, carrying a faint scent of wine, stepped into the courtyard for the first time and saw a beautiful woman gazing at the moon, tears streaming down her face, through the gaps in the crabapple blossoms. Crystalline tears streamed down her pink cheeks, falling silently and disappearing into the dust.
He decisively stopped, and after walking about ten feet, he paused again. Although Zhu Yun and his party had just arrived in Jinzhou, they had sent servants to prepare their lodgings in advance. Apart from the lack of a plaque above the door, the interior was even more spacious and bright than where Luo Yan had previously lived.
A doorman stood before the steps, servants waited under the eaves, and there were also several robust maids; at first glance, it looked quite lively.
Zhu Yun lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out with a flourish. Everyone bowed and greeted him, "Greetings, Young Master."
Luo Yan didn't expect anyone to help her up. Taking advantage of the servants' bowed heads, she lifted her clothes and jumped down, then hid behind Zhu Yun, pretending nothing had happened.
"rise."
Zhu Yun made no attempt to introduce them, only pointing out two maids and indicating that they should take Luo Yan over.
Along the way, Luo Yan tried to strike up a conversation, but the maids were so well-trained that they wouldn't even give her a glance. She nervously followed them into a courtyard, where she was anxiously served a hot bath.
Finally, she changed into an ill-fitting undergarment and sat at the foot of the canopy bed, lost in thought.
"Will your young master come?" Luo Yan was extremely tired, and tears welled up in her eyes.
The maid replied succinctly, "This servant does not know."
Since that was the case, she wrapped herself in a brocade quilt and said in a muffled voice, "I'm a little afraid of the dark, please leave a light on."
The maidservant replied, "Yes."
Luo Yan had the most comfortable sleep she had since transmigrating, however, Zhu Yun seemed to have forgotten about her, and did not appear for several days in a row.
The thought of the indenture made her restless and unable to eat or sleep.
If she were favored, such trivial matters would be taken care of by others. The problem is that Zhu Yun seems to have little interest in her.
But if the imperial envoy really came for Wang Caifu, after the incident, the servants in the mansion would be even lower than before—reduced to criminal slaves.
Luo Yan couldn't help but shiver.
She then thought again that although Zhu Yun was not enthusiastic, he had allowed her to feed him the fruit with her lips, so he was not an impenetrable fortress.
It seems that while he's in Jinzhou, I must win his favor no matter what. Even a little bit would be enough to get rid of my slave status and regain my freedom.
Luo Yan was immediately filled with ambition. She changed into a new smoky purple dress prepared by her maid and simply drew her eyebrows. As the sun set, she opened her oil-paper umbrella and headed to the front courtyard.
The mansion had many courtyards, and she didn't know where Zhu Yun would stay overnight. After much thought, she decided that blocking him at the gate was the most appropriate course of action.
Sure enough, when the hour of You (5-7 PM) arrived, the servants gathered around and waited respectfully.
Luo Yan studied literature and painting, but had never practiced standing or kneeling. Soon her legs became sore and numb, and she had to lean against an unknown giant tree to rest.
So, when Zhu Yun returned slightly drunk, he saw a graceful woman standing in the light rain.
A flowing, misty dress accentuated her fair complexion. Perhaps she had been waiting long, for she stared listlessly at her embroidered shoes. Her long, black hair cascaded down her shoulders, partially obscuring her small face, making her appear both delicate and pitiful.
He coughed deliberately. Unable to resist his fierce advances, she slightly parted her lips, her soft voice already hoarse: "Brother Chen, please don't."
With each call, Zhu Yun's interest grew stronger.
"How about moving here?" he asked tenderly, his lips moving to her earlobe, gently nibbling and nibbling, stirring up an indescribable flutter in her heart.
Luo Yan sobbed uncontrollably, "Okay..."
Zhu Yun was satisfied. He put his arm around her waist and, under Luo Yan's questioning gaze, they came to the window in a tight embrace.
But someone's skin grew thicker and he said in a high-sounding manner, "I haven't seen you for a few days, so today I'll treat you with extra care."
Luo Yan was so angry she almost laughed.
Fortunately, she still had some strength left. She tightened her shoulders and called out in a charming voice, "Brother Rangchen, Brother Rangchen."
Noticing Zhu Yun's change, she turned her head and smiled brightly, a hint of slyness in her eyes, and said breathlessly, "Brother Chen, Yan Yan likes you so much."
"Really?" He was clearly moved, his eyes deep, and he forcefully kissed Luo Yan's lips again and again.
"Really." She gritted her teeth, tilted her head back, and said indistinctly, "I like it, I like being bullied by Brother Chen."
The gentle words were like a thunderclap, startling Zhu Yun so much that his eyes turned white. He felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction, as if a long-parched land had been blessed with a torrential spring rain.
He immediately tightened his embrace around Luo Yan, ending the long kiss.
After a long while of recovering from her spasms, Luo Yan let Zhu Yun carry her into the bathtub. He wiped away the tear stains on her face with a wet cloth, leaving only the corners of her eyes red.
She stared at Zhu Yun listlessly, wondering why he always had inexhaustible energy. She said in a cool voice, "Young master is still young. Once we return to the capital, I'm afraid you'll be able to sleep with several women every night without any problem."
Zhu Yun was wringing the handkerchief that Luo Yan had used. He had never served anyone before, and this was the first time he had ever been served by someone who showed no fear.
There was nothing wrong with it, but she was oblivious and suddenly started being sarcastic towards him. Zhu Yun looked back at her in confusion: "Why are you suddenly jealous? Who do you think I am? Who can order me around wiping your face and body?"
I was careless.
Luo Yan pressed her restless heart and silently dived into the water.
After all, constantly facing Zhu Yun's stunningly handsome face and undeniably superior physique, it was difficult for her to remain constantly vigilant. Tsk, beauty can be a curse.
Adhering to the spirit of "worrying about tomorrow's problems tomorrow," Luo Yan quickly composed herself, wrapped herself in the quilt, and lazily fell asleep.
But as dawn broke, she developed a high fever.
In her hazy state, she heard an old man speaking: "The young girl is already frail, and you, you still don't know how to restrain yourself, you're just making her sick."
Zhu Yun, who was usually arrogant and irritable, lowered his head for once and asked in a deep voice, "Uncle Yang, when will she wake up?"
"That's enough." The accompanying physician, called Uncle Yang, finished writing the prescription, ordered his apprentice to take the maid to collect the medicine, and then turned to Zhu Yun and said, "Men and women are very different. You are full of vigor now, but a young girl like you can't handle it. Everything should be done in moderation."
He glanced down at Luo Yan, whose lips were pale, and replied, "I will be careful."
She didn't know how long she had slept. When Luo Yan slowly opened her eyes, she saw Zhu Yun sitting on the edge of the bed with a book in his hand, his little finger wrapped around hers.
The scent of medicine lingered between her teeth. Feeling better, she realized she had caught a chill by the window the night before. Unwilling to acknowledge the culprit, she withdrew her hand and angrily turned to look at the gauze curtain.
Luo Yan immediately looked up, her eyes and brows beaming with joy. Her exquisitely beautiful face seemed to have been touched by honey, becoming bright and vibrant.
Zhu Yun spontaneously walked over, squeezed under her small umbrella, and unusually asked gently, "What are you doing?"
He touched his chest with a puzzled expression, not knowing when he had felt compassion.
Stepping back into the courtyard, he saw that Luo Yan had wiped her face clean with a silk handkerchief and was smiling with her eyes crinkling as she looked at a stack of white papers on the table.
Zhu Yun breathed a sigh of relief and strode inside, casually asking, "What is this?"
Little did he know that in Luo Yan's eyes, he was now nothing more than a money-giving boy.
She quickly stood up, eagerly wrapped her arm around Zhu Yun's, and invited him to sit down, asking with concern, "Young Master, what brings you here?"
Zhu Yun avoided answering and instead said to the night watch maid outside the door, "Tea."
Luo Yan was used to Zhu Yun's indifference, but for the sake of the gold hairpin, she sat on his lap and said in a gentle tone, "I draw some things when I have nothing to do, so I don't have to think about you all the time."
The person in his arms seemed boneless, soft and fragrant to the touch. Her face was bare, her black hair fell obediently, and her delicate nose was slightly red. Nestled against his chest like a little bird, she appeared even more pitiful.
Zhu Yun lifted her delicate chin, leaned down and kissed her, a light kiss followed by a lingering, indescribable tenderness as he withdrew.
Luo Yan's face flushed slightly, but her voice remained calm. She gestured for the maid to put down the tea and retreat to the outer room. Then, she picked up the porcelain cup and personally fed Zhu Yun the tea.
"Is it good?" she asked earnestly.
Zhu Yun nodded casually, thinking to himself that it was just a cup of tea, how could he possibly give a proper answer? But Luo Yan seemed to have anticipated his reaction, muttering "I'll try it," and then she clung to his shoulder and pressed herself against him.
Her small, pink tongue, as delicate as a peach blossom, lightly brushed against his lips, and at the end, she solemnly praised, "Sweet."
Zhu Yun's lips curled up almost imperceptibly, but she still said with disdain, "You're so glib."
Luo Yan's gaze swept over his relaxed brows, knowing that he was enjoying himself, so she pretended to be aggrieved and looked up at him: "Don't you like it, young master?"
With a dizzying spin, she was lifted up by the waist and then thrown into the layers of brocade quilts. The tall figure, like a small mountain, loomed over her with overwhelming aggression, his gaze deep and his approach fierce.
Her jade-like fingers tore apart the bright red dress embroidered with lotus leaves, and her aloof brows were tinged with desire.
The weather has warmed up recently. Yesterday, when Zhu Yun was riding his horse outside the city, he saw that the mountains and fields were covered with unknown wildflowers, which was quite a spectacular sight.
I still remember that every spring and summer, people in the capital loved to go out with their families to burn incense and enjoy the spring scenery. So Zhu Yun closed the memorial and called over a servant: "Ask your mistress if she would like to go for a walk in the suburbs."
"yes."
As soon as the servant turned around, he called the person back, thinking to himself, "Why bother asking so many questions?" So he changed his words: "Let her wait for me at the door."
Her lips twitched: "Don't you lock the door when you bathe? It's a double standard. You're allowed to set fires, but the common people aren't allowed to light lamps."
Zhu Yun paced around the room expressionlessly, like a cheetah patrolling its territory, when his peripheral vision caught sight of a letter on the small square table.
Luo Yan usually only used his desk, why suddenly...?
"Don't look!" Luo Yan hurriedly covered her face, but he still managed to see the four large characters "A-Yun, My Beloved" above.
For a moment, his eyes saw stars, his thin lips moved a few times, and he hesitated before saying, "I promise you."
"ah?"
"From now on, I won't be so careful when I shower... I won't be guarding against you anymore."
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