Forget
Still feeling the effects of the alcohol, his usually steady steps slowed tonight. The butler, who had been following behind him, saw him stop, press his fist to his forehead, and furrow his brows. He then ordered the servants to prepare some sobering tea.
Upon entering the inner courtyard, he saw that the candlelight in the small building was still burning. He waved his hand, signaling the steward not to follow, and went up to the small building alone.
Following the candlelight, I saw a girl sitting on the terrace.
Her dark hair covered her thin back; because she was sitting, her usually smooth hair could only hang down on the carpet.
Jingwan was fiddling with something with her back to Lu Chang. She was so engrossed that she didn't notice the man's footsteps as he approached.
Lu Chang didn't want to disturb her, so he leaned his head against the window and quietly watched him.
He was always well-mannered, and it was rare to see him so carefree and unrestrained as tonight. Only when he looked at Jingwan did he feel that there was a peaceful place in his heart where an unknown little flower grew, needing his care and companionship.
It was Fangjuan, who brought the hangover tea, that alerted Jingwan.
When she turned around, the first person she saw was Lu Chang leaning against the window.
Her dark eyes were deep, reflecting thoughts she couldn't quite decipher.
Lu Chang offered her some hangover tea, but she didn't drink it. Fang Juan didn't dare linger, so she bowed and went downstairs to wait for instructions.
He carried the teacup in one hand and slowly walked over, only then noticing the silk thread on the table. Looking further, he saw a very familiar dress on the girl's lap.
Jingwan habitually bit the thread, breaking it. She skillfully tied a knot, then used scissors to cut off the excess thread, proudly showing her new achievement to Lu Chang.
Lu Chang sat down next to her, took the clothes, and carefully examined the fine and neat stitches on them.
This coat is his; he came here yesterday and it was torn by the sharp claws of that tabby cat.
Jingwan, the owner of this naughty cat, felt ashamed for her beloved pet. After Lu Chang changed his clothes, she took the old clothes and found some time that night to mend them.
Jingwan carefully examined Lu Chang, but couldn't figure it out at first. She could only whisper, "Ali is still young. I will definitely teach it properly in the future. It must never pounce on people like that again."
How could Lu Chang not understand what she meant? That day, the cat was in heat and its meowing was really annoying. He had just reached out to pick it up when its sharp claws slashed across his clothes.
Jingwan was also there at that time. When she saw her cousin being attacked by the cat, she cried out and tried to catch the cat. Before Lu Chang could stop her, the cat grabbed Jingwan's hand again.
Jingwan wasn't as lucky as Lu Chang. The man only had his clothes torn, but she had three real bloody scratches seeping from her tender skin.
Lu Chang held that hand, not having time to catch the culprit, and quickly asked Fang Juan to call a doctor to apply medicine and bandage it.
After I finished getting ready, I needed someone to catch the cat.
"Once caught, we'll send it to the outer yard to be cared for, and we won't allow it to come here again."
Jingwan refused. This cat had been with her for a long time, and she had grown attached to it. It was usually well-behaved and obedient, except for that day when it was a little wild.
Lu Chang did not change his mind, and poor Ah Li was captured and sent to the outer courtyard on the spot.
Seeing Jingwan carefully trying to please him with the mended clothes, he sighed softly, put down the clothes, and took the injured hand.
The scabs started to form on it, leaving three long marks on the fair skin. Lu Chang gently touched it and said calmly, "Have Fangjuan bring it over tomorrow."
Jingwan looked at Lu Chang with a smile on her face: "Thank you, cousin."
Lu Chang looked tired, and upon closer inspection, one could smell the effects of alcohol, along with... a faint, almost imperceptible scent of perfume.
She raised her teacup, but Lu Chang waved his hand dismissively: "Useless thing."
He must have been really tired. He slowly lay down on the soft couch, resting his head on Jingwan's lap. He even pulled Jingwan's hand to his forehead, and spoke in such a soft voice: "Good Jingwan, rub it for me, my head really hurts."
Jingwan felt that her cousin was very different from usual tonight, as if he had something on his mind. Afraid that talking too much would make his head hurt more, she just rubbed Lu Chang's temples in a messy way.
Jingwan had never learned any massage techniques, and seeing that Lu Chang's brows remained furrowed, she thought for a moment and then gently removed Lu Chang's hair ornament.
The man noticed her movement and obediently raised his head slightly, allowing her to expose the back of her head.
Her dark, shiny hair was spread out, and Jingwan, imitating how Wuxia used to wash her own hair, massaged Lu Chang's hair haphazardly.
Lu Chang remained silent, his entire body relaxed as he lay back on the couch, his right hand idly playing with the hem of Jingwan's skirt.
The girl's slender white fingers passed through her black hair. Although she didn't have any special skills, the touch of her fingertips on her scalp brought waves of tingling sensation, finally relieving her headache.
Lu Chang couldn't help but hum. Jing Wan thought she had pulled his hair and looked at him guiltily, only to see that Lu Chang's eyebrows and eyes relaxed, and the guardedness he had once hidden inside had all been removed.
She thought he was asleep, and when she rubbed him a little longer, the hand that was playing with the hem of his skirt pulled Jingwan's hand and said, "Stop rubbing, let's rest for a while."
He gently pinched her five fingers to relieve the soreness, but his eyes remained closed.
Jingwan let him pinch her fingers at will without flinching. She used to think this was the most natural thing in the world, but today, when she heard the maids in the courtyard guessing her and Lu Chang's identities, she felt confused.
The maid said they didn't seem like cousins. "What kind of cousins hold hands as soon as they meet? They don't even hide from outsiders."
Upon hearing this, the first image that came to her mind was Lu Chang reaching out his hand to her.
He was always reaching out to her. When she got off the carriage, he would reach out to help her. When they met on the road while out for a stroll, he would reach out to hold her hand. Even when she was about to get up, he would reach out to her...
They're right, no siblings are like that, not even cousins.
She and Bo Jun got along very well, but they both maintained proper etiquette. Bo Jun never held her hand, and even when they walked together, they would deliberately pass each other.
She wouldn't even think of holding Bo Jun's hand; she only regarded him as a respected elder brother.
But she never refused Lu Chang, as if placing her hand in his was the most ordinary thing in the world.
There was another person who gave her that feeling.
The boys at the Dongqiao Night Market would always hold her hand whenever they saw her. She would hold it back more than once, then shyly savor the sweetness of their intertwined fingers. Even when she was sweating profusely from the heat, she didn't want to let go, and when she was cold, she was even more reluctant to part with the warmth in her palms...
But now, when I think back to that time, I feel like I can hardly feel that familiar warmth anymore...
He said he would get married after the New Year, but it's almost August, he should have gotten married long ago.
No one will be waiting under the Dongqiao Night Market anymore. Walking beside him is another girl. The warmth he once had will all be given to others.
Jingwan could no longer shed tears. If it were any earlier, she would have cried until her eyes were swollen and red just thinking about that person.
But now, all the tears left for Qin Ziyou have been shed.
She can still recall those days; the joy of the past was genuine, and she should be grateful that she had such a wonderful time in her life.
But we can't always look back while we're alive; who knows if the next scene will be even better?
Lu Chang was unaware of her distraction and kept his eyes closed.
Jingwan brushed aside a stray strand of hair from her forehead, revealing the man's smooth forehead. She looked at his face and felt a strong sense of familiarity. Had she seen him before, before the future Pingdu?
That's probably impossible. Lu Chang left the Northwest long ago, so where would she find him?
His features were truly exceptional; his thick eyebrows, untrimmed, formed a sword shape; his nose was high and his eyes deep-set, giving him an almost otherworldly appearance. Now, with his hair loose, his refined and handsome aura had dissipated somewhat, but he also possessed a captivating charm.
Jingwan had met General Lu's wife before; that gentle woman had once brought her husband meals in the fields.
At that time, the Northwest was a military settlement for farming. When there was no war, the general would lead his soldiers to the fields to cultivate the land. He never acted arrogantly as a general, and he did many things personally, maintaining a good relationship with the soldiers and civilians.
This must have been her first time in the fields. The fields were vast, and soldiers and civilians were working everywhere. The men were planting rice seedlings with their upper bodies bare, and it was impossible to tell who was who.
At that time, Jingwan was riding on an old yellow ox, letting the ox carry her around the field. Madam Lu, wearing a headscarf and carrying a food box, came over.
The woman was kind and gentle, with a red mole under her eye. She asked her very gently if she knew where General Lu was working.
Jingwan pointed to one side, and the woman thanked her and left. After taking a few steps, she turned back, took two pieces of pastry from the box, and stuffed them into Jingwan's hand.
Jingwan turned to look at her, unable to take her eyes off her. Someone told her that she was General Lu's wife.
She never forgot that beautiful face, but after what happened, she kept the things related to the Lu family in her heart and dared not say a word about them again.
Looking at Lu Chang now, she finds his eyes resemble her mother's, which explains why she always feels a sense of familiarity with him.
What are you thinking about?
She snapped out of her daze and looked down to see Lu Chang looking at her.
Jingwan helped him up, then knelt behind Lu Chang and used her fingers as a comb to smooth his hair.
"My cousin's hair is so beautiful. Should I braid it for him tomorrow?"
The Northwest region had frequent interactions with other regions, and men sometimes wore their hair in two braids tied together in a headdress behind their ears. Lu Chang laughed, saying, "You can't break your promise." His mother used to comb his hair like that when he was young.
She tidied her hair and tied it in her crown. Suddenly remembering what had happened during the day, she said, "Did the steward give my brother the visiting card? It seems that we have more guests coming to visit."
Jingwan uttered the word "home" so naturally, without feeling that there was anything wrong with it. Lu Chang felt a warmth in his heart upon hearing this. He nodded and said, "Indeed, we had guests, and... they are related to me in some way."
The guest's name card did not reveal his real name, presumably because he did not want others to know it, but the jade pendant attached to it was familiar to Lu Chang.
After hearing Lu Chang's words, Jingwan pondered and guessed that it must be a relative from Madam Lu's side.
Sure enough, Lu Chang said, "The Feng family of Lingnan, even if they are relatives, can only be treated as guests now."
He recalled all the ridiculous things that had happened in the past and gave a disdainful smile.
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