gambling den
As evening fell, the Gao residence became even more lively. Gao Yun specially invited an opera troupe to set up a stage in the spacious backyard, where the old lady would select several operas she liked.
Many wealthy women came with their children, sitting in the courtyard to listen to the opera and chat. Some children couldn't sit still and kept running around in the courtyard, requiring the wet nurses to chase and coax them.
Gao Yun didn't like watching plays, but she enjoyed watching the painted-face male lead on stage. After the male lead left the stage and the female lead entered, she would listlessly eat melon seeds.
Jingwan, who was standing to the side, didn't like watching the play either. She didn't understand what the singing was about and would occasionally look up to look at these noble ladies she had never seen before.
Sitting next to the Duchess was a woman of similar age, who must have been very familiar with her. The two chatted and laughed, and the usually serious and proper Duchess was much gentler at this moment.
The woman speaking to her had a kind face and a plump, rounded appearance, and it was clear that she lived a comfortable life at home.
Standing next to the woman was a young girl with black hair that reached her slender waist. Her face was serene and beautiful, and her eyes held a calm indifference as if she had never known any troubles.
Born with a silver spoon in their mouth, their lives are smooth sailing. Perhaps the most troublesome thing is which dress looks better on them today?
I don't know what they said, but the girl squatted down and rested her head on her mother's lap, as if she was being coquettish, and buried her head in embarrassment.
Her temperament was so beautiful that Jingwan kept looking at her. When she saw her look up and glance to the other side, she gave a shy smile.
Jingwan glanced in the direction she was looking, and there Lu Chang was talking to several familiar friends.
She was so engrossed in her gaze that she didn't notice her fingernails digging deeply into her flesh, pressing out bright red crescent-shaped marks.
He lost all interest in watching the play, got up and left, wandering around the mansion at will. After finding a pavilion to sit down, he stared blankly at the sound of gongs and drums coming from not far away.
Pingbu is not a mediocre rural village. It's not like you can just go up and confess to someone you like, and if you both like each other, you can happily hold hands and leave.
This place emphasizes matching social status and social standing.
Back in Yongye, she was surrounded by wild children. Their parents had both died in the war, and they had no distinction of status. They all made a living by fishing for jade in the river. So even though her father was not by her side, no one looked down on Jingwan's status, and she could not feel the humility and lowliness represented by being born out of wedlock.
But things are different in Pingdu. Tonight, Shi Jun is surrounded by many noble ladies. She is adept at socializing and talking with them, just like a fish in water. Gao Yun is the same. She has many good sisters who chat with her while eating melon seeds and having private conversations.
She sat there for a long time, but apart from receiving some curious glances, no one came up to talk to her.
This was deliberate exclusion and isolation, simply because of her lowly status; she was only allowed to be the one to strike up a conversation.
She was sensible enough not to force her way in, but simply sat alone to the side.
Jingwan shook her head vigorously, deciding not to think about it anymore. If Azhiqi were here, he would definitely scold her for always overthinking.
She yawned, preparing to slip back to her own courtyard to practice her carving skills some more; Bo Jun had even praised her for her progress today!
As she approached the artificial hill, she heard voices and recognized Bo Jun's voice. She smiled and was about to come out to greet him, but then she heard him say:
"Hurry up and make a decision, my mother is getting impatient! And Madam Qin is the same, she's just waiting for you to become her ideal son-in-law."
Jingwan stopped, even her breath caught in her throat.
The artificial hill was so tall that Lu Chang and Bo Jun couldn't see Jing Wan across it as they walked. Hearing Bo Jun's question, Lu Chang smiled helplessly and said, "I have no official rank and my parents died early. What did she see in me?"
Bo Jun sighed, his tone shifting several times. He spoke with a relaxed and carefree air, and joked with his cousin, "Rather than saying that Madam Qin has taken a liking to you, it would be more accurate to say that Miss Qin has taken a liking to you. Have you forgotten the masterpiece by Mr. Chu Huailiang that she gave you when we met on the street that day?"
Lu Chang glanced at his younger brother and said without any emotion, "It wasn't a gift of a book. That book was clearly sent to me by his older brother."
He paused, then continued, "The Qin family is a prominent family in Pingdu. The man who can marry Miss Qin is a top scholar in the imperial examinations. I am not worthy of him."
After saying that, he continued walking forward.
Bo Jun chased after him, saying, "Isn't that it? With your abilities, cousin, getting the top spot on the imperial examination is a piece of cake, isn't it?"
"Do you think I can pass the exam?" Lu Chang asked.
"Of course, which of the candidates in Pingdu doesn't admire my cousin's talent?"
Bo Jun walked behind, and because it was dark, he didn't see the sneer on his cousin's lips.
"That's settled then. Go tell your aunt that we'll discuss this matter again after I pass the imperial examination and enter officialdom."
Bo Jun thought he had agreed, and hurriedly echoed his agreement.
After the two of them left, Jingwan slowly squatted down, leaned against the artificial hill and cried. Her thin back made her look even more pitiful.
Lu Chang had come looking for Jing Wan. He had just seen her sitting in the audience and exchanging a few words with her friends, but when he looked for her again, she was gone.
Amidst the merriment of the crowd, she alone felt the most lonely.
But Bo Jun kept pestering him with nonsense, wasting time. He hurried towards Jing Wan's courtyard, but couldn't find her.
Little did he know that the person he was looking for had cried his heart out at the artificial hill before slowly and heavily walking back.
Jingwan opened and closed the door in disappointment, then collapsed onto the small bed, just as she was about to close her eyes to rest. Suddenly, the room was brightened, and she sat up abruptly, staring in horror at the light source—Lu Chang was holding an oil lamp and looking at her eerily.
She had just finished crying, her eyes were red, and then her cousin suddenly startled her, making her look like she was about to cry again, looking pitiful.
Lu Chang, who was about to question her about where she had gone, was startled by her words and quickly put down the oil lamp and went over to comfort her in a low voice.
The more he tried to comfort Jingwan, the more upset she became. In the end, she buried her face in Lu Chang's arms, her shoulders shaking as she wept.
Cousin Lu was a little annoyed; had he really been scared to tears?
After crying for a while, Jingwan finally looked up, sniffed, wiped away her tears and snot, and asked in a nasal voice, "Why is my cousin here?"
Lu Chang was still wiping her face, coaxing her softly, "I wanted to ask if you wanted to go out for some fresh air, but I couldn't find you. Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, it won't happen again next time."
He thought he was crying because he was frightened.
Jingwan was a little embarrassed and looked up at Lu Chang to speak. He was so tall that even when they sat together, Jingwan was still in his arms.
"My cousin didn't scare me. I was just missing my mother, that's why I cried."
She was young, and today everyone was laughing and chatting, but she felt lonely, and that's when she remembered her deceased relatives.
This reasoning made sense, and Lu Chang believed it.
When he looked down again, he saw Jingwan looking up at him, one of her hands still being held by him, and she was nestled obediently in his arms.
I don't know how they ended up kissing. It seems like they were both the ones who took the initiative first. She was very inexperienced, and he was also not skilled, but once they started, they were in the same boat without any instruction. Saliva flowed between their lips and teeth, licking and deliberately biting lightly. They closed their eyes and could only hear the pounding of their hearts.
When Lu Chang stopped, he saw that Jing Wan's cheeks were flushed and her eyes were glazed. His heart stirred again, and he couldn't help but brush away the stray strands of hair from her cheek and kiss her gently.
"I'll marry you in two years, okay?"
She nodded and hugged Lu Chang tightly.
Since that night, Lu Chang has not come to see Jingwan again. She guessed it was because the imperial examination was approaching and he probably didn't have time. So she didn't complain at all and focused on carving jade in her own courtyard, practicing her skills.
Ten days before the imperial examination, Lu Chang moved to the examination hall. Ten days later, after the examination ended, he did not move back immediately. This was because a group of his fellow examinees invited him to go out and have fun. After refusing several times, he had no choice but to go with them.
He hadn't come home for a while, and Jingwan was starting to feel a little disappointed. Just as she was about to ask Bojun when her cousin would be back, Lu Chang showed up at her door again.
That night was the night before the results were announced.
Once tonight is over, the list of successful candidates in the imperial examinations will be posted on the walls of the examination hall tomorrow.
Few of this year's test takers could sleep; some even packed their bedding and slept right outside the examination hall, hoping to be the first to see the list of successful candidates.
Lu Chang smiled mysteriously: "Today I'll take you to make a fortune."
Jingwan was curious, but to her surprise, Lu Chang took her to the entrance of a gambling den.
The gambling den is three stories high and decorated in a grand style. The four large characters "Golden Hook Gambling Den" are bold and unrestrained, without any trace of the debauchery of a gambling den.
As soon as I stood in front of the door, I could hear the clamor of voices inside, one floor louder than the next.
"Don't come here again unless I'm with you. This place is full of greedy people," Lu Chang said, flicking Jingwan's head.
After saying that, he pulled the person inside.
The clerks at the entrance follow the shop rules: anyone who enters the gambling den, regardless of age or gender, is considered a customer who brings wealth, and they are simply welcome.
They weren't surprised to see the couple enter hand in hand. They simply listened to the handsome young man's instructions and were led to the "Top Scholar's Examination Hall".
The shop assistant called out, "Young master, after you place your bet today, you can come and collect your money as soon as the results are announced at the examination hall tomorrow."
Jingwan was completely confused when she entered the "Top Scholar's Venue" and saw that the walls were covered with names. She then realized that the gambling den had set up the venue specifically for tomorrow's imperial examination. Gamblers would choose one person from among the many students taking the imperial examination this year, and if that person got the top score, they would win.
Lu Chang's name appeared prominently at the top.
There were quite a few gamblers here placing bets. The waiter pointed to the sticker on the wall and said, "Most people bet on Scholar Lu. Please, you two!" He obviously didn't know that the person in front of him was Scholar Lu. He just happily left after receiving the silver thrown by this handsome young man.
Lu Chang took out a gold ingot and placed it in Jingwan's hand.
Jingwan took the gold. It was the first time she had seen such solid gold, and she couldn't help but touch it. When Lu Chang gestured for her to place a bet, she was reluctant, but she thought that if she didn't place a bet, wouldn't that be telling her cousin that she didn't believe he could pass the exam? So she took the gold with both hands and went to the gambling table, wanting to bet on her cousin Lu to win.
Before she could hand the gold to the dealer, Lu Chang took her hand and tossed it onto another spot on the table, where a strange name was written—Qin Gang.
With such a large amount of gold thrown in, the dealer naturally took it to verify its authenticity before asking the two men if they had decided to buy Qin Xuezi.
Lu Chang nodded: "Write a note!"
Afterwards, he signed his bet on the slip of paper and received a receipt from the dealer. If Qin Gang was indeed the winner, he could collect his winnings by presenting the receipt.
Lu Chang did not want to linger, so after finishing his business, he pulled the people out.
Jingwan was confused and didn't understand what her cousin meant. The results hadn't been released yet, so why did he think she wouldn't win?
Lu Chang didn't explain anything. He put the receipts into the small pouch that Jingwan was wearing at her waist and told her to go to the gambling den to collect the money the next day.
"Keep all the money you earn; you'll always need it someday."
Jing Wan said hesitantly, "Cousin..."
Lu Chang bent down and gently kissed her cheek: "Let's go back."
He only left after watching her enter the hospital.
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