Heart to Heart
The two had a pleasant conversation about the future of Shiyu City, and after finalizing a big deal, they went to the teahouse to pick up their female relatives.
On the way, Dongchi relaxed and chatted with Lu Chang, asking who the quiet and gentle girl at home was to him.
Lu Chang glanced at him and simply said, "She's my sister."
Dongchi, of course, didn't believe it: "Sister? After I turned seven, let alone hugging or cuddling, I've never even held hands with my older sister. But you and your sister are different. You hold hands when you walk together, and you whisper sweet nothings to each other. How can you be like siblings?"
Lu Chang didn't want to say much about the matter, so he just smiled and went on his way. However, when he arrived at the teahouse, the people inside were not as happy as they were.
Teapots and teacups were shattered on the ground. Jingwan sat alone on the other side of the small building, dragging a chair, far away from Gu Qingchen.
She stared at Gu Qingchen like a cat with its fur standing on end, panting heavily with anger. When she saw Lu Chang coming upstairs, she rushed over and hugged him, leaning against his chest.
At home it was fine, but outside, Lu Chang was still a little uncomfortable being so close to her in front of strangers. He patted her back and pulled her down, but seeing Jing Wan frowning and looking at him with dissatisfaction, he had no choice but to give up and let her hug him like that.
When Cui Dongchi saw that his elder sister was sitting calmly but had smashed a tea set on the floor in front of her, he knew that she must be angry.
Seeing his gaze, Chunlai forced a smile and shook her head helplessly.
Lu Chang nodded to Cui Dongchi, then took Jingwan downstairs and first took a carriage back to their newly settled home in the town.
After he left, Cui Dongchi sat down in front of Gu Qingchen and said softly, "You saw it too, Lu Chang already has someone he likes, he should give up now!"
Upon hearing his words, Gu Qingchen burst into tears.
She knew from a young age that her father was of noble status. Although he was included in the genealogy of the Cui family of Wanxi, his status as the son of Emperor Daizong could not be changed. Together with her, his daughter, they all had the blood of the royal family of the Great Wei.
She held herself to the standards of a princess, valuing hierarchy, appearance, and status. This was the first time she had ever cried and grieved in public like this.
Seeing his sister so upset, Cui Dongchi secretly cursed Lu Chang a few times. He was very close to his sister, how could he bear to see her sad?
However, Lu Chang only ever treated his sister as an acquaintance and never did anything out of line. It was all because his sister was too devoted that she hurt herself.
He went over anyway, took out a handkerchief and gave it to her: "There are plenty of good men in the world, many of whom are more capable than Lu Chang. Sister, don't cry."
Qingchen shook her head, covered her face with a handkerchief, and kept crying, "You don't understand, you don't understand..."
Cui Dongchi's patience had long since run out, so he sat down to the side and waited for his sister to finish crying.
Chunlai helped Gu Qingchen into the carriage. As she was about to follow, Cui Dongchi hugged her and kissed her on the cheek.
"Please comfort your sister; she's feeling bad."
Chunlai paused for a moment, then smiled gently: "Mm."
She got into the carriage, and as soon as she entered, she knelt down in front of Gu Qingchen as usual.
This time, Gu Qingchen didn't make a move, but just leaned against the carriage in a daze. Chunlai still kept her head down, thinking about the kiss just now.
When he kissed himself, did he notice the red mark on his cheek? Perhaps he did, but he just pretended not to see it.
The gloom in her heart was no less than that in Gu Qingchen's.
But it seems that all disappointments can be resolved with a passionate encounter. That evening, when Chunlai looked at Cui Dongchi, who was lying on top of her and drenched in sweat, her love only grew stronger, and she held him tightly in her arms.
She thought that at least she was the only one who could be so close to Cui Dongchi, and that she was the only one he truly loved.
So the next day, before dawn, she still got up early as she had for decades, personally cooking for him and helping him wash and dress. As she combed the hair of the person in the bronze mirror, she felt very happy.
If she could spend her whole life like this, simply staying by her lover's side, cooking and cleaning for him, she would be willing to do so.
But Jingwan, who returned home, couldn't tolerate it as much as Lu Chang. All the way there, she kept telling Lu Chang how awful that Miss Cui was.
"I just asked Chunlai why her right cheek was red, and she, on the contrary, raised her chin higher than the sky and said to me, 'You want to know? I'll tell you.' I was wondering what was going on when she called Chunlai over and slapped Chunlai in the face right in front of me!"
As she spoke, she gestured, her face and eyes filled with anger: "Chunlai was beaten so badly that he didn't dare to say a word, and he didn't even dare to touch his face."
"So you got angry?" Lu Chang asked casually, his arm around her waist.
Jingwan nodded repeatedly: "I originally wanted to hit her, but I was afraid that if I angered her, she would go and hit Chunlai, so I decided to use words instead of fists!"
"Oh, how do you intend to use your mouth?" Lu Chang became interested, sat up straight, and listened to her with a smile.
Jingwan said proudly, "I asked her if she liked my cousin, and she got a little embarrassed and angry and didn't answer me, so I told her, unfortunately..."
My cousin likes me, and he wants to be with me every day!
Jingwan spread her hands, seemingly helpless: "She got even angrier, picked up the teacup on the table and threw it at me. I was afraid of being hit, so I dragged my chair far away from her. Then, you came back!"
It wasn't until he heard Gu Qingchen throw a water glass at Jing Wan that Lu Chang said seriously, "If Gu Qingchen tries to hit you again, hit her back. If you can't beat her, run away, understand?"
Jingwan nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking at rice: "I know, I know."
She had barely finished speaking when she realized something was amiss and asked in confusion, "Who is Gu Qingchen?"
Lu Chang glared at her, annoyed: "Whoever hit you with a teacup is Gu Qingchen!"
She was led astray again and asked curiously, "Why do these two siblings have different surnames?"
"One takes the father's surname, and the other takes the mother's surname."
"Oh!" Jingwan understood. At this moment, she lay down in Lu Chang's arms in a rather unsteady manner, touching his smooth chin and said, "Cousin, am I being too reckless? What if that Miss Cui complains to her brother, and he gets angry and refuses to donate money to us?"
Lu Chang felt a warmth in his heart. Jingwan was by his side, and although she never discussed politics with him, she had still heard a lot of his words. She knew that he was looking for businessmen to donate money and was worried about causing him trouble. He enjoyed her concern and, imitating Jingwan, scratched her chin and said, "Cui Dongchi is smarter than his sister. He knows what's best for him. Today, after seeing the initial construction of the water city, he won't withdraw his investment. On the contrary, he's willing to contribute even more money!"
Jingwan was relieved, but she was still saddened by the thought of poor Chunlai.
Cui Dongchi must really like Chunlai. The last time he came to my house, he had Chunlai sit with him, and when he left, he even held her hand. Their relationship was as intimate as that of lovers.
She had thought Chunlai was very happy, but seeing Chunlai following behind Gu Qingchen today, she realized that she was just a pitiful person who had received a little pity from her master.
Because of the blow she suffered that day, when Cui Dongchi invited Lu Chang to Shiyu Water City again, Gu Qingchen did not come. Jingwan was happy, because without Gu Qingchen, Chunlai finally gained her freedom and could talk to her.
Jingwan pulled Jingwan along as they played around the town, while Lu and Cui followed behind, discussing the various plans for the town after the completion of the water city.
Chunlai was also a little excited. She had followed Cui Dongchi all over the country for many years and had seen a lot of the world. However, because she was always accompanying her young master and watching him talk to all sorts of people, she never had time to stay in one place and experience the local customs and culture.
She comes and goes in a hurry; even the most beautiful scenery is fleeting before her.
Being able to play with friends in this small town is a completely new experience.
Jingwan had been living here for a while and was already familiar with many places. She only took Chunlai with her to see the fresh fish that had just been caught, eat oysters grilled over charcoal by the roadside, and buy a lot of dried goods. She also taught Chunlai how to make seafood porridge.
She was very talkative, and even Chunlai was infected by her enthusiasm, chatting with her the whole way.
Upon arriving at the beach, Lu Chang wanted to board the ship with Cui Dongchi to discuss matters with the merchants. Jing Wan didn't want to go with them, but Lu Chang repeatedly told her to sit obediently on the beach and not to run around. She nodded in agreement, "Alright, didn't you send someone to follow me?"
Lu Chang glanced at the two subordinates who had been following him, then shut his mouth and led Cui Dongchi onto the merchant ship.
After the two of them left, Jingwan pulled Chunlai a few more steps toward the sea. She took off her shoes and lay down on the sand. The waves washed over her ankles as they came in, and she sighed with pleasure.
Spring came and followed her example, lying on the beach together. The current leisure and carefree feeling was so precious compared to the past fear and trepidation that it brought tears to people's eyes.
She had been to the beach many times, but this was the first time she had ever lay on the sand with her friends like this.
Cui Dongchi's gaze was always fixed on merchant ships and business; he would never give these sights a second glance.
Chunlai still remembered that the first time she went to the fish market with Cui Dongchi, she was just like Jingwan, so curious that she couldn't take her eyes off it. After standing there for a while, Cui Dongchi pulled her away: "What's so interesting about this? Let's go!"
Therefore, she could only glance at all the new scenery that followed, becoming the most pitiful tourist, before hurrying to the next place.
Jingwan could tell that spring was a joyful time. She closed her eyes, listened to the seabirds calling in the sea breeze, and felt the softness and slight tickling of the sand blending with the seawater.
Jingwan then turned her head away with peace of mind and lay quietly.
She didn't intend to spoil Chunlai's good mood, nor did she intend to ask her those pointless questions. But it was Chunlai who spoke first.
“I was a servant of the Cui family. My father was the Cui family’s stableman. He died of illness, and the Cui family has been supporting me ever since.”
She never told anyone about her life. Even the servants in the household knew her meager circumstances, so there was nothing to talk about. From childhood to adulthood, because she was by Cui Dongchi's side, she had met many people. Because of Cui Dongchi, most of them fawned over her. She wasn't stupid; she could tell whether their intentions were genuine or feigned. If it weren't for Cui Dongchi, who would even glance at her?
“I have always served in my young master’s room. As I grew older, I became his woman. He treated me very well, so well that I have never suffered any hardship or pain in my life.”
Jingwan heard her sobbing. She was telling herself how happy she was, so why was she crying?
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