Chapter 18 Invitation
Chapter Summary: After the fake lover becomes the real one...
Xu Luwei walked over from the corridor and said indifferently, "Does Erlang know? Tonight, Father searched for you in vain and, in his anger, cut off your food supply in the manor from now on?"
Xu Luchuan looked at Xu Luwei without any inner turmoil, but still replied defiantly, "Cut off my food? Does that mean Father will kick me out next?"
"Xu Erlang, how dare you! How long are you going to keep this up?" Xu Luwei rebuked him sternly upon hearing this.
Xu Luchuan stared intently, remaining silent and offering no reply.
He seemed to be used to such questioning; in his view, it made no difference whether he spoke or not. No one would really care about his explanation.
Xu Luwei, however, mistook his silence for indifference and angrily said, "For eight years in Liyang, everyone has been looking forward to your change. I never expected that you would still act as recklessly as before. Erlang, I beg you, please don't offend Father again, and don't disappoint him again, okay?"
Xu Luchuan sneered, his icy gaze piercing through the evening breeze.
He was in Liyang and had hoped for change for them, but in the end, who could change whom?
"disappointment?"
"He never even had any hope for me... Without hope, how can there be disappointment?"
"Brother, does my existence really have any meaning? Is it only by living like a cold piece of wood, like you, that one is considered alive? That one deserves to live?"
At this point, Xu Luwei had no answer.
The Xu family originated from a poor family, and although this tradition had been passed down for three generations, the family tradition remained unchanged. The ancestral precepts required their descendants to be self-disciplined, diligent, and frugal. Only in this way could the family prosper and be passed down through generations. The ancestral precepts were not wrong, but Xu Qinguo's demanding nature plunged the entire Xu family into a state of endless oppression.
No one thought of change; everyone chose to submit and obey.
Xu Luchuan was the only one who refused to compromise, which made him an outcast in the eyes of the Xu family.
Looking into the distance, Xu Luchuan thought Xu Luwei must be even more lost than himself. Living like another Xu Qinguo, his life was already drawing to a close. For some reason, he inexplicably thought of Liu Shiyu, who was also treated as an outcast, and the things she had said to him that evening.
Eight years later, Xu Luchuan took his first step forward.
"Unfortunately, even if I die, I don't want to end up like my father and brothers. I just want to be myself."
After they finished speaking and brushed past each other, Xu Luwei turned back to look at his retreating figure and called out bitterly, "Erlang."
But Xu Luchuan refused to turn back. He simply replied coldly, "It's getting late, elder brother, you should go back."
Xu Luwei stood there, watching the door open and close. He felt that Xu Luchuan had finally changed. Although his former unruliness remained, he now possessed a tenacity that Xu Luwei rarely showed. Reconsidering his earlier words, he decided to let it go.
Turning around again, Xu Luwei lifted his foot and walked away.
The Jihanzhai was pitch black. Xu Luchuan stood in front of the door, quietly looking at the empty doorway, and said, "Elder brother, I'm sorry."
...
After so many things happened that day, Xu Luchuan thought his life would be turned upside down.
To everyone's surprise, his life remained exactly the same as usual for the next few days.
Xu Luchuan ate lunch at the Court of Justice's office as usual. If he had an appointment in the evening, he would keep it. If he didn't, it was fine if he didn't eat.
Especially on Liu Shiyu's side, not only is no one bothering him anymore, but even if he met Liu Shiyu on the road after the morning court session, Liu Shiyu wouldn't say a word to him.
Thus, Xu Luchuan was quite relaxed and carefree. He simply assumed that Liu Shiyu's words that night were just a joke and quickly put the matter out of his mind. He lived a carefree and unrestrained life every day.
But such a life is not a long-term solution. It may last for one day, or two.
Ten days later, Xu Luchuan began to feel a sense of emptiness.
But this illusory period lasted less than two days. Liu Shiyu, who had not interacted with him for a long time, stepped into the gates of the Court of Justice under the pretext of investigating old cases.
...
"Damn it, why are you checking files at a time like this!"
Shen Ruoshi grumbled as he entered the side room and saw Xu Luchuan resting on the long table. Shen Ruoshi took a few steps forward, nudged him, and teased, "Brother Luchuan, wake up! That young lady upstairs is here, we have to go serve her!"
"Whose great-aunt?" Xu Luchuan groggily got up from the table.
Shen Ruoshi scoffed, grabbed Xu Luchuan, and headed for the door. "Don't worry about whose auntie she is. If you delay any longer, who will take you to see your auntie? Brother Luchuan, hurry up!"
Xu Luchuan was taken to the main house by Shen Ruoshi without any explanation.
Turning the corner, Xu Luchuan saw Liu Shiyu sitting expressionlessly in the middle. He sneered, "So it's this 'grandma'."
Then he turned to leave.
Seeing this, Shen Ruoshi grabbed the man and asked in confusion, "Brother Lu Chuan, where are we going?"
Xu Luchuan brushed his hand away and replied indifferently, "The Court of Justice is only responsible for arresting people; her affairs are not my concern."
Xu Luchuan's attitude made Shen Ruoshi anxious. "This is Lord Jiang's order. Just consider it helping out. We have to obey when we're working for someone. I know Brother Luchuan has the Xu family's protection, so I'm not afraid. But look at me, I'm in my early twenties and still haven't gotten married. If I lose my job, my life will be over."
As Shen Ruoshi spoke, he glanced at Xu Luchuan and, seeing his hesitation, quickly smiled apologetically and said, "Brother Luchuan? Right Supervisor? Please have mercy on me."
"With my burly appearance, that person would find me annoying. But Brother Lu Chuan is different. Brother Lu Chuan is handsome and dashing, wouldn't he be able to seduce that person inside?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Luchuan, who had been hesitant and felt sorry for Shen Ruoshi, immediately changed his attitude.
"I'm not going."
Shen Ruoshi was puzzled. He had been flattering her to the skies, so how could it have backfired?
Just when he was at his wit's end, Liu Shiyu gently picked up the teacup on the table in the main room and said loudly, "The person has arrived, so come in."
Shen Ruoshi was startled and quickly took the opportunity to push Xu Luchuan into the house.
"Your Highness, this humble subject pays his respects."
Upon seeing Liu Shiyu, Shen Ruoshi immediately greeted him, while Xu Luchuan remained silent, only bowing slightly in return.
Seeing this, Shen Ruoshi looked astonished and immediately gestured to Xu Luchuan with his eyes, as if to say: Greet him! Greet him now! Are you out of your mind?! But Xu Luchuan ignored him completely and remained standing there with his eyes down.
Shen Ruoshi was on tenterhooks, but to her surprise, Liu Shiyu didn't blame her at all. She simply lifted the tea lid and said in a deep voice, "Go and get the case files that have been piling up for nearly two years."
Files? Shen Ruoshi thought that Xu Luchuan had served as the Court of Justice before, so he must be familiar with where these things were.
So, he raised an eyebrow and looked at Xu Luchuan.
Xu Luchuan looked back, understood his meaning, and was about to leave when he heard a voice beside him say, "Go."
Shen Ruoshi looked around, but there was no one else there. He could only point to himself and say, "Me?"
"I don't want to say it a second time." Liu Shiyu said sternly, and Shen Ruoshi rushed out the door in a flash.
After watching the person walk away, Lian Yue closed the door.
The moment the door closed, Liu Shiyu's expression changed instantly. She looked at Xu Luchuan and smiled, her eyes narrowing, "Little Green, you're here tonight..."
But no sooner had he spoken than Shen Ruoshi rushed back in a flurry. He abruptly pushed open the door, and Liu Shiyu immediately turned around, sitting firmly in the center with a serious expression. Shen Ruoshi, forcing a smile, asked, genuinely having no idea where these things were.
"Your Highness, I would like to confirm with the Right Supervisor whether the case files are in the West Garden or the East Garden?"
"In the East Garden."
Xu Luchuan replied, and Shen Ruoshi nodded and turned to leave, making sure to close the door behind him as he went.
Liu Shiyu, who had been caught off guard by his attack earlier, was more cautious this time. She stared at the door for a long time to make sure he was out of sight before relaxing. But who would have thought that this time she would only turn her head and smile at Xu Luchuan, before she could even open her mouth, before being interrupted by Shen Ruoshi once again.
"Your Highness, I would still like to confirm with the Right Supervisor whether the case file is in the west room or the east room of the East Garden?"
Liu Shiyu frowned in displeasure, while Xu Luchuan suppressed a smile and replied, "West room."
Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, Shen Ruoshi hurriedly explained, "Your Highness, please don't be offended. I promise this is the last time. Please wait a moment."
Watching Shen Ruoshi leave once again, Liu Shiyu finally couldn't help but order, "Lian Yue, go and keep watch outside the door. If he continues to act so recklessly, have Bai Tao deal with him."
"Yes." Lian Yue responded and left the room.
Xu Luchuan, watching from the sidelines, was trying not to laugh. He nearly burst out laughing at Liu Shiyu's constantly changing expression. Liu Shiyu turned around and saw his gloating look, then huffed, "Laugh if you want to! Don't hold it in!"
Xu Luchuan chuckled twice and asked, "You don't seem to be here to look at the files at all. So, what do you want? Is something the matter?"
"Oh, right!" Liu Shiyu was so annoyed by Shen Ruoshi that she almost forgot the important matter. "The manor is making vinegar fish today. Does the young master have any plans? If not, how about we have dinner together after work?"
"Liu Shiyu, you went through all this trouble to come to the Court of Justice? Just for this?" Xu Luchuan asked incredulously. Liu Shiyu leaned against the armrest and blinked. "Yes, that's it. I wasn't very polite last time, so I had to invite you in person this time. Do you want Lian Xing to kidnap you again?"
"Alright. Enough with the nonsense, just tell me if you're going or not?"
Why not go when someone invites you to a feast? But since the other party is Liu Shiyu, Xu Luchuan should at least put on an act.
"Is this how the Princess invites people?"
Upon hearing this, Liu Shiyu glanced at Xu Luchuan, surprised that he was still putting on an act. Unfortunately for him, the devil is one step ahead, and she wasn't falling for his tricks. Liu Shiyu stroked her chin and casually asked, "That Li Yang... what was it again?"
Xu Luchuan was flexible and immediately replied, "After thinking about it carefully, I don't seem to have any other plans."
"Oh? So, young master can go?" Liu Shiyu looked at Xu Luchuan with interest. Xu Luchuan turned his head and softly replied, "Yes."
Having received the answer, Liu Shiyu turned around and sat up straight. Before Shen Ruoshi pushed open the door, Liu Shiyu said in a deep voice, "Then I will meet you again, my lord."
Looking back, Xu Luchuan realized that he hadn't felt the warmth of being remembered by others for many years.
I gazed at it for a long time, and sighed silently.
He couldn't understand why it was her. It shouldn't be her...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com