LC chapter 34

 

Xie Qingming looked at Zhan Xi deeply and said, “The ability to keep oneself out of trouble is remarkable.”

Zhan Xi smiled and asked, “Why did you come to see me?”

“It’s about Fang Chengze,” Xie Qingming replied bluntly. “I’d like you to recommend him to the Gu family.”

Zhan Xi paused slightly. Xie Qingming continued, “Don’t misunderstand. Fang Chengze doesn’t know why I came to you. I just think he’s talented, and it’s a shame for him to be teaching at a university.”

Zhan Xi said nothing. He knew Fang Chengze was talented but also knew his attitude toward military leaders.

“I won’t let you trade at a loss. I have something to thank you for.” Xie Qingming pulled a small sandalwood box from his arms and opened it. Inside was a lustrous piece of ancient jade shaped like a peace locket and strung with a red string.

“I found this in Tibet one year ago. It was embedded in a prayer wheel and has been turned countless times. It’s a very auspicious item.” Xie Qingming asked, “How is it?”

Perhaps because of the locket, Zhan Xi nodded.

Xie Qingming felt relieved. If Zhan Xi agreed, there was nothing he couldn’t do.

That afternoon, Lin Ruan called to say he was coming back, and that Shi Ning didn’t need to pick him up. Soon after, Lin Ruan returned, holding a bouquet of vibrant red roses. He held them directly in front of Zhan Xi.

Zhan Xi was somewhat surprised. Behind the roses, Lin Ruan’s smiling face shone, more beautiful than the brightest of them.

“Did you buy these?” Zhan Xi asked, accepting the roses.

Lin Ruan nodded and replied, “I’ve heard that giving flowers is a must when you’re in a relationship.”

Zhan Xi held the roses, his eyes flickering slightly. In this relationship, Zhan Xi had always been the one to take the initiative. This was a rare instance of Lin Ruan actively expressing his feelings.

Zhan Xi looked at Lin Ruan, caressed his neck with one hand, and they exchanged a long, deep kiss.

Lin Ruan may not have understood what this meant, but Zhan Xi was delighted nonetheless. Lin Ruan blushed slightly and his breath stuttered from the kiss. He looked at Zhan Xi and asked, “Do you like it?”

“I like it very much.” Zhan Xi looked at Lin Ruan, his eyes like a vast sea of stars.

It had rained lightly in the evening, making the sky particularly gloomy. Not even a single star could be seen in the night sky. The greenhouse’s curtains were tightly drawn, and raindrops softly hit the glass.

Lin Ruan wore a thin black qipao with golden patterns that shimmered in the light. On any other day, it would have been a beautiful dress. But now, as Lin Ruan slumped in the recliner, the hem of his qipao was disheveled, and the slit on one side had accidentally torn, revealing thighs covered in fingerprints and scratches.

The two buttons at the collar were undone; otherwise, his upper body was formally dressed. However, upon closer inspection, dark, damp spots were visible beneath the black garment.

Lin Ruan panted softly, his hands bound by a tie but otherwise unrestrained.

Zhan Xi would give Lin Ruan room to struggle, adding a touch of beauty to the scene and making it easier to watch and enjoy.

“Sir,” Lin Ruan’s voice trembled.

“Hmm?” Zhan Xi replied in a lazy, contented voice. He held Lin Ruan, his palm intermittently caressing his back.

Lin Ruan leaned closer to Zhan Xi. His face was flushed from his cheeks to the corners of his eyes, glowing like a red rose.

Lin Ruan wanted Zhan Xi to help him change clothes, but Zhan Xi refused and squeezed the back of his neck instead.

Lin Ruan shuddered when he heard Zhan Xi say, “You look beautiful.”

He paused slightly, a little embarrassed. “Beautiful?”

“Very beautiful.”

Lin Ruan felt even more embarrassed, but his eyes sparkled as he asked, “Could you draw it for me, sir?”

Zhan Xi paused, realizing that Lin Ruan’s mind was indeed filled with strange ideas. For example, at that moment, he was radiating traces of lust yet looking at Zhan Xi with clear eyes.

Zhan Xi walked down with his upper body exposed, revealing beautiful yet unobtrusive lines of chest and abdominal muscles. Lin Ruan saw the marks on his back that he had made himself and flinched in embarrassment.

Zhan Xi took out his sketchpad and pen and traced Lin Ruan’s posture in the light.

His wrists, still bound, rested on the pillow, and his head was tilted to the side. Whether from nervousness or embarrassment, he simply closed his eyes. The black fabric couldn’t hide his slender, white legs. Lying there, Lin Ruan exuded a subtle, decadent aura, like a scholar’s spirit.

“He’s really grown up,” Zhan Xi sighed to himself.

A few days later, the Prince’s residence sent someone to invite Zhan Xi again—still regarding the Seventh Princess’s marriage. Zhan Xi had nearly forgotten about it.

“Have you found out?” Zhan Xi asked. “What happened with the Seventh Princess?”

Shi Ning handed him his clothes, and the two walked out together.

“It’s been discovered,” Shi Ning said. “During the Spring Equinox[mfn]The spring equinox, also known as the vernal equinox, occurs in March and marks the official start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. During this time, daylight and darkness are nearly equal, symbolizing balance and harmony in nature’s cycles of growth and renewal. It is considered an ideal time for planting intentions and embracing personal growth.[/mfn], the palace hired several gardeners to plant flowers and trees. One of them was a young man. He struck up a conversation with the Seventh Princess, and after a while, she fell in love with him.”

“The young man was a college student. While they were together, he taught her many things. The Seventh Princess, having not met anyone new in a long time, took his advice seriously. She changed her clothes and cut her hair, and she told Concubine Li that she wanted the freedom to choose her own husband.” Shi Ning said, “Concubine Li is a proper woman. She thought the princess’s contact with an outsider was shameful, so she hurried to arrange a marriage. The eldest son of Prince Yu may be incompetent, but he’ll inherit the family wealth since he’s the legitimate heir and there’s no mother-in-law in his household. Concubine Li valued that, so she wanted the match.”

Zhan Xi asked, “Who is the college student who knows the Seventh Princess?”

“He’s just a poor student,” Shi Ning said. “He worked in the palace, got to know the Seventh Princess, and received a lot of gold and silver jewelry from her. The rest is unknown.”

Shi Ning paused, then added, “I just feel like there’s something wrong with this guy.”

Zhan Xi kept walking. “There are people in the Forbidden City that we can’t find. Of course there’s something wrong.”

Shi Ning opened the car door for Zhan Xi, who got in. The car started up and slowly drove along the ginkgo-lined road.

Lin Ruan had felt something was amiss the moment he entered the campus. People were staring at him and whispering. Intuitively, he knew those looks weren’t friendly.

When he reached the bottom of the building, he saw a crowd of people standing by the sign. When some of them saw Lin Ruan approaching, there was an immediate commotion. Lin Ruan didn’t understand why, but he was frightened by the commotion nonetheless.

Suddenly, Meng Zhen rushed into the crowd, shouting, “What are you looking at? Get out of here!”

Some of the onlookers had left, while others remained. Suddenly, a piece of paper floated down from nowhere and landed at Lin Ruan’s feet. He picked it up and read the large red characters printed on it. They declared that Lin Ruan was not a wealthy young man but rather a lowly concubine of a wealthy family, no different from a prostitute. Smaller characters followed, detailing Lin Ruan’s background, even mentioning child brides.

Lin Ruan grimaced. He walked over to the sign and saw that it was covered in similar pieces of paper. The dense, overlapping red characters stood out. Those who hadn’t left looked at Lin Ruan with sarcasm and ill will.

Meanwhile, Meng Zhen tore the paper off the sign and threw it into the trash can. Seeing Lin Ruan approach, Meng Zhen didn’t say anything. He simply took his hand and walked away.

The two of them ran all the way to the rooftop. It was windy but deserted and relatively quiet.

Lin Ruan was still holding the piece of paper he had picked up. Meng Zhen saw it, snatched it from him, crumpled it up, and threw it aside.

“Lin Ruan, are you okay?” Meng Zhen asked, looking at him worriedly.

Lin Ruan shook his head.

“I saw these things as soon as I got here today,” Meng Zhen said. “They weren’t just on the notice board; someone threw them in through the windows of every class. I just don’t know who did it.”

Meng Zhen said this carefully observing Lin Ruan’s expression.

Until now, he hadn’t asked him what was going on. Lin Ruan felt relieved and decided to explain to Meng Zhen.

The two of them sat down by the wall.

“I was indeed sold to my master,” Lin Ruan said. “That was when I was very young. Our family was poor. My father had an accident and needed money for medical treatment. If I hadn’t been sold, my whole family would have died.”

“Then I followed my master. He treated me very well, and the people at the Lan Mansion were kind, too. They called me a child bride, but I was actually just a servant.” Lin Ruan looked at Meng Zhen. “It wasn’t as bad as the paper said.”

Meng Zhen nodded and took Lin Ruan’s hand. “I believe you.”

“My master status was not ordinary, so I didn’t mention it at school. When the school collected family information, I always left that section blank.” Lin Ruan looked at Meng Zhen. “These things are very old. I didn’t mean to hide them from you.”

Meng Zhen nodded. “I understand. I just didn’t expect you to have had such a hard time as a child.”

“Actually, it wasn’t that bad,” Lin Ruan said. “I don’t remember much about my childhood. Later, I came to live with the master. I had enough food and clothes, and he didn’t beat or scold me. I didn’t suffer much.”

“How can that be the same?” Meng Zhen said. “You may have had food and clothes, but you didn’t belong to yourself anymore.”

Lin Ruan froze, and an indescribable feeling rose in his heart.