LC chapter 38

 

Due to Li Mingwen’s expulsion, everyone tacitly assumed that Lin Ruan had a backer. As a result, his situation at school improved significantly, and no one bullied him for no reason anymore. They always looked at him with a hint of jealousy. Meng Zhen joked that Lin Ruan was now the “big boss” of Yenching University.

“Good people are often bullied,” Meng Zhen said. “Reputation doesn’t matter. No one dares to offend us, right?”

Meng Zhen was always optimistic. Lin Ruan said, “Even if they don’t say it to our faces, they’ll talk behind our backs.”

“They have the right to talk, so why should you care what they say? As long as they don’t say it in front of us and it doesn’t spoil our mood, that’s enough,” Meng Zhen said.

Lin Ruan wasn’t someone who needed a lively atmosphere, so the indifference of those around him didn’t affect him much. He was simply traumatized by Li Mingwen. People who seemed to have little in common could harbor such deep resentment behind his back.

Lin Ruan’s school life continued as normal. Fang Chengze called him to the office to inform him that his entry had made it to the finals.

“You’ve done very well,” Fang Cheng said, smiling at Lin Ruan. “You have a natural talent for architecture. Even those who admire Western architecture have to admit that your designs are remarkable.”

Lin Ruan felt a little embarrassed. No one other than Zhan Xi had ever praised him.

Fang Cheng pulled an envelope from a drawer. “I sent your design drawings to my teacher. He said he could tell you were new, but that you showed real talent. This is his reply.” Fang Cheng smiled. “My teacher is a famous architect. His family was involved in the construction of that garden. He has a deep family background, and few could match his appreciation.”

“Really?” Lin Ruan sounded a bit incredulous. Zhan Xi had praised him before as well, but Lin Ruan had always thought it was just flattery, so he took it with a grain of salt. Now, Lin Ruan was deeply gratified to be recognized by both Fang Chengze and his teacher.

Fang Chengze handed Lin Ruan the letter, paused, and asked, “How have you been doing at school lately?”

Lin Ruan’s joy returned, though his mood subsided slightly. “No one bullies me anymore, but people don’t pay much attention to me either.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Fang Chengze told him. “They’re actually irrelevant to you. Some of them definitely don’t reach your level of vision or morals. It’s a waste to worry about their attitude toward you.”

Lin Ruan agreed with Fang Chengze, but he also sensed that Fang Chengze was different. The previous Fang Chengze had been an ostracized ancient architecture teacher: unassuming and unpretentious. Now, he was like an unsheathed sword, his sharpness and pride on display.

Lin Ruan didn’t know what had happened to bring out this sharpness.

Fang Chengze wrote down his address and phone number on a piece of paper. “I’ll be spending less time at school lately. If you have any questions, feel free to write or call me.”

Lin Ruan agreed while Fang Cheng took a call, grabbed his coat, and left.

Lin Ruan returned home. Zhan Xi wasn’t there, and Shi Ning hadn’t gone out with him.

“Something happened at the palace,” Shi Ning said. “Master and my father went to help deal with it.”

The Seventh Princess was deeply in love with Li Mingwen, but Concubine Li told her that Li Mingwen had deceived her. The Seventh Princess refused to believe it, though. Yesterday, Zhan Xi arranged for the Seventh Princess to meet with Li Mingwen. Afterwards, she refused to eat or drink. This morning, a maid found her hanging in her room, but she was rescued just in time.

Because of this incident, Ah Yue’s relationship with Aunt Cao improved considerably. Seeing that the Seventh Princess had been deceived, Ah Yue felt she was in the wrong, while Aunt Cao, seeing the Seventh Princess hang herself, worried that Ah Yue might have misinterpreted the situation.

Aunt Cao told Ah Yue that, after some time had passed, she should bring her boyfriend home so Aunt Cao could meet him.

“What happened next?” Lin Ruan asked Shi Ning.

Shi Ning took a bite of a crispy pear and replied, “Concubine Li is still the same. She thinks it’s difficult to keep a girl once she grows up, so she wants to marry off the Seventh Princess. But, according to the master, it seems he wants to send the Seventh Princess abroad to study. If the Fifth Princess wants to go too, she can go with her.”

Lin Ruan nodded, then suddenly thought of something and asked, “What about Li Mingwen? What happened to him?”

Shi Ning paused, then said, “He couldn’t make it in Beijing, so he probably went back to his hometown.”

With that, Shi Ning stood up and went to visit Uncle Tong’s flowers and plants in the backyard.

Zhan Xi returned while Lin Ruan was having dinner. He didn’t show it on his face. Uncle Tong followed behind him with a grim expression, a mixture of pity for his misfortune and anger at his lack of resistance.

Unable to eat, Uncle Tong stormed back to his room. Zhan Xi glanced at Shi Ning, who followed him.

Lin Ruan stood up, took Zhan Xi’s coat, and asked if he wanted Aunt Cao to make some new dishes.

Zhan Xi declined and walked to the dining table, where he sat down. Lin Ruan poured him a bowl of soup and asked, “What’s wrong? Uncle Tong looks very angry.”

“Concubine Li insists on marrying off the Seventh Princess,” Zhan Xi’s slender fingers picked up the white porcelain spoon, and he slowly took two sips of soup.

“What did the Seventh Princess say?”

“She?” Zhan Xi shook his head. “It’s like she’s lost her mind. She doesn’t say a word and doesn’t care what others decide. If she were unwilling, I could make other arrangements for her. But like this—who could possibly pull her back?”

“Why does Concubine Li insist on the Seventh Princess getting married?” Lin Ruan was puzzled.

Zhan Xi said, “Because this matter is shameful. The palace has such strict rules, yet the Seventh Princess is secretly intrigued by Li Mingwen. In Concubine Li’s eyes, this is a scandal.”

“So she has to marry off the Seventh Princess as soon as possible?” Lin Ruan asked. “Rules and dignity are not as important as her own daughter.”

Zhan Xi shook his head. “Perhaps this is the best path that concubine Li has chosen for the Seventh Princess, and no one else has the right to interfere.”

Lin Ruan said nothing more. Zhan Xi lowered his head to drink his soup. The warm yellow light fell on his profile, making it hazy.

He noticed Lin Ruan’s gaze and asked, “Why are you looking at me? Do you have something to say?”

Lin Ruan shook his head and smiled. “I was looking at the master. He’s so beautiful that I forgot to eat.”

Zhan Xi paused, then suddenly laughed. “You’ve grown bold—flirting with your master?”

Lin Ruan quickly said that he didn’t dare, acting like a little mouse that had stolen something. He smiled secretly and lowered his head to eat.

Zhan Xi was more tired than usual today. The family affairs in the palace seemed to trouble him more than the affairs outside. He sat on the large bed on the third floor with Lin Ruan kneeling before him.

Lin Ruan looked displeased. Zhan Xi pinched the back of his neck and asked, “You’ve always waited on me. Are you unhappy about me asking you to move?”

Lin Ruan looked up at Zhan Xi. Zhan Xi’s eyes were nonchalant, as if he weren’t worried at all that Lin Ruan would disobey him.

“But I can’t.”

“That’s why you need to practice more,” Zhan Xi said, placing his hand on Lin Ruan’s head and pushing him down gently. “Just practice a few more times, and you’ll be fine.”

Next to the bed was a large mirror, a recent purchase by Zhan Xi. It was currently covered with a cloth. Zhan Xi stood up and removed the cloth. Lin Ruan looked over at the sound.

The mirror faced the bed and clearly reflected the rumpled sheets, fallen quilt, and person on the bed.

Lin Ruan crawled to the edge of the bed, knelt down, and looked into the mirror.

His face was still slightly red, but his eyes sparkled. In such a closed environment, shame could be cast aside temporarily. At least now, Lin Ruan’s eyes were filled with curiosity.

Zhan Xi leaned against the headboard with his head slightly lowered as he lit a cigarette. His downcast brows were beautiful—a charm that Lin Ruan couldn’t describe.

After the sound of the clicking lighter, Zhan Xi exhaled a puff of smoke. The aroma spread and mingled with an indescribable smell.

Lin Ruan looked at Zhan Xi in the mirror and asked, “Can I smoke?”

“No,” Zhan Xi replied lazily.

Lin Ruan stopped looking at Zhan Xi and focused on examining himself in the mirror instead.

People naturally want to explore their own bodies. In the mirror, Lin Ruan knelt before it; his body was covered in numerous red marks and fingerprints.

Zhan Xi held a cigarette between two fingers, resting them on his hip. He looked at Lin Ruan. The Lin Ruan in the mirror looked as if he had seen a fun toy. There was curiosity and inquiry in his eyes, but no shyness. In this situation, he exuded an air of innocent guilt.

An aura began to emerge from him: a slowly developing charm mingled with a touch of innocence—the exact look Zhan Xi found most tantalizing.

Zhan Xi looked at Lin Ruan, his fingers moving slightly.

Fang Chengze and Gu Ji attended a cocktail party. All of the attendees were high-ranking officials who were there to discuss the issuance of paper currency.

Gu Ji introduced Fang Chengze to the officials, who were gracious and polite to the newly appointed Finance Bureau Director.

After a middle-aged man in a suit and tie finished talking to Fang Chengze and left, Fang Chengze let out a quiet breath.

“How’s it going? Was it difficult?” Gu Ji asked, holding a glass of red wine.

“Not bad.” Fang Chengze rubbed his brow. “You live like this every day, drinking and feasting.”

“Hey, Teacher Fang, that’s not nice.” Gu Ji smiled; he wasn’t angry at all.

Fang Chengze glanced at him, then went back to talking to someone else.

Gu Ji watched Fang Chengze struggle to adapt to the crowd, a barely perceptible smile in his eyes.

Turning around, Gu Ji saw Miss Zhao.

Fang Chengze was talking to someone when he heard a commotion behind him. He looked over and saw Gu Ji standing there with his face covered in red wine, looking dreadful. The woman who had splashed him with wine wore high heels, leaving behind a glamorous silhouette.

Stifling a laugh, Fang Chengze walked up to Gu Ji, handed him two handkerchiefs, and asked, “What’s wrong? Aren’t you satisfied with the wine in your glass?”

“Stop teasing me.” Gu Ji wiped his chest. The red wine stain on his white shirt would probably be permanent.

“Who’s that? Your romantic partner?” Fang Cheng asked.

“Oh, we broke up a long time ago,” Gu Ji said.

Gu Ji turned to glance at the onlookers, who quickly composed themselves and resumed their own conversations.

“I dated her for a few days, and we broke up in less than a month,” Gu Ji said. “We were supposed to part ways amicably, but she heard somewhere that I changed girlfriends every month and regularly broke up with them at the end of each month. She thought I was playing her, and now she’s here to get back at me.”

Fang Cheng mocked him. “Serves you right! Who told you to toy with a girl’s feelings?”

“How is that toying with feelings? We’re all adults,” Gu Ji said. “If it’s right, then we’re together. If not, we’re apart. We all know the difference.”

Fang Cheng clearly disdained Gu Ji’s behavior. He snorted and walked away.

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