Chapter 11: Sending Flowers to Console Someone

“I……”

Hu Youning looked towards the small mountain hollow behind the house a few times, remembering how Lady Li had asked him to keep it secret before she left. The answer that was about to come out of his mouth was held back and swallowed again.

He shook his head and just focused on rolling out the dough in his hands.

By the time Li Ruantang returned, the soup on the stove had been hot for quite a while.

As soon as she entered, Hu Sanniang, who was chopping firewood in the courtyard, went up to greet her first. Meng Jun got up more slowly, lagging behind.

“Lady Li, you’re back.”

Because of what happened during the day, Hu Sanniang’s tone was warmer than before, with less calculation.

Li Ruantang smiled faintly, her gaze pausing, falling on the young man standing behind.

Chirp chirp still looked listless.

Li Ruantang sighed inwardly, exchanging pleasantries with Hu Sanniang. But the hand behind her back was gradually becoming sweaty in the night breeze.

What if he doesn’t like it……

She was distracted, thinking about the young man’s reaction later.

Hu Sanniang saw it clearly. She hurriedly instructed Zhou Fulang to prepare the meal, leaving the small courtyard to the two people standing there.

In the main hall of the Hu family, a small oil lamp was lit.

The dim light shone through the window, sprinkling star-like dots in the courtyard, like a small river, flowing a cool ground in the increasingly dark night.

Li Ruantang’s lips were dry from nervousness, while her silly young husband was standing gloomily on the other side.

Only those beautiful phoenix eyes would occasionally raise quietly, meeting her gaze, then pretend to look away as if nothing had happened.

Something had to be said.

Li Ruantang licked her lips, just about to speak. The young man, who had just been lowering his head and stepping on small stones to relieve boredom, suddenly became solemn.

He stared fixedly at the side of Li Ruantang’s wind-blown skirt. There were very obvious traces of mud there. Li Ruantang was clean by nature and would not return with dirty clothes for no reason.

Thinking back to how uncomfortable she looked earlier in the day.

Meng Jun’s heart tightened, and a scene immediately appeared before his eyes of her dizzily falling to the ground with no one coming forward to help.

Is that why she came back so late? Although it was warm in May, wasn’t it cloudy today? The ground was so cold, who knew how long she had lain there before she could barely walk back to the Hu family.

The more the young man thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt in his heart. The fingers stroking his own sleeve gradually tightened. He glanced at Li Ruantang, who was now smiling, and inexplicably felt some heartache.

If he had known this would happen, he should have gone out to look for her.

“Wife-master.” He called softly. The way he lowered his head and walked forward was even more obedient.

Li Ruantang’s face reddened when she heard it, and the script she had prepared immediately became disordered. Her hand, which she had hurriedly brought out from behind her back, presented a newly made flower wreath like a treasure.

“Chirp chirp, this is for you.”

“Eh?”

Meng Jun was stunned, his eyes full of surprise, “Wife-master went out while injured just for this?”

“Mm.”

After all, it was Li Ruantang’s first time making a flower wreath. She sat on the hillside for a long time before making this one. Her hands were clumsy, and when she first started picking flowers, she was accidentally injured by the thorns, with several small cuts on her thumb and index finger.

Seeing the young man looking intently, Li Ruantang hurriedly covered it with her sleeve, saying embarrassedly, “I originally wanted to catch a little white rabbit for you. But unfortunately, now I have the heart but lack the strength. I heard earlier—”

Thinking of what chirp chirp had asked her at noon.

Li Ruantang paused the words that had come to her lips, forcibly changing course, “I read in a book that young men like flowers, so I tried to make a flower wreath.”

Her craftsmanship wasn’t good, but the colors of the small flowers woven into the willow branches were chosen extremely well. The young man’s ears turned red as he looked at it, the corners of his lips just turning up in a smile before forcibly suppressing it.

No, he couldn’t be bought off. He had to have a good talk with Li Ruantang today, otherwise, what if she goes out injured again in the future?

Moreover, when injured, one should rest properly. At the very least, she should have taken him along, so there would be someone to take care of her in this wilderness.

Meng Jun shifted his gaze from the flower wreath, “Wife-master, today—”

Although Hu Sanniang had repeatedly assured that this trick would be effective, Li Ruantang looked at her young husband and he didn’t seem too pleased.

Especially now that chirp chirp was frowning, Li Ruantang remembered how listless the young man had looked sitting in front of the kitchen earlier in the day, and regretted it so much her intestines were about to turn blue.

Before the young man could finish speaking, she hurriedly nodded and said, “About what happened at noon today, I was inconsiderate.”

Chirp chirp was wholeheartedly devoted to her, and had never suffered hardships. It was normal that he couldn’t understand the difficulties involved.

Moreover, the young man was thin-skinned and soft-hearted, and got along well with Ah Ning. What she said was undoubtedly like pouring a bucket of cold water on him. Although it made him clear-headed, it also chilled his heart.

The young man protected her like this, and as his wife-master, she naturally had to cherish this sentiment.

Therefore, Li Ruantang apologized very naturally, without any difficulty.

“Wife-master……”

Meng Jun doubtfully rubbed his ears, he hadn’t heard wrong, had he? Li Ruantang was actually apologizing to him?!

The young man widened his eyes in disbelief. He stood on tiptoe and reached out to touch Li Ruantang’s forehead.

No fever.

Meng Jun was too shocked to recover.

It should be known that in Great Jin, women were respected. Even his mother had never lowered herself to coax his father over small matters of words.

He stared blankly as Li Ruantang handed over the flower wreath. Perhaps the night was too cool, the moonlight gentle.

Even though the girl in front of him was still very pale, the young man felt a warmth in his chest as he looked at her.

Those smiling apricot eyes were beautiful, the straight nose was beautiful, and also……

His gaze fell on her lips, and Meng Jun’s face burned as he lowered his head. Actually, Li Ruantang was no worse than Sister Wei, she was even a bit more beautiful than Sister Wei.

However, she was only a tiny bit more beautiful. And only when she wasn’t looking cold.

Meng Jun turned his face away, secretly taking a breath. This wasn’t him being fickle. If the young men in the capital saw Li Ruantang’s expression at this moment, they would probably also be captivated and their hearts in a whirl.

And she even made a flower wreath!

The young man’s heart was in a jumble, and he didn’t know what to say.

“Chirp chirp.” Li Ruantang’s voice was gentle, “We’ll talk about the rest when we go back to the room. Let’s go eat now, don’t keep people waiting.”

Hu Sanniang and Zhou Fulang had been working in the fields all day, it wouldn’t be good to keep them waiting too long.

Meng Jun naturally understood this reasoning, but wasn’t she going to help him wear the flower wreath?

The young man pursed his lips and stole a glance at her. When they were almost at the main hall, Meng Jun paused, took the flower wreath and pitter-pattered back to their room first.

These fresh flowers, separated from their roots, couldn’t withstand the oil and smoke. He hadn’t worn it yet, he had to put it away carefully.

When dining with the Hu family, the young man was somewhat absent-minded. Now, taking advantage of Li Ruantang being kept in the main hall to talk with Hu Sanniang.

Meng Jun, who had returned to the room, first pushed open the window to look, then took out the small mirror he had asked Ah Ning for and placed it on the table. He carefully put the flower wreath on his hair and happily looked at himself in the mirror.

Hmm, Li Ruantang’s taste was indeed not bad, these flowers she picked really suited his complexion.

“Chirp chirp.”

Ah Ning’s voice sounded from outside the window, “The water is boiled, are you now—”

Before he could finish, Hu Youning, who had poked his eyes in, was stuck in place.

Chirp chirp’s appearance was peerless, but now wearing the flower wreath in his hair, it was truly quite bright, as if someone had moved a dye house here, with red, purple, yellow, and blue all in full force.

He looked at it with twitching corners of his mouth. These colors, only chirp chirp’s fair skin could barely support them. If it were other young men, who knows how many children would be scared to tears.

But the smiling young man didn’t think so.

“Ah Ning, look!” Meng Jun’s mouth was raised high, “Doesn’t it suit me?”

The joy in the young man’s eyes was full, how could Hu Youning speak the truth. He nodded hesitantly.

Behind him, footsteps approached.

Hu Youning turned back stiffly and greeted, “Lady Li.”

“Does Young Master Hu have something to discuss with chirp chirp? Go in and talk.” Li Ruantang, who had come out of the main hall, smiled gently, looking closely at Hu Youning twice.

The person standing in the courtyard hurriedly shook his head, “It’s nothing special, just that the water is boiled. I came to ask chirp chirp when he wants to use it.”

He lowered his head, not daring to look at her, but from the corner of his eye, he saw a bed of bedding laid out and two pillows placed together.

Hu Youning was slightly stunned.

But her gentle voice was still in his ears, “Thank you for your trouble, Young Master Hu. In any case, the water is boiled, I’ll go fetch it. Young Master Hu has also been tired all day, quickly go back to your room to rest.”

Footsteps came and went in the courtyard.

The young man staying in the room heard the movement and hurriedly took off the flower wreath from his hair, and deliberately sat further away.

From the wooden door being pushed open, until the steam from the bath dissipated, Li Ruantang didn’t mention the flower wreath again.

Meng Jun secretly glanced at the person who was now wringing water from a towel. Before she turned around, he put the flower wreath that was on the table in a more conspicuous place—on Li Ruantang’s pillow.

He lay in the covers, listening to the rustling of dressing behind the bamboo screen. Those beautiful phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, smiling like a little fox who had gotten a treat.

“Chirp chirp.” Li Ruantang, standing by the kang bed, lowered her eyes and called softly.

This book has a total of 589,323 characters　　The young man who should have been sleepy immediately turned his head, his eyes shining brightly, “Wife-master called me?”

“Mm.”

Tonight’s chirp chirp looked particularly energetic, no longer listless. Li Ruantang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, casually took the medicine and handed it to him, smiling lightly, “Today I’ll have to trouble my husband to apply medicine for me again.”

“Eh?”

The young man blinked, feeling a little disappointed. Then seeing Li Ruantang move the flower wreath from the pillow to the table, his brows drooped a few more degrees.

It seems Li Ruantang really didn’t have other young men, otherwise she wouldn’t be so dazed. She only knew how to send flower wreaths, but didn’t understand how to help someone wear it.

Meng Jun sighed softly, while helping her apply medicine to her back, he deliberately hinted, “Didn’t wife-master say you had something else to tell me?”

Something else?

Li Ruantang was stunned for a moment, then raised her eyebrows at the young man who had returned after washing his hands, and lowered her voice, “Indeed there is one thing. When I went to pick flowers today, I happened to meet Third Sister returning from farming. She asked me to help find a good family for Young Master Hu after we return to the capital.”

“I know you get along well with Young Master Hu, so I agreed to this matter.”

“Oh.” The young man responded without much inflection, his eyes glancing at the table, “Is this all wife-master wanted to tell me?”

Li Ruantang nodded honestly.

Meng Jun’s heart sank. Alas, it seems that if he wants to arrange Li Ruantang’s marriage, he still needs to teach her how to coax men. Otherwise, with her personality, it will be difficult!

After blowing out the lamp, when Li Ruantang had lain down beside him, he turned his back sullenly.

In a daze, Li Ruantang’s voice came softly.

“Chirp chirp, you look very good wearing that flower wreath.”

She had just seen it, the young man wearing the flower wreath. Although it was only for a brief moment, the gentleman was stunningly beautiful, and how could one easily forget such a fleeting glimpse of beauty?

Yet her young husband hurriedly took it off as soon as he heard her voice. Li Ruantang sighed softly to herself. Since he didn’t want her to see, she could only swallow back the words of praise in her throat.

She waited until the young man’s breathing was steady in sleep before softly speaking.

The moonlight coming through the window was gentle.

The young man, awakened by her soft whisper, silently curved his lips into a smile. Never mind, never mind, at least Li Ruantang knew to offer a couple words of praise.

He very generously sat up, propping himself on his elbow to look at the “sleeping” girl. His fingertip paused, then quietly poked her cheek, tentatively calling out to her, “Tang Tang?”

***

Seducing a God, Do You Dare? 

This is also on my reread list!

The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.

But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.

Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.

I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.

The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.

As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.

This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.

Definitely worth a read, y’all!

Intro

As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.

But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…

Do you dare?

Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.

Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.

The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.

Link to read