Chapter 27: Half Human, Half Ghost

At that moment, the inside of the carriage was dim. With the light from outside the carriage window, it was still possible to see each other’s features clearly.

Lu Yuner also sensed the current awkwardness and immediately moved to sit at a distance from him, politely asking, “Did I bump into you just now, Young Master Su? Are you hurt?”

She certainly did bump into him, but it wasn’t painful. However, that special location…

Due to shyness, Su Qingwan initially wanted to say he wasn’t bumped, but seeing Lu Yuner’s intentional distancing, he suddenly changed his words: “Yes, I hit the back of my head.” As he spoke, he raised his hand to touch it, his tone particularly innocent: “It’s burning hot and still hurts a bit. I wonder if it will swell? Sister Yuner, can you help me rub it?”

Lu Yuner had long since seen through Su Qingwan. This was Princess Yun’s carriage – when she had braced her hand earlier, she felt that all the interior furnishings were of the highest quality materials, causing no harm at all.

As for whether the back of his head hurt or not, it depended on whether he wanted to make a fuss.

She said coldly, “Young Master Su’s hands are not injured. There’s no need for me to do it for you. Or you can wait until you return to the mansion to apply some ointment.”

Su Qingwan looked at Lu Yuner with an innocent gaze, “I don’t care. Because I was injured because of Sister Yuner, you must take responsibility for me.” As he spoke, he moved closer to Lu Yuner, lowering his head to expose the back of his head, indicating that he wanted Lu Yuner to rub it for him.

Lu Yuner remained motionless, but her gaze continued to focus on the round and full back of his head.

Indeed, even the contours of the back of a beautiful person’s head are pleasing to look at.

After a while.

Su Qingwan was truly uncomfortable keeping his head lowered. Biting his lip, he said, “If Sister Yuner doesn’t rub it for me, I’ll just keep my head down and not raise it.”

Lu Yuner: “…” It seemed he was determined to impose on her.

Seeing him looking uncomfortable with his head lowered, Lu Yuner’s expression became complex. She turned her head away, averting her gaze, but her hand in her sleeve involuntarily clenched a bit.

Thinking that when Young Master Su got tired enough, he would give up.

Another moment passed.

Su Qingwan’s delicate skin couldn’t bear the soreness in his neck. He finally cried out in pain, but still stubbornly refused to raise his head.

Chen Si seemed to hear movement inside the carriage and shook her head with a helpless sigh. This young master was good in every way, except for his deep-seated obsession. Otherwise, even after so many years since the lord’s passing, he wouldn’t still be unable to forgive Princess Yun.

“Young Master Su, why are you doing this?” Hearing the crying, Lu Yuner’s eyes flickered slightly. If this continued, she couldn’t ignore it. She was about to get up to go outside the carriage.

Su Qingwan’s peripheral vision caught her about to stand up. His moist eyes suddenly seemed to lose their luster. At this moment, he cried even louder, disturbing Lu Yuner so much that she couldn’t help but look at him again. Seeing his stiff body begin to sway, he suddenly lunged forward. Lu Yuner instinctively reached out to support him.

Su Qingwan’s eyelashes fluttered excitedly, knowing full well that Lu Yuner would soften her heart. Taking advantage of this, he lay across Lu Yuner’s legs, pitifully saying, “Sister Yuner, my neck is stiff and painful now. Can I lie on your legs for a moment to ease it? Just for a moment.”

Keeping his head down for so long, naturally his neck couldn’t take it.

Lu Yuner looked down at him with his back to her, revealing his fair and beautiful nape, like a little puppy seeking pity, obediently lying in her arms.

By now, she had already persuaded Princess Yun, and half the weight on her heart had been lifted. Currently, the only thing troubling her was this Young Master Su.

Now it was time to end this.

“Young Master Su, why do you like me?” Lu Yuner lowered her eyes slightly and asked calmly.

Why does he like Sister Yuner? This was a question he had never thought about before. Su Qingwan recalled his past with Sister Yuner, smiled sweetly, and replied in an obedient tone, “I don’t know either. I just like everything about Sister Yuner.”

Lu Yuner smiled faintly. This young master was clearly a hopeless romantic.

But in the next moment, her eyelashes, as dark as crow’s feathers, trembled slightly. She said thoughtfully, “Isn’t Young Master Su quite curious about why I don’t like you? Then let me tell you today, what if I were half human and half ghost?”

“Half human and half ghost?” Su Qingwan suddenly sat up upon hearing this, looking at her with wide eyes.

“That’s right. I know that humans and ghosts walk different paths. A union between us would truly go against the will of heaven. Besides, if I were half human and half ghost…” Lu Yuner saw surprise and panic appear in his eyes.

So her eyes darkened, and she suddenly leaned close to Su Qingwan. With an unprecedented seriousness on her face, she said word by word, “Young Master Su, aren’t you afraid that I might steal your soul, seize your spirit, eat your flesh, and drink your blood?”

Her tone was flat, with no discernible emotion, but it was much lower than usual.

Originally still in shock and not having come to his senses, but because of Lu Yuner’s sudden closeness, the two were face to face, very close to each other.

Su Qingwan’s mind suddenly went blank. Apart from shock, he felt her hot breath from speaking falling entirely on his skin, scalding his heart and making it tremble. His white and delicate ears turned completely red. Those seemingly drunk yet not drunk peach blossom eyes were staring at him intently, making Su Qingwan suddenly feel uncomfortable and shy.

Moreover, at this time, because Su Qingwan had been keeping his head down for so long, when he suddenly sat up, he felt a bit dizzy and uncontrollably staggered backward.

But this action appeared to have a different meaning in Lu Yuner’s eyes. She lowered her eyelashes, concealing the complex emotions in her eyes, and then retreated to resume her sitting posture.

Unexpectedly, when she said it in a joking tone, it still startled him. To be honest, anyone who hears about such strange supernatural things would inevitably be startled and lose color.

Let alone the pampered and sheltered Young Master Su.

So, she had never told anyone, precisely because she was worried about reactions like this…

Lu Yuner’s eyes curved slightly, a fleeting, indecipherable look passing through them. She smiled and said, “It was just a joke. Look how scared Young Master Su is!”

Su Qingwan was stunned upon hearing this. A joke!? Is that so?

Although her tone carried a hint of amusement, why did Sister Yuner’s serious gaze not seem like it was false?

Su Qingwan had to admit, at the moment when Sister Yuner said those words, he was indeed startled. This shock wasn’t fear, but confusion, and even more so, strangeness.

He had read many folk tales, and out of curiosity, had read a few horror and strange stories before. He didn’t find them particularly frightening.

If there really were such things as ghosts and spirits, he truly wanted to see his father one more time…

“I… I.” Su Qingwan looked up dazedly, intending to explain, but not knowing what to say.

At this moment, the carriage suddenly stopped, and a familiar voice was heard.

“My lady, you’ve returned.” Qiu Yi was now standing at the gate of the mansion, looking at the familiar carriage with particular excitement.

Lu Yuner’s gaze deepened, her tone gradually turning cold: “In any case, I am not the right person for Young Master Su. When you like someone and don’t get a response, Young Master Su should know when to cut his losses. Otherwise, if you fall too deep, you’ll only hurt yourself. I hope Young Master Su will stop bothering me in the future.”

Leaving these words, Lu Yuner lifted the curtain and left. After thanking Manager Chen, she then entered the mansion.

Manager Chen looked at the carriage and noticed that the young master had not poked his head out yet. Not knowing what had happened inside the carriage, she approached and asked with concern, “Young Master, are you alright?”

Then a voice with an obvious cry came from inside the carriage, “Aunt Chen, I’m fine. Let’s go back to the mansion first.”

Chen Si heard this, and worry gradually appeared on her face. It seemed Princess Yun’s approach was correct. When she discovered that the young master wanted to send Lu Yuner back to the mansion, Princess Yun didn’t stop him at all. It turns out she intended to let the young master voluntarily know when to retreat.

Unexpectedly, this Lu Yuner, who seemed quite gentle, was as decisive and cold-hearted as a chess player when it came to speaking and acting.

To be honest, Lu Yuner was indeed a good woman, but unfortunately, the two were not fated to be together. Moreover, as Lu Yuner said, for a good marriage, mutual love is indeed important. Forced union bears no sweet fruit, and Princess Yun didn’t want to force anyone.

However, now the young master should take back his heart.

At this moment, Su Qingwan was lying in the carriage like a pitiful little dog, his whole body shaking uncontrollably. Large teardrops fell one after another as he hung his head, burying his face between his legs and hugging himself, strongly suppressing himself from crying out loud, whimpering softly.

At this time, the night was as cool as water, and the moonlight was as white as frost. Chen Si drove the carriage again, heading back to the mansion.

At Lu Mansion.

Qiu Yi instructed several servants to prepare hot water. She put her finger in the water to test the temperature, and her brow furrowed. Then, until the water temperature was adjusted to a comfortable warmth, she smiled with satisfaction. The lady had worked hard today, now she could enjoy a relaxing hot bath.

Then she turned her gaze to the lady who was sitting silently on the round chair. Seeing a faint worry gathering between her brows, leaning against the table with one hand supporting her chin, her gaze unfocused as she stared out the window in a daze.

Qiu Yi felt something was strange in her heart. Since returning from Princess Yun’s mansion, the lady seemed to be lost in thought. She called out softly, “My lady, the bath is ready.”

“Mm.”

Lu Yuner came back to her senses, withdrew her gaze, and stood up to walk towards the landscape-painted folding screen. Her long, slender arms stretched out, allowing Qiu Yi to serve her.

Lu Yuner didn’t mind being observed while bathing. Although she was a typical southerner, rather reserved and shy, because she had attended university in the north, she had often entered public bathhouses during her school days and had become accustomed to being frank and open.

As the last piece of snow-white undergarment was removed, her fair and jade-like naked body bloomed like a flower, with curves in all the right places, truly a natural beauty.

Qiu Yi, who had served for many years, always averted her eyes shyly, thinking about which lucky young husband would benefit from this in the future.

There was no help for it, her lady looked good at any time.

Lu Yuner slowly stepped into the misty bathtub, accompanied by a series of “ding ding dong dong” water sounds. The warm water flowed over her creamy skin, like a lotus emerging from clear water, naturally unadorned.

She leaned back against the edge, and when her whole body was submerged in the water, she involuntarily let out a low moan of comfort.

Indeed, taking a hot bath could relieve all the worries and fatigue of body and mind. It was truly a good way to relax.

She had heard that there was a hot spring resort in the southern suburbs of the capital. When she had free time, she would invite her two sisters to go play there.

Lu Yuner changed her posture, slowly leaning against the edge of the bathtub with her eyes closed, and said softly, “Qiu Yi, if you have questions, just ask.”

From the moment she entered the mansion, Qiu Yi’s gossipy thoughts had been written all over her face.

Qiu Yi could no longer contain herself and spoke out all the questions that had accumulated in her heart: “My lady, how exactly did you and the young master get acquainted?”

Lu Yuner then chose to selectively reveal everything that had happened.

A moment later.

“Oh~~~So that’s how it is! Speaking of which, my lady, you are now Young Master Su’s life-saving benefactor,” Qiu Yi exclaimed after listening, suddenly realizing something. She looked at her lady with wide eyes, in a state of disbelief, her voice trembling slightly as she said, “My lady, this… Could it be that… Young Master Su… likes… you?”

After her lady’s explanation, combined with Young Master Su’s strange, bashful expression when he sent the drunk lady back to the mansion before, and today’s sudden invitation to Princess Yun’s mansion, then just now when the lady returned, Manager Chen kept glancing at the carriage while talking to the lady. She had found it strange at the time. Now thinking about it, there was clearly someone else in the carriage.

Could that person be Young Master Su!?

“Mm.” Lu Yuner replied calmly without any change in expression. She had already guessed that Qiu Yi’s eyes were now as wide as brass bells. She had thought this matter would pass by quietly, so she hadn’t told Qiu Yi.

Who would have thought that these things would happen one after another later on? At this point, there was no need to keep it secret anymore.

Qiu Yi’s expression turned resentful as she said, “How could you! My lady, you’ve kept this from Qiu Yi for so long?” As she spoke, she suddenly felt a bit hurt, an intangible sourness welling up in her heart. Her tone became gloomy as she said, “My lady, have you… always considered Qiu Yi… an outsider? Qiu Yi knows she’s clumsy and not very smart, and has often made you unhappy over the years…”