Chapter 27: Oh, Lu Cha Is So Flirtatious

Because of Lin Hao’s situation, Zhang Meng specifically went to ask the constables responsible for the neighboring street to help keep an eye on Lin Hao.

Zhang Meng also personally told Lin Hao to be careful, and if anything happened, to find the patrolling constables nearby.

Lin Hao was arranging his jewelry when he heard Zhang Meng mention Liang Bing. His thick eyebrows furrowed as he angrily threw the jewelry back onto the stall. “If that scum dares to do anything to me, I’ll…” He paused, realizing the person in front of him was Zhang Meng, not someone else. His face reddened, and he glanced at Zhang Meng somewhat embarrassedly, “I mean, that person, I’m not afraid of her at all.”

“You’d better be careful,” Zhang Meng advised him.

After finishing her street patrol work, Zhang Meng didn’t chat much with Lin Hao. She bid him farewell and prepared to go to the market to buy groceries.

She bought some vegetables and meat, and after some thought, also bought some easily storable items like eggs and cured meat. She wouldn’t be able to send him food often, so food that could be stored longer was more suitable to buy for him.

Carrying the vegetables and meat, Zhang Meng headed up the mountain.

Passing through the lush forest, she saw the familiar wooden cabin. Xu Lu Cha was standing at the doorway of the cabin, wearing a brown hemp robe, his skin as white as snow, black hair like a waterfall, his beautiful eyes like water occasionally gazing into the distance.

Seeing Zhang Meng, he slightly pursed his lips, his handsome face slightly reddening as he averted his gaze.

“Young Master Xu,” Zhang Meng smiled and waved at Xu Lu Cha.

Xu Lu Cha paused for a moment, then came to greet her.

Zhang Meng held the groceries in her left hand and wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her right hand. Xu Lu Cha noticed her fair face tinged with a faint blush, tiny beads of sweat glistening on her temples. His heart stirred, and he tightened his grip on his handkerchief, raising his hand to wipe her sweat.

Zhang Meng quickly leaned her head back, avoiding his handkerchief, and laughed, “I’ll wipe it myself.” She then wiped her forehead again with the back of her hand.

Xu Lu Cha glared at her somewhat angrily.

How unromantic!

“Zhang Meng, what did you buy?”

Xu Lu Cha decided not to fuss over it and changed the subject.

Walking side by side, Zhang Meng turned her head and smiled at him, lifting the groceries in her hand for him to see: “I bought some food for you. You don’t have much good food up here in the mountains. These vegetables should be enough for you to eat for a few days.”

Such thoughtfulness towards a lover, she could indeed be considered a good wife. Xu Lu Cha’s lips curved slightly, and he shyly extended his hand towards Zhang Meng.

She was being nice to him, so he would let her… hold his hand for a bit.

Zhang Meng saw Xu Lu Cha reaching out his hand towards her and was slightly stunned, but she quickly realized and handed the groceries to Xu Lu Cha, “Thank you for your trouble, Young Master Xu.”

Xu Lu Cha: “……”

After handing the groceries to Xu Lu Cha, Zhang Meng felt much lighter and shook her wrists. Although the groceries weren’t heavy, her hands had become a bit sore from carrying them for so long. Men in the matriarchal country were typically delicate, but she didn’t expect Xu Lu Cha to show such gentlemanly behavior. Zhang Meng looked at him approvingly and said, “Young Master Xu, let’s go inside.”

With that, she took the lead and walked into the courtyard.

Xu Lu Cha followed behind, carrying the groceries, feeling both embarrassed and wronged.

This blockhead!

Zhang Meng entered the courtyard and saw two bowls of steaming noodles on the stone table. Although they were just ordinary wild vegetable noodles, they were beautifully arranged. The wild vegetables were lush and green, neatly spread on top of the fine white noodles, with an enticing aroma wafting up.

“Young Master Xu, did you make this?” She rushed to the stone table and turned back to look at Xu Lu Cha in surprise. “It smells so good.”

Xu Lu Cha’s face, which had been somewhat unhappy, quickly softened. Under Zhang Meng’s gaze, he shyly nodded.

He knew she would like it. Her expression was just like that of a greedy little cat, so adorable.

Xu Lu Cha put down the groceries he was holding and walked to the stone table, sitting opposite Zhang Meng. He handed her the chopsticks and said softly, “Try it?”

“May I?” Zhang Meng seemed pleasantly surprised as she took the chopsticks. “Thank you, Young Master Xu.”

As soon as the noodles entered her mouth, Zhang Meng’s eyes lit up. The noodles were fresh and had a good texture, and the soup was also very tasty. She didn’t know how Xu Lu Cha had seasoned it to make these ordinary wild vegetable noodles taste so good.

Zhang Meng couldn’t stop praising the noodles, while Xu Lu Cha’s beautiful eyes softened as he quietly watched her.

It seemed that every time he saw her, he found her more charming and lovable. He had truly fallen for her. He only hoped she wouldn’t let him down. She had no money or power, but that didn’t matter. He would strive for those things. He, Xu Lu Cha, could climb up even without a woman’s help.

After experiencing his escape from marriage and life-and-death situations, he clearly realized that one could only rely on oneself. Relying too much on others would ultimately lead to nothing.

“Young Master Xu, why aren’t you eating?” Zhang Meng looked up and saw Xu Lu Cha staring at her intently, which made her feel a bit uncomfortable.

Xu Lu Cha averted his gaze and softly grunted in acknowledgment. He picked up his porcelain bowl and, seeing that Zhang Meng’s bowl was almost empty, used his chopsticks to transfer some noodles from his bowl to hers.

“Ah, there’s no need, Young Master Xu…” Zhang Meng hurriedly tried to stop him when she saw his actions.

Xu Lu Cha glared at her, forcefully taking her bowl and placing it in front of himself. He then divided half of the noodles from his bowl into hers.

“Th-thank you.”

Zhang Meng took her bowl back, feeling a bit uncomfortable with Xu Lu Cha’s sudden kindness.

But she had indeed saved Xu Lu Cha’s life, so she figured his behavior was probably because he saw her as a lifesaver he wanted to repay. She hadn’t expected him to be someone who knew how to show gratitude.

After finishing the noodles in her bowl, Zhang Meng was so full she started hiccuping. Usually, she would give Xu Lu Cha money for the meal, but considering that Xu Lu Cha was living in her house and eating her food, she decided against the idea of paying him for the meal.

Xu Lu Cha cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks and went back to the kitchen. Zhang Meng brought the meat and vegetables she had placed under the stone table to the kitchen. Xu Lu Cha rolled up his sleeves, revealing snow-white arms, his fair and slender fingers washing the bowls and chopsticks. Zhang Meng sorted the vegetables on the side and then put them away one by one.

“Young Master Xu, I’m putting the eggs and cured meat in this compartment. If you want to eat them, just come here to get them.”

Xu Lu Cha turned his head to look at her, his black hair swaying gently with the movement of his head, a strand of hair falling by his red lips. He slightly parted his red lips, and the hair strand stuck to his mouth.

His face was as beautiful as jade, his eyes like water, his lips like fire, with the strand of hair hanging on his perfectly shaped lips, seductively attractive.

Zhang Meng looked at him twice and pointed at his lips, “Hair, hair…”

Xu Lu Cha gently closed his eyes, waiting for her to remove the hair from his lips. After waiting for a long time and noticing no movement from the person next to him, he opened his eyes only to find that she had moved to the other side to pickle meat.

Throwing the chopsticks back into the water basin heavily, Xu Lu Cha’s face was full of embarrassment and annoyance.

This stone block!

…

Zhang Meng had originally decided not to stay too long on the mountain, but since Xu Lu Cha had made noodles for her, she ate them and even ate half of Xu Lu Cha’s bowl. Feeling guilty, she went to the kitchen to help him pickle the meat. By the time the meat was pickled, it was getting quite late.

If she returned to the yamen now, she would definitely be scolded by Zhong Huo. Zhang Meng secretly regretted it and decided that next time she came, she wouldn’t accept anything from Xu Lu Cha again.

After washing and drying her hands, Zhang Meng said to Xu Lu Cha, “It’s getting late, I should head back.”

Xu Lu Cha, who was picking vegetables, was startled upon hearing this and quickly turned to look at Zhang Meng, “You’re leaving again?”

How could she leave so soon?

They hadn’t even talked much, and she was already leaving?

“There are still matters at the yamen, I can’t stay too long.”

Xu Lu Cha’s handsome face tensed up unhappily. He threw the vegetables back into the basket and stood up, walking to Zhang Meng, “The yamen won’t fall apart without you.”

What’s so good about going back to face those stinking women? He was standing right in front of her, as beautiful as a flower, couldn’t she bear to part with him?

Couldn’t she want to possess him?

Faced with Xu Lu Cha’s inexplicable complaints, Zhang Meng was somewhat surprised but didn’t think much of it. Instead, she patiently replied, “I still have work to do, I can’t neglect my duties.”

Although Xu Lu Cha was unhappy, he didn’t insist on her staying. It was right for a woman to have career aspirations, he couldn’t be selfish. But thinking about her leaving again, he couldn’t help but want to look at her to his heart’s content.

He stared at Zhang Meng for a while, then softened his voice and said, “Come earlier tomorrow.”

Although Zhang Meng would still be quite free tomorrow, for the sake of Xu Lu Cha’s reputation, she didn’t plan to come see him. After all, the vegetables she brought this time were enough for Xu Lu Cha to eat for a few days. So she politely declined, “Young Master Xu, I’ll be quite busy tomorrow, I might not have time…”

Xu Lu Cha bit his lower lip, “Then the day after tomorrow…”

“Ahem, Young Master Xu, I might be busy for the next few days.”

Xu Lu Cha clenched his fists. Just thinking about not being able to see her for the next few days made his heart feel as if half of it had been hollowed out, empty and restless.

Seeing Zhang Meng seemingly unconcerned, he felt even more agitated, his heart heavy.

Did she love him at all!

Or did she already have another man outside?

Lin Hao? Xiao Chou? Or Zi Yi!

“Young Master Xu, then I’ll be going now?”

Xu Lu Cha turned around as if he were ignited gunpowder, angrily shouting, “Go if you want to go! Don’t come back in the future!”

Despicable woman! Fickle and toying with men’s feelings!

But as Zhang Meng turned to leave, he couldn’t help but grab her sleeve.

Despicable woman! Does she truly have no attachment to him at all?

Zhang Meng turned back to look at him. To be honest, she felt Xu Lu Cha was very strange today, seeming particularly reluctant to part with her. But thinking about it, she could understand. Living alone on the mountain was indeed a lonely thing, and Xu Lu Cha was probably bored and wanted her to come keep him company.

She said to Xu Lu Cha helplessly, “Young Master Xu, why don’t you come down the mountain? Although you ran away from your marriage and the Xu family is looking for you, no one would dare to come arrest you at the yamen. You could stay at the yamen, that way you’d have company. When things blow over, you can come out again. By the way, have you thought about confessing your crime? You only engaged in group fighting and disturbed the peace, and it wasn’t you or someone you sent who injured me. At most, Magistrate Zhong would punish you by making you copy the penal code a thousand times, it’s not a big deal.”

Xu Lu Cha’s fingers stiffened, and he released her sleeve.

This wooden head was trying to persuade him to confess again, but what he hated most was confessing. He had never regretted what he had done, so how could there be any talk of confession?

Although he didn’t like her always asking him to confess, his anger mysteriously subsided.

This woman who says one thing but means another, actually she misses him more than he misses her, right? Deliberately asking him to confess, isn’t it just because she wants to live with him and see him every day?