Chapter 3

Zhong Huo was startled, staring at her for a moment, then her gaze unconsciously shifted to her chest.

Seeing Zhang Meng’s somewhat flat chest, she frowned, “Don’t bind those things in the future, it’s not good for your body.”

Zhang Meng had been paying attention to Zhong Huo’s gaze, and seeing her eyes linger on her chest, she thought of Jin Yue’s words and wished she could sink into the ground.

“Yes, I won’t bind them anymore.” Zhang Meng nodded hastily.

Zhong Huo said stiffly, “That’s good.” After saying this, she stood up and turned to leave.

Zhang Meng put both hands on her face and rubbed it.

Although they were all women, why did she feel so embarrassed?

Xu Manor.

The evening breeze was gentle, and the orange lanterns swayed slightly in the wind.

Under the pavilion, Xu Lu Cha had black hair and green clothes, skin as white as snow, bright eyes and white teeth. He held a jade flute to his lips, his slender fingers moving lightly, and melodious flute sounds arose.

Everyone said that the third young master of the Xu family was as beautiful as a flower, with a good background, and many people envied him. But no one knew that Xu Lu Cha was just an existence viewed as a stain.

His father was originally a male courtesan in a brothel, named Gong Mi. The head of the Xu family, Xu Hong, had a relationship with Gong Mi during a drunken incident and became pregnant. Xu Hong deeply loved her husband, but because of this incident, he would no longer forgive her. Xu Hong was remorseful to the extreme, and after giving birth to Xu Lu Cha, she threw him back to Gong Mi, declaring for them to get out of Yun City.

However, Gong Mi was ambitious and did not leave Yun City. He would often bring Xu Lu Cha to the Xu Manor to ask for money. If they didn’t give it, he threatened to spread the news of Xu Hong’s affair with a male courtesan, ruining Xu Hong’s reputation.

This situation continued until Xu Lu Cha was nine years old. Xu Hong finally couldn’t bear Gong Mi’s endless entanglement and schemed to have him poisoned to death.

As Xu Lu Cha was still born of Xu Hong’s ten months of pregnancy, she couldn’t bear to leave him uncared for, so she brought him back to the Xu Manor.

However, Xu Hong didn’t expect that beneath Xu Lu Cha’s dazzling exterior, his body was covered with whip marks, stick bruises, and burn scars.

Even though Xu Hong cast aside her prejudices and carefully raised and cared for him, Xu Lu Cha’s gloomy nature could no longer be changed. His personality was like his father’s: selfish, ambitious, unscrupulous, and skilled at pretense.

Zi Yi stood to the side, lowering his head to arrange the chessboard.

When the tune ended, Zi Yi raised his head.

“Is the young master thinking of something? It’s been a long time since I’ve heard the young master play the flute.”

Xu Lu Cha put away the jade flute and said with a curved lip, “Father has been gone for seven years. Besides leaving me a jade pendant, he left nothing else.”

Xu Lu Cha opened his palm, as white as jade, and a jade pendant, green as if dripping, lay quietly on it.

“This is really ironic, that someone like him would personally carve a jade pendant for me.”

“Young master…” Zi Yi was originally a servant attending to the master husband. Since Xu Lu Cha was brought back to the Xu Manor, he had been assigned by Xu Hong to serve Xu Lu Cha. He knew about Xu Lu Cha’s background.

Xu Lu Cha’s eyes were dark, and he said softly, “I was born a dirty existence, just a tool for him to use.” He gripped the jade pendant tightly, “Every time I see it, it makes me feel sick.”

“Young master, why do you still keep it with you?”

Xu Lu Cha sneered, “Only by keeping it with me can I constantly remind myself that to avoid being despised, I must stop at nothing to climb up.” Just like eight years ago, when he didn’t apply the ointment that person gave him to his wounds, leaving a body full of scars, he finally gained Xu Hong’s pity as he wished.

Zi Yi draped a thin shirt over Xu Lu Cha’s shoulders and said softly, “No matter what the young master wants to do, Zi Yi will always support you.”

Xu Lu Cha put away the jade pendant, concealing the gloom in his eyes, and asked, “How are those two fools doing?”

Zi Yi replied, “They bothered Official Zhong for several hours, and she finally sent them away. She also punished Miss Qin and Miss Qian to copy the penal code a thousand times.”

“The reason they fought was over a man. You know the third young master of the Xu family, Xu Lu Cha, right? His beauty is famous, every smile and frown is charming, so those two rich young ladies are head over heels for him.”

Jin Yue said while munching on a watermelon.

Zhang Meng squatted on the ground, washing bowls and chopsticks while listening to the gossip.

“Xu Lu Cha is truly a male beauty who brings disaster,” Zhang Meng commented.

She thought, whoever marries Xu Lu Cha in the future will certainly not have an easy time.

“Ma’am!” Jin Yue suddenly called out.

Zhang Meng looked up and saw Zhong Huo standing not far away, looking at her with furrowed brows.

Zhang Meng quickly stood up and nodded to her, “Ma’am.”

“You haven’t untied it yet?” Zhong Huo looked at her and spoke stiffly.

Jin Yue looked at Zhang Meng in confusion, while Zhang Meng understood Zhong Huo’s meaning and quickly replied, “I’ll untie it when I bathe later.”

Zhong Huo nodded. She stood there silently for a moment, then spoke again, “You two have a good relationship?”

Jin Yue replied, “Pretty good. Actually, ma’am, although Zhang Meng sometimes seems a bit silly, she’s very easy to get along with, generous, and kind.”

Realizing that Jin Yue was speaking well of her, Zhang Meng gave Jin Yue a grateful look.

Whether it was because of the darkening sky or not, Zhong Huo’s face looked very gloomy.

Zhong Huo nodded slightly, “Not bad.”

After saying this, she turned and left.

Jin Yue shrugged, “I’ve tried my best to help you, but it doesn’t seem to have worked very well.”

Zhang Meng nodded very resignedly, “I no longer hope to return to how things were with the ma’am before. As long as I don’t offend her, it’s fine.”

When the sky was just beginning to lighten, Zhang Meng prepared breakfast again. However, it was her turn to patrol the streets in the afternoon today. So in the morning, she had a lot of free time, and she tidied up the flowers, grass, and trees in the government office a bit.

During this time, she saw Zhong Huo twice, but she quietly avoided her each time, and Zhong Huo indeed didn’t notice her.

In the afternoon, Zhang Meng took her sword and went out.

The street was bustling with activity, carriages flowing like water and horses like dragons.

Along the way, Zhang Meng occasionally helped old gentlemen push carts, occasionally bought candied haws for little kids. Soon, she had finished patrolling the street.

It was still early, so she sat outside a teahouse, drinking tea that the teahouse owner had given her for free.

A handsome young man in purple clothes walked up to her.

“Miss, thank you for returning the jade pendant yesterday. It was a keepsake from the young master’s father, and he cherishes it very much. Therefore, the young master has prepared a small gift and wishes to thank you in person. Would you be willing to grant him this favor?” Zhang Meng quickly swallowed the tea in her mouth and waved her hands repeatedly, “This small matter is not worth mentioning. It’s just what I should do.” Zi Yi still persisted, “If the miss is unwilling to accept the young master’s thanks, he will certainly feel uneasy.” “If I were to accept the young master’s gift, I would be the one feeling uneasy.” As Zi Yi was about to speak again, Zhang Meng interrupted him, “I appreciate your intentions, but I returned the jade pendant to your young master not for any reward. I would have done the same for anyone else.” Zi Yi stood there troubled for a moment, then bent his knee to give Zhang Meng a bow before turning and leaving.

“Young master, she’s unwilling to come.”

Xu Lu Cha’s hand, holding a white jade teacup, paused slightly. He slowly put down the teacup.

“Zi Yi, if she’s unwilling to come, then I’ll go meet her.”

Xu Lu Cha lightly brushed his sleeve and stood up.

After Zhang Meng had drunk a pot of tea, she felt her parched throat was much better. She thanked the teahouse owner and left, holding her sword.

She first went to the vegetable market to buy groceries. The cart she had prepared earlier was standing quietly there, with a few children climbing on it to play games. After Zhang Meng shooed them away, she pushed the cart to buy vegetables.

“Young master, there’s a strange smell here. Do we really need to go in?” Zi Yi said, covering his nose.

Xu Lu Cha just frowned slightly, then walked into the vegetable market without hesitation. Zi Yi hurried to follow.

Their well-dressed appearance quickly attracted everyone’s attention. Especially Xu Lu Cha’s beautiful appearance and otherworldly demeanor, which made many women stop in their tracks, enchanted.

Before long, Xu Lu Cha and Zi Yi were surrounded by women, unable to move forward.

“Young master, may I ask if you’re married?”

“Young master, what do you need to buy? I can give it to you for free.”

“Young master, you look unfamiliar. Are you new to Yun City?”

The women chirped incessantly with questions. Zi Yi’s brows furrowed deeply as he stepped forward to block Xu Lu Cha from the women’s brazen gazes.

“Our young master has urgent business. Could you please make way?” Zi Yi called out.

Xu Lu Cha lowered his head, dropping his gaze to conceal the deep disgust in his eyes. When he raised his eyes again, they were filled with clear, glistening tears. He slowly looked around at the surrounding women, then lowered his head, and a crystal-clear teardrop rolled down his cheek.

The women gasped, feeling guilty and heartbroken. To avoid upsetting the beauty further, they hurriedly stepped back in unison, making way for Xu Lu Cha and Zi Yi.

Xu Lu Cha kept his head down as he walked out of the circle, but when he raised his head to look ahead, he couldn’t find the somewhat thin figure pushing the cart.

His eyes darkened.

“Ah, miss, you’re here!” Zi Yi beside him suddenly called out.

Xu Lu Cha was slightly startled and turned his face to indeed find Zhang Meng not far from them.

Zhang Meng wiped her forehead, “I thought something had happened here, so I came over to check. I didn’t expect it to be Young Master Xu and you all.” Indeed, being too beautiful is troublesome, capable of causing traffic jams at any moment, Zhang Meng thought.

Xu Lu Cha looked at Zhang Meng and revealed a shy smile, like the first ray of sunlight breaking through the clouds, stunning and brilliant.

He bent his knee to give Zhang Meng a bow and said softly, “Lu Cha came specially to find the miss to thank you for yesterday’s matter.”

Zhang Meng waved her hand, “It’s nothing, not a big deal, no need to thank me.”

“It may not be a big deal for the miss, but for Lu Cha, this matter is as important as the sky. That jade pendant is a keepsake from my late father, and Lu Cha has always treasured it as his own life. If it were lost, it would be like taking Lu Cha’s life. The miss is kind-hearted and returned it to Lu Cha, isn’t that equivalent to saving Lu Cha’s life?”

Zhang Meng was surprised, “Is it that serious?”

Xu Lu Cha lowered his head, “Lu Cha sincerely thanks the miss for her kindness. I have prepared some food and wine at the Yingyue Teahouse, hoping that the miss…”

Zhang Meng wanted to refuse again, but Xu Lu Cha’s eyes slowly reddened, misting over with tears that seemed about to fall at any moment.

“Lu Cha just wants to express his gratitude. Won’t the miss give Lu Cha a chance?” The surrounding citizens couldn’t bear to watch anymore.

“Constable Zhang, they’re being so sincere, why don’t you go?”

“You won’t go when a beauty invites you? Are you stupid?”

Zhang Meng hurriedly explained, “It’s not that, I still need to go back and cook. A hundred people at the government office are waiting for me to make dinner!”

“Constable Zhang, you go to Yingyue Teahouse first. We’ll find someone to tell the ma’am and have someone replace you. The ma’am will definitely agree.”

Government Office.

The green bamboo leaves trembled in the wind, making a rustling sound.

Zhong Huo, dressed in plain white clothes, held a hoe and was digging up bamboo shoots.

Jin Yue walked along the stone path to her side and spoke with some difficulty.

“Ma’am, Zhang Meng might come back a bit late today.”

Zhong Huo’s hand paused: “Why?”

Thinking that she absolutely must not let Zhang Meng leave another bad impression on Zhong Huo, Jin Yue tried her best to speak well of Zhang Meng.

“Yesterday, Zhang Meng found a jade pendant. With the spirit of returning lost items, she specially returned it to its owner, who happens to be the young master of the Xu family, Xu Lu Cha. Xu Lu Cha was very grateful to her and insisted on inviting her to eat at the Yingyue Teahouse. Zhang Meng was firmly refusing, but the citizens all urged her to go. She could only reluctantly accept.”

With a “snap”, Zhong Huo chopped off a tender bamboo shoot.

Her voice barely concealed her anger: “When she comes back, tell her that she’s lost half a month’s salary.”

“Huh?” Jin Yue was startled.

Zhong Huo threw the hoe in her hand to the ground: “It is the natural duty of a soldier to serve the people. Yet she dares to accept an invitation from a citizen. She has truly disgraced our government office.”

“No, no, no, Zhang Meng refused for a long time… Ma’am…” Jin Yue hurriedly explained, but Zhong Huo had already left with a swish of her sleeve.

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