Chapter 34: A’Yue Acts Shamelessly

When Zhang Meng returned to the government office, she saw a carriage parked at the entrance.

She looked at the carriage with confusion but didn’t pay much attention to it and walked into the office. As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, she saw a blue-clothed young man stand up from a stone bench and walk towards her with a smile.

“Wife-master, you’re back. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

The young man had grown taller, with a slender and graceful figure, red lips and white teeth, and a pair of beautiful peach blossom eyes that seemed to be able to captivate people.

Zhang Meng was startled by the address “wife-master” and hurriedly shook her head and waved her hands: “A’Yue, don’t call me that. It’s not good for your reputation.” Her eyes looked around but didn’t see Jin Yue, so she asked, “Where’s your sister Jin Yue?”

“Because I missed wife-master, I came here by myself.”

“A’Yue! Don’t call me wife-master!”

The young man stepped forward and put his arm around Zhang Meng’s waist. Before Zhang Meng could push him away, he quickly let go. He smiled: “Sister Meng’s waist is slender and strong. I like it very much.”

Even with Zhang Meng’s good temper, her face darkened after being repeatedly teased by the young man.

Zhong Huo appeared in the courtyard from somewhere, looking at Zhang Meng with a dark face. Although Zhong Huo’s expression wasn’t good, Zhang Meng would rather go over to be with Zhong Huo than stay alone with this bold young man.

“Zhang Meng, come here!” Zhong Huo called out in a deep voice from over there.

After Zhang Meng and A’Yue went over, Zhong Huo said in a sarcastic tone: “When did you two privately agree to marry?”

As A’Yue was about to answer, Zhang Meng quickly spoke up: “A’Yue is just being childish. It’s just a joke, we haven’t agreed to marry.”

Hearing Zhang Meng speak like this, A’Yue didn’t object and just smiled at her. He turned his gaze to Zhong Huo and said gently: “Sister Meng is right, we haven’t agreed to marry. I was just joking around, please don’t take offense.”

Zhong Huo’s expression improved a bit. She exchanged a few pleasantries with A’Yue, but because she had official business to attend to, she soon left. Only Zhang Meng and A’Yue were left in the courtyard. Zhang Meng felt a bit uncomfortable, while A’Yue sat comfortably at the stone table drinking tea.

Zhang Meng sat awkwardly for a while, then suddenly remembered the spring palace diagram A’Yue had stuffed into her room. She quickly stood up and said: “A’Yue, wait here for a moment. I’ll go get that thing and return it to you.”

“No need.” A’Yue put the teacup back on the stone table and smiled as he spoke: “Sister Meng, I gave it to you.”

A’Yue had stopped calling her “wife-master”, which surprised Zhang Meng, but mostly made her feel relieved. Her expression softened a bit. She had always liked children, and if A’Yue stopped teasing her, she would treat him like her own little brother, after all, he was Jin Yue’s husband’s younger brother. However, things like spring palace diagrams still needed to be returned. Ignoring A’Yue’s protests, she quickly walked back to her room, found the item, put it in a box, and walked back to the courtyard.

A’Yue sat at the stone table, boredly propping up his chin with one hand, his peach blossom eyes looking at the swaying willows in the distance. Hearing Zhang Meng’s approaching footsteps, he didn’t turn around: “Sister Meng, I heard from sister Jin Yue that you’ve liked that man for several years, but he doesn’t love you. Why do you still refuse to marry for his sake?”

Zhang Meng sat across from him and handed him the box: “There’s nothing I can do. I can’t forget him.”

A’Yue turned to look at her, his peach blossom eyes bright and moist: “Sister Meng, you’re really silly. If you like him, you should possess him first. He might resent you for a moment, but he’ll be devoted to you for a lifetime.”

“Pffft!” A stream of water shot straight out of Zhang Meng’s mouth. She had just taken a sip of tea and hadn’t swallowed it yet when she was shocked by the young man’s outrageous words, coughing nonstop.

A’Yue laughed: “Sister Meng, I was just joking.”

His delicately carved face was still wet with the tea Zhang Meng had just sprayed out, making his jade-like skin look like a lotus emerging from water. He calmly took out a light blue handkerchief and wiped the tea off his face.

“Cough cough… cough, that’s not something to joke about, it’s a very serious matter, you could go to jail for that!” Zhang Meng wanted nothing more than to grab his ear and scold some sense into him.

A’Yue put both hands on the stone table, cupping his cheeks as he gazed at Zhang Meng. His eyes were mischievous with a hint of indiscernible tenderness. After a long while, he smiled and said: “I’d be willing to be possessed by Sister Meng, willing to be devoted to Sister Meng for a lifetime.”

Zhang Meng’s face darkened when she heard his words. She had just thought he had improved, but in just a moment, he started teasing her again. His brother A’Zhe was such a gentle and shy man, why was he so bold and shocking, completely lacking the shyness a man in a female-dominated country should have.

“A’Yue, I think Jin Yue has already told you, it’s impossible between us.” Zhang Meng said seriously.

She couldn’t let this continue. She had to make it clear to him that they were impossible and cut off his thoughts. She had always disliked being ambiguous in matters of the heart. If she liked someone, she liked them; if she didn’t, she didn’t. If she didn’t like someone but still led them on, she would be hurting them.

Zhang Meng was also puzzled. She had been single for over twenty years in the modern world, with no man interested in her, but in this female-dominated world, her love life had become more complicated. Both Xu Lu Cha and A’Yue were young masters from wealthy families, why did they take a liking to her, someone without money or power?

A’Yue’s smile faltered: “Anyway, you’re the one I’ve set my sights on…”

Just as Zhang Meng was about to speak, the old man sweeping the yard called out to her from a distance: “Zhang Meng, there’s a young gentleman here to see you, the one wearing purple clothes.”

Zi Yi?

Zhang Meng’s heart skipped a beat. She was somewhat afraid to see Zi Yi now, as seeing him reminded her of Xu Lu Cha, but she still went out to meet him. Before leaving, she turned back to instruct A’Yue: “You should go home quickly, it’s not safe when it gets dark.”

…

Zi Yi was waiting for her outside the government office, his brows furrowed with worry. After Zhang Meng came out, his furrowed brows didn’t relax, but instead creased even more noticeably.

“Zi Yi, what brings you here to find me?”

Zi Yi hesitated: “The young master has a fever and is unconscious. He keeps calling out your name. Could you come and see him?”

Xu Lu Cha is sick? Zhang Meng was a bit stunned. Just a few days ago when she saw him, he was still full of energy, even daring to attack Lin Hao with a fan.

“If you’re unwilling, Zi Yi won’t force you,” Zi Yi spoke again, seeing her somewhat dazed expression.

Zhang Meng hesitated for a moment before deciding: “I’ll go see him. As a friend, I should go check on him.”

To avoid prying eyes, Zi Yi led Zhang Meng through several secluded alleys before finally entering the Xu family’s back courtyard through an inconspicuous small door.

Xu Lu Cha’s courtyard was very secluded and cold. Although it was summer, a cool breeze could be felt upon entering. Opposite his room was a pond, with red petals falling slowly from flower branches into the water.

Entering Xu Lu Cha’s room, she found it even more spacious. Apart from a desk and a large redwood bed, there was almost nothing else. Light green gauze curtains fluttered in the breeze. Zi Yi tied back the curtains and led Zhang Meng to Xu Lu Cha’s bedside.

Xu Lu Cha’s face was flushed, his forehead beaded with sweat, his beautiful eyes tightly closed, his pale lips opening and closing, muttering something. Zhang Meng listened carefully and faintly heard Xu Lu Cha’s words.

“Zhang Meng… won’t fall in love with you… must kill you…”

Zhang Meng didn’t know what expression to make. Zi Yi also heard Xu Lu Cha’s muttering but had no reaction, taking a damp towel to wipe Xu Lu Cha’s sweat.

Xu Lu Cha, not knowing what he was dreaming about, suddenly furrowed his brows and bit his lower lip hard, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Zhang Meng exclaimed in surprise and quickly called out to Zi Yi: “Zi Yi, quick, don’t let him bite his lip.”

Zi Yi hurriedly pinched Xu Lu Cha’s face, freeing his lower lip.

“Zhang Meng!” Xu Lu Cha let out a low roar, his limbs thrashing about as if possessed.

“Don’t go!” Xu Lu Cha’s tightly closed eyes shed tears. He reached out into the air, as if trying to grasp something, but caught nothing.

Seeing this, Zhang Meng quickly reached out and held his hand: “Young Master Xu, I’m here.”

Xu Lu Cha gripped her hand tightly, and after a long while, his emotions gradually stabilized.

Zi Yi had been watching from the side. Seeing Xu Lu Cha’s emotions stabilize, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

After Xu Lu Cha fell unconscious, he seemed possessed, constantly calling out Zhang Meng’s name, saying strange things, and even losing control of his emotions. If there had been any other way, he wouldn’t have gone to find Zhang Meng.

Seeing that Xu Lu Cha had calmed down, he asked Zhang Meng to help watch over Xu Lu Cha while he went to the kitchen to brew medicine.

Although Xu Lu Cha was the third young master of the Xu family, he had no status. Xu Hong only provided him with necessary living expenses and almost ignored him otherwise. Even now that Xu Lu Cha had a high fever, she hadn’t come to see him once.

After Zi Yi left, Zhang Meng sat by the bed keeping Xu Lu Cha company, occasionally wiping his sweat.

Xu Lu Cha held her wrist tightly, with a grip so strong it caused her pain, but if it could help him feel at ease, Zhang Meng wouldn’t pull away.

Gradually, Xu Lu Cha fell into a peaceful sleep, and the hand gripping Zhang Meng’s wrist slowly relaxed.

Zhang Meng took the opportunity to withdraw her hand when he loosened his grip, rubbing her red and sore wrist.

Xu Lu Cha was sick, and although she didn’t know if it had anything to do with her, she felt bad. She hoped Xu Lu Cha would get better soon.

The sleeping Xu Lu Cha was quiet and delicate, looking like a fragile porcelain doll.

Zhang Meng thought that Ying in her dream was also like this, asleep, without any aggression, delicate and fragile.

Looking at Xu Lu Cha, Zhang Meng inexplicably overlapped him with Ying from her dream.

That strange melancholy came over her again. Zhang Meng uncomfortably clutched her chest, trying to drive away the inexplicable empty pain in her heart.

“Constable Zhang.” Zi Yi walked in quietly, asking in a low voice: “Has the young master fallen asleep?”

“Mm.” Zhang Meng nodded slightly.

Zi Yi wrung out the wet towel from the water basin, folded it several times, and gently placed it on Xu Lu Cha’s forehead. He turned back and nodded to Zhang Meng: “Thank you, Constable Zhang. If it weren’t for you, the young master wouldn’t have calmed down so quickly.”

“It’s nothing. Young Master Xu is my friend, and I also hope he can get better soon.”

☆