Chapter 46: Don’t Worry About the Marriage

The sky outside had already darkened. Qian Lu waited outside the Xu mansion for a long time but didn’t see Zhang Meng come out. Just as she was puzzled, she saw a handsome young man dressed in purple walking out from inside.

“Officer Qian, Officer Zhang won’t be returning to the yamen tonight. You can go back first,” said the purple-clad young man.

Qian Lu was startled and asked in surprise, “She’s not going back?” She hesitated and said, “Is it your young master not letting her go back, or…” Had something happened to Xu Lu Cha…

She didn’t know Xu Lu Cha’s current condition. Magistrate Zhong had sent someone to fetch Zhang Meng back. Worried about Xu Lu Cha’s situation, she volunteered to come find Zhang Meng herself.

As the gatekeeper of the yamen, she had witnessed Xu Lu Cha waiting for Zhang Meng day and night, and also witnessed his health gradually deteriorating, finally becoming critically ill. To be honest, she really didn’t want Xu Lu Cha to die like this.

“How is your young master’s condition?” After much hesitation, Qian Lu finally voiced her concern.

“The young master has woken up and is talking with Officer Zhang. He wants Officer Zhang to stay with him,” Zi Yi said.

As Zi Yi said this, his expression was a bit uncomfortable. He bent his knees slightly towards Qian Lu, then turned and went back inside.

After the young master woke up, he kept clinging to Officer Zhang and wouldn’t let go. Zi Yi had never seen the young master so gentle and clingy before. He was like soft malt candy, sticking to Officer Zhang and impossible to pull away.

Zi Yi had been standing aside watching the young master’s clingy behavior, feeling embarrassed on the young master’s behalf. Officer Qian was waiting outside for Officer Zhang, and Zi Yi wanted to urge Officer Zhang to return to the yamen, but the young master would occasionally shoot him a few glares, threatening him to get out and not be an eyesore.

In the end, Zi Yi didn’t voice his urging for Officer Zhang to return to the yamen, but instead went outside to tell Officer Qian to go back first.

Zi Yi walked back to the courtyard and stopped uncomfortably in front of the tightly closed door. He sat down at the stone table and opened the chess set, playing chess with himself to pass the time.

As long as the young master was happy, it was fine. To be honest, before Officer Zhang came, the young master still looked like he was on his last breath. After Officer Zhang arrived, although the young master was still weak, his spirits were much better. Indeed, only Officer Zhang was the young master’s best medicine.

…

“Young Master Xu, you should rest well first and recover your health…”

Zhang Meng looked up at Xu Lu Cha and saw that although he was so tired his eyes were almost closed, he was still forcing his eyelids open, his beautiful eyes half-lidded, staring at her intently. His eyelashes were thick and long, fluttering slightly like butterfly wings.

Zhang Meng struggled a bit uncomfortably with her hand that was being tightly held by him.

“Ahem, it’s getting late now, I should return to the yamen.”

Since waking up, Xu Lu Cha had been gripping her hand and wouldn’t let go. Zhang Meng’s wrist was already feeling numb.

Seeing that she wanted to break free from his hand, Xu Lu Cha hurriedly increased his grip, holding Zhang Meng’s hand tightly in his. His voice was a bit hoarse: “Stay with me tonight…”

After saying this, his pale face flushed red. His words sounded a bit improper, as if inviting her to intimacy.

Although he had done even more shameless things to Zhang Meng when he lost control of his emotions, when he was clear-headed, he still had a man’s sense of propriety.

“I feel anxious when you’re not by my side,” Xu Lu Cha added.

Zhang Meng wanted to refuse, but Xu Lu Cha struggled to prop himself up, saying weakly, “If you go back to the yamen, I’ll follow you back.”

Only when he was by her side could his heart be at ease. Only then could he believe that this wasn’t all a dream, that Zhang Meng had accepted him. That Zhang Meng was going to marry him.

He feared that once Zhang Meng left, his beautiful dream would end, and what awaited him would be endless despair…

“Young Master Xu… don’t get up.” Zhang Meng hurriedly pressed on his shoulder, making him lie down. She said helplessly, “Young Master Xu, we’re not married yet. It seems a bit inappropriate for me to stay here.”

Xu Lu Cha said anxiously, “What’s inappropriate about it? I’m already yours. If you’re concerned, we can get married right now…” Speaking too hastily, he began to cough violently.

Hearing his words, Zhang Meng felt helpless and embarrassed, but seeing him cough, all her embarrassment turned into concern for him. She quickly patted his back gently, helping him catch his breath.

Xu Lu Cha coughed until tears welled up in his beautiful eyes. He gasped weakly, “Zhang Meng, don’t leave me. I won’t allow you to leave.”

Just as Zhang Meng was about to speak, the door was suddenly pushed open, and Zi Yi’s anxious voice sounded, “Young Master, why are you coughing…”

Xu Lu Cha’s cough hadn’t stopped yet, and he was still weakly gasping for air, but facing the troublemaker who had disturbed his and Zhang Meng’s sweet private world… His gentle beautiful eyes instantly turned cold as ice when he looked at Zi Yi, and icy daggers shot towards Zi Yi. Zi Yi’s face stiffened, and he quickly retreated and closed the door.

Zhang Meng didn’t notice Xu Lu Cha’s expression. Seeing Zi Yi retreat with a stiff face, she was a bit puzzled but didn’t think much of it. She turned back to Xu Lu Cha and said with difficulty, “But if I stay here and people find out, Young Master Xu’s reputation…” Her words halted, suddenly realizing that Xu Lu Cha’s reputation was already ruined, and now she was still mentioning reputation to him, wasn’t this like twisting a knife in his heart?

Zhang Meng anxiously looked at Xu Lu Cha’s expression. Xu Lu Cha’s delicate handsome face was as pale as paper, fragile as if he would shatter at the slightest touch like a bubble. But his beautiful eyes looked at her tenderly, filled with surging affection and near-crazed obsession. He suppressed his voice and said softly, “As long as I have you, that’s enough. I don’t care about anything else.”

Even the power, wealth, and reputation he had pursued for over a decade couldn’t compare to a thousandth of Zhang Meng’s tenderness. As long as Zhang Meng was by his side, he didn’t need anything else. Or rather, as long as he could get even a hint of Zhang Meng’s favor or pity, he was willing to trample himself into the mud.

Zhang Meng finally agreed to stay at the Xu mansion to accompany Xu Lu Cha. As the night deepened, Xu Lu Cha still tightly held Zhang Meng’s hand, refusing to sleep.

His physical condition was too poor, and Zhang Meng was afraid something might happen to him. She hurriedly coaxed him to sleep gently, “Young Master Xu, I will stay by your side to accompany you. Please rest well, don’t force yourself.”

Knowing that Xu Lu Cha cared about her, she added, “If you don’t take care of your health and keep not recovering, our marriage will have to be postponed indefinitely.”

When Xu Lu Cha had just woken up, he kept talking about suitable dates for getting married. He even had Zi Yi bring him an almanac to look at. Regarding the wedding ceremony, he agonized over it at length, wondering who to invite, how many days the banquet should last, how many people should carry the bridal sedan chair…

Zhang Meng listened with a pounding heart, only then realizing that she was going to marry a rich young master, while she was a penniless constable with no power or influence, unable to even provide a proper betrothal gift. She simply couldn’t afford to marry Xu Lu Cha!

She stammered, “I don’t have a betrothal gift. I’m very poor, I still owe Magistrate Zhong money…” She had never felt so embarrassed before.

But Xu Lu Cha said gently, “I don’t need a betrothal gift. I’ll pay off your debts for you. After marrying me, you won’t have to be poor anymore. Don’t worry about the wedding, leave it to me.”

Hearing his words then, Zhang Meng couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Which man in this female-dominated society didn’t want a generous betrothal gift from his wife-to-be, a dignified wedding ceremony?

But for the sake of marrying her, he was taking care of everything himself. Zhang Meng felt moved, and she couldn’t help but gently caress Xu Lu Cha’s face, saying softly, “Marrying someone like me, don’t you feel wronged?”

Xu Lu Cha’s response then was to lightly nuzzle her hand with his cheek, saying softly, “So you must treat me well…”

Xu Lu Cha cared about her very much, as she could see from how seriously he was planning their future. So the best way to persuade him to rest well and recover was to use their marriage to threaten him.

Looking at Xu Lu Cha’s soft, watery beautiful eyes, Zhang Meng spoke firmly, “Young Master Xu, if your health doesn’t improve, I won’t dare to marry you.”

Hearing Zhang Meng’s words, Xu Lu Cha widened his eyes anxiously and said urgently, “If you dare to reject me again, I’ll…”

“Of course I want you!” Zhang Meng interrupted him, her voice softening a bit, “But with your health so poor, how can you marry me?”

Xu Lu Cha was stunned, not knowing what he thought of, his handsome face flushing slightly red. His eyes looked tenderly into Zhang Meng’s, the affection in them like countless fine threads densely entangling Zhang Meng. After a while, he finally spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito’s, “I will nurse my body back to health, you don’t need to worry.”

Xu Lu Cha finally agreed to close his eyes and sleep, but he wouldn’t allow Zhang Meng to leave his side for a step. He emphasized that he must see Zhang Meng when he wakes up tomorrow.

Zhang Meng promised him. Xu Lu Cha closed his eyes, and after a good while, he suddenly raised her hand and kissed the back of it.

“If you’re tired, you can come to bed and sleep with me,” Xu Lu Cha said, still with his eyes closed, not daring to open them and look at Zhang Meng, his delicate pale face blushing thoroughly.

How improper, he thought.

However, when facing her, he always couldn’t help but abandon propriety and etiquette, passionately throwing himself at her. Just like a moth to a flame.

Hearing Zhang Meng softly hum in agreement, Xu Lu Cha’s heart suddenly thumped against his chest.

The next day, the sun had risen high, and piercing sunlight shot through the windows before Xu Lu Cha slowly woke up.

After a night’s rest, his spirits were much better. Perhaps it was because he had let go of his worries and his mood was relaxed, or perhaps it was because Zhang Meng was by his side, making him feel happy and at ease. This was the best sleep he had had in a long time, dreamless all night until dawn.

The first thing Xu Lu Cha did upon waking was to grip Zhang Meng’s hand tightly, but when he exerted force, he grasped nothing but air.

His heart skipped a beat, as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over his head, his hands and feet turning ice cold.

He felt his mind buzz, his head emptying, and he called out Zhang Meng’s name voicelessly. Without even putting on his shoes, he ran out of the room barefoot, frantically searching for Zhang Meng’s figure.

It wasn’t until he saw Zhang Meng appearing before his eyes carrying a basin of clear water that he collapsed as if all strength had left his body.

His body hadn’t recovered yet, and he was completely weak, barely able to walk. But when he discovered Zhang Meng was gone, he didn’t know where he found the strength to support himself and run out of the room to search for her everywhere.

Seeing Xu Lu Cha run out in disarray and fall to the ground, Zhang Meng hurriedly put down the water basin and quickly walked over to help Xu Lu Cha up.

“Young Master Xu! Are you alright? You’re still ill, what are you doing running out here?”

Before Zhang Meng could finish speaking, she was tightly embraced by the person in front of her, his body still trembling anxiously.

“Zhang Meng, don’t leave me!” His voice trembled.

I thought what happened yesterday was just my dream, I thought I was going back to the hellish days before, I was afraid you didn’t want me anymore. Fortunately, you’re still here…

☆、