Conquering the Male Supporting Character – CH 005

Chapter 5. Visit

A cold truly had taken a lot of bitter medicine to get better.

Lu Wan felt she had truly recovered by the morning of the fourth day.

As soon as she opened her eyes, she heard the chirping of birds in the courtyard. She had barely sat up when the waiting maid, hearing the movement, used a silver hook to hang the bed curtains.

“You’ve finally woken up.”

A-Yun glanced at Lu Wan’s expression and tentatively said, “Madam instructed someone to warm the medicine. Shall I have someone bring it up?”

Lu Wan’s unfocused gaze, still slightly unfocused from waking, fell on A-Yun’s face. The maid quickly averted her gaze and adopted a respectful posture.

But it was only respectful, not affectionate. It seemed even this personal maid wasn’t close to the original owner of this body.

She suddenly felt a little puzzled; the relationships within the Lu family seemed rather strange.

Her relationship with her grandfather was nearly broken; her mother, a merchant’s daughter, dared to talk back to the Old Madam, who held the title of a county princess. Her eldest brother was close to her, but her younger sister was somewhat afraid of her.

As for her father and mother, she didn’t recall them being particularly close to her, yet yesterday they had been protecting her; something felt off.

A familiar medicinal scent wafted over, pulling Lu Wan out of her thoughts. She saw that A-Yun, noticing her prolonged silence, had taken it upon herself to bring the medicine.

Forget it. Why think so much? This wasn’t her life after all.

Completing the system’s mission and winning over Xie Yu to go home was the most important thing.

What the system was up to was none of her business.

The warm medicine was both sour and bitter, with a strangely sweet aftertaste. Lu Wan forced herself to swallow it all.

Just as she rinsed her mouth with the tea, A-Yun informed her of the new information.

“You mean Judicial Minister Xie is coming to visit?”

Lu Wan was somewhat surprised.

Xie Yu was now the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, in charge of criminal cases and litigation. People still used the old official title, so calling him Judicial Minister Xie was perfectly acceptable.

Lu Wan felt that calling him Young Master Xie Yu before they were even familiar with each other was a bit too frivolous, so she addressed him by his official title in private.

Having received A-Yun’s confirmation, Lu Wan blinked, clearing her mind, then briskly got up, threw off the covers, and went to the dressing table, urging, “Hurry up and fetch water for me to wash up.”

This opportunity had come knocking; she had to seize it.

She’d heard that Xie Yu wasn’t one to go out much, and it was usually difficult to bump into him.

Indeed, if someone were showered with handkerchiefs, purses, fruit, and flowers every time they went out, they probably wouldn’t want to go out every day.

Even the storytellers in the teahouses could recount a few tales: the once-famous Princess Ru’an of Luoyang fell instantly in love with Xie Yu, a handsome young man, and relentlessly pursued him, only to be repelled seven times in a month. Enraged, the princess married General Shen instead.

Yet, Xie Yu showed no reaction whatsoever, acting as if nothing had happened.

Lu Wan had heard many such jokes before, and upon closer inspection, Xie Yu didn’t seem so easy to win over.

Facing the polished bronze mirror, she carefully sketched her eyebrows with a pencil, but inwardly she was somewhat dismissive.

She always believed that anything was possible with effort and that human will could overcome fate.

How would she know if she didn’t try? At least she had a good start, getting involved with Xie Yu right away.

After finishing her makeup, Lu Wan carefully examined herself.

Her pale cheeks, still somewhat flushed from illness, were tinged with a delicate pink rouge, giving her a tender and delicate appearance.

Even her hair was adorned with silver hairpins and pearl flowers, and her dress was simple and plain.

This was a far cry from the flamboyant style favored by the original owner of the body.

A sudden change in style always brought a refreshing change and might even leave a special impression.

Lu Wan’s plan was shrewd, but unfortunately, Xie Yu, who came to visit, didn’t react much when he saw her.

Today, Lu Yuan had asked his superior for leave, claiming that his children were ill, and instead met with Xie Yu in the study first.

After a short while, after tea and repeated thanks, he didn’t make things difficult, treating him as just a regular visiting relative.

Before leaving, he smiled politely and said, “My daughter was saved by Xun’an, and I have prepared a table of tea and snacks to express my gratitude. I hope Commander Xie will not find it offensive.”

Thus, Lu Wan had barely learned that Xie Yu had entered the mansion when she met him.

She had originally thought that Lu Yuan would have a long chat with Xie Yu, who had come to visit, but she hadn’t expected to see him so quickly.

So when Xie Yu arrived, he saw several maids standing respectfully with their hands clasped, but the person he was looking for had vanished.

“Meow~ Meow~”

A few soft meows came from behind. Xie Yu stopped, looked around, and followed the sound around the bushes, where he met Lu Wan’s eyes. She was crouching on the ground, holding a small kitten.

! How did he get here so fast?

Lu Wan instinctively hugged the kitten tighter.

Her dark, moist eyes looked at Xie Yu, a hint of embarrassment in them.

Just now, she was waiting idly when she heard a few weak, baby-like meows coming from the bushes.

She looked around; the ground was still muddy from the rain the night before, so she ordered her maids to stay put.

Following the sound, she walked a few steps along the stone path and, sure enough, found a tiny kitten in the grass—pure white with heterochromatic blue-green eyes.

It was still clean and white, but its little eyes were darting around, and it kept meowing, looking rather pitiful.

Lu Wan, who had always wanted to raise a kitten but hadn’t been able to, looked around and, confirming there was no nest or mother cat nearby, unilaterally decided to take it home and raise it herself.

She had just comforted the kitten, wiped its little paws clean, and held it in her arms.

Before she could even stand up, a pair of black shoes embroidered with silver cloud patterns appeared before her.

Looking up with a hint of reluctance, she saw Xie Yu’s handsome and clean face. His lips curled slightly, but the smile was subtle; his eyes were calm and serene, like the cool moonlight of the sixteenth night of the lunar calendar.

“What is Young Lady Lu doing?”

Lu Wan looked up at him, suddenly feeling as if she had lost some of her imposing presence, and quickly stood up.

She didn’t put the cat down, only offering a perfunctory bow.

Her plain skirt trailed softly in the air, like a pure white pear blossom.

She noticed Xie Yu’s gaze fixed on the kitten, and a thought struck her.

Perhaps Xie Yu was also a cat lover; otherwise, he wouldn’t have arrived so quickly.

So she carefully cradled the little white kitten closer to Xie Yu and said softly, “Young Master Xie, look, this is the little kitten I found just now; it even has heterochromia.”

Someone like Xie Yu, who seemed so thoughtful, would probably prefer a woman with a simple and gentle demeanor.

Lu Wan pondered this, carefully choosing her tone to make her smile appear even more innocent.

Xie Yu’s fingers twirled within his sleeve before he reached out and stroked the kitten, his voice gentle.

“It looks less than a month old. If its mother comes looking for it and can’t find it, that would be bad. Young Lady Lu, perhaps you should put it back for now.”

“That’s rather uninformed,” Lu Wan thought, tilting her head in disapproval.

“Young Master Xie, you may not know, but this little cat was abandoned here and has picked up human scent. I am afraid it’ll never be found. I plan to take it back and raise it myself.”

Xie Yu looked at the young woman before him; her eyes shone, and her slender, white fingers twirled in the kitten’s soft white fur. He knew she wouldn’t let go.

He smiled indifferently and casually agreed.

“Then I’ll have to trouble Young Lady Lu to take good care of this little cat from now on.”

【Ding! Lu Wan’s favorability has increased to 15. Keep up the good work, Host!】

Lu Wan then remembered that she had prepared quite a few good things and invited Xie Yu to go to the lakeside.

“I heard from my mother that my illness improved this time, thanks to the ginseng that Young Master Xie sent. Hearing that Young Master Xie was coming today, I arranged for some seasonal fruits and pastries to be prepared. Please, Young Master Xie, come to the waterside pavilion.”

This was clearly a lie. Ginseng is very nourishing; she had just caught a severe cold and couldn’t afford to have another tonic that would cause a nosebleed.

That ginseng was probably moldy in some storeroom.

Thinking this, Lu Wan glanced at Xie Yu out of the corner of her eye, concealing her disdain.

Was this man so naive? The things he sent sounded practical but were utterly useless.

Lu Wan, carrying the little white kitten, walked ahead and didn’t see Xie Yu’s actions.

He slowly took a handkerchief from his sleeve, wiped the kitten’s fingertips, and then tossed it to Xie-Jue, who was following behind.

Xie-Jue quickly hid the handkerchief, somewhat astonished.

His young master was terrified of cats, but for Lu Wan’s sake, he actually petted one.

He glanced at the slender young woman ahead and made a mental note, thinking that perhaps his young master, like a stubborn tree, might suddenly succumb to temptation.

He had to remember this and not neglect this young lady.

Just as they reached the water’s edge, before even stepping onto the covered walkway, Lu Wan heard a familiar, irritating voice.

“Isn’t this Young Master Xie Yu?” a high-pitched, affected female voice rang out, its exaggerated tone revealing blatant excitement.

Lu Wan turned around and, sure enough, saw a familiar figure. Her fifth aunt, who should still be under house arrest, had actually come out.

Lu Zhen, dressed in brightly colored clothes, moved quickly with tiny steps, sidling up to them, bowing to Xie Yu, and swaying her hips as if about to dart into the water.

“Why has Lord Xie come to the Lu residence today?”

Lu Zhen seemed to only then notice Lu Wan’s presence, looking at the little white cat in her arms with disgust.

“Why are you bringing a white-furred beast to entertain a guest? It’s disgracing the Lu family.”

The little white cat seemed to understand Lu Zhen’s words, instinctively snuggling closer to Lu Wan.

Lu Wan soothingly rubbed its pink ears, her tone puzzled.

“Fifth Aunt, weren’t you under house arrest? Why are you out? Grandpa might be unhappy if he finds out.”

This exposed Lu Zhen’s true colors.

Lu Zhen’s shoulders shrank back, stung, but she quickly mustered her courage. Her mother had said she would invite a master to the residence to exorcise her, so she wasn’t afraid.

Thinking about the content of Lu Wan’s words, she exploded again. Wasn’t this an insult to her in front of Lord Xie?!

But what she said was the truth, and Lu Zhen, seething with anger but unable to refute it, pretended not to hear and tried to move closer to Xie Yu. “Xie Yu~”

Lu Wan coldly watched as Xie Yu shifted slightly, narrowly avoiding Lu Zhen’s advance.

Hmm, thankfully, she wasn’t dirty; he was a bit of a germaphobe.

Xie Yu’s expression remained unchanged as he took a few steps away from Lu Zhen. “I’ve come today to discuss something with Ah Wan. Please let’s settle in, Young Lady Lu.”

He then smiled very gently at Lu Wan, his eyes changing, filled with the soft, warm light of a spring lake. “Ah Wan, are we going to the waterside pavilion?”

?!

Lu Wan was stunned. Just now, he was calling her Young Lady Lu, and now he was calling her Ah Wan. This overly familiar manner was making her an enemy!

She stiffly turned her head to look at Lu Zhen’s expression; the other woman’s small eyes were practically spitting fire as she glared at her.

But Xie Yu, seemingly shifting slightly to stand beside her, his bamboo-green robe brushing against her skirt and almost touching her elbow, smiled slightly at Lu Zhen.

“Let’s go first; otherwise, the snacks Ah Wan prepared will get cold.”

Just then, the Old Madam’s maid, sent by the matron who had heard Lu Zhen had come out on her own, arrived.

Her wrinkled old face beamed with a smile, yet her tone was undeniably authoritative.

“Lady Zhen, please return with this old servant. Do you still remember the Buddhist scriptures you copied for the Old Madam?”

Lu Wan didn’t react until she reached the water pavilion. Was he doing that on purpose?

A suspicious gaze fell upon Xie Yu.

But as soon as she sat down, Xie Yu reverted to his aloof demeanor, bowing respectfully to her with impeccable manners. “I had no choice but to use Young Lady Lu as an excuse earlier. If I offended you, please forgive me.”

Should she praise his quick wit?

Lu Wan carefully observed his expression but saw nothing amiss, so she generously said, “It was Fifth Aunt who caused you trouble, My Lord. There’s no need for such formality.”

She smiled innocently. “It should be me apologizing on behalf of Fifth Aunt.”

Xie Yu remained noncommittal, his gaze falling on the food on the table.

Lu Wan recalled the well-behaved little girl who was most loved by the adults in the orphanage when she was young and tilted her head slightly, introducing the dishes with a gentle smile.

“A new chef has arrived from the south. He makes excellent pastries. Would you like to try some, Lord Xie? Consider it my way of apologizing on behalf of Fifth Aunt.”

It would also allow her to gauge Xie Yu’s taste.

The address was a bit too mushy, and Lu Wan shuddered slightly, subtly changing her address to Lord Xie.

Just then, a voice suddenly sounded in her mind: 【Ding! Ah Wan, Ah Wan, it’s me!】

Lu Wan suddenly looked down and stared at the obedient white cat licking its paws in her arms. Was it it?