Conquering the Male Supporting Character – CH 030

Chapter 30. Tusu Wine

The sky darkened, and a sharp north wind relentlessly shook the bamboo blinds hanging under the eaves, whipping up the silk tassels beneath. A pretty young woman dressed as a maidservant hurried into the courtyard of Tingyin Pavilion carrying a food box.

The food box contained a bowl of mutton soup, prepared in advance by the kitchen. Now that Lady Wan had returned, it needed to be served quickly.

As soon as the maidservant entered the room, she saw the slender figure of a woman half-hidden behind the beaded curtain of the inner chamber.

She took the small white porcelain bowl from the food box, placed it on the table, and gently lifted the beaded curtain.

“Young lady, Madam instructed you to drink some soup after your return to ward off the chill.”

The woman, seemingly lost in thought, was suddenly brought back to her senses. She lazily rose, dressed in red with a jade hairpin, her face delicate and beautiful—it was Lu Wan.

Lu Wan took the porcelain cup handed to her by the maid. It was warm to the touch, neither too hot nor too cold, just the right temperature.

She stirred the pale soup with a spoon, glancing at the maid whose name she could not recall, only vaguely remembering her.

“Have Ah Ling and the others not returned yet?”

“Replying to the Young lady, I’ve already sent people to guard the gate. They will report as soon as Young Lady Ling returns, but there’s still no news.”

They had not returned yet. Lu Wan frowned, listening to the wind outside, and could not help but worry. She scooped up a spoonful of mutton soup and swallowed. The sweet aroma of almonds mingled with the savory fragrance of mutton. The one-finger-wide cubes of mutton melted in her mouth, making her mouth water.

After finishing the soup, she felt much warmer.

“Put away the red cloak I wore back with me, iron it, and put it away. I will wear it again for the Lantern Festival.” She needed to wear it for Xie Yu on the Lantern Festival.

“Yes,” The respectful maidservant said, tidying up the tableware. As she was about to leave, she moved nimbly, without making a sound.

“Wait,” Lu Wan called out to her. “What’s your name again?”

“This servant’s name is A-Miao.”

A-Miao’s shoulders tensed, and upon closer inspection, they were trembling. Her heart leaped into her throat.

This was her chance. Her father and A-Yu were not here today. If her mistress took a liking to her… if her mistress took a liking to her, she would not be forced to marry that fool.

Unfortunately, Lu Wan only nodded reluctantly and ordered, “Go and bring Xiao Bai here.”

As if suddenly deflated, A-Miao moved her lips, finally just bowing her head and agreeing before leaving, a wave of despair almost overwhelming her.

Lu Wan, however, did not notice the maid’s strange behavior.

She was still pondering Xie Yu’s methods; the more she thought about it, the more suspicious she became.

From the original novel, Xie Yu was a cold and arrogant young man, exceptionally talented, and somewhat detached from worldly desires.

So, was the person who invited her to the Lantern Festival today, with all that tea and flirtation, really Xie Yu himself?

She had thought about it carefully several times and was almost certain it was not him.

Xie Yu had practically shifted all the blame onto her, making himself seem wronged, and that fresh, green tea-like scent was impossible to hide.

Especially since she was very familiar with that scent; she used it often, and it even worked quite well.

Could it be that someone else was inside Xie Yu’s body?

A bold thought popped into her mind, but she quickly dismissed it.

Xie Yu was different from her; he held a proper official position and had to handle official business regularly. If it really was someone else, it would have been exposed long ago.

As she was thinking, Xiao Bai was brought over. Upon seeing her, it excitedly meowed twice and pawed at her, trying to snuggle into her arms.

“A-Miao?”

A-Miao, her face flushed, was about to get down when Lu Wan called out to her. She was petting the cat, calmly observing the maid before her.

“Why are you crying?”

A-Miao, startled by the call, felt a sudden chill and knelt before Lu Wan with a thud, startling her.

“Tell me, what happened?”

Lu Wan’s brows furrowed. She was not used to people kneeling before her. “Get up first.”

“This maid…this maid’s mother wants to marry me off to Liu Wu in the front courtyard. This maid really does not want to…” She covered her face and sobbed.

Unable to stop the tears from streaming through her fingers, she sobbed as she explained.

“That wife that Liu Wu married before was tortured to death by him. He’s a heavy drinker, and when he’s drunk, he beats people without any restraint. I do not want to marry this beast.”

“Really? There’s such a violent piece of trash in this household?”

Lu Wan found it unbelievable yet could not understand it.

“Since even you know about this, your mother must know too. Why would she push you into this hellhole? Is there something she wants from you?”

A-Miao lowered her hand, staring blankly at the corner of her dazzling red dress that had fallen, and explained, choking back tears.

“Ever since the Old Madam fell ill in the middle of the night, countless monks and Taoist priests have been hired to perform rituals in an endless stream. Liu Wu was the one who made the arrangements, and everyone in the mansion says… he’s profited quite a bit from it.

My mother heard about all this and wanted to marry me off to him to get some bride price money.”

Seemingly touched on a sore spot, grief welled up within her. A-Miao mustered her courage and stepped forward, grabbing the hem of Lu Wan’s red skirt, her face upturned, streaked with tears.

“This is all just to arrange a marriage for my good-for-nothing brother!

But I do not want to die, nor do I want to marry such a wicked man! Please, young lady, do me justice, save me!”

The Old Madam was performing a ritual… Unexpectedly, this whole affair was related to her. Lu Wan, feeling somewhat guilty, looked away.

“Get up first.

With me here, I will definitely not let you marry Liu Wu.”

She stood up, her brows relaxing. “Go fetch a cloak; I need to pay my respects to my mother.”

This was good. Lu Wan’s lips curled slightly; she had not expected A-Miao to be helping her solve such a big problem.

This was truly a godsend.

Confused, A-Miao quickly wiped her eyes and followed behind her with her head down.

It was not far to Lady Zhou’s courtyard, but halfway there, fine snowflakes began to flutter and dance in the air, prompting Lu Wan to quickly pull the hood of her cloak over her hair.

Upon entering the house, she discovered that Lu Yuan had not gone out either, dressed in a scholar’s white robe, and was at his desk, writing something.

“You’ve been out all day; why are you not resting? What are you doing here at this hour?” Lady Zhou, who was grinding ink for him, looked up and asked with a hint of reproach.

“Did you drink the mutton soup I sent you?”

“Yes, I drank it all,” Lu Wan replied with a smile. “Father’s here today, too. What are you writing?”

She leaned closer to the desk and saw that the pristine white paper was covered with handwriting exactly like her own… a scrawled mess.

Lu Wan pouted, then forced a compliment, “Father, your handwriting looks quite neat…”

It was just far inferior to Xie Yu’s; they were worlds apart, like heaven and earth.

“Has Ah Wan eaten honey today? She certainly knows how to talk.”

Lu Yuan did not mind; he was confident in his own handwriting. “Come and see this inkstone I just acquired. It is a genuine treasure; even the ink it grinds is exceptionally fine.”

“Youzhi, do not corrupt our daughter. She might learn from you and buy all these useless things every day,” Lady Zhou interrupted him with a smile.

She put down the ink stick, wiped her fingertips with a handkerchief, and walked towards Lu Wan.

“You’ve come to see me now; there must be something you need. What is it?”

“Mother, you are so wise!” Lu Wan complimented her with a smile, then pulled A-Miao from behind her.

She briefly explained, and Lady Zhou immediately guessed her purpose. “You want to carefully investigate the accounts of these various rituals performed by these people?”

“Indeed,” Lu Wan nodded.

If Liu Wu alone could embezzle so much, there must be a lot of shady dealings involved. Adding to the problems with the accounts investigated a few days ago, it might add fuel to the fire with Lu Ming and the Old Madam.

It would also allow the Old Madam to have some peace for a long time and, incidentally, give Lu Zhen a warning.

Lu Wan thought of Lu Zhen’s brand-new outfit today and the expensive hairpins and ornaments in her hair; it seemed this was the source.

She even admired the Old Madam’s composure. She’d been so frightened she fell ill, yet she still managed to find ways to siphon more money from the public accounts.

“Why bother with them?” Lu Yuan tossed his brush aside, took a couple of sips of tea, and said with a displeased expression, “Do not get your hands dirty with their dirty business.”

“Father, do not worry about me. I will take care of myself.”

Lu Wan puffed out her cheeks nonchalantly. “I just wanted to give the Old Madam something to do.”

“Did Lu Zhen provoke you again today?” A mother knew her daughter best; Lady Zhou smiled and handed her some candied fruit.

They’d provoked her so many times; she remembered every single one of them. Lu Wan lowered her eyelashes, the candlelight casting feather-like blue shadows on her face.

“I am just bored, finding things to do,” she smiled, ultimately not telling the truth.

“You are still bored?” Lady Zhou shook her head, a hint of mockery in her voice.

“You went to the Xie residence to report a few days ago; were you free? I heard that Xie Xun’an personally escorted you back today, riding together on the same horse.”

Lu Yuan’s eyes widened upon hearing this. “I do not understand! That Xie Xun’an is usually so aloof, but he has this trick up his sleeve. Is he not flirting with our Ah Wan?”

“Mother…Father…” Lu Wan immediately lowered her head, her voice tinged with a hint of reproach. “Then I will go back first.”

“Look at that…”

“Are you shy yet?”

Lady Zhou stopped teasing her and reminded her with concern, “Hurry back, the snow will get heavier, and it will get cold.”

She paused, then added, “Whatever you want to do, as long as it is not excessive, your mother and father will support you.”

“Alright,” Lu Wan blinked, her face beaming as she got up to say goodbye. “I am going back now.”

“Be careful on the road; it is slippery with snow.” Even Lu Yuan looked up and gave her a word of advice.

Although it was a bit nagging, it was something she loved to hear, something she never tired of.

On the way back, Lu Wan touched her heart, feeling an overwhelming, nameless warmth almost overflowing within. A light smile curved her lips, a joyful arc.

What followed was downright outrageous.

The Old Madam probably never expected that the eldest branch of the Lu family, which usually did not interfere in the Lu household’s affairs, would investigate her so thoroughly and even involve Lu Ming.

Every single penny of the money she embezzled from the public accounts under the guise of these religious ceremonies and donations was meticulously investigated by Lu Wan.

“You say you embezzled these funds and allowed the servants to line their own pockets, just to buy her some jewelry for the poetry gathering? How absurd!”

Lu Ming’s face was ashen. He pointed at Lu Zhen, who looked terrified beside the bed, and questioned her sharply.

“My mother has no one left, and my dowry was all spent on your career advancement years ago. It certainly cannot support Ah Zhen and Ah Can. Even the imperial concubines in the palace require money for favors. Where am I supposed to find all this money, My Lord?”

The Old Madam turned to look at him, her tone calm as she asked, tears streaming down her face, making her appear even older and more haggard.

“Although the Lu family still has savings, how can I freely use them to add to Ah Zhen’s dowry without borrowing money?”

Lu Ming gasped. In his younger days, the Lu family was at its peak, which allowed him to marry a legitimate daughter of the Cui family of Nanling, like Lu Yuan’s mother.

Even after the change of dynasties and the decline of the Lu family, and after he remarried the Old Madam, bringing wealth and power, he had never considered these things.

He paused, his tone softening slightly. “If that’s the case, Ah Zhen does not need such extravagant adornments.”

“No! Lu Wan and Lu Ling have them; why can I not?”

Lu Zhen, enraged, felt a surge of intense jealousy and resentment welling up within her, and she shouted back.

“That’s because their mother is the only daughter of Zhou, a wealthy family that owns half the city.”

Lu Ming’s anger, which had just subsided, flared up again. His hand trembled as he pointed at Lu Zhen. “Ah Wan and Ah Ling are your nieces; how can you be jealous of them and constantly compare yourself to them?”

“Do they really treat me like an aunt? Do they treat us like family? My mother is sick now, and they have not even come to care for her!”

Lu Zhen knew she was in the wrong, but she still stubbornly retorted.

Little did she know that these words had struck a nerve with Lu Ming.

His heart ached, his brows furrowed, and he glared fiercely at Lu Zhen several times before turning and leaving, coldly uttering, “This is the daughter you raised.”

Lu Zhen was startled. After Lu Ming left, she threw herself at the Old Madam’s side, weeping and complaining.

“Am I not telling the truth? This household is not truly one family.”

“You are not wrong.” The Old Madam leaned back, her face weary, letting hot tears roll down her cheeks. “I was wrong.”

Wrong for marrying Lu Ming against her father’s wishes.

Wrong for using her father’s status to coerce and entice him into marrying her, without knowing whether Lady Cui was alive or dead.

Wrong for secretly having the mother and child driven away, but not for killing them completely, even though she knew Lady Cui was still alive.

One wrong step, and it was all a mistake. Back then, she was overjoyed to marry the handsome and upright eldest son of the Lu family; now, she regretted that he treated her like a stranger.

But thankfully, she still had her eldest daughter to rely on. Once her grandson ascends to that position… she could endure… just a little longer…

The determination in her eyes grew stronger.

*

“Is that all? Grandfather left just like that?” Lu Wan was somewhat dissatisfied. A short, snow-white silver hairpin picked up a piece of autumn pear; its sweet taste made her squint.

A-Yu held the fruit plate for her, reporting the news she had gathered and nodding with dissatisfaction. “That’s all the information I’ve gathered. The Old Master did not give any orders.”

“All bark and no bite.”

Not even a house arrest; all her hard work these past few days had been for nothing.

Lu Wan stretched her legs lazily on the couch, and A-Miao quickly brought a warm hot water bottle to her feet, unlike A-Yun, who simply urged her to shrink back under the covers.

Her tender, white feet, like bamboo shoots, felt warm and cozy on the hot water bottle, and she was even more satisfied with A-Miao.

In this way, it was not all for nothing; having a thoughtful and considerate maid was not bad.

“Have you informed the kitchen about preparing the ingredients in advance?”

“I’ve already sent someone,” A-Miao replied respectfully. “I just checked in the kitchen, and everything is indeed ready. We will definitely be able to make all the dishes you ordered, Young lady.”

“Hmm,” Lu Wan nodded, her gaze sweeping over the three maids beside her, beginning to instruct them.

“It’s New Year’s Eve, a rare holiday, and I do not need so many people serving me. A-Yun and A-Yu can take turns going back to visit relatives, and A-Miao can decide when to go back herself; just let me know.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Young lady!”

As soon as she finished speaking, A-Yu turned back to look at her elder sister with shining eyes, clearly not expecting such a pleasant surprise.

After all, as the personal maid of the young lady in the mansion, how could she be so carefree? It was only because their mistress was kind-hearted.

Even the usually composed A-Yun smiled broadly. “Thank you, Young lady.”

“Young lady, I do not want to go back. Please let me stay and serve you alone. A-Yun and Ah Yu can go back as they please.” A-Miao forced a smile, politely declining the suggestion.

“What?!” A-Yu immediately wanted to tug at her sleeve to thank her, but A-Yun stopped her, gesturing for her to behave.

Lu Wan thought for a moment and guessed the gist of it. “Is your mother still resentful that you did not marry Liu Wu and let her take the money?”

Liu Wu had already been dealt with during the accounting check.

A-Miao lowered her head, gave a soft “hmm,” and twisted her hands together.

Lu Wan had seen families that favored sons over daughters before, but this was the first time she had witnessed such ruthless treatment of a daughter.

“It’s alright; I am here.”

She did not need to say anything more; A-Miao should understand her meaning. Even though the servants in the household were now registered as slaves, she could still manage their marriages.

“Thank you, Young lady.” A-Miao knelt and kowtowed, a forced smile playing on her lips; her face was already quite pale.

While Lu Wan was busy preparing for the New Year, Xie Yu’s household remained quiet and deserted. The servants were all huddled together, lacking any atmosphere of preparation for New Year’s Eve and the Lantern Festival.

Xie-Jue returned from outside the mansion and saw only a few children, hiding firecrackers as they ran outside. They were all servants’ children.

Their parents had instructed them not to make noise inside the mansion, so they had gone to set off firecrackers together. Once they reached the gate, they looked at each other, revealing some innocent smiles.

Xie-Jue shook his head, feeling that the Xie mansion was actually quite deserted during festivals.

Upon entering the study, he saw Xie Yu at the zither table by the window. His handsome face showed little expression; his fingers idly plucked the strings, producing a sparse, discordant melody.

The atmosphere was extremely elegant, serene and secluded, reminiscent of a recluse in the woods.

However, there was a lack of human warmth.

Xie-Jue sighed inwardly, wishing he could quickly marry Young Lady Lu into the family to make things more lively.

“My Lord, the investigators report that the matter with Liu Jize has been handled extremely cleanly. As for Liu Jize’s case back then, the investigation could only trace back to Liu Jize’s past actions. Gu Yan might be somewhat involved, having redeemed Liu Jize’s youngest daughter and raised her on his own estate.”

Xie Yu slowly withdrew his gaze from the zither, speaking indifferently.

“To rescue him and send him to Luoyang was difficult enough; it is not surprising that the investigation failed.

As for Gu Yan, I do not think he has any bad reputation.”

His skin slightly lifted. “Gu Yan is known for his kindness; redeeming his old friend’s daughter would not be difficult for him. She’s just a young woman; even a saint would not be too harsh on her.”

“My Lord, are you saying this is just a coincidence?”

Xie-Jue felt increasingly confused. Or was he overthinking things? Was it really just Liu Jize trying to take revenge on his lord?

Seeing Xie-Jue sweating profusely with anxiety, Xie Yu tapped the zither table with his finger to rouse him. “What’s the rush?” he asked.

“They’ve already hung Liu Jize’s body on the Dengwen Drum. Why would we be in such a hurry?”

A leisurely smile played on his lips, as if the scars on his heart had never existed.

Once the worried Xie-Jue had calmed down, Xie Yu casually plucked the strings, returning to the tranquility of a moment ago.

The window was wide open, and the cold snow light reflected off him, illuminating his entire figure, yet making it impossible to discern his complexion.

It was New Year’s Eve, and the following day was New Year’s Day. Xie Yu suddenly tried to recall his childhood memories, but they were somewhat blurry. He did, however, have some recollection of the time he stayed at Ci’en Temple as a young boy.

Every winter, Ci’en Temple would cook plum blossom porridge as a way of celebrating the occasion.

He would play Weiqi in the meditation room, listening to the crisp sound of the Weiqi pieces falling, the rustling of snowflakes, and the hissing of the pot on the fire. Finally, a young novice would respectfully present him with a bowl of plum blossom porridge.

The porridge was made with white petals and green calyxes, fragrant with the scent of green plum blossoms, mixed with rice, and cooked with snow water.

Every time, Master Yuanguan would smile and say, “Green calyx petals, cooked in snow water to make porridge, can relieve heat and toxins and also soothe the liver and regulate qi. It is perfect for someone like you, with a troubled mind and heavy thoughts.”

It had been quite a few years since he’d last visited; it seemed he’d rarely gone since entering officialdom.

Xie Yu’s gaze lingered on a plum tree in the courtyard. Its pale red blossoms, double petals with brown calyxes, were not suitable for making porridge, but they could adorn a young lady’s hair.

A slight smile played on his lips. He thought of the plum blossom he’d once placed in Lu Wan’s hair.

The white jade hairpin in her hair, the red dress she wore—adding a red plum blossom to the already striking look was truly fitting.

He suspected she thought the same thing; he could sense a hint of impatience hidden in her beautiful brows, yet she still allowed him to do as he pleased.

Perhaps she herself had secretly removed that first flower.

Caught in the act, she had to feign panic but ultimately obediently allowed the flower he had casually picked back on.

That obedient and docile appearance… it was increasingly like the one he had seen in his dreams, her waist held in his arms, enduring his advances, yet only able to softly nestle against him, as if he were the only one she could rely on in the world.

Xie Yu’s eyes darkened, and the strings of his zither trembled as if startled.

The zither music played softly, like the moon shining deep within a bamboo forest, but instead of illuminating a silvery frost, it cast dappled shadows on the bamboo, creating a deep and mysterious atmosphere.

The next day, Lu Wan got up very early and busied herself in the kitchen. Besides instructing everyone to do as she said, she personally cooked some porridge, ordered it to be sent to each courtyard, and packed the rest into food boxes.

The porridge was quickly delivered to the Xie residence.

Shi Yao, having received the news, ignored her maid’s advice and went to the courtyard gate to meet her. She had lost a lot of weight, her dark eyes were even more luminous, and her pale purple silk jacket hung loosely on her body.

Lu Wan was startled and frowned, repeatedly asking her questions.

“Ah Yao, have you been skipping meals? Or are those physicians incompetent? You’ve lost so much weight.”

She deliberately adjusted the jade bracelet dangling from Shi Yao’s right wrist. “Look at yourself; how thin you’ve become.”

“It’s nothing,” Shi Yao said calmly, her energy still quite good. “It’s an old ailment; it will get better after this winter.”

Seeing her like this, Lu Wan knew she could not persuade her otherwise, so she pulled her inside, afraid she’d catch a cold.

“Today is New Year’s Day; I’ve brought you some food.”

She placed a covered bowl, uncovering it to reveal steaming plum blossom porridge, and then took out a heart-shaped food box, opening it to neatly arrange various candied fruits, pastries, and dried fruit.

“These are all made using a secret recipe, with some spices and seasonings adjusted compared to those sold in stores. As for this plum blossom porridge, I cooked it myself. Try it quickly!”

“Ah Wan, you are so thoughtful.” Shi Yao smiled and took her hand.

“Our household is too quiet. Maybe it will feel better when you marry into our family.” With a playful remark, Shi Yao regained some of her usual lively spirit.

Suddenly pressured to get married and having her thoughts exposed, Lu Wan…

She refused to answer such a trap-laden question, forcefully changing the subject: “Hurry up and eat it; it will get cold soon.”

“Yes, I will eat it now. But you should also take some to my cousin,” Shi Yao gestured towards the other one; “otherwise, it will get cold too.

He should be in my uncle’s courtyard right now; I will send someone to call him.”

That meant there would not be a chance to be alone together.

Lu Wan was a little anxious, looking at Shi Yao’s emaciated appearance, yet unwilling to leave her alone, she was conflicted.

“I was just teasing you. I just took some medicine before you came, with an added herb called Anxi, so I do not have the energy to entertain you right now. I will have my maid take you there and then send someone to inform him.”

Shi Yao seemed unable to hold back and chuckled. “Do not curse me in your heart. I tried my best.”

“I came to bring you some food, and you are just teasing me.” Lu Wan gently tapped her and laughed as well.

“Do you think Master Xie is in your uncle’s courtyard right now?”

She was still a little curious. The head of the Xie household was practically a recluse; she’d only heard that he seemed to be ill and often delirious and therefore rarely attended to affairs.

Shi Yao’s expression grew heavier. “He’s been bedridden for a long time, so naturally, my cousin should visit him, especially since it is New Year’s Eve.”

It seemed Xie Yu had a deep affection for his father. This thought lingered in Lu Wan’s mind.

Then why was his relationship with Lady Xu so bad? Lady Xu did not even visit him when he was seriously injured.

She was very curious, but this was a matter for the Xie family, and she should not interfere.

She could only bid farewell to Shi Yao and carefully walked along the newly cleared gravel path towards Xie Yu’s study.

The slender figure in red gradually disappeared into the snow. The maid beside her carried a heavy food box. The two turned a corner and vanished from Shi Yao’s sight. Unbeknownst to them, Shi Yao, leaning against the door behind them, watched Lu Wan leave and suddenly uttered a seemingly random remark.

“Xie Yu is truly lucky.”

When the servant announced Lu Wan’s arrival, Xie Yu was sitting by Xie Hong’s sickbed, fiddling with the incense in the burner with bronze chopsticks.

The person on the bed was silent; his sunken cheeks, etched with age from illness, were hidden in the shadows of the bed curtains, making his face indistinct.

So quiet that even breathing could not be heard.

Xie Yu’s gaze settled on the silent Xie Hong, his eyes briefly glancing at his pale face. He chuckled softly, “We, father and son, truly have nothing in common.”

“Like this ‘Moonlight Incense,’ so delicate and elegant, ‘a serene companion to the ‘moon’—only you would appreciate it. Even Shi Yao uses it, but I still cannot get used to it.”

He gazed at the white smoke rising from the incense burner, then fell silent again.

Only when a servant came to report did he rise, turning and leaving without even looking back.

Upon entering the study, Xie Yu saw Lu Wan sitting properly at the table, her back to him, fiddling with something, looking completely at ease, as if she were in her own boudoir.

He stood by the screen, gazing at Lu Wan for a long time, as if deep in thought.

But before he could react, Lu Wan suddenly turned around, startling him.

“Lord Yu’s back! Why did you not say anything? You startled me!”

Lu Wan complained, half-jokingly, her delicate white hand gently patting her heart.

Back? The word was interesting.

It was as if she had been waiting for him to return from outside the mansion. Or rather, as if she were his lawfully wedded wife, waiting for him to return home after his shift.

Xie Yu’s eyes flickered slightly, then he smiled gently. “Ah Wan, what brings you here?”

“Yesterday I picked some plum blossoms, made plum blossom porridge, and also pickled some honey-preserved plum blossoms. I wanted to bring some for you.”

Lu Wan invited him to sit down, explaining each item to him one by one.

“The plum blossom porridge is still warm; you can eat it now. The candied plum blossoms have also been sweetened with honey and are already quite fragrant. You can mix them into your wine; it is a more refined affair than sweeping snow to brew tea.”

Lu Wan opened the treasured box, but it was different from the one she had given Shi Yao; it had fewer varieties.

“These are all Dongpo dried fish. I used different spices to cook them and also different kinds of fish, so the flavors are all different. Although they are cooked, they keep quite well.”

She picked up a piece of green fish with Sichuan peppercorns and offered it to Xie Yu. “Would you like to try some?”

Lu Wan stared at him with wide, bright, and lively eyes, her heart overflowing with anticipation.

She was not worried about Xie Yu refusing. She’d just had Xiao Bai check yesterday, and Xie Yu’s current favorability was a whopping 50—definitely above average.

Surely he would not completely refuse her.

Xie Yu’s gaze fell on the food presented to him. The Dongpo dried fish was clearly fried to a golden brown and crispy perfection, its subtle Sichuan peppercorn aroma easily recognizable.

It had taken quite a bit of effort to examine it.

After a few more moments, Lu Wan’s arms were getting tired, and he still had not taken it. She could not help but feel embarrassed.

Just as she was about to take it back, Xie Yu slowly approached, his thin lips barely moving as he took it into his mouth.

He very slowly savored the Dongpo meat in the box, his gaze fixed on Lu Wan’s face, meeting her eyes without any attempt to hide it.

Lu Wan even felt as if he was tasting her, not fish.

With a ‘snap,’ she nervously closed the box and pushed it towards Xie Yu.

“Please keep these; I’ve been frying them for a long time…”

Lu Wan lied without changing her expression, even showing a hint of shyness.

“It’s all from your heart, I will certainly appreciate it.”

Xie Yu finally smiled, a gentle curve to his lips, his smile as warm and captivating as a spring breeze.

Then, the two sat facing each other awkwardly for a while.

Both remained silent.

They could even hear light footsteps outside, probably from servants.

Lu Wan considered her sixth sense quite sharp; she vaguely felt that Xie Yu seemed different today… perhaps more sentimental.

Her thoughts wandered. Could it be the kind of sentimentality that came with holidays, making one miss one’s loved ones even more?

After all, the Xie residence had appeared frighteningly deserted on her journey, not at all like a place about to celebrate a festival.

To be honest, Xie Yu was truly pitiful. He was unloved by his parents, and this holiday, his only close relative, his cousin, was sick.

But she was helpless. She could not invite Xie Yu to her house for New Year’s Day.

That would be too much; it would be an open secret and not very demure.

She hesitated for a moment, then got up and walked to Xie Yu’s side. Gritting her teeth, she threw herself into his arms and hugged him tightly.

It was a quick, almost friendly bear hug, a way of comforting him. Lu Wan mentally prepared herself.

She even patted his back, clearly trying to reassure him.

But when she tried to get up after the hug, Xie Yu forcefully pressed her down, holding her firmly in his arms.

Lu Wan, forced against his warm chest…???

Suddenly, she felt like she’d walked right into a trap.

Suppressing the urge to struggle, she quietly nestled in his arms. A fragrance, different from his usual cool, slightly bitter scent, lingered around her nose, delicate and elegant.

It was somewhat like… the blended incense Shi Yao usually used, the one she called “Moonlight Incense.”

The tiny flame that had just ignited in Lu Wan’s heart was instantly extinguished.

Perhaps he’d switched to incense because of Shi Yao.

She even thought, somewhat boredly, that Xie Yu was actually worse off than she’d imagined.

Especially since Shi Yao had just been trying to matchmake her with Xie Yu, completely unaware of his intentions.

Life was truly miserable. She silently lit a candle for Xie Yu in her heart and, well, for herself, who had worked so hard to win him over.

The person in his arms was so quiet and gentle, and Xie Yu felt a void in his heart being soothed.

He even felt as if the person in his arms was so soft it was melting.

A slight stirring in his heart, Xie Yu gently leaned close to her ear and coaxed the little lady in his arms. “Will you stay with me tonight?”

A wild desire stirred within him; he wanted her to stay.

To keep him company on New Year’s.

He had not kept watch on New Year’s for many years.

But in Lu Wan’s ears, the answer was unequivocal.

Of course—no.

This question was not even a question for Lu Wan, because she would not hesitate at all.

She was eagerly anticipating spending New Year’s with her beloved, having even prepared special meals and snacks.

How could she possibly spend New Year’s with a stingy man whose affection level was only 50 after so much effort to win him over?

“My beloved” was such a precious word, far more important than Xie Yu.

But she could not say this aloud, only stammering in response, “This is… improper… my mother is preparing…”

Improper? Then who was it who just threw themselves into his arms?

Xie Yu curled his lips into a silent, cold laugh and abruptly released the person in his arms.

He forced a smile, his disappointment evident. “I overstepped my bounds just now.

Ah Wan, you should go back and spend New Year’s with your family. Such a joyous occasion should not be missed.”

His expression remained gentle, yet Lu Wan could sense the ice gradually hardening within it.

It was chillingly cold.

Ha, he, with a favorability level of 50, made a request unbecoming of his status and was rejected, yet he still had the nerve to get angry.

Did he not have any sense of propriety in his request?

He dared to presume to make her abandon everyone and spend New Year’s alone with him.

Lu Wan’s rebellious spirit rose. Pretending not to notice Xie Yu’s cold expression, she abandoned her feigned shyness and gracefully curtsied.

“I’ve been here a while, and my family is waiting for me to return. Please, Lord Yu, enjoy your porridge slowly, lest you disappoint me.”

Xie Yu averted his gaze, avoiding her eyes, his eyes lightly landing on the bowl of porridge, nodding indifferently.

Lu Wan smiled slightly and left gracefully, not caring what the person behind her might think.

In her view, Xie Yu’s current arrogance was entirely due to her spoiling him.

This was a problem, and it needed treatment.

Author’s Note:
Xie Yu: Ha, her love for me was only a little bit.
Ah Wan: Wake up… it is almost nothing, thank you.
“Mountain-boiled mutton, plum blossom porridge, and honey-preserved plum blossoms” all come from Shan Jia Qing Gong (山家清供).
“Mountain-boiled mutton” is simply mutton, almonds, scallions, ginger, etc., cooked together; it’s quite light. I feel that the mutton from Northwest China is the best—no gamey smell and very tender!
“Plum blossom porridge” is usually made with white plum blossoms, but red plum blossoms are often used; for medicinal purposes, white plum blossoms are generally preferred.
“Honey-preserved plum blossoms” are made by brewing white plum flesh, snow water, and plum blossoms together, then adding honey. It can be mixed with wine and is considered an elegant drink.