Chapter 16 – Nipping the Peach Blossoms

The servants who came to help the young lord wash and change his clothes were all dumbfounded, standing stiffly without moving. It was the first time they had seen such a shy scene, not knowing whether to step forward and serve. Seeing this, Xiao Yuan waved his hand to dismiss the servants.

The person in the situation is confused, while the onlooker sees clearly.

Xiao Yuan looked at the bed with a worried expression, sighing inwardly: This young lord was born noble. On the surface, he appeared arrogant and aloof. Those who didn’t understand the young lord would think he was a bit haughty and willful.

In fact, the young lord had been pampered since childhood, so naturally his temperament was more lively. But he was simple-minded, innocent, and always had clear likes and dislikes.

The young lord’s fondness for Scholar Lu was not formed in a day. Perhaps it was when he was rescued from the Liushu River that a silent seed of infatuation was planted.

When he learned that his life-saving benefactor was Scholar Lu, this seed began to sprout and bloom rapidly, like a vine inadvertently climbing into the depths of the young lord’s heart, growing out of control and doing as it pleased, resulting in today’s improper behavior.

From ignorant innocence to the gradual awakening of love, tasting the sweetness of romance for the first time, how could he think of the seriousness of this act? Today’s clingy state seemed to resemble when Her Majesty was here, and even more so. If it were mutual love, it would be fine.

However, this was clearly just the young lord’s one-sided infatuation.

Xiao Yuan paused for a moment, deciding to make the young lord more clear-headed. He boldly spoke, “Young Lord, although you like Scholar Lu, as a young gentleman who has not yet married, today’s matter violates the virtue of men and should not be done. Moreover, this Scholar Lu seems to only have a teacher-student relationship with you and once saved your life. If Scholar Lu wakes up from the alcohol and realizes your overstepping behavior today…”

Every word of what Xiao Yuan said entered Su Qingwan’s ears. His mind exploded with a boom, and the original shy blush instantly turned into a humiliated pale white. It was like a basin of cold water being poured over his head, making his whole body instantly cold, penetrated by a bone-chilling coolness, causing him to fall from the clouds into a dark and filthy ditch.

He didn’t know why, but at that time, it was as if he had lost his mind, greedily seizing her breath. He shouldn’t have indulged his evil desires for his own selfish wants, taking the opportunity to take advantage of her.

How would Sister Yuner view him?

Vulgar and despicable?

Dirty and filthy?

Wanton and shameless?

Covered under the quilt, Su Qingwan’s heart felt as if it was being cut by a knife when he thought of these things. His body shook violently uncontrollably, his eyes gradually reddening. His fingers tightly grasped the quilt as tears gushed out like a spring.

Before Xiao Yuan finished speaking, he heard intermittent sobs coming from the bed. His face instantly showed a look of remorse, and he walked up in a fluster to comfort, “Alright, Young Lord, don’t cry. Xiao Yuan…”

“I want to be alone for a while,” Su Qingwan interrupted with a tear-stained face, biting his lip hard. His heart felt extremely upset.

Xiao Yuan had a worried look on his face, but he obediently closed the door and left.

In the courtyard on the east side of the north courtyard of Yun Qinwang’s residence, there were some vines, green bamboos, and various small flowers and grasses. On the windowsill, there were a few pots of unopened flower buds amidst the lush green leaves. In about three to five days, the pots would be filled with blooming flowers again.

In the spacious and bright study, there was a faint scent of sandalwood. On the desk made of agarwood, there were brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone. The bookshelves were neatly filled with various books.

Su Bai was calmly practicing calligraphy with a brush. The strokes were like iron lines and silver hooks, bold and unrestrained, falling like clouds and smoke.

Calligraphy reflects the person. With each stroke, hidden sharpness was slightly revealed, and exposed sharpness also displayed reserve, a balance of strength and gentleness.

Suddenly, a black shadow flashed by outside the window at a rapid speed. In the next second, a woman in black appeared in the study and whispered something in Su Bai’s ear for a moment before leaving silently.

Su Bai seemed to pause in thought, holding the brush in the air above the white paper. Due to the long delay in putting the brush down, the ink condensed at the tip of the brush, constantly dripping onto the white paper, already staining a large area.

Then, two bright flames ignited in her deep eyes, and a smile appeared at the corner of her lips. She softly murmured three words.

“Lu Yuner.”

Late at night, the moonlight was like silver.

Lu Residence.

In the middle of the night, Lu Yuner woke up with a dry mouth and tongue. Relying on the hazy moonlight from the window, she groped around in the dark room in a daze. With great difficulty, she came to the table and poured a glass of water. As soon as she took a sip of water, she immediately cried out in pain.

“Hiss—”

Her still somewhat dizzy head instantly became clear.

Lu Yuner put down the glass and immediately lit the lamp in the room. She went to the dressing table, picked up a mirror, and gently examined her lips, only to discover that her lower lip had been bitten and was slightly swollen.

With her dating experience, Lu Yuner could tell at a glance that this was the result of being fiercely ravaged.

Moreover, the kissing technique was inexperienced and unrestrained.

This wasn’t a kiss, it was clearly being gnawed until it broke.

“Which scoundrel who needs to be taught a lesson did this!” Lu Yuner frowned, displeased. She had grown up for so long and had never been taken advantage of like this before.

At this time, the door was pushed open.

“My lady, you’re awake. Are you still feeling a bit uncomfortable? If not, shall Qiu Yi brew a cup of sobering tea for you?” Qiu Yi was worried that her lady might fall while getting up at night if she hadn’t sobered up from the alcohol, so she didn’t dare to sleep too deeply. Seeing the light on in her lady’s room, she immediately rushed over to check.

Lu Yuner’s expression was solemn as she calmly asked, “What time did I return to the residence last night?”

Qiu Yi rolled her eyes and replied, “Around 9 pm. However, Qiu Yi was planning to go pick you up at the usual time. I didn’t expect that as soon as I left the residence, this Young Lord Su had already sent you back. I was quite surprised at the time, how could it be…”

“So, it was Young Lord Su who sent me back to the residence?” Lu Yuner’s long and thick eyelashes trembled slightly. She put down the mirror and slowly turned around, looking at Qiu Yi seriously.

“That’s right.” The dazed Qiu Yi answered truthfully, not noticing her lady’s unusual demeanor at all. She then curiously asked, “My lady, what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing. I want to take a bath,” Lu Yuner came back to her senses, her eyes gradually narrowing as she said in a low voice.

“I’ll go prepare it.” Before leaving, Qiu Yi couldn’t help but remind, “My lady, you really shouldn’t eat spicy food anymore. When you just returned to the residence, look at your lips, they were red and swollen, not pretty at all.”

“…Not pretty?”

Lu Yuner muttered to herself and suddenly began to feel a slight headache. She raised her hand to massage her temple acupoints, not knowing if it was because she was angered by the foolish Qiu Yi’s words. This Qiu Yi would be bought by someone sooner or later, and even have to pay them back.

After a moment, Lu Yuner got up and came to the window. Wearing a white inner garment, she stood there with an indescribable ethereal and aloof air. She gazed at the endless darkness in solitude, as if all things in the world had lost their voice, leaving only a vast emptiness.

To be honest, she really didn’t have much guard against Young Lord Su. At most, she thought he was just a teenage boy, while the original host was already twenty years old. Whether as a teacher or an elder, she was in the position of a senior to guide him with patience and give extra care.

Sister Lan had joked about her and Young Lord Su, but she didn’t take it to heart because she had heard quite a few such jokes between men and women.

She was not a person who had no desire for love and romance.

Before her soul transmigrated, she had been in three relationships, big and small. However, after experiencing life and death, she began to view everything very lightly. Not long after her soul transmigration, she took on the position of Minister of Revenue, and had been busy with political achievements and dealing with various people in officialdom, so she really didn’t have much time.

Love and career, she really couldn’t balance both.

Most importantly, when it came to dating, she placed more importance on feelings. Moreover, with that nightmare, she increasingly felt strongly that her soul seemed to be able to return to her own body.

If one day, she could really go back, she would definitely be willing to return to the world she originally belonged to!

The familiar environment she grew up in, the loving family, the friends who were as close as gold and orchids were all there.

It’s not that she had no attachment to this place. The friends here treated her very well, so she intentionally reduced more entanglements.

Among them, love was the area she couldn’t touch at the moment. Once touched, she might really be unable to leave.

As for this Young Lord Su…

Now that she thought about it, his inexplicable appearance at the Qu Le Manor, it seemed he had been following her that day, looking at her with those moist, aggrieved eyes. At that time, she thought he was disappointed in her as a teacher going to an improper place, but who would have thought it had another meaning.

When did this daring little fellow start having such thoughts about her?

She actually didn’t notice it at all.

However, she had to nip this delicate little peach blossom in the bud.

After bathing and having breakfast, along with other miscellaneous matters, she set off for the Imperial Academy slightly earlier than usual.

In the carriage, Lu Yuner leaned against the carriage wall, her eyes quietly closed, but her mind was in a mess.

When they arrived at the Imperial Academy, as soon as the carriage stopped, Lu Yuner naturally opened her eyes.

Lu Yuner had just lifted the curtain when Qiu Yi’s soft whisper came, “My lady, isn’t that Young Lord Su at the entrance of the Jixian Gate?”

Lu Yuner’s hand paused while lifting the curtain, not looking in the direction of Qiu Yi’s words, but instead calmly got off the carriage.

On the other side, Su Qingwan’s gaze had never left for a moment since the carriage stopped.

At that moment, the surroundings were completely silent. When he heard the voice of the one called Qiu Yi speaking and turning her gaze over, he wished so much that Sister Yuner would also look at him, even just a glance!

But Sister Yuner’s expression was indifferent. Her ignoring him was like a cold, shining sharp blade piercing him, and a heart-wrenching pain spread throughout his body.

Su Qingwan’s face stiffened, and he lowered his ink-black, thick eyelashes. A layer of moisture seeped out of his palms.

…Sister Yuner was angry.

She was ignoring him…

Lu Yuner, carrying a food box, walked straight ahead. She glanced at him, looking like a frost-beaten eggplant, pitiful and miserable, like a child who had made a mistake, drooping his head.

A ripple arose in Lu Yuner’s moist eyes, and she couldn’t help but feel a few traces of pity and love. The next moment, she shifted her gaze and quickly walked past him.

She was not a heartless person. People are not plants or trees, and cannot be so cold and hard in attitude.

Young Lord Su was at the age of puberty, and the first blossoming of love during puberty was a perfectly normal thing. Everyone has someone they like when they are young. As a teacher, one should provide appropriate guidance.

But she was also the person involved. She originally thought it was a teacher-student relationship, but it turned out to be a teacher-student romance. Persuading him to give up was the right path.

At this time, the sky gradually brightened, but was covered by clouds. The hazy bright light filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, sprinkling a scattering of fine radiance, mottling the shadows on the ground, one in front and one behind.

The Imperial Academy was quiet and peaceful, so quiet that there was no sound.

Su Qingwan obediently followed behind. When Lu Yuner took a step, he took a step, carefully maintaining a certain distance from her, afraid of showing any unpleasant intentions.

Finally, Sister Yuner stopped and turned to look at him, but still said nothing, with a coldness that kept people a thousand miles away.

Su Qingwan nervously met those clear, peach blossom eyes that were like jade-green ripples, but found that the light coming from those eyes had changed.

In the past, they were gentle and warm, like bathing in the spring breeze. Today, they were cold and distant, as if he had fallen into an icy abyss.

“I’m sorry,” Su Qingwan looked at her with his moist eyes, biting his lower lip, feeling extremely guilty.

His voice carried an uncontrollable tremble. That mole on his face, which was like a gorgeous, dripping teardrop, seemed to be swaying along with it, exuding a pitiful and moving feeling.

The sincere and earnest tone carried an imperceptible lowering of posture, even a bit of humility.

Although Lu Yuner did not speak, she saw his red and swollen phoenix eyes, with a trace of dark color under the lower eyelids, and a hint of fatigue between his brows and eyes.

From the looks of it, he had cried all night, and now he got up so early to wait for her, just to apologize to her at the first opportunity.

“I’m sorry,” Su Qingwan continued when he saw that Sister Yuner did not speak.

His heart had completely cooled. The fingers in his sleeve subconsciously tugged at the hem of his clothes, and the fingertips turned a shade of white from the force of his grip.

Su Qingwan originally had a slender figure, with icy flesh and jade bones, a powdery glow that seemed greasy. With his teary eyes, he looked both pure and seductive, exuding a fragile beauty from the inside out that could capture people’s souls, arousing a desire to protect him, and at the same time, an irresistible urge to □□ him.

Like a beautiful jade, yet easily shattered.