Lin Zhao Xiang coughed once, handing the birdcage to Rui Zhu, saying, “You’re getting more impatient with age, regressing rather than maturing!”
“It’s not that – Father has somehow gotten involved in women’s affairs, thinking about arranging a marriage for me…” Seeing Lin Zhao Xiang look over, he quickly continued, “Grandson has already made up his mind – I only want Xiang Lan. Whoever else we bring in, I can’t guarantee she won’t suffer. Rather than make her suffer again, I might as well forfeit my life.” He knelt and said, “You’ve seen her, and you’ve given gifts. It all depends on your word now, Grandfather.”
Lin Zhao Xiang narrowed his eyes, gazing at the trees in the courtyard. After a while, he said, “You’re grown now, I can’t control you, and your father – I’m even less inclined to control him. Either way, I won’t interfere in this matter. If you have the ability, go wrestle it out with your father.” With that, he picked up his teacup, clearly indicating it was time for his guest to leave.
Lin Jin Lou tried to plead further, but Lin Zhao Xiang had already stood up and, ignoring Lin Jin Lou’s calls, walked away with his cane.
Lin Jin Lou was somewhat dumbfounded. He had never gotten along with Lin Zhang Zheng, who found fault with everything about him and placed great importance on social status. Now that his father had eagerly brought his classmate’s daughter home, it would be miraculous if he agreed to this match, and yet Grandfather was washing his hands of the matter. Lin Jin Lou heaved a long sigh – it was good enough that Grandfather didn’t oppose or scold him, but thinking of his father still gave him a headache.
Meanwhile, Lin Jin Ting returned to his courtyard and collapsed onto his bed upon entering his chamber. Moments later, Li Miao Zhi walked in, saw Lin Jin Ting sprawled there haphazardly, and sat on the edge of the bed, asking, “Any news of Third Sister?”
Lin Jin Ting wiped his face and said, “No, it looks hopeless.”
Li Miao Zhi sighed, rubbing her eyes. She had spent the night at Madam Wang’s side, and though Hu Po, Ying Luo, and others were there to help, she had slept in the gauze-curtained bed but still had to get up twice during the night to check on things, leaving her poorly rested.
Lin Jin Ting asked, “How is Mother?”
Li Miao Zhi replied, “When she heard about Third Sister’s disappearance, she cried again extensively. Her illness has made her more delirious. She just took medicine but vomited half of it, managed to eat two spoonfuls of porridge, had some warmed yellow wine, took a Yang Rong Wan, and has just closed her eyes.”
Lin Jin Ting sat up, pounding the bed angrily, “It’s all because of that worthless woman! I wish I could grind her bones to dust!”
Li Miao Zhi hurriedly said, “Lower your voice, be careful someone might hear.” She continued, “Uncle has had Concubine Su moved to the small temple in the north to recover. Father-in-law didn’t say anything about it either – out of sight, out of mind. She’s lost the child anyway, what more trouble could she stir up?”
Lin Jin Ting sneered, “Don’t underestimate her. Who knows what other tricks she might pull – I’ve seen plenty of people like her. If Father hadn’t elevated her status, she would have been dealt with long ago.”
Though newly married, Li Miao Zhi knew her husband was all talk and no action. Being a naturally ambitious person who had always dreamed of future glory and pride, these recent consecutive unfortunate events had already put her in a foul mood. Adding to that, no one in the Second Branch could handle matters properly, requiring Lin Zhang Zheng and Lin Jin Lou to come to manage everything. Li Miao Zhi, feeling indignant, said, “There’s no need to talk about ‘dealing with her sooner or later.’ Now that the Third Master is heading the household, you should stand up straight yourself. If you had half your elder brother’s capability, things wouldn’t have gotten to this state. Let alone other matters, I am the Third Mistress whom everyone in the household should respect, yet I must lower myself before Xiang Lan and watch her expressions – what logic is this?”
Lin Jin Ting flopped down spread-eagled, saying, “What logic? This is just how our family works. Never mind you have to lower yourself – even I, your dashing and brilliant husband, have to lower myself before her. Say one wrong word and Big Brother glares at me. If I have to act subservient, what about you?”
Hearing his flippant attitude, Li Miao Zhi angrily jabbed him.
Lin Jin Ting sprang up with a yelp, rubbing his chest, “Why did you poke me!”
Li Miao Zhi slapped his face with her handkerchief, gritting her teeth, “For no reason – just focus on your studies and make something of yourself!” With that, she stood up and stormed out with a flick of her sleeve.
Lin Jin Ting lay down angrily, covering his head as he turned over, muttering, “So annoying, this isn’t a wife, it’s a mother.”
To cut the idle talk short.
Lin Jin Lou had hidden out for half a day, sending Ji Xiang back to gather information. Only when word came that the Wei family had left did he return. Back in his room, he ignored official business, letters, and all visitors, including subordinates and family friends, merely lounging on the large kang bed with furrowed brows, lost in thought. Xiang Lan sorted the incoming letters and documents on the large desk by category and helped write several reply notes. Seeing Lin Jin Lou’s unpleasant expression, the maids all held their breath, walking on tiptoes. Ling Su came in to change Lin Jin Lou’s tea, scurrying out quickly with tiny steps, not daring to linger a moment longer.
Xiang Lan put down her brush and looked at Lin Jin Lou, dried the ink on what she had just written, and brought it over, saying, “It’s done, Young Master, please take a look.” Seeing his distracted state, she couldn’t help but ask, “Something on your mind?”
Lin Jin Lou made a sound of agreement, catching Xiang Lan’s hand and setting aside the paper without looking at it, smiling as he said, “Are you worried about me?”
Xiang Lan froze, her lips moving but unable to form words.
Lin Jin Lou looked her up and down, saying, “The weather’s warming up, you should have new clothes made. Let’s call the tailor today – wonder if they can make a set in two or three days.”
Xiang Lan said, “Why make new clothes for no reason? I have more than I can wear.” Xiang Lan had many spring clothes in Jinling, had brought some to the capital, had two new sets made, and received some from Madam Qin – altogether filling a chest.
“Those won’t do. You don’t know, but the old man can’t stand bright and beautiful people. He’d rather have eighteen or nineteen-year-old young ladies all dressed like crows, wearing sack-like robes, thinking that such attire is properly plain and dignified. Tch, I don’t understand such strange preferences.”
Xiang Lan couldn’t help but ask, “The old man?”
Lin Jin Lou said, “Mm, my father.”
Xiang Lan smiled slightly. Many literary families took pride in wearing plain clothes – young ladies would have many silk and satin garments made but never wear them, keeping them stored away, only showing indigo-blue dresses in public to demonstrate their family’s simple traditions, following Confucian teachings. However, Lin Jin Lou preferred women dressed beautifully in rouge and apricot yellow, spring green and peach pink, fitted jackets, and fine gauze skirts, all brilliant and charming to the eye.
Lin Jin Lou pulled Xiang Lan to sit beside him, looking at her face with an ambiguous smile, “But you’re so beautiful, you look good in anything. The first time I saw you, you were singing by the lake, wearing old clothes, but your little face was still rosy – the prettiest girl I’d ever seen. I wondered, which household’s maid is this, how have I never seen her before?” He leaned down to kiss her cheek, “Right then, I decided, no matter who she was, I had to have her by my side.”
Xiang Lan looked up. Lin Jin Lou’s arm encircled her – his black hair was tied up with a gold and emerald cloud hairpin, and his usually sharp, electric eyes were extremely gentle. His face wore a lazy smile, the very picture of a vigorous yet elegant young gentleman. Xiang Lan felt somewhat dazed. She had never imagined that after all these years of ups and downs, things would come to this point. She had never thought she would be with Lin Jin Lou, held in his embrace, exchanging sweet nothings: “Actually, I saw Young Master on my first day entering the Lin household. Young Master was giving names to all the maids but had to leave on business when it came to me.” What she didn’t know was that Lin Jin Lou’s departure then, leaving a circle drawn by her name, had provoked Zhao Yue Chan’s jealousy, leading to her being placed in a difficult situation.
“Oh? Such a thing happened? Fate plays tricks indeed – if I had seen you properly that day, I would have brought you to my side right away, without all these twists and turns adding trouble.” He smiled slightly while looking at Xiang Lan – her eyes were like green jade, like deep pools that once he looked into, he couldn’t escape from, as if he would drown in them. His smile faded, and he lowered his head to kiss her lips gently, then again after a moment, murmuring, “We’ll be together forever from now on, definitely forever.” He spoke very softly, his tone containing both pleading and coaxing. He was truly somewhat afraid – though Xiang Lan appeared delicate, her inner strength was extremely resilient, like a willow branch that could be bent again and again but never break. Unlike other women who had to rely on him completely to survive, even in the most difficult circumstances, this woman would rather stand straight and bear it alone, never asking him for anything. He feared that one day she might quietly leave without a word. From childhood, he had always been the one giving orders, commanding at will, seeing all sorts of beautiful women, mostly engaging in casual flirtations with gentle sentiments, but all the heartfelt sweet words he spoke were to this woman in his arms, yet he didn’t know if she believed them if she treasured them.
Xiang Lan was first stunned, then her heart became both soft and sour, with some indescribable feelings and emotions she didn’t want to or dare to think deeply about, but her heart seemed to be floating and sinking in a vast sea.
She looked at Lin Jin Lou with wide eyes. He pressed his forehead against hers, frowning, appearing both deeply hurt yet extremely satisfied. Her eyes seemed about to well up with tears. Xiang Lan moved slightly, silently resting against Lin Jin Lou’s chest. After a long hesitation, she raised her arm then lowered it, then after another long moment, finally raised it again to embrace his waist.
Lin Jin Lou’s whole body trembled, then melted. After a very long time, he finally kissed Xiang Lan’s hair and said, “Come with me to see my father in the next couple of days. He hasn’t seen you yet… Someone like you, he’s sure to be pleased with.”
As it happened, Xiang Lan didn’t let Lin Jin Lou call for the tailor, saying a good set of clothes couldn’t be made in two or three days. Lin Jin Lou then ordered the maids to open the trunks and bring out Xiang Lan’s clothes one by one for inspection. He selected a spring green jacket and another dark blue skirt. In the afternoon, they went to visit Old Madam Lin for a while, then spent half a day at Madam Qin’s before returning. That night, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep soundly. Early the next morning, he hurried to Xiang Lan to wash up and change clothes.
Xiao Juan did Xiang Lan’s hair and was about to select a magnolia from a plate of freshly cut flowers brought by the servants to pin in her hair, but Lin Jin Lou wouldn’t allow it, saying, “No, she needs to look like an old-fashioned proper lady. My father likes that style – he can’t stand anything too glamorous.” He only let her wear two plain hairpins and rings, with no other accessories or makeup, before taking her to meet Lin Zhang Zheng.