Although the rain had gradually lessened, it continued to fall in a drizzle, and the sky grew increasingly dark. As the time approached for the closing drum to sound, Madam Fu and Lord Song warmly invited Wu Zhenmei and Zhu Yu to stay for dinner, even suggesting they spend the night at their home.
“Zhenjie, it’s getting late. It would be a hassle to rush back now. Let us host you two instead. I’ve already asked the kitchen to prepare some food. Since you got caught in the rain today, I made sure to prepare some warming lamb, and we have tender chicken that our servant bought fresh this morning. It’s delicious when fried,” Madam Fu said, her enthusiasm evident as she smacked her lips. “I even had someone steam some rose milk cake and mix it with white dragon paste.”
Lord Song chimed in from behind, “Yes, Zhenjie, don’t worry. We specifically instructed the kitchen not to add any pepper, so there won’t be a hint of spiciness!”
The couple loved spicy dishes, and they usually preferred their meals to be heavily seasoned. Wu Zhen had previously hesitated to eat with them because she couldn’t handle spicy food. However, upon hearing their words, she suddenly had an idea. Spicy? Remembering how Mei Si and Cui Jiu had cried from the heat of spicy food earlier, she quickly formulated a plan in her mind.
With a wave of her hand, she declared, “No need for that. I want to take my lord to eat something good.”
Madam Fu, upon hearing this, immediately guessed that she wanted to spend some time alone with Mei Dalu. Although she felt a bit regretful, she didn’t want to interfere with their intentions. Still, her curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, “Then, Zhenjie, where do you plan to take him to eat?”
Wu Zhen smiled, “To the restaurant run by Wu Niang, the one you and Lord Song love the most.”
Madam Fu exclaimed, “Ah?” Wasn’t Zhenjie the one who couldn’t handle spicy food? Why would she want to go there? Did Mei Dalu enjoy it?
Confused, they could only watch as the two departed.
Mei Zhu Yu waited outside, glancing at the darkening sky. When he saw Wu Zhen come out, he said, “It’s getting late. I’ll escort you back.”
Wu Zhen replied, “No rush. I’m taking you to find a place for dinner.”
Mei Zhu Yu hesitated for a moment. When he heard Wu Zhen say, “Don’t you want to eat with me?” he immediately shook his head. “I would like to, but it’s late, and if we eat now, we might miss the closing drum, which would make it difficult to return.”
Wu Zhen casually said, “Then we won’t go back. Are you worried I won’t find a place to rest?” Not waiting for Mei Zhu Yu’s response, she turned and smiled, “Don’t worry. I just want to take you to eat something. I won’t cause any trouble.”
Hearing her words, which seemed to carry a deeper meaning, Mei Zhu Yu suddenly felt a bit awkward.
“I didn’t ride a horse, and that place is a bit far. It seems we’ll have to share a mount,” Wu Zhen said, and without waiting for Mei Zhu Yu to react, she stepped onto the stirrup and reached out her hand to him. “Come on.”
Although it was common for men and women to ride together in the streets at this time, it still felt a bit inappropriate. Mei Zhu Yu looked at her hand but ultimately said nothing as he mounted the horse behind her.
Seeing him get on the horse, Wu Zhen laughed, “Aren’t you afraid of being criticized for improper conduct? Those censors love to meddle in such matters. If someone sees us, you might get reprimanded.”
Mei Zhu Yu held the reins and replied softly, “It’s fine.” As long as she didn’t mind, he didn’t want to refuse her and make her unhappy.
Although Wu Zhen was usually headstrong, she never did anything that would cause others to be implicated because of her, especially not the young lord she secretly liked. Therefore, she smiled as she took the reins, wrapping them around her hand. “Hold on tight; I’ll lead the way. Don’t worry; I know a few back roads that won’t attract attention.”
The back roads she mentioned were indeed quite secluded. They encountered only two people along the way, and since Wu Zhen rode quickly, even if there were passersby in the dimming light, they wouldn’t be able to see the two riders.
At first, Mei Zhu Yu kept his distance from her, but as the horse galloped, he found himself pressed closely against Wu Zhen. When he looked down, he could catch a whiff of her scent and the fragrance of the pink peony in her hair. Watching the flower sway amidst her dark hair, he felt a bit dazed, worried it might fall off at any moment.
Wu Zhen’s hair was tied up, revealing a section of her fair neck. Because Madam Fu’s clothes were slightly oversized, the collar naturally opened while riding, causing Mei Zhu Yu to feel as if he could see her smooth skin glowing in the dim light. He felt uncomfortable, his ears heating up, realizing he was looking at something he shouldn’t have.
Several times, Mei Zhu Yu wanted to pull up the collar of Wu Zhen’s clothing, but he felt that it would be too abrupt to touch her clothing, so he turned his gaze away and focused on the flower atop her head.
The rain had nearly stopped, but a few light droplets still fell. After riding for a while, they had both gotten a bit wet, but fortunately, they had arrived at their destination.
“This is it.” Wu Zhen pulled Mei Zhu Yu toward the brightly lit building.
Chongrenfang had many inns and lodgings, filled with travelers from all over. Recently, before and after the spring examination, this area had been bustling with young scholars, attracting many ladies’ curious glances. However, now that the exams were over, the previous excitement had faded. Although some students still lingered nearby, more merchants had come to Chang’an for business. The foreign traders were mostly on the other side, while Wu Zhen led Mei Zhu Yu to a cluster of restaurants.
At this hour, other areas had gradually quieted down, but here, it was still lively and bright, with the sounds of clinking cups and laughter echoing from every restaurant. The aroma of food wafted through the air, and the sound of pipa music from the building could be heard for miles.
As soon as Wu Zhen and Mei Zhu Yu entered the restaurant, they could smell a strong, spicy aroma. The owner was from Bashu, so the dishes served here were primarily of that region’s flavor.
Many diners in Chang’an preferred this taste, and the restaurant was known for its authentic flavors, attracting a steady stream of customers. If it were anyone else, they might have trouble finding a seat, but since Wu Zhen knew the owner, Wu Niang, they were led upstairs to a private room.
When Wu Niang heard Wu Zhen’s order, she looked at her in surprise. She knew that Wu Er Niang couldn’t handle spicy food, so why was she ordering all these spicy dishes today? However, having run the restaurant for several years, she knew better than to pry. Seeing that Wu Zhen had no other intentions, she went to prepare the food. Soon, the dishes arrived, all vibrant and spicy.
Just by looking, one could see the peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, and other ingredients in the dishes, and the smell was so pungent that it made one hesitant to pick up their chopsticks.
Wu Zhen looked at Mei Zhu Yu and said, “Give it a try.”
Mei Zhu Yu said nothing and picked up his chopsticks, silently starting with a plate of fish. Wu Zhen also took a few bites, only to feel as if she were biting into a lump of charcoal. She maintained her composure, pouring herself a cup of tea that Wu Niang had prepared according to her hometown’s tradition, infused with some herbs to help clear the heat and counteract the spiciness.
However, she had underestimated the spiciness of the dishes. The young lord’s tears had yet to appear, but she was already on the verge of crying.
“Don’t you find it spicy?” Wu Zhen couldn’t help but ask.
Mei Zhu Yu glanced at her rosy lips and quickly looked away. “It’s okay.” His family was from Xiling Mountain, a place known for its spicy cuisine. Naturally, he was accustomed to such flavors. Moreover, he had spent the first few years of his childhood living on the snowy peaks, where the cold also called for spicy food to keep warm.
Mei Zhu Yu had no particular preferences and was not picky about food. He could accept this kind of dish, but he wouldn’t say he liked it. However, he noticed that Wu Zhen didn’t seem to enjoy it. After a few bites, she kept drinking water.
“If you don’t like it, we can change places,” Mei Zhu Yu finally said, unable to hold back as he watched Wu Zhen force herself to eat several more bites.
Wu Zhen looked up and carefully examined his expression, especially his eyes. There was not a hint of moisture in them. Despite eating more than she had, his lips were only slightly red, which was unexpected. This seemingly delicate young lord could handle spicy food quite well.
She had miscalculated.
Realizing this, Wu Zhen decided not to torture herself any longer. She set down her chopsticks and drank her tea in one go. Mei Zhu Yu silently poured her another cup. “Drink slowly. It won’t be spicy after a while. Don’t drink too fast.”
Feeling the spiciness in her mouth, Wu Zhen tapped her fingers and suddenly stood up, walking in front of Mei Zhu Yu. She cupped his face and whispered, “Don’t dodge.”
To his surprise, Mei Zhu Yu felt her suddenly bump into him. He felt a sharp pain in his nose, and instinctively, tears welled up in his eyes.
As he reached out to rub his forehead, a single tear fell from his moist eyes. Wu Zhen quickly wiped it away, thinking to herself that being direct was indeed more effective. Just a little bump and his nose must be hurting quite a bit.
Mei Zhu Yu, however, was the first to speak. “Your forehead is red.”
Wu Zhen paused, gently touching his nose, and teasingly said, “Did I knock your nose out of place?”
His nose did hurt, but Mei Zhu Yu didn’t mention it. Instead, he gazed at her reddened forehead. Wu Zhen’s sudden action had caught him off guard. Most people wouldn’t have been able to dodge, but since she had told him not to, he didn’t move.
“Is there something on your mind?” Mei Zhu Yu asked thoughtfully. Such sudden behavior must have a reason.
Wu Zhen replied, “What if I said I just wanted to see you cry?”
Mei Zhu Yu didn’t expect this answer. He looked a bit surprised and uncertainly asked, “Cry?”
Seeing the bewildered expression on his face, Wu Zhen suddenly found him incredibly adorable. She cupped his face again and softly said, “Don’t dodge.”
Mei Zhu Yu remained silent and, of course, didn’t move away. He thought Wu Zhen would bump into him again, but to his surprise, she leaned in and kissed his lips directly.
That soft, warm sensation was something he had felt once before, and for many days afterward, he found himself lost in chaotic dreams, recalling that day when the flowers bloomed like jade. After years of being calm and detached, this sudden spark reignited feelings he had long suppressed, pulling him back into a whirlwind of emotions.
Mei Zhu Yu’s body tensed, and he gripped the armrest of the chair. When they finally parted, Wu Zhen was sitting on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck, smiling as she gazed into his eyes. Enchanted by her smiling eyes, Mei Zhu Yu swallowed hard and slowly leaned in closer to her again.
Wu Zhen didn’t exhibit the usual shyness of a lady. Because she liked him, she felt compelled to kiss the young lord with the red nose in front of her. And because she liked him, when he leaned in, she responded to his innocent kiss with openness.
This was different from the last time. There was no reason behind it; she simply wanted to do it.
After Mei Zhu Yu released Wu Zhen, he exhaled deeply, his breath slightly hurried. When he lowered his gaze, he caught sight of Wu Zhen’s skin, and his breath hitched again. He turned his head away, struggling to suppress an indescribable urge.
Wu Zhen licked her lips and leaned closer to his rising chest, whispering in his ear, “It’s too spicy; my mouth is full of spice.”
Her voice carried a playful tone, sounding quite pleased.
Mei Zhu Yu took a while to comprehend what she meant. Having never experienced anything like this in all those years, he felt a mix of embarrassment and shame, lowering his head instinctively.