Lu Chang kept his word, confining Ming Shu to the house with constant supervision. Under such strict surveillance, Ming Shu’s temper flared, and she quarreled fiercely with Lu Chang. In the past, their arguments would usually dissipate quickly, with either Lu Chang backing down or Ming Shu softening her stance. But this time, Lu Chang was adamant in not yielding to Ming Shu’s wishes.
He feared that if he loosened his grip even slightly, she would slip away like a slippery fish through some unseen gap.
Ming Shu’s anger seemed to subside as July drew to a close. She suddenly regained her usual pleasant demeanor and invited Ying Xun over. The two huddled together, whispering about unknown plans.
As long as Ming Shu didn’t leave, Lu Chang allowed her to do as she pleased, even welcoming more visitors to help distract her.
After a few days passed like this, Ming Shu suddenly approached Lu Chang, requesting to go out.
————
On a clear day in late July, Lu Chang, having been dismissed from his post, had nothing to occupy his time and accompanied Ming Shu on her outing.
Ming Shu had arranged to meet someone on Baokang Street. While waiting, she and Lu Chang entered a nearby fragrant drink shop to rest. When the owner brought their drinks, Ming Shu said, “Please send a bowl to the man standing outside the door as well.”
The owner glanced outside, noticing a burly man with his arms crossed. Though surprised, he didn’t question it and complied.
“How distrustful are you?” Ming Shu lightly mocked Lu Chang, who remained silent.
The man outside was one of Lu Chang’s assigned guards, still following them even though Lu Chang himself was present.
“I’m sorry,” Lu Chang said, having nothing else to add. He sipped his drink and asked, “Who are you meeting?”
“Madam Feng,” Ming Shu replied, adding, “Lu San Niang’s mother,” in case he didn’t know who she meant.
Lu Chang looked up in surprise, his gaze questioning.
“I asked my master to investigate Lu San’s whereabouts. Although Peng Po Zi doesn’t know exactly where Cai Shi abandoned Lu San, she knows the general area—somewhere in an alley off Niuxing Street,” Ming Shu explained slowly, staring at her drink. “My master and I looked through the infant records of Niuxing Street from seventeen years ago, the year Lu San was abandoned. We found that two families had adopted abandoned infants that year: a boy and a girl. My master visited the girl’s adoptive parents and, based on the time she was found, the circumstances, and her age, this girl is very likely the real Lu San Niang.”
“But this is Baokang Street, three main streets away from Niuxing Street,” Lu Chang pointed out.
As Ming Shu was about to explain, a woman’s voice came from outside. Madam Feng had arrived with a maid and a servant.
It had only been half a month since the Zhongyuan Festival, yet Madam Feng looked drastically different from her previously spirited self.
Ming Shu had heard that after the Zhongyuan Festival incident, Lu Ze Gang, the Minister of Works, had been dismissed like Lu Chang and was frantically trying to pull strings for reinstatement. He had originally hoped to use Liu Wan’er to connect with higher social circles and gain prestige. Now, having lost both his position and reputation, his pent-up anger was directed at his family. Given Madam Feng’s desperate desire to find her daughter, one can imagine how difficult her situation at home must be.
Madam Feng seemed to have aged considerably, with thick makeup barely concealing the dark circles under her eyes and her overall haggard appearance. Ming Shu rose to greet her, exchanging brief pleasantries before heading outside. Madam Feng showed little warmth towards Ming Shu, barely maintaining politeness. Ming Shu understood; from Madam Feng’s perspective, she had sent away the false Lu San they had raised for seventeen years, only to bring in another false daughter who had brought disaster to the family.
Lu Chang settled the bill and followed them. The group quickly walked to Ding’s Flatbread Shop in the west alley of Baokang Street.
The shop was already open, with a small storefront but a wide variety of flatbreads on offer, their names carved on wooden signs hanging outside. There was no dining area inside; each batch was sold as it was made. Many customers, mostly regulars, greeted each other warmly.
It was a husband-and-wife shop, with the husband baking and the wife handling the money. They worked well together, but three months ago, the wife had given birth to a daughter. Unable to manage everything, they hired an assistant. The wife, still cautious, would come to the shop with her baby, sitting nearby to oversee things and occasionally helping out.
The husband doted on his wife. Whenever he had a moment between his busy work, he would come over to chat with her or pat the child’s head. His wife would remind him to drink water as he wiped his sweat… It was evident that the couple was very affectionate and harmonious.
“Her name is Jiang Ying. She’s the child who was abandoned on Niuxing Street all those years ago,” Ming Shu explained, pointing at the young woman holding the baby in the shop. “Her adoptive parents treated her well and arranged a good marriage for her. She married last year and is now a mother herself.”
Madam Feng looked where Ming Shu indicated. The woman appeared to be seventeen or eighteen, with a full figure from recent childbirth and a rosy complexion. She wore a gentle smile, and her features bore a striking five or six-tenths resemblance to Madam Feng.
Madam Feng’s eyes immediately reddened.
“Do you want to reclaim her?” Ming Shu asked.
Madam Feng took a handkerchief from her maid and dabbed at her eyes, shaking her head. “No… There’s nothing good in recognizing her as part of the Lu family. She’s doing well as she is… safe and sound.”
Living an ordinary, peaceful life was far better than returning to the Lu family to be used as a pawn.
“I’ll go buy some flatbreads,” Madam Feng said after wiping her eyes and walking towards Ding’s shop. She turned back after a few steps, “Thank you, Miss Ming Shu.”
Ming Shu nodded, watching her go. From a distance, she observed as Madam Feng had her servants queue to buy flatbreads while she chatted casually with Jiang Ying. Jiang Ying smiled sweetly, enthusiastically showing her swaddled baby to Madam Feng, who reached out to play with the infant, her face brightening with joy.
This was perhaps the most heartwarming scene in recent days.
Ming Shu reflected on the variety of parents in the world: fathers like Lu Ze Gang who viewed their children as bargaining chips, beasts like Wei Xian, and those like her father Jian Jinhai who loved their daughters more than life itself; mothers like Madam Feng who loved their children but were powerless, those like Mama Lü who would do anything for their daughters, and open-minded ones like Aunt Zeng… The world was full of such diverse characters, with such vast differences between them.
“Let’s go,” Ming Shu said, turning to leave without watching further.
The sky was cloudless, and the sun blazed fiercely. Ming Shu and Lu Chang walked in the shade of trees lining the road.
“I didn’t expect you to be investigating Lu San’s case,” Lu Chang said, surprised.
“It’s always better to be thorough,” Ming Shu replied calmly.
She wasn’t doing this for Madam Feng, but for her closure, to settle the matter in her heart once and for all. Lu Chang understood her persistence, though he wasn’t sure if it was for the best.
“Where to now?” Lu Chang asked.
Since they were already out, he didn’t want her to leave so soon.
Suddenly, Ming Shu’s face lit up with a smile. “Let’s go to the small tavern by the Bian River for a meal. Afterward, we can visit the Zhouqiao Night Market when it gets dark. I haven’t been there in a while and I miss it.”
Her smile transported Lu Chang back to the past.
“Alright, whatever you wish,” he said softly.
“The tavern was introduced to me by County Princess Wen’an. It has a unique style, and its fish sashimi and chrysanthemum wine are unparalleled. You’ll love it!” Ming Shu stretched lazily, seemingly in good spirits. Then, glancing at the person following them, she said teasingly, “He’s been following me for days. Won’t you let him rest?”
Lu Chang looked at the man but before he could answer, Ming Shu continued, “Can’t you leave me in peace for just one day? Besides, you’re personally accompanying me. Are you afraid I’ll run away?”
As she spoke, she reached out and took Lu Chang’s hand. “I just want to spend time alone with you. Having someone following us makes me uncomfortable. You wouldn’t want people to see us either…”
She glanced again at the man behind them, who had already turned his face away upon seeing them hold hands.
Lu Chang felt awkward, his ears turning slightly red, but he refused to let go of her hand. After a moment’s thought, he said to the man, “That’s enough for today. You don’t need to follow us anymore. Go and rest.”
The man acknowledged and left. Ming Shu let out a joyful cry, and Lu Chang clasped her hand firmly in his. “Now that he’s gone, you’ll have to stay close to me,” he said.
With that, he pulled her to his side, holding her hand tightly.
Ming Shu smiled and suddenly started running forward, pulling him along with her.
The street scenery blurred as they ran, passing by indistinct faces of hurrying pedestrians. In Lu Chang’s eyes, only Ming Shu’s radiant smile remained clear. For a moment, he felt as if he had returned to his childhood when she would drag him through the streets of Jiangning in the same way.
The small tavern by the Bian River, built with bamboo and overlooking the water, exuded an elegant charm. Fortunately, there were no other customers today, leaving Ming Shu and Lu Chang alone in the quiet afternoon.
Ming Shu had visited this place several times with Wen’an and Shujun, becoming familiar with the proprietress. Without needing a menu, she effortlessly ordered their dishes, along with a jar of chrysanthemum wine and a pot of salted plum juice. They sat facing each other on rattan mats by the water, a low table between them.
“The chrysanthemum wine here is exceptional. You must try it,” Ming Shu said, pouring a cup for Lu Chang. “Unfortunately, I’m in mourning and can’t join you.”
As the amber liquid filled the cup, Lu Chang joked, “You’re not trying to get me drunk so you can run away, are you?”
“Well, if you’re afraid, don’t drink it,” Ming Shu retorted, her temper flaring. She picked up the cup and poured the wine into the river, raising an eyebrow at him.
Lu Chang couldn’t stop her in time. “I was just kidding. Why are you upset? I know I’ve kept you confined at home these past few days. I’m sorry, Ming Shu, but I had no choice…”
Ming Shu covered her ears. “Can we not talk about this? Let me relax for a day, or even just an hour.”
Lu Chang conceded, “Alright, I won’t mention it again.”
Ming Shu refilled his cup and poured herself some plum juice. Raising her cup, she said, “Lu Chang, I toast you with plum juice instead of wine. Thank you for saving my life that day.”
She drank it in one gulp and poured another before Lu Chang could reciprocate.
“This one is to thank you for risking everything to bring me to the capital!”
She drained the cup again and poured another.
“Ming Shu…” Lu Chang furrowed his brow, trying to stop her.
“Let me finish. I’ve wanted to say this for a long time,” she interrupted, raising her cup again. “This is to thank you for taking care of me these past six months, never abandoning me.”
She emptied the cup and poured it again.
“This is to thank you for sacrificing your career to avenge my family!”
“This one is for our ten years of friendship… And this, for our six months as siblings…”
She continued drinking as she spoke until the pot of plum juice was empty.
Lu Chang couldn’t keep up with her pace. After she finished, he returned three cups of wine, drinking each in one go.
Ming Shu was pleased. She served him some food, “Try this freshly caught bass.”
Lu Chang tasted it, finding the sashimi exceptionally delicious.
“Lu Chang, did you dislike me before?” Ming Shu asked softly, sitting beside him and pouring more wine.
Lu Chang’s face flushed, either from the alcohol or her question. He drank another cup before answering, “I… I don’t know. Back then, I was focused solely on my studies, with no interest in romance.”
This was true. He had been consumed by his pursuit of academic success, and they had little chance to interact as they grew up. He never considered whether he had feelings for her, unaware that their decade-long friendship had already taken root in his heart.
“You don’t know? How can someone not know if they like someone or not? Did you hate me?” Ming Shu stared at him intently, refilling his cup.
“No, I never hated you. I just… didn’t like your family’s approach,” he said carefully, avoiding mentioning Jian Jinhai. “Your family was considering many suitors for you. I was just one among many. Whoever had the best prospects, you would marry. It could have been anyone, right?”
He was just one of many candidates the Jian family had considered. Ming Shu wasn’t exclusively interested in him; she had many choices, surrounded by eligible men…
Ming Shu’s eyes widened in surprise, his answer different from what she had expected.
“Are you telling me that you rejected me mainly because… you were jealous?”
As soon as she said this, Lu Chang downed another cup of wine.
Ming Shu burst into laughter, pounding the table. “I never considered that reason!” She laughed so hard tears formed in her eyes.
Lu Chang didn’t respond. At that time, seeing her pursued by other men, witnessing the Jian family’s aggressive attitude, and observing how seeking power had become the norm, his pride played a part. He didn’t want to follow the crowd, disliked marriage becoming a transaction, and wasn’t sure of her true feelings. Various complex reasons had intertwined, pushing him away.
Another cup of wine appeared before him, and Lu Chang drank it without hesitation.
Suddenly, a wave of dizziness hit him.
He shook his head. Was he drunk? Impossible, his tolerance wasn’t this low—he checked the wine jar, seeing less than two-thirds had been consumed.
Ming Shu’s voice rang out again, “Come to think of it, it’s fortunate you rejected me back then. If you had been in Jiangning, you might have been caught up in that disaster too.”
“Ming Shu…” he shook his head again, her voice seeming to come from far and near. Something felt wrong. “This wine…”
As the thought formed, he frantically searched his waist.
“Don’t bother looking. You don’t have any antidote on you,” Ming Shu said.
She knew him too well. Lu Chang habitually carried scented pills as an antidote for knockout drugs, but Ming Shu had been managing his daily routine. It had been easy for her to tamper with them.
“You drugged the wine…” Lu Chang struggled to stand, but the drug worked quickly. Besides dizziness, his body grew weak, unable to muster any strength.
With a crash, his movement sent dishes clattering to the floor. He leaned on the table, barely managing to keep his eyes on her.
He knew she wanted to leave, but never imagined she would resort to this method.
“Lu Chang, I’m sorry…” Ming Shu’s smile faded. She knelt beside him, her once-curved eyes now brimming with tears. “You and Aunt Zeng should stay in Bianjing and take care of yourselves… I’ll look after myself, don’t worry about me. Just… pretend you never saved me, never brought me to the capital, that we never met again…”
“Ming Shu!” Lu Chang’s vision blurred, but he clung to his last bit of consciousness, grabbing her wrist. “I… can’t… pretend it never happened… Don’t go…”
Ming Shu allowed him to hold her wrist, feeling his grip gradually weaken. She closed her eyes briefly.
“I’m sorry…”
“Ming Shu… don’t go… don’t go alone… I beg you… please…”
Lu Chang used his last ounce of strength to try and keep her. His usually cool eyes were now red, but his grip kept loosening…
“Ming… Shu…” As the last syllable left his lips, his hand fell away, and he slumped onto the table, silent.
Ming Shu stared at him for a moment, then wiped her tears and stood up, calling for the proprietress.
“I’ve booked this place. Don’t accept any other customers today. Let him sleep it off. At nightfall, please go to the Wei mansion and have someone pick him up. Here’s a sealed letter; please deliver it to Madam Zeng at the Wei mansion as well. Thank you for your trouble.”
As she gave these instructions, she settled the bill and requested a blanket. She helped Lu Chang lie down.
Brushing aside his disheveled hair, she tucked him in, poking his cheek and smiling to herself—
How had she fallen so deeply in love with this man?
Well, this is farewell.