The atmosphere in the room grew tense with Lu Chang’s arrival. As the candlelight flickered, his shadow on the window wavered and stretched with each step he took.
Ming Shu wrapped herself tighter in her blanket, watching her brother’s approaching figure with only one thought in mind.
She was doomed.
“Brother Lu.” Tao Yiqian was the first to recover, clasping his hands in greeting. “I sincerely apologize for not taking better care of your sister, allowing her to get injured here.”
Lu Chang halted, his eyes fixed on Ming Shu while addressing Tao Yiqian: “How was she injured? Where?”
Without even a perfunctory greeting, his interrogative tone revealed the intensity of his anger, yet his face remained composed, showing nothing but coldness.
Ming Shu realized the situation was serious.
“She fell from halfway up Dieshi Mountain. A doctor has already examined her. She has two scrapes on her arm and a sprained ankle, but no other injuries,” Tao Yiqian answered carefully, somewhat intimidated by Lu Chang.
Lu Chang nodded, then finally addressed Ming Shu: “What are you hiding? Show me your hands.”
“It’s cold…” Ming Shu tried to find an excuse to avoid it, but under Lu Chang’s piercing gaze, she finally extended her hands from beneath the blanket.
Her left arm was wrapped in bandages, while her right wrist displayed purple-red scrapes that had been treated with medicine.
Ming Shu heard Lu Chang’s suddenly heavy breathing.
“Brother…” she called out timidly, unsure why she felt so intimidated by him.
Lu Chang’s gaze shifted to her feet, his intention clear though unspoken. Tao Yiqian understood that Ming Shu couldn’t properly expose her feet with him present, so he excused himself: “Perhaps Brother Lu should speak with Ming Shu alone, I’ll step out…”
Before he could finish, Ming Shu grabbed his sleeve.
She shot him a pleading look—if Tao Yiqian left, without witnesses present, who knew how her brother might scold her. She was scared, and besides, the matter with Shu Jun wasn’t finished; she still needed to instruct Tao Yiqian.
Lu Chang’s gaze fell on Ming Shu’s hand gripping Tao Yiqian’s sleeve.
Anyone could see Lu Chang’s demeanor change.
Under Lu Chang’s devouring stare, Tao Yiqian instinctively saved himself by pulling his sleeve from Ming Shu’s grip.
Though he quite liked Ming Shu, he was more afraid of Lu Chang.
Ming Shu immediately frowned at Tao Yiqian—how disloyal!
Tao Yiqian returned an apologetic smile—your brother is too frightening!
“I’ll step out and let you talk. Call if you need anything,” Tao Yiqian committed fully to his disloyalty.
“No need.” Lu Chang stopped him.
Tao Yiqian halted, watching as Lu Chang stepped to the bedside and crouched down, picking up one of Ming Shu’s shoes from the floor.
Ming Shu’s feet were still hidden under the blanket as she stared at Lu Chang. He sat at the foot of the bed holding her shoe, reached under the blanket to grasp her foot, and slipped the shoe on—in front of everyone, he put both shoes on Ming Shu’s feet.
“Brother…” Ming Shu wanted to bite the blanket, feeling embarrassed at being treated like a three-year-old child by her brother’s actions.
Lu Chang stood up calmly beside the bed, looking down at her and asking quietly: “Go home, or stay?”
Having already put her shoes on, his meaning couldn’t be clearer. Ming Shu didn’t dare say “stay,” immediately nodding: “Home, home, let’s go home right away.”
With that, Ming Shu prepared to throw off the blanket and get out of bed, but Lu Chang moved faster.
He bent down and effortlessly lifted her by the waist.
Ming Shu found herself in Lu Chang’s arms, only realizing what had happened when her head bumped against his shoulder.
“Brother, I can walk by myself.” Ming Shu was truly embarrassed in front of Tao Yiqian and the Yin family’s old matron. First Lu Chang had put on her shoes, now he was carrying her—even for siblings, her face was completely red.
Lu Chang glanced at her, his look cold but with flames seeming to burn in his eyes.
Ming Shu swallowed her next words—never mind, better to be embarrassed than anger the Mountain King and end up dead.
She lowered her head, letting Lu Chang carry her a few steps when she suddenly remembered something. Hanging onto Lu Chang’s neck, she craned her head over his shoulder toward Tao Yiqian, making urgent eye signals.
“What is it?” Tao Yiqian immediately followed.
“Pack up my bedding and things from my room and bring them to me. Remember, do it yourself, don’t let others handle it. And don’t forget what I asked you to do earlier—the sooner the better.”
Her little notebook was still in Shu Jun’s embroidery tower.
Tao Yiqian quickly nodded in agreement.
But Lu Chang stopped at the doorway, saying coldly: “Should I carry you back, make you both some tea and let you chat by candlelight all night?”
Ming Shu immediately fell silent, releasing her grip and lying docilely against his chest.
But Lu Chang added: “Hold tight, so you don’t fall.”
“?” Though he carried her as easily as a pillow and Ming Shu felt there was no way he’d drop her, she still wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging tightly to his embrace.
In any case, going along with her brother was the right move right now.
The door curtain lifted as Lu Chang carried her out. When the cool night wind blew, Ming Shu felt cold and instinctively held Lu Chang tighter, mumbling “So cold” before tucking her head against his collar. The faint fragrance of herbs and his warmth against her cheek brought an inexplicable sense of security.
Lu Chang’s steps faltered slightly, his expression changing several times, but all was hidden by the thick darkness. When he resumed walking, his pace was even quicker.
And so Ming Shu was brought home by Lu Chang.
Though it was late when they arrived, candles still burned inside. Madam Zeng was downstairs yawning while doing embroidery as she waited for their return. Zhao Bao heard movement outside and immediately rushed to the door alertly. Madam Zeng also put down her needlework, and seeing Lu Chang carrying Ming Shu in, assumed she was seriously injured. With concern in her voice, she asked: “Where… where is she hurt?”
“It’s nothing, Mother, don’t worry. I just sprained my ankle, but Brother is making a fuss and won’t let me walk,” Ming Shu said with a smile, looking back at Madam Zeng over Lu Chang’s shoulder.
Seeing her relaxed expression, it seemed there truly was no major injury, and Madam Zeng finally relaxed. Then looking at her son’s tightly drawn face, she thought for a moment and decided not to provoke his bad mood. After all, she had helped conceal Ming Shu’s role as a companion at the Yin residence from him, and even earlier today when he asked about Ming Shu, she had helped deceive him. Who would have thought that before the day was over, the Yin family would send word of Ming Shu’s injury?
Now there was no way to hide it anymore; everything had to be explained.
Her son was probably angry at his old mother too.
“You two go upstairs first, I’ll heat some water and cook something. What would you like to eat?” Madam Zeng asked from the bottom of the stairs.
“I want Mother’s sweet rice balls,” Ming Shu said with her usual cheerful smile.
“Alright, wait for them,” Madam Zeng headed straight to the kitchen.
Back in the room, Lu Chang gently placed Ming Shu on the bed, pulled up the blanket to cover her legs, and then turned to remove her shoes. Ming Shu tried to pull her feet away but couldn’t escape his grasp.
After throwing both shoes to the floor, Lu Chang wasn’t finished—he took hold of her injured foot.
“Don’t move!” Lu Chang said, looking down.
With the white sock removed, a strong smell of medicinal herbs spread out. White cloth was wrapped from the base of her calf to her heel, also covering half her foot, but still couldn’t completely hide the blue-purple bruising. Her skin was naturally fair, making the injury look particularly alarming, especially where the white cloth bound tightly around her ankle, which was severely swollen.
Ming Shu felt Lu Chang’s hand suddenly tighten on her calf, and she said: “Brother… it’s just a small injury, nothing serious… ah, ow ow ow!”
Lu Chang had barely squeezed her ankle before letting go, but hearing her cry of pain, he laughed angrily: “Not a small injury? Not serious? Then why are you crying about pain now?”
Ming Shu fell silent, quickly pulling her foot back under the blanket.
Seeing her expression like a mouse that had spotted a cat, Lu Chang grew angrier. His gaze inadvertently swept over her hands again, finding the injuries increasingly jarring. After tucking the blanket around her, he sat on the edge of the bed staring at her.
“Brother, let me explain. I only went to the Yin family as a companion, I didn’t mean to deceive you…” She felt she couldn’t stay silent, so began to explain.
Before she could get far in her explanation, Lu Chang suddenly leaned toward her. Ming Shu fell back against the headboard.
With a “thud,” Lu Chang’s fists landed heavily on the wooden headboard, brushing past her cheeks. Ming Shu found herself trapped in a small space, feeling the temperature suddenly rise around her. Lu Chang’s face was very close, just a fist’s width away. She could feel his breath brush her cheeks like the tail of a flame, burning hot.
“Lu! Ming! Shu!” His voice was very low and hoarse, his brow furrowed, no longer the cold composure he’d shown at the Yin residence. “I am very angry! Don’t say anything to me right now, I don’t want to argue with you.”
Such a direct expression of anger, yet still restraining himself from exploding—Lu Chang was truly furious.
So angry his lungs hurt.
Her deception was a minor matter; what was crucial were those injuries on her body, stabbing at his heart like mortal wounds, making him recall when he first rescued her in Jiangning—covered in injuries, unconscious, and barely breathing.
Those scenes still left him with lingering fears, even now thinking of them made his heart uneasy.
He had expended tremendous effort to rescue her and bring her to the capital, hoping she could live safely and carefree by his side, not to relive that day’s scenes.
Why didn’t she… understand?!
Ming Shu stared at him blankly, swallowing her explanations. In his eyes, she read fear rather than anger.
Her brother was perhaps concerned not with her deception, but something else.
“Brother, I’m sorry, I made you worry,” she said softly, no longer explaining.
Lu Chang’s breathing steadied with her apology, but he maintained his position, his gaze lingering on her face, silent for a long time, lost in thought.
“Ahem!”
Madam Zeng’s cough broke the stalemate.
Lu Chang sat up straight as if waking from a dream.
“The rice balls are ready, come eat some. Lu Chang, come downstairs with me to bring up the hot water,” Madam Zeng set down the rice balls and called Lu Chang out.
Mother and son went downstairs. As Madam Zeng ladled water from the stove, she glanced sidelong at Lu Chang and spoke slowly.
“Ah Chang, what are you thinking? The one upstairs is the sister you acknowledged.”
“…” Lu Chang remained silent.
After Lu Chang left, he didn’t return, and Madam Zeng took over caring for Ming Shu.
Ming Shu breathed a sigh of relief, ate a bowl of steaming rice balls, and with Madam Zeng’s help washed up and changed clothes. Feeling refreshed, she nestled into bed, but after lying for just a moment sat up again.
“Mother, let me sleep in your room, otherwise Brother will have nowhere to sleep.”
Madam Zeng waved her hand: “No need, your brother can make do on the bamboo couch downstairs for one night. Your foot is injured and shouldn’t be moved, so don’t trouble yourself.”
“The bamboo couch downstairs? It’s still cold, he’ll catch a chill. That won’t do.” Ming Shu threw back the covers, hurrying to change places, but was pressed back onto the bed by Madam Zeng.
“Stop fussing, just let him sleep downstairs,” Madam Zeng said.
“Mother, is Brother your biological son? How can you not care about him at all?” Ming Shu could only sit back on the bed and ask.
Madam Zeng tapped her forehead: “Would I not know if he was my child? Your brother has that terrible temper, even if I care what can I do? He’s such a blockhead, never mind him, go to sleep.”
Ming Shu then asked: “Mother, why did Brother suddenly come home?” And with such perfect timing.
“He said the academy has a rest day, and he was thinking of home, so he came to check on us,” Madam Zeng replied while clearing away the bowls.
“Then… how long will he stay?”
“It’s just one rest day, he should go back tomorrow.”
Ming Shu’s eyes brightened—just one day? That’s good, that’s good!
Knowing Lu Chang would return to the academy the next day, Ming Shu’s mood greatly improved.
She couldn’t be blamed for hoping her brother would leave, after all, if he stayed home, she couldn’t continue investigating the Yin family matter that was only half complete—wouldn’t all her efforts be wasted then?
So it was better for Brother to return to the academy and focus on his studies, so she could concentrate on earning money.
Thinking this, Ming Shu wrapped herself snugly in her little blanket and had a good sleep. She got up early the next day, and as soon as it was light she limped slowly down the stairs holding onto the wall. Before she reached the bottom, her voice rang out first.
“Mother, Brother!”
Her penetrating voice made Lu Chang, who was reading downstairs, look up.
“Oh, Brother is up so early reading? It’s rare for you to come home, and you have to return to the academy today—why aren’t you resting longer?” Ming Shu spotted Lu Chang fully dressed as she descended a few steps, her face full of cheerful smiles.
Lu Chang narrowed his eyes, put his book on the table, stood up, and walked to the stairs, extending his hand to her.
Ming Shu naturally placed her hand in his palm, letting him help her down the stairs.
Lu Chang held her hand and only then said: “Who told you I’m returning to the academy?”
Ming Shu froze: “Aren’t you only on leave for one day?”
“It is only one day’s leave, but I’ve already had someone request extended leave from the academy head. I plan to stay at home for a while,” Lu Chang replied.
The smile froze on Ming Shu’s face.
“But… the spring examinations are approaching, don’t you need to return to the academy to study?” she asked dryly.
“Where can’t one study? Home is just as good.” Lu Chang led her down, the corners of his lips turning up slightly.
“…” Ming Shu’s mood instantly became unpleasant.
Her brother had turned devious.