Ju Mu'er was taken aback and opened her mouth as if to say something, but Su Qing patted her chest and assured her, "Really, just find me, and I'll pass on the message to my sister."
Lin Yueyao turned her head and looked at Su Qing carefully for several moments, then looked at Ju Mu'er, nodded, and said softly, "In that case, I'll head back now."
After she left, Ju Mu'er suddenly sighed and said to Su Qing, "Qing'er, you're always out and about, so please be careful and keep your eyes open."
"Don't worry, sister, I'm very clever, nothing will happen," Su Qing replied with a giggle.
Ju Mu'er said, "I don't know which clever little devil got so caught in the rain that he almost died, making Aunt Su cry and beg to go with him. It scared me to death."
Su Qing stuck out her tongue and came over to link arms with Ju Mu'er: "That was the only time. There hasn't been another one since."
The two chatted for a while before walking out together. Once outside Shihua Lane, Su Qing suddenly said to Ju Mu'er, "That's Second Master's carriage." Just as she finished speaking, she saw Long Er get off the carriage.
Su Qing chuckled and led Ju Mu'er to Long Er.
Long Er asked, "Didn't we disperse a long time ago? Why are you two still in there for so long? I was just about to go in and look for you."
Ju Mu'er asked, "Why is Second Master here?"
“I was passing by when I saw Guard Chen by the roadside, so I stopped and asked him. He said you were teaching the piano inside, but it had just ended and you should come out soon. I had some time, so I waited. But I ended up waiting for so long.”
"How long?" Ju Mu'er pursed her lips, wanting to refute but remaining silent. Long Er stared at her, and Ju Mu'er seemed to sense his gaze, her face inexplicably flushing.
Seeing the expressions on the two people's faces, Su Qing couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.
Long Er pulled Ju Mu'er aside and said, "Are you going back? I still have some time, let me see you off."
Before Ju Mu'er could speak, Su Qing exclaimed, "Ah, I just remembered that I sent two baskets of flowers to the Ma residence a few days ago and haven't collected payment yet. I'm going to collect the payment; I can't go back with my sister."
"What a sensible girl, she has good judgment." Long Er gave Su Qing an approving look and said to her, "From now on, send a basket of flowers to the Long residence every day."
Su Qing was overjoyed and hurriedly said loudly, "Thank you, Second Master. I will definitely pick the best and most beautiful flowers to send to your residence." As she spoke, she squeezed Ju Mu'er's hand. She was truly delighted, as if money had fallen from the sky.
Ju Mu'er laughed at their antics. Long Er turned around and instructed Guard Chen to take Su Qing to collect the debt, while he himself led Ju Mu'er to the carriage to go home.
The two groups parted ways on the street. Ju Mu'er was helped into the carriage. As soon as she was settled, she heard the carriage door close, followed by Long Er's voice: "It's been a long time. Let me see you."
“I still look the same,” Ju Mu’er replied, as Long Er poked her forehead.
"I had my servant deliver some newly harvested crisp pears to you today. Have you eaten any?"
"I ate it." Ju Mu'er nodded; the crisp pear was indeed fragrant and sweet.
"Do you like it? If you do, I'll have them send some more." Long Er touched her hand; it was cool. He then touched her face; it was still cold. So he simply covered her face with both hands, saying with a hint of disdain, "Like ice cubes."
Ju Mu'er couldn't see him, but she imagined his expression in her mind. She stroked the back of his hand and called out, "Second Master."
She wanted to get closer to him, yet felt she should stay away from him.
"Second Master," Ju Mu'er couldn't help but call out again.
"Hmm?" Long Er responded, his voice high-pitched and somewhat roguish and lazy.
Ju Mu'er bit her lip, then suddenly lunged forward without thinking, throwing herself into his arms.
You miss me, don't you?
This chapter has been revised; we'll leave that secret for later. So the content has been changed, and the later plot has been moved up.
31-year-old blind woman hesitates, fearing marriage
"You missed me, didn't you?" Long Er was delighted by Ju Mu'er's initiative in throwing herself into his arms, and teased her by rubbing her head.
Ju Mu'er nodded in agreement, knowing full well that she had to give Second Master face.
But Long Er went too far, asking, "What are you thinking? Tell me."
You have to report whatever you think.
Ju Mu'er pondered seriously, then smiled and slowly said, "That's right, when I touch a bamboo cane while walking, it reminds me that Second Master also likes bamboo canes..."
What kind of ridiculous answer is this?
Before Long Er's face could even turn green, Ju Mu'er continued, "When my father drinks, I also wonder which building Second Master is entertaining in now, and whether he will drink too much and be unable to return home. And when he plays the zither, I also wonder which piece I should play for Second Master to make him happy."
Is this what you call missing him? This is clearly making up stories about him and exposing his shortcomings. If you think like this, you might as well not think at all!
Long Er pinched her cheek: "You're causing trouble for me again, aren't you?"
Ju Mu'er buried her head in his chest and exclaimed, "It was Second Master who asked that himself."
"The first rule of the family is: no one is allowed to mock the master. Didn't you remember that?" Long Er pulled her out of his arms, determined to settle the score.
So this is the first rule of the family? Ju Mu'er wanted to laugh. She asked, "Then what's the second rule?"
"The second rule is that I must not be bored."
Ju Mu'er couldn't help but laugh out loud. What if she broke the second rule, and then had to break the first rule to get out of the predicament?
Seeing her laughing heartily, Long Er couldn't help but smile as well. He then pinched Ju Mu'er's earlobe and asked, "Does the family rule that I set make you so happy?"
Ju Mu'er smiled and said, "I also want to draft family rules."
What is it?
"First rule, no pinching my ears." Ju Mu'er replied with a smile, but in her heart she was thinking, "First rule, don't be this nice to me. Second rule, don't be this nice to me. Third rule, don't be this nice to me..."
Long Er couldn't hear what she was thinking, but he was very dissatisfied with the rule against pinching ears: "This violates the second rule of the family, so it cannot be allowed."
"What is the third rule of the family, sir?"
"You must listen to what the master says."
"And what about Article Four?"
"You are not allowed to do anything that would displease the master."
Ju Mu'er laughed heartily, and Long Er laughed too, but said, "If you break the family rules, I will punish you according to the family law."
Ju Mu'er replied in a soft, cloying voice, "Mu'er is the most timid and afraid of family rules. I would never dare to disobey Master's wishes."
Her cheeks flushed pink as she smiled, her expression playful, and her eyes seemed to sparkle. Long Er suddenly remembered that night when she nestled obediently in his arms, her lips and tongue soft and sweet.
He couldn't help but cup her face in his hands and gently touch her lips to his. Ju Mu'er's smile faltered, and her face instantly flushed.
Her shyness made him smile, and he gently touched her lips with his own, whispering, "Give me a kiss."
Ju Mu'er's face flushed red, but she still raised her head slightly and pressed her lips to his. However, this made her so shy that she couldn't help but step back a little.
Long Er had only intended to tease her, to make her blush and act coquettish before kissing her again, but he hadn't expected her to be so obedient. He was overjoyed, but then became annoyed: "Then who made the rule that we can't meet before marriage?"
Ju Mu'er laughed at his tone. Long Er lowered his head, kissed her, and pressed his lips to hers, saying, "What are you laughing at? I just missed you so much when I saw you, and I was afraid you would miss me too much."
Ju Mu'er wanted to laugh even more, but the next moment Long Er kissed her deeply, and she couldn't laugh anymore. She reached out and hugged his neck. Long Er's tongue explored and became entangled with hers. Just as he was tasting the flavor and feeling moved, he suddenly heard the coachman shout loudly, "Second Master, we've arrived at the wine shop."
Long Er was annoyed and didn't intend to stop, but someone knocked loudly on the car door again, and Old Man Ju's voice came: "Is it Second Master?"
Long Er froze, and Ju Mu'er said, "It's my father."
"I know it's your father." Long Er was completely annoyed, wishing that they were already married so he could put her in his own room and be intimate with her whenever he wanted, and see who would dare to knock on his door and disturb him.
Ju Mu'er nudged him, and Long Er sighed, regretting that there were still more than two months until the wedding. Reluctantly, he leaned over and opened the car door.
Outside the car door, Old Man Ju called out energetically, "Second Master, you've arrived!"
Before Long Er could respond, Old Man Ju turned his head and saw Ju Mu'er in the car. He was somewhat surprised and exclaimed, "Oh, Mu'er, you're here too."
Ju Mu'er sighed, "Father, I didn't come, I came back."
"Oh, right, that's what I was trying to say was that you're back. Why are you traveling with Second Master?"
Long Er jumped out of the car, turned around and picked Ju Mu'er up from the car, and replied, "I saw her on the street, so I brought her back."
Old Man Ju nodded: "Thank you so much, Second Master. Please come in and sit down for a while. What brings you here, Second Master?"
What are you doing? Long Er was taken aback. Didn't he just say he was bringing Mu'er back? What do you mean by "what"?
Seeing Long Er's confused expression, as if he didn't understand what he was asking, Old Man Ju scratched his head and looked puzzled as well: "Didn't Second Master say he was just passing by? So you're here to do something, and then drop Mu'er off, right?"
Long Er's face stiffened. He knew that Old Man Ju didn't mean to provoke him, but these words were really unpleasant. So what if he brought Mu'er back? He just liked to bring Mu'er back. Did he have to find something to make it seem like it was just a coincidence?
Hearing the conversation between the two, Ju Mu'er sighed inwardly. She said, "Father, Second Master wants to buy some wine. It's the New Year, and everyone needs to have some good wine at home. Our Ju Family Wine Shop is very famous, and Second Master has come here because of its reputation."
"Ah, yes, yes, our wine is excellent. I was angry with the city folks this year, so I didn't supply any wine to the restaurants at the end of the year. It's good that you came here to get some, Second Master. Don't worry about buying anything, Second Master, take whatever you like." When Old Man Ju heard that his wine was being praised, he was so happy that he danced with joy and called out repeatedly, "Second Master, come in and sit for a while, I'll go pick out some wine for you." After saying that, he ran inside in a flash.
Long Er and Ju Mu'er slowly walked inside, with Long Er whispering in her ear as they went: "Did I come here because of your reputation? To buy wine?"
"Yes, Second Master, please don't be so polite. My father's wine is very good." Ju Mu'er nodded, as if it were true. This made Long Er want to pinch her again.
The two entered the wine shop. Long Er was about to tell Old Man Ju that he didn't have much time and had to go back first, and that he could have the servant come and get the wine later. But before he could go, Old Man Ju came running back and shouted, "Oh, right, daughter, I just remembered. Your friend, the musician surnamed Qian, came looking for you. I told him you weren't here, and he said he wanted to borrow your sheet music to look at. I wouldn't let him take it, but I allowed him to look through your music room. He should still be there now."
"A man?" Long Er raised an eyebrow, quickly grasping the key point in the question.
“Yes.” Old Man Ju nodded. Qian Jiangyi had known Ju Mu’er for a long time; the group of musicians often visited each other, so when Qian wanted to see the sheet music, he let him in. His daughter wasn’t there, and there was no issue of propriety for a man and woman to be alone together. Old Man Ju didn’t think there was anything wrong with what he did.
Long Er felt a surge of resentment but couldn't vent it when he saw Old Man Ju's calm face. It seemed he needed to find an opportunity to have a serious talk with this overly "carefree" father-in-law and tell him the serious issue that no other man was allowed in Ju Mu'er's courtyard except for him, her husband.
Ju Mu'er nodded after hearing her father's words and said, "I'll go check the music room."
"I'll go with you," the old man said quickly, then turned to Long Er and said, "Second Master, please sit down for a while. I'll have the waiter get the wine; it'll be ready in a bit."
Long Er sighed, suppressing the urge to yell at his father, "Dad, do you really think it's okay for your son-in-law to sit outside and then lead your daughter into the backyard to meet another man?"
Long Er silently repeated three times in his heart: He is the father-in-law, he is the father-in-law, he is the father-in-law.
Then he took a deep breath, smiled slightly, and said, "I'll go with Mu'er, Dad, you go ahead with your work." As he spoke, he took Ju Mu'er's arm and led her to the backyard.
Old Man Ju didn't think there was anything wrong with his blatant act of snatching his daughter. He just said, "Then I'll go pick some wine for you. I'll definitely pick better than the waiter." After saying that, he ran off in a flash.
Long Er watched his retreating figure speechlessly. Later, as he and Ju Mu'er walked towards the backyard, he couldn't help but grit his teeth and say, "Father-in-law, you are really quite likable."
Ju Mu'er smiled and nodded: "My father would be very happy if he heard Second Master praising him."
"Are you making fun of me again?" Long Er pinched her cheek: "I'll prepare a family law when I get back. Once you're married, I'm afraid we'll have to use it every day."
Ju Mu'er giggled and protested her innocence. The two quickly arrived at the door of the music room.
Inside the music room, a man in his thirties was intently examining a musical score. Hearing the noise, he looked up. Seeing Ju Mu'er and another man approaching, he quickly bowed and greeted them, "Miss Ju, you're back." He then turned to Long Er and said, "Greetings, young master. My name is Qian Jiangyi."
Long Er nodded in return. Ju Mu'er then introduced the two to each other.
Upon hearing that this was Master Long, Qian Jiangyi immediately understood and hurriedly bowed in greeting. This Qian Jiangyi was a qin player whom Ju Mu'er had befriended. He was an outstanding qin player who had taught many students and had also founded a qin academy called "Yayinge," which was quite famous in the capital.
Long Er was unimpressed. He knew nothing about music, nor did he recognize any of these musicians or music schools; he had absolutely no interest in them. What he cared about was why this man was looking at his Mu'er's sheet music instead of his own.
According to Master Long's view on the ownership of "his own people," Ju Mu'er is his, and therefore her things are also his. Although his Mu'er is blind, the sheet music is still hers, and what is hers is his; what others have the right to touch!
Qian Jiangyi felt somewhat embarrassed when he saw that Long Er's expression was not good. However, he still told Ju Mu'er that he wanted to borrow her musical scores to take back and look at them. There were some copies in her collection that he did not have, and he wanted to borrow them to copy them and then return the original books.