flamboyant - Chapitre 62
"Absolutely, I'm almost getting depressed from being so bored."
"...What nonsense...Why don't you ever mention that?"
"Isn't it because I see you're busy? Besides, I understand. There are many rules in your large family compound. Women are very particular about not leaving the inner courtyard. Going out is harder than climbing to heaven."
"That's true, but I never realized you were such a rule-abiding person."
"Isn't it because I'm afraid of causing you trouble? Otherwise, I would have sneaked away long ago!"
"Yeah! I've been wondering the same thing, why didn't you slip away?"
Lu Ziqi turned around with a puzzled look at the person behind him who was working hard and flattering him: "Go through that small open space on the north side of the garden, and there's a side gate that leads directly to Anyang Street. Don't you know that?"
Song Xiaohua was dumbfounded: "Nobody told me this!"
He suddenly realized and slapped his forehead: "My bad, my bad! I completely forgot to tell you that this garden was originally my father's place under the guise of seclusion, but in reality, it was where he indulged in his romantic affairs. When it was built, a hidden secret passage was reserved for easy access to the mansion. The reason I chose this place as our residence was also because of this factor. After all, it would be really difficult to keep a girl like you, who is used to running around and being wild outside, staying in this small place year after year without going out. However, I seem to have underestimated your potential as a lady of a noble family; you are so patient. In that case, I will have someone block up that small door another day, so as to avoid any unnecessary trouble if it is discovered in the future."
Song Xiaohua remained dumbfounded for a long time before she came to her senses. She grabbed his neck and shook him violently, yelling, "You did it on purpose! You did it on purpose! You just did it on purpose!"
He smiled and took her hand, pulling her into his arms with a slight pull: "The weather was so hot the other day, wasn't it because I was worried you'd get too hot if you went out? Besides, with so many eyes watching you since you just entered the manor, you can't be too carefree, right?"
"There are quite a few people watching now!"
"But who would dare to gossip about Second Madam now? Even if they did, Second Master wouldn't care, so who would dare to?"
She snorted coldly, "Look at you, so smug, as if you have everything under control."
"What your husband excels at most is 'strategizing within the tent and winning battles a thousand miles away'!"
"Keep bragging, it's free to brag anyway."
After laughing for a while, Lu Ziqi gently kissed Song Xiaohua's forehead: "Yaoyao, although you have come into this deep mansion with me, I don't want to restrict you too much. You are willing to be confined to this small courtyard for my sake, so how can I not let you see the vast world? In a couple of days, when I have some free time, I will take you to tour this bustling capital. In the future, if you feel bored and want to go out of the mansion, just tell the servants, and Xiaoyan or Tingxian will come with you to serve you."
She looked up at him with a half-smile: "You trust me that much? Aren't you afraid your beautiful wife will get into some romantic entanglements and run off with someone else?"
"If you wanted to run away, you would have done it countless times in the past six months. Besides, if I can't even keep my own wife, then I, Lu Ziqi, would be far too incompetent!"
She pouted, "Show-off!" Then she beamed, "I love your arrogant, vain self!"
Song Xiaohua concluded that two animalistic traits in her man were becoming increasingly apparent: a cunning fox and a scheming wolf.
The author has something to say: Tingxian's attitude towards love is basically: I love you, but it has nothing to do with you.
But it's not so extreme. I think it should be a more rational approach that won't burden others and is also more responsible to oneself.
Well, overall I quite appreciate it.
Chapter Sixty-Four: A Drunken Cat
The sky was clear and blue, and the sun shone brightly.
At this moment, two young men in splendid attire attracted considerable attention on the bustling streets of Bianliang.
One is taller, the other shorter. One is upright, the other slender. One has a dignified air, the other is quick-witted. One has sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, the other has delicate features.
The two walked side by side, looking quite... intimate.
Song Xiaohua was in high spirits. After being confined within the high walls for two months, she was finally able to see the light of day again. She skipped and shouted all the way, stopping at almost every stall to look around and pick something out. Although she had only walked through less than two streets, she seemed to have already attracted the attention of half of Bianliang City.
Lu Ziqi truly regretted not bringing a large fan that could completely cover his face when he went out. But his biggest regret was agreeing to let Song Xiaohua dress as a man and go out with him.
Now look what's happened! Tomorrow the whole city will probably know that the second young master of the Lu family is a womanizer...
Looking at Song Xiaohua, who often disguised herself as a man during her travels and whose every gesture showed no trace of femininity, Lu Ziqi was speechless...
"Holly, look how interesting these clay figures are!"
Song Xiaohua affectionately took his arm and excitedly jumped to a clay figurine stall: "Boss, could you make a pair of clay figurines in our likeness?"
The boss, who had been all smiles with his teeth showing but his eyes not quite, surprisingly revealed two eyes that sparkled with surprise. He looked the two wealthy young men, who were befriending each other, up and down, and then smiled knowingly again: "No problem, no problem, this is the right position, isn't it?"
He leaned his head against the already stiff shoulder beside him: "Like this!"
Lu Ziqi resignedly closed his eyes, silently repeating in his mind: Nobody knows me, nobody can see me...
"Lord Lu, what a fine mood you're in!"
"Lord Lu, what a coincidence!"
"Lord Lu, the weather is lovely today!"
"Lord Lu, have you eaten?"
"Lord Lu..."
"…………"
The constant greetings around him gave Lu Ziqi a very deep understanding of his current fame, and he began to reflect on his behavior, realizing that being too high-profile was not a good thing...
Song Xiaohua nudged the person next to her who was silently 'crying' with her elbow: "Wow, I didn't expect you to be so famous!"
"I didn't expect this either..."
Holding up a pair of lifelike clay figures, Song Xiaohua's smile grew even brighter: "These are ancient-style photo booth pictures! Dongqing, look how silly your expression is!"
Lu Ziqi finally couldn't take it anymore and protested again in a low voice: "Yaoyao, in public, and dressed like this again, can't you tone it down a bit?"
"No! I want the whole world to know that you don't like women! Only in this way can I completely cut off those people's hopes and nip all potential mistresses in the bud!"
After these days of education and training, Lu Ziqi had come to understand that the so-called "mistress" basically meant a concubine. Therefore, he couldn't help but mentally curse those officials who were so ungrateful as to send courtesans to his garden.
"Yaoyao, you've already sent all those women away. I guarantee no one will dare to be so rude again."
Song Xiaohua's approach was to accept everything with a smile at the time, then immediately tear up the indentures, give each woman a small sum of money, and send them away. She was very efficient, completing the entire process in less than an hour. In any case, none of the women who had been "bribed" actually saw the person who actually took the bribe.
Naturally, some people disapproved of this petty and ungrateful behavior of a jealous woman, but Song Xiaohua simply rolled her eyes and ignored it, while Lu Ziqi smiled knowingly and paid no attention. Before long, all sound ceased.
The second young mistress of the Lu family's intolerance of concubines and the second young master of the Lu family's indulgent wife became famous both inside and outside the capital.
However, Song Xiaohua clearly felt that this wasn't enough: "I want to completely cut off any possibility of you having affairs! But if someone sends you some handsome young men because of this, I'd be happy to accept them, hahaha..."
Lu Ziqi really wanted to knock this guy unconscious with a single blow. He was laughing so loudly in the street, seemingly afraid he wasn't attracting enough attention. What kind of wife had he married?
Just as one was feeling triumphant and the other indignant, a sudden, deafeningly loud voice, like a thunderclap from a clear sky, shattered both emotions, leaving everyone speechless and dumbfounded.
"Little sister-in-law?! It really is you? Wow, you look quite convincing dressed as a man!"
So, this handsome young man who didn't care about his image at all was the legendary "tiger mom," the second young mistress of the Lu family! Seeing is believing, indeed...
Everyone suddenly understood and felt relieved. After all, how could the dashing, talented, and successful second young master of the Lu family, Lord Lu, possibly be a homosexual? They all began to reflect on their own actions…
Lu Ziqi took two big steps forward as if he had seen a savior, and exchanged fist bumps with the 'benefactor' who had told him the truth: "When did you come to the capital? Why didn't you tell me beforehand?"
Amidst countless gazes filled with a myriad of complex emotions, Song Xiaohua simply glared fiercely at that damned loudmouth—
Clad in coarse cloth and covered in dust, tall and thin with slightly dark skin, his most distinctive features were his piercingly bright eyes and the thick beard that covered most of his face—Huo Nan!
"I just arrived and was about to go to your residence to find you when I passed by and saw that this place was quite lively, so I came over out of curiosity. Who would have thought that I would run into you and your sister-in-law."
Huo Nan flashed Song Xiaohua a bright smile, revealing his two rows of white teeth: "Little sister-in-law, how have you been!"
You're the younger sister-in-law! Your whole family are younger sisters-in-law!
Song Xiaohua used the exact same lines she had grumbled about during their first meeting...
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With clear skies and crisp autumn air, it's the perfect time to appreciate chrysanthemums and enjoy crabs.
The potted chrysanthemums placed along both banks of the Bian River resemble two long golden dragons, winding endlessly, a truly magnificent sight.
Drinking fine wine, eating delicious food, and appreciating beautiful scenery have inspired countless literati to write poems and lyrics.
As night falls, the painted boats of all sizes on the river display lanterns of various colors, vying for attention and illuminating the water with vibrant hues, dimming the starry sky.
The beautiful women on the boat were the most dazzling and radiant sight among them.
At that time, most of the women engaged in the 'service industry' were registered 'official prostitutes'. They were skilled in singing, dancing, writing, painting, playing musical instruments, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine, and tea—they were proficient in all these arts, and almost all of them deserved the title of 'talented woman'. They would accompany guests to drink, chat, dance, write, and engage in elegant pursuits, truly selling their art but not their bodies.
Of course, it's not uncommon for people to sell their bodies but not their talents, though these are relatively rare. And of course, anyone can sell both their body and their talents if the price is right…
In the largest and most expensive private room of the pleasure boat, several beautiful women surrounded three guests with very different expressions, each fulfilling their duties: playing the piano, dancing, drinking, or speaking softly.