Une jeunesse errante

Chapitre 146

Qing Jianyue thought to herself: What a dignified young lady from a respectable family. Lord Hong is here, so why bring both his daughters along to make a public appearance? A thought flashed through her mind, and she quickly looked at Lu Qingcheng.

Lu Qingcheng appeared aloof, yet remained impeccably courteous, gracefully returning the greeting with a cupped-hand salute, "May Miss Hong enjoy her blessings."

Hong Qiaoying raised her head slightly, her gaze meeting Lu Qingcheng's, and then she looked away like a startled bird, her cheeks instantly glowing with a radiant blush.

Kiyoshi immediately noticed the satisfied smiles on the faces of the Hong couple. In an instant, his face contorted as if he had eaten a mixture of bitter melon, chili peppers, and sour plums, then sprinkled with pepper powder—a truly remarkable sight. He thought to himself: So it's a blind date. No wonder they wouldn't let me accompany them.

Miss Hong returned to her mother's side. Lu Qingcheng also sat back down. Next, the second Miss Hong was introduced. Hong Qiaoyan was quite different from her sister; she was lively and playful, with a touch of fiery willfulness. She seemed to be very fond of Cai Zhonghe. Unlike her sister, who was reserved and shy, she openly expressed her admiration and affection, her eyes and brows brimming with affection.

Qing Jianyue glared at Cai Zhonghe's elegant and flirtatious teasing of Miss Hong, feeling quite displeased. She thought to herself, "When did he get back? He didn't even say hello. Damn it, look this way!"

How could someone as perceptive as Cai Zhonghe not notice? His gaze shifted and suddenly met Qing Jianyue's sharp eyes, causing him to be greatly surprised.

Kiyoshi Tsuki mouthed: You damn playboy, if you don't explain what happened that day clearly to me, I'll beat the pretty face you use to deceive women to pieces.

Looking at him, Cai Zhonghe felt a mix of emotions—bitterness, sweetness, and sorrow—rushing through his heart. After some time apart, his beloved had become even more radiant; how could he not love him? He smiled gently, a smile brimming with countless acts of doting, tenderness, and affection. His smile lifted Qing Jianyue's spirits, and she returned his smile with a large, playful, and adorable one.

Their actions quickly caught the attention of one person: Hong Qiaoyan. She had been watching Cai Zhonghe closely, and naturally noticed all of Cai Zhonghe and Qing Jianyue's subtle movements. She quietly asked Xu Yun, "Who are those people?"

Following her gaze, Xu Yun coldly smiled and said, "Second Miss, you may not know this, but she is none other than the beloved Young Master Jian Yue, the lord of this fortress."

Hong Qiaoyan exclaimed in surprise, "He...he's Qing Jianyue. Isn't he a man?"

"No, he is a woman disguised as a man. Miss Hong, Young Master Jianyue is not only deeply loved by the Lord of this fortress, but also by the Great Lord Qingfeng and the Fourth Lord Cai. He is truly the one who is favored by everyone."

Xu Yun's face broke into a malicious smile.

Hong Qiaoyan's gaze immediately swept over Lu Qingcheng, Qingfeng, and Cai Zhonghe. Her deep-seated jealousy surged like a flood, completely uncontrollable. "Ha, with looks like his, are the men of Lu Family Fort blind?"

Xu Yun lowered her eyes, smiling but not answering.

The conversation in the main hall revolved entirely around Miss Hong. Madam Hong smiled and continuously praised her eldest daughter's virtue, intelligence, and many talents. Old Madam Lu seemed quite pleased, echoing her praise. In less than half an hour, Lu Qingcheng and Miss Hong were considered a perfect match, a match made in heaven, like a pair of mandarin ducks, an inseparable bond, destined to be the most perfect and loving couple after their marriage.

This time, Kiyomi Tsuki wasn't jealous at all; in fact, she almost injured herself trying to hold back her laughter. Good heavens, I can't hold it in anymore! I'd better slip away and find somewhere to laugh my head off before coming back to watch the show.

Suddenly, a woman screamed from outside. Bai Yiting, who had been smiling and silent the whole time, heard the scream, leaped up, and rushed out of the hall. The men inside the hall all followed in surprise.

In the courtyard, the white rabbit kept jumping and screaming, as if possessed by a ghost. The white fox, carrying a large rat in its mouth, walked with elegant steps, circling the white rabbit like a proud king surveying its territory. Moreover, it wasn't carrying one, but two rats in its mouth.

Seeing this from afar, Kiyomi Tsuki was so angry that she put her finger in her mouth and bit it. Good heavens! This fox hasn't forgotten the grudge of being whipped and is using this method to retaliate.

Bai Yiting scooped up his daughter and held her in his arms. The white rabbit wailed, "Daddy, I'm scared! I'm scared of mice! Waaah, let it go away, go away..."

Kiyoshi rushed over and roared, "Fox, release the rat! Release it!"

Lu Qingcheng was not surprised to see the white fox and then him.

"No, not here, no!" White Rabbit was almost hysterical, while Bai Yiting gently patted his daughter in his arms.

Qingjian Yue panicked and said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Manager Bai, I'm so sorry. I'll deal with it, I won't let it get away with it. Miss Bai, don't be afraid, it's alright. I'll have Fox throw the rat into the woods."

The white fox lowered its large, snow-white tail and murmured.

"Did you hear me? You stupid fox, you've disgraced me! Throw the mouse back into the woods!"

Hong Wantong and the women emerged from the reception room. His gaze immediately fixed on Qing Jianyue, who was baring her teeth at a white fox in the sunlight. Good heavens! This child is absolutely stunning!

"I'm so angry, and you're still standing there."

Kiyomi Tsuki flailed her fist, and the startled white fox loosened its grip, releasing two large rats from its mouth. This caused a major disaster, and the women screamed in unison. Even more terrifying, the two rats weren't quite dead, emitting painful squeaks. The women were horrified, as if the rats were crawling all over them.

Old Madam Lu and Hong Qiaoying pounced on Lu Qingcheng at the same time, Hong Qiaoyan jumped on Cai Zhonghe, and Madam Hong, needless to say, her husband was enough for her to ravage.

Kiyomi Tsuki covered her eyes. Oh no! It's all over, all over. You stupid fox, I'm going to skin you, dry your fur, and hang it around your neck so you'll never have another chance to play pranks.

The guards rushed over and, in the blink of an eye, chopped the two large rats into mincemeat.

Kiyomi Tsuki peeked through her fingers, thinking: What a pity, those two big rats are quite fat. Ah, back in the day when we couldn't find food in the wilderness, we survived by eating rats. These rich ladies have never gone hungry.

As expected of a matriarch, Old Madam Lu quickly released her hands from her son, composed herself, and regained her usual elegance and composure. Miss Hong, however, was in a state of panic, clinging desperately to Lu Qingcheng, trembling and crying out, "I'm so scared, so scared!"

Qingjian Yue suddenly felt as if someone had poured a huge bottle of vinegar into her mouth, a feeling of utter discomfort that made her want to pounce on Miss Hong, tear her off Lu Qingcheng, throw her on the ground, and stomp on her. How outrageous!

Lu Qingcheng showed no mercy whatsoever, even shoving Hong Qiaoying away quite roughly. He couldn't help it; she was holding him too tightly. He looked at Qing Jianyue, who was baring her teeth like a cat at a mouse, looking like she wanted to bite him to death. Lu Qingcheng returned his gaze with a mischievous smile.

"Lord Lu, whose child is this adorable young master?" Hong Wantong walked over with a beaming smile, staring at Qing Jianyue with lustful eyes.

Lu Qingcheng and Qing Jianyue were immediately alarmed.

"How adorable! Young master, may I ask your name?" Hong Wantong's wolfish claws reached out towards Qingjian Yue.

Qing Jianyue's hand clenched suddenly, about to punch Hong Wantong in the face, but Lu Qingcheng grabbed her and dragged her away. Qingfeng, Cai Zhonghe, Cai Bo'an, Lei Yongxiang, and Li Anguo appeared on either side of Lu Qingcheng, intentionally or unintentionally shielding Qing Jianyue behind them. Although Lu Qingcheng's face was full of gentle smiles, the sharp glint in her eyes was colder than ice. "If you ask, sir, she is my fiancée."

Hong Wantong was stunned.

Lu Qingcheng smiled and said, "I have asked people to tell Lord Hong countless times that I already have someone I admire."

Hong Wantong, true to his reputation as a smooth talker, laughed heartily and said, "My apologies, my apologies. So this is Young Master Jianyue. Forgive my poor eyesight, I thought he was some handsome young master from a wealthy family."

That last slightly flippant remark enraged Kiyomi Tsuki. He glared like an angry cat, his entire body radiating a murderous aura.

Lu Qingcheng scolded, "You're so disobedient."

Kiyoshi puffed out her cheeks, thinking bitterly: How was I supposed to know that this old bastard was a lecherous scoundrel?

"Someone, escort the young master back to the Ice Garden," Lu Qingcheng ordered.

Zhang Zhichun, Huang Chong, and the others swarmed around her. Surrounded by them, Qing Jianyue left in frustration, leaving behind the greedy gaze of Hong Wantong, the disgusted gaze of Madam Hong, and the envious gazes of the Hong Qiaoying sisters. How complicated!