CHAPTER 014
Qu Le Fang was a front-shop, back-residence style establishment, with a spacious and expansive courtyard in the rear.
In the center of the courtyard was a circular flower bed, adorned with dozens of blooming flowers of various kinds. The flowers swayed gently in the breeze, filling the air with a fragrant scent that was intoxicating. Beside the flower bed stood a more than two-meter-tall red maple tree, its branches pruned with a balanced density, giving the entire courtyard an elegant and lively atmosphere.
Following the covered walkway to the east, one could see rockeries and a lotus pond, with several pavilions nearby, perfect for summer sightseeing and staying cool.
Upon entering the banquet hall, all the meals had already been prepared, and they only needed to take their seats.
As soon as Lu Yun’er sat down, she thought about how she had to teach classes the next day, and felt a responsibility as a teacher to keep an eye on things. She looked at Su Qingwan and said, "Sit next to me."
Su Qingwan obediently walked over and sat down. The proximity brought with it a faint cold fragrance that he was accustomed to sleeping with every night, making his cheeks warm slightly.
Suddenly, the scent became much stronger, and he instinctively turned his gaze slightly, only to meet a pair of extremely beautiful peach blossom eyes. The clear and vibrant light in those eyes made Su Qingwan's heart tremble.
At that moment, Lu Yun’er’s voice reached his ears, "Young lord Su, remember that you have class tomorrow! Don’t get carried away!"
Her lowered voice, accompanied by a warm breath, subtly stirred his sensitive nerves.
"Mm." Su Qingwan struggled to control his emotions, lowering his gaze and forcing himself to calm his erratic heartbeat.
Liu Lan and Xie Nanxi exchanged glances and smiled knowingly at each other.
Though it was a birthday banquet, it quickly turned into a time for close friends to chat. The three of them began to talk, while the young lord Su sat obediently to the side, eating his meal.
Even though Lu Yun’er was chatting with her friends, her hands didn’t stop moving. She occasionally looked after the young lord Su, who seemed a bit reserved. When she saw that his bowl was empty but he was too shy to help himself to more, eating only plain rice, she would help him by adding more dishes and changing the plates.
This reminded her of when she was young, going with her parents to pay New Year’s visits. Because she was slow to warm up and shy, she would just eat the food in front of her while the adults drank and chatted, afraid that any movement might interrupt their conversation and turn the topic toward her.
Fortunately, as she grew older, she became less shy and more talkative.
After a while, Xie Nanxi suddenly stood up, walked over to Su Qingwan, and smiled, "I didn’t expect that I’d have the honor of meeting young lord Su on my birthday. I just so happen to have a gift for young lord Su, one that I’m sure you’ll like. Come, come!"
With that, he took Su Qingwan’s hand and led him away, not giving Lu Yun’er a chance to interrupt as they quickly left.
In the corridor.
"Oh! So young lord Su is quite clingy!" Xie Nanxi noticed the reluctance in his eyes, and as soon as he spoke, young lord Su's ears turned as red as blood.
Xie Nanxi stopped teasing and continued, "Don’t worry, we’ll just chat for a bit."
Su Qingwan let him lead the way into a large, elegantly simple room. Inside, various valuable calligraphy, paintings, antiques, and jewels were displayed on shelves.
It seemed that, as Xiaoyuan had said, there were indeed many women who had spent fortunes for him. To be honest, when he first saw Xie Nanxi, his delicate and charming appearance, combined with his seductive demeanor, made him realize that the term "alluring" was fully embodied in him.
Who wouldn’t be captivated by such a beautiful and enchanting man?
At first, his concern was tinged with a bit of jealousy, but later, when he realized that they were just friends, he felt much more at ease.
Xie Nanxi generously said, "Young lord Su, feel free to choose anything you like. There must be something in this room that catches your eye, given your noble background."
He wasn’t wrong. Su Qingwan had indeed seen many rare and precious items before, but none of these interested him.
Su Qingwan glanced around indifferently until his eyes were caught by a painting of a woman admiring flowers on the wall. The woman looked familiar, so he stepped closer to take a closer look.
The painting depicted a vibrant spring scene, with peach blossoms in full bloom throughout the garden. Under one peach tree, the woman held a small bamboo basket in her right hand while her left hand picked flowers. The simple act carried a natural elegance and charm.
"Does young lord Su like this painting?" Xie Nanxi asked, pretending not to know the answer.
"I do," Su Qingwan replied, slightly entranced.
Xie Nanxi immediately followed up, "Do you like Yun’er?"
"I do," Su Qingwan answered instinctively, only to suddenly snap out of his daze.
"I like Yun’er too," Xie Nanxi said with a smile, looking at him.
Su Qingwan was clearly startled, and as their eyes met, his gaze was filled with evident possessiveness.
"No need to be jealous; that was all in the past." As a fellow man, Xie Nanxi naturally understood his reaction. He then turned to look at the woman in the painting, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Yun’er is a good woman—who wouldn’t like her?"
Xie Nanxi’s tone grew somber as he continued, "But such a good woman, she isn’t attached to the mundane world."
Su Qingwan frowned, puzzled, and asked, "What do you mean?"
Xie Nanxi spoke with deep emotion, "Did you know that the famous *Chang Xiang Si* was composed by Yun’er? The lyrics and melody are so tender and lingering, yet she is someone who does not concern herself with love."
Su Qingwan felt a jolt in his heart. He had read about *Chang Xiang Si* in popular stories and had been deeply moved by it.
Xie Nanxi continued, "Since I’ve known Yun’er, she’s always kept a certain distance from others, as if she’s deliberately avoiding forming deep bonds. In the past, if she wasn’t attending court, she’d return home. Occasionally, when she had nothing to do, she’d visit Qu Le Fang, sometimes sitting quietly by herself for an entire day. Her gaze was always pure and serene, yet for some reason, she always gave me the feeling that she could disappear at any moment."
After Xie Nanxi finished speaking, he looked at Su Qingwan, who also turned to look at him. Their gazes met once again, this time with a more complex expression.
Then Xie Nanxi smiled intriguingly and said, "Young lord Su, if you truly like Yun’er, I can give you some tips."
Su Qingwan’s raven-black eyelashes fluttered slightly.
...
Banquet Hall.
“It’s unexpected that the person you saved that day was Scholar Su,” Liu Lan remarked with a hint of reproach in her tone. “You could have at least told me, had me looking for you everywhere.”
Lu Yun’er responded, “That day, I truly didn’t know it was Scholar Su. Besides, doesn’t Sister Lan know what I’m like?”
Liu Lan teased with a speculative tone, “Ah, could it be that Scholar Su has taken a liking to you, Yun’er?”
Lu Yun’er’s eyes shifted slightly as she explained, “Sister Lan, don’t joke around. My feelings for Scholar Su are purely those of a teacher and student.”
“Alright, enough of that. This is some peach blossom wine that Brother Nanxi just made. Give it a try,” Liu Lan changed the subject, pouring another pot of wine for her.
Lu Yun’er took a sip and commented, “Not bad.”
Recently, to sleep more soundly, she would have a small drink before bed. Nanxi had quite the talent for winemaking.
After the last embarrassing incident where she got drunk and passed out, he began giving her these wines with a low alcohol content, knowing she couldn’t handle anything too strong.
About half a stick of incense time passed.
“They’re both drunk,” Xie Nanxi remarked upon returning, noticing Lu Yun’er and Liu Lan both passed out at the table. He sniffed the remaining peach blossom wine on the table and remarked, “Sister Lan must have grabbed the wrong pot. This peach blossom wine has quite a kick.”
He then turned his gaze toward Scholar Su, saying, “It seems we’ll have to trouble Scholar Su to escort Sister Yun’er back to Lu Mansion.”
Scholar Su, holding the painting scroll, nodded.
Xie Nanxi gave a bright smile and added, as if intentionally reminding him, “Sister Yun’er is very obedient when she’s drunk.”
Hearing this, Scholar Su looked at the sleeping Lu Yun’er with a complicated expression.
Inside the carriage, Lu Yun’er, already drowsy from the alcohol, leaned against the wall of the carriage and fell into a deep sleep. Scholar Su sat beside her, a faint blush on his face, his calm eyes flickering with a hint of restlessness.
Suddenly, the carriage jolted, and the drowsy Lu Yun’er, weak and unsteady, fell toward the floor. Scholar Su immediately caught her by the waist, holding her close. She remained asleep, instinctively nuzzling against his pale neck as she sought a comfortable position.
Scholar Su’s heart was in turmoil, his ears turning a deep shade of red as his body grew warm despite the layers of clothing.
The faint fragrance she naturally exuded was intoxicating, making it difficult for him to resist. He tried to stay composed, pulling back slightly, but his restrained gaze couldn’t help but linger on her peaceful, enticing face.
Suddenly remembering Xie Nanxi’s words, the thoughts he’d been trying to suppress surged again, his fingertips tightening around her waist.
Spring’s desires stirred within him as he nervously leaned closer, his trembling lips hesitantly brushing against her blushing cheek, gently exploring.
Yet his gaze was irresistibly drawn to her soft, moist, rosy lips.
Scholar Su swallowed hard, his breathing quickening as the darkness in his eyes deepened.
His heart pounded violently as he slowly pressed his lips against hers. The soft sensation, mingled with the scent of wine, made him shudder, closing his eyes as he indulged, unable to stop.
The warm, silent kiss fell like a gentle spring rain, each drop more practiced than the last, restrained yet deeply affectionate.
He finally understood the hidden meaning behind “very obedient” — it meant he could do as he pleased.
Eventually, the carriage arrived at Lu Mansion, where Qiu Yi, preparing to meet them, noticed a carriage approaching. As someone lifted the curtain and she recognized the person inside, she immediately greeted him. “Lu Mansion’s servant, Qiu Yi, greets Scholar Su.”
They hadn’t met before, but she had seen him often at the Imperial Academy recently.
Scholar Su’s cheeks were still flushed, his eyes tinged with a soft redness, as he replied gently, “Doctor Lu got drunk at Qu Yue House. I’m here to escort her back.”
Though puzzled, Qiu Yi helped her deeply drunk master out of the carriage, muttering under her breath, “Ah, Master, why don’t you ever listen? You know you can’t handle alcohol, yet you still get drunk. Luckily, Scholar Su brought you back, otherwise…”
She glanced at her master’s lips and suddenly looked confused. Then, she turned to Scholar Su with concern, saying, “Master’s lips…”
At the mention of her lips, Scholar Su’s face turned scarlet, his eyes evasive.
Xiao Yuan’s eyes widened as she realized something. When they left Qu Yue House, Doctor Lu’s lips weren’t like this. Now, seeing their current state, it was clear that her young master had taken liberties with Doctor Lu in the carriage.
Completely oblivious, Qiu Yi shook her head and sighed, “Master must have eaten something spicy while drinking. She knows she shouldn’t, but she can never resist.”
There had been a previous incident when her master, used to bland food, craved something spicy, saying she had forgotten what it tasted like. She insisted on making a spicy hotpot and invited her to share it. Just one bite of the red soup’s food had her sweating buckets and left her lips red and swollen. Yet, her master had said, “No spice, no pleasure,” forcing her to eat only from the mild side, though she ended up with a stomachache for days.
“Thank you, Scholar Su, for escorting our master back to the mansion,” she said as she thanked him and helped her master inside.
After seeing them off, Scholar Su returned to the carriage heading to the Prince’s Manor. The carriage still held a lingering trace of the earlier heated encounter, rekindling the memory of the bold and passionate moment. Realizing what he had done, he shyly covered his face, overwhelmed with embarrassment.
Sitting outside the carriage, Xiao Yuan was filled with a mix of emotions. If it hadn’t been for that oblivious Qiu Yi, her young master might have been caught red-handed for taking advantage of Doctor Lu.
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