Chapter 158: Little Joke
The carriage sped into the city and, after circling around the western district several times, stopped in front of a small courtyard with dark tiles and white walls.
The person wearing a black hood was carried down and pushed in a wheelchair inside. Not long after, a small blue sedan carried by two people was lifted out from the back door, passing through the bustling market and entering through the west side gate of the Lu Residence.
The sedan curtain was lifted, revealing a face with a scholarly air, the eyebrows and eyes bearing five points of resemblance to Lu Chengjing.
Compared to Lu Chengjing’s aloofness, this person had a gentle temperament, his lips naturally curved upward, seeming to carry three points of a smile even without smiling, appearing friendly and approachable.
But in Shang Wan’s eyes, that friendliness and approachability was nothing but hypocritical and punchable.
This person was none other than Lu Chengyuan, whom Shang Wan wanted to cripple but temporarily could not.
The servant boy had long prepared the wheelchair and pushed Lu Chengyuan to the study in the front courtyard. After paying respects to Master Lu, he went to the main courtyard to greet Madam Lu, then returned to Lu Chengyuan’s own courtyard.
Shang Wan quietly followed the whole time and, seeing Lu Chengyuan wearing a smiling face to everyone, cursed him in her heart again as hypocritical and pretentious.
Lu Chengyuan’s courtyard was the best and largest in the entire Lu Residence besides the main courtyard, filled throughout with flowers and trees meticulously tended, and one could smell the fragrance of flowers upon entering the courtyard gate.
Li Shi received the news and waited early at the courtyard doorway, smiling as she took over pushing the wheelchair and pushed Lu Chengyuan toward the bedroom.
Lu Chengyuan asked, “Has the luggage all been packed?”
The smile at the corner of Li Shi’s lips stiffened, and when Lu Chengyuan turned to look, it rose again.
“It’s all packed, clothes and items for all four seasons, especially your books and manuscripts, all put in a separate chest.”
Lu Chengyuan placed his hand over the fair back of her hand pushing the wheelchair and gently sighed, “Are you resenting me for not taking you along?”
The forced smile on Li Shi’s face faded, and she didn’t reply.
“This trip to the capital is for study. If I bring family, I can only stay at my uncle’s house, which would be inconvenient in many ways and likely make you and the child suffer.”
Li Shi said, “I’m not afraid of hardship.”
Lu Chengyuan gripped her hand a bit harder, his voice gentle, “It’s only one year. After one year, I’ll return for the autumn provincial exam. If I’m lucky enough to pass, then I’ll take you and the child to the capital together, and our family will never separate again.”
Hearing him say this, Li Shi couldn’t help choking up, her eyes misting over.
“I can endure it, but the children have never been separated from you for so long. Just now Yunyao threw herself into my arms and cried, saying she couldn’t bear for Daddy to leave.”
Lu Yunyao was their young daughter, only five years old this year, right at the clingy and fussy age.
Thinking of his little daughter’s adorable face, Lu Chengyuan’s expression softened a bit, “I’ll go see the two children in a bit.”
“You talk properly with them. Don’t let them come make a fuss at me after you leave.” Li Shi gently wiped the tears from the corner of her eye with a handkerchief and forced a joke, “Then the daughter will cry at my place every day; see if you feel heartbroken.”
The little daughter was indeed a crybaby. Lu Chengyuan sighed, “Don’t spoil her too much either. Mother likes Yunyao, so let Yunyao go to Mother’s side more to keep Mother company and chat.”
Li Shi was unhappy in her heart but agreed with her mouth, “Everything at home is handled by me, so don’t worry.”
Lu Chengyuan chuckled lightly, “With such a virtuous wife, what more could a husband ask for.”
Li Shi’s pretty face reddened, and she lightly pounded his shoulder, pushing him toward the bedroom.
Lu Chengyuan changed into a set of casual home clothes and wheeled himself to the study.
Steward Liu was already waiting here and, upon seeing Lu Chengyuan enter in the wheelchair, immediately bowed in salute and called, “Young Master.”
Lu Chengyuan nodded, “Sit and talk. Has the matter been investigated clearly?”
Steward Liu didn’t dare sit fully, his buttocks only touching the edge of the stool.
Facing this kind and amiable Young Master, his tone was respectful, even carrying two points of barely perceptible fear.
“Reporting to Young Master, it’s been checked. The contract does bear your personal seal, only missing a small section of the pattern in the corner. According to the owner of the carriage and horse shop, the one who signed the contract was the Third Young—er, Lu Chengjing.”
Hearing this name, an outstanding face suddenly appeared before Lu Chengyuan’s eyes.
The expression on that face was always aloof and distant, as if nothing could draw his slightest attention no matter what happened, a far cry from the obedient and cute child he was in childhood.
His fingers slowly rubbed the edge of the armrest for a moment, his voice like a sigh, “He does after all carry the Lu Family bloodline. In front of me in the future, still call him as before.”
Steward Liu hurriedly agreed and carefully asked, “Why does the Third Young Master have your personal seal?”
“He likes carving little objects; that was just a toy he made to play a harmless little joke on his brother. No harm done; he won’t use it again in the future.”
Lu Chengyuan didn’t take the matter to heart, his tone as usual, behaving just like a good older brother tolerant of his younger brother.
Steward Liu secretly sighed that the Third Young Master didn’t know fortune when it was in his grasp. Even after the Third Young Master did such a thing, only the Young Master still indulged him, yet he never gave the Young Master a good face, as if heartless, like a cold-blooded monster.
The study fell silent for a moment.
A maid brought in tea. Lu Chengyuan picked up the tea cup, lowered his head to lightly sniff the tea fragrance but didn’t drink, the steaming heat blurring his gentle brows and eyes.
The water clock in the room emitted even ticking sounds, amplified in the quiet study where even a tiny noise stood out.
Steward Liu inexplicably felt nervous, cold sweat gradually seeping from his slightly bowed back. Just as he thought to say something, he suddenly heard Lu Chengyuan ask, “Is Third Brother doing well?”
The tone was as gentle as ever.
Steward Liu swallowed hard, recalling Lu Chengjing’s appearance that day as he answered, “The Third Young Master was in a wheelchair, looking in good spirits, still as thin as ever, his clothes all old.”
As he spoke, Steward Liu couldn’t help adding his own grudge, “That evil slave wouldn’t submit to discipline. The Third Young Master hadn’t even spoken, yet she shouted at me to beat and kill, without regard for status or manners. She must have done plenty of bullying the master behind the scenes usually.”
His long lashes cast a faint shadow under his eyes. Lu Chengyuan pinched the tea lid and scraped it along the edge of the tea bowl, producing a slight scraping sound.
The sound wasn’t pleasant, and Steward Liu’s voice instantly weakened. He forced an ending, turned his head cautiously to glance at Lu Chengyuan’s expression.
Lu Chengyuan didn’t look at him, staring at the tea water as he asked, “Has Third Brother’s injury improved?”
How would Steward Liu know?
He considered his words, “The Third Young Master is still in a wheelchair, so the leg injury probably hasn’t fully healed. The hand injury was covered by his sleeve, so it couldn’t be seen.”
“How is the Third Young Madam?” Lu Chengyuan stopped fiddling with the tea bowl, placed the tea cup on the desk, and raised his eyes to look at Steward Liu.
Steward Liu’s back tensed, “The Third Young Madam has changed a lot. When that evil slave hit me, the Third Young Madam cheered from the side. The previous Third Young Madam was never like that; she’s completely different after leaving the residence.”
“People change somewhat when they change places.” Lu Chengyuan murmured, then continued asking, “I heard the Third Young Madam suddenly knows martial arts?”
