My Lady Says She Wants to Marry Me - Chapter 11

Chapter 11

By the next day, when the village roosters began to crow, Su Wanrou simply rolled over and went back to sleep. As dawn broke, the silent Apricot Blossom Village hummed to life. White smoke billowed from every chimney; “working at sunrise and resting at sunset” was the fixed rhythm of their lives.

Lu Youming rolled over and covered her head with the quilt. Only after the final crow did she rise, pushing open the window to replace the stale air with a fresh, damp breeze. Standing by the window, she took a deep breath, feeling rejuvenated by the cool morning air.

Her gaze fell on the kennel, where a large black paw rested on the threshold. From the bedroom next door, the sound of shallow breathing indicated that the occupant had woken briefly only to fall back into a deep slumber.

By the time a well-rested Su Wanrou finally emerged, Lu Youming had already made breakfast and left it warming in the pot. She herself had already finished a ten-kilometer run and an hour of martial arts practice on the mountain.

Su Wanrou found herself alone in the house. She sat on a chair in her white inner robes and an outer cloak, staring blankly at Zhufeng. She brushed back a lock of hair blown by the breeze and looked at the dog gloomily. Zhufeng tilted his head, seemingly puzzled by her melancholy.

“Ugh! I really want to wash my face, Zhufeng. How do I get the water?” she asked the dog, slumped over the wooden table in frustration. Zhufeng stood up, walked over to her, and wagged his tail gently. Su Wanrou reached out to scratch his dark chin before dropping her head back onto the table.

She had no idea where Lu Youming had gone, and she was utterly baffled by the kitchen equipment, fearing she’d make a mess if she tried to touch anything.

As she wriggled on the table like a “cat-worm,” Zhufeng gave a short, soft bark and trotted toward the kitchen. Noticing she hadn’t followed, he let out two louder barks. Startled, Su Wanrou sat up straight and looked at him, bewildered. Zhufeng tilted his head toward the kitchen, gesturing for her to follow.

“You want me to follow you?” she asked, pointing at herself.

“Woof!” Zhufeng barked, answering her. He headed into the kitchen, and Su Wanrou scrambled after him, quickly tying a bow to secure her loose cloak.

Inside the kitchen, Zhufeng sniffed around the stove, his long black nose twitching, before barking at the covered pot. Su Wanrou understood instinctively: there was food inside. Just as she reached out for the wooden lid, a voice rang out, “Don’t touch it with your bare hands, it’s hot.”

Su Wanrou spun around in surprise. Seeing Lu Youming, she practically darted to her side with a delicate, aggrieved pout. “Where did you go? I couldn’t find you anywhere!” Her brow furrowed and her eyes shimmered—she looked exactly like a discarded kitten that had finally found its human and couldn’t wait to complain about its plight.

Lu Youming chuckled, her lips curving into a warm smile. She reached out and patted Su Wanrou’s head affectionately. “I’m so sorry. I went out for a run and forgot to wake you.”

“Oh… alright then.” Su Wanrou realized she must have been dead to the world when Lu Youming got up, and the latter probably hadn’t the heart to disturb her. She felt too embarrassed to complain further.

“I’ll get the water for you. Wait for me outside.” Lu Youming shooed her—and even Zhufeng—out of the kitchen.

After washing up and changing, they sat down for breakfast. It was a simple meal: steamed buns, congee, a side dish, and four eggs.

“I’ll take you for a walk on the back mountain later,” Lu Youming suggested. Su Wanrou nodded, her elegant way of eating making even this humble breakfast seem like a grand feast. Lu Youming had initially worried she wouldn’t handle the “coarse tea and simple rice” of village life, but Su Wanrou had adapted remarkably well.

“Whew… Wangcheng Mountain feels so much more tiring when you’re actually on it!” Su Wanrou, dressed in peach-red, fanned herself with her hand. Her forehead was beaded with perspiration.

“It’s only about a mile from the village to here. Tired? Let’s rest.” Lu Youming plucked a large leaf to fan her.

“A little,” Su Wanrou panted, her face flushed and her eyes bright. She leaned against Lu Youming’s arm, her legs feeling like jelly.

“Have you really never walked this far before?” Lu Youming handed her a folded handkerchief.

“Nonsense! I walk all the time. I’ve just never… climbed a mountain.” Su Wanrou gave her a mournful look. What kind of groom takes his new bride mountain-climbing until her makeup is ruined and she’s a disheveled mess?

If Lu Youming knew her thoughts, she would have protested her innocence—they had only climbed a hundred-meter slope! They were still essentially at the foot of the mountain.

“Which mountain did you live on before?” Su Wanrou asked, tugging at Lu Youming’s sleeve to make her point.

Lu Youming: “…” Which mountain should I point to?

“Hmm?” Su Wanrou shook her arm playfully, urging an answer.

“Cough… a mountain you can’t see from here. Since you’re tired, let’s head home.” Lu Youming moved quickly to change the subject, fearing she’d trip over her own lies if she kept talking.

Descending the mountain proved even harder for Su Wanrou; her legs were so weak she didn’t want to move a muscle. Eventually, Lu Youming ended up carrying her on her back, passing several villagers carrying baskets of apricots.

“Aha! Marriage really changes a person. Look at him doting on his bride, hahaha!” Chang San, a fellow hunter, teased. Su Wanrou buried her face in Lu Youming’s shoulder, blushing furiously.

The group walked back to the village together. At the gate, they ran into Aunt Wang, who insisted Lu Youming come over later for more apricots. After a brief rest and a final lunch in the village, Su Wanrou felt a pang of sadness.

“We have to go back tomorrow,” she sighed, nibbling on a string bean. She had truly enjoyed these two days—the freedom, the kind villagers, and the lack of rigid social expectations.

“You can come back whenever you like,” Lu Youming replied slowly after swallowing a mouthful of rice. “The house needs someone to look after it, anyway.” Su Wanrou nodded eagerly and happily served Lu Youming a piece of food.

Early the next morning, the carriage arrived. Under the service of Liu Qing and the other maids, Su Wanrou transformed back into a noble lady, wearing a vibrant pomegranate skirt and an intricate hairstyle adorned with gold pins.

Lu Youming also changed into a modest yet elegant robe and her jade crown, looking every bit the refined gentleman.

They bid farewell to the Wangs and set off, arriving at the Shao estate just before lunch. In the main hall, Old Master Shao and Old Madam Shao were talking when a servant announced their arrival.

The Old Madam sat up straight, stretching her neck to see if her granddaughter had suffered any hardships during her “trip to the country.”