My Lady Says She Wants to Marry Me - Chapter 32

Chapter 32

The group arrived at the cement factory outside the city. Lu Youming prepared triple-layered cotton masks she had made herself to help everyone block the dust and lime.

Shao Yun watched as bag after bag of cement was rapidly packed into coarse cloth sacks. “How much does one of these sacks cost?”

“Two cents each, and they can be recycled and reused once they’re empty.” Lu Youming picked up a new cloth bag and handed it to Shao Yun to examine.

Shao Yun nodded at the grey bag. “Waste of fabric must be avoided.”

“Indeed. A coarse cloth workshop has been opened in town specifically for this. Female workers make them, and they are sent to the processing workshop in bulk.” Lu Youming felt a surge of happiness thinking about the new textile workshop; it meant the local women could finally go out and earn their own money.

Shao Yun nodded in approval, but Shao Jiechuan’s attention was entirely consumed by the cement wall holding water. He couldn’t stop touching and patting it; the smooth surface felt remarkably comfortable to the touch.

“Let’s go see the levee,” Shao Jiechuan proposed. Once he had touched the wall to his heart’s content, he slapped the dust from his hands and strode over to Lu Youming, demanding to see the embankment reinforced with cement.

As the three stepped out of the cement workshop, they realized the sky had already darkened. Lu Youming, as the junior, took the initiative to suggest: “Uncle, Grandfather, it’s already late. Let’s wait until tomorrow morning to go.”

“It seems we must.” Shao Jiechuan looked at the fading light and reluctantly agreed to head back.

Upon returning to the yamen, Shao Jiechuan and Shao Yun walked around the perimeter with their hands behind their backs. Shao Jiechuan sighed, “Father, with this cement, building levees in the future will no longer be a drain on the people’s labor and the nation’s wealth.”

“Yes, I never expected that in my lifetime, I would see such a thing that benefits both the country and the commoners,” Shao Yun praised, stroking his beard.

Lu Youming looked longingly at Su Wanrou. She was exhausted today. Under her grandmother’s watchful eye, Su Wanrou—her ears turning a deep red—pulled Lu Youming out of the main hall.

“Husband, are you tired today?” Su Wanrou’s voice was gentle and elegant. Lu Youming let out a weary yawn and nodded feebly. “A little. I want to hold you.”

Hearing her speak of such intimacy in public, Su Wanrou’s pace quickened in a fluster. Lu Youming looked at her small wife’s sudden burst of speed and felt a warmth in her heart. She pushed open the door to her study and grabbed Su Wanrou just as she was about to rush past.

Before Su Wanrou could react, she was gathered into an embrace. She could feel Lu Youming’s breath against her ear, and her face began to burn in the darkness.

“Husband, why are you…” Su Wanrou didn’t know what to say; this was too sudden.

Hearing that soft, melodic voice, Lu Youming looked up at her with eyes that were bright and scorching. Su Wanrou lowered her head, feeling overwhelmed by the atmosphere, her mind a chaotic jumble.

Then, a pair of soft lips pressed against hers. Su Wanrou’s mind went completely blank. She didn’t even realize when the thin lips had pulled away.

With pink cheeks and eyes misty with confusion, Su Wanrou was led out of the study by Lu Youming, and the two quietly slipped back to their bedroom.

Wen Shu and Liu Qing, carrying dishes of food, watched as the Lord and the Lady snuck along the corridor. They exchanged confused glances. “What are the Master and the Mistress doing?”

The moment they reached the room, Lu Youming pulled Su Wanrou back into her arms. Her lips found Su Wanrou’s red lips once more, and her hurried breaths mingled with Su Wanrou’s. Su Wanrou stared blankly at the Lu Youming who was suddenly so close. Lu Youming nibbled gently at her lips, her voice husky: “Close your eyes.”

Su Wanrou squeezed her eyes shut, her hands clutching Lu Youming’s clothes in a daze. She could feel that this kiss was different from the one in the floodwaters. There was a hint of urgency, yet an effort to restrain it. A soft tongue-tip brushed gently against her lips; realizing what was happening, Su Wanrou’s face exploded into a brilliant red.

Her eyelashes trembled, her breathing grew erratic, and the pursuing touch left her breathless. She couldn’t help but let out a soft “Ying~”

Lu Youming fought to control her own breathing. Her face was equally flushed as she held the person in her arms, their foreheads slowly resting against each other. In the darkness, their eyes were soft and bright. Su Wanrou wrapped her arms around Lu Youming’s waist and asked coquettishly, “Husband, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing… I just suddenly really wanted to hold you… and kiss you.” Lu Youming spoke while kissing Su Wanrou’s eyelids. Her favorite part of the girl had always been those clear, moon-like eyes. She loved the emotions they held when looking at her, she loved seeing her own reflection in them, and she loved that those eyes loved only her.

“Mmhmm.” Su Wanrou’s lashes fluttered in shy delight. She rubbed her cheek against Lu Youming’s; this was the first time she had been so intimate with her “husband.” Her usual boldness in courtship seemed to fade in this moment.

“Master, Mistress, it’s time for dinner!” Liu Qing’s voice drifted tentatively from outside the dark room.

The two panicked for a moment, but Lu Youming regained her composure quickly. “Understood!” she replied calmly. She struck a flint, and the room was instantly illuminated. By the light, they hurried to straighten each other’s clothes.

Before leaving, Lu Youming realized she had kissed away Su Wanrou’s lip rouge. She quickly reached out to wipe away the smudged edges.

When the couple appeared hand-in-hand, they drew the attention of all three elders. A blushing Lu Youming strode forward with Su Wanrou and took her seat. Su Wanrou tried to suppress her shyness, saying, “Grandfather, Grandmother, Uncle—please, let’s eat.”

Madam Shao looked at the affectionate couple and her eyes crinkled into a smile. “Eat, eat! I’m starving.”

Shao Yun and Shao Jiechuan also smiled and picked up their chopsticks, adding food to the couple’s bowls. “Eat slowly, there’s no rush,” Shao Yun said kindly.

The couple ate in silence with their heads down. Lu Youming, especially hungry, ate quickly, enjoying the braised fish and occasionally turning to put a piece in Su Wanrou’s bowl. Madam Shao kept glancing at Old Master Shao until he helplessly picked up his own chopsticks and served her a piece of food. Madam Shao was finally satisfied.

Shao Jiechuan kept his eyes on his bowl, focused entirely on the rice. As long as I don’t look, I won’t have to swallow this “dog food.”

That night, after bathing, Lu Youming and Su Wanrou sat on the edge of the bed in loose sleepwear. Lu Youming’s long hair was draped over her shoulders; the charm of a beauty fresh from the bath left Su Wanrou unable to look away.

Seeing her staring, Lu Youming pulled her into her lap. “Am I that good-looking?”

Su Wanrou blushed and looked up at her profile. Lu Youming leaned down to capture her lips again, and they immersed themselves in a deep kiss. Su Wanrou’s body went soft in her arms as Lu Youming led her in a dance through unknown territory.

Lu Youming had no prior experience with kissing either; she simply followed her heart, grazing against Su Wanrou’s lips and tentatively tapping against her teeth with her tongue. Su Wanrou mimicked her movements, tentatively opening her lips to catch the “naughty little thing.” She let out a soft gasp and gripped Lu Youming’s hand.

Lu Youming pulled her down onto the bed, their black hair instantly becoming entangled. Su Wanrou’s heart wavered, and her mind went blank again. She didn’t even remember when the lamp went out. When she woke again, she was still buried in Lu Youming’s embrace. Having been kissed twice in one day, she had fallen asleep in a daze without even realizing it.

Lu Youming slept soundly, her lips a vivid red. She was very beautiful; with her hair down, the heroic sharpness of her face softened, replaced by a woman’s gentle allure. Su Wanrou lay there, tracing Lu Youming’s features with her finger. Lu Youming slept so deeply that she didn’t wake despite the touch.

It was nearly midday when Lu Youming finally woke. She had been far too exhausted lately and hadn’t slept this soundly in a long time. When she woke, she was alone in bed; Su Wanrou had already gone to start her shift.

Lu Youming got up, drank some warm water, and tidied herself before walking out. Shao Jiechuan, unable to wait any longer, had already taken men to see the levee. Only Madam Shao remained in the rear yamen, flipping through her granddaughter’s books.

“Grandmother, Zijin woke up late,” Lu Youming apologized with a bow.

Madam Shao set down her book. She was a woman of scholarly grace, gentle and loving. “It’s no matter. Wanrou told me that you’ve been holding multiple positions and working yourself to the bone. It’s been hard on you. Your Uncle gave you the day off, so rest well. There’s breakfast kept warm in the kitchen; go and eat first.” She called for someone to bring the food.

“Thank you for your care, Grandmother.” Lu Youming was deeply moved by the elegant old lady’s kindness. The Shao family had always been good to her.

Eating her porridge and buns, Lu Youming couldn’t stop smiling as she thought of Su Wanrou. Her grin was almost too much for anyone to look at directly.

Meanwhile, Su Wanrou sat in her office at the yamen. She looked solemn, her eyes lowered. The atmosphere in the room was quiet and heavy. Liu Qing didn’t even dare to breathe loudly as she slipped out of the room. Once outside, she patted her chest. Miss has been sitting there in a daze for ages, not processing any documents, and the pressure around her is getting more and more intense. It’s quite scary.

Su Wanrou was replaying her uncle’s ambiguous words in her head: “If you really want to do something, then start from the beginning. Read more of the Records of the Grand Historian.”

She wondered if some news had spread from the court that made her uncle entirely unsurprised by her ability to handle political affairs. Her uncle had reviewed all the documents she had processed and said only one thing: “Still needs tempering.”

Her grandfather had even sent a massive pile of books—all the classics and historical records he had read, along with his own insights from a career in politics. “Study these well with Zijin. If there’s anything you don’t understand, write to me,” Shao Yun had said before sauntering off with his son to see the cement levee.

The more Su Wanrou thought about it, the brighter her eyes became. Perhaps the emergence of Grand Princess Shaoyang in the capital had led her uncle and grandfather to believe that girls didn’t necessarily have to be trapped in the home.

A fire burned in Su Wanrou’s heart. Perhaps one day, she wouldn’t have to participate in politics under the title of a mere “Master Secretary.”

This was truly a wonderful thing. Su Wanrou stood up abruptly and headed for the rear yamen. She wanted to see the woman who haunted her dreams.