My Lady Says She Wants to Marry Me - Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Lu Youming returned home late at night to find Su Wanrou sitting in the courtyard wearing a thin gauze dress. Her delicate, fair hand held a cup of light wine, as if she were sending her thoughts to the bright moon.

Seeing the thin veil of sorrow enveloping her lover, Lu Youming felt a pang of worry. What has happened?

Lu Youming lifted the hem of her official robe and strode forward. Hearing the rustle of footsteps, Su Wanrou turned in pleasant surprise. Before she could clearly see the visitor, she was pulled into a tight embrace.

Resting in that familiar embrace, Su Wanrou’s discomfort vanished. The person who, moments ago, had been a melancholy guest of the moon was now smiling so radiantly that her eyes seemed to melt. Su Wanrou wrapped her arms around Lu Youming’s neck, looked up with a flowery smile, and pressed a kiss to her lips. “Husband, you’re back.” Her voice was raspy and seductive, making Lu Youming’s heart itch.

“Yes, I’m back.” Lu Youming carried her toward the room; staying in the courtyard too long risked being spotted by others.

Liu Qing, guarding the courtyard gate, watched her mistress being carried inside. Only then did she step out from the shadows with a blushing face; everyone else had already tactfully avoided the small courtyard.

Back in the room, Su Wanrou continued to rub against Lu Youming restlessly. The scent of wine on her breath made Lu Youming frown slightly. “How much did you drink?”

Seeing the frown, Su Wanrou’s eyes widened, and tears welled up uncontrollably. She sobbed, “You’re being mean to me… you’re actually being mean! Now that you’ve ‘gotten’ me, do you not cherish me anymore?”

A question mark popped up in Lu Youming’s mind. Was I being mean? Perhaps her tone was off. Lu Youming allowed Su Wanrou to pat her face as she asked gently, “How much did my Lady drink?”

“Mm…” Su Wanrou tilted her head, thinking seriously before making a gesture. Lu Youming stared at her clean, fair fingers in silence. “I can’t tell if that’s one cup or one jar.”

Hearing this, Su Wanrou unhappily grabbed Lu Youming’s face, shaking it gently. Her tipsy eyes rippled like water. “Husband… no, Wife~”

Hearing her silliness, Lu Youming found her quite adorable. She gave her a kiss before placing her on the bed. “Stay here. Don’t move. I’ll get you some water.”

Su Wanrou lay on the bed, her gauze dress having slipped off her shoulder at some point. Lu Youming looked at that white, rounded shoulder and felt her face turn a cowardly red. She quickly looked away to pour some warm water. She carefully held her to feed her; Su Wanrou drank obediently and then looked at her as if seeking praise.

“Our Rou’er is so good.” Lu Youming kissed her forehead, using their private pet name. Su Wanrou’s eyes lit up with joy. Lu Youming smiled and patted her, feeling more and more like she was raising a human-sized kitten.

“Wait for me here. I’m going to take a bath and I’ll be right back.” Lu Youming pulled a thin quilt over Su Wanrou’s stomach, coaxing her to be good.

Su Wanrou clutched the quilt, her small face hiding beneath it as she watched Lu Youming leave. Suddenly, she kicked the quilt off and poked her head out of the room. Seeing no one, she scurried toward the adjacent bathroom.

Lu Youming had just had hot water delivered and prepared to soak away the day’s fatigue. She brought her inner garments into the room and gently closed the door. Out of habit, she checked the room to ensure no one was there before slowly undressing. Meanwhile, hidden behind the only screen, Su Wanrou was happily enjoying the view of a “beauty undressing.”

The cyan screen in the bathroom was meant to block the maids’ view when Su Wanrou bathed; she hadn’t expected to use it on Lu Youming today. Su Wanrou sat behind it, holding her breath, her eyes as bright as stars. The light intoxication made her feel as though she were walking on clouds.

Lu Youming had just let down her long hair and removed her outer robe when she spun around, sensing something was wrong with the screen. She wrapped a wet towel around her fist and walked toward it step by step.

Su Wanrou’s eyes widened in anticipation, completely lacking any embarrassment about being caught. Lu Youming rounded the screen and locked eyes with the brightly grinning, head-propped Su Wanrou. She helplessly unwrapped the towel from her fist and pulled her out.

“Rou’er, what are you doing hiding here? Didn’t I tell you to wait in the room?” As Lu Youming pulled the soft-bodied Su Wanrou up, Su Wanrou wrapped her arms around Lu Youming’s neck. Their breaths were inches apart.

“Why are you looking at me?” Lu Youming’s voice dropped lower under Su Wanrou’s gaze.

“Because you’re pretty. Are you my Little Deer?” Su Wanrou stood on her tiptoes, kissing Lu Youming’s chin repeatedly.

“Yes, I am,” Lu Youming replied with a smile, holding her close.

“Then will you carry me across the river?” Su Wanrou looked at the tempting earlobe before her and opened her red mouth to take it in.

The moment her earlobe was caught, Lu Youming’s body went numb and her breath stopped. Yet the person biting her wasn’t satisfied; she began to suck and nibble. Lu Youming tried to push her away, but Su Wanrou only held tighter. Before she knew it, they were completely pressed together.

Lu Youming didn’t know when she had pinned Su Wanrou against the screen. Their tongues intertwined, and amidst the rising steam, they drifted off into another world.

When Lu Youming woke the next morning, she was holding a delicate, fair body. The smooth touch against her arm made her heart skip. She looked at the dark room, feeling a bit dizzy and weak. They had spent too long in the bathroom last night; just thinking about it made her face burn. It was her first time seeing Rou’er’s seductive side. The light gauze dress had fallen away by her hand; she had let a flower bloom, though she hadn’t fully “plucked” it yet.

Lu Youming closed her eyes and held her tighter, her panting breaths still seemingly echoing in her ears.

Su Wanrou didn’t wake until the sun was high. Sunlight filtered through the windows, and she looked at the empty room, wanting to call for water. The moment she spoke, she realized her voice was completely hoarse, and her body felt like it had been beaten. “Mm… my waist is so sore.”

She turned over with difficulty. “Hiss… my legs are so weak.” She felt as if she had been run over. She raised her hand and noticed a purple mark on her arm. She froze, then pulled back the sheet to find herself wearing a loose-fitting camisole.

Her face turned beet red. She knew why her body was sore now. Heaven above… She pulled the quilt over her head. Memories of last night flooded back: she had snuck in to watch a beauty bathe, got caught, and then proceeded to “tease” the beauty. Under her lead, the beauty’s fire was lit, and she had successfully offered herself to quench it.

“God, what have I done?” Su Wanrou bit the sheet in shame. Her voice was still husky and soft—enough to make anyone’s face flush.

She was too embarrassed to call anyone in, but Liu Qing, waiting outside, had already heard the movement. Blushing, she brought in the wash basin as Lu Youming had instructed. She hesitated before approaching the quilt-wrapped figure. “Miss, are you getting up?”

Su Wanrou froze, then resignedly threw back the quilt, looking at Liu Qing who had already turned her back. “Liu Qing, I want to do it myself today.” The shy Su Wanrou didn’t want anyone—not even her childhood companion—to see the marks left on her body. It was all Lu Youming’s fault for leaving so many traces.

Meanwhile, Lu Youming was escorting Chen Jing on an inspection of the countryside. Chen Jing had arrived early, originally hoping to invite Su Wanrou along, but Lu Youming had informed her that “Master Su is ill and needs to rest.”

The two walked through the fields in their official robes—one crimson, one green. Chen Jing observed the well-ordered land and the industrious commoners. The people of Chongjiang were fed and clothed; they were much better off than those in other regions.

“I see the people in the fields; though thin, they do not look famished. Lord Lu has truly governed with heart,” Chen Jing mused. Everywhere they went, people waved to Lu Youming without fear, even offering fresh vegetables from their plots.

After visiting seven or eight villages and seeing the same genuine affection everywhere, Chen Jing was impressed. Lu Youming’s runners were well-disciplined and lacked the typical corrupt habits of old yamen staff. She had chosen upright, flexible leaders. “If the upper beam is straight, the lower beam will not be crooked” was her motto.

Hearing Chen Jing’s praise, Lu Youming snapped out of her thoughts of Su Wanrou. “Master Chen overpraises me. I am merely doing the job of my office.” She wasn’t just being humble; she truly felt she was just doing what was required. She was happy that her abilities allowed the people to live better.

“Much of this credit belongs to Vice-Magistrate Su,” Lu Youming said seriously. “She cleared away my obstacles, used her own dowry to find a way for the people, and handled the daily affairs of the yamen. If I have credit for governing Chongjiang, more than half belongs to her—especially the cement factory and the workshop. Without her preparation, they never would have been built.”

Lu Youming didn’t want Su Wanrou’s achievements to be credited to her. She detailed to Chen Jing how hard their “startup” phase had been. She explained how Su Wanrou supported her from the background so she could focus on researching cement. She campaigned for Su Wanrou’s recognition, wanting Chen Jing to know the Vice-Magistrate position was earned through hard work, not luck.

“Alright, alright, I understand what Lord Lu is saying,” Chen Jing said, rubbing her temples. “The Emperor and the Princess have already vetted Master Su’s capabilities before her appointment.” Honestly, Lord Lu, you can stop now, Chen Jing thought, her head buzzing. She hadn’t realized Lu Youming was such a talker.

Lu Youming stopped, though she could have gone on forever about how amazing her Rou’er was. Thinking of her, Lu Youming’s eyes sparkled.

They finished their inspection as the city gates were about to close. Lu Youming watched Chen Jing leave in a hurry before she could even invite her to dinner. There was something strangely comical about Chen Jing’s “escape.”

“Am I really that talkative?” Lu Youming muttered. Wang Da, who had listened the whole way, nodded in silent agreement. It was the first time he’d heard the Lord speak so much—and it was all “My wife is so great, listen to me praise her.” He decided that when he got home, he’d tell his own wife just how impressive the Lord was.