My Lady Says She Wants to Marry Me - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Su Wanrou watched her family’s carriage disappear into the distance with a lingering sense of reluctance. In a daze, she realized that for the next two days, she would have to look after herself.

She was about to live alone with a man. The mere thought made her body tense up; she was both nervous and worried about her own safety. Maybe I should go back and call Liu Qing back right now, she thought dejectedly.

“Are you… alright?” Lu Youming asked. Unlike moments ago when there were many people around, it was now just the two of them. She felt she needed to act more steady.

Su Wanrou nodded casually. “I’m fine.” Her gaze shifted toward Lu Youming, who was petting the dog, and her eyes lit up. She wanted to pet it too. After all, who could resist a big, fluffy dog?

Seeing that she liked Fortune, Lu Youming lowered her head and whispered into the dog’s ear, “You can’t be mean to her.”

Fortune turned its neck and looked up at her, its dark eyes staring at Lu Youming as if in disbelief.

“Seriously, no growling. Our future meals depend on her. Sacrifice a bit of your dignity; I’ll give you chicken tomorrow.” Lu Youming gave Fortune’s head a vigorous rub.

Fortune let out a small whimper, which served as an agreement. It rested its head on its front paws and tilted its head, watching Su Wanrou as she slowly approached.

“Come and pet him. Fortune has agreed,” Lu Youming invited sincerely.

“Then I won’t stand on ceremony,” Su Wanrou smiled softly. Adjusting her skirts, she knelt carefully on the ground and slowly shuffled closer to Lu Youming. She was using Lu Youming as a human shield; if the big dog did anything, Lu Youming could pin it down immediately.

A slender, beautiful hand gently landed on Fortune’s head. Fortune twitched its nose and intentionally let out a huff, causing the hand to retract slightly.

“Don’t be afraid, he’s just trying to startle you.” Lu Youming tapped Fortune’s snout to make him behave. Fortune’s bright, dark eyes looked at Su Wanrou with a look of feigned grievance.

With its grey-black fur, cold expression, and powerful build, it didn’t look like the type of dog to act cute—but it certainly knew how to. Once it started acting spoiled, Su Wanrou felt her fear vanish. She couldn’t help but rub the dog’s head and then stroke its neck.

Books said that both dogs and cats loved being petted on the neck. By observing their reactions and using gentle, moderate pressure, one would know they liked it when they made a purring sound. While Fortune wasn’t a particularly affectionate wolfdog, he followed Lu Youming’s orders not to show his teeth—showing teeth was an easy way to get turned into dinner.

“Whimper… purr…” Fortune tilted its head back and squinted its eyes, enjoying the grooming. Its upright ears softened, and its thick tail wagged frantically.

Lu Youming got up and brought two small stools over, placing one next to Su Wanrou so she could sit and pet the dog comfortably. She watched as Fortune continued to act coy, nuzzling Su Wanrou’s hand. Su Wanrou was completely immersed; with no one else watching her here, she didn’t have to worry about etiquette—she could just relax.

“Fortune, you are so majestic. Such a beautiful big dog,” Su Wanrou murmured, her eyes fixed on his twitching ears, her hand tempted to reach for them.

Seeing her having so much fun, Lu Youming decided to attend to other matters. She shared a look with Fortune, who was half-asleep with pleasure. She pointed at Su Wanrou, silently warning him to behave. Fortune flicked his ear impatiently and closed his eyes completely, rolling over to show Su Wanrou his belly.

Lu Youming shook her head helplessly. Fortune was smart and spirited; he loved to act spoiled and play dumb, and right now, he was in full “cute mode.”

She went into the house. Su Wanrou’s things were still in the living room; she hadn’t let the servants organize them earlier because she didn’t like people entering her private space. But that rule was now broken. Hearing Su Wanrou’s clear, melodious laughter from the yard, Lu Youming comforted herself: It’s an honor to let a little beauty sleep in my bed.

Lu Youming organized the room and tidied the bed. She would sleep in the study tonight, leaving the bedroom to Su Wanrou.

By the time she finished, Su Wanrou had had her fill of petting the dog. Looking at the sun high in the sky, she realized the light had become quite dazzling. She stood up, only to find her hands and the hem of her skirt covered in fur. She felt a bit helpless—a minor “fluffy” annoyance.

“Come wash your hands,” Lu Youming called out, bringing a basin of water. Su Wanrou walked over with flushed cheeks, looking at Lu Youming with a shy, obedient expression.

Even though she was now wearing a married woman’s hairstyle and a pale pink dress, she looked incredibly precious. With bright eyes, pearly teeth, and skin like jade, there was a hint of bashfulness and a trace of cleverness in her gaze that she thought she was hiding well.

In the modern world, she’d just be a high school student, Lu Youming thought, her heart softening. She thought to herself that it was a good thing Su Wanrou married her; she wouldn’t have to suffer the pains of childbirth. For a body that wasn’t yet fully mature, pregnancy could be very dangerous. As Aunt Wang next door often said, back in the day, many women lost several children before successfully raising an heir.

“Husband, where am I staying tonight?” Su Wanrou asked curiously after drying her hands.

“Cough… tonight you’ll sleep in my room, and I’ll sleep in the study. The room is ready. I’m going to cook in a bit.” Lu Youming led her to the bedroom to see if she was satisfied.

“Alright then. Thank you for your trouble, Husband,” Su Wanrou chirped, winking playfully at Lu Youming.

Su Wanrou didn’t know why, but she felt a natural sense of relaxation around Lu Youming. Perhaps it was because they shared a secret, or because during the crisis, Lu Youming’s touch had never overstepped any boundaries. Or perhaps it was because when she had asked Lu Youming to marry her, Lu Youming hadn’t jumped at the chance but had responded with honesty.

Su Wanrou shook her head with a smile. It had probably just been too long since she had allowed herself to be relaxed in front of someone else.

Standing in the simple, clean room, she felt a sense of wonder. It was very basic: a bed, a table, and a row of wardrobes she had never seen before. By the window sat a redwood desk with two books and a stack of paper held down by a paperweight. There were no decorations, just a clean space filled with the faint, fresh scent of bamboo leaves.

“What a comfortable and refreshing room. I didn’t expect Husband’s room to be just like her—clean, crisp, with a hint of coolness.” Su Wanrou began to set out her things to decorate the space.

“Madam, I’m going out to pick some vegetables. Will you be alright at home?” Lu Youming’s voice came from outside.

“Yes, Husband. Go ahead, I’ll wait for you.”

Lu Youming went out to the vegetable patch. “Oh, Youming is back! I didn’t get to eat any of your wedding candy. When are you going to send some to my house?” a plump auntie working in the fields called out the moment she saw her.

Fortunately, Lu Youming had prepared. Her basket contained wedding candies, dried longans, and red dates. She handed a handful of candy to the auntie with a smile.

“Congratulations! I thought you wouldn’t be coming back to Apricot Blossom Village,” the auntie said, popping a candy into her mouth. “Mmm, this is good.”

“Thank you, Auntie. This is my home; of course I have to come back.” Lu Youming chatted for a bit and distributed candy to two other neighbors.

The neighbors were secretly lamenting; they had all eyed Lu Youming as a potential son-in-law, only for her to be snatched up by a high official’s family. They found it a pity; the Lu “lad” was handsome and fair, and with those hunting skills, she must have a solid fortune saved up.

“What a shame. The son-in-law I wanted has flown away,” the plump auntie sighed as she watched Lu Youming walk away with large strides.

Lu Youming looked at her neatly planted plot. The vegetables had grown well while she was away. She picked a few eggplants and a handful of chili peppers. Speaking of peppers, Lu Youming was still surprised that the Great Sheng Dynasty had them! Supposedly they were introduced from foreign lands and cultivated for decades.

She also grabbed a handful of wild green onions to stir-fry with some cured meat. Two dishes and a soup—it would be enough for the two of them.