My Wife is a Frustrating Genius!!! - Chapter 53

The sun set in the west, its blazing heat finally descending beyond the mountain peaks as it hung low on the horizon.

Xue Wanning, who had been traveling for days and nights, had just entered the city gate when she ran into the four people stepping out of the inn.

“Oh! Miss Cheng, Young Master Lu.” Xue Wanning dismounted her horse and staggered weakly toward the two of them.

Cheng Yi and Lu Jiahe, who were in a hurry to look at houses, had not expected their luck to be so poor. They had barely taken a step out of the inn when they encountered Xue Wanning, who was suspected to be from the imperial family.

“Miss Xue, you.” Cheng Yi looked at Xue Wanning’s pale face and the exhausted horse lying on the ground behind her. “Did you just arrive in the capital?”

Xue Wanning nodded at her words. “Miss Cheng, why did you leave me behind again? Didn’t we agree to come to the capital together?” As she spoke, she felt her throat parched, so she took the water pouch hanging from her side, opened it, and took a large gulp.

Lu Jiahe frowned at the sight of her travel-worn appearance, wondering if she intended to use her status as a noble of the imperial family to snatch Cheng Yi away from him.

“Well. We were in a hurry to come to the capital to buy a house. Jiahe’s exam is approaching, and I didn’t want to waste too much time there.” As she spoke, Cheng Yi raised her hand and linked arms with Lu Jiahe.

Lu Jiahe, ever perceptive and eager to prove himself, straightened his back and puffed out his chest proudly as he felt the weight of her arm, looking at Xue Wanning with an air of triumph.

Xue Wanning caught sight of Lu Jiahe’s gesture and couldn’t help but roll her eyes, inwardly scoffing at his need to show off.

“So that’s how it is. I thought you and Young Master Lu found me bothersome and deliberately left me behind to come ahead.” Xue Wanning covered her mouth and laughed lightly. “Where are you two headed now?”

No matter how much Xue Wanning privately disdained Lu Jiahe, for the safety of her master, she had to stick close to the two of them. After all, her master had lost her memory, and the capital was full of people opposed to the old emperor who might try to use her master as a pawn in their schemes to usurp the throne.

“We’re going to look at houses.” Cheng Yi had initially not wanted to tell Xue Wanning their plans, but then she remembered that if it hadn’t been for Xue Wanning’s help a few days prior, they might have already been left dead in the wilderness.

Upon hearing this, Xue Wanning pretended to understand. “Where is the address? I’m familiar with the capital. Why don’t I take you there?”

Cheng Yi rubbed her forehead. “That’s not necessary, is it? You’ve been traveling for days and must be exhausted. Why not go home and rest first? We can meet up again once you’ve recovered.”

“It’s fine.” Xue Wanning was deeply moved by her master’s concern, almost moved to tears. “I’ll go with you. If the price is too high, I can even help you bargain. Don’t be fooled by the capital’s prosperity. There are plenty of unscrupulous people here who love to take advantage of outsiders.”

“Alright then. If you want to come with us, you may, but if you feel unwell or no longer wish to accompany us, you must say so. Don’t push yourself too hard.”

With the other party having spoken to this extent, Cheng Yi couldn’t bring herself to refuse again.

The four of them watched as Xue Wanning returned to the city gate and gave some instructions to the group of people dressed in servant attire. Then, she turned back and joined them as they headed toward the houses for sale within the city.

The two of them went through both houses that Lu An and Guo’er had found, but they couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing.

“Let’s keep looking tomorrow,” Cheng Yi sighed deeply after stepping out of the last house.

Seeing this, Lu Jiahe frowned slightly. “You don’t like either of these houses?”

“They’re alright, but nothing special,” Cheng Yi replied before turning to Lu Jiahe. “What about you? Do they suit you? It shouldn’t just be about whether I like them or not. If you’re not happy with it, living here won’t feel right, and how could you focus on your studies then?”

Hearing Cheng Yi’s concern for him, Lu Jiahe felt incredibly pleased inside!

“It’s fine. If you like it, I’ll like it too,” Lu Jiahe said, squinting his eyes to hide the corners of his mouth that were unconsciously lifting.

“Tch!” Xue Wanning, standing to the side, let out a disdainful sound. “My family also has a house for sale. Why don’t I take you to see it?”

“No, no, that’s alright,” Cheng Yi quickly declined. She didn’t want to get too involved with Xue Wanning, a member of the royal family.

Oh no!

Seeing the expression on her amnesiac princess’s face, Xue Wanning knew the other was starting to guard against her!

For the sake of her princess, the emperor, the empress, and the entire nation! Xue Wanning summoned all her acting skills and forced two streams of tears from the corners of her eyes.

“Miss Cheng, Young Master Lu, are you saying I’m being a bother?” she sobbed, lifting a handkerchief to dab at her eyes.

Witnessing this scene, Cheng Yi wished she could dig a tunnel with her toes and escape. As a modern person, how could she not see through Xue Wanning’s painfully awkward acting!

“Alright, alright. Since Miss Xue has already mentioned it, let’s go take a look,” Cheng Yi said, hooking her arm through Lu Jiahe’s and following Xue Wanning to the house she had mentioned.

In truth, she had already made up her mind, no matter how perfect the house was or how much it suited her tastes, she had no intention of buying it.

After walking for a while, the group stopped on a bustling street.

“We’re here. This is the house,” Xue Wanning said, using a key she carried to unlock the main gate before bowing slightly to invite them inside.

“This house looks way too new. It doesn’t seem like it’s been vacant for long at all,” Guo’er remarked, glancing up at the spot where a plaque should have hung. To her, it looked as if the house had just been cleared out.

It’s too luxurious.

Cheng Yi and Lu Jiahe followed Xue Wanning on a tour of the courtyard, both inwardly marveling at how much larger the estate was than the Lu family residence.

“Miss Xue, we’ve seen the house now. It’s too big for the few of us to live in. You should find another buyer,” Cheng Yi said, pulling Lu Jiahe toward the entrance. She was afraid Xue Wanning might unleash another acting performance to sway them into buying the house.

“Huh? Too big?” Xue Wanning frowned slightly at Cheng Yi’s words.

But this was your former princess residence! How could it possibly be considered too big!

Lu Jiahe glanced at Cheng Yi’s troubled expression and chimed in, “Yes, a house this size would be inconvenient for just a few of us.”

“I thought the last house we saw was pretty good. Why don’t we go back now and buy it from the owner?” Worried that Xue Wanning might pull another stunt, Cheng Yi tugged at Lu Jiahe’s sleeve and suggested.

Lu Jiahe nodded upon hearing this. “I also think that house we just saw was quite good. Let’s head over there now.”

With that, the two hurriedly bid farewell to Xue Wanning, who was left standing there in a daze. Such noble figures from the royal family were not to be trifled with, it was best to steer clear of them as much as possible.

After the group had left, Xue Wanning shook her head helplessly. She hadn’t expected her mistress to be so gravely ill that she couldn’t recall even a shred of her past, even after stepping into the courtyard she had lived in for years.

“No!” Xue Wanning stomped her foot to bolster her own resolve. She decided she would enter the palace first thing the next morning to inform the Empress, so that the most skilled imperial physician of the court could be summoned to diagnose her princess’s condition.

To avoid any unexpected complications, Lu Jiahe and the others hurried back to the second courtyard they had just viewed. They found the property owner and purchased the house on the spot.

Cheng Yi stared at the property deed in her hand, feeling as though it were unreal. If this were modern times, how could she possibly have bought a large house in the city center of a capital city outright, and so effortlessly?

“I’m hungry. Should we go eat?” Lu Jiahe locked the main gate of the house and glanced at the woman standing beside her.

“Mm, we’ve been walking all afternoon. Let’s find a place to eat and then get some proper rest.”

“Alright.” Lu Jiahe took the opportunity while the other wasn’t paying attention to squint and study Cheng Yi. The matter with Xue Wanning from the morning had been weighing on her mind all day.

The group walked along the street and found a tavern that wasn’t too crowded. After ordering some dishes at the counter, they followed the waiter upstairs to a private room.

“Why did you order wine? With your tolerance, I’m afraid you’ll be drunk under the table before we even finish eating,” Cheng Yi teased as she watched Lu Jiahe bring in the wine.

Lu Jiahe pursed her lips into a faint smile. “It’s fine. If I can’t handle it, Guo’er and Lu An can keep you company.”

Cheng Yi let out a light hum. She had been utterly exhausted lately. If Lu Jiahe hadn’t suggested having a drink to unwind, she would probably have had to find some other way to dispel the gloom in her heart.

Lu Jiahe picked up the warmed wine and filled everyone’s cups, then cast a thoughtful glance at Cheng Yi. “Don’t drink too much, or you’ll have a headache tomorrow.”

“It’s fine. We can rest properly tomorrow.” With that, Cheng Yi raised her glass to celebrate with the others.

Lu Jiahe, who was committing mischief for the first time, remained tense throughout. Only when Cheng Yi had drunk enough to become somewhat muddled did she call for Guo’er and the others to settle the bill and return to the inn.

Back at the inn, Lu An supported Cheng Yi and laid her down on the bed. Guo’er had intended to help her young master tend to the young mistress and help her freshen up, but her master was so protective of his wife that he wouldn’t let her lay a finger on Cheng Yi.

“Alright, you should go back and rest now. There’s no need to come and serve us tomorrow morning either. I’ll come find you in your room once I’m awake.” Lu Jiahe shooed Guo’er out of the room and locked the door.

She soaked a towel in warm water and gently wiped the sweat from Cheng Yi’s face.

“Are you feeling unwell? Does your head hurt?” Lu Jiahe crouched by the bed, resting her arms crossed on the mattress.

She watched the other’s fluttering eyelashes and rosy lips, a restless heat making her swallow hard.

Lu Jiahe waited by the bedside for a long time, but the person on the bed showed no reaction. She blew out the candle on the table, took off her outer robe, and lay down beside Cheng Yi.

“Sister, are you asleep?”

“Yi’er?”

She called out several times in a row, but Cheng Yi remained motionless in her initial position.

Lu Jiahe lay on the bed, took a deep breath, and then mustered the courage to turn over and lie on her side, gazing at the woman who stirred her heart.

“Sister, can we try it now?”