Transmigrated into the Scumbag Ex-Wife of the Prime Minister - Chapter 56

Seeing her come out, Lu Sheng guessed she was getting ready to pick up the children, so she said, “I’m free today, I’ll go pick up the children.”

“I’ll go with you. I need to buy some Xuan paper, it’s run out.” Qi Zhenshu glanced at the wine shop and indeed saw no customers.

The Xuan paper shop was on Scholar Street, not far from the academy.

Qi Zhenshu took two steps outside, then stopped, waiting for her to come out together.

“Alright,” Lu Sheng gently nodded.

Having just realized Qi Zhenshu’s feelings, Lu Sheng felt a flutter of panic upon seeing her, and was even a little embarrassed to look at her.

She secretly took a breath, pretending to be calm as she tugged at the corner of her clothes, pushed open the screen door, and slowly walked to Qi Zhenshu’s side.

The two of them left the wine shop. Lu Sheng pretended to look at the sky, secretly peeking at Qi Zhenshu, only to see her focused on walking, showing no intention of speaking to her.

She didn’t look like she liked her at all?

Lu Sheng was full of curiosity and disbelief.

Did Qi Zhenshu really like her?

Should she think of another way to confirm it?

Preoccupied with her thoughts, they walked from North Street to Scholar Street, bought Xuan paper with Qi Zhenshu, and then arrived at the academy gate. Lu Sheng still hadn’t come up with any useful idea.

Dong, dong, dong.

After the clear bell rang, the academy’s gate opened, and a group of small children of various heights scrambled out of the study hall.

Lu Sheng craned her neck and found her own little one inside, but the little girl looked wilted and a bit down.

She hurried forward two steps and called out, “Tangtang.”

The little girl’s eyes brightened when she saw her. Her short legs sped up two steps, and she ran towards her, hugging Lu Sheng’s leg and quietly calling, “A-Niang.”

Her voice sounded low-spirited.

Lu Sheng examined the little girl’s face and clothes, found no external injuries or dirt, so she probably hadn’t been fighting in the academy.

“What’s wrong?” She bent down, picked up the child, rubbed her hair, and asked softly.

The little girl pouted, looked at Lu Sheng, then hung her head. “Nothing.”

Lu Sheng: …

You truly are Qi Zhenshu’s biological daughter!

One silent one in the family was already enough for her to handle, she couldn’t raise another.

Lu Sheng pinched her little face, smiled, and asked, “Your little mouth is pouting so much it could hang a oil lamp, and you say nothing is wrong. Did my dear one forget that she learned the word ‘honesty’ just a few days ago?”

While talking to the little girl, she deliberately glanced at Qi Zhenshu behind her.

Being secretly upset and saying nothing was dishonest.

Hmph hmph.

The teasing in her eyes was unmistakable. Qi Zhenshu froze for a moment, immediately grasping the hidden meaning in her words.

Lu Sheng pinched her daughter’s face, “If you’re unhappy, you have to say it, you know. A silent person is not very likable.”

“Tangtang is not silent.” Hearing “not likable,” the little girl, regardless of what “silent” meant, quickly denied it, “Tangtang is not silent, A-Niang must like Tangtang.”

“Then tell A-Niang, why are you unhappy?” Lu Sheng asked, seizing the opportunity.

“I broke Elder Sister You’s new brush.”

Tangtang stammered out what happened in the academy. It turned out that she was playing with other children and accidentally stepped on Zhuo You’s brush, breaking it.

“The one Great Aunt sent?”

Hearing it was a new brush, Lu Sheng immediately thought of the wolf-hair brush Lu Huamin had specially sent from the capital as a birthday gift for Zhuo You some time ago.

“Mm.” The little girl whispered, hanging her head. She also knew she had made a big mistake.

“Did you apologize to Elder Sister You, my dear?”

The little girl nodded, “I apologized.”

She apologized, but Elder Sister You was still very sad. Tangtang knew Elder Sister You loved that brush very much.

“Then A-Niang will figure out a way to buy a new brush for Elder Sister to replace it,” Lu Sheng thought for a moment and said.

The brush was a small wolf-hair brush from Mobaozhai. Binghe County didn’t have Mobaozhai, but because Mobaozhai was famous, many paper and brush shops would stock their brushes.

“Really?” The little girl suddenly lifted her head, her eyes shining as she looked at her.

“Leave this matter to A-Niang,” Lu Sheng rubbed her head and teased, “Little silent one.”

“What is a silent one?” Tangtang tilted her head and asked.

“A silent one, ah.” Lu Sheng deliberately drew out the sound, pinched her nose, and said meaningfully, “A silent one is someone who doesn’t like to talk much and secretly gets upset by themselves.”

Qi Zhenshu glanced sideways at the person who was deliberately distorting the meaning of a word and criticizing her indirectly, her lips pressed into a straight line.

“My dear, if you encounter something unhappy in the future, you have to tell A-Niang, okay? A-Niang will help you figure out a way.” Lu Sheng smiled and pointed to her little chest, “Don’t keep it bottled up inside all by yourself. If things stay bottled up in your heart for too long, you might get sick, you know.”

“Tangtang doesn’t want to get sick.” The little girl waved her hands.

“Good girl~”

The little girl was very cooperative.

Lu Sheng smiled and kissed her little face, secretly looking sideways at the person with pursed lips who remained silent, her heart blossoming with joy.

It seemed the truly silent one must have understood.

After dinner that evening, Lu Sheng first tucked Tangtang into bed, then lay in bed thinking about the events of the day.

How could she confirm whether Qi Zhenshu liked her?

In a moment of frustration, Lu Sheng suddenly had a flash of inspiration, and a slight smile crept into her eyes.

The bright moon hung high, and the night was soft.

Her drowsy brain could no longer control her increasingly heavy eyelids.

Suddenly, slow footsteps sounded. Lu Sheng abruptly woke up, pricking up her ears to listen to the movement outside.

Confirming that Qi Zhenshu was about to reach the bed, Lu Sheng lifted the blanket and leaned out of the bed.

“Not asleep yet?” Qi Zhenshu paused in the act of undressing, looking at her and asking.

Lu Sheng rubbed her eyes in ‘sleepy confusion,’ her voice half-asleep and murmuring, “A little thirsty.”

As she spoke, she half-closed her eyes and tried to get out of bed. Qi Zhenshu stopped her, “I’ll pour you some water.”

“Oh,” Lu Sheng answered in a ‘dazed’ voice, secretly delighted. It seemed Qi Zhenshu had been becoming more and more considerate lately.

Qi Zhenshu poured her some tea. Lu Sheng reached out to take it, but ‘accidentally’ didn’t hold the cup steady, and a large amount of tea spilled onto Qi Zhenshu’s quilt.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

Lu Sheng hurried to wipe the quilt, but the more she wiped, the larger the area the tea stained.

“Be careful not to get your clothes wet.” Qi Zhenshu pulled her hand away and grabbed the towel from the nearby rack to wipe her hands.

Watching her actions, Lu Sheng couldn’t be happier.

She made a mistake, but Qi Zhenshu not only didn’t blame her, but also tried to help her wipe her hands.

Being so good to her, she must like her, right?

“What do we do now?” Lu Sheng suppressed her excitement, raised her head pitifully, and looked at her ‘guiltily,’ “The quilt is so wet, it definitely can’t be used.”

The family did have thick old quilts, but they were stored in the utility room in the west wing.

Before Qi Zhenshu could speak, Lu Sheng quickly suggested, “Why don’t we sleep in one bed?”

It was indeed troublesome to go out to find a quilt at this hour. Qi Zhenshu nodded, carried her wet quilt to the couch, and poured Lu Sheng a fresh cup of water.

Lu Sheng’s plan had succeeded, and she happily took the water, pretending to drink it.

After Tangtang fell asleep earlier, Lu Sheng had deliberately moved her outwards.

Now, the two of them were lying in the same bed, very close, essentially shoulder-to-shoulder.

Lu Sheng first maintained a flat lying posture. After a while, she pretended to be sound asleep and unconsciously turned over to face Qi Zhenshu, leaning her body towards her until she was directly resting against Qi Zhenshu’s arm.

In the darkness, Lu Sheng slowed her breathing, sensing every tiny movement.

Qi Zhenshu’s body moved slightly. Lu Sheng heard the sound of hair rubbing against the pillow. Immediately after, a warm breath brushed over her head.

Qi Zhenshu had looked towards her, but she didn’t push her away. Instead, she slowly turned back.

Time passed minute by minute. Lu Sheng’s heart was beating so fast she felt it might jump out of her throat. She gritted her teeth, hardened her resolve, and directly raised her arm to loop it around Qi Zhenshu’s waist. Her head naturally rested on her shoulder.

At that moment, Lu Sheng could clearly feel Qi Zhenshu’s body stiffen.

After a long time, Qi Zhenshu turned sideways and slowly moved her arm. Lu Sheng’s head slipped down from her shoulder.

Lu Sheng took the opportunity to arch her body and snuggle into Qi Zhenshu’s chest, slightly tightening her arm to hold her closer.

Qi Zhenshu’s movement stopped.

Thump, thump, thump-thump, thump-thump-thump.

The increasingly rapid heartbeat penetrated her chest and directly reached Lu Sheng’s ears, like celestial music, striking Lu Sheng’s heart over and over, making her intoxicated.

This time, she was truly certain that Qi Zhenshu must like her.

Noticing the increasingly rigid body of a certain person, Lu Sheng chuckled internally, released her embrace, and turned over.

Lu Sheng had gotten her answer and, satisfied, fell asleep shortly after. But she didn’t realize that on the other side, Qi Zhenshu was staring at her back, her eyes growing darker and deeper, taking a long time to calm her racing heart.

The next day.

Lu Sheng took a break to visit the paper and brush shops in Binghe County, but after checking several, she couldn’t find anyone selling the small wolf-hair brush from Mobaozhai.

The small wolf-hair brush from Mobaozhai that Lu Sheng was looking for was only suitable for children learning to write. Moreover, the brush was expensive, costing five liang of silver a piece, so very few people would buy it.

If she wanted to order one, she would have to specially get it from the capital, which would take at least half a year to arrive.

Half a year was too long. Lu Sheng thought that if she couldn couldn’t find one, she would write a letter to Lu Huamin and ask her to buy another one.

“Xiaosheng is back?”

Just as Lu Sheng stepped into the wine shop, Liu Yun happened to get up and walk toward the door, meeting her head-on.

“Did you manage to buy the brush?”

“None were for sale.”

Lu Sheng sighed, getting a headache at the thought of having to write a letter to trouble Lu Huamin.

“What brush does Xiaosheng want to buy?” A gentle female voice came from inside the shop.

Lu Sheng looked up and saw Lin Shuqing walking towards her with a beaming smile, dressed in a light blue silk brocade long dress.

“Eh? Why are you here?” Lu Sheng hadn’t seen her for a long time, so she was a little surprised to see her appear in the shop.

“Why?” Lin Shuqing looked a little disappointed, “Does Xiaosheng not want to see me?”

“Of course not.” Lu Sheng walked to her side and said with a smile, “When did you get back?”

After returning from Qinzhou, Lu Sheng had gone to find Lin Shuqing to thank her for helping to connect with Xianlin Manor, but she hadn’t found anyone at the Lin family after two visits, so she guessed that she might not be in Binghe County.

“I returned yesterday,” Lin Shuqing’s tone was gentle, “I heard the butler say you came looking for me?”

“Yes.” Lu Sheng nodded, “Thanks to your visiting card, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to buy the Imperial Chrysanthemum from Xianlin Manor. I was thinking of coming to thank you properly.”

“Why be so polite?” Lin Shuqing’s eyes curved into a smile, “It was just a small favor.”

There was no place in the wine shop to sit and chat. Lu Sheng noticed it was nearly noon, so she suggested, “It was a big help, though. Are you free now? I’ll treat you to a meal as a thank you gift.”

“Sure, I came looking for you anyway, so of course I have time.”

“Then let’s go.” Lu Sheng instructed Liu Yun to tell Qi Zhenshu that she would be eating out for lunch and not to wait for her.

Lin Shuqing smiled faintly and waited beside her.

“What do you want to eat?” Lu Sheng turned to her and asked.

“Anything is fine.”

“Then let’s go to the same restaurant as last time.”

“Good.”

The restaurant wasn’t far, and they arrived in less than fifteen minutes.

“What would you like to order?”

Since Lu Sheng was treating, she wanted Lin Shuqing to order. Lin Shuqing didn’t stand on ceremony and ordered a few dishes they both liked.

The waiter brought tea, bowls, and chopsticks. Lin Shuqing poured tea for Lu Sheng first, then poured a cup for herself.

“You mentioned wanting to buy some kind of brush earlier?”

“Oh, that.”

Lu Sheng was thirsty from running around for a long time, so she immediately finished the tea in her cup.

“I want to buy a small wolf-hair brush from Mobaozhai, the kind used for children learning to write. I didn’t expect that none of the stores I checked had it.”

“Is it for Tangtang?” Lin Shuqing refilled her tea and asked after a moment of thought.

“No, it’s for my niece. My little aunt bought her one from the capital as a birthday gift a while ago, but Tangtang accidentally stepped on it and broke it. I was thinking of buying a new one to replace it.”

Speaking of this, Lu Sheng was indeed a bit worried. The original owner didn’t have a good relationship with Lu Huamin, and Lu Sheng didn’t really want to trouble her over such a small matter.

Seeing her look worried, Lin Shuqing smiled, “You don’t need to worry. I have several at my family home in Qingzhou. I’ll have someone bring them over.”

“Eh? You have them?” Lu Sheng said in surprise.

“Yes, there are many younger relatives in my family, so I prepared a few extra.” Lin Shuqing smiled gently, “I’ll send it over to you in three or five days.”

“That’s great!” Lu Sheng felt a little embarrassed, “Oh, I invited you to dinner to thank you for your help, but now after this meal, I owe you another favor.”

Except for the very beginning at Baiyun Temple, when Lu Sheng helped Lin Shuqing, it had always been Lin Shuqing helping her afterward, whether it was buying the shop, buying the chrysanthemums, or this time. Lu Sheng really felt a little awkward.

Oh, and there was Boss Liao.

During the New Year, she heard from Lu Hualin that Ding Laizi helped Boss Liao set up another scam, but they were caught red-handed. The merchant who was being scammed reported it to the officials.

Before Ding Laizi even received his punishment, he confessed to Boss Liao. The two of them fought like cats and dogs in the county yamen and were both sentenced to hard labor.

“Did you handle Boss Liao’s matter?” Lu Sheng asked.

Lin Shuqing curled her lips into a smile, “I helped out a little.”

Lu Sheng gave her a thumbs-up, “Impressive.”

If she hadn’t brought it up, Lu Sheng wouldn’t have thought it had anything to do with her.

A truly skilled person should eliminate trouble without a trace. Compared to her, the way she tricked him to his face was indeed too clumsy.

“You’ve helped me so much, I don’t know how to thank you,” Lu Sheng said awkwardly.

“If you really want to thank me, there is one thing I need your help with,” Lin Shuqing said with a smile.

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