Lou Tingxue was suddenly reminded of every single tease from Miss Yuwei, each word harboring her wish for him and Zhu Dongfeng to end up together.
He then recalled the way Zhu Dongfeng looked at him always with smiling, gleaming eyes. In the past, he had assumed it was merely politeness, but now he felt it carried an indescribable, ambiguous depth!
The more Lou Tingxue mulled it over, the more he felt this entire situation was premeditated!
Could it be that from the very beginning, Zhu Dongfeng was plotting this all along?
Zhu Dongfeng put on a facade of being dignified, warm, and refined, when in truth he was simply waiting for Lou Tingxue to lower his guard and obediently throw himself into his arms!
The more Lou Tingxue thought about it, the more panic seized him. The tips of his ears burned red while his face turned pale and flushed by turns; he couldn’t even sit still anymore.
Now, only a single desperate thought swirled relentlessly in his mind: I’m doomed! My backside is truly in grave danger!
Unaware of his racing thoughts, Wanyi Yu assumed he felt unwell and asked, “What’s wrong with you?”
Lou Tingxue’s mind was a tangled mess; all he wanted was to quickly find an excuse to leave.
Since Zhu Dongfeng happened to be away discussing business, this was a golden opportunity he had better run while he could! He absolutely could not associate with Zhu Dongfeng any longer; otherwise, he truly would be devoured clean, skin and bones!
Lou Tingxue blurted out, “I just remembered I left the gas stove on at home! Thank you all for your hospitality today. When I achieve wild success and my pockets are full in the future, I will surely repay your kindness!”
With those words, he forced himself to act calm, stood up, took his leave, and walked out along the corridor.
Under the covered walkway, lanterns flickered dimly, making Lou Tingxue’s footsteps sound somewhat unsteady.
Just as he turned past a carved screen, he suddenly heard a few coarse voices drifting from a half-open private room nearby.
From inside, someone called out crystal-clear: “Boss Zhu.”
Lou Tingxue’s steps faltered.
Zhu Dongfeng is in there!
Unconsciously, Lou Tingxue halted outside the door.
Not daring to make a sound, he held his breath and stood on tiptoe to peek at the occupants inside through the window shutter.
Inside the room, besides Zhu Dongfeng, sat three merchants.
Every one of them spoke with a nitpicking, disrespectful tone, taking turns expressing deep disdain for the tea leaves Zhu Dongfeng had brought.
“Boss Zhu’s goods look decent enough, but the taste falls a bit short.”
“Compared to the long-standing established brands we regularly sell, yours is more than a notch below.”
“Boss Zhu, you must understand—with the kind of quality you’ve brought, it’s simply impossible to establish a firm foothold in Great Liang!”
Understanding dawned on Lou Tingxue instantly.
Every word they uttered was targeted—on the surface, it was a business negotiation, but in reality, they were suppressing him at every turn.
They beat around the bush, talking endlessly about how difficult Zhu Dongfeng’s tea business in Great Liang was. Between the lines, their utter contempt was clear, signaling that they had no intention of collaborating.
These three men had never planned on genuinely doing business with Zhu Dongfeng from the start. This so-called negotiation was merely a token pretense—a deal destined to fail.
Lou Tingxue stole a glance at Zhu Dongfeng.
From beginning to end, Zhu Dongfeng merely listened quietly without offering much rebuttal, nor did he issue a single harsh reprimand.
Yet he was undeniably being deliberately slighted.
The fingers Lou Tingxue hid in his sleeves tightened unconsciously.
Zhu Dongfeng had saved his life, and he genuinely wanted to lend a hand. Yet he hesitated, terrified that Zhu Dongfeng harbored improper intentions toward him!
Shaking his head, Lou Tingxue silently chanted in his heart: None of my business!
He immediately greased his soles, turning to slip away completely so as to avoid entangling himself with Zhu Dongfeng any further.
Yet after taking only a few steps, Lou Tingxue ran straight into three familiar figures.
Yuwei, Lin Shi, and Wen Xiao stood before him as if they had been waiting for him all along. The moment they saw him, they surrounded him with smiles.
“Young Master Lou, where are you heading?” asked Miss Yuwei.
“Master instructed that the night wind is harsh; we must escort you back safely,” Lin Shi added.
“Master is wholehearted toward you, Young Master. You can’t just run off like this—please wait until Master finishes his business,” said Wen Xiao.
Lou Tingxue could neither decline nor push past them; he was politely “invited” right back to the Ten-Thousand-Dan Vessel by the three.
Sitting inside his cabin, Lou Tingxue’s heart pounded in an increasingly erratic frenzy.
One moment he remembered the tea merchants’ deliberate slighting of Zhu Dongfeng, and the next he recalled the round trip that took only a single month. The more he thought, the angrier and more panicked he grew especially since his attempt to escape just now had been caught red-handed!
Before long, a soft sound came from the cabin door, and Zhu Dongfeng returned.
Clad in the chilly night dew, his expression was calm, betraying neither joy nor anger. Yet Lou Tingxue was convinced he must be furious.
When a business deal fell through, who wouldn’t be angry?
For a moment, the room fell so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.
Lou Tingxue was bursting with a bellyful of rage and grievance.
Unable to hold it in any longer, he snapped his head up, his voice trembling as he cried, “Zhu Dongfeng! You’ve been lying to me all along!”
Zhu Dongfeng raised his eyes to look at him, smiling lightly as he said, “Young Master Lou shouldn’t talk nonsense. What have I lied to you about?”
Dropping all politeness, Lou Tingxue retorted, “You clearly said the voyage takes two months to reach shore, but when I asked around today, a round trip takes only one month! You lied to me on purpose!”
Zhu Dongfeng started slightly. A flash of genuine surprise appeared on his face, looking completely oblivious as he said, “Young Master Lou must have misheard. When did I ever say it would take two months?”
That entirely serene, unbothered expression devoid of the slightest guilt left Lou Tingxue utterly dumbfounded.
Was his memory wrong?
Had he misunderstood?
Or was this man’s skin truly thick enough to lie through his teeth with a straight face?
Lou Tingxue was infuriated!
He felt both furious and aggrieved, yet he couldn’t openly tear down his relationship with Zhu Dongfeng.
A thought flickered in his mind, and Lou Tingxue promptly let his eyes redden, tears spilling over without warning.
This sudden display caught Zhu Dongfeng completely off guard.
Lou Tingxue lowered his gaze, his voice choked up with emotion, looking incomparably pitiful as he added, “Master Zhu, please stop playing tricks on me. I am already married to someone else; I am currently another man’s wife…”
When uttering the word “wife,” Lou Tingxue practically gritted his teeth.
Suppressing his disgust, he continued, “On that day, I merely suffered a slight injury by accident. Thankfully, you saved me. Now my injuries are almost fully healed—I beg you, Master Zhu, spare me and stop entangling yourself with me!”
As his words fell, an absolute silence descended upon the cabin.
Looking at his tearful face, Zhu Dongfeng’s eyes grew deep and dark; he remained silent for a long time.
Lou Tingxue simply went all out, cautiously reaching out his fingers to grasp Zhu Dongfeng’s sleeve, giving it a gentle tug.
Gazing at his reddened eyes—that stubborn, fearful, yet stubbornly enduring appearance—Zhu Dongfeng’s heart ultimately softened a notch.
He let out a quiet sigh. “I know.”
Lou Tingxue froze instantly.
If you already know all this, why won’t you let me go? Utterly despicable!
“Since you are already another’s wife, I naturally will not force your hand,” Zhu Dongfeng said calmly. “In a few days, I will let you go. What I said earlier was merely teasing you; there’s no need to take it to heart.”
Lou Tingxue remained rooted to the spot.
For a moment, he didn’t know whether he should breathe a sigh of relief or remain angry.
Zhu Dongfeng raised his eyes to look at him, his tone turning slightly heavier. “However, before then, do not think of leaving the Ten-Thousand-Dan Vessel on your own. Young Master Lou, you must understand—as a Kunze, traveling alone out there will make every step impossible.”
Lou Tingxue remained silent.
Zhu Dongfeng continued, “Besides, the wind and waves on this sea are treacherous. Among the tens of thousands of ships between Great Liang and Great Zhou, mine is the only Ten-Thousand-Dan Vessel capable of crossing safely. If you truly wish to return to Great Liang on your own, whether you can make it to shore alive is hard to say.”
These words were true. Great Liang and Great Zhou were separated by thousands of miles; if he didn’t ride the Ten-Thousand-Dan Vessel, who knew how long it would take to return? As things stood, his best strategy was to appease Zhu Dongfeng first.
Sniffling, Lou Tingxue wiped away the remaining moisture from the corners of his eyes. “I understand.”
Zhu Dongfeng smiled gently. “Rest well, Young Master Lou. I shall not disturb you further.”
Lou Tingxue feigned a gentle demeanor. “Safe travels, Boss Zhu.”
Once Zhu Dongfeng left, Lou Tingxue wiped away the remaining moisture from his eyes.
He had never put on a obedient, crying act in front of anyone before Zhu Dongfeng was the first. But he wasn’t done yet; he needed to play the part a bit further.
With this thought in mind, Lou Tingxue stood up, patted his robes, and walked outside.
Zhu Dongfeng had been rushing about for days, managing business and handling affairs, so he likely hadn’t eaten a proper hot meal.
After a moment’s thought, Lou Tingxue turned and walked toward the ship’s galley.
Seeing him arrive, the crew members in the kitchen were somewhat surprised, yet none dared to stop him. Rolling up his sleeves, Lou Tingxue set to work with deft movements; though he appeared frail and slender, he cooked in a neat and orderly fashion.
The crew members raised their heads one after another to look into the pot.
Before long, several small dishes bursting with color, aroma, and flavor were served: a plate of fresh, crisp stir-fried seasonal vegetables, a stomach-warming bowl of mushroom soup, and a plate of spring rolls crispy on the outside and tender on the inside—all humble yet meticulously prepared dishes.
Packing the food container, Lou Tingxue remarked, “Boss Zhu is managing a thousand affairs daily and is also my savior. Now that he has returned from discussing business, I’ve prepared a few small dishes for him to taste.”
With that, under the watchful gaze of the crowd, Lou Tingxue turned and headed toward Zhu Dongfeng’s main cabin.
Just as Lou Tingxue arrived outside the main cabin door, he heard voices coming from within.
“Master, are you truly going to let Young Master Lou go?” Lin Shi’s voice carried a hint of confusion.
“Master, you absolutely cannot let Young Master Lou leave! Young Master Lou, he…” Wen Xiao hesitated, cutting himself off.
What about me?
Lou Tingxue pricked up his ears to listen, but Wen Xiao refused to elaborate further.
Zhu Dongfeng let out a low, nonchalant laugh. “Let him go? When did I ever say I was truly going to let him go?”
His tone held a trace of playful mockery as he added, “I was merely coaxing him earlier. If I didn’t go along with him, he would probably try to escape again. Rather than making a chaotic scene when the time comes, it’s better to appease him first. He’s quite easy to fool with just a few words, he completely abandoned the idea of leaving.”
Lou Tingxue’s brows knitted tightly. It really was like this!
You villainous Zhu Dongfeng! You sweet-talking, backstabbing hypocrite!
Wen Xiao let out a chuckle. “Master is brilliant! Young Master Lou has a soft temperament and lacks scheming. As long as Master slowly wears him down, he will willingly stay by your side sooner or later.”
Zhu Dongfeng, however, countered, “His temperament isn’t soft at all, nor is he lacking in scheme.”
Hearing this, Lin Shi and Wen Xiao were stunned.
Zhu Dongfeng continued, “Curiously enough, Lou Tingxue appears innocent on the surface, yet he harbors plenty of thoughts. Those who call him a useless fool are truly blind.”
With that, he said to Lin Shi and Wen Xiao, “Keep a close eye on him; don’t let him think of sneaking out again. The sea is treacherous—for a Kunze like him, going out alone is no different from seeking death. What’s more, he can only remain by my side now.”
“Young Master Lou, what are you doing here?” a voice suddenly sounded from behind him.
Lou Tingxue instantly slammed the food container in his hand onto the ground with a loud crash.
Right at that moment, Zhu Dongfeng opened the door.
A murderous intent flickered in his eyes, only to freeze when he met a pair of blood-red, tear-filled eyes.