“Father, Yuanyuan is still young and inexperienced. She speaks without knowing her place, and if she has offended you in any way, I offer you my apologies on her behalf.”
Seeing Lu Qinian give no sign of yielding, Lu Ze pressed on: “She and I love one another truly. She has traveled so far to be with me—I cannot cast her away and betray the devotion she has shown me. I beg you—for my sake, grant her one more chance!”
Lu Qinian’s expression remained unreadable, and the silence stretched on. At length Lu Ze bit his lip, yielded another step, and said: “It is far too late tonight. If you insist she leave, let it be at dawn—I shall see her away myself first thing tomorrow.”
A faint, curious look finally touched Lu Qinian’s impassive face. He frowned slightly, as if genuinely perplexed. “Truly in love—and yet you would send her away so readily?”
It sounded almost as though he questioned whether such love could be so easily surrendered—as though he challenged the very words truly in love.
While Lu Ze stood caught in indecision, Song Yuhua appeared. She drew him aside and whispered urgently: “You know your father’s temper well enough—once his mind is made, can it ever be turned? Jiang Yuan has already vexed him deeply. Why must you stand there and foolishly throw yourself into his wrath? Go—apologize to him at once, and then send Jiang Yuan away as he commands.”
Having spoken, she cast a sharp look toward Aunt Liu. Aunt Liu understood at once—thrilled, she hurried to Jiang Yuan’s door and knocked loudly, announcing she had come to pack her things and see her gone.
Jiang Yuan paid her no heed. She propped a chair against the door, stuffed cotton in her ears, and lay down to sleep.
Lu Ze was still present, so for all her irritation Aunt Liu dared not shout insults—but she struck the door harder and harder until the wood shook beneath her blows.
“Comrade Jiang—delay any longer, and you shall be sleeping on the street!”
Lu Ze was beside himself with anxiety. “It is far too late. She is a young woman alone—even the guesthouse is no place for her at this hour. Father, surely you—”
Lu Qinian looked thoroughly vexed by the clamor. He frowned and said sharply: “If you wish her to stay, then let her stay. Cease this whimpering—you look ridiculous.”
Lu Ze beamed, convinced his plea had prevailed. “Thank you, Father! Rest well—I give you my word nothing of the sort shall occur again.”
Whatever the matter, he would give his pledge first and make his intentions known afterward. Lu Qinian’s dark eyes swept over him impassively, then he turned and returned to his own room, closing the door.
All their scheming had come to nothing. Song Yuhua was seething with rage. Aunt Liu, fearful of being caught in the crossfire, slipped quietly toward her own quarters—but not quickly enough. Song Yuhua caught her and dragged her into her room.
The moment the door was shut, Song Yuhua began hurling objects and cursing aloud.
“That vile creature! What sorcery has she worked? After all that transpired—still she cannot be driven away? It is not enough she has bewitched Lu Ze so he will have no other—now even Qinian breaks his rules for her. She cannot be suffered to remain.”
Aunt Liu, dreading what unlawful order might come next, spoke quickly:
“Think of the two men in this house. You know their characters well enough. Young Lu is barely twenty—still a boy. What deep attachment could he truly feel? Once the novelty wears off, he will realize his dearest and truest bond is to his own mother. As for the Commander—why, remember the sister of Brigade Commander He? She undone but one button at her collar before him—and he had her expelled from the family quarters at once! Jiang Yuan remains here solely out of consideration for young Lu. He is the Commander’s only son—when he speaks, how could his father refuse him? It proves only how highly the Commander values his boy. And you know his nature—after what passed tonight, that girl will never find favor in his eyes.”
Lu Qinian was a man of exacting standards and rigid integrity; he judged all around him by the strictest measure, and any flaw he perceived would cast a person utterly from his regard. Henceforth, were she to stumble even slightly, he would act with absolute impartiality and no mercy whatsoever.
They had failed to cast her out tonight—but a thorn had been planted in Lu Qinian’s heart. Next time, Jiang Yuan would fall far harder.
Song Yuhua’s lips curled in bitter scorn. “You speak the truth. A country girl—what witchcraft could she possibly wield? She relies on nothing but her youth and a passable face. When her true nature reveals itself and her mask slips—then we shall see how much insolence she dares show. For now, I must hold my peace and wait. Wait until she rots and stinks of her own accord.”
The evening meal had been salty, and Jiang Yuan had drunk freely. Deep in the night she woke in urgent need of the lavatory. Half-asleep, she shuffled forward in slippers—only to find a figure standing at the washbasin.
She rubbed her eyes clear and looked. It was Lu Qinian, bowed over the basin washing something. No man looks his best bent thus—but Lu Qinian, broad-shouldered and narrow-waisted, cut a striking figure even so. His pajama fabric pulled taut across his back, the powerful line of muscle flowing from shoulder to waist. Sleeves rolled back to his elbows revealed forearms veined and strong.
He was arresting to look upon—even without seeing his face.
At the sound he turned. At sight of her he recoiled a step as though seeing a ghost. His brow was high, his features deep-set; light fell from above and shadowed his dark eyes so she could not read their expression. Whatever he felt, it was clearly displeasure—as though he had been soiled by something unspeakable and counted himself unlucky for it.
Jiang Yuan was still half-asleep and in no mood to wonder at it. She leaned against the wall, eyes half-shut, yawning, and said drowsily: “Could you hurry?”
Lu Qinian straightened, set his hands upon his hips, and exhaled a breath of palpable exasperation. He spoke in a tone of command: “You—finish washing this.”
Jiang Yuan came wide awake at once. She glanced into the basin—it looked to be a bedsheet. “Washing a sheet at this hour is already peculiar enough. Now you would set me to it? I think you are still dreaming.”
“Having enjoyed the privileges of a wife,” Lu Qinian retorted, his voice heavy with grievance, “would now cast aside her duties?”
In other words: having accepted his money, she ought to fulfill a wife’s obligation—and washing her husband’s linens was surely one of them.
Jiang Yuan might be shameless, but she was fair. She knew one ought not to bite the hand that feeds—and she had eaten and slept under his roof for days, and borrowed two hundred yuan besides. Borrowed money must be repaid before accounts could be called settled.
And above all else—she truly could not wait any longer. Delay further, and she might disgrace herself.
“Very well. I shall wash it. Go back to bed.”
She could not use the lavatory while he stood there. As it happened, Lu Qinian had already cleansed the sheet—all that remained was to wring it dry. Even so, Jiang Yuan muttered imprecations under her breath throughout. When done she left it in the basin to hang at dawn.
She had barely settled back to sleep when Lu Ze knocked upon her door. They had an early start today, and he had come at just the right hour.
Jiang Yuan dressed and opened the door. Lu Ze stood beaming foolishly at the sight of her.
“Awake already?”
…Was that not obvious? Did he expect a ghost to stand before him?
Jiang Yuan’s expression tightened briefly. “You are blocking my way.”
“Oh!” Lu Ze stepped aside—though not far. “My father is not one to hold grudges. What passed last night is finished. Even though he has suffered you to stay—you cannot live here eating and sleeping for nothing. I have bought steamed buns, bread rolls, and flatcakes—all laid in the kitchen. Go now and cook a pot of porridge. Say you prepared all of breakfast. Henceforth, you shall see to the morning meal—cook it, or buy it ready-made if you choose. Only make a good impression upon Father and Mother—so that I may answer for you when they speak.”
Answer for you indeed, Jiang Yuan thought. She stepped past him and went to wash.