A carriage stopped in front of the Star-Gazing Tower. Lu Jinzhi lifted the curtain and glanced around, but Qiao Yin was nowhere to be seen.
She’s grown bold.
After upsetting him, she actually managed to last a whole night without coming to apologize.
Qiao Yin truly has some nerve!
Lu Jinzhi pressed his lips together, his expression darkening as he stepped out of the carriage and entered the Star-Gazing Tower.
Chu Wenjing, who had been waiting for some time, immediately rushed up to him with a gleeful look. “You left early last night. Guess what Qiao Yin did?”
“Not interested, and I don’t want to know. It’s nothing but another spectacle she’s made of herself.”
Lu Jinzhi’s tone was indifferent, as if discussing something utterly tiresome, yet his footsteps involuntarily came to a halt.
Chu Wenjing clapped his hands. “You guessed it—Qiao Yin made a fool of herself again. She actually threw herself into the lake in an attempt to end her life. Good thing you weren’t there, or else her eldest brother would’ve forced you to marry her on the spot. Tsk, tsk, tsk. I wondered why she made such a grand fuss over your birthday banquet—turns out she planned to force a marriage by threatening suicide. How does she come up with such outrageous ideas?”
Lu Jinzhi’s expression suddenly relaxed. “The ‘suffering flesh’ ploy—it’s not the first time.”
Lu Jinzhi recalled last winter when he’d casually remarked, “The plum blossoms from Ten-Thousand Zhang Cliff are the most fragrant.” The very next day, Qiao Yin brought him two broken and scattered white plum branches for a vase, falsely claiming they were from Ten-Thousand Zhang Cliff.
He had exposed her lie in front of everyone.
Qiao Yin suddenly flew into a rage, throwing the plum blossoms at him. She even rolled up her sleeves in public, revealing some frightening scars, and shouted at him, “Lu Jinzhi, do you even have a heart? I’d risk my life for you—can’t you even look at me properly for once?”
After hearing this, Chu Wenjing scoffed disdainfully. “Is there something wrong with Qiao Yin’s head? Everyone knows Ten-Thousand Zhang Cliff only has red plum blossoms. Couldn’t she have used her brain before pulling this ‘suffering flesh’ act? She really is nothing but a pretty face—no substance or refinement inside. No wonder you’ve never taken a liking to her.”
Chu Wenjing shot Lu Jinzhi a sympathetic glance. “Only someone as patient as you could tolerate her pestering and antics. If it were anyone else, they’d have dealt with her long ago. With her constant life-and-death dramas, won’t it affect your marriage prospects?”
Lu Jinzhi declared righteously, “I plan to placate her for now. Her father is still fighting on the front lines. If something were to happen to her and it affected the war effort, I’d be held accountable.”
“How noble of you!” Chu Wenjing praised. “How do you plan to placate her? Take her as a concubine?”
Lu Jinzhi summoned a servant and instructed, “Take an invitation to the poetry society and deliver it to the Qiao residence.”
Chu Wenjing looked at Lu Jinzhi with admiration. When it came to handling Qiao Yin, he was the expert.
“I bet Qiao Yin will show up within half an hour of receiving the invitation. Want to wager?”
Lu Jinzhi smiled without answering, turning away to mingle with others, brimming with confidence.
Not long after, the poetry gathering began, but Qiao Yin did not appear.
An hour later, halfway through the gathering, Qiao Yin still hadn’t shown up.
Lu Jinzhi sat in his chair, his jawline rigid from clenched teeth.
The host of today’s gathering was Yan Ruyu, the daughter of the prime minister. Yan Ruyu had acquired a rare pot of Purple Dragon Resting in Snow and, at Lu Jinzhi’s invitation, brought it out for everyone to admire.
As soon as the exotic flower was unveiled, the attendees showered it with praise. Yet Lu Jinzhi, usually known for his exceptional talent and wit, remained uncharacteristically silent, his expression even tinged with impatience.Yan Ruyu smiled and said, “It seems today’s flowers haven’t caught Lu Shizi’s eye.”
“Indeed, they’re rather ordinary,” Lu Jinzhi replied without hesitation.
Yan Ruyu’s expression stiffened, her displeasure already evident.
Purple Dragon Resting in Snow was a top-grade chrysanthemum, a rare variety even the imperial gardens might not possess. Ordinary people would never have the chance to see it in their lifetime.
Moreover, it was Lu Jinzhi who had invited her today. What did his words mean?
Chu Wenjing discreetly nudged Lu Jinzhi with his foot and smoothed things over, “Jinzhi and I were just drinking tea, and he said the tea was ordinary. Why is today’s tea so astringent? Where’s the tea we usually drink?”
Someone immediately chimed in, “I was just about to mention that. Besides the tea, today’s snacks are also terrible. Have Qiao Yin go buy some more—I want Li’s osmanthus cakes.”
“I want Zhang’s crabapple blossom pastries.”
“I want Liu’s water chestnut cakes.”
“What’s wrong with Qiao Yin today? We clearly told her our preferences before. How could she still get it wrong?”
Everyone instinctively began to complain and criticize. Chu Wenjing glanced subtly at Lu Jinzhi.
Lu Jinzhi felt that Qiao Yin’s status and refinement were not suited for the Crabapple Society and had never allowed her to join. However, he would always instruct her to prepare tea and snacks for the poetry gatherings, claiming it was so she could learn and be influenced by the atmosphere.
Suddenly, someone exclaimed as if they had discovered something monumental, “Qiao Yin isn’t here. She didn’t come today.”
Another person laughed, “With Lu Shizi here, how could Qiao Yin not be present?”
All eyes turned to Lu Jinzhi. His face tightened, and for once, the usually eloquent young master found himself at a loss for words, an inexplicable sense of embarrassment and anger rising within him.
Just then, a voice called out, “Isn’t that Qiao Yin at the door?”
Lu Jinzhi abruptly looked toward the entrance, where a figure stumbled hurriedly inside.
Her unrestrained gait, disheveled hair, and crooked hairpin—devoid of any ladylike grace—were unmistakable. In the entire capital, no one but Qiao Yin could be found in such a state.
Lu Jinzhi relaxed his clenched jaw, averting his gaze from Qiao Yin as he waited for her to approach and apologize.
Qiao Yin rushed in, panting heavily, and scanned the room.
Chu Wenjing noticed the snack package in her hand and stepped forward with a stern expression to take it.
“Qiao Yin, next time, be quicker and arrive earlier. That way, you can join our Crabapple Society sooner.”
Qiao Yin hid the snacks behind her back and looked at Chu Wenjing in confusion. “Where’s Xie Yu’an?”
Chu Wenjing was taken aback. “Who?”
Qiao Yin raised her voice. “I’m looking for Xie Yu’an. Is he here?”
Lu Jinzhi’s face darkened instantly. He could no longer remain seated and stood up, striding over to Qiao Yin. “Qiao Yin, know your limits. My patience has its bounds. I sent you an invitation to the Crabapple Society—you should be grateful and accept it graciously.”
His tone made it sound as if he had bestowed some immense favor!
Looking at his arrogant and presumptuous face, Qiao Yin felt nothing but disgust.
“You mean this?”
Qiao Yin took out the invitation and, right in front of Lu Jinzhi, tossed it aside.
“Take it back. No one wants to be your errand girl.”
Qiao Yin turned to leave, but her hand was seized with brute force.
“Did I say you could leave?”
Lu Jinzhi’s words, squeezed through gritted teeth, were laced with burning fury.
Qiao Yin struggled, but Lu Jinzhi only tightened his grip, as if trying to crush her hand.
“Let her go.”At that moment, a cold voice came from above, and a tall, upright figure descended from upstairs.