Adorning Flowers by Night - Chapter 36
Chapter 36
In the end, Lu Ruzhuo still chose to go to Wangxian Tower in disguise.
Pei Yu watched her do this every day, and in an effort to share her burden, she diligently memorized each step. Although her own skills weren't refined enough, she could now handle the foundational parts. Lu Ruzhuo only needed to take care of the final touches, transforming her phoenix eyes into an almond shape and softening her heroic, alluring brows into a look of gentle frailty.
Lu Ruzhuo lowered her hands and gazed at the completely changed face in the mirror, gently stroking the youthful visage with the back of her hand.
"Do you prefer my original face, or this one?" the woman beside her suddenly asked.
Pei Yu paused her tidying, studied her for a moment, and said, "I prefer the original."
Lu Ruzhuo raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised. She had thought Pei Yu would say she liked both.
"Is this face not beautiful?"
"It is," Pei Yu shook her head, "but this face isn't Aunt's."
Lu Ruzhuo deliberately teased, "What if I always have this face from now on? Would you stop liking me?"
"No," Pei Yu shook her head again. "Because it is Aunt who wears this face."
Lu Ruzhuo laughed heartily.
After laughing, she looked at Pei Yu seriously and held out her hand, palm up. "Come."
Pei Yu placed her hand in her palm.
Lu Ruzhuo held her hand, her gaze gentle.
"...Master." Pei Yu's lips moved.
"I'm here," Lu Ruzhuo responded even more gently.
Pei Yu looked at the woman so close to her; with just a reach of her arms, she could pull her into an embrace. But Pei Yu looked down at the single step between them, her feet lacking the courage to move forward. She lowered her eyes for a moment, hiding the surging tide of emotion, then looked up and smiled. "We should get going."
Lu Ruzhuo: "..."
"Alright." There was nothing unusual in Lu Ruzhuo's voice, but as she stood up, she felt a wave of dizziness and nearly fell.
Pei Yu quickly reached out and steadied her.
Lu Ruzhuo took the opportunity to fall into her arms, her own hands draping bonelessly over the young woman's shoulders.
Pei Yu was forced to hold her in a full embrace.
And once they embraced, they didn't let go for a long time.
Lu Ruzhuo rested her chin on Pei Yu's shoulder, tilting her head to look at her pink ears, finding them quite amusing.
If this had been two years ago, back when she had just recognized her feelings, perhaps Lu Ruzhuo would have had the leisure to take things slowly with her. But not now. She had already waited too long, endured for too long.
This trip away from the capital, aside from fulfilling a twenty-year-old promise, was for the person right in front of her.
Pei Yu felt something soft touch her ear, like the tail of a swallow skimming the water's surface, an illusion born in the heart of the lake.
Lu Ruzhuo, unwavering in her persona of a frail and sickly person, had long since switched to traveling by carriage.
It wasn't as luxurious as the one from Divine Sword Villa, but it was spacious and comfortable.
Blocks of ice were placed in the four corners of the carriage, keeping the summer heat at bay.
Pei Yu sat on a breathable soft cushion, yet her mind was elsewhere.
Did Lu Ruzhuo just kiss her ear?
Or was her imagination running so wild that she was mistaking dreams for reality?
Did she kiss me or not?
Could it have been an accident?
If she were to ask about it, she would seem to be making a big deal out of nothing. And if Lu Ruzhuo didn't understand what she was talking about, she would be utterly mortified.
As Pei Yu's thoughts churned, her face steamed red inside the cool carriage.
Lu Ruzhuo leaned against the carriage wall, resting with her eyes closed, the corners of her lips curling into an imperceptible smile.
Wangxian Tower.
The largest restaurant in Chuzhou, situated by the shore of Wangxian Lake. Its exterior was magnificent and resplendent, and upon entering, one was greeted by the elegant sounds of string and wind instruments.
It was high noon. Pei Yu half-supported, half-carried Lu Ruzhuo out of the deep blue carriage.
"The sun is making me dizzy." Lu Ruzhuo swayed unsteadily, then brazenly buried her face in the crook of Pei Yu's neck.
Fortunately, Pei Yu had grown much taller in the past two years. She wrapped one arm around Lu Ruzhuo's waist and used the other to shield her face, preventing others from seeing her weakened state as she stepped over the threshold.
"Are there any private rooms available?"
The manager offered an apologetic smile. "My apologies, honored guests, but we're very busy today. All the private rooms have been booked."
Pei Yu frowned.
With Lu Ruzhuo being so "delicate" right now, sitting in the main hall would be inappropriate.
Just as she was hesitating, wondering if they should find another place, a delighted voice came from behind.
"Sister Pei! Senior Sister Pei Yu!"
Pei Yu turned around. It was Zhu Weirui, whom they had been seeing constantly these past few days.
"Miss Zhu."
Zhu Weirui was dressed in a goose-yellow silk shirt, looking as tender as a young oriole fresh from the valley. Her beautiful eyes darted about, utterly captivating.
She immediately let go of Zhuge Jue's arm and, like a little oriole, hopped over to them.
"Sister Zhuge just booked a private room. Why don't the four of us eat together?" Zhu Weirui said, excited and cheerful.
Lu Ruzhuo: "..."
She had feigned illness precisely because she wanted to be alone with Pei Yu, not to have two chaperones around. How did they run into them again?
Pei Yu didn't want the four of them together either, but with Lu Ruzhuo feeling unwell today, a private room was better than the main hall. At least only the two of them would see her.
Pei Yu: "Well..."
Lu Ruzhuo straightened up, steadying herself on Pei Yu's shoulders, and said in a tone of disbelief, "Thanks to Miss Zhu's good fortune, I suddenly feel much better."
Zhu Weirui's mouth fell open. "Huh?"
Pei Yu almost "huh"-ed out loud as well, but she managed to stop herself in time, swallowing her laughter.
Meanwhile, Zhuge Jue stared at her now-empty arm for a stunned moment before catching up. She pulled Zhu Weirui aside and said, "In that case, we won't disturb your meal."
Lu Ruzhuo gave her a slight smile.
Zhuge Jue nodded in acknowledgment.
Zhu Weirui, bewildered, was pulled away toward the private room, looking back several times.
"Sister Zhuge, am I really that amazing? Even more effective than my mother's Hundred Flowers Pills."
"Yes, you're the most amazing."
Their voices gradually faded away.
The restaurant attendant led the two of them to a table by the window.
"Mandarin Duck Treasure, Eight Treasure Minced Meat, Crispy Squab, a plate of seasonal vegetables, and a pot of osmanthus drink." Pei Yu rattled off several dishes that Zhu Weirui often mentioned.
The attendant smiled. "You have excellent taste, honored guest. These are all our restaurant's signature dishes."
"Please make them a bit lighter. My senior sister prefers milder flavors."
"Right away."
Lu Ruzhuo sat across from her, no longer dizzy, no longer swaying, her complexion rosy.
Pei Yu used her teacup to hide the curve of her lips.
Lu Ruzhuo took in her every move, a ripple of a smile appearing on her own lips.
She never had a penchant for public theatrics; it was merely a means to an end. Who was to blame but this block of wood in front of her, so shy and reserved, so full of hesitation?
Lu Ruzhuo took a slow sip of tea, her dimples showing faintly.
But what could she do? She was fond of her.
Before the people of the Jianghu gathered in Chuzhou, Wangxian Tower was a meeting place for scholars and refined gentlemen. Even martial artists restrained their boorish habits upon entering.
During the meal, besides exchanging glances with Lu Ruzhuo, Pei Yu listened to the discussions of the Jianghu folk.
The Martial Arts Conference was only three days away, and Chuzhou was practically boiling over with excitement. Disciples from every sect and school, as well as unaffiliated wanderers, could be seen everywhere on the streets and in the alleys.
The most captivating topic of conversation was speculating who would become the champion of this conference.
"Naturally, it will be Villa Master Xie of Divine Sword Villa. He is the World's First Sword!"
"The World's First Sword isn't necessarily the world's number one. In my opinion, it's the Lingxiao Island Lord. Besides, the Island Lord's swordsmanship is also unparalleled in this age. It's not yet certain who the true World's First Sword is."
"Have you ever seen the Lingxiao Island Lord's swordsmanship?" the first man sneered.
"And have you seen Villa Master Xie draw his sword?" the other retorted.
"Stop arguing," someone interjected to smooth things over. "Brother, even speculation must be based on reason. The Lingxiao Island Lord hasn't appeared in the Jianghu for twenty years. Why would he attend the Martial Arts Conference? You might as well nominate Hero Gu."
"Hero Gu is here?" a gasp of surprise came from the table.
Pei Yu heard the unfamiliar name and turned her gaze to Lu Ruzhuo. Lu Ruzhuo was holding her teacup, but she neither drank from it nor offered an explanation as she usually would.
Fortunately, someone at the table had the same question.
"Which Hero Gu?"
"Hero Gu Jingyu, of course. He is the husband of the Eldest Miss of Lingxiao Island, the Island Lord's prized son-in-law. I heard that with the Demon Sect reemerging, Hero Gu of Lingxiao Island has come to the Martial Arts Conference with his wife and child to lend a hand to the martial world of the Central Plains."
"The scale of this year's conference is immense! To think that even someone from Lingxiao Island has come. We are truly fortunate to witness such a grand event. So, it seems the champion will be decided between Villa Master Xie and Hero Gu?"
The table suddenly grew quiet.
They had all omitted someone, and they knew they had, yet not a single person spoke up.
Although the Falling Blossoms Sect was not outside the passes like the Demon Sect, it wasn't in the heart of the Central Plains either, maintaining a certain distance from the Central Plains martial world. Moreover, Zhu Wuhua, unlike Xie Xuanzhi, was not widely known for her "benevolence." She did as she pleased, and many in the Jianghu had reservations about her style. Since the majority of those present were men, they were naturally more inclined to discuss fellow men like Villa Master Xie, the Lingxiao Island Lord, or even Hero Gu, rather than the woman whom none of them could ever hope to match.
And yet, Zhu Wuhua's martial skill and status were impossible to ignore.
Thus, a strange silence fell.
"Somehow, I feel this year's champion will be Sect Leader Zhu of the Falling Blossoms Sect," a young woman in white by the window spoke up, rubbing her teacup.
Everyone turned to look at her in unison, then gave embarrassed smiles and offered a few words of agreement.
"Yes, of course, there's Sect Leader Zhu."
"Sect Leader Zhu has been in seclusion. Her power must have increased greatly."
"Haha." They raised their cups and changed the topic, completely dropping the once-heated discussion. "Drink up, drink up."
Pei Yu, furious, slammed her cup down with a thud.
Men called themselves magnanimous and claimed women were petty, always trying to glorify themselves. But this bunch of stinking men were the truly narrow-minded ones, willing to act like they were blind just to save face.
"Huh? Where is that zither music coming from?" someone at the table suddenly asked.
"What zither music?" The person opposite him set down their wine cup and listened intently. Sure enough, they heard a beautiful melody.
"Who is playing?"
The music seemed to drift from distant peaks, yet it was also like a lover's whisper in one's ear, evoking images of slender jade hands, the warm glow of red candles in a tent, and the passionate tumbling of phoenixes.
The men at the table all felt their blood rush, their faces flushing an abnormal red.
Pei Yu, however, didn't have such thoughts. She was merely reminded of their last, unfinished kiss. The moment she had pulled back, Lu Ruzhuo had opened her eyes and actively kissed her. She hadn't understood, so Lu Ruzhuo had guided her, slowly savoring the taste between their lips and teeth.
Her breathing involuntarily quickened, and her true qi began to surge, crashing wildly through her meridians.
A cool hand covered the back of hers, and a thread of true qi flowed into her.
Pei Yu shuddered and came to her senses.
She looked again at the others at the table; all of them had dazed expressions, lost in an illusion.
Pei Yu couldn't hide her shock.
Who was it? Who possessed such power as to make everyone hallucinate simultaneously with just the sound of a zither?
She suddenly recalled a widely circulated saying in the Jianghu.
"The wind over the Falling Blossoms' waters, at dawn or dusk, arrives with a zither."
Pei Yu circulated her internal energy, looking at Lu Ruzhuo, whose gaze had already turned toward the window. As the zither music grew more intense, she found it increasingly difficult to resist. The blood and qi churned within her. With great effort, she managed to ask, "Is... is the Sect Leader of Falling Blossoms here?"
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