Hua Mei noticed Lin Jinlou's slightly furrowed brow and knew he was displeased. Everyone was aware of Lin Jinlou's tyrannical temper—once he turned hostile, he'd show no mercy. Ordinarily, people would scatter at the first sign of his darkening expression. Hua Mei regretted having hastily dragged this Overlord inside, unsure where he had encountered some irritation. If she failed to serve him properly, his pent-up anger would likely be vented on her. But for now, she could only brace herself, wring out a hot towel, and wipe Lin Jinlou's face.
Lin Jinlou was somewhat displeased. He had some understanding of the petty schemes among women but couldn't be bothered to intervene. They all lived by his favor—how could they possibly cause any real trouble? Yet today, Luan'er had genuinely annoyed him. He did appreciate Luan'er's delicate charm and her rare, melodious voice. With these two qualities, a bit of arrogance was tolerable—it was common for beauties to have bad tempers. When he was in a good mood, he might coax her a little for amusement; when he wasn't, he could simply ignore her without any real consequence. But now, Luan'er had grown not only arrogant and domineering but increasingly unruly. Seeing her disheveled, brawling with a young maid on the bed, particularly disgusted him. He had given her the cold shoulder several times, yet she hadn't learned her lesson and had instead grown worse.
Hua Mei gently untied Lin Jinlou's belt and opened his outer robe, saying with a smile, "Master, sit up a bit so I can help you change clothes for bed."
Lin Jinlou opened his eyes to see Hua Mei sitting beside him, draped in a water-red jacket embroidered with gold plum blossoms over a soft white silk undergarment, faintly revealing a line of her crimson Waistcoat. Her hair was already loosened, cascading over her shoulders, making her face appear even fairer and her lips more vividly red. Her eyes were watery, gazing at him with tender affection, the small black mole adding an air of alluring charm. Leaning forward, her slender fingers rested on his chest as she smiled faintly and said, "Master, sit up to take off your clothes."
Lin Jinlou sat up, allowing Hua Mei to assist him in undressing, and asked, "What were you all shouting about in the room earlier?"
Hua Mei was taken aback, realizing Lin Jinlou had likely overheard her argument with Luan'er. She replied, "It was nothing. Sister Luan'er is ill, and Cun Xin came to me for some cough medicine. I was concerned, so I brought a plate with four pears and a citrus fruit to check on her. It turned out she didn't have a cough but a cold. Since I thought it unwise to take medicine that doesn't match the symptoms, especially since her illness is contagious, I said a few words. Unexpectedly, it provoked her temper, and we ended up bickering pointlessly. Now, thinking back, I regret it—she's unwell, so why should I have provoked her?"
Lin Jinlou had initially been displeased by Hua Mei's earlier sour tone, but hearing her admit fault now slightly improved his mood. He thought to himself that Hua Mei's greatest virtue was her perceptiveness. Though sometimes too clever for her own good, she knew her limits—understanding what to say and what not to say—and was skilled at pleasing others. If only Xianglan had half her tact.
Seeing Lin Jinlou's expression soften slightly, Hua Mei promptly ordered an old woman to bring in a heated brick bed table and set out a food box with wine and dishes. She said to Lin Jinlou, "Though eating so late isn't good for one's health, you've been working so hard and rarely visit me. Having a little wine and food before bed shouldn't hurt, should it?"
Lin Jinlou laughed and said, "That sounds a bit sour now."Hua Mei shot him a reproachful look and said, "Since Master has that fairy-like beauty in his chamber, you've forgotten all about us sisters. No wonder Luan'er is so irritable and quick to scold."
Xi Que was warming wine over a small stove on the floor. Hearing this, she thought to herself: "The new concubine is truly clever. Though clearly displeased herself, she deftly shifts the blame onto Luan'er without a trace."
Lin Jinlou smiled without responding.
Seeing that he neither denied it nor offered the sweet words that usually comforted her, Hua Mei felt a pang of jealousy, though she showed no sign of it. Instead, she picked out some delicate pastries and placed them in the small dish before him. Then she moved a plate of roast goose closer, washed her hands, tore off a piece of thigh meat, and fed it to Lin Jinlou.
After drinking half a cup of wine, Lin Jinlou asked, "Earlier when you pulled me in, you said you had something special to show me. What is it?"
Hua Mei smiled coquettishly. "The treasure is right under your eyes, Master. It's just that you're so accustomed to fine things, you don't recognize its worth." With that, she signaled Xi Que to withdraw, casting a meaningful glance to the side.
Lin Jinlou turned and saw a small, exquisitely crafted six-panel peacock screen on the floor. Inlaid with mother-of-pearl and adorned with gems, jade, amber, Hupo, pearls, conch shells, crystal, and agate, it glittered brilliantly, clearly a piece of great value.
Lin Jinlou reached out and touched it. "This is indeed rare. Where did you get it?"
Hua Mei laughed. "It originally belonged to a very prominent figure. But when fortunes changed, it passed through many hands before finally ending up with my brother. He didn't dare keep such a treasure for himself, so he had me bring it into the estate."
Extremely shrewd, Lin Jinlou narrowed his eyes with a knowing smile. "Hua Mei, you clever little monkey, still trying to fool me, eh? This piece is extraordinary—how did it end up with your brother? I hope it hasn't brought any trouble?"
Hua Mei quickly waved her hands. "No, no! It was originally owned by a wealthy merchant. After he died, his descendants were worthless. While drinking and gambling with my brother, they lost this treasure to him. My brother gave the screen to me, and since you alone hold my heart, I wanted to offer it to you."
Lin Jinlou understood perfectly: Du Bin must have set up a scheme to acquire it. But since it was won through gambling, it had a legitimate path, and bringing it into the Lin Family through his sister showed foresight. He circled the screen, examining it closely, and chuckled. "You and your brother are quite the pair of little foxes." He had been considering promoting Du Bin to a seventh-rank deputy magistrate. Seeing Hua Mei's eager gaze, he nearly mentioned it but held back, simply continuing to drink.
Hua Mei knew Lin Jinlou had accepted the gift and felt relieved. Yet, seeing he made no promises, she couldn't help but feel disappointed. She recalled Du Bin's words before she came: "Lin Jinlou isn't someone who lacks silver. He might not even accept gifts from others, but if he does, even if he says nothing, it means he intends to promote me." If Du Bin secured a good future, she would have support and reliance. Steadying herself, Hua Mei became even more gentle and charming, attending to Lin Jinlou with renewed diligence.After three rounds of wine and five courses of dishes, Hua Mei noticed Lin Jinlou gradually showing a smile on his face, so she became unrestrained and leaned against him. It had been some time since Lin Jinlou had been intimate with Hua Mei, and seeing her charming demeanor, he felt a stirring of desire. He sat up straight, pinched Hua Mei’s chin, and said, “Tell me, how do you plan to serve your master?”
Hua Mei giggled, covering her mouth with her sleeve as she replied, “Master already knows, yet you still ask me.”
Lin Jinlou then pulled Hua Mei closer and kissed her cheek, only to catch a strong whiff of perfumed powder. In the past, he wouldn’t have minded—what woman didn’t use makeup? But Xianglan disliked wearing cosmetics; her face was smooth, tender, and delicate, making him unable to resist touching it. In contrast, Hua Mei’s heavily powdered face felt coarse and heavy. He stared at her face for a moment, noticing the thick makeup that looked stunning from a distance but appeared mask-like up close. Instantly, his interest waned.
Thank you Xiaoxiao66, Jiyunyun, Qianruo Qingfengguo, and yu21yu21 for the Peace Talismans. Also, thank you all for the pink votes. I couldn’t get online for a while and just managed to connect—dizzy, apologies, everyone.
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