Lin Jinlou glanced lazily at Xianglan and said, "Put it on the side table."
Xianglan placed the tea on the side table. Lin Jinlou stretched out his long arm, grasped her small hand, and pulled her to the bedside, saying, "Sit here." Xianglan sat down and couldn't help asking, "Why have you come in the middle of the night?"
Lin Jinlou stroked her fingers absentmindedly and said, "I was bored at home and came out for a stroll. I happened to pass by your door and thought I'd drop in." Then he chuckled and asked, "Are you happy or not?"
Xianglan was not happy at all. She thought to herself that he had nothing better to do in the middle of the night than barge into her home and disturb her sleep, yet he wore the expression of someone bestowing a favor. Lin Jinlou was truly an Overlord through and through. Moreover, he had shamelessly entered her room late at night right in front of her parents, yet Xianglan felt especially embarrassed.
She hung her head and remained silent. Lin Jinlou pressed, "I asked you a question—are you happy or not?"
Xianglan had no choice but to say, "My home is humble and thatched. I'm afraid I cannot entertain you properly, Master." In the end, she didn't say whether she was happy or not.
Lin Jinlou didn't mind at all and laughed, "Well, you've become more sensible after just two days back home. Your place is a bit small, too cramped. You should move somewhere else soon."
Xianglan lowered her head and pursed her lips.
Lin Jinlou half-sat leaning against the head of the bed, looked around, and said, "The decorations in your room are quite elegant. Did you write that couplet?"
Xianglan gave an "Mm" in response.
Lin Jinlou said, "The first line is good, but the second is a bit sorrowful."
Xianglan thought to herself, "You only like lewd verses like 'Holding soft jade and warm fragrance in my arms, spring arrives in the world as flowers display their colors, dew drips and peonies bloom.' How could you appreciate something more refined?" She didn't respond and tried to pull her hand back, but Lin Jinlou held it tightly, so she had to let him be.
After saying these two sentences, Lin Jinlou didn't know what else to say. He saw Xianglan's plain face, with her lowered brows and submissive eyes, possessing the graceful beauty of delicate eyebrows resembling distant mountains. His heart itched slightly, and he reached out to pinch Xianglan's cheek, finding it soft and smooth. Then he grabbed her arm, pulled her whole body close, and kissed her. Xianglan was startled and struggled immediately. Lin Jinlou chuckled and said, "Hey, hey, hey, it's just a couple of kisses. What are you hiding from?"
Xianglan, afraid he would become aroused, hurriedly pleaded, "This is my home. Please have mercy, Master."
Lin Jinlou said with a grin, "A couple of kisses, just a couple of kisses, and I'll have mercy."
Xianglan, worried the maids in the next room might hear, had no choice but to let Lin Jinlou kiss her a few times. Suddenly, she felt something pressing against her lower body and knew he was already aroused. She quickly broke free, her face flushed, and hid behind the side table. Pushing the tea bowl toward Lin Jinlou, she said, "Please have some tea, Master." Then she added, "I'll go get some food for you." She hastily lifted the curtain and went out.
Lin Jinlou let out a long sigh, thinking to himself that this little girl was just so stubborn. He got up from the bed and wandered around the room, then went to the writing desk and carefully examined the Four Treasures of the Study on the table, as well as the books on the bookshelf.
Xianglan dawdled for quite a while before coming back with a tray carrying two plates of fruit pastries and a pot of hot tea.
Lin Jinlou said, "No need to trouble yourself. I just ate at home. Just add some hot tea." As he spoke, he looked at a Guqin placed in the corner of her room, plucked it a couple of times, and asked, "You can play the qin? Why didn't you tell me?"Xianglan quickly said, "I don't know how to play this. It's an old piece my father collected. Since no one bought it for the time being, it was temporarily placed in my room."
Lin Jinlou shook his head regretfully. "Tsk tsk, your slender fingers are perfect for learning this. Don't sell the zither to anyone else. Take it back with you later, and I'll hire a teacher to teach you how to play."
Xianglan sneered, "Our family depends on my father selling antiques to make ends meet. If I take it back, what will we live on?"
Lin Jinlou snorted, "Look at your money-grubbing ways. Consider the zither bought by me. I'll give your father silver later, will that do?"
Xianglan ignored him and focused on placing the tray on the heated brick bed table, arranging the items one by one before going to refill the tea.
Lin Jinlou was curious about everything in Xianglan's room. He even lifted the cover of the incense burner to look inside and rummaged through the cosmetics and hair oil on her dressing table. Turning his head, he saw Xianglan sitting on the Xiangfei couch staring blankly at her shoe tips. He walked over and asked, "What are you thinking about?"
Xianglan shifted uncomfortably and whispered, "Nothing."
Lin Jinlou sat beside Xianglan. "What have you been doing at home these past couple of days?"
"...Just chatting with my parents."
"Oh, what did you talk about?"
Xianglan said, "Just ordinary household matters. Who would specifically remember?" She added, "It's already this late. Master should rest early." After speaking, she went to the bed, rearranged the mattress, gave her own quilt to Lin Jinlou, took an osmanthus incense cake, lit it and placed it in the lotus-shaped burner before replacing the cover. She then pushed the teacup forward and asked, "Does Master need hot water to wash up?"
Lin Jinlou said, "I already washed at home." Noticing a piece of osmanthus cake on the plate, apparently freshly steamed, he picked it up and ate it. Using Xianglan's tooth powder to clean his teeth, he rinsed his mouth with tea.
Xianglan helped him undress. Lin Jinlou sat on the bed and saw Xianglan opening the cabinet to take out new bedding. He asked curiously, "Didn't you just arrange the mattress on the bed?"
Xianglan said, "Master should sleep. I'll make my bed on the couch."
"Who said you should sleep on the couch? Come here."
"The bed is narrow. I'll be fine sleeping on the couch..."
"I said come here. Are you disobeying me?"
Xianglan had no choice but to go over. Lin Jinlou had her blow out the lamp, took the bed curtains down from their silver hooks, and pulled her onto the bed to lie with him. Seeing Xianglan still wearing her field-patterned jacket, Lin Jinlou reached to remove her clothes.
Xianglan was startled and quickly pressed down on Lin Jinlou's hand. "Master, it's cold at night. I'll sleep in my clothes." She pleaded softly, "We're at my home. It wouldn't be proper to ask for water..." Her face had already turned red.
Lin Jinlou didn't respond but continued to strip off her clothes. Though Xianglan struggled frantically, she was no match for Lin Jinlou's strength. In a few moves, she was stripped down to only her waistcoat. Lin Jinlou then pulled her close and said lazily, "Let's sleep."
Xianglan was too frightened to move. After a while, she heard Lin Jinlou's steady breathing behind her. She stared at the bed curtains for a long time. Although she had been back in the Lin Family for some time now, being with him always made her feel as if sitting on pins and needles, completely uncomfortable. After staring blankly for quite a while, she finally closed her eyes and slowly fell asleep.
The night passed without further incident.The next morning, while the sky was still dimly lit, Chun Ling and the others had already risen, hurriedly preparing washing supplies. In the kitchen, the stoves were lit, and meticulous preparations began. Xianglan had slept restlessly through the night, waking at the slightest noise outside. Seeing Lin Jinlou still asleep, she quietly got up, fumbled for her clothes, lifted the quilt, and slipped out of bed.
She went to the adjacent room to wash her face and comb her hair, changing into fresh clothes. Just then, Lin Jinlou woke up and called for attendants. Chun Ling and the others hurried in with brass basins and towels. Once the morning routines were completed, breakfast was ready. Lin Jinlou said to Xianglan, "Have them set the meal in the main hall. We'll eat with your parents."
Chun Ling, hearing this, rushed out to arrange the meal. When Chen Wanquan and Xue Shi learned that Lin Jinlou intended to dine with them, Chen Wanquan was so terrified he hardly dared breathe, trembling uncontrollably and unable to sit still. He whispered to Xue Shi, "How about... how about we tell Master Lin I caught a chill last night and skip the meal?"
Xue Shi, already anxious, grew angry at this. "As her father, how can you shame your daughter like this? How could we feign illness to avoid it?"
Chen Wanquan had no choice. The couple hastily rummaged through their belongings, putting on their most presentable clothes, and stood waiting nervously in the hall.
Before long, Lin Jinlou arrived, with Xianglan following behind. The hall fell silent. Lin Jinlou sat down first and, noticing the Chen couple still standing, smiled at Xianglan. "Why haven't you asked your parents to sit?" he said, reaching for her hand.
Xianglan stiffened and subtly withdrew her hand. Lin Jinlou's expression darkened slightly. Chen Wanquan forced a smile, waving his hands repeatedly. "We wouldn't dare, we wouldn't dare! Please, Master, enjoy your meal. Her mother and I will eat at the small table over here."
Lin Jinlou didn't insist further, nodding with a faint smile. "I must apologize for intruding last night."
Chen Wanquan, who had just sat down at the small table, immediately sprang up again, bowing obsequiously. "No, no, how could it be an intrusion? Your presence honors our humble home, truly it does!"
Xianglan felt a pang of sorrow watching her father's fawning demeanor. Lin Jinlou glanced at her, noticing the faint sorrow between her brows, and his displeasure grew. Frowning, he picked up his chopsticks and began to eat.
The room fell into complete silence, with even the clinking of bowls and chopsticks scarcely heard. The Chen couple could barely eat, merely going through the motions. Only after Lin Jinlou finished and left did they finally relax, their bodies going limp with relief.
As for Lin Jinlou, the meal had left him equally dissatisfied. He returned to Xianglan's room with a half-scowl. Seeing his expression, Chun Ling and the others froze in fear. Chun Ling merely brought him a bowl of tea before darting away like an arrow.
Lin Jinlou gulped down half the tea and slammed the bowl onto the desk with a clatter, planting one hand on his hip as he stewed. He had come to see her late last night—any other girl would have been moved to tears, burning incense to thank her ancestors. But her? She had a pretty face, yet all she knew was how to disgust him, as if his visit were some form of torture. Not a single word of concern last night, speaking to him as if frightened, and this morning she wore a mournful face during the meal.Lin Jinlou cursed furiously, "Ungrateful wretch, a damn ungrateful wretch!" In his rage, he swept all the books on the desk to the floor.
Xianglan had just calmed her parents and was about to brace herself to enter the room. As she reached the doorway, she heard a series of crashes and bangs inside, making her shrink back. She tiptoed to the window, peeked inside, and didn't dare go in anymore.
Lin Jinlou's sweeping gaze suddenly noticed what seemed to be a fan buried under the fallen books. He picked it up and unfolded it, revealing a painting of a stretch of emerald water and distant mountains on the fan surface, with an exceptionally refined artistic conception. At the signature spot were written the three characters "Song Yifei," along with an oblong seal.
Thank you to fat wanghua001 and 05111039283 for the Peach Blossom Fan, to xiaoxiao66 and Qianruo Qingfengguo for two Peace Talismans, and to 20100615120053526 for the Peace Talisman. Also, thank you all for the pink votes^_^
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