Against the Current

Lin Jinlou cast a lazy glance at Xianglan and said, "Just put it on the table."

Xianglan placed the tea on the table. Lin Jinlou reached 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 idly stroked her fingers and said carelessly, "I was bored at home and went out for a stroll. I happened to pass by your door and thought I'd drop in." He then chuckled and asked, "Are you happy or not?"

Xianglan was not happy at all. She inwardly grumbled that he had nothing better to do in the middle of the night than barge into her home and disturb her dreams, all while wearing an expression as if he were bestowing a favor. Lin Jinlou was truly an outright tyrant. Moreover, he had shamelessly slipped into her room late at night right in front of her parents, yet Xianglan felt especially embarrassed.

She hung her head without speaking. Lin Jinlou pressed, "I asked you a question—are you happy or not?"

Xianglan had no choice but to reply, "My home is humble and thatched. I'm afraid it's not worthy of the Eldest Master." In the end, she didn't say whether she was happy or not.

Lin Jinlou didn't mind in the least and laughed, "Well, you've become more sensible after just a couple of 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, and looked around. "The furnishings 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 'Soft jade and warm fragrance fill the embrace, spring arrives in the world with flowers flaunting 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 few words, Lin Jinlou didn't know what else to say. He saw Xianglan's plain face, her lowered brows and submissive eyes, with a beauty reminiscent of distant mountains and delicate brows. His heart itched slightly, and he reached out to pinch her cheek, finding it soft and smooth. He then grabbed her arm, pulled her 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 get aroused, hurriedly pleaded, "This is my home. Please have mercy, Eldest Master."

Lin Jinlou grinned and said, "A couple of kisses, just a couple of kisses, and I'll show 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 aroused. She quickly broke free, her face already flushed, and hid behind the table. Pushing the teacup toward Lin Jinlou, she said, "Please have some tea, Eldest Master." Then she added, "I'll go get some snacks 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 too stubborn. He got up from the bed, wandered around the room, and went to the writing desk, examining the Four Treasures of the Study on the table one by one before browsing the books on the shelf.

Xianglan dawdled for quite a while before coming back with a tray carrying two plates of fruits and pastries, along with 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 glanced at the guqin placed in the corner of her room, plucked the strings a couple of times, and asked, "You know how to play the qin? Why didn't you tell me?"Xianglan said hurriedly, "I don't know how to play this. It's an old piece my father acquired. Since no one bought it right away, it was temporarily placed in my room."

Lin Jinlou shook his head regretfully. "Tsk, tsk. Your slender fingers are perfect for learning. Don't sell the zither to anyone else. Take it back with you later, and I'll hire a teacher to instruct you."

Xianglan gave a cold laugh. "Our family relies on my father selling antiques to make ends meet. If I take it back, what will we live on?"

Lin Jinlou snorted. "Look at you, so money-minded. I'll buy the zither. I'll give your father the silver later, alright?"

Xianglan ignored him and focused on placing the tray on the kang 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 rouge powder and hair oil on her dressing table. Turning his head, he noticed Xianglan sitting on the Xiangfei couch, staring blankly at the tips of her shoes. He walked over and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Xianglan shifted uncomfortably and whispered, "Nothing."

Lin Jinlou sat beside her. "What have you been doing these past couple of days at home?"

"...Just chatting with my parents."

"Oh? What did you talk about?"

Xianglan said, "Just ordinary household matters. Who would remember them specifically?" She added, "It's already this late. Eldest Master should rest early." After speaking, she went to the bed, rearranged the mattress, gave her own quilt to Lin Jinlou to use, took out an osmanthus-scented incense cake, lit it, placed it in the lotus-shaped burner, and covered it again. She then pushed the teacup slightly forward. "Does Eldest 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. He then used Xianglan's tooth powder to clean his teeth and rinsed his mouth with tea.

Xianglan helped him undress. As Lin Jinlou sat on the bed, he saw Xianglan open the cabinet to take out a new set of bedding and asked curiously, "Didn't you just make the bed?"

Xianglan said, "Eldest Master, please 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 on the couch..."

"I said come here. Are you disobeying me?"

Xianglan had no choice but to go over. Lin Jinlou told her to blow out the lamp, took the bed curtains down from the silver hooks, and pulled her onto the bed to lie beside him. Seeing Xianglan still wearing her patchwork jacket, he reached out to undress her.

Xianglan was startled and quickly pressed down on his hand. "Eldest 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 flushed red as she spoke.

Lin Jinlou said nothing and continued to strip off her clothes. Xianglan struggled frantically but was no match for his strength. In a few moves, she was left wearing only her undergarment. Lin Jinlou then pulled her close and said lazily, "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 some time had passed since she returned to the Lin family, being with him always felt like sitting on pins and needles, leaving her utterly uneasy. After lying dazed for quite a while, she finally closed her eyes and slowly fell asleep.

The night passed without incident.The next morning, while the sky was still dimly lit, Chunling and the others had already risen, busily preparing washing supplies. In the kitchen, the stove was also fired up for carefully selected dishes. Xianglan had slept restlessly all night, waking at the slightest noise outside. Seeing Lin Jinlou still asleep, she quietly got up, fumbled for her clothes, lifted the quilt, and climbed 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 in the room and called for attendants. Chunling and the others hurried in with a copper basin, towels, and other items. 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."

Chunling, hearing this, rushed out to arrange the meal. Meanwhile, when Chen Wanquan and his wife, Xue Shi, learned that Lin Jinlou would be dining with them, Chen Wanquan was so terrified he hardly dared to breathe, trembling uncontrollably and unable to sit still. He said to Xue Shi, "Maybe... maybe we should tell Eldest Master Lin that I caught a chill last night and skip the meal."

Xue Shi, already uneasy, grew angry at this and retorted, "How can you, as her father, fail to show face for your daughter? How can we feign illness to get out of this?"

Chen Wanquan had no choice. The couple hastily rummaged through their belongings, putting on their most presentable clothes, and stood waiting anxiously in the hall.

Before long, Lin Jinlou arrived, with Xianglan following behind him. The hall fell silent. Lin Jinlou sat down first and, noticing the Chen couple still standing, smiled at Xianglan and said, "Why haven’t you asked your parents to sit?" As he spoke, he reached for Xianglan’s hand.

Xianglan stiffened and subtly withdrew her hand. Lin Jinlou’s expression darkened slightly. Chen Wanquan, forcing a smile, waved his hands repeatedly and said, "We wouldn’t dare, we wouldn’t dare! Please, Eldest Master, you sit and eat. Lan’er’s mother and I will eat at this small table here."

Lin Jinlou didn’t insist further, nodding with a smile and saying, "I was rather presumptuous to disturb you last night."

Chen Wanquan, who had just sat down at the small table, immediately sprang up again, bowing obsequiously. "Not at all, not at all! How could it be a disturbance? Your presence is an honor to us, bringing glory to our humble home. Hehe, truly, glory to our humble home."

Xianglan felt deeply uncomfortable seeing 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 hardly eat, merely going through the motions. Only when 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-dark expression. Seeing his mood, Chunling and the others froze in fear. Chunling merely brought him a bowl of tea before darting out of sight.

Lin Jinlou gulped down half the tea and slammed the bowl onto the desk with a clatter, one hand on his hip as he stewed in anger. 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 but only knew how to disgust him, acting as if his visit were a punishment. Not a single word of concern from her last night, speaking to him as if frightened, and this morning at breakfast she wore a mournful face.Lin Jinlou cursed furiously, "Ungrateful wretch! A damn ungrateful wretch!" In his rage, he swept all the books on the desk onto the floor.

Xianglan had just calmed her parents and was steeling herself to enter the room. As she reached the doorway, she heard a series of crashing sounds from inside. She instinctively ducked her head and tiptoed to the window to peek inside, not daring to 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, the artistic conception exceptionally refined. At the fan's signature were written the three characters "Song Yi Fei," accompanied by an oblong seal.