Against the Current

Lin Zhaoxiang coughed and handed the birdcage to Ruizhu, saying, "So impatient! The older you get, the more childish you become!"

"It's not that. My father, for some reason, has started meddling in women's affairs, talking about arranging a marriage for me..." Seeing Lin Zhaoxiang glance over, he immediately added, "I've already made up my mind—I only want Xianglan. No matter who I marry in the future, I can't guarantee she won't be wronged. If she suffers again, it might as well be the death of me." After speaking, he knelt down and said, "You've seen her, you've rewarded her with gifts. Whether this works or not depends entirely on your word, Old Master."

Lin Zhaoxiang narrowed his eyes slightly, gazing at the trees in the courtyard. After a long pause, he said, "You're grown up now, and I can't control you. As for your father, I don't want to interfere either. In any case, I won't get involved in this matter. If you have the ability, go argue with your father." With that, he picked up his teacup, clearly signaling the end of the conversation.

Lin Jinlou wanted to plead further, but Lin Zhaoxiang had already stood up, ignoring his calls, and walked inside leaning on his cane.

Lin Jinlou was dumbfounded. Since childhood, he and Lin Changzheng had never seen eye to eye. The old man found fault with everything about him and placed great importance on social status. He had even gone so far as to bring his colleague's daughter home. The chances of him agreeing to this were slim to none, and now the Old Master was washing his hands of the matter. Lin Jinlou heaved a long sigh—as long as the Old Master didn't oppose or scold him, it was already a good outcome. But thinking of his father, he couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

Meanwhile, Lin Jinting returned to his own courtyard and collapsed onto the bed as soon as he entered his bedroom. Shortly after, Li Miaozhi came in. Seeing Lin Jinting lying there restlessly, she sat on the edge of the bed and asked, "Any news about Third Sister?"

Lin Jinting wiped his face and said, "No, it doesn't look good."

Li Miaozhi sighed and rubbed her eyes. She had spent the night at Wang Shi's place. Although there were servants like Hupo and Yingluo taking care of things, and she slept in the Green Gauze Bed, she still had to get up twice during the night to check on things and hadn't slept well.

Lin Jinting asked, "How is Mother?"

Li Miaozhi replied, "After hearing that Third Sister is missing, she cried heavily again and is even more delirious from her illness. She just took her medicine but vomited half of it. She managed to eat two spoonfuls of porridge, drank some warmed yellow wine, and took Yangrong Pills. She's just closed her eyes now."

Lin Jinting sat up and punched the bed in frustration, saying, "It's all because of that wretched woman! I wish I could grind her bones to dust!"

Li Miaozhi hurriedly said, "Keep your voice down, be careful someone hears you." She added, "Eldest Uncle has arranged to move Concubine Su to the small temple in the north. Father-in-law didn't say anything about it. Let's just stay out of sight, out of mind. She's already lost the child in her womb—what more trouble can she cause?"

Lin Jinting sneered, "Don't underestimate her. Who knows what schemes she might come up with next? I've seen plenty of people like her. It's only because Father favors her that I haven't dealt with her already."Although newly married, Li Miaozhi already knew her husband was all talk and no action. Being an extremely ambitious woman who had always dreamed of future glory and prestige, the recent series of misfortunes piling up had already soured her mood. Compounded by the fact that no one in the second branch of the family was capable of taking charge—forcing Lin Changzheng and Lin Jinlou to step in—Li Miaozhi fumed with resentment. "Enough of this 'sooner or later' talk. Now that the third master is in charge, he ought to stand firm on his own. If he had even half the capability of Eldest Master, things wouldn't have come to this. Never mind the rest—I'm the Third Mistress, respected by everyone in the household, yet I feel inferior even in front of Xianglan, forced to watch her expressions. What kind of logic is that?"

Lin Jinting sprawled out on the bed and said, "What logic? That's just the way things are in our family. Don't think it's just you—even someone as brilliant and dashing as me has to feel inferior in front of her. If I say one unpleasant word, Eldest Master glares at me. If even I have to act subservient, what more you?"

Hearing his flippant tone, Li Miaozhi was so angry she jabbed him hard.

Lin Jinting yelped and sprang up, rubbing his chest. "Why did you jab me?"

Li Miaozhi then swatted his face with her handkerchief, gritting her teeth. "No reason. You! Focus on your studies and make something of yourself!" With that, she stood up, flung her sleeve, and stormed out.

Lin Jinting lay back down, fuming, hugged his head, and rolled over, muttering, "So annoying. This isn't a wife—it's a mother."

But enough of this digression.

Lin Jinlou had been avoiding the house for half a day. He sent Jixiang back to check on the situation and only returned after hearing that the Wei family had left. Back in his room, he ignored official documents, letters, and refused to see any subordinates or retainers. He simply reclined on the large heated kang, frowning slightly, lost in thought. Xianglan sorted the incoming letters and documents on the large desk and helped him write a few letters. The maids, noticing Lin Jinlou's foul mood, held their breath and tiptoed around. Ling Su came in to replace his tea and scurried out in quick, light steps, not daring to linger a moment longer.

Xianglan set down her brush, glanced at Lin Jinlou, blew on the ink of the letters she had just finished, and brought them over. "They're done, Eldest Master. Please take a look." Noticing his absentmindedness, she asked, "Is something on your mind?"

Lin Jinlou hummed in acknowledgment, took Xianglan's hand, set the papers aside without looking, and smiled. "Are you concerned about me?"

Xianglan was taken aback, her lips moving but no words coming out.

Lin Jinlou looked her over from head to toe and said, "The weather's warming up. It's time you had new clothes made. I'll summon the tailor today. Not sure if a set can be finished in two or three days."

Xianglan said, "Why make new clothes for no reason? I have more than I can wear." Most of Xianglan's spring outfits were in Jinling, though she had brought some to the capital and had two new sets made. With those and the ones bestowed by Qin Shi, she already had a whole trunk full.

"Those won't do. You don't know—the old man can't stand to see beautiful women in bright clothes. He'd prefer girls in their late teens to dress like crows, draped in sack-like robes, thinking that's plain and dignified. Tch, what a strange quirk."

Xianglan couldn't help asking, "The old man?"

Lin Jinlou said, "Hmm, my father."Xianglan pursed her lips into a smile. Many scholarly families took pride in wearing plain, simple clothing. The young ladies had numerous silk and satin garments made but never wore them, keeping them all stored away at the bottom of their trunks. What they presented to the world daily were indigo dresses, to demonstrate the family's humble and unadorned traditions, upholding the teachings of Confucius and Mencius. Yet Lin Jinlou had always preferred women to dress beautifully—in shades of rouge, apricot yellow, spring green, and peach pink, with narrow-waisted jackets and delicate gauze skirts, creating a vision of vibrant, delicate charm.

Lin Jinlou pulled Xianglan to sit beside him, his eyes fixed on her face as he said with a half-smile, "But you're so lovely, you'd look pretty in anything. The first time I saw you, you were singing a little tune by the lake, wearing old clothes, yet your little face still looked as fresh as powder. You were the prettiest girl I'd ever seen. I wondered then, which household's maid was this? How come I'd never noticed her before?" As he spoke, he lowered his head and kissed her cheek. "Right then, I decided, no matter where you were from, I had to have you by my side."

Xianglan looked up. Lin Jinlou's arm encircled her, his jet-black hair tied up with a gold-inlaid emerald cloud pin. His eyes, usually sharp as lightning, were now exceptionally gentle, and his face wore a lazy smile, the very picture of a dashing, carefree young master. Xianglan felt somewhat dazed. She had never imagined, through all the ups and downs over the years, that she would end up here—never thought she would be with Lin Jinlou, held in his embrace, chatting intimately. "Actually, I saw the Eldest Master on my very first day in the Lin residence," she said. "At that time, the Eldest Master was renaming all the maids, but when it came to my turn, he had to leave on some business." Little did she know that because Lin Jinlou left that day, casually drawing a circle next to her name, it had provoked Zhao Yuechan's jealousy and placed her in a difficult situation.

"Oh? There was such a thing? Fate plays tricks, doesn't it? If I had seen you earlier that day, I would have brought you to my side long ago, without all these twists and turns and troublesome affairs." He smiled slightly as he looked at Xianglan. Her eyes were like green jade, or perhaps two deep pools; once he gazed into them, he could not pull away, as if he might drown in them. His smile faded, and he lowered his head to gently kiss her lips, then again after a moment, murmuring, "From now on, we'll be together for a long, long time, definitely for a long, long time." He spoke very softly, his tone carrying a plea and a desire to please. He was truly somewhat afraid. Though Xianglan appeared delicate, her inner strength was immense, like a willow branch that bends and bends under pressure but never breaks. Unlike other women who relied entirely on him for survival, even in the most unbearable circumstances, this woman would rather straighten her back and endure on her own without asking him for anything. He feared that one day she might leave without a word. Since childhood, he had been accustomed to giving orders, commanding others, and having his way in all matters. He had seen all sorts of rouged beauties, most of whom were part of fleeting dalliances where tender affections were merely acts. Yet the heartfelt, sweet words he spoke now were all for the woman in his arms. He did not know if she truly believed them or if she cherished them.

Xianglan was first stunned, then her heart softened and ached with a mix of indescribable emotions and sentiments. She did not want to, nor dared she, delve too deeply into her thoughts, yet her heart felt as though it were drifting and sinking in a vast ocean.She opened her eyes wide, gazing at Lin Jinlou. He rested his forehead against hers, his brows furrowed as if overwhelmed by sorrow yet profoundly content. Her eyes seemed to shimmer with unshed tears. Xianglan stirred slightly, silently nestling against Lin Jinlou’s chest. After a long hesitation, she raised her arm only to lower it again. Another moment passed before she finally lifted it once more and wrapped it around his waist.

Lin Jinlou trembled all over, then softened. A long, long while later, he kissed Xianglan’s hair and said, “Come with me to see my father these next two days. He hasn’t met you yet… Someone like you will surely bring him joy.”

It should be noted that Xianglan had not allowed Lin Jinlou to summon a tailor, insisting that a fine outfit could not be made in just two or three days. Lin Jinlou then ordered a maid to open the chest and lay out Xianglan’s garments one by one. He personally selected an olive-green jacket and a dark green skirt. In the afternoon, he went out, first to sit awhile with Old Madam Lin, then to spend half a day with Qin Shi before returning. That night, he tossed and turned restlessly. Early the next morning, he hurried Xianglan to wash, dress, and prepare.

Xiao Juan styled Xianglan’s hair and was about to choose a magnolia from a tray of freshly cut flowers sent by the servants to adorn her hair, but Lin Jinlou stopped her, saying, “No need. She should be dressed like a dignified matron—that’s what my father prefers. He can’t stand anything too glamorous.” He only allowed two simple hairpins to be worn, with no other jewelry or makeup, and took her to meet Lin Changzheng.