Fuzhu's Ballad

10

CHAPTER 10 Every cloud has a silver lining

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The servant girl deliberately walked with heavy steps outside the window, sounding a little hasty, but still maintaining her usual elegance and calmness when she announced, “Princess Chengyang has come in.”

Shentu Rui’s brows gathered in extreme annoyance. Instead of going to greet her, he sat down by Lan Dan’s bedside. To accomodate the dragon heater in her small bedroom, the bed was removed, and several thick layers of bedding were spread on the floor to sleep on. Shentu Rui sat cross-legged beside the bedding, drew Lan Dan in his arms and fed her medicine.

Lan Cheng confidently walked straight into the inner room with her head held high, but she was taken aback by the scene that greeted her. She paused and stood by the stove without getting any closer.

“Hey! Take off your cloak before coming over, so she won’t feel colder. It will help her recover.” With a serious and exaggerated attitude of caring and pity, Shentu Rui used the arm holding the medicine bowl to fend off the imaginary cold. Lan Dan glanced at him from the corner of her eye, unable to figure out why he had to be so deliberate in front of Lan Cheng. Was he not afraid that Lan Cheng wouldn’t hate her?

Lan Cheng’s mouth curved into a sneer as she sat down brazenly. Her exquisite white fox fur cloak spread out, giving her a somewhat heroic and cool appearance. “Good, I’ll sit here, so as not to cool off your precious darling!” she said with a strange tone, rolling her eyes.

Shentu Rui ignored her, and finished giving Lan Dan her medicine before speaking indifferently, “Why have you come here on such a cold day?”

Lan Cheng folded her arms and looked around with disdain. “Look at this ghostly place with so few servants. Brother Emperor and the Empress Dowager have said countless times for you to move to a better mansion, but you never listen! Are there buried treasures or beloved beauty here that you can’t bear to leave?” Speaking of the beloved beauty, she gave Lan Dan a spiteful look.

Lan Dan pondered her words and realized that Shentu Rui was truly a skilled liar who could make falsehoods sound even more sincere than the truth! Wasn’t it said that Shentu Cheng suspected him and deliberately made him live in a shabby house to humiliate him? It turned out that it was his own choice to live here!

Shentu Rui didn’t have much interest for small talk. He continued holding Lan Dan and gently stroking her loose hair, his gaze fixed on her face.

Lan Dan felt nauseous inside. She hadn’t even washed her hair since she fell ill. What would it feel like to touch it?

“I’m used to living here, why bother moving around? What do you want from me anyway?” Lan Cheng felt a little embarrassed as it was clear that he wanted to quickly send her away.

“Also… also,” Lan Cheng forced a smile to conceal her emotions, “it’ll be easier to move when you get married.”

“Married?” Shentu Rui looked up at her and asked ironically, “When did I say I was going to get married?”

“It’s what the Brother Emperor said,” Lan Cheng observed his expression, “He has several concubines already, but you’re still alone.”

Shentu Rui casually smiled. “This matter should be decided by the Empress Dowager. What did she say?”

Lan Cheng looked like a deflated lantern, her mouth pouting in frustration. “The Empress Dowager said you have no interest in marriage right now and that you’ve been bewitched by a vixen. Anyone who marries you will have bad luck!”