Chapter 92: Who Do You Resemble?
Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Who Do You Resemble?
A letter?
Liang Wan pulled her hand back and looked at the old envelope.
The maidservant added, "This fell out while I was putting away the plaque."
Lu Xiu leaned in as well.
Liang Wan took the letter and examined it. The envelope had been opened, but the handwriting was unfamiliar. It was neither Awen’s nor her Father’s.
Lu Xiu looked at her. "Should I leave?"
Liang Wan shook her head. "I have nothing to hide from you now."
’He even knows about the regicide. What else is there to hide? Besides, this is his residence. If he really wanted to know, could I stop him?’
Lu Xiu simply said to the maidservant, "Put the plaque away for now."
The maidservant acknowledged the order and withdrew from the inner room.
Liang Wan opened the letter. The paper was brittle and old. Judging by the address ’Dear Teacher,’ it wasn’t hard to guess it was written to Awen. But the signatory, ’Cang Zhi,’ was someone she had no memory of.
Reading on, the content was merely a report on recent affairs, with no important information. It was an exceedingly ordinary letter.
But why would Awen hide such an ordinary letter in such a concealed place?
If the maidservant hadn’t accidentally broken the plaque, it might have remained hidden inside, never to see the light of day.
Liang Wan couldn’t figure it out, and Lu Xiu said nothing.
She glanced up in confusion, only to see Lu Xiu staring blankly at the letter in her hand, lost in thought.
Only when he noticed Liang Wan looking at him did he ask, "Have you figured anything out?"
Liang Wan shook her head and answered honestly, "I can only tell that this Cang Zhi was one of Awen’s students."
A hint of a smile touched Lu Xiu’s eyes. "I figured that much out, too."
’He’s mocking me again,’ Liang Wan knew, but she didn’t care.
"It shouldn’t be hard to find out who Cang Zhi is; we can investigate and eventually find him. The difficult part is understanding why Awen would hide such a mundane letter."
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "And what do you think?"
Liang Wan thought for a moment before replying, "Either the seemingly simple content actually hides an unknown secret, or this Cang Zhi was a student Awen cared for deeply, and he kept the letter as a memento."
Lu Xiu watched her without speaking.
Liang Wan continued, "Obviously, the second one is a bit unlikely. You wouldn’t hide a memento in a place like that, would you?"
Lu Xiu remained silent.
Liang Wan was no longer sure. "Or perhaps there’s a third possibility that I just don’t see yet..."
Lu Xiu nodded slightly and pulled her to sit on the couch. His eyes held an emotion she couldn’t comprehend. "Do you want to investigate?"
’Some matters involve realms that a cloistered woman like her could never touch, but Lu Xiu was different.’
However—
Liang Wan’s heart skipped a beat. She bit her lip and looked at him, then quickly glanced toward the bed. This felt like he was proposing a deal.
She forced a smile. "Perhaps I’m overthinking it. Awen just kept it as a memento."
With that, she lowered her head and began folding the letter to put it back in the envelope.
Her thoughts were plain to see.
Lu Xiu reached out, cupped the back of her neck, and with a gentle tug, pulled her against his chest. He lowered his head, looking down at her. "Who was it that once said she was willing to do anything?"
Caught off guard by his pull, her chin bumped against his chest, and nearly half her body was pressed against him.
Lu Xiu’s lowered eyes were dark and heavy. "Do you know the consequences of using me?"
’He had asked her this question at the very beginning. Back then, to solve the trouble at hand, she had indeed...’
Held fast by him, Liang Wan couldn’t nod, so she blinked and said, "My Lord has asked this before."
Lu Xiu’s brow furrowed slightly. "And you were the one who insisted on serving me as your master."
Liang Wan: "Yes..."
Lu Xiu looked at her. "Then what should you call me?"
Liang Wan sighed. "Master..."
Lu Xiu lowered his lashes, a faint smile on his lips. "I hope you truly take my words to heart."
With a gentle pull, he brought her down to lie on the bed with him.
Liang Wan clutched the letter, her body stiff as a board.
Lu Xiu took the letter from her hand, placed it by the pillow, and pulled her into his embrace.
Lying there, Liang Wan didn’t dare to move. "Why?"
’Never mind his hateful glare from before; she clearly remembered Lu Xiu telling her several times not to seek him out without his permission. He had even said he would grant her request.’
’So why was his attitude so different now?’
She really couldn’t understand.
The man holding her didn’t speak, and she couldn’t see his expression. She could only feel him seemingly stroking her hair, or perhaps, the pin in it.
’After returning, she had specially taken it out to look at it. It was a jade hairpin carved in the shape of a Late Fragrance Jade flower, lustrous, smooth, and flawlessly white.’
Just as Liang Wan thought she wouldn’t get an answer, she heard his low, muffled voice.
"Some things don’t happen more than twice."
Liang Wan’s tense body went still. She didn’t understand. ’Is he tired of me asking questions?’
Lu Xiu closed his eyes. "I’m truly exhausted. Don’t you know that when you’re asleep—"
Liang Wan pricked up her ears, but he fell silent again.
Liang Wan turned her head to the side. "Do I look very similar to someone?"
’For some reason, she thought of the missing portrait from the other villa. If that was the case, then she understood.’
Lu Xiu seemed to consider this seriously for a moment before saying, "There is some resemblance."
Liang Wan nodded.
Lu Xiu let out a short, humorless laugh. "What? Are you angry?"
Liang Wan shook her head. "No. For me, this is a good thing."
Lu Xiu closed his eyes and smiled, saying no more.
「When she woke again, the evening lanterns were just being lit.」
The lanterns in the courtyard had been lit, making the room seem even dimmer. Lu Xiu had been the one who was tired and wanted to sleep, but unexpectedly, she had fallen asleep as well—and for quite a long time.
Hearing a noise, Qiuxi and another maidservant entered to light the lamps. As the flames flickered, Liang Wan sat up, still feeling groggy.
Lu Xiu glanced at the letter by the pillow, then turned to look at her. "Still want to investigate?"
In a daze, Liang Wan looked up at him. "Yes."
When Liang Wan went into the outer room, Lu Xiu was bent over a desk, writing.
As she approached, Lu Xiu looked up. "The Duke Mansion tomorrow. Will you be going?"
It would be the third day since Lou Xu Ru’s burial.
Liang Wan thought for a moment. "Do you think I should go, Master?"
Lu Xiu put down his brush and folded the paper. "As you wish."
Everyone outside was saying that Liang Zhang had bullied Lou Xu Ru, forcing her to her death. Although Liang Zhang was already imprisoned, the resentment the Lou and Lu Families held for the Liang Family had not diminished because of it.
If she went to the Duke Mansion at a time like this, she would most likely just be making things awkward for everyone.
But everyone knew she was living in the Master’s Mansion and was by Lu Xiu’s side. Sooner or later, she would have to face the Lou and Lu Families. She couldn’t hide forever, so it was better to show her face openly.
「The next day, Lu Xiu once again took leave from his duties.」
The Grandmaster had been recuperating recently and wasn’t going out, so Lu Xiu’s visit to the Duke Mansion also represented the Grandmaster’s intentions.
In the long-eaved carriage, Lu Xiu barely spoke, and Liang Wan wisely kept her mouth shut.
The journey was not long, and they arrived in a short while.
For the first time, Lu Xiu was good-natured enough to help her down from the carriage. But no sooner had she found her footing than she turned and came face-to-face with the Cao Family.
Behind Cao Jun were Cao Luyun and Cao Danqing.
Liang Wan lifted her gaze to glance at Lu Xiu beside her. ’She truly felt like a cuckoo who had stolen another bird’s nest...’