I Gave Birth to a Cub without Telling the Head Assistant - Chapter 22.1

Chapter 22.1

‘Brother Chulin?’

When Li Zhulin heard those words, his deep gaze fell on Ruan Longling.

‘Brother?’

There was a certain age gap between them, and according to seniority, he was worthy of this title. But he was from the Li family. The younger ones in the Li family respect him but dare not to address his “brother”. Their hands and feet would tremble when they were looking at him, and they dared not even breathe.

“Which of these titles do you think is appropriate, sir?” She persisted with him. 

There was silence for a while.

“Anything,” the man said, breaking the silence. 

”Then I’ll call Brother Chulin. It makes us feel closer!” Ruan Longling cheered. ‘Hehe… First, let’s call him Brother Chulin; then he will be my beloved brother! Conquer the city step by step, methodically and steadily!’

Ruan Longling’s earlier frustration vanished in an instant, and she was filled with a fierce determination once more! “Brother Chu Lin, you have made enormous efforts to instruct Cheng Feng every day, which is really a favour to our Ruan family, even though you have not agreed to accept him as your disciple. Therefore, Brother Cha Chulin, would you mind bringing me a thank-you dinner? If not, our Ruan family will feel improper about you doing such a favour for them.”

With a charming smile, she addressed him repeatedly as Brother Chulin, displaying no nervousness at all. She sounded incredibly smooth, as though she had millions of practice sessions in her brain.

This made Li Zhulin feel even more weird. She was obviously such a vicious, haughty, and determined person that she even gave the current top scholar two slaps, turning the unfaithful man into a laughing stock. And that woman suddenly changed her personality and became so charming and well-behaved, who could believe that there was no hidden meaning there?

And although it was obvious that she valued money above all else, she never brought up the subject of money during their brief encounters.

How could he be so torn about a small merchant girl when he was the dynasty’s prime minister, with ultimate authority over the Qi Dynasty?

He was deeply ashamed of this unusual feeling. “There’s no need for a thank you banquet.” Li Zhulin frowned and refused, but he was really afraid that she would do something else, so he simply turned away and said coldly, “If you really want to thank me, just make me a few more cups of soup.”

‘Choosing to visit Xinghui Pavilion this time was a wise one! He stopped avoiding me, and he went so far as to ask me to get some soup!’ Ruan Longling was delighted as her eyes glowed. “All right! After that, I’m going to the little kitchen to make Brother Chulin some soup myself! I’m going to prepare the best wolfberry and ginseng chicken soup today, and tomorrow I’m going to make lotus seed and old duck soup. I’ll serve the soup in a variety of ways each day until Brother Chulin is pleased.” Ruan Longling smiled sweetly, thinking, ’A man’s stomach must be captured before you can grab his body! The day is just around the corner for the father to leave and the son to stay!’

Excitedly, she turned around and walked out of sight, making her way quickly to the end of the hallway until her form vanished around the corner.

***

The moon was bright, and there were few stars at three-quarters past midnight. A man wearing silver clothing was standing in front of the window when the snow-like moonlight streamed in through the tall, wide eaves, enveloping him in a halo of radiance reminiscent of the Milky Way’s brightness high in the night sky.

The man remained motionless for a long moment, then slowly turned to face the small-leaf red sandalwood-carved wooden table in the room.

On the maroon-coloured table, three items are arranged. A wooden order with the number sixteen written on it, from the Ruan Family Business Company. A handkerchief, white as snow. Soup-filled food box, painted and carved in gold. Seeing those things he instantly thought of that cheerful, kind-voiced, energetic, but avaricious and crafty merchant woman.

The man scowled a little and lowered his eyes.

He rotated the green ring on his finger swiftly, as if he were reminding himself of something. It was the important object the late emperor entrusted to him before his death, along with the country and the people.

“Yun Jin, send someone to tell the teacher that I have made some progress in copying scriptures these days and I plan to go to Wuxiang Temple outside Yangzhou to rest for three days.”

“Yes.” A black shadow darted out of the darkest, most isolated part of the courtyard, answered, spun around and leapt towards the tall courtyard wall.

Have a nice day!