Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 126 How's the engagement going?

After Lu Jia was dismissed, He Qu arranged for several guards to keep a close watch on the Lu family every day.

So for the next few days, I received replies every day. I couldn't find out about the important matters behind closed doors, but I received a lot of trivial news.

The marriage had already begun with the formalities of matchmakers and betrothal, and the wedding date was indeed set for February of the following year. So even though the engagement was a little late, it was still close to the wedding date in his previous life. Perhaps to save face, Yan Qu was also ordered to stay in the mansion and not leave.

This scoundrel who has been frequenting brothels since he was fifteen or sixteen will be unable to go out and cause trouble for three or four months from now until his wedding next February. How can he be content with that?

So, the first beating Lu Jia received after marrying into the family in her previous life was partly because she had "substituted one thing for another," giving this beast a handle to use against her, and partly because he was ordered to stay at home for the sake of the marriage, and he took his anger out on Lu Jia.

It's unclear what message He Qu sent to the Lu family, but Madam Jiang has been frequently inviting officials' wives to visit these past few days, seemingly in high spirits. In any case, this is exactly what Lu Jia wanted.

That day, they received a letter from Qiu Niang, saying that they were only 300 li away from the capital. Subtracting the time it would take to deliver the letter, they would arrive in the capital in just three to five days!
Changfu has already bought several young maids who know martial arts. They are all only ten years old. In terms of kung fu, they are of course not as good as Yinliu. However, they are young and learn things quickly.

Yinliu's injuries have also healed, and she can now walk around. Qinghe and Fuxiao are working hard to teach her how to handle both domestic and external affairs.

The weather suddenly turned cold that day. In the afternoon, Cheng Yi came over with a lot of food. Cheng Yi also brought news that he had asked a good teacher for Xie Yi.

As he saw him off, Cheng Yi said, "If your foster mother and the others are going to live in the capital for a long time and do business, then it would probably be better to have a small house closer to you."

“That’s what I think too,” Lu Jia nodded. “Now we’ll wait until my mother and the others arrive in the capital, then we can discuss it and decide.”

“Alright.” Cheng Yi looked at the servants busy in the courtyard. “If you have anything else to do, you can tell me anytime. I can’t handle other important matters, but as someone born and raised in the capital, I can still run errands for you.”

"That's too modest!" Lu Jia said with a smile. "If there's anything I can do for you, cousin, I certainly won't hesitate to ask!"

"That's good. It's windy tonight, so remember to close the doors and windows."

Cheng Yi left.

After a few encounters, they became familiar with each other and were no longer as polite as they had been at the beginning.

Lu Jia felt that this person's words always had a result, so he was at least reliable and there was no reason for her to refuse to associate with him.

The wind did indeed pick up after nightfall.

Lu Jia asked Qinghe to buy ten catties of mutton, added cinnamon and star anise, and also some chili peppers brought from Shawan, and stewed a big pot of fragrant stew to warm everyone up.

Under the oil lamp, everyone gathered around a table, slurping and eating with great relish.

After finishing her meal and returning to her room, Lu Jia sat under the oil lamp for a while before washing up and going to bed.

Having been away from home for so long, I've already started to miss it.

I wonder how Li Chang and the Taoist priest are doing? And how are Liu Xiyu and Madam He doing?
So, although she was from the capital, the small Shawan felt more like Lu Jia's hometown.

Amidst the howling wind outside the window, the oil lamp left at dawn each night before I went to sleep somehow went out.

Lu Jia didn't pay any attention. Instead, as her eyelids drooped, in the dim light, she vaguely felt as if she were back at Shawan Wharf, as if she could hear the river water lapping against the shore below Wangheng Pavilion, and the sound of bells coming from Datangxing Temple.

And then it seemed as if he could see Qin Zhou sitting under the big tree at the intersection of Xichun Street, waiting for him to return from his business trip on Liu Xiyu's Hongtai ship.

Under the setting sun, he was slender yet handsome, as aloof as the cold moon on the river, his beautiful face resembling that of a banished immortal.

He said, "Hello."

Lu Jia was pleasantly surprised to see him: "It's you..."

……

"It's you..."

A muffled gurgling sound escaped from beneath her lips. Shen Qingzhou happened to be sitting on the edge of the bed, and that familiar sentence immediately brought back memories of those evenings at Shawan Wharf long ago.

He often sat under the big tree at the entrance of Xichun Street, where the Xie family lived, waiting for her to pass by.

But I don't let him know every time.

He waited for her there on purpose that time, and called out to her. Her eyes filled with joy, and those bright eyes were the brightest starlight he had ever seen.

He sighed softly, reached out the back of his hand, and brushed away the stray hairs clinging to her face.

“It’s me,” he said softly.

This was the first time he had entered a girl's room. Of course, a gentleman should not do this, but suddenly he didn't want to be a gentleman anymore.

He hadn't seen her for many days, and he tried his best to control himself from overstepping the bounds, but he didn't seem to be very happy.

"Qin Zhou?"

The person on the bed suddenly let out a clear cry.

Shen Qingzhou was startled and turned her head away.

Lu Jia had already sat up; the silk quilt had slipped down, revealing her undergarments.

Shen Qingzhou quickly turned her face away and walked away.

"Really you?!"

Lu Jia jumped to the ground quickly, grabbed the clothes next to her and haphazardly put them on, tying a knot around her waist.

"Why did you come back so late at night?" Lu Jia looked him over happily. "Why didn't you wake me up? How long have you been here?"

Her eyes sparkled again.

She didn't blame him at all.

Shen Qingzhou's nose inexplicably stung, and she said in an extremely soft voice, "Just arrived."

"Why didn't you come earlier?" Lu Jia picked up the kettle that was warming in the corner and made him a cup of tea. "If you had come earlier, you could have had stewed mutton. You're really missing out on good food."

Shen Qingzhou accepted the cup.

Lu Jia sat down next to him, looked him up and down, and then said, "Why are you dressed like this? These clothes must be expensive. You've been avoiding me for so many days, you haven't found another employer, have you?"

"No." Shen Qingzhou glanced at her. "A subject does not serve two masters. What kind of person do you take me for? I just went out for a few days to clear my head."

He held the cup and drank water, trying to suppress the turmoil in his heart.

"To clear your head?" Lu Jia asked curiously. "Are you feeling better now?"

"good."

"That's good!" Lu Jia nodded. "So, what about what I told you last time? Have you thought it over? Do you agree to this marriage or not?"

The sip of tea that Shen Qingzhou had just taken a sip of was swallowed and ended up in her throat.

Lu Jia quickly patted his back: "Why are you so agitated? Marriage is a natural thing. If you don't marry me, you'll have to marry someone else sooner or later."

Shen Qingzhou, her face flushed red, looked at her and tried to steady her breathing: "Young lady, you shouldn't say things like that so casually."