Chapter 8: Stay Away From Me

“Han Feng.”

Lu Chengxu couldn't listen any longer. He moved his finger impatiently, signaling Han Feng to bring the breakfast over.

Having been lying down for several days, he seemed to be a little hungry as well.

Han Feng complied, took a tray, selected a few side dishes, and brought a bowl of porridge.

Just as Su Xinyu was about to leave the room, a middle-aged woman with a round face walked toward her.

The middle-aged woman bowed: "Greetings, Young Mistress. I am Nanny Sun, one of the Third Madam's attendants."

Su Xinyu nodded: "Nanny Sun."

"The Madam said that once the Young Master has recovered a bit more and can walk freely, you and the Young Master may go to the Madam to offer tea. During this period, we ask the Young Mistress to please take good care of the Young Master."

Su Xinyu didn't know whether she should respond, but she saw Nanny Sun enter the room to attend to Lu Chengxu.

Just as she was about to step forward again, another nanny approached her.

The nanny looked somewhat arrogant and also bowed: "Fifth Young Mistress, I am old servant Nanny Zhang, sent by the Old Madam to deliver a message. Please take careful care of the Fifth Young Master. Once the Fifth Young Master has fully recovered, the Fifth Young Mistress may go to the Old Madam to pay her respects."

Su Xinyu took the opportunity to ask, "Where is my maid, Qin Qi, currently located?"

"She is confined in the Jingxin Studio, take a left turn after exiting Qingfeng Residence."

"Oh."

As Su Xinyu walked, she wrapped the four steamed buns in a handkerchief. Stepping out of the courtyard gate, she looked back and saw the three characters "Qingfeng Residence" inscribed on the plaque above the gate.

The handwriting was vigorous and possessed a certain character.

Having no time to appreciate the calligraphy, she turned left.

Ancient trees towered beside the small path. Perhaps because Qingfeng Residence was located in a secluded area, there was no one on the road.

After walking for a while, she still didn't know exactly where Jingxin Studio was. Looking around, she saw a child holding a slingshot, aiming at a bird's nest in a tree.

"In this season, the migratory birds have already flown away, so there are no bird eggs in the nest," Su Xinyu remarked.

The child turned his head at the sound. Seeing her dressed in a wedding gown, he raised an eyebrow and spoke with a hint of mockery, "Oh, so you're that bride brought in to chase away bad luck."

Su Xinyu looked back at him indifferently: "Child, can you tell me how to get to Jingxin Studio?"

"Why should I tell you?" the child retorted, straightening his small frame as he spoke. "And besides, I'm not a child, I'm twelve!"

He looked quite fair-skinned, but he was short and thin, his physique still resembling that of a child. Since Su Xinyu was anxious to find Qin Qi, she asked again with a smile: "May I ask, young gentleman, where is Jingxin Studio located?"

The youth glanced at her, put away his slingshot, and sat down in a pavilion, frowning as he pondered a problem in his workbook.

With no one else around to ask for directions, Su Xinyu followed him. Upon glancing at his workbook, she saw it was actually an arithmetic problem.

*There are fifteen birds in a tree. One is shot down by a slingshot. How many legs do the remaining birds have?*

"This question is clearly a trap. You wrote fifteen minus one, then multiplied by two to get the number of legs for fourteen birds. That's wrong."

He looked at her: "Where is it wrong? It's clearly correct."

"You shot one down with a slingshot. Unless your skills are peerless, the other birds won't notice a thing. Otherwise, once one bird is shot down, won't all the remaining birds fly away?"

"Oh, right! Why didn't I think of that?" He showed her the next question, "How do I solve this one?"

"It's a simple formula, just multiply it."

The youth immediately looked at her with new eyes, saying, "As expected of a woman who received eight thousand taels, you are shrewd and good at calculating."

"Eight thousand taels?" Su Xinyu frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"Your family took eight thousand taels, calling it a bride price. Who doesn't know that without this money, you wouldn't have become the Fifth's bride to chase away bad luck? Don't tell me you're unaware."

"Eight thousand taels of silver?"

"What else? Did you think it was gold?" The youth snorted. "It's only because the elders wanted to pick a bride with a better status for the Fifth. Otherwise, they could have just bought a girl from an ordinary family for a few dozen taels."

Only now did Su Xinyu realize that the Mu family had taken eight thousand taels. Her dark brows knitted even tighter: "Then what about my engagement with Lu Sixth? As her fiancé, did he also agree to me becoming Lu Fifth's bride to chase away bad luck?"

"Oh, right, you were originally Sixth's fiancée." The youth clicked his tongue and shook his head. "As for what you asked, I really don't know, but I can help you find out, provided you teach me how to answer these questions."

Since he could call them "Fifth" and "Sixth," Su Xinyu thought to herself that this youth was likely a young master of the Lu family; there were some things worth asking.

So she agreed: "Fine."

The original owner of this body had chosen Young Master Lu Sixth. Now that she occupied the original body, she naturally had to clear things up, if only to settle the score for the original owner.

The youth then pointed to a courtyard in the distance: "There, that's Jingxin Studio. That's where people in the household who have committed offenses are confined."

"Thank you."

Su Xinyu found Jingxin Studio.

Upon hearing her purpose, the guard inside brought out Qin Qi, whose hands were still tied together, and untied her.

"Miss," Qin Qi said with teary eyes, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Su Xinyu handed her a bun. "You must be hungry, right?"

"Mhm!" Qin Qi grabbed the bun and began to munch on it.

Su Xinyu led her back the way they came. The youth they had seen earlier was nowhere to be found, and there was still no one else on the road. She lowered her voice: "The Mu family took eight thousand taels and sold me to the Lu family as a bride to chase away bad luck."

"How outrageous!" Qin Qi said resentfully while munching on the bun, crumbs flying everywhere. "No wonder they drugged us."

"And they even called those eight thousand taels a bride price."

"Miss, the Mu family is so unscrupulous, they can't be called family. Even if it were a bride price, it shouldn't be them taking it." Qin Qi said indignantly, "That money should belong to you, Miss."

Suddenly, someone approached from ahead, and the master and servant immediately fell silent.

Upon returning to Qingfeng Residence, while their footsteps were still in the courtyard, they saw guards carrying two large bundles out of the bridal chamber and placing them in a side room.

Qin Qi quickly swallowed the bun in her mouth: "Miss, our bundles."

"I saw them too."

"This servant will go check; we mustn't lose anything."

Su Xinyu gave an "Mm" and stepped into the bridal chamber.

"Does this mean I will be living in the East Wing from now on?"

Lu Chengxu had his eyes half-closed, his voice distant: "Behave yourself in Qingfeng Residence. Without my permission, you are not allowed to enter my study, you are not allowed to touch my belongings, and you are not allowed to get too close to me."

Su Xinyu agreed: "Fine."

This suited her perfectly.

Lu Chengxu hadn't expected her to agree so readily. His eyelids lifted lazily, only to see her turn around and leave the bridal chamber.

Su Xinyu arrived at the East Wing.

Looking around, the furniture and belongings were all present. Qin Qi was putting the clothes from Su Xinyu's bundles into the wardrobe, and had even pulled out a few storybooks from the bottom of the bundles to place on the bedside.

"Why did you bring storybooks?" She picked one up and flipped through it.

"These are the storybooks Miss likes most. I took the liberty of bringing them when we left home."

Su Xinyu nodded: "You are thoughtful."

As she spoke, she sat on the bed; it was quite soft.

"By the way, Qin Qi, where will you sleep?"

"I will stay in the side room next to yours, Miss, so it's convenient to take care of you."

"Good."

Meals and snacks were delivered by servants. After eating, Su Xinyu passed the time reading storybooks, occasionally observing the people coming to Qingfeng Residence through the window.

There were a few young women peeking toward the main house from the courtyard gate, looking as if they desperately wanted to come in but didn't dare to.

It was truly quite intriguing.

(End of Chapter)