Drunken Flower Room - Chapter 20

Zhou Gu thought to himself: she truly had no filter. Were these the kinds of things one should bring up during a first meeting? It was as if she had a knack for pointing out sore spots. 

He vividly recalled the aftermath of the fiasco with Xie Lin. On the very day Zhou Gu endured his grandfather’s military punishment, Xie Lin had sent someone to the Duke Protector’s Manor just to mock him. The message was clear: “What good is it that you got the girl? Someone else just snatched her right back. You’re no better than me, you’re just as useless.” 

The mockery stung him hard. Zhou Gu was so angry that he wanted to drag himself out of bed and give Xie Lin another beating. But unfortunately, being bedridden, there was nothing he could do. To make matters worse, the rumors outside were spreading like wildfire. Everyone seemed to think that he was an arrogant troublemaker. He bitterly regretted what he had done. 

Su Rong noticed the discomfort on his face and felt she could somewhat empathize with him. Boys his age were often brimming with pride and youthful impulsiveness, believing that as long as they acted decisively, things would work out. Clearly, Zhou Gu had oversimplified the situation. What should have been a straightforward task had spiraled into chaos, leaving him humiliated and regretful. It was likely a significant blow to his confidence. 

As his fiancée, Su Rong felt it was her duty to help him vent some of his frustration. Gently, she said, “You were fulfilling a promise, there was nothing wrong with wanting to protect someone. Your mistake was being too direct. You should have used a more roundabout strategy, one that avoids confrontation. Subtlety is key. Instead of openly ‘snatching’ her, you could have discreetly secured her safety without causing such a commotion. That way, you wouldn’t have alarmed your grandfather or the emperor, and you would have avoided failing to protect her in the end.” 

Zhou Gu blinked, startled. “You know military strategy?” 

“I read about it in books. Just something to pass the time,” Su Rong said with a smile. “So next time, if you want to do something noble like this, consult with me first. I’ll help you work out a discreet plan to ensure you achieve your goal.” 

Zhou Gu was speechless. 

Next time? 

He couldn’t imagine himself ever repeating such an embarrassing, widely publicized spectacle. Rescuing a woman only to lose her again, he still felt humiliated just thinking about it. That was why he’d stayed home to recover from his injuries before venturing out. Instead of seeking out his usual rowdy friends, he had come straight to Jiangning, partly to escape the gossip. 

Now, looking at his fiancée, Zhou Gu couldn’t help but feel that her thought process was… peculiar. A delicate young woman, soft-spoken and seemingly frail, was casually suggesting she would help him orchestrate such schemes? Was this really something she should be offering to assist with? 

His expression hardened. “There won’t be a next time.” 

Su Rong blinked, confused. 

Zhou Gu grumbled, “Why would I go around snatching women for no reason?” 

Su Rong chuckled, as if finally understanding. “I was just saying. My point is, whether it’s a woman or some other important task, you can always count on me to help.” 

Zhou Gu wanted to retort, “I don’t need your help,” but her radiant smile disarmed him. He turned his face away. “We’ll see.” 

Satisfied, Su Rong nodded and took another bite of her peach. She urged him, “Eat your peach already!” 

Zhou Gu obliged, biting into the fruit. Its juicy sweetness flooded his senses, it was indeed delicious. The honey peaches of Jiangning lived up to their name. Even though the palace sometimes received these peaches as tribute, the ones served in the Duke Protector’s Manor never tasted quite this good. 

“You still haven’t told me how many guards you fought off,” Su Rong suddenly reminded him. 

“A dozen or so,” he replied casually. 

“Your martial arts must be impressive!” 

“They’re decent.” 

“What about the young master? Doesn’t he know martial arts?” 

“His name is Xie Lin. He does, but he’s no match for me.” 

Su Rong held back the urge to blurt out, “I’d love to spar with you and see how strong you really are.” She barely managed to restrain herself, realizing that such a statement might actually make her mother keel over. 

She sighed wistfully, feeling like her life was getting more and more restrictive. 

“Why are you sighing?” Zhou Gu asked, feeling more at ease now. His initial impression of Su Rong, that she was fragile and overly beautiful, was softening. She was surprisingly easy to talk to, albeit a bit too direct. For now, he couldn’t find much fault with her. 

“I want to go out and have some fun, but my mother won’t let me,” she admitted. 

“Why Won’t She Let You Go Out?” 

Su Rong gave Zhou Gu a plaintive glance, her tone laced with frustration. “Because of you.” 

Zhou Gu was startled by her expression, his heart inexplicably racing. “M-Me? What did I do?” 

“My mother said I’m about to come of age. As a grown girl, it’s inappropriate for me to go out as I please. My elder brother is away studying, so there’s no man in the house to accompany me. My sisters don’t like going out, and even if they did, they wouldn’t be strong enough to protect me if something happened. Now that you’re here, my mother expects me to behave myself so I don’t embarrass myself, or worse, make a poor impression on you.” 

Zhou Gu didn’t know how to respond. Internally, he thought, You’re not embarrassing, but you’re so weak, I’m not particularly impressed either. 

When Su Rong noticed his silence, she sighed dramatically. “So, does this mean I’m stuck indoors until I come of age? Sitting around, talking, and… building a relationship? I heard you’ll be staying here until my coming-of-age ceremony. That’s more than twenty days!” 

Zhou Gu quickly shook his head. The thought of establishing a relationship with her made him nervous. “‘Building a relationship’… that’s just something my grandfather said…” He caught himself in the middle of a sentence and realized that it would not be wise to directly insult his grandfather’s ideas. 

“But shouldn’t you listen to Grandfather Zhou?” Su Rong asked earnestly, her bright eyes fixed on him. “Aren’t you afraid he’ll punish you again? Does it hurt when he hits you?” 

Zhou Gu froze. 

Why did she keep bringing up such humiliating incidents? If not for her genuinely curious and innocent expression, he’d suspect she was doing it on purpose. 

Seeing his discomfort, Su Rong thoughtfully offered an alternative. “If we reframe it as something like going out to have fun together instead of building a relationship, how does that sound?” 

Zhou Gu was at a loss. 

Still, he couldn’t help but worry. “You’re so… frail. Are you sure you can manage?” 

He stopped himself from outright saying weak, feeling it would be impolite to say such a thing to her face. After all, he had studied the classics and knew better than to insult a young lady. That sort of behavior was more fitting for someone like Xie Lin, who had no sense of propriety. 

“I can manage. Don’t worry!” Su Rong’s eyes sparkled. “After lunch, let’s go out. I’ll show you around as your guide.” 

Before Zhou Gu could protest, she added, “This way, your grandfather will be satisfied, my parents will be satisfied, and we’ll be satisfied too. Doesn’t that sound perfect?” 

Zhou Gu paused, then reluctantly admitted, “It does.” 

Su Rong beamed. “Great! It’s settled then. You’re staying at my house, so I’ll take you out every day from now on.” 

Zhou Gu was speechless. 

That afternoon’s lunch was lavish. The table was laden with an impressive array of dishes. 

Seated in the reception hall were Lord Su, the Matriarch, six concubines, and six half-sisters. Aside from the Eldest Son, who was away, everyone else in the family was present. 

As Zhou Gu stepped into the hall, he was momentarily overwhelmed by the sheer number of women. He nearly felt dizzy and instinctively turned to look at Su Rong, who was following behind him. 

Su Rong leaned in to peek into the room, then explained matter-of-factly, “Oh, these are my father’s concubines and my sisters.” 

Zhou Gu found himself at a loss for words.