Drunken Flower Room - Chapter 26

The Maple Leaf River was tranquil and breezy, its cool air refreshing. Though not the peak season for sightseeing, its unique charm was undeniable.

Zhou Gu shifted his gaze to the scenery outside after Su Rong fell silent, his thoughts swirling. If he refused to marry her, even to the point of insisting on breaking the engagement, would his grandfather truly disown him? He figured if he stood firm enough, the engagement could be dissolved. But then what about her? She had said not to waste each other’s prime years, but if not him, then whom would she marry?

Fidgeting with the jade pendant at his waist, he grew irritable, inwardly cursing himself for his lack of resolve. It had only been one day, no, less than a day, just half a day, and already, he was letting her lead him by the nose.

Women, after all, are full of schemes, he concluded with a sigh.

Unaware of Zhou Gu’s internal struggle, Su Rong, who had long since grown bored of the Maple Leaf River after countless visits, made herself comfortable and drifted off to sleep.

When Zhou Gu finally calmed his restless thoughts and turned back, he was met with the sight of her peacefully dozing, her delicate face resting against a soft cushion. Her serene slumber left him momentarily stunned before he let out a chuckle of disbelief.

Such an untroubled mind. Truly eye-opening.

In a low voice, he asked Yue Wan, “Didn’t your mistress claim she doesn’t nap in the afternoon?”

Yue Wan, who had been stifling yawns for a while now, was groggy and barely managed to open her eyes at his question. Still drowsy, she muttered, “Miss lied to you. She’s been cooped up in the manor by Madam for over half a month. Now that she finally has the chance to go out with you today, she’d rather do anything than stay home. Of course, she said she doesn’t nap.”

Zhou Gu: “…”

Yue Wan, jolted awake by her own words, suddenly looked at Zhou Gu with wide eyes, her face screaming, I’ve really messed up this time.

Zi Ye smirked and gave her a thumbs-up. “You’re great at throwing your mistress under the bus. Better than me, even.”

Yue Wan: “…”

On the verge of tears, she desperately tried to make amends, pleading, “Young Master, can you pretend you didn’t hear that?”

Zhou Gu looked at her incredulously. “Is everyone in the Lord’s Manor a liar?”

Yue Wan jumped at the chance to respond. “Of course not!”

Zhou Gu snorted. “The Lord and his wife worked together to keep me at the manor. Your mistress tricked me into coming out early and even used me to deal with her enemies. Do I look like a fool to you?”

Yue Wan, clueless about the nuances, stammered, “I… I don’t understand what you mean.”

Zhou Gu let out a dismissive humph and waved her off. “Go to sleep.”

Grateful for the reprieve, Yue Wan immediately leaned her head to the side and closed her eyes. One of her best qualities was her obedience, if told to sleep, she slept. She had been so sleepy that tears were threatening to spill. Now, she could finally rest.

Zhou Gu watched this master-and-servant pair with a complicated expression.

Zi Ye leaned closer and whispered, “Young Master, when we return later, are we still staying at the Lord’s Manor?”

“Yes,” Zhou Gu replied, pinching the bridge of his nose. “By now, the Lord must have sent someone to inform Zhou Xi to cancel the other lodging arrangements and move me into the Lord’s Manor. Zhou Xi is my grandfather’s man, he’d be all too happy to comply.”

Zi Ye hesitated before testing the waters. “Then, Young Master, does that mean…”

He wanted to ask if Zhou Gu still planned to make the Su family cancel the engagement after all this. But now that they were staying at the Lord’s Manor, wouldn’t it complicate things?

Zhou Gu put his hand down and shot him a glance.

Zi Ye immediately shut his mouth. He shouldn’t have asked. It had only been one day, far too early to draw any conclusions. Staying at the lord’s mansion didn’t mean anything yet. His master would have his own plans, and it wasn’t Zi Ye’s place to worry.

Zhou Gu glanced at Su Rong again. Ah, Miss Su is so beautiful. Her temperament seems quite good too different from the noble ladies of the capital. But what exactly sets her apart? He couldn’t pinpoint it.

What he did know was that no other woman had ever conversed so casually with him, as though they were discussing mundane matters. And certainly, no other woman had ever invited him to enjoy a boat ride, only to fall asleep herself, and sleep so soundly at that.

Though Su Rong appeared to be asleep, she was not entirely out of it. She heard Zhou Gu and Yue Wan’s conversation clearly.

She mused to herself: Zhou Gu was very perceptive. In such a short time, he had already realized that her parents had deliberately worked together to keep him in the Lord’s Manor. If he was so smart yet hadn’t caused a scene, did that mean he wasn’t entirely opposed to this engagement?

Not opposed? That’s good.

Feeling reassured, Su Rong fell into a deeper, more peaceful sleep.

Zhou Gu, after enjoying the scenery for half an hour, noticed the boatman stopping to fish. Intrigued, he left the cabin to observe.

Zi Ye, curious as well, followed him out.

The boatman baited a fishing cage, tossed it into the water, and patiently waited for fish to swim inside.

Zhou Gu asked, “How long does this take for fish to get caught?”

“About half an hour,” the boatman replied.

“That long?” Zhou Gu sighed, thinking how troublesome it was just to catch one fish.

The boatman chuckled. “I’m not as skilled as Miss Su. If she were fishing, she’d have a bucket full in no time.”

Zhou Gu froze. “You mean her?”

He turned to glance incredulously at the cabin where Su Rong still rested.

“Yes, her,” the boatman affirmed, his tone filled with admiration. “She doesn’t use my clumsy methods. She fishes with a bamboo pole, fast and accurate. Not a single fish escapes her once it swims into her view. But me? I’m old, with failing eyesight and unsteady hands, so I have to rely on luck.”

Zhou Gu imagined Su Rong with her delicate arms and slim figure wielding a bamboo pole to catch fish. The thought was absurd, yet oddly fascinating.

Unable to resist his curiosity, he stayed with the boatman a while longer before suddenly turning around and heading back into the cabin.

Inside, Su Rong was still soundly asleep. Zhou Gu reached out a finger and lightly poked her shoulder. “Hey, wake up!”

Without opening her eyes, Su Rong retorted, “I’m not called ‘hey.’”

“Su Rong, wake up.” Zhou Gu paused, then awkwardly called her by name.

Su Rong slowly opened her eyes and looked at him. “What’s the matter, Zhou Gu? Are you bored of enjoying the scenery alone? Do you want me to keep you company and chat?”

“No.” Zhou Gu averted his gaze from her rosy cheeks and glanced toward the deck. “The boatman says you’re good at fishing, fast and precise. I want to see for myself.”

Su Rong blinked, now fully awake. “The boatman said that?”

“Mm.”

Su Rong sighed inwardly, realizing that her mother had miscalculated. Growing up in Jiangning and spending much of her time outside the manor, she had never carried herself like a traditional noblewoman. Far too many people knew her true nature. Even if she put on an act for Zhou Gu, a casual remark from someone else could shatter the facade.

Pressing a hand to her forehead, she tried to dodge. In a small voice, she said, “My mother says this isn’t something a proper lady should do.”

Zhou Gu fixed her with a knowing look. “But you’ve done it before, haven’t you?”

Caught, Su Rong let out a small cough and stood up. “Fine, then!”