Drunken Flower Room - Chapter 44

After drinking two whole jars of wine the previous night, Zhou Gu slept until late morning. The sun was already high in the sky by the time he finally woke. 

Stepping out of his room, he spotted Su Rong sitting in the inn’s main hall. She was holding a pair of scissors and carefully cutting colorful paper, while Zi Ye sat next to her, watching with wide-eyed curiosity and awe. 

Zhou Gu leaned against the railing, quietly observing them for a moment. Neither Su Rong nor Zi Ye noticed him, so he turned back inside to freshen up. 

When he returned, Su Rong had finished her cutting, and Zi Ye was holding the paper cutouts with an admiring look on his face. 

“Miss Su, you’re amazing! Your paper-cutting skills are so good! You could set up a stall at the market,” Zi Ye exclaimed. “The old lady who sells paper cuttings there doesn’t make them half as well as you do, and people line up to buy hers.” 

Su Rong laughed softly. “I learned from her.” 

Hearing footsteps, Su Rong glanced up and smiled at Zhou Gu. “Ah, you’re finally awake.” 

Zhou Gu, now neat and clean, nodded back at her and cast a glance at Zi Ye. “What are you doing here?” 

“I’ve recovered, so I came to find you,” Zi Ye replied cheerfully. “After all, you can’t do without me, Young Master.” 

Zhou Gu raised an eyebrow. “Who says I can’t do without you? I managed just fine yesterday, didn’t I?” 

He reached out and took the paper cutout from Zi Ye’s hands. “What’s this? Let me see.” 

“It’s a picture of you and Miss Su roasting chicken on Phoenix Mountain,” Zi Ye said with a hint of regret. “Too bad I missed it yesterday because of my stomachache. I’ve heard from the guards that Miss Su’s roast chicken was amazing. The whole mountain was filled with the aroma! They were all drooling over it, but their own roasted wild chicken turned out awful.” 

Su Rong chuckled softly. 

Zhou Gu nodded in agreement, savoring the memory of the meal. “It was excellent,” he said, glancing at Zi Ye with a teasing smirk. “Even if you’d been there, you wouldn’t have gotten any.” 

Zi Ye’s expression froze. “…” 

So much for growing up together. 

Zhou Gu sat down across from Su Rong. “Have you had breakfast?” 

“No, I was waiting for you.” 

Zhou Gu frowned. “Why wait for me? Aren’t you hungry?” 

“I am,” Su Rong admitted. “I just didn’t expect you to sleep in so late.” 

She turned to a passing server and waved. “Bring the food now, please.” 

The server nodded and hurried off. 

Zhou Gu grumbled, “It’s because of those two jars of wine you brought. I drank both and now look, I overslept. I told you, drinking messes things up.” 

Su Rong wasn’t surprised, having already guessed as much. She smiled. “It’s fine. I had a couple of pastries earlier, so I wasn’t starving. Besides, you’re awake just in time for lunch.” 

Zhou Gu nodded. 

Soon, the server returned with their meal. Zhou Gu, feeling quite hungry, picked up his chopsticks and began eating without another word. 

After finishing the meal, Su Rong asked, “So, do you want to keep exploring, or should we head back to the city?” 

“Keep exploring,” Zhou Gu said without hesitation. 

Su Rong blinked in surprise. “You’re really going to leave Jiang Sheng hanging?” 

“I never intended to meet him.” Zhou Gu’s tone was dismissive. 

Su Rong’s eyes widened. “Is that even allowed?” 

“Why not?” Zhou Gu said, clearly unconcerned. “If he’s upset about it, he can take it up with my grandfather.” 

Su Rong couldn’t help but laugh. He’s truly fearless, relying on his family’s status to get away with anything. 

“Alright then,” she said. “If you want to keep playing, let’s head to Peach Creek. There’s a gathering of Jiangning’s scholars there today for a qushui liushang event.” 

“Qushui liushang?” Zhou Gu repeated. 

“It’s a traditional game where people sit by a winding stream, and cups of wine float down the water. When the cup stops in front of someone, they have to recite a poem or drink,” Su Rong explained. “There aren’t any peach blossoms falling this time of year, but Peach Creek is still beautiful. And the fish there are incredibly fresh and tender.” 

Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “I can roast some fish for you.” 

Zhou Gu’s expression brightened. “Sounds good!” 

With that, their next adventure was decided. 

Su Rong led Zhou Gu to Peach Creek, a picturesque spot with crystal-clear waters and scenic views. When they arrived, the place was bustling with people — men and women alike — playing the refined game of qushui liushang (floating wine cups along the creek while composing poetry). Others stood around watching, clapping in admiration. The atmosphere was lively and full of cheer. 

Zhou Gu, however, wasn’t particularly interested in such elegant pastimes. After observing for a while, he leaned closer to Su Rong and whispered, “Everyone here is playing such cultured games. Don’t you think it’s a bit inappropriate for you to be catching fish to roast?” 

Su Rong nodded with a grin. “True. Besides, we’ve just had lunch, so there’s no rush to roast fish. Let’s wait until they leave — then we won’t disturb them.” 

Zhou Gu found her plan sensible and nodded in agreement. 

The two of them had kept a low profile upon their arrival, blending into the crowd. But after a while, someone finally noticed Su Rong. 

“Miss Su?” a young, scholarly-looking man exclaimed, his eyes lighting up in recognition. 

His voice immediately drew the attention of many others. Soon, all eyes were on Su Rong and Zhou Gu. The crowd’s gaze quickly shifted from Su Rong to Zhou Gu — some were amazed, others confused, and a few seemed to realize something. 

Zhou Gu, caught off guard by the attention, frowned slightly and leaned toward Su Rong. “What’s going on? Why do you cause a stir everywhere you go?” 

Su Rong lowered her voice in response, “Probably because I’ve fought with about half of them.” 

Zhou Gu was speechless. 

The young man who had called out to Su Rong stepped forward. His name was Jiang Xing, a member of the Jiang family, relatives of Jiangzhou’s magistrate. He had once been chased by a ferocious dog and was saved by Su Rong. Ever since, he had held her in high regard. 

“Miss Su! It’s been a while since we’ve seen you! Would you like to join us in the game?” Jiang Xing asked, smiling brightly. 

“I’ll pass. You all enjoy yourselves. I’m just here to take a look.” Su Rong shook her head politely and smiled at him. “It’s rare for the academy to give you a day off. Make the most of it.” 

Jiang Xing nodded, then turned to Zhou Gu with curiosity. “And this gentleman is…?” 

“My fiancé, Zhou Gu,” Su Rong introduced with a straightforward smile. 

Jiang Xing froze, his expression changing. “So… the rumors are true? About you having a fiancé?” 

“Yes, they’re true.” Su Rong nodded without hesitation. 

Jiang Xing took a step back, realizing his impropriety. He quickly bowed to Zhou Gu. “I apologize for my rudeness. Please don’t take offense, Brother Zhou.” 

Zhou Gu glanced at Jiang Xing, then swept his gaze over the crowd, noticing many stunned expressions. He couldn’t help but think, Seems like my fiancée has quite a few admirers. 

With his hands clasped behind his back, Zhou Gu replied coolly, “No need to be so formal, Brother Jiang.” 

Turning to Su Rong, he said, “Let’s go somewhere else. Don’t disturb their fun.” 

His tone implied something else entirely: Bringing me here to show off and scare away your admirers, are you? 

Su Rong felt there was something off about his words, but she couldn’t quite figure out what. She simply waved goodbye to Jiang Xing and said, “You all enjoy. We won’t bother you.” 

After they left, silence fell over the crowd. 

Jiang Xing stood rooted in place, lost in thought. A friend patted his shoulder and sighed, “Brother Jiang, give it up. We can’t compare to Zhou Gu, the youngest master of the Huguo Duke’s household.” 

Another chimed in, “I told you not to get involved with Su Rong. But you didn’t listen. If she didn’t have a fiancé, maybe your family background would give you a chance. But she’s been engaged since childhood to the duke’s youngest son. What’s the point of pining after her?” 

Someone else added, “The Huguo Duke’s family made this match? That’s shocking. Maybe she’s meant to be a concubine?” 

Jiang Xing glared at the speaker. “Haven’t you heard? It’s an engagement. A proper marriage agreement. Since when does a concubine need a formal engagement?” 

“You’re right. My mistake,” the man quickly apologized. “Don’t be mad, Brother Jiang.” 

Jiang Xing, known for his gentle demeanor, rarely lost his temper. Seeing the man apologize, he let it go with a sigh. “Let’s get back to the game.” 

Everyone exchanged glances and nodded. But they all knew the truth: Jiang Xing’s affection for Su Rong was no secret. Had it not been for past conflicts between his family and the Su family, he would have long since proposed. 

Now, it was clear that Su Rong’s heart was already spoken for.