Drunken Flower Room - Chapter 49

As the three exited the room, Su Rong grabbed the unopened jar of wine from the table. 

Downstairs, at the inn’s entrance, Su Xingze stood under the night sky, dressed in black. His tall, elegant figure and striking features exuded a refined aura. An uninformed onlooker might easily mistake him for a young noble from a princely family. 

Carrying the wine jar, Su Rong quickened her steps toward him, wearing a bright, playful smile. She held the jar out to him with an air of flattery. “Big Brother, when did you return? Here, take this Drunken Blaze to quench your thirst!” 

Su Xingze looked at her without speaking or taking the wine. Instead, his gaze shifted past her to Zhou Gu and Ning Chi, who were following behind. He cupped his hands in greeting. “Young Master Zhou, Heir Ning, a pleasure to meet you both.” 

Zhou Gu, having long been curious about the kind of man who could manage Su Rong, studied Su Xingze intently. He had imagined him to be stern, given the personalities of Lord Su and Madam Su. However, Su Xingze turned out to be as serene and cold as moonlight. 

After a moment of hesitation, Zhou Gu adjusted his demeanor and returned the gesture. Calling him “Brother Su” felt overly formal, so he opted instead for, “Big Brother Su.” 

Ning Chi smiled as he cupped his hands in return. “Brother Su, you have keen eyes. How did you recognize me?” 

“I inquired as I arrived,” Su Xingze replied with a faint smile. “I heard that the heir of the Marquis of Nanping is staying at this inn tonight.” Then, turning his attention back to Zhou Gu and Su Rong, he said, “I’ve come to fetch Young Master Zhou and my younger sister. Would you care to stay at the lord’s residence for the night, Heir Ning?” 

Ning Chi shook his head. “Thank you for the invitation, Brother Su, but I depart for Nanping tomorrow and shouldn’t impose. I’ve long admired your reputation, and meeting you tonight is an honor. Allow me to wish you success in the upcoming imperial examinations.” 

“Thank you,” Su Xingze replied, his tone courteous yet distant. He turned to Zhou Gu and Su Rong. “Let’s go.” 

Zhou Gu nodded, waving goodbye to Ning Chi as his horse was brought over. He mounted with practiced ease. 

Su Rong, noticing her brother’s silence toward her, knew he was angry. She bit the inside of her cheek and handed the jar of wine to one of Su Xingze’s guards. Without a word, she mounted her horse. 

The group left the inn and rode back to the city. 

Watching them leave, Ning Chi murmured to himself, “He is indeed Su Xingze.” 

The ride back to the city was uneventful, and they soon arrived at the lord’s residence. 

Su Xingze dismounted and instructed the steward who had come out to greet them, “Uncle Li, escort Young Master Zhou to the guest courtyard and ensure he’s well taken care of.” 

“Yes, Young Master,” the steward replied warmly. He turned to Zhou Gu with a smile. “Young Master Zhou, please follow me. I’ll show you to your quarters.” 

Zhou Gu glanced at Su Rong, noticing her subdued demeanor. He wanted to say something, but seeing the cool expression on Su Xingze’s face, he realized it wasn’t his place. After all, he was merely her fiancé in name, bound by a paper-thin engagement. Reluctantly, he turned and followed the steward. 

Su Rong, too, wanted to leave, but with Su Xingze in such a mood, she didn’t dare. Summoning her courage, she stepped closer, tugging lightly at his sleeve. In a small, plaintive voice, she said, “Big Brother, you scared my fiancé.” 

Su Xingze looked down at her without responding. 

Su Rong clung to his sleeve, shaking his arm gently as she tried to explain. “It’s all because of Jiang Sheng. We stayed at the inn to avoid him. Besides, the heir of the Marquis of Nanping, Ning Chi, needed to discuss something with Zhou Gu. We didn’t stay out on purpose.” 

When Su Xingze remained silent, Su Rong widened her eyes, trying to appeal to his sense of justice. “Big Brother, Jiang Sheng bullied Father, Madam Jiang humiliated Mother, and Jiang Yunying tormented me. Have you forgotten what happened three years ago? I finally had a chance to pull Zhou Gu along to settle the score. How could I let them off so easily? Why should we have obediently waited at the residence for their apology? It’s not my fault. You can’t give Zhou Gu the cold shoulder just because we stayed at an inn. It’s not like we shared a room.” 

Su Xingze’s expression finally shifted slightly as he brushed Su Rong’s hands away, his face full of disdain. “You reek of alcohol. Mother told you to carry yourself like a proper young lady, but it seems her advice went in one ear and out the other. Her efforts were wasted on you.” 

Su Rong: “…” 

She had indeed drunk quite a bit and was aware that the smell of wine clung to her. She chuckled sheepishly and latched onto Su Xingze’s arm again. “Big Brother, why did you suddenly come back?” 

There were still plenty of days before her coming-of-age ceremony. His early return was surprising. And not just that, he had gone out of his way to catch her. How little trust did he have in her? 

“What do you think?” Su Xingze shot her a sharp look before striding ahead. “Follow me to the study.” 

Su Rong knew she couldn’t avoid a lecture tonight. Resigned, she trailed after him. 

Once in the study, Su Xingze took a seat and let out a sigh as he looked at her. “I didn’t expect Mother to write to the Protector Duke’s estate to inquire about your engagement. If I’d known, I would have stopped her. I should have waited until after the imperial examinations to address this matter with them. Now, with everything happening so suddenly, the Protector Duke’s estate even sent Zhou Gu personally to present his congratulations for your coming-of-age ceremony. Are you truly planning to marry into the Protector Duke’s family?” 

Su Rong propped her chin on her hands, leaning lazily over the table. Blinking at his words, she said, “Big Brother, what’s wrong with me marrying into the Protector Duke’s family? When one person ascends to greatness, even their chickens and dogs rise to heaven. To borrow Mother’s words, if I marry up, our entire family benefits.” 

“And what about you?” Su Xingze pressed. 

“Me?” Su Rong grinned. “Zhou Gu is an excellent match, a husband so good you’d struggle to find another with a lantern. I’m not losing out.” 

Su Xingze snorted. “An excellent match? The kind of man who competes with others over a woman?” 

Su Rong froze for a moment, realizing she needed to clear up Zhou Gu’s misunderstood reputation. “That’s not fair. He was helping someone else, acting on their request. It was just his method that caused a public misunderstanding.” 

Su Xingze raised an eyebrow skeptically. 

Hurrying to explain, Su Rong recounted Zhou Gu’s side of the story in detail. 

After listening, Su Xingze’s expression softened slightly. “If that’s the case, his actions weren’t as reckless as they seemed.” 

“Of course not! He’s a good person,” Su Rong said earnestly. “Now that you’re back, spend more time with him, and you’ll see for yourself. I promise Zhou Gu is genuinely a good match. If he weren’t, Father and Mother wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to keep him at our estate, risking bringing a wolf into the fold.” 

Su Xingze reluctantly accepted her words. “Fine, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt for now. But tell me, since his arrival, what have you two been doing together?” 

“Nothing much, just hanging out,” Su Rong replied nonchalantly. She briefly mentioned their outings to Maple River, Phoenix Mountain, and Peach Creek. 

Her summary was so casual that Su Xingze frowned. “Father and Mother were negligent to let you accompany him alone, without even taking Yue Wan along. Mother told me she’s begun teaching you to manage the household accounts. Starting tomorrow, I’ll accompany Zhou Gu instead. You’ll stay home and focus on your lessons.” 

Su Rong’s eyes widened. “Big Brother, isn’t that inappropriate? I need to bond with him!”