Drunken Flower Room - Chapter 82

Su Taishou had a favorable impression of Xie Lin, considering him and Zhou Gu to be good young men. He noted that despite his several unmarried daughters being present, Xie Lin did not ogle them. Instead, he only glanced at everyone briefly at the beginning, which showed he was not a lecherous man. His daughters were all beautiful, with Su Rong being the most striking, but the others were not far behind in appearance. 

Although Xie Lin was not a heavy drinker, his clear and steady gaze was commendable. Su Taishou found it perplexing that he and Zhou Gu had fought so intensely over a woman, drawing significant attention. 

Admiring young talents, Su Taishou extended an invitation for Xie Lin to stay at his residence instead of returning to his inn. The Matriarch also welcomed him warmly. Xie Lin, tempted by the offer, hesitated momentarily and looked to Zhou Gu for his opinion. Zhou Gu, feeling slightly overshadowed in the household since Xie Lin’s arrival, indifferently told him to stay if he wished. 

Xie Lin immediately accepted, politely expressing his gratitude but insisting he could share a courtyard with Zhou Gu instead of taking up additional space. While the Matriarch reassured him that he need not squeeze in, Zhou Gu had no objections, and so it was settled. 

After dinner, Su Xingze escorted Xie Lin to Zhou Gu’s courtyard. Noticing Zhou Gu had not followed, Xie Lin asked Su Xingze about it, learning that Zhou Gu had stayed behind to speak with Su Rong. 

Meanwhile, Zhou Gu and Su Rong took a customary evening stroll. Su Rong used this opportunity to ask about his relationship with Xie Lin. Zhou Gu dismissively denied a close friendship, explaining that they were previously at odds and only recently became acquainted due to the incident involving Qin Luan. He mentioned feeling guilty about disrupting Xie Lin’s romantic pursuit and sought to make amends. 

Su Rong found the explanation plausible, as Zhou Gu had previously confided that he had taken Qin Luan away at someone else’s request, a decision he later regretted. Since Zhou Gu had a tendency to compensate for his mistakes, his behavior toward Xie Lin made sense. 

Relieved that Su Rong accepted his explanation, Zhou Gu swiftly changed the subject, mentioning their visit to Zuilou earlier that day. He remarked on Su Rong’s influence, as even the establishment granted him favors due to her. Su Rong teasingly suggested that Zhou Gu had finally learned to seek entertainment at such places, causing him to blush and defend himself. He insisted that he merely took Xie Lin there for an experience and to gauge his true intentions in Jiangning, concluding that Xie Lin was simply traveling for leisure. 

Su Rong acknowledged that Jiangning had seen an influx of important guests lately. When Zhou Gu asked who besides Ning Chi and Xie Lin had arrived, she humorously included him in the count. She noted that the city had become livelier than in previous years, with a noticeable increase in visitors. 

Zhou Gu took this as a positive sign, believing that Su Taishou’s commendable governance deserved recognition and that he should be promoted to a higher position. Su Rong agreed, recognizing that her father and Xie Yuan had already protected her for many years. 

As they continued their walk, they eventually sat in a pavilion. Zhou Gu then brought up another matter, he wanted to reimburse Su Rong for the expensive clothing she had given him earlier. Su Rong, surprised, paused before questioning his intent. Zhou Gu firmly stated that the clothes were too costly for him to accept without reciprocation. 

Su Rong understood his concern and replied seriously, “If I say it’s a gift, then it’s a gift. If I were to take money from you, wouldn’t that make me a seller? After all, I have shares in Jinxiu Workshop.” 

Zhou Gu hesitated. “I’ve never accepted anything this valuable from someone before.” 

Su Rong smiled. “Am I just ‘someone’? I’m your fiancée.” 

Zhou Gu was momentarily speechless. He wanted to argue that their engagement was merely a formality, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it aloud. 

Pouring tea for both of them, Su Rong continued, “Don’t overthink it, Zhou Gu. I wanted to give it to you, so just accept it.” 

Zhou Gu opened his mouth to protest, thinking about how Xie Lin had pointed out that his private funds were far from enough to return such a favor. Su Rong, noticing his expression, chuckled and said, “Gold and clothing have a price. Intentions don’t. Isn’t that right?” 

Zhou Gu felt his heart skip a beat, his ears reddening. He wasn’t sure whether to agree or not. 

“Drink your tea,” Su Rong said casually, lifting her own cup. 

Zhou Gu followed suit, but the tea felt hotter than usual. He hesitated, then suddenly asked, “You seem to have plenty of private savings, don’t you?” 

Su Rong nodded. “Yes, quite a bit.” 

Zhou Gu looked at her curiously. “Then why did you take fifty taels from your elder brother behind his back? How could you bear it?” 

Su Rong choked slightly and coughed. “He’s my elder brother!” 

Zhou Gu was puzzled. “So?” 

Su Rong spoke confidently, “What are elder brothers for? They exist to be exploited by their younger sisters. If I don’t take advantage of him now, another woman will in the future.” 

Zhou Gu was at a loss for words. Strangely enough, her reasoning seemed sound. Poor Su Xingze. 

Glancing around to ensure no one was nearby, he asked, “Have you ever given Su Xingze anything valuable?” 

“I’ve given him roasted chestnuts, roast goose, roast duck, and grilled fish,” Su Rong began counting on her fingers. 

Zhou Gu sighed. “I meant something expensive.” 

Su Rong looked at him. “The fish I caught and grilled myself, was that not valuable? The other food, which I personally brought home, wasn’t valuable?” 

Zhou Gu couldn’t refute her logic, so he simply fell silent. 

Su Rong laughed. “I know what you mean, no, I haven’t.” 

Zhou Gu wasn’t sure whether to be happy for himself or pity Su Xingze. He only knew that he felt rather conflicted. 

After finishing their tea, they parted ways for the night. 

Back at the guest courtyard, Xie Lin was still awake, drinking tea while waiting for Zhou Gu. Seeing him return, he asked, “Why are you back so late?” 

Zhou Gu glanced at him, sat down, and poured himself a cup of tea. “I was out for a walk with my fiancée.” 

Xie Lin was speechless. “You were out for an hour? It’s the middle of the night! Doesn’t the Su family care about propriety? I thought Su Xingze meant you’d just have a brief conversation, but you were gone forever!” 

Zhou Gu paused mid-sip. “Care about what? We were just walking around the pavilion. There were people everywhere, and the whole place was well lit, even at night. What’s the issue?” 

It wasn’t like they were doing anything improper. He had even refused to hug Su Rong when she had asked before.