Transmigrated as a Cannon Fodder Wife A in Ancient Times - Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Wei Lan had a bit of obsessive-compulsive disorder when it came to carving jade stones. When she used the dingzi to carve the patterns, she even etched out the wrinkles on the chicken’s claws. The realism of that chicken token made it seem like it would leap off the jade plaque in the next second and peck at someone.

Wei Lan rinsed the chicken token with clean water. She was very satisfied with this piece. She stood up and switched back to the original lathe, sat down, replaced it with the wooden mortar, and began polishing the chicken token. In no time, the originally sharp edges were smoothed flat.

Wei Lan was particularly careful. From time to time, she sprinkled a mixture of water and jade-dissolving sand on it, then continued polishing.

At this moment, a sound came from the courtyard. Wei Lan did not pay attention at first, but gradually the noise grew louder.

Wei Lan’s brows furrowed slightly. She did not like being disturbed while carving jade stones.

Meanwhile, outside, Lu Zijin had just stepped down from the soft sedan. The servants of Fuqu Pavilion respectfully saluted her. Li Fengzhu hurried forward to greet her. Her and Zhao Linghui’s injuries had already healed. The two of them looked like mice seeing a cat upon seeing Lu Zijin, but they still had to steel themselves and respond.

“Where is the Young Master?” Lu Zijin glanced at the two and asked.

Li Fengzhu and Zhao Linghui were extremely deferential. One of them quickly replied, “The Young Master is carving jade stones in the room. This servant will report to her on your behalf.”

Lu Zijin waved her hand. “No need. I will go see for myself.”

With that, Lu Zijin gently knocked on the door. Wei Lan had just heard someone saluting Lu Zijin, so she knew it was Lu Zijin who had come. She sighed and still said, “Come in.”

The door creaked open from outside. Wei Lan thought it was a maid coming in to announce, so she did not even turn her head and continued polishing the chicken token in her hand. “Has Madam arrived? Have her wait a moment for me. I will go over right away. You can go down first.”

After speaking, Wei Lan did not hear the sound of the door closing. Instead, she heard footsteps coming from behind her. She stopped her movements, frowned, and looked back, only to see that Lu Zijin had somehow already stood behind her.

Wei Lan stood up somewhat nervously. Her gaze did not dare meet Lu Zijin’s, and she looked at Lu Zijin’s collar instead as she said, “Madam, why have you come over? Why don’t you go to the bedroom and wait for me first? My body is all dirty. Wait until I change clothes, then we can talk properly.”

“No need. I came to see what you are doing.” Lu Zijin saw that she was not looking at her eyes, and her red lips pursed slightly.

Her gaze skimmed past the side of Wei Lan’s face and finally fell on what was in Wei Lan’s hand. What she held was not the emerald she had said last time she would carve for her, but a jade plaque that was blue-green in color.

Lu Zijin’s brows furrowed, and she said, “Have you been busy with these lately?”

Wei Lan nodded. “Hmm, Madam, why don’t you go back to Jingchen Courtyard first? It is too messy here. Be careful not to get your clothes dirty.”

Wei Lan had not yet figured out how to face Lu Zijin. Her current strategy was that distance creates beauty. It had just started to show some effect with great difficulty, so how had Lu Zijin come again?

Lu Zijin saw that she was not looking at her, that what she held in her hand was not a jade plaque carved for her, and that her words just now had all meant to chase her away. Her expression immediately worsened a bit.

She not only did not leave but instead took a few steps forward, gradually approaching Wei Lan.

Wei Lan saw that she did not leave and was instead getting closer to her, so she hurriedly retreated two steps. But as she retreated, Lu Zijin advanced. Wei Lan kept retreating until the lathe was right behind her. She really had no way out, so she had to stop.

Lu Zijin’s body was almost pressed against Wei Lan’s. She reached out and pinched Wei Lan’s chin, lifting Wei Lan’s face up.

Wei Lan’s gaze drifted uncertainly, not daring to look at Lu Zijin. She reached out and gently pushed at Lu Zijin’s shoulder, wanting to push her away. “Madam, my body is very dirty. Be careful not to get you dirty.”

Lu Zijin not only did not retreat but instead reached out and pressed at Wei Lan’s lower back. Her gaze burned intensely as she stared at Wei Lan, thinking of how Wei Lan had just pushed her. Her heart could not help but feel a bit sour. This kind of feeling was something Lu Zijin had never experienced before.

She did not understand what was wrong with her. Clearly, she had said on her lips that she did not care about Wei Lan and wanted to give Wei Lan the cold shoulder properly, but the one whose heart felt uncomfortable was herself.

“What exactly has been going on these past few days? Why are you throwing a tantrum at me? Hmm?” Lu Zijin softened her voice a little and asked gently.

“Nothing much. I have just been too busy. I am not throwing a tantrum at you. Have we not always gotten along like this before?” Wei Lan shifted her gaze away, not daring to look directly into Lu Zijin’s eyes. She only felt that the hand at her lower back was tightening even more, squeezing her until she could hardly breathe.

Wei Lan reached out and pushed at Lu Zijin. “Madam, do not… you are too close. I can hardly breathe.”

Lu Zijin did not let go. Her gaze lingered leisurely on Wei Lan. “You still say you are not throwing a tantrum at me? Then why do you not dare to look at me? You have not come to find me these past few days either. That day in the carriage, you were already a bit off. What exactly is going on?”

“Nothing. I have just been too tired lately. Besides, you have not reached your dew period either, right? We do not need to meet that frequently. Is it not good like before? When your dew period comes, just send someone to call me over.” Wei Lan spoke with some guilt. She also felt that what she was doing was not good.

After all, Lu Zijin had come personally to coax her. But for the sake of preserving her little life in the future, Wei Lan still continued to be stubborn with her words.

Upon hearing Wei Lan’s words, Lu Zijin felt even more bitterness in her heart. However, she felt that Wei Lan was saying one thing but meaning another.

In this past year, she had experienced many things in the business world and met many people. Wei Lan had clearly not been like this toward her before. This sudden change must have a reason.

Since this little qianyuan was disturbing her mind and making her restless, this matter had to be resolved. Otherwise, it was like a knot had been tied between Wei Lan and her. This knot had to be untied.

“The Young Master treats me so heartlessly. A few days ago, you were still clamoring to come to my place for a meal, and then to share the bed with me. It has only been a few days since we last saw each other, and you do not want me anymore?” Lu Zijin’s voice softened, and Wei Lan felt a bit guilty in her heart upon hearing her say this.

“That is not what I mean.” Wei Lan waved her hands hurriedly to deny it.

“Then what do you mean? Have you taken a liking to some other kunze outside?” Lu Zijin’s gaze fixed dead on Wei Lan, and her voice turned cold.

Wei Lan held jade stones and carved every day. Apart from herself, the only other kunze she could see was Xiao Nanyan. Thinking of this, Lu Zijin’s heart ached. She forced herself to continue asking, “Is it Xiao Nanyan? Have you been carving jade stones for her these past few days? You clearly promised to give me a jade bracelet and a jade plaque before.”

Sourness filled Lu Zijin’s heart, and even her voice trembled a little as she spoke. She had never imagined that one day she would ask such questions. She felt that she would not like any qianyuan, let alone question one now about whether they liked someone else.

“No. This jade plaque is not something she asked me to carve either. I plan to finish carving it and then sell it. She and I are just ordinary friends. The number of times we have met can be counted on one hand. How could there possibly be anything between us?” Wei Lan finally looked at Lu Zijin and explained.

She glanced at Lu Zijin, and the guilt in her heart grew even stronger. Dark circles showed under Lu Zijin’s eyes, clearly from not sleeping well. The imperial merchant matter should have been settled these past few days, so Lu Zijin must have been very busy lately. Yet she had made Lu Zijin worry. Now Lu Zijin had even come personally to coax her. The psychological defenses Wei Lan had just built up these past few days were on the verge of collapsing.

Lu Zijin’s gaze stared straight at Wei Lan as she asked, “Then what exactly is it for? You distancing yourself from me must have a reason, right? Where did I make you angry?”

One of Lu Zijin’s hands remained at Wei Lan’s lower back to prevent Wei Lan from escaping, while her other hand gently tugged at Wei Lan’s fingertips hanging at her side. She discovered that when her attitude softened, Wei Lan seemed unable to hold up instead.

With that, Lu Zijin simply leaned in closer, resting against Wei Lan’s shoulder. She raised her eyes to look at Wei Lan. Redness tinged the corners of her eyes, without the usual sharpness, which instead made her more devastating to Wei Lan.

“These past few days, I have not slept well. During the day when handling matters, I think of you. At night, I cannot fall asleep either, always thinking of you. Do you really not want to see me?” Lu Zijin’s gaze watched Wei Lan’s expression, trying to read something from it.

Wei Lan saw Lu Zijin’s eyes reddening as if she was about to cry. Her already not-so-solid psychological defenses collapsed in an instant. Moreover, this matter was indeed her fault. She had unilaterally distanced herself from Lu Zijin, even though Lu Zijin treated her quite well.

Wei Lan sighed and reached out to embrace Lu Zijin’s waist and back, patting it gently. At the same time, she still wanted to test Lu Zijin, lest Lu Zijin really had feelings for that Chen Zhou. If so, she would truly become cannon fodder then.

“You and that Chen Zhou…”

Wei Lan did not say the words after that, because she did not know exactly what the relationship between Lu Zijin and Chen Zhou was. Speaking halfway like this would just prompt Lu Zijin to explain herself.

Sure enough, upon hearing Wei Lan’s words, Lu Zijin frowned and said, “Have you heard the gossip from the servants in the mansion?”

At the same time, Lu Zijin actually felt relieved. As long as Wei Lan had not taken a liking to someone else, it was fine. And now it seemed that this little qianyuan had distanced herself these past few days out of jealousy?

Her lips curved slightly as she looked at the stammering Wei Lan in front of her and said helplessly, “You are ignoring me just because of this?”

Lu Zijin reached out and pinched the side of Wei Lan’s face. The gaze she directed at Wei Lan could not help but soften a few degrees. “When my father and brothers were still around, the two families did consider the matter of marriage between him and me. But I only saw him as an ordinary relative, not even a friend. Later, the people in my family were all gone, and Chen Zhou did not hold back from kicking the Lu Mansion when it was down. This time with the imperial merchant business was the same. He insisted on getting a share from me. I did not even let him through the doors of the Lu Mansion. Do not worry. I do not like him at all.”

“Really? Then if one day you change your mind, you have to tell me in advance.” Wei Lan said it casually. After all, she still cherished her little life very much.

Upon hearing Wei Lan’s words, Lu Zijin’s expression turned cold again. “In your heart, am I such an easily fickle person?”

Realizing she had said the wrong thing, Wei Lan hurriedly explained, “No, that is not what I mean. Sorry.”

Lu Zijin retreated a little and reached out to lift Wei Lan’s chin, making Wei Lan look straight at her. “In the future, if you want to know something, you can ask me directly. Do not deliberately distance yourself from me again.”

“Okay, I will not do it again in the future.” Wei Lan looked at the dark circles under Lu Zijin’s eyes and said, “Do you want to go to my bedroom and sleep for a while? By the way, change into a dress. Your dress has gotten dirty from me.”

Wei Lan was wearing work clothes, which had quite a bit of jade stone debris on them. Just now when Lu Zijin and she had hugged, it was inevitable that some would get on her.

The hand Lu Zijin had pinching Wei Lan’s chin slid gently, and her thumb rubbed against Wei Lan’s lower lip.

Lu Zijin stared at Wei Lan’s lip and gently pressed her thumb on it, rubbing. She raised her brow at Wei Lan. “Has the Young Master thought of me these past few days? Hmm?”

Wei Lan always felt that having her lip rubbed like this was a bit off, but thinking that she had actively distanced herself from Lu Zijin these past few days, which was indeed quite excessive, she let Lu Zijin do as she pleased. Besides, since Lu Zijin did not like Chen Zhou, at least she could eat this soft meal for a few more days.

Moreover, Wei Lan had indeed often thought of Lu Zijin these past few days, so she had stayed in the workshop every day, wanting to use the jade stones to drive away the other thoughts in her mind.

“I did.” Wei Lan’s lip was still being pressed, so the words she spoke were a bit off-key.

Upon hearing Wei Lan say this, a smile appeared on Lu Zijin’s face, and the color in her eyes as she looked at Wei Lan’s lip deepened a bit.

She took a step forward, pressing Wei Lan against the lathe behind her. The thumb pressing on Wei Lan’s lip used a bit more force, and she saw Wei Lan’s originally pink lip gradually turn rose-red from her torment, looking even better.

Lu Zijin’s lips pursed. The little qianyuan’s lip looked very kissable. Lu Zijin only felt her heart itch slightly, somewhat wanting to try if the little qianyuan’s lip was soft.

She had originally planned to make Wei Lan just a decoration, but the current situation was clearly different from before. She felt a bit different toward Wei Lan. After all, she and Wei Lan were already married. If something happened, it was actually only natural.

Moreover, Wei Lan was her qianyuan to begin with. What was wrong with kissing her? Not to mention that Wei Lan had distanced herself from her for several days this time, causing her to not sleep well for days. She had to get some compensation.

Thinking this way, Lu Zijin felt even more emboldened. “The Young Master was not obedient this time. How should I punish the Young Master?”

Wei Lan was pressed against the lathe by Lu Zijin, her lip toyed with casually by Lu Zijin. The sides of her face and her neck burned red. She and Lu Zijin were too close now, so close that she could feel the hot breath Lu Zijin exhaled.

“I… I will let Madam bite.” Wei Lan’s mind was dizzy, and she only thought that Lu Zijin liked to bite her contract mark, so she obediently tore off the plaster on the contract mark. A bit of the fragrance of xinxue also spilled out.

The color in Lu Zijin’s eyes lingered leisurely, like a deep pool that made one sink. Her breathing became a bit rapid along with Wei Lan’s movements.

Wei Lan tearing off the plaster on the contract mark was no different from standing in front of her and taking off her dress to seduce her.

Lu Zijin’s ink-black eyes stared dead at Wei Lan. The little qianyuan in front of her had a face flushed red, her lip swollen from being pressed by her, like a rose quietly waiting for someone to pick it. Even the contract mark on her neck was slightly swollen.

Lu Zijin could no longer hold back. Her left hand clasped Wei Lan’s lower back to prevent the little qianyuan from escaping. Her gaze hooked straight on Wei Lan’s rose-pink lip. “The Young Master was not obedient, so she must be punished, right?”

Wei Lan felt that Lu Zijin’s tone was a bit dangerous. She wanted to run, but her lower back was pressed dead, and Lu Zijin was pressing in front. The two were stuck together. Wei Lan could only lean back a little to slightly pull open the distance between herself and Lu Zijin.

She felt that Lu Zijin, being such a vindictive person, meant she could not avoid being bitten today. She tried to soften her voice, acting coquettish in a soft and sticky way, wanting Lu Zijin to bite lightly later and not leave tooth marks all over again.

“Madam, bite lightly. I am afraid of pain.”

Upon hearing the little qianyuan so proactively offering her contract mark and asking her to bite lightly in such a coquettish and soft way, Lu Zijin could no longer hold back. She kissed toward Wei Lan’s lip.

Wei Lan was also stunned, feeling the warmth on her lip. Her body visibly flushed red all over. No, had Lu Zijin bitten the wrong place? Had she not always liked to bite her contract mark before? How was it the lip this time?

Lu Zijin seemed to sense that Wei Lan was distracted. Dissatisfied, she lightly bit Wei Lan’s lip.

Wei Lan came back to her senses and looked at Lu Zijin, whose breaths mingled with hers.

Lu Zijin deepened the kiss until the little qianyuan was almost kissed breathless by her. Only then did Lu Zijin retreat a little.

Once released, Wei Lan gasped for air in big mouthfuls. Madam had kissed too urgently. She could hardly breathe. Moreover, was not kissing generally something that people who liked each other did? Did this mean Madam liked her?

Wei Lan’s mind was a mess, like a pot of paste. She had never been in a relationship before and did not know what her current situation with Lu Zijin was. Anyway, she did not reject Lu Zijin’s kiss at all. In fact, she had even felt quite comfortable being kissed by Lu Zijin just now.

Lu Zijin was also catching her breath. She looked at the little qianyuan who had been kissed limp by her, and the color in her eyes deepened a bit more. The little qianyuan in this娇娇软软 appearance should be pressed on the bed and kissed breathless by her, then obediently beg her to let her go.

“Because of the Young Master, I have not slept well for four days already. Should not the Young Master make it up to me?” Lu Zijin lifted Wei Lan’s chin again, making Wei Lan look at her.

Wei Lan had been made a bit oxygen-deprived by the kiss just now, and her legs were soft. Hearing Lu Zijin say this, Wei Lan could only nod obediently. “Okay, I will listen to Madam.”

Lu Zijin’s lips curved. She leaned in and lightly kissed the corner of Wei Lan’s lip. Then she discovered that the pure little qianyuan had flushed red from her ear roots to her ear tips. She was really cute.

“Okay, then the Young Master must let me sleep for four days to make up for these four days of sleep, all right?” Lu Zijin asked gently. As she spoke, her right hand gently stroked the side of Wei Lan’s face, then slid down all the way. Her fingertips lightly fiddled with Wei Lan’s contract mark, now and then.

The contract mark was sensitive to begin with. Being fiddled with like this by Lu Zijin, Wei Lan almost softened and fell into Lu Zijin’s arms.

However, Wei Lan still replied obediently, “Okay, I will listen to you.”

As Wei Lan spoke, she even rubbed the side of her face against Lu Zijin’s neck, soft beyond measure.

Lu Zijin was very satisfied with this. It was good that she had come over today. Otherwise, the little qianyuan would have kept bottling it up, and she would have kept feeling uncomfortable. Now it was good. Not only had she cleared things up with Wei Lan, but she had also bullied Wei Lan a bit.

Lu Zijin reached out and patted Wei Lan’s lower back lightly. “Shall we go back to the bedroom and take a bath first? Do not carve those stones of yours today anymore. Accompany me, all right?”

Lu Zijin’s lips were right by Wei Lan’s ear. The hot air she exhaled as she spoke all sprayed onto Wei Lan’s ear. Her ear tip trembled reflexively, and she replied in a soft and sticky way, “Okay. Madam, do not let go first. I… my legs are soft.”

The arc of Lu Zijin’s lips rose even more. The little qianyuan in this娇软 appearance deserved to be pressed on the bed and kissed.

“Mm, then I will hold you and stand for a while. I will not let go.” Lu Zijin said gently. Her two hands clasped at Wei Lan’s lower back, rubbing now and then.

Wei Lan had already been bullied into standing unsteadily to begin with. Her lower back was sensitive again, so she could only pull at Lu Zijin’s sleeve coquettishly in a soft and sticky way. “Madam, do not touch. Hmm~ My legs are even softer.”

Seeing Wei Lan so娇气, Lu Zijin had to stop her hand. If she could not touch now, then she would touch again after getting on the bed later.

“Okay, I will not tease you anymore. I will just hold you like this to recover slowly, all right?” Lu Zijin said gently.

“Mm-hmm.” Wei Lan hurriedly agreed, then leaned against Lu Zijin to recover her strength.

Wei Lan recovered for quite a while before feeling a bit better. She reached out and pushed at Lu Zijin. “Madam, I am better now. I will go bathe first. Your dress has gotten dirty too. Go to my bedroom and change into one.”

“Okay.” Lu Zijin reluctantly let go, but thinking that she could sleep with Wei Lan later, her mood improved.

Wei Lan rubbed her burning ear tip and walked out of the workshop first.

Qianxue and Li Fengzhu and the others were waiting outside. When they saw Wei Lan come out with her face flushed red and her lips somewhat swollen, the servants, each sharp-eyed, immediately understood what had happened inside just now. They all lowered their heads, not daring to look more.

“You all go prepare water for me. I want to bathe. By the way, find a new dress for Madam.” Wei Lan instructed.

“Yes.” The maids all acknowledged and went to prepare.

Lu Zijin followed beside Wei Lan, and the two returned to the bedroom.

The maids soon brought a new dress for Lu Zijin. Lu Zijin had only gotten the outer dress dirty, so she just changed the outer one.

Wei Lan waited until the maids had everything ready, then went in to bathe.

But in no time, Lu Zijin also went in. “Do you need help?”

Wei Lan remembered what had just happened and hurriedly waved her hands with a red face. “No need, no need. Madam, you go rest on the bed first.”

Lu Zijin saw that Wei Lan seemed shy, and the smile on her face grew even more. Not only did she not leave, but she walked directly behind Wei Lan. “I cannot sleep now. Later, the Young Master can hold me to sleep, all right?”

“Mm.” Wei Lan agreed somewhat shyly, her neck flushing red with shyness.

Lu Zijin took a towel from the side and smiled. “I will help the Young Master wipe her body.”

With that, she had already wet the towel and gently wiped Wei Lan’s back. Wei Lan was a bit shy. Ever since she and Lu Zijin had kissed just now, Wei Lan felt that the atmosphere between her and Lu Zijin was strange, even stranger than before when biting the contract mark.

Sure enough, while Wei Lan was lost in thought, she felt her cheek soften. She raised her eyes to look at Lu Zijin and saw Lu Zijin looking at her with a smiling face.

Wei Lan touched the side of her face and looked at Lu Zijin with an innocent expression.

Lu Zijin reached out and poked the place on Wei Lan that had just been kissed, laughing. “What? I cannot kiss my own qianyuan?”

“You can.” Wei Lan’s ear tips turned red. She shyly buried herself in the water, only half her face showing.

Did that mean in the future, if she wanted to eat soft rice, she still had to sell her looks to Madam? Wei Lan thought in a soft and sticky way. Strangely, she did not reject it much in her heart. Instead, she even felt a bit expectant?.