Against the Current - Chapter 160

Chapter 160 - Daytime 

Let us return to the moment when Lin Jinlou walked back into his chambers. The entire suite was quiet and still. Because the master of the house had been drinking earlier, the maidservants had all scattered to amuse themselves. Stepping into the bedroom and seeing that Xianglan was not there, Lin Jinlou headed into the eastern inner room instead. Lifting the embroidered soft bead curtain, he found Xianglan fast asleep upon the bed, her cheeks flushed and a rhomb-patterned quilt draped over her form. Feeling the wine surging upward and his head growing slightly heavy, Lin Jinlou staggered to the edge of the bed, unfastened his belt, cast his clothing aside with a casual flick, and lay down beside Xianglan.

Xianglan opened her drowsy eyes, and the instant she caught sight of Lin Jinlou, her entire body went rigid. She hastily shut her eyes again.

Lying on the bed, Lin Jinlou pulled the quilt up and tugged it around himself. Feigning that she was still deep in slumber, Xianglan turned over, wishing to put some distance between them. Little did she expect that Lin Jinlou would extend an arm, wrap it around her from behind, and effortlessly draw her into his embrace. A rich, overpowering reek of alcohol instantly rushed into her senses. Feeling the chest pressed against her back burning hot, Xianglan was seized with alarm and hurriedly opened her eyes to struggle.

Lin Jinlou said lazily, "What are you thrashing about for? Earlier this morning, your lord didn't get his fill. Shall we pick up where we left off?"

At once, Xianglan dared not move, her body stiffening as if she were carved of wood. Having spent the half-day making a ruckus outside, Lin Jinlou was already somewhat fatigued. He gathered Xianglan a bit closer against his chest, catching a faint, intoxicating fragrance that melted the soul and dissolved the bones. He leaned down to inhale deeply at the nape of her neck again and again, then closed his eyes and muttered, "What sort of perfume are you wearing? It smells so exquisite, it makes my whole body feel at ease... Tomorrow, you must make a sachet for me and stuff it with this exact scent."

Xianglan bit her lip and kept silent.

After waiting a moment, Lin Jinlou remarked, "Oh, so you aren't going to deign to answer your lord, are you?" With that, his hand slipped inside the lapel of Xianglan's tunic. Terrified, she immediately pressed down upon his hand and whispered in a small voice, "I'm not wearing any perfume at all; it must be the scent of my hair oil... The room was scented today with the fragrance cakes made by Lizhi, and perhaps that aroma has clung to me."

Lin Jinlou murmured, "It is neither the smell of hair oil nor Lizhi's blend." Taking another deep breath, he stroked her white, delicate neck with one hand and said, "You smell so sweet, no wonder you are called 'Fragrant' Orchid."

The moment he began to move, tension coiled tightly within Xianglan, and she shifted uncomfortably toward the inner edge of the bed. Lin Jinlou, however, stopped his advance. Wrapping his arm securely around her waist, he muttered as if talking to himself, "Go to sleep. There are still visitors coming this evening, so I won't have a moment of leisure." With that, he drifted off to sleep on his own.

Xianglan kept her eyes wide open, staring fixedly at the exquisite bed curtains embroidered with multicolored mandarin ducks playing in the water, not daring to make a sound. Lin Jinlou pressed against her, radiating intense heat, his chest rising and falling, his thigh pressed tightly against hers, and his arm caging her in an uncomfortable grip. Xianglan quietly clenched her hands into fists and slowly closed her eyes, finding the minutes agonizingly long.

After a short while, Chunling returned. Believing that Xianglan was still asleep and intending to wake her, she stepped through the doorway only to catch sight of Lin Jinlou's garments strewn across the floor. Startled, she hastily backed out. Fearing that Xiaojuan and the others might rush in and cause a disturbance, she fetched an embroidered stool, took up her needlework, and sat a short distance away to keep watch.

After enduring for quite a while, Xianglan heard the breathing of Lin Jinlou behind her grow slow and even, leading her to believe he had truly fallen asleep. She, too, blearily closed her eyes. How long she lay there she did not know, but eventually, she quietly lifted Lin Jinlou's arm from around her, slowly sat up, and crept on hands and knees toward the foot of the bed. Suddenly, an arm reached out from behind, hooked her by the waist, and Lin Jinlou rolled over to pin her beneath him. His mouth descended straight upon hers in a fierce, ravenous kiss as his hands went to strip away her garments, burying his face against her breast.

Frightened out of her wits, Xianglan hurriedly pushed against him, pleading, "No, it's still daytime..."

Lin Jinlou muttered thickly, "Who told you to wriggle about..." His hands tore open Xianglan's skirt, groping ceaselessly as he lowered his voice to murmur, "If you're a good girl, it will feel wonderful..."

Xianglan's continuous struggles only served to spark Lin Jinlou's interest. He effortlessly subdued her and forced his way inside. Xianglan's whole body went rigid, and turning her face away, she bit her lip to endure it. Lin Jinlou let out a low groan and thrust deeper. The muscles across his entire frame stood out in relief, trembling slightly. Pulling a pillow over, he wedged it beneath her waist and sank his body down in a heavy, ruthless drive. After weathering the initial wave of discomfort, Xianglan found that it was no longer as difficult to bear as the beginning, save for the thick, rigid intrusion that ached within her. Frowning slightly, she looked once more at the embroidery of the mandarin ducks playing in the water, trying to steady her mind. Breathing heavily, Lin Jinlou brushed the stray strands of dark hair from Xianglan's face and kissed her cheeks. Her submissiveness filled him with intense satisfaction, and he drove into her with eager haste, kneading her soft, pale body over and over again, reveling in how silky, smooth, and warm-fleshed she felt.

After thrusting for a while, Lin Jinlou lowered his gaze and saw that Xianglan was staring off toward the edge of the bed, clearly letting her mind wander. Displeased, he leaned down and delivered a firm, sharp bite to her breast. Stung with pain, Xianglan pushed at him with her hands, demanding, "What are you doing..."

Lifting her up so that she sat astride him, Lin Jinlou pulled her into his embrace and drove heavily into her once more. Xianglan let out a startled cry and instinctively threw her arms around Lin Jinlou's neck. That single sound melted him to the bone. Supporting her by the waist, he clenched his teeth and thrust inward with a savage rhythm. There were plenty of women who knew how to cry out, and which of them wasn't far more seductive and wanton? Yet none could match this soul-stirring intoxication. He kissed her neck and cheeks, murmuring into her ear, "Call out again. Hurry, call out for your lord once more..."

Xianglan bit down hard on her lip, her head spinning as a strange, pleasurable sensation gradually began to stir in her lower body—a feeling that only deepened her shame. Growing somewhat irritated, Lin Jinlou captured her lips in a fierce kiss while his hands fondled her soft breasts. After a prolonged assault, when Xianglan felt as though she were suffocating and began to struggle, Lianxin's hesitant voice drifted in from the doorway. "Big Brother... Grandfather says there is a matter requiring your presence..."

Crimson from head to toe, Xianglan pushed frantically against Lin Jinlou. Panting heavily, he locked his arms around her waist, pressed her back down onto the bed, and muttered, "Pay him no mind..."

Lianxin stood outside in a difficult position, peering in just enough to catch sight of the swaying embroidered bed. Naturally, she knew what illicit business was transpiring within, but... the person sent by Grandfather was waiting right outside! Blushing furiously and bracing herself, she urged them on a second time. "Grandfather says there is an urgent matter and asks Big Brother to come over at once."

Overwhelmed by shame and indignation, hot tears welled in Xianglan's eyes as she twisted desperately beneath him. This very struggle nearly cost Lin Jinlou his sanity; trembling all over, he gripped her delicate, smooth frame tightly, let out a ragged groan, reached his release, and slumped limply against Xianglan. A moment later, he propped himself up, stared into Xianglan's face, and stroked her cheek as he asked, "For no good reason, why are you crying again?"

Turning her face aside, Xianglan said in a trembling voice, "You had better go quickly, Grandfather is calling for you."

Lin Jinlou rose, parted the bed curtains, and called for water.

Moments later, Chunling and the others arrived bearing basins of warm water. When Lin Jinlou picked up a warm towel to wipe Xianglan down, she pushed it away, shrinking back into the quilt with a shiver. To yield to this man in broad daylight left Xianglan feeling deeply mortified, compounded by an inexpressible sense of grievance. Unfazed, Lin Jinlou washed himself with the towel, changed into fresh attire suitable for receiving guests, had the maidservants bind his hair, and strode briskly toward the front quarters, full of vigor.

Only then did Xianglan force herself up through her humiliation, wash with water, and change her clothes. Chunling carried in a tray laden with jewelry and announced, "Before the big brother left, he gave instructions that this entire tray of goods he brought back this time is for the young mistress to wear and play with."

A glance told Xianglan that the tray was filled with gold, silver, agate, amber, and the like. She said nothing, prompting Chunling to put them away herself. Additionally, Xiaojuan carried in a small chest containing antiques, calligraphy, paintings, and local specialties, all of which had been bestowed upon her by Lin Jinlou. That evening, one of the matrons from the small kitchen came personally to deliver dinner—a sumptuous spread carried in two large food boxes. Unable to hide her delight, Chunling directed the junior maidservants to arrange the dishes.

Xianglan invited Chunling and Xiaojuan to eat with her, but the two exchanged glances and replied that they wouldn't dare.

With a self-deprecating smile, Xianglan said, "What is there to dare or not dare? Who is any nobler than anyone else? We are all human beings just the same. Come and eat; if we don't finish a table this grand, it will only go to waste."

Thus, Chunling fetched a small low table, set it up on the floor, and ladled out some food to share with Xiaojuan. Beaming with schadenfreude, Xiaojuan recounted the story of Luan'er, concluding with, "I hear Luan'er didn't even get any dinner. When Cixin went to the kitchen to fetch food, everyone avoided her, and she had to slink back empty-handed." Stuffing a mouthful of rice into her cheeks until they bulged, she said to Xianglan, "The big brother is truly wonderful to you! Just a moment ago, he even rewarded me with a string of copper coins and told me to look after you properly!"

Xianglan remarked, "At first, he was even better to Auntie Lan, going so far as to give her a storefront, and didn't she too have a room full of antiques and playthings? And what was the outcome? Where is Auntie Lan lying in isolation now..."

Chunling chuckled hastily, "You are quite different from Auntie Lan. She was muddle-headed and lacked the good fortune to enjoy the Lin family's wealth. Besides... besides, she never managed to hold the big brother's affections quite like this, did she?"

Dropping her gaze, Xianglan remained silent, thinking to herself, How can serving someone with mere looks ever last? Moreover, Luan'er and Qinglan were both women he once raised up, and look at them now. I must find a way to leave this place.

To cut a long story short, the reason Lin Zhangzheng had summoned Lin Jinlou was to select a match for him once again, and he now put forward several daughters of prominent families for him to inspect. With an air of listless indifference, Lin Jinlou replied, "Let's talk about it later. Madam Zhao has only been gone a few days—at least let me have some peace and quiet."

Staring at him in exasperation, Lin Zhangzheng barked, "Of the three unfilial acts, having no descendants is the greatest! Just how long do you intend to wait? Every single one of these young ladies is capable of bearing children, possesses a virtuous disposition, and comes from a matching family background."

Lin Jinlou said nonchalantly, "Before we've even married, how can anyone know whether they are capable of bearing children? What is the rush with all this? The current political situation is unstable; let's wait until the Emperor appoints a crown prince before deciding."

Lin Zhangzheng was taken aback.

With a faint smile, Lin Jinlou continued, "It wouldn't be difficult to take a virtuous wife if I wanted one. Most of those coming from scholarly lineages share that exact mold. As for your grandson here, my future career stretches out long ahead of me—why rush things? Is the family really lacking someone capable of bearing me a son?"

Lin Zhangzheng sighed. There was a measure of sense in what Lin Jinlou said; given the present state of affairs, waiting until the Emperor established a crown prince was indeed a safer bet when choosing a family alliance. Clearing his throat lightly, he said, "It's just that with your second sister's marriage, your second brother's wedding cannot be put off any longer. However, his constitution never seems to improve, so your father and I have discussed it and plan to betroth him to Tan Siye's fourth daughter."

Lin Jinlou paused, rubbed his chin, and nodded. "Although Official Tan only holds a fourth-rank post, his reputation for integrity is sound, his family background is unblemished, and his daughters ought to be well-reared."

Lin Zhangzheng nodded in agreement. "Quite right. Though she is born of a concubine, I hear her appearance and temperament are both excellent, and furthermore, her birth characters indicate she will bring prosperity to her husband. We are hoping to bring her in to sweep away the bad luck and bring some festive fortune to your second brother."

As for that second brother of mine, Lin Jinlou thought to himself, it's anyone's guess whether he'll even be able to get out of bed on his wedding night, let alone consummate the marriage. No matter how pretty she is, bringing her in means she'll likely live out her days as a widow in all but name. Yet on the surface, not a single trace of this crossed his expression as he nodded in assent.