Against the Current - Chapter 227

Chapter 227 - Embroidery Pavilion (Part 1)

Here, the maids fetched brushes, ink, inkstones, and paper to attend to them. Lingsu ground the ink, while Lingqing spread a sheet of cut Xuehuan paper across the desk and weighted it down with a beast-head paperweight. Seeing Lin Jinglou wave his hand at them, the two maids withdrew together. Lin Jinglou pulled Xianglan toward him, embracing her from behind, and pressed a writing brush into her hand. Guiding her hand to dip it into the ink, he wrote the two characters for "Xianglan" on the paper. The name originally carried a delicate, tender, and flamboyant air, but under his brushstrokes, it abruptly assumed a grand and towering majesty.

Xianglan thought to herself, The Lin family is, after all, a lineage steeped in poetry and books. Even though Lin Jinglou is a military man, his handwriting is truly exceptional. She then heard Lin Jinglou say from behind her, "The very first time I heard your name, I thought it was common—what kind of name is 'Xianglan' or 'Chouland'? Only poor, down-and-out servant girls in cheap vernacular tales and theatrical scripts go by such names."

Xianglan gave a quiet little curl of her lip, only to hear Lin Jinglou continue, "I originally thought about changing it for you, but after hearing it so often, I've grown to think this name is actually rather nice. Doesn't poetry say, 'Kunshan jade shatters as the phoenix calls, hibiscus weeps dew while fragrant orchids smile'? It's an auspicious name." With that, he chuckled softly a few times and added, "Besides, you smell so fragrant, if you aren't called 'Xianglan', what else should you be called?" As he spoke, he planted a kiss on Xianglan's cheek. Feeling her warm, fragrant, and tender body in his arms, his heart was already sent fluttering, and he pressed more kisses upon her.

Xianglan's face flushed a brilliant red. She pushed against Lin Jinglou and protested, "Stop fooling around, it's still daytime... Didn't we come here to enjoy the scenery? I want to go see the Twenty-Four Bridges." With that, she made as if to leave.

Watching her completely flushed face, Lin Jinglou kept a smile plastered on his lips while his arms remained firmly locked around her waist. "I saw those paintings you did," he said. "Since they're so good, why don't you paint one for the Grandfather's upcoming birthday? Consider it my birthday gift to him this year, hmm?"

Xianglan was startled and immediately objected, "Wouldn't that be improper? For the Grandfather's birthday, it would be much better for the Master to personally write a piece of calligraphy to send."

Lin Jinglou let out a low chuckle and said, "You little fool, this is me helping you build your prestige. What's improper about it? My grandfather is a man who loves literature and art; once he sees how well you paint, he's bound to reward you. Let me tell you, back at the family estate, Grandfather is like the Supreme Emperor. If he takes a fancy to you, is there anyone in the whole household who would dare bare their teeth at you?" He figured that since Xianglan had run away once, it wouldn't look good if rumors started circulating when she returned; his grandfather might even want to inquire into the matter. If Xianglan could win his grandfather's favor, she would have an easier time surviving in the Lin household going forward. Besides, Xianglan was so pleasing to his heart that he also wanted to show her off a bit before his elders.

Xianglan looked up at Lin Jinglou. He was wearing a smile, his eyes fixed straight upon her with a gentle expression unlike his usual overbearing and intimidating demeanor. Even when Lin Jinglou had shown her pleasant looks in the past, they had always carried a hint of frivolousness, treating her almost like a toy cat or dog; he had never spoken to her with such a settled and grounded mind. Xianglan had a soft heart; whenever someone treated her with respect, she found it hard to keep a straight face and ignore them. Moreover, she and Lin Jinglou shared a convoluted web of past grievances, debts, and tangled affections. Feeling somewhat awkward, she twisted her fingers and stayed silent for a long while before asking, "Then what would be good to paint? Pine trees? Cranes? Longevity peaches?"

Unable to resist, Lin Jinglou kissed her cheek once more and replied, "Paint whatever you like. Once you finish it, I'll provide the inscription."

Just as they were speaking, the sound of a woman singing to musical accompaniment drifted in from outside. It turned out Lin Jingting and his companions had returned to their table to eat and drink again, followed shortly by the sounds of guessing drinking games and women's sweet laughter.

Hearing the tunes floating over, Xianglan somehow thought of Chunyan at the Yicui Pavilion. She had long intended to bring her up to Lin Jinglou, so she carefully weighed her words and said, "Master, when I was abducted by villains to the pleasure quarter, it was a girl named Yan'er there who untied my bonds. Strictly speaking, she is my benefactor, and I ought to thank her properly. I still have some silver left, and I'd like to ask the Master to send someone to give it to her... Women who have fallen into the dust are truly pitiable. Who from a good family would ever choose to do this..."

Watching her act so cautiously with drifting eyes, not even daring to meet his gaze—the picture of a guilty conscience—Lin Jinglou had to fight the urge to laugh aloud. He thought to himself what a silly girl she was, not even knowing how to tell a proper lie. He had known all along that Yan'er from the Yicui Pavilion was none other than Chunyan, whom he had sold off from the estate. Back then, Chunyan had poisoned Yingge's food to cause a miscarriage, throwing him into a rage that led him to sell off her entire family far away. The day he brought Xianglan back, he had spotted Chunyan in the courtyard of the Yicui Pavilion and heard the mama call her "Yan'er," realizing she had been sold to a brothel by human traffickers, though he hadn't given it another thought. Now that Xianglan was bringing it up and deliberately calling her "Yan'er," it was obvious she wanted to conceal Chunyan's past identity to help her out.

Gazing into Xianglan's large, bright eyes, Lin Jinglou reached out to stroke her tender, white cheek and said, "You must know her, don't you? She used to be in my household as well, her name being Chunyan. You should know what kind of offense she committed, shouldn't you?"

Xianglan felt her heart skip a beat, making her even less inclined to look at Lin Jinglou. Lowering her eyelashes, she spoke after a long pause, "My family and hers were neighbors once. Even if our relations weren't particularly harmonious back then, we were still acquaintances after all. Now that she's brought this fate upon herself through her own misdeeds, though she reaps what she sows, I still find it a bit lamentable. Furthermore, she genuinely helped me that day and even gave me her own shoes to wear, which is why I've shamelessly begged a favor of the Master today..."

Pinching Xianglan's chin and narrowing his eyes, Lin Jinglou said, "Oh, you remember that she helped you, but you don't remember how well I treat you?"

In a tiny, soft voice, Xianglan murmured, "I remember..."

Lin Jinglou pulled Xianglan into his arms and ruffled her hair. Although Xianglan was intelligent, she always thought too well of people. Prostitutes have no affection, and actors have no loyalty. Chunyan had originally been involved with Qian Wenze and had been wholeheartedly determined to marry him; when Qian Wenze was stabbed to death by Dubin, she had indeed grieved for a while. Yet before Qian Wenze's bones were even cold, she had hastily latched onto a silk merchant from Jiangnan, leaving the brothel in a grand and glorious display two days ago to become a concubine through a legitimate exit. Only little Xianglan, knowing full well that interceding for someone might provoke his anger, would still foolishly put in a good word for Chunyan, completely unaware that the other woman had long since found her own way out. Yet it was precisely this trait of hers that made her so deeply endearing—she genuinely considered things from other people's perspectives, and she kept every shred of kindness someone showed her locked in her heart. He knew Xianglan didn't want to stay in the Lin family, but she had stayed only to save his mother and sister, waiting until she had repaid that "debt of gratitude" before planning her escape. He had rescued Xianglan as a mere flick of his finger, yet Xianglan had been willing to risk her very life to repay it.

"Silly girl, truly a silly girl," Lin Jinglou muttered twice before suddenly kissing her again. The kiss was fast and fierce, his hand already probing inside her garments as he murmured, "Little Xianglan, these past few days I've missed you so terribly..."

Dazed and dizzy, Xianglan couldn't figure out why, when they had just been discussing Chunyan a moment before, Lin Jinglou had suddenly been stirred to passion. Before she could even speak, her mouth was sealed by Lin Jinglou's lips, and he swept her up into his arms, carrying her over to the Arhat bed on the side.

Lingqing and Lingsu had already laid thick, soft, fragrant mattresses across the bed. The moment Lin Jinglou set Xianglan down, he pressed his body over hers, using one hand to unfasten the buttons on her clothes while his other hand swiftly shed his own heavy cloak and went for his belt, showering her face with continuous kisses.

He had waited far too long, and he could no longer hold back.