Against the Current - Chapter 237

Chapter 237 - Eavesdropping (Part 2)

Lady Tan sat there with a stiff face, clearly harboring a suppressed fire in her heart. Xianglan silently thought that although Lady Tan was married, she was still young after all, just at the age where a disagreement could flare into hostility. She instantly regretted having argued with her just moments before and was about to offer a few soft words of conciliation when she saw Lady Tan stand up, her face turning ashen as she said, "I've stayed far too long and shouldn't intrude any further. I'll take my leave now."

With that, ignoring everyone's attempts to make her stay, she lifted the curtain and strode out. Not expecting to move so hastily, she crashed headlong into Lin Jinlou, who was standing outside the doorway eavesdropping. Lady Tan caught only a masculine scent mixed with peppermint, borneol, and lye soap. Raising her gaze abruptly, she found herself locked in a direct stare with Lin Jinlou, catching sight of those pitch-black, lightning-sharp eyes.

Lady Tan wanted to push him away, but she was flustered, panicked, and her heart was hammering wildly. She felt utterly mortified; her legs turned to jelly, and she was entirely unable to stand.

Lin Jinlou had not expected Lady Tan to rush blindly out of the room. Frowning with annoyance, he impatiently reached out to shove Lady Tan aside and lifted the curtain to enter the room. Seeing Lin Jinlou arrive, everyone quickly stood up. Lin Jinlou gave a brief, slight nod to Dongwan and Dongqi, then said to Xianglan, "Come outside."

Xianglan had no choice but to follow Lin Jinlou. Once they entered the bedchamber, Lin Jinlou simply stood over her, looking down in silence. Seeing the unpredictable expression shifting across his face, and fearing that this overbearing tyrant might fly into some erratic rage, Xianglan asked in a small voice, "Does Your Honor have any instructions?"

Lin Jinlou stared at Xianglan for a moment longer before finally speaking, "My clothes got dirty; go find me a set to change into."

Xianglan looked up and sure enough, saw a stain on the front of his robe. She hurried to open the chests, took out a complete outfit, and helped Lin Jinlou change into it. As she lowered her head to adjust his belt and jade pendant, she could still feel Lin Jinlou staring down at her with a gloomy face, as if he meant to burn two holes right through her.

With her heart trembling with apprehension, Xianglan guessed that Lin Jinlou must have overheard the conversation she had inside the room. This fellow was cunning and craftier than anyone; he would surely pick up on the subtext and hidden barbs in her words, and if he grew angry over it, things would go badly indeed. While Lin Jinlou's temper currently seemed somewhat softer than before, his domineering nature had only grown unabated, and his accumulated prestige was heavier than ever.

Her fingers trembling slightly, Xianglan caught sight of five or six tassel pouches resting on the emerald lotus-leaf shaped tray nearby. She hurriedly picked up a floral fire-lotus pouch and presented it to Lin Jinlou, not daring to lift her gaze as she said, "The... the weather is gradually growing warmer, and it's no longer suitable for Your Honor to wear the sheepskin pouch. I made this one fresh a couple of days ago; if Your Honor doesn't find the needlework beneath you, please wear this one instead."

Seeing Xianglan holding out the pouch with lowered brows and a pitiful expression, looking precisely like a wronged little wife, Lin Jinlou took the pouch, looked it over twice, patted it in his palm, and said, "So you know how to butter me up now?"

Xianglan murmured in a tiny voice, "No, I'm not buttering you up... I made it a while ago..."

Meanwhile, Huashan saw Lin Jinlou summon Xianglan away and grew anxious, terrified that her mistress would come to harm. After wracking her brain and scratching her head in worry, she happened to see Lingqing carrying in a tray of tea. Huashan hurried over to take a cup, headed toward the bedchamber, lifted the curtain, and said aloud, "Please have some tea, Your Honor."

Before Lin Jinlou could snap out of his thoughts, he saw Xianglan give a start and spin around in a flash, dashing over to take the teacup from Huashan's hands like a runaway rabbit.

Lin Jinlou found it rather amusing, yet managed to hold back his smile. He watched as Xianglan took the tea, dawdled in carrying it over to him, and set it down on the small side table nearby. Huashan was planted by the door refusing to budge; Lin Jinlou shot her a glare, startling her so badly that she had no choice but to retreat outside.

Lin Jinlou picked up the teacup, took a few sips, and set it down. Suddenly, he grabbed Xianglan by the arm, just as he was about to say, "Tie this pouch on for me."

Xianglan gave a violent start, thinking Lin Jinlou was about to hit her. She instantly threw her arms around his waist, her voice trembling as she pleaded, "Please don't be angry, Your Honor."

Lin Jinlou froze. Seeing Xianglan's eye rims reddened and her face filled with pleading—bearing no resemblance whatsoever to the defiant, neck-stiffening attitude she used to give him—he realized that such total submission was actually what he desired most to see. Yet for reasons unknown, he could find no joy in his heart; instead, a faint wave of anger stirred within him. He had no idea where this fire was coming from—perhaps it was because of the conversation he had overheard Xianglan having earlier? Unwilling to dwell on it, he shook her arm off and said coldly, "Let go. Do you want me to beat you?"

Xianglan shivered and obediently released her grip, but tears began to roll down her cheeks without her even daring to reach up and wipe them away. She truly was terrified of Lin Jinlou; when this man flew into a rage, he genuinely could cost her her life. It wasn't that she didn't know Lin Jinlou wasn't entirely bad to her—he provided the finest food, clothing, and lodging, and gave her ample face in front of outsiders—yet she still lived in trembling terror of him. She feared Lin Jinlou's authority, feared having no reliance for her future, and feared drifting through life in this muddled haze until the end. Now that she had returned to the capital, she was back in the place where she had once known fleeting glory and eventual ruin. Things had changed, people were gone, and everything was lost.

Sometimes she thought that if she were only a fool in this lifetime, or if she had no memories of her past life, she could live mindlessly and carefreely. If that were the case, Lin Jinlou elevating her would probably feel like the greatest stroke of fortune imaginable; which ordinary maid or servant ever enjoyed her status? She could happily step into the role of a concubine, and life would surely be far simpler.

Unfortunately, she was not. She could not tolerate any impurity in her eyes. Driven by self-respect or an idealistic longing for a better life, she relied on an inner resilience to push herself through each day, telling herself, "Sooner or later, these calamities and tribulations will pass." Yet deep down, anxiety gnawed at her, laced with a bitter sense of sorrow.

The inner thoughts she usually refused to touch were hooked by this incident, and the more she thought, the harder Xianglan cried, breaking into soft sobs.

"Why are you crying? I haven't even scolded you yet... Stop crying... Have you grown bold now? Are you crying to pick a fight with me? Hurry up and dry those tears."

Xianglan wiped her tears with her sleeve and stole a glance at Lin Jinlou. Seeing that his expression was no longer as dark as before, and terrified that the moment she stopped crying he would settle accounts with her, she whimpered, "I... I can't stop..."

Noticing a handkerchief lying on the bed, Lin Jinlou picked it up to wipe Xianglan's face. In the end, he pulled her into his arms, patted her back, and said, "You really are getting more capable by the day. I haven't even said anything yet, and you're already in tears. Alright, stop crying. I was annoyed, but my older and younger sisters are right outside, and I never intended to do anything to you. There are still relatives visiting in the house—what does it look like for you to be crying like this? ... Besides, if you soak this outfit of mine with your tears, I'll have to change again."

Hearing Lin Jinlou say he "never intended to do anything to her," Xianglan's heart finally settled. She wiped her face with the handkerchief and glanced at Lin Jinlou again. Seeing the look on his face, Lin Jinlou couldn't help laughing as he said, "What are you looking at? Alright, tie the pouch on for me; there are still guests in the front."

Xianglan obediently untied the sheepskin pouch from Lin Jinlou's old belt, emptied out the cooling peppermint pills, the tipsy copper coins, small silver ingots, and various other scattered trinkets, transferred them all into the new pouch, and fastened it securely around his waist.