The backyard.
"..."
Lin Tianlu stood there, dumbstruck and speechless.
He had planned to go to the back kitchen to get some fruit as a reward for Miss Hua's diligent study and training. But as he passed through the backyard, water suddenly splashed wildly in the vat, and a black shadow emerged. Lin Tianlu was left utterly bewildered.
His own home had a water ghost now?
"Whoosh—"
Mao Ruoyu emerged from the water vat and swept up her damp hair. But the moment she raised her head and opened her eyes, she met Lin Tianlu's gaze head-on. Her entire body stiffened.
Lin Tianlu hurriedly rubbed his eyes, confirming that he was not hallucinating.
Only then did he walk forward with a look of astonishment. "Madam Mao?! Why did you come out of the water vat..."
"L-Let me apologize for making a fool of myself, Mister Lin. A piece of jewelry accidentally fell into the water vat, so I leaned down to retrieve it."
Mao Ruoyu improvised quickly and explained, "But I didn't expect the vat to be so slippery. I accidentally fell right in."
"Madam, this was... far too reckless."
Lin Tianlu did not know whether to laugh or cry. "If you lost a piece of jewelry, you could have called me over earlier to help. There was no need to risk it yourself."
He took her slender hand and jade-like arm, helping Mao Ruoyu leap out of the water vat. "Did you find the jewelry?"
"I found it."
Mao Ruoyu had just nodded in reply when she suddenly realized that she was drenched. Her elegant, pale ruqun clung to her body, revealing her fair skin in full.
The sight immediately made her ears burn. Her mind spun with embarrassment.
"This, this—"
"Madam, hurry back inside and change your clothes to warm yourself. It's getting late, and the autumn wind could easily leave you chilled."
Lin Tianlu quickly looked away and, pretending not to notice anything, took off his outer robe and carefully wrapped it around her delicate body. "If you catch cold and fall ill, it'll be quite troublesome."
"Thank you... Mister Lin."
Mao Ruoyu's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz. Clutching the robe wrapped around her body, she hurried away with her face flushed crimson.
Only after her graceful figure disappeared did Lin Tianlu withdraw his gaze, clicking his tongue inwardly.
He had never imagined that Madam Mao's figure would be even more voluptuous than he had expected. Those perfectly rounded curves seemed almost ready to spill over, making for a truly spectacular sight.
Fortunately, his state of mind was steady, and he had not revealed any unbecoming expression.
"Why are women's undergarments in this era more revealing than the last? Can they really hold everything in?"
He knocked on his forehead.
I'd better stop letting my thoughts run wild. If I keep this up, even the Ice Heart Art and those lewd pictures might not be enough.
Night fell.
Just as Hua Shuya was about to sit down for dinner, she suddenly received a confidential report from the authorities. She grabbed her weapon and hurried off to help, seemingly because another case had occurred in Changling County.
Mao Ruoyu carried two bowls of rice to the table and looked somewhat bemusedly at the girl's departing back.
"Is Miss Hua always this busy?"
"She was born into wealth, yet she possesses such a chivalrous heart. That alone is a blessing." Lin Tianlu casually picked up the chopsticks beside him. "Dealing with other people more often will also benefit her future."
For someone who was essentially a wealthy heiress from a family of officials to be so gallant and righteous, even he was rather curious—just how good was the Hua Family's upbringing?
How did they raise their child to be so outstanding?
The heirs of modern society really ought to learn from her.
Mao Ruoyu smoothed her skirt and sat down again, asking curiously, "Mister Lin, you seem to have a very good relationship with Miss Hua?"
"We're both teacher and friend, I suppose. Being able to befriend such an upright and sensible woman is my good fortune."
Lin Tianlu shook his head with a laugh.
If Hua Shuya had not climbed that mountain back then, he might still be entertaining himself by counting beans on Taiyi Mountain.
Not to mention that after descending the mountain, he had received so much attentive care from her. Calling her a benefactor would not be an exaggeration.
"Your relationship is truly enviable."
The words slipped out before Mao Ruoyu realized it. She hurriedly gave a light cough. "Mister Lin, I wonder if tonight's dishes suit your taste?"
"The dishes Madam made are naturally worthy of endless praise."
Lin Tianlu's chopsticks never stopped moving. He found every dish on the table exceptionally delicious.
Especially this crispy fried chicken—it was unbelievably fragrant!
No wonder it had been fried in such a generous amount of oil. It was every bit as good as KFC!
Seeing how happily he ate, Mao Ruoyu's red lips unconsciously curved upward, and her heart filled with emotion.
Only a few days ago, she had never imagined that she, a Ghost Arts practitioner hidden in the darkness, would one day sit together with a living person and enjoy an ordinary home-cooked meal. The peerless expert who ought to have inspired nothing but fear in her now sat beside her like an ordinary man, eating the same food and occasionally laughing and teasing her.
This feeling...
Wasn't bad.
But at that moment, wisps of strange, sinister wind blew into the hall, scattering the warm atmosphere.
Mao Ruoyu's pupils abruptly contracted. It was as if every hair on her body had stood on end as she stared outside the courtyard in terror.
"This, this is—"
"Madam Mao, please stay calm." Lin Tianlu hurriedly rose and soothed her. "It isn't an evil ghost coming to the door. It's an acquaintance of mine. Stay here and eat in peace. I'll go out to see her."
"An acquaintance?"
Mao Ruoyu's face paled. She anxiously clutched his sleeve. "Mister Lin, this aura is terribly cold and sinister. Be careful—she may harbor ill intent!"
"Don't worry. She has no hostility."
Lin Tianlu gently patted her shoulder.
Then, under Mao Ruoyu's uneasy gaze, he quickly walked out through the hall entrance.
Creak—
As the courtyard gate opened, a seductive figure soon approached gracefully beneath the starlight and moonlight.
"—Good evening, Mister Lin."
Cheng Yishi wore a brocade robe and gauzy skirt. Her silvery hair, as white as snow, drifted lightly in the breeze, perfectly displaying the bearing of a refined young lady.
When their gazes met, she gave a gentle smile and made a dignified curtsy. "I hope you won't take offense at my presumptuous visit."
Lin Tianlu looked her up and down, then chuckled. "It seems Miss Cheng has managed to steady her mind over the past two days. Compared with the day I first saw you, you're considerably calmer."
"All of this is thanks to your patient guidance and encouragement, Mister Lin. You allowed me to find the faith to go on living once more."
Cheng Yishi folded her hands before her abdomen. Her pretty face solemn, she bent her knees and bowed. "In any case, I must express my gratitude to you. If you had not shown mercy and taken pity on me that day, I would likely have been left exposed in the wilderness, reduced to a pile of bones that no one would ever notice."
"Saving someone's life is only natural. There's no need for such a grand courtesy." Lin Tianlu cupped his hands with a smile, then stepped aside and gestured inward. "Since Miss Cheng has come from so far away, why not come inside and sit for a while?"
"I couldn't ask for more." Cheng Yishi's smile deepened, her beautiful eyes glimmering softly.
But as soon as she stepped into the courtyard, she seemed to notice something and looked toward the side yard. "Oh? Are there other people in your home? That Miss Hua?"
"Miss Hua went to the authorities to help. The person in the main hall is Madam Mao from next door. She's looked after me quite a bit in the past."
"She sounds like a kind-hearted woman."
A faint flicker passed through Cheng Yishi's eyes.
As they exchanged pleasantries, the two soon arrived at the guest hall.
When the candlelight brightened, Lin Tianlu poured a cup of warm tea and handed it to the girl.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Mister Lin."
"Now that we know each other, there's no need to speak so formally." Lin Tianlu asked curiously, "How have you been these past few days, Miss Cheng?"
Cheng Yishi gracefully lowered herself into her seat and thought for a moment.
"Cheng Yanghua... my father is dead, so the Cheng Family naturally fell into some turmoil. I've spent most of these past few days occupied with the funeral and the transfer of our many household businesses."
"Then, this Cheng Manor..."
"I've taken over its management for the time being."
Lin Tianlu was somewhat surprised.
In this era, it was rather unexpected for a woman to manage finances and hold authority.
Cheng Yishi seemed to know what he was thinking. She shook her head with a laugh. "My younger siblings are all idle young masters and misses who know nothing but calligraphy, painting, and poetry. How could they possibly understand accounting, manage people, or arrange supplies?
"Besides, I used to help manage the family's businesses anyway. Now that I'm overseeing them, no one in the family has anything to say."
Lin Tianlu listened with solemn respect and cupped his hands. "Miss Cheng truly is self-reliant and strong. You have my admiration."
"You flatter me, Mister Lin. How could I possibly be so—"
Cheng Yishi's face reddened slightly.
But she soon gave a light cough and reached into the front of her robe.
"Let's set these trivial matters aside for now. I came here specifically to hand a few important items over to you."
Before you continue