When Lu Wei Rui heard Young Maid Zanhua announce that Master Chen had arrived, she wanted to hurry out to greet him, but feared the household servants and maids would see how desperately she missed him. At the door of her chamber, she hesitated again, just in time to hear Duan Chu blurt out, "Master Chen belongs to the Little Lady Wei Rui." Her pretty face instantly burned scarlet, and her heart went thump, thump, thump. Then she heard the silence outside and knew Duan Chu's reckless words had caused trouble. What would she do if her father heard about this?
Chen Caozhi swept his gaze over Duan Chu and the Lu Residence maids present, then said with a cold laugh, "How utterly absurd! Am I the Little Lady Wei Rui's servant? Am I a slave of the Lu Residence?" With a sweep of his broad sleeve, he strode away indignantly.
Young Maid Duan Chu and all the other maids froze. Their brief, suggestive speculation vanished like smoke and clouds. Young Maid Duan Chu hurried after Chen Caozhi with quick little steps and pleaded, "Master Chen, I misspoke! You're a ranked official, how could you be a slave of the Lu Residence? I meant that Master Chen is-oh, I didn't mean that either! In any case, I said the wrong thing. Please don't go, Master Chen, or our Little Lady will cry!"
The maids of Little Cherished Garden also crowded over to beg Chen Caozhi not to leave. Joining hands, they formed a circle around him, very much like the women of Jiankang who had once linked arms to gaze at Wei Jie.
Lu Weiwei let out a long breath, inwardly praising Master Chen's quick wit. She hurried out and asked, "What happened?"
Young Maid Duan Chu, with her back