The Beauty of High Summer (Part Two) (This chapter is free)
Chen Caozhi looked at the twenty Lu Clan Household Troops who had escorted Lu Weiwei out of the city, along with more than ten maidservants and serving women, one horse carriage, and five ox carts. Everyone except the drivers had now crowded over to them, so he asked, "Wei Rui, didn't Aunt Zhang come?"
Lu Weiwei hesitated a moment, then said, "Aunt Zhang-she told me to come alone."
Chen Caozhi said softly, "Aunt Zhang is so good to us."
Lu Weiwei stole a glance at Chen Caozhi, overcome with shy delight.
Chen Caozhi said to Duan Chu, Zanhua, the serving women, and the private soldiers, "Your Little Lady is in my care now. I'll take her out for a little excursion and bring her back before noon."
None of them had the authority to decide, and they looked at one another. Duan Chu and Zanhua giggled and stepped forward to greet Chen Caozhi.
Chen Caozhi asked Lu Weiwei, "Wei Rui, do you dare ride a horse?"
Lu Weiwei shook her head.
Chen Caozhi said, "Don't be afraid. I'll ride with you. How about it?"
Lu Weiwei answered in a low voice, "All right." Suddenly remembering something, she hastily pressed both hands against her skirt, as though afraid a strong wind would lift its long folds, and shook her head. "No, no, I can't ride." She wanted to explain but could not bring herself to say it, both embarrassed and anxious.
Chen Caozhi was both clever and worldly; how could he fail to understand what Lu Weiwei meant? He said softly, "It's all right. You can sit sideways on the pommel, and I'll hold you from behind. This horse is very gentle."
Lu Weiwei was not one of those delicate,