Dandy Escapes From Marriage - Chapter 45

 

After adding more staff, the Rouge Pavillion gradually got on track, with customers filling the place every day.

 

Apart from the popularity of their rouge, there were always three or four men helping out in the shop: Young Master Zhang introducing products, a young man wandering around seemingly doing nothing, Master Ke collecting money, and occasionally a young monk dropping by. They were quite the eye candy!

 

Especially when it came time to pay, just looking at those handsome faces made handing over money a pleasure!

 

“I’m telling you, haven’t you found an accountant yet?!” Liu Shu, seeing the group of girls surrounding Shen Ke, angrily went to Zhang Moyang, scolding him for his inefficiency.

 

“There’s nothing I can do. There aren’t many literate accountants around here, and those who are, already have jobs. It’s really hard to find someone immediately,” Zhang Moyang glanced at Shen Ke and chuckled. “Besides, having Ke Shen here attracts so many customers. You should be happy.”

 

“Happy? I’m so happy I want to twist your head off and use it as a wine jug.”

 

“Hey, speaking of wine, how long has it been since we had a drink? Want to go?” Zhang Moyang asked.

 

“No, with this situation, can I relax?” Liu Shu pointed at Shen Ke, who was surrounded by admirers.

 

“Do you really not trust him?” Zhang Moyang teased. “Are you two tied together for life? Can’t be apart for a moment?”

 

Liu Shu thought about it. It seemed to make sense. If Ake couldn’t resist such a little temptation, he didn’t deserve his affection!

 

“But let’s forget about drinking. Let’s go see how things are going with Chen Yinglian.”

 

“Alright.”

 

Chen Yinglian was one of the new hires. When she heard they were hiring for the shop opening, she signed up herself.

 

According to her, even though she had earned enough from Fang Qiong to retire comfortably, who would complain about having more money? Going back to her family would be like hunting, and if she got tired of it, she might as well do something else.

 

So she joined the ranks of flower pickers. She was familiar with the terrain and vegetation in the mountains, and if she encountered game, she could easily catch some meat.

 

The two rode horses outside the city and saw a luxurious carriage approaching the city gate from afar.

 

The carriage was extremely luxurious, capable of accommodating at least eight to ten people at a time. The carriage was made of golden Nan wood, and the fabric used was the finest Jiangnan silk, sturdy, durable, beautiful, and not easily permeable. Ordinary families couldn’t afford it.

 

The carriage swaggered past them, and the two stopped by the side, watching it enter the city.

 

Suddenly, Zhang Moyang reacted sharply. “That looks like the carriage of the Jinling Liu Family! When I was young, my father and I returned from Jinling, and the Liu family arranged a carriage for us. We rode in a carriage just like that. It must be someone from the Liu family. I need to inform my father first.”

 

Zhang Moyang turned back and hurried back into the city.

 

Liu Shu, still standing there, changed expressions several times. Finally, he sped up and followed the carriage, and the horse pulling the carriage suddenly neighed.

 

The passersby were all attracted by the grand carriage, very curious about who was inside. At this moment, the carriage suddenly stopped, and a stunningly beautiful woman, whose age was indiscernible, stepped out. She looked around as if searching for someone but found nothing.

 

Then, she lifted the curtain, and a snowy-white dog suddenly jumped out.

 

“Go find your master.”

 

The dog sniffed around and suddenly dashed through the crowd, running wildly until it finally found its owner in a dead-end alley, wagging its tongue and rubbing against its owner’s legs.

 

“Wuwuwu, Liu Fugui, I missed you so much.” Liu Shu squatted down and patted its head. It lay down, exposing its belly.

 

Liu Shu rubbed it more and more happily, a smile of joy spreading across his face. “Did you miss me?”

 

“It missed you so much it nearly tore down the house,” a sharp female voice came from the alley.

 

“Mom!” Liu Shu stood up and rushed over to hug her. “Wuwuwuwu, I missed you too! How have you been?”

 

“And what do you think?” Lu Yueju bit her teeth.

 

Liu Shu laughed awkwardly, let go of her hand, and looked at her for a while, sighed in his heart, guilty: “You lost weight.”

 

“Bullshit, I’ve gained three pounds, all on my belly!” Lu Yueju was so angry that she pinched her belly.

 

“No, mom, are you pregnant?”

 

“I have you! I’ve told you a hundred times, giving birth to you was hard enough. I’d rather die than have another one.”

 

“Alright, no more babies then. Mom, did you come from Jinling? Are you here for business? Did Dad come with you?” Liu Shu asked.

 

Lu Yueju’s eyes narrowed, and her beautiful features suddenly exuded authority. “Did you forget you ran away from home?”

 

“Oh, right. It’s all Liu Fugui’s fault for making me drop my guard,” Liu Shu said, quickly fanning her. “Mom, it’s been a tough journey. Let’s find a place to sit and talk.”

 

So, the mother and son went straight to the most expensive restaurant in town, with maids waiting outside. Inside, the dog roamed around the room before lying down quietly at Liu Shu’s feet and falling asleep.

 

“Mom, how did you know I was here?”

 

“Your picture is posted all over Huai Prefecture.”

 

“What??”

 

“Alright, no more babies then. Mom, did you come from Jinling? Are you here for business? Did Dad come with you?” Liu Shu asked.

 

Lu Yueju’s eyes narrowed, and her beautiful features suddenly exuded authority. “Did you forget you ran away from home?”

 

“Oh, right. It’s all Liu Fugui’s fault for making me drop my guard,” Liu Shu said, quickly fanning her. “Mom, it’s been a tough journey. Let’s find a place to sit and talk.”

 

So, the mother and son went straight to the most expensive restaurant in town, with maids waiting outside. Inside, the dog roamed around the room before lying down quietly at Liu Shu’s feet and falling asleep.

 

“Mom, how did you know I was here?”

 

“Your picture is posted all over Huai Prefecture.”

 

“What??”

 

“They say you helped defeat bandits, and they put up posters for people to admire. The Liu family has some shops in Huai Prefecture, and a shopkeeper wrote to say they saw you. So I came to check for myself.”

 

Liu Shu silently cursed Shen Huai for his well-meaning actions!

 

The town had also put up their posters as commendations, but soon after the new county magistrate took over, those were covered by new announcements. He thought only the townspeople knew about it, but it turned out people in Huai Prefecture did too.

 

“You’re not here to drag me back for a wedding, are you?” Liu Shu asked, voicing his biggest fear.

 

“If you didn’t want to get married, why didn’t you tell me directly? Why sneak out?” Lu Yueju looked at him angrily, assessing him up and down. “Look at you now, didn’t even take any travel money?”

 

“I did, but it got robbed by bandits,” Liu Shu said, straightening his clothes, feeling embarrassed. But when he caught sight of the patched sleeve, the shame faded, and he smiled. “I may look shabby, but I’m doing well.”

 

“How well?” Lu Yueju asked. “After living it up in Jinling, you came to this remote place to suffer?”

 

“Not at all. I’m trying to grow my own food, though it hasn’t been successful. I chop wood, do laundry, and try to run a small business.” Liu Shu said, “I’m busy every day and poor, but I don’t feel any hardship. Even if there is, I just get through it, and I’m full of hope for the future.”

 

Lu Yueju was surprised, pinching his cheeks to examine him closely. “Are you really my precious son?”

 

“As real as it gets.”

 

“Impossible. When you were seventeen, your birthday wish was to be a freeloader for life.”

 

“That was seventeen-year-old me. Now I’m seventeen and a half!”

 

Hearing this number, Lu Yueju’s expression grew serious. She took his hand and said solemnly, “Xiao Wu, come back and get married.”

 

“Why? Mom, you’ve always supported me. You never stopped me from doing anything. Why are you so insistent about this?” Liu Shu’s face turned sad. He had always lived freely, but the most restricting thing was now forced upon him, making his parents’ pressure unbearable.

 

“Xiao Wu, you’re almost eighteen.”

 

“Eighteen? So what if I’m eighteen? My new life has just begun,” Liu Shu saw his mother’s expression grow heavier and heavier. Realizing something, he asked in disbelief, “Wait a minute, Mom, you don’t actually believe that fortune teller who said I wouldn’t live past eighteen, do you?”

 

Lu Yueju said nothing, confirming his suspicion.

 

“Mom, he was just talking nonsense. How could you take him seriously?”

 

“What if he’s right? What if what he said is true?!” Lu Yueju raised her head, her eyes red, “Even if he was just talking nonsense, I can’t gamble with your life!”

 

“Mom,” Liu Shu heard her hoarse voice, feeling as if his heart was being squeezed, full of pain. He had never seen his mother cry before, never.

 

“It’s just marriage. If the relationship doesn’t work out, you can divorce after a couple of years. You love visiting brothels, don’t you? After you divorce, I’ll redeem all the girls you like to be your wives and concubines!” Lu Yueju raised her voice.

 

“No, no, no!” Liu Shu quickly stopped her, “I have a pure friendship with them, just like you and Mrs. Wang.”

 

“We have sisterly affection.”

 

“Same for us,” Liu Shu lowered his head.

 

“?” Lu Yueju wiped away her tears and asked incredulously, “You’re still a virgin?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Lu Yueju gasped.

 

“Mom, do you have some kind of misunderstanding about me?”

 

“Is it just my misunderstanding? The entire Jinling has misunderstood you! Think about it, you started visiting brothels at twelve, and now you’re seventeen and a half, and you’re still a virgin. Is that reasonable?!” Lu Yueju didn’t know what expression to put on. Suddenly, her face changed, and she lowered her voice, asking, “I’m your mother, tell me honestly, is there something wrong with your body?”

 

Liu Shu: “It’s not a physical problem, it’s a psychological one.”

 

“Oh dear, psychological problems can lead to physical problems! You need to have some confidence in yourself!” Lu Yueju encouraged.

 

Liu Shu: “No, I mean, I actually like men.”

 

Lu Yueju: “It’s not just liking men, you said what?! When did you start liking men? Why didn’t you ever mention it?!”

 

“Recently.”

 

“Then why did you run away? If you like men, why don’t you want to get married? Even though the Shen family is powerful, that Shen kid isn’t the kind to bully others. He’s gentle and easygoing, can’t even beat you, and he’s easy to get along with.” Lu Yueju was relieved.

 

“How do you know he can’t beat me?” Liu Shu asked.

 

“You guys fought.”

 

Liu Shu: “?”

 

“You and your poor memory.” Lu Yueju poked his forehead, “You forgot, when you were four, I took you to the capital to check him out. This was originally a verbal promise from Madam Shen, so I thought it best to see early on. If he turned out to be a bad kid, there’d be no need for this. But who knew he was so smart and adorable, and you, being unreasonable, fought with him.”

 

“So the bookish kid I fought in the capital was him!” Liu Shu suddenly understood.

 

“Yes, I secretly asked you afterwards if you wanted to marry him in the future. You said you really wanted to and wanted to fight with him every day.”

 

“Mom, that was when I was four. What did I know back then!”

 

Lu Yueju said, “A child’s nature is evident early. I’ve seen many people and rarely been wrong. Trust me, this kid has been well-behaved since he was little. With the teachings of Master Shen and Madam Shen, his character can’t be too bad. Plus, he was already a cute child, so he must be good-looking now. He’s from a scholarly family with a bright future. Come back with me, we’ll go to the capital and see him. Then you can—”

 

“No, I won’t go or see him,” Liu Shu said solemnly, “Mom, I have someone I like.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Really, his surname is Ke.”

 

Lu Yueju raised an eyebrow, “Fine, then we’ll send him a betrothal gift right away.”

 

“Really?!” Liu Shu was overjoyed.

 

“Yes, after you marry the Shen kid, we’ll bring Mr. Ke into the family. Or keep him outside for a few years, then bring him in after you divorce,” Lu Yueju said.

 

Liu Shu had a headache. “Mom, I’m serious! I want to spend my life with him!”

 

“Are you crazy?”

 

“I don’t believe in fate.”

 

“I do,” Lu Yueju said. “I only have one son. For the past decade or so, I’ve worked so hard to expand the Liu family business to this scale. That’s the only way I could have a say in front of your father, fearlessly face the fights in the backyard, and allow you to grow up free and unrestrained. If you were really gone, what would I do?”

 

“I won’t, I won’t,” Liu Shu held her hand and repeatedly assured her. “Mom, don’t worry. I’ll eat, sleep, and take care of myself on time. I’ll eat plenty of vegetables and meat and live a healthy life.”

 

Seeing that Lu Yueju was still unmoved, he lowered his eyes and said, “Mom, if I can’t marry the one I love, even if I keep living, what’s the difference from being dead? The pain and regret would last a lifetime.”

 

Lu Yueju was silent for a long time before slowly raising her head. “What’s his name?”

 

“Ke Shen.”

 

Ke Shen?

 

For a moment, Lu Yueju felt a vague sense of familiarity with the name.

 

After thinking for a while, she remembered that the name was mentioned in a letter from the shopkeeper who reported that one of the people who succeeded in suppressing the bandits was Ke Shen, who had personally led the troops.

 

Given that he could lead troops and suppress bandits, Lu Yueju immediately envisioned a tall, burly man with a scruffy beard and a sweaty smell.

 

“I’ll meet him first. Don’t tell him I’m your mother,” Lu Yueju said.

 

“Sure, you’ll definitely like him!”

 

Lu Yueju was noncommittal. “Lead the way.”

 

Liu Shu thought for a moment and then suddenly said, “But before you meet him, you need to disguise yourself. He doesn’t know I’m Liu Shu; he only knows me as a poor guy named Xiao Wu. I look too much like you, so he’ll recognize us if we stand together.”

 

Lu Yueju gave him an approving look. At least he knew to hide his family background, which meant that guy wasn’t after his wealth.

 

“Is this how you disguised me?” Lu Yueju looked at her simple outfit in the mirror, with deliberately darkened skin and a headscarf, feeling quite angry. “Give me back my beauty!”

 

“Just for a while, bear with it.”

 

Lu Yueju’s eyes were fierce. When she opened the door, a few maidservants were startled and were about to call her madam, but she stopped them.

 

Lu Yueju gritted her teeth and said, “Don’t call me madam here, call me big sister!”

 

Maidservants: “??!”

 

Liu Shu suppressed his laughter and led her towards the shop. On the way, they happened to meet the bamboo weaver, who had two children with him.

 

“Big brother,” Liu Shu greeted him.

 

The bamboo weaver saw him and his expression relaxed a bit. He smiled at Liu Shu. “Xiao Wu.”

 

Lu Yueju’s eyes slowly widened as she looked at the tall, burly man with a scruffy beard and a sweaty smell. She felt extremely complicated and blurted out, “So you’re the old guy who seduced my good son’s soul away? And you have two kids?!”

 

Bamboo weaver: “????”

 

Liu Shu: “”