Chapter 115: Thick Skin

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Updated: 2013-07-26

A big young man like this being so shy was strangely awkward.

“It's all right.” To avoid falling into Zhou Man’s clutches once more, Lian Yue hurried behind Yue Lingjun. She still rubbed her battered arms in fear, then said with a pout, “Uncle Zhou, next time use less force. If you do this again one more time, Yue-er’s life will be in danger.”

Zhou Man gave a rough laugh, glancing at his unruly son. At times he truly wondered if this was really his own child. But that was partly his own fault: after his fourth sister had once criticized him for being too rough, he had tried to compensate in his son, and this compensation had gone too far. The eldest was acceptable; this one in front of him was simply unbearable.

Still, if he wanted Lian Yue, his niece, to become his daughter-in-law, only this son could possibly be used. His son was not as good-looking as that polished ice column from the Yuwen household, but perhaps Lian Yue might like him just this way.

Feeling clever, Zhou Man flashed what he believed was a warm, friendly smile. “How could Uncle Zhou let you suffer? Come on, I’ll rub it for you.”

Lian Yue quickly shook her head. “No need. It doesn’t hurt anymore.”
This wasn’t a joke, she thought. With Uncle Zhou’s strength, what was the difference between a rub and a new kind of torture?

Yue Lingjun, watching Zhou Man’s fawning smile, gave Yuwen Lingxi (Xiao) a quick glance—his brows slightly knotted—then, despite a sharp pain in his back, spoke up: “Uncle Zhou must be tired. I’ll take you to a room to rest.”

But Zhou Man took no pity. “Tired? Nonsense. Go do what you need to do. Don’t bother with me. As long as Lian Yue and the little imp are with me, I’m fine.”

The boy bowed his head and tugged on Zhou Man’s sleeve. “Father, with outsiders here, call me by name—Zhou Ziwen.”

“Fine, fine, I hear you. What’s with this little brat being so wordy? Use that time and drag your wife-to-be to me.” Zhou Man flung the boy away in irritation and turned his smile back on. “Go on, go on.”

A cold shiver ran through everyone. Couldn’t he read between the lines, or did he choose not to?

Yuwen Lingxi (Xiao) thought inwardly, as he had from the beginning: this was my older sister-in-law, yet he insisted on talking as if she were his daughter-in-law. I was invisible in this moment.

“Uncle Zhou, didn’t you forget? Yue-er is my fiancée.”

Zhou Man seemed to be waiting for this reply. He immediately objected: “Your fiancée? Talks of marriage before the vows are nothing! It counts for nothing. Lian Yue, tell me—was Uncle wrong or right?”

Grabbing Lian Yue out from behind Yue Lingjun, he asked, “Uncle asks you this: do you like him?”

What could she say? Any answer offended someone. She only squeezed Yue Lingjun’s back harder.

“Ugh…” Yue Lingjun couldn’t hold back the pain. He covered it with, “Uncle Zhou, Yue-er isn’t fully recovered. She needs her medicine now.”

Lian Yue immediately played along, breathing lightly. “Yes… my head spins. I can’t stand well. Blue Sister, help me stand.”

Blue Shui, stifling laughter, and Zizhu lifted the “weak” Lian Yue together. She looked at Zhou Man apologetically. “Uncle Zhou, I’ll go rest for a while first, and you should rest too.”

Yuwen Lingxi (Xiao) followed closely and said softly, “I’ll come and check.”

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Qiao Zhi followed as well. “I’ll go get my fan.”

Yaoyao looked at Meng Chuchen with childlike innocence. “Brother Meng Chuchen, didn’t you say you had something to tell me?”

Meng Chuchen gave Yue Lingjun a sorry look. “Yes. Let’s talk in my room.”

A group of people left Yue Lingjun alone without a hint of loyalty. Qingfeng and the others stood far back on the deck.

Zhou Man watched Lian Yue walk farther and farther away, mouth open and useless, unable to find any word to stop her. He vented his annoyance on Zhou Ziwen, who still stood dumbly to one side. He lifted his foot to kick, but Zhou Ziwen had already dodged. Zhou Man swung a heavy palm anyway. “Brat! Hurry up and keep up with us then.”

Zhou Ziwen sighed, slumped his shoulders, and walked off in the direction Lian Yue had gone.

Only then did Zhou Man turn toward Yue Lingjun, who was still standing where he had been. He stretched and said in a casual tone, “What are you still doing? Take me to the room. Maybe I am actually tired.”

Yue Lingjun nodded, still respectful on the surface. “This way, Uncle Zhou.”

Lian Yue, just having come in with Zizhu and Blue Shui’s help, straightened and sat on a chair. “I’d rather stay in here pretending to be sick. With a frame this slight, I’d come apart the moment we step off the boat.”

“Exactly. The Master of Zhou has too much strength. Check whether your arm is turning blue, Miss.” Zizhu pulled up her sleeve. Lian Yue’s fair skin was entirely flushed red. “Look, the marks are all over it.”

“It’s fine,” Lian Yue said, dropping her sleeve without concern. “It’ll pass soon.”

Qiao Zhi saw the door open and walked in. Noticing how alert Lian Yue looked now, he said with a smile, “Where are you hurting, Sister Yue-er? Let Yuwen check you right away.”

Lian Yue shot him a look. “As soon as I see you, I feel sick. Can’t you just stay out of my sight?”

Qiao Zhi, pretending to be deeply wounded, replied, “You’ve wounded me deeply, Sister Yue-er. With someone like me—carefree in wind and handsome as a tree under moonlight—seeing me should only clear your heart and brighten your mood.”

“Ugh…” Zizhu quickly reached for the spittoon. “I can’t stand it.”

Qiao Zhi twinkled his peach-like eyes at just the right time, then in a voice poised between refusal and invitation said, “Sister Yue-er…”

“Ugh…” This time Lian Yue really felt nauseated. She pulled a pill from her blouse and swallowed one. Only then did the discomfort ease.

Yuwen Lingxi (Xiao) said nothing. He stepped forward, took Lian Yue’s wrist, and checked her pulse. “Did you drink your morning medicine?”

“Aaah!” Zizhu cried out, speaking softly. “I’ll fetch it. It’s still warming in the kitchen. Uncle Zhou interrupted me just now, and I forgot.”

Blue Shui said, “Go quickly.”

Zizhu nodded and moved to the doorway. Lian Yue called out at once, “Bring me something to eat, too.”

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“Yes, miss.”

“How did you know I hadn’t taken my medicine this morning?” Lian Yue was genuinely curious.

“Pulse reading.”
Yuwen Lingxi (Xiao) muttered inwardly, and I won’t tell you I happened to see the medicine simmering on the stove in the kitchen just now—of course not.

Lian Yue, half doubtful and half imitative, put her fingers on her wrist in Yuwen’s style, but found not the slightest sign. “Is what you said true?”

“Of course it’s not.” His tone remained unchanged. To Lian Yue’s ears, it sounded unreal. Was this a joke? It had to be.

“Cold… it’s truly cold…”

She felt as if an autumn wind with a few leaves drifting had passed before her eyes.

Qiao Zhi was the first to understand. Fanning himself with his fan, he said in sudden realization, “Looks like Yuwen finally has a sense of danger. Once someone came and fought you for it, he finally noticed. Still, the joke is awful.”

Yuwen Lingxi (Xiao) stood still as if nothing had been said, unchanged, like he had nothing to do with it. Qiao Zhi gave him a look that plainly said, I knew this was how it would be, then snapped at the glaring Lian Yue, “You see? Some people have a much thicker skin than I do.”

Lian Yue gave him a scornful smirk. “Thicker, yes—but not as noisy.”

“Fine, Yue-er. Blue Shui, pour everyone some tea.” Blue Shui set down the prepared tea into cups and invited, “Your Highness, and Young Master Yuwen, please sit and have a cup.”

Qiao Zhi sat and said, “Don’t call me Prince. Call me Qiao Zhi. And him—call him Yuwen or Lingxi, okay, Yuwen?”

Yuwen Lingxi (Xiao), already seated, gave a small nod, accepting.

Blue Shui’s mouth twitched at his “Blue Sister” cry. She knew he was copying Yue-er, and still felt awkward. She smiled faintly. “Call me Lan Shui.”

“I still think ‘Blue Sister’ sounds better. Doesn’t Sister Yue-er call you that too?”

Lian Yue saw Qiao Zhi reaching for his cup and quickly snatched the teacup from beside him, sneering, “How shameless. She is my Blue Sister, not yours.”

Qiao Zhi remained entirely unbothered. He reached for the cup in front of Lian Yue and said, “You made one even more shameless than I did.”

Before he finished, a little ting sound rang out. He turned toward the cup in his hand, and seeing Yuwen Lingxi drinking calmly beside him, said, “Yuwen—what did you put in my tea just now?”