C8

In addition to the usual three dishes and a soup, there was an extra dish of braised lamb, courtesy of Mrs. Su. Beef was the most expensive, followed by lamb, so this was clearly a reward for Su Luo.

With a playful smile, Biyin curtsied. "Thanks to you, sister, otherwise I wouldn't get to enjoy this braised lamb!"

Su Luo nodded and playfully poked Biyin on the forehead. "You little rascal." She took out a few clean porcelain bowls, served the dishes, and placed them on Biyin's table.

Even though the cook's skills were nowhere near Su Luo's, the two enjoyed their meal. Normally, they would have to attend to the Madam after dinner, but Su Luo had special permission from Mrs. Su to pass the task to another girl. She happily strolled to the pond to relax. Biyin, however, wasn't as free. Because of her gentle and attentive nature, the Fourth Madam couldn't be without her for long. Just as they finished eating, someone came to fetch her, so she had to leave in a hurry. Before going, she earnestly reminded Su Luo, "Sister, don't lock the door. I'll sneak back in the middle of the night when I get a chance."

The night air was cooler, a welcome change from the day's heat. Seeing no one around, Su Luo used her lightness skill to leap onto a low tree, lazily leaning against the trunk.

The sky was a deep indigo, dotted with bright, twinkling stars. A sliver of the moon hung shyly, barely visible. Su Luo lay back, using his hand as a pillow, and sipped occasionally from a small flask he had tucked away. It was plum wine, sweet and tangy, not the kind to make one drunk. But as he listened to the sound of water and the chorus of frogs, he began to feel a bit tipsy.

Half-asleep, he thought he heard voices beneath the trees.

"The old man really hit hard this time; he could've killed me."

"Calm down, Sanlang. The doctor said the beating was too severe, and the heat hasn't dissipated yet. You know what they say... anger harms the liver, making it harder to recover."

"Ugh. I'm just someone he picked up from the street. No matter what I do, he always finds fault with me. Why doesn't he go after my older brother?"

"Well, you know, the eldest barely comes home all year..."

There was a sharp smack, suggesting someone got hit.

"Alright, alright, I misspoke. Sanlang, this medicine was secretly brought by the Fourth Madam. You should at least use some!"

"I refuse. Doesn't he want to beat me to death? Let him try." The words came out fast and furious. Even though the thick branches obscured the speaker, Su Luo could imagine the person speaking, neck stiff and face flushed with anger.

A sudden tug caused the person below to stumble.

"There's a big, clean rock here. Sanlang, sit down and take a break."

Another splash followed, likely Sanlang throwing pebbles into the water out of frustration. Su Luo listened for a while, feeling a bit bored, but with the two sitting under the tree, she couldn't leave. Glancing up, she noticed a few fruits hanging from the branches and picked them to play with in her hands.

Finally, the servant spoke up, "Sanlang, let me apply some medicine for you!" After a pause, he added, "It's just the two of us here; no one else will know."

Sanlang must have been in significant pain because he reluctantly agreed with a barely audible response.

Then came the sound of rustling clothes.

Su Luo was startled. Was he really going to undress here?

Her fingers trembled, and the two fruits slipped from her grasp, rolling smoothly to the ground with a soft thud. Su Luo didn't dare move, hoping they would think it was just a branch falling or a stray cat climbing the tree.

"Who's there?" a voice demanded sharply.

Su Luo held her breath. The moonlight was dim, and the thick branches provided cover, making it difficult for them to spot her.

After a moment, the servant said, "Sanlang, maybe it was just a stray cat."

"No, someone's there." Sanlang circled the tree, squinting upward. "Who's in the tree? Speak up, or I'll call for help."

Su Luo pouted and ignored him.

Sanlang waited for a moment, and when there was no response, he sneered, "Huang Bingquan, get the staff over here and have him taken to the station."

Huang Bingquan acknowledged and went on his way.

"You’re so unreasonable. You clearly disturbed my sleep and then tried to scare me."

As they spoke, something came flying at him with a whoosh, fast and accurate. Despite having trained for years, Sanlang found himself unable to dodge it, almost as if he was blinded by a ghost. "Ouch." His forehead throbbed, and a small bump was already forming.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry. Why didn’t you dodge?" Su Luo looked at his bewildered expression and couldn’t help but laugh.

"I... I don’t know." Sanlang touched his forehead and laughed along with her, losing all his previous arrogance. He thought he had never heard such a lovely voice before—soft and clear, like a songbird in the morning. Gently, he said, "Come down, I won’t call anyone."

"A gentleman's word."

"Is as good as gold."

A cluster of branches was pushed aside, and Sanlang saw a young girl sitting on a branch, swinging her feet. She wore a pair of bright green shoes, each adorned with a pearl that emitted a soft glow.

Sanlang was puzzled. How did she climb such a tall tree? Seeing her about to jump down, he quickly opened his arms, "Don’t jump, let me get a ladder."

Su Luo waved her hand, signaling him to step back a bit. She lifted her skirt and jumped down gracefully. Her movements were so light that her feet touched the ground without disturbing a single fallen leaf.