Wine-scented Beauty

Chapter 10: Respecting Your Choice

It was still early, and although it wasn't noon yet, there were fewer pedestrians on the street.

Lu Cuiwei jogged back to the Lu family home, where Lu Yu was burying wine. She pushed open the courtyard gate and walked over.

"Brother Lu, I have something very important to tell you," she said sweetly as she ran up behind him.

Lu Yu didn't take it seriously. He brushed the dirt off the ground, turned around, and asked, "What is it?"

Lu Cuiwei didn't notice his nonchalance and said with a hint of excitement, "I went to find Sister Ji Mei today, but I was turned away outside."

"What's up with her?"

“I heard from the servants of the Ji family that Sister Ji… was kicked out.” After saying that, she paused and secretly glanced at him a few times. Seeing that he had no expression, she added fuel to the fire, “The Ji family is a big family. For a young lady to be kicked out, she must have done something disgraceful to anger the master of the Ji family.”

"How could that be?" he said, neither confirming nor denying it; he had never cared about such matters.

Seeing his disbelief, Lu Cuiwei became anxious: "It's true! The Ji family is a prominent family in town with very strict rules. How could they be kicked out unless they did something outrageous? Brother Lu, you have to be careful with this kind of woman."

"Alright, your sister Ji isn't that kind of person. I believe her. It's almost noon, so you should go and cook. Meiqing has something to do and can't come back, so you can deliver the food to her this afternoon."

Seeing that he didn't believe her, Lu Cuiwei's eyes turned red. Just as she was trying to put him in a stalemate, someone else arrived at the courtyard gate.

"Is Young Master Lu here?" A woman dressed as a married woman stood at the door, timidly looking them over. When she saw Lu Cuiwei's reddened eyes, her eyes lit up slightly, and she became excited.

"Xiao Cui? Is that you, Xiao Cui? It's your mother, Xiao Cui." The woman looked directly at Lu Cuiwei beside her, and the tears that flowed from her eyes with excitement made Lu Cuiwei pause in surprise.

Her mother… Lu Cuiwei glanced at the person next to the woman. The man in coarse clothes with a rough face was her father… In her memory, they seemed to have remained unchanged.

Lu Cuiwei stared at them blankly for a long time before murmuring, "Father... Mother..."

"Oh, my dear daughter, your father and I have been looking for you for so long. Will you come home with us?" The woman kept wiping away tears from the corners of her eyes, which made Lu Cuiwei a little dazed.

Lu Yu, who had been silent all along, stepped forward and stood in front of Lu Cuiwei: "You two claim to be Xiao Cui's parents, but what proof do you have?"

Unlike his previous nonchalant attitude, he now had a composed expression and an air of authority.

Madam Tian and Tian Dahan exchanged a glance, then Madam Tian stepped forward and said, "I raised Nannan by my own hands since she was little. How could I not know what kind of person she is? As for the evidence, Young Master Lu, I suggest that the two Young Master Lus compare them."

Lu Yu didn't answer. He turned around and looked at the person still hiding behind him, still feeling a little confused.

“Xiao Cui had smallpox when she was born, and there are still some marks on her back. You can ask Xiao Cui if you don’t believe me.” Madam Tian looked hopefully at Lu Cuiwei behind him. As long as she was willing to come back, the Tian family’s life would not be as prosperous as it once was, but they would still eat well and dress well.

Lu Yu turned to look at Lu Cuihua, who nodded hesitantly. These things were true; she did indeed have some scars on her back from smallpox. Although they had faded over the years, some traces remained. Those marks were proof that she had survived.

Looking at Lu Cuihua, who seemed vaguely excited, Lu Yu hesitated.

“Xiao Cui, come back with us. Your father and I have been looking for you ever since you disappeared. But we have never been able to find any news about you.” As she spoke, Tian’s eyes began to well up with tears again. Seeing that Lu Cuiwei was unmoved, Tian Dahan, who was following behind, pushed out A Bao, who had been hiding behind her.

"This is your younger brother, Abao. You must remember him, right? You used to be closest to him."

Da Bao was staring at her intently, holding a candied hawthorn, as if she were a stranger. Tian Da Han got anxious and nudged him, signaling him to call out.

Da Bao timidly called out, "Sister."

That sound seemed to awaken all her memories, and Lu Cuiwei's eyes welled up with tears, her eyes red and swollen. She had been away from home for three years, and for those three years, she had thought of her parents every single moment. Seeing other children walking hand-in-hand with their parents, she couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.

Lu Cuiwei looked at Lu Yu pleadingly, as if seeking his opinion. Lu Yu frowned. This was someone else's family matter, and he had no right to interfere, but Lu Cuiwei was also his sister... This made things a bit difficult.

Do you remember how you lost Xiao Cui back then?

Lu Yu suddenly asked, and the Tian couple looked at each other. When they looked at Lu Cuiwei, her face also darkened. Their hearts skipped a beat, and a few more crystal tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.

“I know that your parents wronged you back then. But there was a famine, and if we couldn’t leave you, our Tian family would all die.” Madam Tian cried out, “For so many years, I have felt guilty, but seeing you like this now, I am truly happy from the bottom of my heart.”

"Is what she said true?" Lu Yu looked at Lu Cuiwei with a solemn expression. He didn't know what had happened to her, but when he brought her back, she was on the verge of death and covered in wounds.

"Brother Lu, thank you so much for taking care of me all these years. I... I could never repay you even if I worked like a cow or a horse." Her meaning was already very clear when she said this, but Lu Yu's expression still didn't improve.

Thinking about how he had defended Ji Meiqing and spoken up for her just now, even though they hadn't known each other for very long, he realized that she would definitely have no chance with him in the future.

Moreover, as a virgin, living in the same house with another man before marriage would surely be criticized and shameful in the future.

After much thought, I decided to go home first. Besides, I still miss it a lot after being away for so many years.

She couldn't bear to look at Lu Yu's face anymore. Not to mention his gaze; even with her head down, she could feel the oppressive aura emanating from him.

“Since you want to go back, I naturally can’t stop you. Xiao Cui, live a good life after you go back. If anything happens, come and tell me immediately, and I will help you.” After a while, he suddenly said, which surprised Lu Cuiwei, who even murmured a question to him.

Aren't you going to stop me?

Lu Yu smiled amicably, "I should respect your choice."

These words felt like a stone was lodged in her chest, making her feel suffocated and unable to breathe. Lu Cuiwei stiffened, her head buzzing, completely oblivious to what the Tian couple beside her were saying.