Wine-scented Beauty

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Framed

She couldn't stand it any longer, and finally screamed, "Thief!"

Everyone in the shop was drawn to the look, including Ji Meiqing. She glanced at it, but Tian Cuiwei immediately stopped, wondering what was wrong with her.

The next second, she pointed at herself and said, "This woman is a thief. She stole my things."

Ji Meiqing was somewhat confused and didn't understand what she was talking about. She looked at Tian Cuiwei blankly and asked, "What did you say?"

"Still trying to deny it? This sachet is mine! How could you steal it! It's a token of love I'm going to give to my fiancé!" She walked over and grabbed her hand.

She happened to be holding an exquisitely embroidered purse in her hand.

"How could someone dressed so shabbily possibly have such a purse!" Ji Meiqing looked at her with disdain, and the people around her were also led by her to point and whisper about her.

Ji Meiqing finally understood. Her gaze turned cold as she pressed, "You're saying I'm not worthy of this kind of purse in my humble clothes? Then how much more expensive are you? You're dressed in fine clothes, how can you be worthy of this purse? Besides, any girl with even a little bit of embroidery skill can make this kind of purse. Since you say it's yours, did you buy it or did you make it yourself? Where did you buy it? And if you made it, would you dare to make it again?"

"Of course I made it, why should I embroider it for you to see!"

"Since you say it's yours, why are you unwilling to do it again and prove it to everyone? Are you feeling guilty, or have you lost your mind?"

"I..." She was speechless.

Ji Meiqing added, "Besides, what's so strange about me having such a purse? You see them all the time, don't you?"

Upon seeing this, the people around immediately turned away. Ji Meiqing looked at her, paid the money, and then prepared to leave.

Tian Cuiwei tried to pull her back and snatch the purse, but Lu Yu blocked her way. He looked at the person in front of him with a dark face and asked, "What do you want to do?"

"Brother Lu." She was startled, then exclaimed with delight, "Brother Lu, Brother Lu, you mustn't be fooled by this woman. I just saw her coming out of that brothel."

Upon hearing the sensitive words, everyone was confused again. People who came from brothels were either wealthy patrons or people who worked in that profession.

Ji Meiqing was dressed as a woman, so she was easily misunderstood as the second type. She didn't bother to explain, and just coldly watched Tian Cuiwei as she used her silver tongue to persuade everyone.

"She went to a brothel?" Lu Yu glanced back at her, then asked Tian Cuiwei meaningfully, "Are you sure you saw it clearly?"

Tian Cuiwei nodded firmly, "Of course, I saw her come out of there with the silver notes."

“But I came out with her,” he said calmly. “A master in the building owes her money and hasn’t paid it back, so he specifically asked me to go with him to collect it.”

"Brother Lu!" She never expected that Lu Yu would speak up for Ji Meiqing, and so blatantly deny her.

"You don't need to call me anymore. Your sister and I have some things to do. If you want to cause trouble, go home and do it. Don't embarrass yourself in the street. You're still a young lady; you shouldn't gossip so easily."

After he finished speaking, he left with Ji Meiqing. Tian Cuiwei stood in the crowd, completely surprised that Lu Yu had been completely won over by her in just a short time.

She regretted going back. Although she thought things would be different once she returned to her own home, she never expected that her parents were lying. The next day, they sent her to the Ji family's young masters.

If it weren't for Ji Meiqing, her Brother Lu would still be her brother. If it weren't for Ji Meiqing, she would have been with Brother Lu long ago.

If it weren't for her...

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, but what could she do? She had nothing, and no one was willing to help her.

Moreover, the fact that they seemed to be living quite well made Tian Cuiwei even more dissatisfied.

The next day, she returned to the Lu family with gifts. Upon seeing Lu Yu, she immediately smiled and apologized, explaining, "I was wrong the other day. I was just... just blinded by greed for a moment."

Seeing that she admitted her mistake, Lu Yu didn't say anything and just let her in.

“This is something I bought for Sister Ji. Please give it to her as my apology. I don’t have much money, and the Tian family hasn’t had time to deal with me these past few days. That’s why I had some free time to come and see you.” She lowered her head, her tone suddenly turning somber. “I know it was rash of me to leave here and go back to the Tian family. I didn’t listen to you and stay here. Now I’m only suffering for myself.”

As she spoke, she began to cry. "My parents... they were thinking of marrying me off, but I couldn't stand it, so I came to find you. Brother Lu, could you let me stay here for a couple of days?"

"You're getting married?" Lu Yu seized on the key point. "Why so soon?"

“I’m marrying a rice merchant in the city. He’s over sixty and has several wives and concubines. Brother Lu, I don’t want to marry him, but I have no choice.”

"So you want to lay low here for a few days."

"Brother Lu, is it alright?" She looked at him with tears in her eyes. Lu Yu hesitated for a moment, but seeing that she was about to cry, he said, "I'll ask Ji Meiqing about this."

"If Sister Meiqing doesn't want to, then so be it. I deserve to go back and marry someone else." She turned to leave, but in her heart she was thinking, "Hurry up and stop me." Lu Yu said he would ask Ji Meiqing and then went.

He returned after a while and, seeing that Tian Cuiwei was still there, said, "You should rest here for the next few days. Don't wander around. Your room is still reserved for you."

Tian Cuiwei burst into tears of joy, "Thank you, brother. You're the best to me."

"It's alright." Lu Yu smiled with relief.

In the evening, Ji Meiqing served the food. Tian Cuiwei had been coaxing Lu Yu, but when she saw her come over to eat, she immediately quieted down.

After taking only one bite, Tian Cuiwei stood up and looked at Lu Yu with a frown. "Brother Lu, where is the tea? This dish is too salty. I want to drink some water."

"Behind you." Lu Yu picked up a piece of the dish she had just tasted with his chopsticks, and then said, "It's not salty, the taste is just right."

"Really?" Tian Cuiwei picked up another one, but spat it out after only a few bites, complaining, "What kind of dishes are these! They're so awful. Is this what Brother Lu has been eating all this time? They're completely inedible, not even a fraction as good as what I brew."

"If you think it's bad, go back! If you don't want to go back, then either hold it in or don't eat it at all!" Ji Meiqing finally lost her temper and roared without caring that Lu Yu was there.

Tian Cuiwei was so frightened that she fell silent, sobbing. Ji Meiqing sat down and said coldly, "Eat!"