Wine-scented Beauty

Chapter 97: Confession

Once past the gauze curtain, you could see Mrs. Hu sitting in the main seat, with Lu Yu sitting next to her...

Ji Meiqing subconsciously ignored his presence and sat down next to Hu's mother. However, Yan Zhi asked rather tactlessly, "Do you two know each other?"

“…I know him.” She moved her lips, too lazy to talk to Rouge anymore, and looked directly at Madam Hu, saying, “This is Rouge. I would like to temporarily place him here with you, and take him over once the house in this city is settled.”

Mrs. Hu glanced at her thoughtfully, but her hand casually held the tea lid and gently stirred the leaves in the teacup.

"You didn't deliver anything or send any messages, you just shoved this freeloader girl into my life..." She glanced at Rouge and added, "Is she here to be used as a nameplate?"

"No," she denied immediately.

"No? If not, what do you want? I can't afford to keep a big idle person here, and besides, this isn't a dilapidated temple."

"I have my own purpose..."

"I don't care what use you are." She rolled her eyes. "You think you can just eat, drink, and stay here for free without paying? You're dreaming."

"You... how could you know someone so vicious!" Rouge slammed her hand on the table, standing up from her chair with wide, angry eyes. "I'm not a pig, how dare you talk to me like that!"

"I'm just saying this, little girl, you think you can fight me?"

"I'll pay."

"Okay, give me the money." She held out her hand.

Ji Meiqing looked at the hand, her face turning embarrassed. "Bring the wine over tomorrow, and I'll use half the cost of the wine as payment."

"Oh, so after all this talk, you still don't have any money!" Mrs. Hu slammed her hand down, slamming the cup heavily on the table. Lu Yu suddenly stood up. "I'll pay."

Ji Meiqing glanced at him, intending to sulk and retaliate, but seeing his calm and composed expression, she felt a surge of anger and directly pulled Yan Zhi's hand to walk outside.

"My affairs are none of your business, Brother Lu. Please do not interfere."

Lu Yu watched her figure disappear, apologized to Hu's mother, and then chased after her.

She grabbed Ji Meiqing, her voice softening, "Stop making a scene."

Upon hearing this, she became even angrier and turned around to question him sharply: "I'm making a scene? Yes, then Brother Lu told me to calm down, and once I've calmed down... I probably won't make a scene anymore."

Lu Yu never imagined that one day she would speak to him so sternly, and for a moment he felt a little flustered.

She looked at her hand that was being held, and with a forceful shake, she flung him away. "I have things to do. If you don't have anything else to do, let me calm down."

"……I……"

Rouge suddenly leaned closer and asked curiously, "Is Sister Ji your sweetheart?"

Both of them froze, as if time had stopped. Ji Meiqing wanted to move, but her feet seemed rooted to the ground, and she vaguely longed to hear his answer.

Lu Yu did the same, stopping himself from speaking.

"If not, then may I ask who you are to Sister Ji, and what right do you have to lecture her?" Rouge said again. She noticed that Lu Yu's face had clearly darkened, and she wanted to say a few more words, but Ji Meiqing pulled her away from there.

Rouge, however, was not one to shy away from making things worse, and exclaimed, "Hey... I haven't finished yet! Don't pull me away, let me finish..."

"Shut up and come with me." She scolded in a low voice. There was probably nowhere left for her in this place, so she had no choice but to think of Xunhua.

She didn't know if she was still there. When she arrived at the post station, everything seemed normal. Ji Meiqing tried to go in, but was stopped.

"Who are you?" The guard looked Rouge up and down beside her.

Ignored, Ji Meiqing asked him directly, "Is Princess Xunhua here?"

"The princess has already returned to the palace. Is there anything else you need?"

"She went back?" Ji Meiqing thought for a moment. She hadn't received the news yet. Xunhua had left, so the room at the post station was probably still there. She quickly took out the token from her bosom and showed it to him.

"This was given to me by the princess."

The man took it, glanced at it, and then handed it to Ji Meiqing, asking respectfully, "What are your instructions, Miss?"

"I want this person to stay here temporarily for a while. I'll pick her up in less than half a month."

She pulled her rouge forward so that people could see her face clearly.

"This……"

The guard hesitated, thinking about the token in Ji Meiqing's hand and looking at Ji Meiqing's face. He still couldn't make up his mind and could only say, "Let me go and ask first."

“Okay…” She watched him go in, and after standing for a while, he came out. Ji Meiqing didn’t rush to ask him for an answer, but just stared at him as he walked over.

"The owner said it's possible, but you can only stay in the side courtyard."

"As long as there's a place to stay, who cares where we stay?" She laughed and led Rouge inside. After the two entered the inn, Rouge habitually ran around looking at everything, and only returned to Ji Meiqing's side after her curiosity subsided.

"The Ji family will have a joyous occasion in a few days, so you should prepare well." She said this and then turned to leave.

Rouge suddenly asked, "Do you have a grudge against the Ji family?"

"Yes," she said without turning her head.

Rouge smiled, then turned and went into the house. Ji Meiqing came out from this side, but she didn't expect that he would also follow her here, which surprised Ji Meiqing.

"Were you following us?"

Lu Yu neither admitted nor denied it, and Ji Meiqing continued walking forward, "I don't care how you try to protect Xiao Cui, in short, I will not let anyone who is associated with the Ji family go."

She made a harsh statement, but was suddenly embraced by someone.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she broke free, continuing her nonsense: "You're not trying to use your beauty to get me to let Xiao Cui go, are you? Let me tell you, that's impossible!"

"I..." He hesitated, the words stuck in his throat. Ji Meiqing raised an eyebrow, looking at him with interest, "When did Brother Lu become so long-winded?"

"I will no longer concern myself with Xiao Cui's affairs."

"Oh."

Ji Meiqing remained expressionless. "Anything else?"

"I... I think I've fallen for you."

Ji Meiqing was stunned, somewhat incredulous. "Are you... not out of your mind?"

“It’s probably not broken.” Lu Yu followed her words.

Ji Meiqing fell silent, still somewhat unable to believe that he had said this. After a long while, she smiled and said, "I thought Brother Lu was going to cultivate immortality and ascend to heaven. I didn't expect him to have such a human side. If you're trying to persuade me not to hold a grudge against Xiao Cui, then forget it."

"I……"

"It's almost time to go back," she suddenly changed the subject.