Chapter 33 33

Chapter 33 33
The morning sun light hit the floorboards of Lu Chen’s room in long, sharp rectangles. He sat up, expecting to hear the sounds of panic or the shouting of guards discovering Lu Qing’s empty room, but the mansion was strangely quiet. There was no screaming and no sound of galloping horses.
A knock came at his door.
"Young Master, it is time," A-Fu’s voice called out from the hallway.
Lu Chen got off the bed and opened the door. He scanned the hallway behind A-Fu, looking for any sign of a commotion. "Is everything normal today?"
A-Fu stood there with his usual calm expression, his hands tucked into his sleeves. He looked at Lu Chen’s messy hair and wrinkled tunic. "Normal enough. The kitchen is preparing breakfast and the Master is in the main hall. Why do you ask?"
Lu Chen realized then that An An was doing exactly what she promised Lu wing just like his sister said . She was buying time. "Nothing. Just a feeling." He cleared his throat and stepped back into the room. "Have you heard anything from Su Yan?"
"Yes," A-Fu replied, stepping inside. "She is fine. The news of the wedding arrangements has reached her household. Her father is pleased, but I have not received a formal reply from the lady herself yet."
"Typical," Lu Chen muttered.
A-Fu walked to the side table and picked up a small ceramic bowl filled with a dark, steaming liquid. The smell of bitter roots and fermented herbs filled the room instantly. He held it out to Lu Chen.
Lu Chen looked at the bowl and his face twisted. He took a deep breath, held his nose with his left hand, and gulped the entire thing down in three large swallows. He slammed the empty bowl back onto the tray, coughing at the aftertaste.
"That stuff tastes like a swamp," Lu Chen said, wiping his mouth. "So, once she replies, we’ll know when the wedding is fixed?"
"That is the procedure," A-Fu said, taking the bowl back. "The dates will be set by the astrologer once both families agree on the contract. It shouldn't take more than a few days."
Lu Chen stood up and stretched his arms. His muscles felt tight from the night before. "I need to exercise."
A-Fu paused, his head tilting slightly. "Exercise? I have never seen you express interest in physical labor before your sickness."
"I mean a stroll," Lu Chen corrected himself quickly. "I need to move my legs. I feel like I'm rotting in this room."
A-Fu narrowed his eyes. He looked at Lu Chen with a suspicious gaze. "Or are you planning to visit Su Yan yourself? It is not proper for a groom to sneak into the Su estate before the betrothal is official."
"Ewww. What the hell is wrong with you?" Lu Chen said, his face full of genuine disgust. "I am not sneaking off to see any woman. I just want to walk."
He moved toward the window, looking out at the courtyard. He noticed the absence of a specific person. "Where is Xiao Chen? She’s usually here by now to complain about my hair."
A-Fu hesitated. He looked at the floor for a second before meeting Lu Chen’s eyes. "She is ill. She has a fever."
Lu Chen stopped moving. He remembered the way she had run out of his room the night before after he snapped at her. "Fever?"
"Yes. She could not get out of her bed this morning. Her face was flushed and she was shaking."
"Are you sure?" Lu Chen asked sharply. "Is she actually sick or is she just hiding?"
A-Fu looked at him carefully, his eyes searching Lu Chen’s face for a reason behind the question. "She appeared quite unwell. Or is there something you are not telling me, Young Master? Did something happen last night after I left?"
Lu Chen coughed instantly, looking away from A-Fu’s stare. "There’s nothing. I just... I didn't think she was the type to get sick so easily."
A-Fu sighed and shook his head. He walked to the wardrobe and pulled out a clean, dark blue outer robe with silver embroidery. "Since she is not here, I will assist you with your outfit today. You cannot go out looking like a common traveler."
Lu Chen looked at A-Fu’s large, rough hands and then at the delicate silk robe. He looked offended at the idea of his manservant dressing him, but he didn't say anything. He stood still and let A-Fu layer the clothing over his shoulders.
Later that day, Lu Chen walked through the estate. He didn't head for the gardens or the library. He walked along the perimeter, his eyes moving constantly. He watched the guards at the north gate, noting how often they swapped positions. He looked at the height of the walls and the distance between the watchtowers.
He wasn't just taking a stroll. He was planning for the moment everything would fall apart. He knew that when Lu Qing’s disappearance was finally discovered, this entire place would be locked down. He needed to know every exit that wasn't the main gate.
He spent hours walking until his legs ached and his mind was heavy with data. By the time night fell again, he was exhausted. It wasn't the kind of tiredness you got from running; it was a mental weight from trying to stay three steps ahead of a story that wanted him dead.
When he finally returned to his wing of the mansion, the torches were lit along the walls. He saw a figure sitting on the wooden steps near his doorway.
It was Xiao Chen. She was wrapped in a thick shawl, her face looking pale in the flickering orange light. She was leaning against the pillar, waiting. When she heard his footsteps, she stood up quickly.
Lu Chen felt a flash of relief in his chest. It was small and he pushed it down immediately, but he didn't question why he was glad to see her.
"You're out of bed," he said as he reached the stairs.
"I couldn't stay there," she said. Her voice was a bit dry. "I heard you were walking all day without anyone to bring you water or tea."
Lu Chen didn't answer. He pushed the door open and walked into the room. Xiao Chen followed him inside, closing the door behind her. The room was dark, and she immediately went to light the candles.
Before she could speak or start apologizing for the night before, Lu Chen stopped. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her. He didn't want to deal with the tension or the jealousy anymore. He needed a distraction from the chaos in his head.
"Let’s spend the night together," Lu Chen said.
He said it casually, as if he were asking for a cup of tea.
Xiao Chen froze completely. The flint and steel in her hand dropped onto the table with a small clatter. She turned around to look at him, her eyes widening until they were almost perfect circles. Her mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out. Her breath caught in her throat, making her chest heave.
“You said what young master?” She asked again maybe she didn’t hear well

“Let’s spend the night together I need something that will relief my stress” he said “or do you have plans outside? Or are you that sick ” Lu Chen asked as he struggled to open the rope

“No young master i will gladly do I will gladly surrender myself to you”