CH 13.1

Chapter 13: Envy (1) Original translation is from tenderflower's blog.

“Master, we’re here.” Wei Da stopped the carriage steadily and said towards the inside of the carriage.

Cheng Qingran looked at the little girl who was sleeping soundly. He smiled silently and gently hugged the person in his arms. He whispered to Wei Da to lift the curtain and jump off the carriage gracefully.

Wei Da lowered his head slightly, hiding the surprise in his eyes: “Master, do you want to order someone to clean up the guest room?”

“No,” Cheng Qingran walked straight into the courtyard, “She will sleep in my room tonight.”

Even if he was calm, after hearing this short sentence, Wei Da opened his mouth wide in astonishment. But before he could ask, Cheng Qingran’s figure had disappeared behind the screen.

But Wei Da really thought too much. Cheng Qingran didn’t have any dirty thoughts. Just think about it. An outstanding guy who could be kind-hearted to a young girl who didn’t grow hair was certainly not a good thing even if he was not obscene, playful, and molested children. Cheng Qingran considered himself a gentleman.

As soon as he walked into his Tingyu Pavilion, the head maid Fangzhu greeted him.

Fangzhu was 17 years old this year. She was the only daughter of Cheng Qingran’s late wet nurse. She had been by Cheng Qingran’s side since she was sensible. Before Cheng Qingran left the capital, he dismissed a large number of servants and planned to find a good marriage for Fangzhu, but Fangzhu refused to marry, and Cheng Qingran could not dismiss or sell her like an ordinary maid. In addition, Fangzhu took care of his food, clothing, and daily life, so he brought her to this remote town.

Fangzhu could only be regarded as delicate. Only the two curved willow eyebrows were beautiful and moving. Just now in the room, she saw Cheng Qingran walking in with a woman in his arms from a distance. Her chest jumped. She hurriedly went out to greet him and said with a smile on her face: “Master, who is this girl?” As she got closer, she saw that it was just a 10-year-old little girl, so she was finally relieved.

Cheng Qingran didn’t answer but only ordered her to get the wound medicine.

Fangzhu looked doubtfully at the back of his jade tree facing the wind. She bit her lip secretly and lifted her foot to the side room.

(T/N: yù shù lín fēng is an idiom that means handsome, not only good looking but also tall and good shaped.)

Cheng Qingran put Shu Lan on the bed, lowered his head, and suddenly found signs of wear and tear marks on the little girl’s body, and there was still broken sawdust and dark green plant juice in the wrinkles of her trousers. Thinking of the branch of elm seeds, he couldn’t help but whisper a scold “Little naughty”.

In his room, Fangzhu was usually the only one serving. Now she went to get the medicine, Cheng Qingran had to wet his handkerchief, squatted down, and cleaned Shu Lan’s face gently. After wiping it a few times, her small face became white and rosy pink which made him inexplicably happy. It would be great if he had such a daughter or younger sister.

When Fangzhu came in, she saw Cheng Qingran smiling and looking at the person on the bed, bright and moving.

She involuntarily stopped in front of the door. Cheng Qingran had never smiled softly at any woman. He only had a deep dislike for most women and didn’t even give them the right eye. Now he even smiled. Who was this little girl?

Aware that the door was dark, Cheng Qingran put away his smile, got up, and said, “She was spanked by her mother, you give her medicine.” After saying that, he walked to the desk by the side and sat down with his back to the bed without the slightest intention to avoid suspicion.

Fangzhu responded calmly, walked to the bed, and instinctively looked at the person’s face first.

White as porcelain, pink as peaches, thick eyelashes curled up and moving slightly with her breathing. Her small red and tender mouth was like a cherry washed with water, shiny and attractive. Fangzhu’s eyes flashed with amazement and vague envy. Why was God so unfair!