CHAPTER 247: SHE CARRIED HER BACK TO THE SIHEYUAN (1)_1

Noble and indifferent as Zhou Luchen was, he sneered, "Who would want to marry them and take them home? Are they even worthy?"

Worthy?

Shen Jing didn’t know.

In the depths of winter, during the first lunar month, clusters of orange-red lantern flames flickered before her eyes on both sides of the path.

After such a remark from him, she couldn’t define her feelings.

Was he explaining to her?

Could it be?

Or perhaps, he was simply accustomed to his lofty position, always acting according to his whims, indulging his desires, and refraining from romance.

The second young master had long been infamous among the ladies; surrounded by beauties, who possessed the formidable skill to make him settle down?

Shen Jing changed the subject. "I thought you were attending a wedding in Shanghai."

"To watch them drink the ceremonial wine?" Zhou Luchen said, his voice raised. "That’s not a hobby of mine."

Shen Jing pondered.

Wei Sulin was almost his brother-in-law, and they had grown up together. Shouldn’t he be sitting at the head table, drinking?

Tilting her head, she leaned closer to him. She didn’t smell any alcohol on him. Knowing Zhou Luchen’s style, she guessed he had probably just delivered the gifts and money before leaving.

"Was the bride beautiful?" she asked.

Zhou Luchen replied, "I didn’t pay attention."

They walked on, the number of pedestrians gradually dwindling.

Shen Jing sighed. "It’s New Year’s Day. Beijing isn’t as lively as it used to be. When I was young, I could still hear firecrackers at home even with my ears covered."

That was back in the early 2000s.

Lacking interest, Zhou Luchen didn’t respond.

He patted Shen Jing’s waist. Her pure white woolen coat felt too thick under his palm, which annoyed him. He could only press her slender waist more firmly, trying to feel through the fabric if she had lost any weight.

Being so close, he inadvertently inhaled the fragrance of her hair.

"Children really don’t lie; it’s intoxicatingly fragrant," he said.

His voice and hers were identically low, their pace identically slow.

The tranquility of the late-night streets belonged only to them.

The street lamps stretched their ambiguous, side-by-side shadows longer and longer.

Shen Jing would scold Zhou Luchen, curse him, or twist his arm. Occasionally, she also liked to fiddle with her scarf.

He had a vague recollection that come winter, Shen Jing particularly loved to wrap herself in large scarves.

When she saw him, his girl would lower her head and smile, her chin hidden in the scarf, bewitching enough to make one lose their senses.

A few minutes later, an occasional car would pass. Zhou Luchen would push her waist, guiding her to the right.

"Don’t you watch where you’re going?"

Pained by his push, Shen Jing protested, "The road is wide! Who’s going to hit me?"

Zhou Luchen, indifferent to her pain, didn’t try to soothe her, merely uttering two light words, "Drunkards."

Shen Jing grumbled, "This district has the strictest enforcement. Who would dare to drive drunk right under Lord Qingtian’s nose?"

Did Zhou Luchen not understand? He simply couldn’t be bothered to argue with her.

Shen Jing glanced at him sideways and teased, "Then why don’t you carry me on your back, hmm?"

How about it...?

Zhou Luchen’s handsome brows furrowed and then relaxed. "What’s in it for me if I carry you?"

That was Zhou Luchen for you: he never gave unilaterally, accustomed as he was to being in control.

But Shen Jing wasn’t so easily persuaded. "You suggest something first. If it’s doable, I’ll consider it."

Zhou Luchen’s expression was nonchalant. "Are you my ancestor or something?"

Indeed, how could he possibly stoop to carry someone.

Naturally, Shen Jing hadn’t expected him to; it was just a joke.

"We’ve walked quite far, and my legs are sore," she stated, checking her phone for messages. "I’ve already called a car."

Hearing just those few words, Zhou Luchen began to get annoyed and said tensely, "What about me?"

Shen Jing looked around and then remembered. "Oh, your driver seems to have left. You should find your own driver to come pick you up."

He stretched his lips into a cool smile, his words tinged with his characteristic possessiveness. "I’m asking you, what about me?"

What about him, indeed.

Doesn’t he have bodyguards?

Gazing at her, Zhou Luchen’s eyes intensified. "Shen Jing, are you planning to abandon me here again?"

At that moment, Shen Jing felt exhausted. "Aren’t we just going home to sleep? Does the Second Young Master realize how far it is from the Xie Family’s old house to Gulou? I can’t keep going. I don’t want to walk anymore, okay?"

As she spoke, she lifted both hands and stroked the back of the man’s hand, which was holding the umbrella handle.

Her beautiful eyes, glistening with unshed tears, looked so pitiful; she seemed too delicate, as if she lacked the strength to walk two or three kilometers.

Zhou Luchen stopped in his tracks and commanded impatiently, "Climb up yourself."

Looking at the man’s ramrod-straight back, not even slightly stooped, Shen Jing felt a wave of disbelief.

Was he really going to give her a piggyback ride?

The New Year’s Eve night was fittingly atmospheric.

Taking the umbrella from his hand to cover both their heads, she obediently climbed onto Zhou Luchen’s back.

He caught her steadily, effortlessly.

It felt quite marvelous, being carried on someone’s back for the first time.

The man’s back was broad, firm, and straight. Her cheek pressed against his suit; the fabric was comfortable and fragrant, carrying the scent of a dashing, noble young man.

Fresh snow began to fall as they happened to walk by Shichahai in Beijing.

The woman on Zhou Luchen’s back gently placed her chin on his shoulder. "Zhou Luchen, let’s take a detour through West Main Street. I want to see the flags there, the bright red ones that command such awe."

Past that street was the vicinity of the Zhou Family.

Zhou Luchen pressed his palm against the inside of her knee, his voice laced with amusement. "Alright, you’re deliberately messing with me."

In Shen Jing’s mind, Zhou Luchen had plenty of physical strength.

She leaned into Zhou Luchen’s neck, planted a SMACK there, and coquettishly pleaded, "Can you carry me for a bit longer? It’s not like you don’t have the strength."

With that kiss, Zhou Luchen probably felt he was going mad, carrying a woman across West Main Street just to look at some flags.

They chatted as they went, though Zhou Luchen didn’t respond frequently. It was mostly Shen Jing chattering away, and he seemed disinclined to join in much.

Her spirits were high, so much so that Shen Jing forgot this road led back to the Zhou Family’s courtyard home.

And so, since they had arrived, Zhou Luchen carried her back to the courtyard house.

She was still talking about the red packets she had received this year, counting Zhou Luchen’s as the most generous and the first one.

In little more than ten minutes, they passed a lake, crossed a flat bridge, and walked down a small alley to arrive at the entrance of the Zhou Family’s courtyard house.

At that moment, Shen Jing’s expression completely froze.

Caught up in conversation, how did they end up at the Zhou Family’s?

Instantly, Shen Jing scrambled down from Zhou Luchen’s back. If the Zhou Family found out she had been frivolously riding on their esteemed young master’s back, they would figuratively skin her alive.

She stepped back awkwardly. "I better not go in. It’s the New Year, and I didn’t even bring gifts for your grandparents."

Zhou Luchen said calmly, "What do you think you could possibly bring?"

"I don’t know what would be appropriate," she said, looking up at the Zhou Mansion’s gate.

The Zhou Family would definitely not appreciate anything monetary or overly luxurious.

Even heartfelt gifts depended on their assessment of the giver. If they approved of the person, the gift would be accepted; if they didn’t, the gift would be ignored.

Zhou Luchen, hands in his pockets, said, "Tell me, in what capacity would you be giving them gifts?"

She had no such capacity.

"As an ordinary friend," she replied.

Zhou Luchen pulled her by the wrist up the steps, saying indifferently, "You don’t need to bring gifts when you come to my house."

However, she could hear the implication in his words—his family had everything, and there was nothing she could offer that would measure up.

Setting aside the etiquette of visiting with gifts, she watched as Zhou Luchen pushed the door open and entered.

There was a security booth outside the gate; his family’s main entrance probably didn’t need to be locked all year round.

Upon entering the courtyard, only the lights under the eaves were lit, and it was quiet and peaceful.

She could directly feel the spaciousness and ancient charm of the courtyard house.

The first courtyard featured White Begonias; passing through the main gate led to the second courtyard.

It was vast.

Lost in the sight, her arm was pulled back by Zhou Luchen. "This way. That path leads to Second Granny’s courtyard. Do you want her to know I brought you home to sleep with me?"

"Absolutely not." Shen Jing practically scrambled in front of Zhou Luchen. "Get me out of this courtyard, quickly!"

Behind the third courtyard was CuiweiPavilion, the Old Madam’s courtyard.

「Late at night」

A lantern suddenly lit up, and Sister Fang helped the Old Madam to sit up. "The gatekeeper said Luchen is back."

The Old Madam, accustomed to such things, had assumed they were waking her for some earth-shattering news.

"Since he rarely stays over, ask if he’s hungry and make him something to eat," the Old Madam said before settling back into her bed.