Chapter 33

The courtyard was very cold.

The moonlight was cold, and the beauty was even colder.

Luo Qingzhou did not dare delay any longer and quickly headed out.

Zhu’er was outside the door waiting. At that moment, she was stretching her neck and peeking into the courtyard. Seeing that Luo Qingzhou was out, she snorted loudly and looked away.

When Bai Ling came out, Zhu’er immediately smiled sweetly at her. She flattered softly, “Bai Ling, you’re the best!”

Bai Ling smiled and pointed at the girl behind her who had a sword in her arms.

Zhu’er immediately understood and added, “Xia Chan is very formidable too.”

Xia Chan’s expression was cold. She ignored Zhu’er.

Zhu’er did not dare to say anything more. She immediately led the way and said, “My Young Miss will be here soon. Let’s go to the lake and wait.”

Xiao Die watched from the door and did not follow.

She knew that she had a lowly status and could not board the boat, so she could only pray in her heart, hoping that Young Master would not anger Second Young Miss, not to mention Miss Xia Chan.

On second thought, she felt that Luo Qingzhou should not offend anyone at all.

They had just arrived at the Qin residence. Although everyone treated them very well, they should stick to the rules and know their limits.

A son-in-law who married into the wife’s family was laughed at by others. It was very disgraceful and that son-in-law usually had a low status.

If he did not behave well, he could be kicked out at any time.

Xiao Die’s thoughts ran wild as she returned to her room. Filled with worries for her Young Master and expectations for the future, she continued to practice embroidery.

She wanted to learn needlework, how to play the flute, singing, and the skills that other maidservants knew.

She had to become multi-talented.

Only then would she be valuable and be able to do Young Master proud.

Zhu’er led Luo Qingzhou and the other two into Moonlight Rain Court. They walked to the lakeside and waited by the two boats.

Bai Ling and Xia Chan stood behind Luo Qingzhou, which put a lot of pressure on him.

Zhu’er pointed at the boat on the right. “My Young Miss and Miss Meng will take this boat later. Bai Ling, Xia Chan, and Sir will take the other boat.”

Bai Ling walked to the lake and glanced at the small boat on the left. Suddenly, she leaped and landed lightly on it. She smiled and said, “There’s no need to find someone to propel the boat, I’ll do it.”

After saying that, she undid the rope tying down the boat and walked over to the end of the boat. She took up the rowing oars and placed them in the water.

Judging from her movements, she was quite skilled.

Zhu’er smiled and said, “I know that you like to play with water.”

Bai Ling held the rowing roars and glanced at a certain someone on the shore. She smiled and said, “There are many things I like to play with. It’s not just water.”

The boat moved slowly.

Ripples appeared on the surface of the lake, breaking the still surface of the lake where the moon shone upon it. The water glistened under the moonlight.

Bai Ling looked at Luo Qingzhou, who was standing on the shore and smiled. “Sir, you have to be careful later. Don’t fall into the water. Second Young Miss and the guests will laugh at you.”

Zhu’er’s lips curled in a mocking smile. “If you’re scared later, Sir, just sit and hold onto the sides of the boat. Don’t keep looking about or sneaking peeks at others as it’s very rude to do so.”

Luo Qingzhou frowned and looked at her. “Don’t worry, I won’t peep at Second Young Miss and the guests, I’ll only peek at you.”

“Pfft…”

Bai Ling was using the rowing oars to splash the water. Her face broke into her characteristically charming smile when she heard Luo Qingzhou’s words. Even the boat began to rock from side to side.

“You…”

Zhu’er’s face instantly turned red. She was angry, embarrassed, and shocked by Luo Qingzhou.

Luo Qingzhou heard the words she was thinking.

“This stupid scholar looks honest and stupid, but he’s actually so bold. He actually dares tease me! When we get back, I’ll definitely report it to Madam!”

Luo Qingzhou turned his head and looked at the girl with dimples. He ignored Zhu’er.

“Hmph!”

Zhu’er snorted and turned her face away, ignoring him.

Although this fellow married into the family, there was a status difference between a master and a servant. Moreover, First Young Miss’ servants were still here.

She could not go overboard.

Not long after, a girl’s soft voice came from outside the courtyard.

“Young Miss is here.”

Zhu’er’s eyes lit up and she immediately went up to her.

Luo Qingzhou turned around.

A group of maidservants escorted three young girls through the archway.

One of the girls was supported by a maidservant. She was a dainty-looking girl, and her skin was delicately fair. She looked elegant and gentle. She was wearing a blue-white dress. A snow-white fur robe was wrapped tightly around her body.

She was the Second Young Miss of the Qin residence, Qin Weimo.

The girl on the left was tall and slender. She wore a thin purple dress and had a short saber strapped at her waist. She looked suave and heroic.

The girl on the right was shorter, but she had good figure proportions. She was wearing a long green dress, and her figure was curvaceous. She was a good-looking woman, and she applied a light layer of makeup to her face.

As the three of them spoke, they walked toward the lake surrounded by maidservants and elderly maids.

When she saw the people by the lake, Qin Weimo smiled gently.

The other two girls looked at Luo Qingzhou and sized him up curiously. Then, they asked in a low voice, “Weimo, this is your brother-in-law, the one who married into your family?”

Qin Weimo nodded slightly with a gentle expression.

The girl on the right frowned slightly and said, “Weimo, we’re taking a boat and going to moon gaze. It’s a little inappropriate to bring a man, right?”

Qin Weimo smiled and said, “Zixi, my brother-in-law is a scholar. He is usually at home studying, and he rarely goes out. Later, if you have any poems or essays that you don’t understand, you can ask him.”

The girl on the left said casually, “Zixi, there’s no need to stick to such formalities. We’re out to have fun. So what if there’s a man? Is he a monster who will eat you?”

The three of them spoke in low voices as they approached.

Qin Weimo first lowered her head slightly to the young man by the lake and gently called him “Brother-in-law” before introducing the two girls beside her.

The girl in the purple dress on the left was called Meng Yulan, the First Young Miss of the City Lord Manor.

The girl on the right was called Song Zixi. She was the Young Miss of the Song family, one of the four major families in Mo City.

The two girls had known Qin Weimo since they were young. Back then, they studied in the academy together and had a close relationship with one another.

Although Qin Weimo rarely went out after she got sick, the two of them often came to look for her and accompany her.

“Young Master Luo.”

The two girls greeted Luo Qingzhou.

Luo Qingzhou lowered his head and cupped his hands. He looked straight ahead and greeted them, “Miss Meng, Miss Song.”

Bai Ling said crisply from the boat, “Second Young Miss, you should board the boat. Otherwise, if you continue to wait, the moon will hide behind the clouds.”

Qin Weimo smiled gently. “Bai Ling, are you going to row the boat yourself?”

Bai Ling deliberately sighed and said, “It can’t be helped. Sir is seasick. Only if I row the boat will he not be seasick.”

At the side, Meng Yulan asked curiously, “Why is that so? Could it be that you are skillful at rowing the boat?”

Meng Yulan had seen Bai Ling before.

The first time she saw Bai Ling, she was stunned by the beauty of this maidservant.

When she saw Xia Chan, she was even more shocked and curious.

Meng Yulan was very curious about the eldest daughter of the Qin family.

When the First Young Miss Qin finally came back after going missing for many years, Meng Yulan still had not gotten a chance to see her.

Every time she wanted to see Qin Jianjia, she would be politely rejected.

Meng Yulan thought that the First Young Miss had been injured during her years outside the residence and that there was something wrong with her mind or body, so she did not want to see outsiders. That was why Meng Yulan did not insist on seeing her.

However, she was always curious about what Qin Jianjia looked like.

Today, when she saw this beautiful maid standing in the moonlight, her curiosity flared once more.

She wondered,

“What kind of a person is the First Young Miss? She even has two stunning beauties as maidservants willingly serving her.”

As Bai Ling held onto the rowing oars, she replied with a smile, “Sir said that I’m very beautiful, even more beautiful than the moonlight. He’ll only be dizzy from my beauty, and he won’t become seasick.”

When Meng Yulan heard this, she burst out laughing. “Is that so? Bai Ling, if you’re saying the truth, you have to be careful. He is flirting with you.”

Bai Ling blinked innocently at her and looked at the young man on the shore. “Sir, is she right? Were you flirting with me?”

Luo Qingzhou ignored her and did not look at her.

Arguing with a woman was the most unwise.

This girl was deliberately embarrassing him in front of Second Young Miss and outsiders. Was she taking revenge on him because of him pulling a prank on her earlier, or was it for her Young Miss?

Qin Weimo smiled and said, “Yulan, Zixi, let’s board the boat.”

“Okay.”

Meng Yulan jumped onto the other boat and stretched out her hand. “Weimo, come, I’ll help you up.”

After the three girls boarded the boat, Zhu’er and another maidservant followed.

Two elderly maids were about to go up too. Meng Yulan waved her hand dismissively and said, “You two don’t have to follow us. Just wait on the shore, or go to the pavilion and have some tea and snacks. This is the Qin residence. What could possibly happen?”

Song Zixi also waved dismissively at the shore.

Another maidservant boarded the boat. After untying the rope, she went to the stern to pick up the rowing oars and placed them into the water.

“Brother-in-law, get on the boat.”

Qin Weimo called out gently to the shore.

Luo Qingzhou turned around and looked at Xia Chan who was standing under the shadow of a willow tree. He waited for her to go up first.

Bai Ling smiled. “Chanchan, Sir is waiting for you.”

Xia Chan’s expression was cold. Seeing that everyone was looking at her, she held her sword and walked out from the shadows of the trees. When she reached the lake, she paused for a moment before jumping into the boat.

However, Luo Qingzhou noticed her expression changed slightly. There was a hint of panic in her eyes.

“Is this girl afraid of water?”

Luo Qingzhou thought to himself.

Following that, he jumped up, deliberately exerting some strength.

The boat jolted as he landed on it.

Xia Chan trembled a little. She walked to the cabin in the middle and sat down. She crossed her arms in front of her chest while holding onto her sword. She still had a cold look on her face, but at that moment, her face was a little pale.

Luo Qingzhou smirked inwardly.

“Let’s go!” Bai Ling chirped.

She stood at the stern and started to row.