Chapter 98: Lin Daiyu

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The air suddenly fell silent.

Zhu’er’s tears, which had already stopped, suddenly welled up in her eyes again. She bit her lips and glared at him. With a sobbing tone, she said angrily, “My Miss is not sick!”

After saying that, she suddenly could not help but cry.

Luo Qingzhou’s heart sank. He glanced at her and did not dare to ask further. He silently entered the courtyard.

Qiu’er was walking around with a vase of freshly picked flowers in her hand.

When she saw him, she hurriedly jogged into the house and said excitedly, “Miss, Sir is here!”

Qin Weimo was reading in the study. When she heard this, she immediately stood up and gently pushed open the window.

Luo Qingzhou had just walked under the slanting plum tree.

When he came a few days ago, the branches of this slanted plum tree were still filled with flower buds. Only a few red plum trees were in full bloom. Today, there were already red flowers on the branches, competing with each other for beauty.

The window opened.

Their eyes met.

Qin Weimo was wearing a moon-white dress and a snow-white fox fur coat. She stood weakly by the window and smiled gently at him.

Luo Qingzhou lowered his head and cupped his hands. He looked straight ahead. “Second Young Miss.”

His mother-in-law had spies in this room.

If he was not wrong, it must be Zhu’er.

Therefore, he had to be careful and not overstep his boundaries.

Qin Weimo stared at him gently and said softly, “Brother-in-law, it’s cold outside. Can we talk inside?”

Luo Qingzhou walked under the roof and lowered his head. “Second Young

Miss, I can just stand here. Do you still want to hear stories today?”

Qin Weimo said gently, “Brother-in-law, I’ve already talked to Mother. She won’t blame you. Don’t be afraid. Come in and let’s sit on the couch and talk, okay?”

Luo Qingzhou continued, “No need. I’m fine standing here.”

Qin Weimo sighed inaudibly and said in a low voice, “Will we always be so distant from one another?”

Zhu’er suddenly appeared in the courtyard. Her eyes were red as she said, “If Young Miss wants you to go in, go in. I… I won’t tell Madam.”

Luo Qingzhou looked at her.

Confessing without being pressed?

Zhu’er blushed and threatened, “Sir, go in quickly. Miss asked you to go in, but you refused. If Madam finds out, she’ll be angry.”

Qiu’er also advised softly at the door, “Yes, Sir, go in. It’s warm in the room. If you stand outside with the window open, Miss won’t be able to take it.”

Luo Qingzhou looked at the weak woman in the room.

Qin Weimo frowned slightly and looked at him with her clear eyes. She pouted slightly and looked pitiful. When she saw him looking at her, she begged gently, “Brother-in-law, come in…”

Fine.

Luo Qingzhou did not reject anymore. He reached out and gently closed the open window for her before entering the house.

Qiu’er led him to the door of the study and reminded him in a low voice, “Sir, take off your shoes. Also, please help me persuade Miss to eat a bowl of lean meat porridge. Miss hasn’t eaten anything for the entire morning and only ate a few snacks for lunch.’

Luo Qingzhou nodded slightly. He took off his shoes and stepped on the soft snow-white carpet before walking in.

“Brother-in-law…”

Qin Weimo welcomed him with a smile. She had bright eyes and snow-white skin. Her body was as delicate as a willow tree as if she would collapse if the wind blew.

Luo Qingzhou could not help but reach out to hold her. However, just as he reached out, he immediately reacted and hurriedly retracted his hand.

Qin Weimo naturally saw his actions and could not help but pursed her lips. She said gently, “Brother-in-law, go to the couch. It’s warmer there.”

She turned around gently and walked in front, revealing her smooth black hair and slender waist.

The snow-white stockings under the dress were exquisite and spotless.

Luo Qingzhou followed behind and walked to the soft couch.

Qin Weimo turned around and smiled. “Brother-in-law, go on up.”

Luo Qingzhou did not decline anymore. He got onto the couch and knelt down. He looked straight ahead. “Second Young Miss, do you still want to hear a story today?”

Qin Weimo also came up and sat down.

The two of them sat opposite each other across a small table.

Qin Weimo stared at him with a gentle gaze. “Brother-in-law, can we talk first?”

Luo Qingzhou looked down at the chess pieces on the table and said, “Second

Young Miss, please speak.”

Qin Weimo pouted slightly and said in a low voice, “Zhu’er and the rest are not around. Raise your head and look at me, okay?”

Luo Qingzhou was a little embarrassed. He looked up at her and said, “How about this, Second Young Miss? I’ll tell you a story first. The story this time is a little more exciting than the Romance of the West Chamber last time. I think you’ll like it.”

Qin Weimo’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

After a pause, she said coquettishly, “But I still want to talk to you first.”

Luo Qingzhou glanced at her and could only say, “Um… Second Young Miss, I still have to go back to study later.”

Qin Weimo frowned slightly and could only say “oh” softly. She lowered her eyelashes and said, “All right, I can’t disturb your studies. With your talent, you will be the top scholar in the future.”

Luo Qingzhou did not say anything else and started telling the story. “Second Young Miss, the name of this story is ‘The Story of the Stone’.

“Oh? What a strange name.”

Qin Weimo blinked in confusion.

Luo Qingzhou cleared his throat and said, “When the Nuwa family was refining stones to mend the sky, they refined 36,501 stones that were each 120 feet tall and 240 square feet on the Unfounded Cliff of the Great Desolate Mountain.

Emperor Nuwa used 36,500 stones. Only one was left unused and was abandoned at the toot ot the Green Ridge Peak…”

Qin Weimo looked at him with wide eyes while listening seriously.

When he reached the part where Lin Daiyu entered the residence for the third round and met Jia Baoyu for the first time, Luo Qingzhou stopped talking and cupped his hands. “Second Young Miss, that’s all for today. It’s getting late, and I should go back to studying. On account of me telling you a story, can you eat a bowl of porridge?”

Qin Weimo was stunned for a moment before covering her mouth and smiling. She looked at him with watery eyes. “If you want to persuade me to eat porridge, that’s fine too. But you stay and eat a bowl with me, okay? Otherwise,

I won’t eat it.”

Before Luo Qingzhou could reply, Qiu’er hurriedly brought in two bowls of porridge and said, “Sir, the porridge is here!”

Luo Qingzhou was at a loss for words.

Two bowls of vegetable lean meat porridge were placed on the small table in front of him.

A fragrance of rice and meat wafted out from the two small bowls.

Luo Qingzhou smelled it and was a little hungry.

“Do you want me to eat?”

Qin Weimo smiled and looked at him playfully.

Luo Qingzhou could only say, “Then Second Young Miss, you have to keep your word. If I eat, you have to eat too.”

Qin Weimo smiled and said, “Of course. I won’t lie to you.”

As she spoke, she reached out her fair hand, picked up the spoon, and handed it to him.

Luo Qingzhou took it and did not hesitate anymore. He lowered his head and started eating.

Qin Weimo watched with a smile. Just as she was about to speak, Luo Qingzhou suddenly put down his spoon and got off the couch. “Second Young Miss, I’m done eating.”

Qin Weimo was stunned.

She looked at his bowl. Originally, there was so much porridge in it, but now there was not a single grain left.

She did not even have the chance to say a word.

“Second Young Miss, a gentleman never goes back on his words…”

Luo Qingzhou cupped his hands.

Qin Weimo smiled helplessly. “I’m not a gentleman. But don’t worry. I won’t lie to you. I will eat.”

As she spoke, she picked up the spoon, lowered her head, and took small bites.

Luo Qingzhou was about to leave when she looked up at him and suddenly said, “Wait… In the story you just told, that woman—Lin Daiyu—did you write it based on me?”

Luo Qingzhou’s heart tightened, and he hurriedly explained, “No, this character has already been written. Before I met Second Young Miss, I had already written it.”

Qin Weimo smiled gently and looked at him. “Yes, I believe you. You won’t lie to a pretty and frail woman.”

Luo Qingzhou stared at her speechlessly.

After a while, he said, “Second Young Miss, enjoy your meal. I should get back to my studies.”

Luo Qingzhou lowered his head and bade farewell.

Qin Weimo put down the spoon in her hand and looked at him with a charming gaze. “When are you coming again?”

Luo Qingzhou said vaguely, “In a few days.” “In a few days? One day, two days? Three to five days, or 90 days?”

Qin Weimo frowned and looked pitiful.

Luo Qingzhou could only say, “In three days.” Qin Weimo immediately smiled. “A gentleman…” “… never goes back on his words.”

Luo Qingzhou cupped his hands and bade farewell.

Qin Weimo watched as he disappeared at the door. She was in a daze for a long time before muttering, “Qiu’er, actually… I don’t like the story Brother-in-law just told me. I think… it should be a tragedy. Lin Daiyu is like me. In the end… will she vanish too? Then Jia Baoyu…”

At this moment, Luo Qingzhou’s voice suddenly came from outside the window. “By the way, Second Young Miss, I forgot to tell you. The story I’m telling you is a romantic comedy. Also, Lin Daiyu is not you. She’s not as beautiful and magnanimous as you. She’s a petty person. She can’t compare to you at all.”

With that, the footsteps gradually faded away.

Qin Weimo looked out the window and was in a daze for a moment. A bright smile appeared in his eyes as she muttered, “Qiu’er, he was praising me just now.”

Qiu’er hurriedly held back her tears and smiled. “Yes, Sir is praising Miss. Sir is praising Miss for being beautiful and for having a good tolerance. Lin Daiyu and Jia Baoyu can’t compare to Miss.” “Miss, have some porridge. Don’t let it get cold.”

Qiu’er already had a sobbing tone.

Qin Weimo lowered her head to look at the porridge in the bowl and then at the empty bowl opposite her. She picked up the spoon again and smiled. “Of course, I have to eat. I’ve already promised Brother-in-law.”

After taking a few bites, she suddenly cried and muttered softly, “I want to listen to Brother-in-law tell stories every day… I don’t want to be unable to see him. I hope that day won’t come.”

Qiu’er and Zhu’er also cried and did not dare to speak..