"I am not that delicate. I'm just washing clothes, it won't tire me out. You've also had a long day, get some rest early. I'll be going now."
She had come only to see if Lu Shi needed any help. Seeing that he was fine, she had nothing to worry about.
Moreover, it was getting late, and they were not yet married. If she stayed any longer, alone with a man in a room, and were seen, there would surely be gossip. It was best for her to leave quickly.
"Wait... wait a moment!"
Lu Shi hesitated for a long time, but before Cai Qing could leave, he called out to her.
"What is it? Is there something else?"
Cai Qing frowned slightly and looked at Lu Shi with a puzzled gaze, asking if he had anything else.
"I... I..." Lu Shi stammered, scratching the back of his head, looking troubled.
After weighing it carefully, he slowly took out something he had prepared earlier from his怀.
Wrapped meticulously in a red cloth, it revealed a jade bracelet. The jade was a vibrant green, clearly of good quality, suggesting the bracelet was indeed not cheap.
"This bracelet... it was left to me by my mother. She instructed me to give it to... to my future wife. This bracelet is for you."
After saying this, before Cai Qing could react, Lu Shi impatiently placed the bracelet on her wrist.
The green bracelet looked even more beautiful against her fair wrist. Cai Qing looked stunning wearing it.
"You look so beautiful wearing it."
Lu Shi was mesmerized, his eyes fixated on her, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
Praised, Cai Qing's fair face instantly blushed, making her appear even more charming and shy.
"Don't talk nonsense." Cai Qing chided him playfully, lowering her head to look at the bracelet. It was so precious, and they were not yet married. It felt improper for her to wear it now.
"We are not married yet, so it's not suitable for me to wear it. Please take it back."
Saying this, Cai Qing reached to remove the bracelet, but Lu Shi quickly stepped forward and held her hand.
As their hands touched, it felt like an electric shock. Both of them startled and withdrew their hands simultaneously.
After this, the blush on Cai Qing's face deepened. The lingering touch on her hand left her flustered and unsure of what to do.
"I wanted to give you this bracelet a long time ago. I... I have long decided that you are my future wife. If you feel it's improper, I will immediately ask the young madam to agree to our marriage. If the young madam refuses, I will kneel until she agrees."
He had long ago decided that Cai Qing was his wife and would never marry anyone else. He had wanted to ask the young madam to bless their union, but he had been too busy and hadn't found a suitable opportunity, so it had been delayed.
Now, it seemed he could wait no longer. Tomorrow morning, he would ask the young madam.
"You... what nonsense are you talking about? I... I won't talk to you anymore!"
After speaking, Cai Qing, feeling extremely embarrassed, simply ran away.
Only Lu Shi, the simpleton, remained with a bewildered expression, not quite understanding what Cai Qing meant.
...
Cai Qing rushed back to her room and eagerly closed the door. She placed a hand on her rapidly beating heart, her cheeks still flushed.
Lu Shi's words echoed in her mind, making her shyness even more evident.
She had always thought Lu Shi was a bit slow-witted, but she never expected him to say something like this today. It was truly unbelievable.
She raised her hand, and the bracelet on her wrist was even more noticeable. Reaching out to touch it, a blissful smile spread across her lips.
"Sister Cai Qing, what good news has happened for you to be smiling so happily?"
As Chu Qing entered the room, she saw Cai Qing smiling foolishly with a dazed look. Without a doubt, she knew something good had happened.
As she looked down, she was captivated by the bracelet on Cai Qing's wrist and quickly leaned forward to ask, "Sister Cai Qing, your bracelet is truly beautiful. Did Master Lu give it to you?"
Her thoughts having been revealed, Cai Qing became even more bashful. She gently patted Chu Qing's arm and chided softly, "What nonsense are you talking, you little rascal."
"Look how happy you are smiling. It must be that Master Lu gave you this bracelet. Sister Cai Qing, aren't you about to have something good happen soon?"
Although Chu Qing was young, she had seen a lot. She understood such matters clearly and thought that soon she would be able to taste Sister Cai Qing's wedding cake.
"You naughty girl, you're so cheeky now. If you dare to speak nonsense again, I'll tear your little mouth!"
Cai Qing pretended to be angry, reaching out to tear Chu Qing's mouth, teasing her for always making fun of her.
"Good sister... good sister, I dare not, I dare not. Please don't be angry with me."
Chu Qing quickly begged for mercy, turning away in a hurry, afraid she would actually tear her mouth.
"See if you dare to talk nonsense again."
"I dare not... I really dare not."
Chu Qing repeatedly promised. After a pause, she walked back to Cai Qing and sat down. After some thought, she still asked the question on her mind: "Sister Cai Qing, tell me, has Master Lu actually talked about marriage with you?"
"You naughty girl, you dare to mention it again."
Seeing that Cai Qing seemed genuinely angry, Chu Qing quickly closed her mouth, "If you don't want to talk about it, then don't. Don't be angry."
Cai Qing suppressed her smile, her expression turning quite serious, "If you continue to..."
"I won't say anything more. I'll go fetch some water. We can wash up and then go to bed."
Since she couldn't get any more information, Chu Qing decided not to press further. It was most important to get ready for bed. She had been taking care of the two young masters all day, and it had exhausted her.
After Chu Qing left, Cai Qing finally breathed a sigh of relief. This Chu Qing had quite a sharp tongue and blurted everything out.
It had made her so embarrassed earlier, she didn't know what to say. Fortunately, she hadn't continued to ask.
Cai Qing reached out and stroked the bracelet, her lips curved with a blissful smile.
...
Lu Shi tossed and turned all night without sleeping. As soon as it was dawn, he got out of bed, his eyes dark circles, and stood blocking the door of Feng Jin's room.