Casting Nets to Catch a Husband

Chapter 184: Night talk

Liu Yu pondered deeply until the third day of February, still unable to get past her inner turmoil.

Of course, the time the couple actually spent together was limited. Liu Yu was busy rushing to finish the clothes she was making and preparing for the opening of a new branch in Yuanzhou City, while Lu Chengxiao was mostly occupied with affairs in Wushan County. The only time they truly had together was shortly after Lu Chengxiao returned from Wushan County to Anyi County, and today, when Lu Chengxiao came back from Wushan. Meanwhile, the goods from Liu Yu’s embroidery workshop were finally ready, so she could return home early. The two sat together, chatting and catching up.

When you care deeply for someone, you can sense their emotions.

Although Lu Chengxiao hadn’t spent much time with Liu Yu lately, ever since that last time in Wushan County, he had faintly noticed that Liu Yu seemed to have something on her mind. Tonight was no different. But when he asked about it, Liu Yu’s lips moved as if to speak, but in the end, she shook her head and changed the topic to ask about the situation at the shop in Wushan County.

The shop in Wushan County was also set to open on the auspicious day of the eighth of February. After consulting with the Chen family some time ago, Lu Chengxiao had made a trip back to Changfeng Town. With the recommendation of Shopkeeper Yan, he appointed an assistant manager to oversee the cloth shop in the town, while transferring Shopkeeper Yan and two other staff members to Wushan County. Shopkeeper Yan would be fully responsible for running the cloth shop there.

Naturally, their benefits and wages had been increased significantly.

Lu Chengxiao said, “I told Shopkeeper Yan that we still need to hire more people in Wushan County and train them well to build a talent pool for future shop openings. Otherwise, the next time we open a branch, I’ll have no one to send over. I’ve also hired an experienced accountant to teach Babao bookkeeping. When we have more shops in the future, he’ll be in charge of overseeing the accounts.”

He himself was stretched too thin.

Liu Yu nodded, then remembered something and said, “Chengxiao, there’s something I wanted to ask. My third brother, from Liu Village—could he work at one of your cloth shops? After a few months of training, he could take up a staff position.”

Lu Chengxiao was momentarily taken aback, but after a brief thought, he understood. “You’re hoping that when there are both a cloth shop and an embroidery shop in one county, you could arrange for your third brother and sister-in-law to be there together?”

Liu Yu nodded. “My third sister-in-law is quite capable. She’ll be coming with me to Yuanzhou City this time for some experience. Later, when we open a branch in another county, I plan to promote her to manager. But my third brother still does odd jobs, and their two children are staying with their maternal grandparents, which isn’t ideal. I think it’s not good for a family to be apart like this. If both my third brother and sister-in-law work in the same county, the family can live together.”

As for childcare, her third sister-in-law could give her mother some money to help with household tasks, and her other sisters-in-law probably wouldn’t mind.

Lu Chengxiao nodded. “That’s doable. Wushan Town is hiring, and Shopkeeper Yan is willing to train people. If your third brother is willing to go, I’ll write a recommendation letter for him. He can take the letter directly to Shopkeeper Yan, who will ensure he’s taught well. If he wants to go to the shop in Yuanzhou City, that’s fine too—both places need staff.”

Hearing this, Liu Yu smiled. “I’ll let my sister-in-law know tomorrow, and she can send a message to my brother.”

Lu Chengxiao gazed at Liu Yu for a while, long enough that she became puzzled. Finally, he said, “Yu’er, you haven’t smiled like that in a long time.”

Liu Yu froze, only to feel her hand being held tightly by Lu Chengxiao.

“I’m always busy, running around everywhere. Do you ever feel sad? Do you feel lonely or unhappy?” he asked sincerely.

Liu Yu recalled her earlier words—that a family should not always be apart—and realized that Lu Chengxiao had misunderstood. Her heart filled with sweetness, but also a bit of guilt.

She shook her head, stood up, and sat on Lu Chengxiao’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Without hesitation, Lu Chengxiao embraced her. He was tall, so with Liu Yu sitting on his lap, they were at eye level. As they looked into each other’s eyes, Liu Yu shook her head and whispered, “I haven’t been unhappy because of that. I’ve been busy every day too, and I often don’t have time for you.”

Unable to hold back, Lu Chengxiao hugged her a little tighter. She had just bathed, and her hair still carried a faint hint of dampness.

Lu Chengxiao absentmindedly stroked Liu Yu’s cheek and the area behind her ear. As Liu Yu’s heartbeat quickened, his hand applied a bit more pressure, pulling her closer. He pressed his forehead against hers and kissed the lips he had been longing for.

As their breaths became uneven, Liu Yu tightened her hold around his neck. But just when she thought he would continue, Lu Chengxiao pulled back slightly. In a husky voice, he said, “Yu’er, if you have something on your mind, you need to tell me.”

After he spoke, his warm lips brushed against her neck before he pulled back a bit to look at her.

Liu Yu, however, couldn’t meet his gaze.

She had thought countless times about how to tell Lu Chengxiao.

To explain it as something seen in a dream? She didn’t dare.

She considered using the excuse of going out to observe ready-made clothing styles, to gain some experience. But she feared Lu Chengxiao would drop everything and insist on going with her.

She couldn’t imagine how she would lead Lu Chengxiao to Liuxian Pavilion to redeem two people with such a direct goal in mind.

That’s why, ever since returning from Wushan County, she hadn’t been able to bring herself to say it.

Liu Yu avoided his eyes, but Lu Chengxiao’s gaze followed her closely. For the first time, Liu Yu felt a panic she had never experienced before. She wasn’t sure what her expression was — panicked or guilty?

Lu Chengxiao was too perceptive, and Liu Yu didn’t dare let him keep looking. She wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face against his ear, leaving him no angle to see her.

A trace of worry flashed in Lu Chengxiao’s eyes. He gently stroked her back in a comforting gesture. Then, he turned his face slightly and whispered in her ear, “You can tell me later when you’re ready, okay?”

Liu Yu leaned on his shoulder and nodded.

A heated kiss fell on her ear and neck, and the air around them gradually heated up.

Lu Chengxiao hadn’t touched Liu Yu in a long time. Not since that night in the new house in November, except for a few moments when he lost control after returning from Liangzhe. Most of the time, he restrained himself, kissing, hugging, and pleasing Liu Yu, often bringing her to tears, but always stopping before crossing the final line.

But tonight was different. Perhaps because of his unease, or his desire to be closer to Liu Yu, to close the distance between them, Lu Chengxiao did not hold back. Yet, he remained exceptionally gentle.

It was a kind of gentleness that concealed the boiling intensity beneath the surface, barely holding back from losing control.

The night felt endless, and Liu Yu lost count of how many times she had been brought to the peak.

And yet, the night also felt fleeting. Before they had even fallen asleep, the sound of the third watch’s drum echoed outside.

Liu Yu was covered in a fine layer of sweat. After helping her clean up, Lu Chengxiao held her tightly. Under his hands, her skin was soft and smooth, like warm jade. Every inch of it was perfect. He especially loved lightly nibbling on her shoulders and neck — her most sensitive spot. Sure enough, even a light touch made her shudder.

Liu Yu was too exhausted to move even a finger, but just when Lu Chengxiao thought she had fallen asleep, she surprised him by turning around in his arms, wrapping herself tightly around his waist.

In the darkness, Lu Chengxiao raised an eyebrow. “You’re still awake?” he asked, his voice thick with the satisfaction of their intimacy.

Liu Yu responded with a soft “Mm,” her voice carrying a seductive tone that only came after he had thoroughly worn her down. She said, “Chengxiao, I keep having the same dream.”

Liu Yu wasn’t sure where she found the courage, but perhaps it was Lu Chengxiao’s tenderness, or maybe she sensed his own unease. In the darkness, she finally spoke up.

Lu Chengxiao’s hand paused on her back, and then he shifted, sitting up to look at her in the dark. “Because of the dream? What kind of dream?”

Liu Yu was faster, pulling him back into her embrace as if doing so would keep her courage from slipping away.

Realizing her unease, Lu Chengxiao didn’t try to pull away again. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her and gently asked, “What kind of dream?”

His question stirred an unexpected wave of emotion in Liu Yu, a sudden surge of bitterness that rose from her chest to her nose and eyes, bringing with it a faint sheen of tears.

Thankfully, the dim light inside the bedchamber made it impossible for anyone to see. The bitterness passed quickly, leaving only a cool sensation at the corners of her eyes. Liu Yu hugged Lu Chengxiao tighter, pressing her face against his chest, and used the steady beat of his heart to calm herself.

She said, “A nightmare.”

Lu Chengxiao’s hand paused again on her back. “What kind of nightmare? Does it have something to do with what’s been troubling you recently?”

A small smile tugged at the corner of Liu Yu’s lips — he really was so perceptive.

She nodded and said, “I can’t remember it clearly, but I keep dreaming that someone is calling for help. Chengxiao, I want to go to Yangzhou.”

Lu Chengxiao could no longer remain lying down. He sat up and looked in Liu Yu’s direction through the darkness. “Because of the dream? What kind of dream?”

She wanted to go to Yangzhou, and in her heart, she still remembered some things.

But Liu Yu remained silent. She sat up halfway, biting her lip for a long time before finally shaking her head.

By now, their eyes had adjusted to the darkness, allowing them to faintly see each other’s silhouettes. The February nights were still cold, and Lu Chengxiao wrapped the blanket around Liu Yu’s exposed shoulders. He was about to get out of bed to light a lamp.

If her recent uneasiness was all related to this, then clearly, to Lu Chengxiao, Liu Yu’s dream was more than just a simple dream.

But Liu Yu suddenly grabbed his hand and shook her head. “Don’t light the lamp… I’ve thought about this for a long, long time before I found the courage to tell you.”

She feared that once the lamp was lit, her courage would vanish.

Lu Chengxiao understood the meaning behind her words. Just from that one sentence, he grasped the internal struggle she was facing. He withdrew his hand from the curtain and leaned back against the bed, pulling Liu Yu into his arms, gently patting her back to comfort her. “Alright, I won’t light the lamp. But tell me more—why do you want to go to Yangzhou?”

Liu Yu steadied herself. By this point, it was easier to speak than it had been at first. She said, “Since last March, I’ve had recurring dreams. In these dreams, there are two people in Yangzhou… in a place called Liuxian Pavilion. I don’t know who they are, and I can’t clearly recall what’s happening, but I know they need me to save them. By March, or at the latest by late March, something terrible will happen.”

It was the first time Liu Yu had uttered the words “Liuxian Pavilion” since her rebirth.

Her heart raced with anxiety, and she felt a chill running through her blood.

Lu Chengxiao held her, sensing her slight trembling. When he touched her face, he realized that her skin was cold to the touch. He was startled to find tears on her face, and in a moment of panic, he instinctively called out, “Yu’er?”

Liu Yu quickly turned her face away and explained, “I think I’ve been affected by the two women in my dream.”

“Chengxiao, I want to go to Yangzhou. To be honest, Liuxian Pavilion, in my dream, doesn’t seem like a proper place. I’ve always found it hard to talk about, and I originally thought about asking my eldest brother to accompany me.”

Suddenly, Lu Chengxiao recalled the day in Wushan County when he, Liu Yanping, and Liu Yanan were discussing their trip to Liangzhe. It was during that time that Liu Yu’s emotions had seemed off.

“Was it back in Wushan County that you started thinking about this?”

Liu Yu nodded and said, “Even earlier.”

Liuxian Pavilion wasn’t a proper place. Lu Chengxiao didn’t frequent brothels, but he had some classmates who were known to be more indulgent, so he had heard of it. From Liu Yu’s attitude and her words, Lu Chengxiao quickly pieced together what might be happening.

But who would keep dreaming about two women in a brothel and then genuinely want to save them?

For the first time in his life, Lu Chengxiao wondered if supernatural forces, like ghosts or spirits, might exist in this world. Was it possible that Liu Yu had been affected by something unclean? But as quickly as the thought came, he dismissed it.

He wasn’t one to believe in such things.

Unable to make sense of it, he decided to ask directly, “You want to go to Yangzhou to save people because of a dream? Are you sure that Liuxian Pavilion and those two people actually exist in Yangzhou?”

To Lu Chengxiao, Liu Yu wasn’t the type to act impulsively just because of a few dreams.

Liu Yu fell silent for a moment before answering, her voice hesitant. “If this were before, I wouldn’t have believed it either. But do you remember how I approached you in the beginning?”

Lu Chengxiao was a little puzzled. “What does this have to do with me?”

He nodded. “I remember. You said you realized that your adoptive father and your sister-in-law were planning to sell you.”

Liu Yu remained quiet for a long time before speaking. “Actually, I wasn’t that perceptive.”

In her previous life, she hadn’t known anything about being sold until it happened. She was taken by a brothel keeper to the outskirts of Yuanzhou, completely oblivious to the fact that she had been sold.

She hadn’t understood what was happening, even after it was too late.

Liu Yu paused for a while, then, with great difficulty, she finally said, “I mentioned earlier that I’ve been having the same dream since last March. Lu Chengxiao, in that dream… I saw… I saw myself being sold.”

Her voice was soft, but only she knew how her blood seemed to freeze the moment those words left her lips.

Sansukini: How hard is it to confess to your husband that you were reborn and was a courtesan in your past life.

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