Flower Stealing Master

After all, Lu You was only flesh and blood. In the end, he couldn’t withstand the effects of the alcohol.

Song Qingshu was thoroughly frustrated. After settling the bill, he helped Lu You toward the Lu residence. Though Lu You, having been agitated that day, was unwilling to return to that place of heartbreak, Song Qingshu had never made a habit of spending the night outside with another man. And caring for a drunk… just thinking about it gave him a headache. If it had been a young maiden, he might have reluctantly managed, but a real man? No, thank you…even if Lu You had been his idol in a previous life.

Since it was already late, the Lu residence was much quieter than during the day. Song Qingshu didn’t know what this world’s attitude was toward people who stayed out late drinking until dead drunk. Worried that Lu You might be punished for it the next day, he didn’t alert anyone else. Instead, he quietly helped Lu You toward his own courtyard.

After a maidservant announced them, Lu You’s current wife, Lady Wang, quickly gathered her skirts and came running out. Seeing her husband reeking of alcohol and completely unconscious, she was both annoyed and worried. She hurriedly called for maidservants to help her support Lu You inside.

“Sister-in-law, I’ll take my leave now,” Song Qingshu said. Though he had a weakness for beautiful women, he wasn’t so depraved as to have improper thoughts about every attractive woman he met, especially since this was Lu You’s wife.

“Thank you very much for today, young master.” Lady Wang inclined her body in a slight bow.

“You’re too kind, Sister-in-law.” Song Qingshu smiled and nodded. Just as he was about to turn and leave, he paused and asked, “Sister-in-law, do you happen to know Wang Yuyan?” He had noticed that her features bore a faint, one- or two-tenths resemblance to Wang Yuyan. Coupled with the fact that she also bore the surname Wang, he couldn’t help asking.

“Yuyan?” Lady Wang was astonished. “I am her aunt. Young master knows Yuyan as well?”

“I see.” Song Qingshu suddenly understood. “Miss Wang and I are friends.” Since it was already late, Song Qingshu was not in a position to linger. He exchanged a few casual words and took his leave.

On the way back to his quarters, he mused to himself. *The Wang clan of Linchuan truly is a great family with centuries of heritage, intermarrying with officials throughout the court…and often with rival factions. They clearly understand the principle of not putting all one’s eggs in one basket.*

The Lu family had already arranged a tasteful, secluded courtyard for Song Qingshu. The furnishings were extremely refined…any single item would probably be an invaluable cultural relic if taken to the future. They had also assigned several pretty maidservants and clever young servants to attend to him. After washing up, Song Qingshu dismissed the servants and lay alone on the bed, staring into space.

“The night is long, and a single pillow is hard to sleep on,” Song Qingshu thought idly. *Rather than all this empty show, the Lu family would do better to send a beautiful young lady to keep me company. If they can’t bear to part with their own daughters, a young mistress would do as well.*

Of course, these were just random fantasies. The Lu family was a scholarly household…how could they do such a thing? And even if they did send a woman, would Song Qingshu really accept?

“I just heard Lu You mention that Guanying has gone to Lin’an to inform Han Dingxiao. Right now, Cheng Yaojia is probably just as lonely as I am.” Song Qingshu’s eyes lit up. Once the thought arose, it could no longer be suppressed. He sprang up from the bed in an instant and slipped out through the window.

Though he was currently in the Lu residence, and Cheng Yaojia was the Lu family’s daughter-in-law…if discovered, it would definitely cause an uproar…Song Qingshu had absolute confidence in his martial arts. He could come and go freely even in the imperial palace, let alone a mere Lu residence.

Especially the thought of the consequences if he were caught, that intense thrill of danger, only made Song Qingshu more unable to resist. So he quietly pressed the sleeping acupoints of the maidservants and young servants outside, then slipped into the night.

Cheng Yaojia was sitting by her desk, lost in thought. Though she had been married for many years, her skin was still as delicate as a young girl’s. Because she had just finished bathing, a faint, misty vapor still clung to her skin, making it pink and white and exceptionally alluring.

She didn’t understand why she had washed so thoroughly, even specially fetching the precious incense she had recently acquired to make her whole body fragrant. Was it because of what that man had said before?

Cheng Yaojia’s face reddened. She quickly shook her head to dispel that shameful thought and forced herself to focus on her husband, who had gone to Lin’an. *I wonder if his journey will go smoothly?*

Unfortunately, before long, her thoughts drifted again. She murmured to herself, *I wonder if he’ll come tonight…*

“Is my lady talking about me?” Just then, a very familiar voice sounded in her ear. She turned her head and saw an extraordinarily distinguished man sitting by the window, looking at her with a knowing smile. Who else could it be but Song Qingshu?

“Ah…” Cheng Yaojia gasped. She quickly covered her mouth, afraid of alerting the maidservants. Then she hurried over and pulled him down from the windowsill.

Song Qingshu looked surprised. “My lady, there’s no need to be so eager.”

“Pah!” Cheng Yaojia spat daintily. As she closed the window, she scolded, “This is the second floor. Sitting on the windowsill is too conspicuous. If anyone else in the residence sees you, I won’t be able to show my face.”

“What if someone sees us? I’ll just elope with you…we’ll fly far away together.” Song Qingshu said with a grin.

“Who wants to elope with you?” Cheng Yaojia hummed coquettishly. Then she frowned and fanned the air in front of her nose. “Such a strong smell of alcohol. I don’t know how much you drank, but you’ve made yourself stinky all over.”

Though her words were dismissive, she still gently and considerately poured him a cup of hot tea: “Drink some tea to sober up. I’ll go get some hot water for you to wash your face.”

Song Qingshu shook his head. “Modern medical science has proven that drinking tea after alcohol is most harmful to the body.”

Cheng Yaojia was startled. Though she didn’t understand what “modern medical science” meant, she grasped the latter part: “If not tea, then what should you drink?”

“Milk,” Song Qingshu replied with complete seriousness.

Two rosy clouds instantly rose on Cheng Yaojia’s pretty face. “You… you… lecher!”

Seeing her expression…a mix of feigned anger, shyness, and boundless allure…Song Qingshu laughed. “Your own thoughts are too filthy. Scientific research shows that milk forms a thin protective layer on the stomach lining, preventing alcohol absorption. So if you drink a carton of pure milk before drinking alcohol, you’re much less likely to get drunk than usual.”

“I can’t be bothered with your twisted arguments.” Cheng Yaojia covered her ears and started for the door. “I’m going to get you some hot water.”

Song Qingshu stretched out his arm, took her hand, and pulled her toward him. How could Cheng Yaojia keep her balance? With a startled cry, she fell into his embrace.

“My lady smells so good.” Song Qingshu leaned close to her neck and sniffed gently, a look of intoxication on his face.

Cheng Yaojia’s heart trembled. Her voice was barely a whisper: “Unlike you…you’re all stinky.”

Song Qingshu held her tightly in his arms, feeling how small and delicate yet voluptuous and soft she was. He couldn’t help leaning to her ear and whispering, “I love using my stinky body to defile your fragrant one.”

“Bad man~” Cheng Yaojia felt a wave of emotion wash over her; her b0dy seemed to go weak. Ordinarily, she detested the smell of a man who had been drinking. But for some reason, this time…for the first time ever…she felt no revulsion at all. Instead, she found the smell of alcohol gave him a different kind of masculine virility.

Hearing her soft, coquettish scolding, Song Qingshu felt a flame ignite in his lower belly. He rose directly, carrying her step by step toward the bed.

Realizing what was about to happen, Cheng Yaojia bashfully buried her face in his chest. Her whole b0dy trembled gently, and she didn’t say another word.

As the saying goes, alcohol is the matchmaker of lu$t. Though Song Qingshu had used his inner energy to dispel most of the alcohol’s effects, he had still drunk a great deal with Lu You. The residual alcohol left his mind in an extremely excited state, and his movements were no longer as gentle as usual.

Fortunately, Cheng Yaojia, teased by his words, had already lost herself. Her heart raced, her eyes grew hazy, and her b0dy had made ample preparation. She bore wave after wave of the m@n’s onslaught with incomparable tenderness.

“Ahhn…Ang~”

Cheng Yaojia usually gave the impression of being extremely shy…even after marriage, she was still like that. Now, feeling the tremor that came from her very soul, the soft m0ans she made were even more coquettish than her usual delicate voice. To Song Qingshu’s ears, they were more potent than any words of love, only fueling his fighting spirit.

Just as they were in the throes of passion, Song Qingshu suddenly froze.

Sensing the man’s change, Cheng Yaojia opened her hazy eyes and asked in a silky voice, “What’s… wrong?”

Song Qingshu said in a low voice, “Someone’s coming upstairs.”

Cheng Yaojia was startled. She had already given orders that no maidservants were to disturb them. And since Lu Guanying had gone to Lin’an, it couldn’t be him. That meant the only person who could come up would be an elder of the Lu family…someone the servants below would not dare to stop.

Thinking of the consequences if they were discovered, Cheng Yaojia panicked. She tried to push the man off her. “You… you need to hide.”

Perhaps because she was so tense, Cheng Yaojia’s body was several times more sensitive than usual. Feeling her contracting almost violently around him, Song Qingshu was loath to leave. How could he bear to pull away?

Seeing that the man on top of her not only wouldn’t hide but instead pressed his assault more determinedly, Cheng Yaojia was so anxious she nearly cried. But the more anxious she became, the more her body spiraled out of control. Finally, her mind went blank. She clung desperately to the man on top of her and thought, *Let it be. If the sky falls, this man will hold it up.*

“Cousin? Cousin?” A gentle voice sounded from outside the door.

Her body still trembling with lingering aftershocks, Cheng Yaojia let out a long breath and whispered to Song Qingshu, “It’s Cheng Ying.”

Remembering what had happened with Cheng Ying that day, Song Qingshu’s breathing grew even heavier. He rained hot kisses down on her slender neck, her snowy white chest, showing no sign of getting up. “Just say a few words to send her away.”

Cheng Yaojia had always liked her elegant, refined cousin. But at this moment, for the first time ever, she found the other woman somewhat annoying. Forcing her voice to stay steady, she asked, “Is something the matter?”

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