Chapter 54: The Seductress and the Saint

After Lu Zijin finished bathing, she dried her hair and went to bed.

The maidservants changed the water, and Wei Lan also went to bathe.

As she bathed, she thought of the image of Lu Zijin bathing that she had just seen, and her ears turned completely red.

 

Truly worthy of being her wife; there wasn’t a single part of her body that wasn’t beautiful.

She really loved her, but she was just too shy to look too much.

She was afraid Lu Zijin would be angry.

 

Thinking this, Wei Lan spun around in the tub, playing with the water, and rested her arms on the edge of the tub, sighing.

 

The water temperature in the tub was very comfortable.

Wei Lan almost fell asleep, but thinking that she would be able to hold her wife while they slept, she felt the warm tub was no longer so appealing.

 

Wei Lan got up, put on her middle garments, walked out from behind the screen, and took a cloth to dry her hair.

 

Outside, the sky was already completely dark.

But many oil lamps and candles were lit in the room, making the light quite bright.

Of course, this was thanks to Lu Zijin being a rich heiress.

In an ordinary household, the bedroom would have just one candle or one oil lamp.

Who would light so many, making the room as bright as day?

 

Only when Lu Zijin and Wei Lan were ready to sleep would the maidservants come in to extinguish the lights, leaving only one candle on the round table in the center that would burn through the night.

 

Wei Lan was now drying her hair for the second time.

Her habit was to dry her hair three times with a dry cloth, ensuring it wasn’t dripping before she stopped.

 

As she dried her hair, Lu Zijin lay on her side, her head propped on her arm, watching her.

Her gaze grew deeper and deeper.

 

Wei Lan was slightly taller than her, with a slender figure, a narrow waist, and long legs.

Her still-dripping dark hair was casually scattered behind her back.

Perhaps because she had been bitten too hard just now, Wei Lan’s lips were still swollen.

Their originally pink color had turned rose-red.

 

Lu Zijin absentmindedly pinched the corner of the blanket, but her gaze remained fixed on Wei Lan’s body.

After all, she was her Qiankun.

No matter how much she looked, it wasn’t too much.

 

Lu Zijin thought for a moment, the corners of her mouth slightly lifted.

But she still felt an itch in her heart.

It seemed that simply biting the gland opening and kissing on the lips could no longer satisfy her.

 

Her fingertips pinched the corner of the blanket even tighter, but her gaze fell on the jade plaque around Wei Lan’s neck.

Other people’s little dogs were fierce and aggressive.

Why was her little dog so obedient and soft?

 

Lu Zijin shook her head with a smile.

She waited impatiently for Wei Lan to finish drying her hair and get into bed.

Before Wei Lan could even lie down, Lu Zijin had already straddled her, sitting in her arms.

 

She leaned against Wei Lan’s shoulder, her eyes fixed on her.

Then she noticed Wei Lan’s earlobes turn red.

 

As if discovering a new toy, Lu Zijin reached out and pinched Wei Lan’s red earlobes, playing with them.

As she played, she deliberately rubbed her nose against Wei Lan’s gland opening, occasionally blowing her warm breath onto it.

 

That area was already sensitive; how could it withstand such teasing from Lu Zijin?

Especially when Wei Lan’s sensitive earlobes were also being pinched and played with by Lu Zijin.

“The master’s body smells so good.”

 

As she spoke, Lu Zijin deliberately pressed her nose against Wei Lan’s gland opening and took a deep breath.

Then, like a satiated little cat, she lay on Wei Lan’s chest, her fingertips occasionally playing with Wei Lan’s earlobes.

 

Wei Lan felt her heartbeat quicken.

She couldn’t quite describe the feeling, but she knew she liked being close to Lu Zijin and liked being played with like this by her.

 

She obediently let Lu Zijin play, but felt her throat tighten.

“Wife?

Can I lie down now?”

 

Hearing this, Lu Zijin’s eyelids lifted slightly.

She leaned in weakly, pressed her lips against Wei Lan’s, and gently bit them twice.

“Mm.”

 

Having received a response, Wei Lan then wrapped her arms around Lu Zijin’s lower back and lay down.

She remembered when they had first married, and Lu Zijin’s heat period had arrived, needing to bite her gland opening for relief.

Back then, Lu Zijin hadn’t allowed her to touch her at all.

But now it was different.

Not only did Lu Zijin kiss her, but she also let her hold her like this.

Just thinking about it made her happy.

 

Wei Lan tightened her arms around Lu Zijin’s lower back and heard Lu Zijin’s soft gasp near her ear.

“Slower.

You’re holding me so tight.

My waist hurts.”

 

As she spoke, she deliberately bit Wei Lan’s lower lip, her tone softer than usual, as if she were nuzzling against Wei Lan and acting spoiled.

“Rub it for me.

You’re squeezing too hard.”

 

Wei Lan was a bit surprised.

She hadn’t used any strength at all.

Why was her wife so sensitive now?

Did hugging her really hurt her waist?

 

But she only dared to think this to herself.

Wei Lan obediently reached out and began to rub Lu Zijin’s lower back.

 

At first, she didn’t think much of it, carefully watching Lu Zijin’s expression in her arms, afraid of hurting her.

But later, she had no time to pay attention to Lu Zijin.

Wei Lan’s forehead began to sweat, and her hands started to tremble.

 

The reason was simple: with every gentle press she made, Lu Zijin would delicately bring her lips to Wei Lan’s ear and gasp, and her gasps were both delicate and pleasant.

Wei Lan’s ears were both itchy and unable to dodge, and her heart felt like it was being scratched by a kitten’s paw.

It was very strange.

 

Especially when Lu Zijin gasped, Wei Lan also felt her body grow a bit warm.

She pressed her lips together and stammered, “Wife, is this pressure okay?

I’m not using much force.

It doesn’t hurt, does it?”

“Who says it doesn’t hurt?

Mm~ Be gentler.

You’ve definitely made it red.”

Lu Zijin hummed and whined, nuzzling against Wei Lan and acting spoiled.

 

Wei Lan was sweating profusely.

She felt she had wasted her bath, worked up into a sweat by Lu Zijin.

“Okay, I’ll be gentler.

No rush, no rush.”

Wei Lan took a deep breath, intending to inhale some fresh air to cool herself down.

But Lu Zijin, at some point, had suddenly released her pheromones.

Wei Lan inhaled the white sandalwood scent deeply.

 

Her eyes widened, like a cat that had inhaled too much catnip, completely intoxicated.

At the same time, Lu Zijin in her arms didn’t stop either, urging her by her ear, “Why did you stop rubbing?

It hurts so much.”

 

As she spoke, her lips occasionally brushed against Wei Lan’s earlobe.

The poor earlobe was teased until it was bright red.

Wei Lan felt like her heart was about to leap out of her chest.

Her heartbeat was completely out of her control.

The person who held her heart was in her arms, acting spoiled and urging her to continue.

 

She loved it!

Why was her wife so seductive today?

She was acting spoiled when she spoke, and her gasps were so pleasant to listen to.

 

But Wei Lan still obediently and subconsciously continued rubbing gently.

The moment she put her hand back, Lu Zijin was already nuzzling against her earlobe, dissatisfied.

“It hurts.

A little lower.

Be gentler.”

 

Wei Lan swallowed instinctively.

“Okay.”

 

Her hand moved down slightly, her pressure still gentle, afraid of hurting Lu Zijin.

 

But Lu Zijin still seemed unsatisfied.

She squirmed in Wei Lan’s arms, her burning breath spraying onto Wei Lan’s ear, accompanied by occasional gasps.

 

Wei Lan could only endure it.

Her cheeks and neck were flushed, let alone her ears.

Her hand rubbing Lu Zijin’s lower back was sweating.

“It seems I’ve injured it.

Lift my clothes and take a look for me.”

Lu Zijin hooked her arms around Wei Lan’s neck, showing no intention of getting off her.

 

Wei Lan had no choice but to prop herself up and lift the blanket.

She pulled up the back hem of Lu Zijin’s middle garment a little, revealing a section of her waist, as white and smooth as white jade.

 

Wei Lan only felt herself grow even hotter.

But Lu Zijin’s waist looked perfectly normal.

She had used very little force; the color of her lower back hadn’t even changed.

How could it possibly hurt?

“Wife, your lower back looks fine.

Why would it hurt?”

Wei Lan said with difficulty, her gaze still fixed on Lu Zijin’s fair waist.

“I don’t know.

Rub it for me again.”

Lu Zijin buried her face in Wei Lan’s chest.

She had intended for Wei Lan to rub it without the middle garment in the way.

But Wei Lan had already put the hem back down and started rubbing again.

 

Lu Zijin sighed.

Her little Qiankun was too well-behaved.

She had made it so obvious, yet Wei Lan was like a saint, completely unmoved.

 

It was like performing a striptease for a blind man.

Lu Zijin had no temper left for Wei Lan.

 

She leaned against Wei Lan’s shoulder and closed her eyes.

“Stop rubbing.

Let’s sleep early.”

 

Wei Lan heard this and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She had really been sweating bullets tonight.

 

Lu Zijin heard her sigh and immediately frowned.

She hadn’t even said anything yet, and Wei Lan dared to feel tired?

 

Lu Zijin propped herself up indignantly and bit Wei Lan’s lips several times before letting go.

Then, not wanting to talk to Wei Lan, she closed her eyes and prepared to sleep.

Little Qiankuns were so unromantic.

 

Wei Lan didn’t resist when bitten.

She felt Lu Zijin seemed angry, but why?

Was her technique that bad, making her uncomfortable?

Wei Lan reflected on this, completely unaware that she and Lu Zijin were thinking of two completely different things.

 

In the end, Wei Lan also went to sleep.

She had spent the night walking on eggshells.

 

The next morning, Lu Zijin was still in a bad mood.

She had put in so much effort last night, and Wei Lan had just rubbed her waist.

Lu Zijin really didn’t know what to do with Wei Lan.

She would just have to train her slowly; there was no rush.

 

Wei Lan saw that Lu Zijin seemed listless and asked very considerately, “Wife, does your waist still hurt?

Should I call the residence physician?”

 

Lu Zijin glared at her.

She wasn’t really in pain!

“No need.

I still have a lot to do today.

I’m going back.”

Lu Zijin wasn’t very enthusiastic.

She said goodbye to Wei Lan and left.

 

Wei Lan pursed her lips.

Oh no.

She had been rejected by her wife because her technique was too bad.

 

Wei Lan listlessly ate breakfast and then went to the workshop to carve jade.

Because the twelve zodiac plaques had sold well, Wei Lan planned to carve another set.

 

She had bought six pieces of Qiemo blue material.

Last time, she had only used one, so there was plenty left to carve.

With that thought, Wei Lan sat down at the lathe and began to work.

 

The next few days were the same.

Although Lu Zijin had finished the royal merchant matter and wasn’t as busy, there were still many things to wrap up.

The burned dyeing workshop warehouse also needed to be rebuilt.

 

Wei Lan, meanwhile, had been carving jade every day.

She had already finished three pieces and planned to complete the set before delivering them to Xiao Nanyan.

 

***

 

Some time had passed since Wei Wenyuan was rescued from Dacheng Gambling House.

The injuries on his body had mostly healed.

“Xinlan, why hasn’t Wei Qing come back yet?

Didn’t you say she was just staying at Wei Lan’s place for a while?”

Wei Wenyuan asked, displeased.

“Ah, you were schemed against and ended up owing so much silver.

Back then, the owner of Dacheng Gambling House wanted us to use Wei Qing to cover the debt.

She probably doesn’t want to come back.”

Zhao Xinlan said, her eyes turning red.

 

These days, Wei Wenyuan’s temper had grown much worse.

He had asked Zhao Xinlan for silver several times, leaving early each day and returning late.

When Zhao Xinlan asked, he just said he was going to discuss business.

But aside from asking for money, he never brought any silver home.

 

Hearing this, Wei Wenyuan immediately became anxious.

“What do you mean?

I, her father, am not dead yet, and she’s already gone to Wei Lan, wanting to live the high life with her?

Not a chance!

She is my daughter.

She should stay home obediently.

You go bring her back.”

 

Zhao Xinlan cried and shook her head.

“I don’t have the face to go back to the Lu residence.

If you want to go, go yourself.”

“Fine, I’ll go.”

Wei Wenyuan stood up in a rage and headed out.

But as soon as he stepped out, he lost his nerve.

He remembered the day Wei Lan had sent people to smash the shop, and his heart quailed.

But Wei Wenyuan still couldn’t swallow his anger.

 

When he arrived at the main gate of the Lu residence, he deliberately straightened his clothes before walking over.

“Who goes there?”

The guards saw a stranger approaching and immediately shouted.

 

Wei Wenyuan swept his gaze over them and said, “I am Wei Lan’s father.

Why aren’t you inviting me in?”

 

The guards exchanged glances.

One of them quickly ran to Fuqu Pavilion.

 

Wei Lan was carving jade when she heard a voice outside.

“Master, there’s a person at the main gate.

He says he is your father and wants to see you.”

The guard quickly said.

 

Wei Lan’s brow furrowed.

“I don’t want to see him.

Throw him out.”

 

The guard was clearly stunned for a moment, then quickly replied, “Yes.”

 

He trotted back to the main gate.

Wei Wenyuan had already grown impatient and was berating the guards.

“I am the master’s own father!

You blind, snobbish dogs!

How dare you not let me in?

I’m going in anyway!”

Wei Wenyuan tried to force his way in, but the guards stopped him.

 

Just then, the guard who had gone to report returned.

 

Wei Wenyuan looked at him smugly.

“Well?

Is Wei Lan inviting me in?”

“The master said to throw him out.”

The guards exchanged glances and directly pushed Wei Wenyuan down the steps.

 

Wei Wenyuan cursed incessantly.

“Fine, you bunch of snobbish dogs!

I’ll make you pay!”

 

After his outburst, Wei Wenyuan was still angry and thought about going to gamble a few rounds.

But when he felt his pockets, he found no silver.

However, he remembered he could put it on Wei Lan’s tab.

After all, the Lu residence was wealthy.

No matter how much he lost, it wouldn’t matter.

With that thought, he went to a nearby gambling house.

“Oh, Master Wei is here!

Please, come in.

The brothers have been waiting for you.”

The thugs flattered him.

After all, Wei Wenyuan was a fool.

Every time he came to gamble, he never won.

They loved fools like him who brought them money.

“Mm.

I didn’t bring any silver today.

But you can put it all on my daughter’s tab.

My daughter is the master of the Lu residence.”

Wei Wenyuan said, his head held high.

 

The gambling house owner immediately sent someone to verify.

Confirming that Wei Wenyuan was telling the truth, he became even more attentive to Wei Wenyuan.

“Master Wei, would you like some pastries and wine?” a servant asked.

“Yes, bring plenty.

Put it all on my daughter’s tab.”

Wei Wenyuan said with a smile.

 

Why hadn’t he thought of this before?

He had no silver, but he could put it all on Wei Lan’s tab.

He was so clever.

 

So, over the next few days, Wei Wenyuan gambled with even greater abandon, losing over five hundred taels of silver.

In modern terms, that was about five hundred thousand yuan.

 

He was at a small gambling house, so five hundred taels was actually quite a lot.

The gambling house owner sent people to collect the debt.

 

The Lu residence guards naturally wouldn’t let these people in, so they simply sent someone to report to Wei Lan.

 

Wei Lan, hearing it was a gambling house demanding payment, was so angry she laughed.

“Let’s go.

I want to see who dares to come to the Lu residence demanding payment.”

“Yes, master.”

The guard followed Wei Lan as she headed to the main gate.

 

Soon, Wei Lan arrived at the main gate.

The gambling house thug was a clever one.

Seeing that the material of Wei Lan’s clothes was expensive, he quickly bowed.

“So you’re Boss Wei.

Your father owes our gambling house five hundred taels of silver.

He said to put it on your tab.

What do you say?”

 

Wei Lan smiled at him.

“Five hundred taels?

That’s nothing.”

“Yes, yes.

To you, it’s indeed nothing.

So…”

The thug naturally wanted Wei Lan to pay up immediately.

 

But Wei Lan shook her head and continued, “I’m not short of five hundred taels of silver, but I won’t pay it for him.

The Lu residence has no such thing as putting things on a tab.

Whoever owes you silver, go ask them for it.

I don’t have a father like this.”

 

After Wei Lan finished speaking, the thug became anxious.

“Hey, you’re not going to deny it, are you?

Your father owes money, so you won’t pay it for him?

Besides, you just said you’re not short of this bit of silver.”

“I’m not short of silver, but even if I were to throw it to the dogs, I wouldn’t pay a single cent of his gambling debt.

Get lost.

If you dare come here again, I won’t be so polite.”

Wei Lan only gave him a faint glance.

“Fine, if you won’t pay, then we’ll just have to go to your parents’ house to collect.

When that happens, don’t blame us for being rough.

Maybe your father will lose a hand or a foot.”

The thug continued, though his voice lacked confidence.

After all, there were quite a few guards at the Lu residence gate, and he was afraid of getting beaten.

 

Wei Lan’s expression suddenly turned ice cold.

“You’re right.

Every debt has its debtor.

Whoever owes you silver, go ask them for it.

Whether you cut off his hand or his foot, he deserves it.

Remember, don’t be polite to him.”

 

The thug was stunned on the spot.

No, he felt like Wei Wenyuan wasn’t Wei Lan’s real father at all.

Why did Wei Lan sound almost happy when he mentioned cutting off her father’s hand or foot?

 

And in fact, Wei Lan was quite happy.

A hopeless waste like him, even if he were her real father, she wouldn’t care, let alone Wei Wenyuan, who wasn’t.

 

Wei Lan waved her hand, signaling the guards to throw the man out.

She herself returned to Fuqu Pavilion.

 

The small gambling house couldn’t afford to lose so much silver.

When the thug returned, he told the owner what had just happened.

The owner wondered if he had misheard.

“Wei Lan told you not to be polite to him?” the owner asked.

“Yes, yes.

I could tell that Wei Lan has a very bad relationship with him.

She’d be happy if he died early.

Anyway, it’s clear Wei Lan will never pay his debts for him.” the thug said.

 

The gambling house owner’s expression grew worse and worse.

He cursed, “That bastard Wei Wenyuan!

He’s playing me, is he?

His daughter has cut ties with him, and he still has the nerve to run up a tab?

Go call the brothers.

Get your weapons.”

“Yes!”

The thug quickly went to call the others.

 

At that moment, Wei Wenyuan was still at home in his small courtyard, drinking.

He had also gotten this wine on credit from the gambling house yesterday.

 

Wei Wenyuan sat at the wooden table in the courtyard, drinking his wine, fantasizing about his future life.

But soon, his dream was shattered.

The owner brought a group of thugs storming into the courtyard.

 

Zhao Xinlan was terrified.

“What’s going on?

What’s going on here?”

 

The gambling house owner looked coldly at Wei Wenyuan.

“Wei Wenyuan, you ran up a tab of five hundred taels at our gambling house.

Time to pay up.”

 

Wei Wenyuan saw that they had brought over a dozen people and panicked.

“I…

I already put it on the tab.

What’s the meaning of this?

The master of the Lu residence can’t be short of this bit of silver, can she?”

 

The owner sneered at him.

“She’s not short of it, but she’s not going to pay it for you either.

Wei Lan said she doesn’t have a father like you.”

“She… she…

Don’t do anything!

I’ll go talk to her myself.

I’ll talk to her myself.

Give me a few days.

I’ll definitely come up with the five hundred taels.”

Wei Wenyuan remembered his last experience, and his drunkenness was scared right out of him.

He quickly stood up, panicking.

“Too late.

You don’t have the ability to make Wei Lan pay your debts, so why are you putting on airs?

Men, get him!

Cut off one of his fingers first.”

The owner ordered.

 

Soon, the thugs in the courtyard swarmed forward.

Zhao Xinlan tried to save Wei Wenyuan but was kicked aside by one of the thugs.

 

Wei Wenyuan was pinned down on the wooden table by two strong men.

One of his hands was pried open, and a thug pulled out a boning knife.

 

Wei Wenyuan immediately broke down crying.

He regretted it now.

He had already narrowly escaped disaster at Dacheng Gambling House, and now he was in trouble again.

“I won’t do it again!

I really won’t!

I’ll pay back the silver!

I’ll pay it back!”

Wei Wenyuan’s whole body trembled as he cried and spoke.

 

The gambling house owner cursed, “Pay it back my ass!

Five hundred taels is no small sum.

Wei Lan won’t pay it for you.

Where are you going to get the silver?

Cut off the index finger of his right hand first.”

“Yes.”

The man holding the boning knife raised his hand and brought it down.

With a crack, blood gushed out.

Wei Wenyuan let out a piercing scream.

“My hand!

My hand!”

Wei Wenyuan cried incessantly.

 

Zhao Xinlan had been worried about the lack of silver at home and had been embroidering day and night, so her health was already poor.

She had been knocked unconscious by the kick.

When she woke up, she saw the house in complete disarray.

 

The tables and chairs were smashed to pieces.

Anything of value in the house was gone, including the basket of sachets she had embroidered the night before.

 

The courtyard was littered with broken ceramic shards.

Zhao Xinlan felt a wave of dizziness.

Just as Wei Lan had said last time, this family was completely finished.

 

Zhao Xinlan heard faint sounds coming from the bedroom.

She staggered to her feet, barely managing to hold onto the wooden door frame, and went into the bedroom.

There she saw Wei Wenyuan, his face pale, using a white cloth to stop the bleeding on his finger.

“It hurts!

It hurts so much!”

Hearing footsteps, he shouted, “Hurry up and bandage this for me!

And get some silver!

I need to go to the clinic for this hand!”

 

Zhao Xinlan only felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her.

She suddenly remembered what Wei Lan had said before: feeling sorry for a man ruins your life.

She hadn’t wanted to believe it, but it had come true.

 

Zhao Xinlan sighed.

“There’s nothing left in the house.

They took so many things.

Even the bowls and the iron wok were smashed.

Where am I supposed to get you silver?

The family is already like this.

What more do you want?”

 

Wei Wenyuan was already in a foul mood.

Hearing this, he immediately became furious.

He didn’t dare vent his anger on those thugs, but he could easily vent it on Zhao Xinlan.

“You b*tch!

How have you been managing this household?

How can there be no silver?

Let me tell you, if you can’t come up with silver today, I’ll beat you to death!”

Wei Wenyuan, his face pale, slapped Zhao Xinlan twice.

Of course, he used his uninjured hand.

 

Zhao Xinlan slid to the ground in disbelief.

Even though Wei Wenyuan had been a gambler before, he had never hit her.

 

Wei Wenyuan ignored Zhao Xinlan.

He cursed, “No silver?

Then I’ll sell this courtyard.”

 

He rushed into the bedroom, found the deed to the house in a wooden box under the bed, and also a dozen or so taels of loose silver.

 

Wei Wenyuan rushed out, enraged, and kicked Zhao Xinlan in the chest.

“b*tch!

You said there was no silver?

I’m going to pawn all this right now.

Not a single thing left!”

 

Wei Wenyuan stuffed the valuables into his clothes and, clutching his severed finger, ran out of the courtyard.

 

Zhao Xinlan sat despondently in the courtyard.

She didn’t make a sound, but tears still streamed down her face.

Now, she was almost glad that her youngest daughter wasn’t here.

Otherwise, given Wei Wenyuan’s nature, he might really sell her.

 

Zhao Xinlan cried silently for a while.

Then she got up, found the broken inkstone and ink, and found a writing brush.

She hastily wrote a short letter, addressed to her two daughters.

 

After doing this, Zhao Xinlan endured the pain in her body and packed a few of her clothes.

As for her jewelry, it had all been looted by the gambling house thugs.

Fortunately, she still had a few taels of loose silver on her, enough not to starve.

 

Zhao Xinlan shouldered her bundle and left the small courtyard.

She could see no hope left.

Wei Wenyuan had changed.

Staying would only be futile.

 

Zhao Xinlan gave the letter to the guards at the main gate of the Lu residence and left.

She didn’t have the face to see her two daughters.

Besides, they probably didn’t want to see her either.

 

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