Chapter 9: Rain Dew Period

Just like that, five days passed in a row.

Every day, aside from eating and sleeping, Wei Lan buried herself in her jade workshop.

Each time she came out, she was even carrying bits of jade debris left over from carving on her clothes.

Seeing Wei Lan head back into the room next to the bedroom after finishing lunch, Li Zhufeng shook her head at Zhao Linghui with open disdain.

“Sigh, our Mistress Consort is done for.

She’s already a live-in spouse, yet instead of sticking close to the young miss every day, she just shuts herself away.

At this rate, in a few days the young miss probably won’t even remember who she is.

Honestly, I’m impressed.

She doesn’t care about her own situation at all.”

“Isn’t that the truth?

She knows perfectly well that the one in charge of the Lu household is our young miss, yet she doesn’t hurry to build a good relationship.

She’s really just waiting to be divorced,” Zhao Linghui echoed sarcastically.

At this very moment, Wei Lan was still bent over her work in the workshop, completely unaware of the resentful hate-the-iron-for-not-being-steel attitude of the matrons in the courtyard.

On the contrary, she was thoroughly enjoying her current life.

After all, her days consisted of eating, sleeping, and carving jade.

The more she thought about it, the more Wei Lan felt that life here suited her just fine.

She had a soft life to live on, Lu Zijin was actually quite decent, rarely interfered with what she did, and never demanded anything of her.

In short, it was a relationship of mutual non-interference.

Wei Lan was very satisfied with her current life and continued working on her jade carving.

Today, she was carving an openwork jasper ornament shaped like a green snake.

***

On the other side, Lu Zijin was in the study listening to the shop managers report on their work.

In modern terms, this was essentially a monthly meeting.

Lu Zijin had set a rule that at the end of each month, the head managers of all shops had to come to the Lu residence to report directly to her.

She would also conduct random audits of their accounts to prevent falsified books or embezzlement.

Today was no exception.

However, only about half of the twenty-odd managers had finished reporting when Lu Zijin began to feel tired, her body growing weak and uncomfortable, uncannily like the onset of her Rain Dew Period.

Her thoughts gradually drifted away, and she could no longer clearly hear what the managers were saying.

Supporting her forehead with one hand, Lu Zijin waved at them.

“Let’s stop here for now.

You can report the rest to me in a few days.

For now, all of you may return.”

The managers did not know why Lu Zijin had suddenly halted the meeting, but they still cupped their hands respectfully and acknowledged her command.

Once everyone had left, Lu Zijin pressed her forehead and spoke toward the outside.

“Qing Zhi, have someone summon Physician Deng.

I’m feeling unwell.

It seems my Rain Dew Period is approaching.”

“Understood.

Qianxue, help the young miss back to her bedroom,” Qing Zhi instructed before quickly arranging for someone to fetch the household physician, Deng Jin.

Qianxue was one of Lu Zijin’s senior maids.

Aside from her role as a maid, she was also Lu Zijin’s personal guard.

Qianxue efficiently supported Lu Zijin and guided her toward the bedroom.

Yun Xiang noticed as well, her eyes flickering as she hurried over to help Qianxue escort Lu Zijin inside.

Lu Zijin was sweating heavily.

Qianxue and Yun Xiang helped her remove her outer garments, leaving only her inner robe.

Lying on the bed, Lu Zijin felt utterly drained, her body gradually heating up.

She knew this condition all too well.

It was the unmistakable sign of her Rain Dew Period.

Precisely because she understood it, Lu Zijin felt an even deeper surge of irritation.

A Kunze’s body was highly dependent on a Qianyuan.

No matter how capable a Kunze was in the outside world, they would still be suppressed and tempted by a Qianyuan’s pheromones.

It was just like how, no matter how hard she struggled, she still needed a live-in Qianyuan to stabilize the situation.

Thinking of this made Lu Zijin’s head ache terribly.

Before long, Deng Jin arrived with her medical case.

Seeing Lu Zijin’s condition, she had already guessed most of the situation.

Still, she pulled over a stool and sat beside the bed.

“Miss, let me take your pulse first.

Judging by your state, your Rain Dew Period should indeed be arriving.”

The moment she heard the words Rain Dew Period, Lu Zijin felt a surge of disgust rise from deep within.

She closed her eyes, nodded, and rested her hand on the silk wrist pillow.

Deng Jin placed her fingers on Lu Zijin’s pulse.

Her brows gradually furrowed as she spoke.

“Miss, you have taken too many pheromone-suppressing pills.

They no longer have any effect on you.

Moreover, because you have suppressed your Rain Dew Period for too long, this episode is coming on fiercely.

If it is not relieved quickly, there may be a risk to your life.”

Lu Zijin’s brows knit tighter.

Cold white skin was already beading with cold sweat.

Normally, Kunze married around sixteen or seventeen and formed a bond with a Qianyuan.

After bonding, the Rain Dew Period would naturally be shared with the Qianyuan, sparing them this torment.

But Lu Zijin was different.

From a young age, she had refused to place herself beneath a Qianyuan.

She despised the Rain Dew Period to the extreme and had always relied on suppressing pills, leaving her body depleted over time.

“Is there another way?

Is there any other medicine that can suppress it?”

Lu Zijin asked, enduring the discomfort.

Deng Jin shook her head.

“Miss, there is no other way.

Hasn’t the Mistress Consort already entered the household?

She can be summoned to help relieve it.”

“Enough,” Lu Zijin cut her off coldly.

The very thought of letting someone else’s pheromones invade her body was unbearable.

“But Miss, given your current condition, summoning the Mistress Consort is the best option.

You can exchange pheromones.

Otherwise, if you fall unconscious during the Rain Dew Period, you may be forced to form a bond,” Deng Jin said gently.

She knew Lu Zijin did not want to bond.

How could someone like Lu Zijin willingly submit to a Qianyuan?

Lu Zijin kept her eyes tightly shut.

After a long moment, she clenched her teeth.

“Go invite the Mistress Consort.”

Qing Zhi, seeing her expression, quickly replied, “Yes.”

“Wait.”

Lu Zijin opened her eyes, her gaze terrifyingly cold.

“Have her bathe and cleanse herself before coming.”

The maids in the room instantly fell silent in fear.

Even Yun Xiang, who had wanted to say something, swallowed her words.

At a time like this, angering Lu Zijin would likely mean being thrown out of the Lu residence.

“Yes,” Qing Zhi replied.

Afraid the younger maids might not relay the message properly, she personally took several maids and headed toward Fuqu Courtyard.

When she arrived, the servants in Wei Lan’s courtyard were lounging idly in the sun.

Their courtyard truly was out of favor, but oddly enough, life wasn’t bad.

The Mistress Consort was easy to serve.

Their daily duties were limited to cleaning the courtyard, preparing meals, and drawing bathwater.

Beyond that, they had little to do.

The Mistress Consort spent all day tinkering with jade and barely summoned them at all.

Seeing Qing Zhi arrive, Li Zhufeng’s eyes lit up.

She immediately went forward to greet her.

“Miss Qing Zhi, what brings you here?

Does the young miss have instructions?”

Qing Zhi nodded.

“Quickly go heat water.

The Mistress Consort will need it for bathing.

By the way, where is the Mistress Consort?”

“In the room next to the bedroom.

I’ll take you there,” Li Zhufeng said eagerly, leading Qing Zhi to the workshop door.

She knocked and called inside.

“Mistress Consort, Miss Qing Zhi from the young miss’s side has come.”

Wei Lan was carving jade.

Hearing the knock, she frowned slightly.

She disliked being disturbed while working.

Still, she remembered her current identity.

She was, after all, living off someone else.

Being too uncooperative would not do.

She might as well hear what this was about.

She set down the palm-sized jasper ornament in her hand and said, “Come in.”

Li Zhufeng hurriedly pushed the door open for Qing Zhi.

Zhao Linghui also stood by attentively.

Seeing Wei Lan dressed like this, Qing Zhi paused briefly, then led the maids in bowing.

“Mistress Consort, the young miss’s Rain Dew Period has arrived and requires your presence.

I have already ordered water prepared.

After you bathe and change clothes, you may go over.”

Wei Lan froze for a moment before remembering what the Rain Dew Period was.

This world was different from the one she came from.

Both Qianyuan and Kunze experienced Rain Dew Periods, though Kunze’s were usually longer and more intense.

She thought it over.

Since she still intended to keep enjoying this comfortable arrangement, helping resolve the Rain Dew Period was only reasonable.

She stood up.

“Alright.

I’ll go after bathing.”

Qing Zhi bowed and waited to the side.

Soon, the servants poured hot water into the large bathing tub and mixed in cool water to the right temperature.

Wei Lan bathed, then changed into a light yellow dress.

She had originally planned to casually tie up her hair and leave, but Li Zhufeng was frantically signaling at her.

Wei Lan smiled.

“Matron Li, what’s wrong with your eyes?”

Li Zhufeng’s mouth twitched.

She glanced at Qing Zhi, then reminded her anyway.

“Mistress Consort, why don’t we help you do your hair?

You haven’t seen the young miss in days.

You should at least dress up properly before going.”

Wei Lan gave a light scoff.

“No need.

This is fine.”

As she spoke, she inserted a jasper crane hairpin into her topknot.

She had carved this pin herself.

The tail of the pin was shaped into a crane, while the middle featured hollowed diamond-shaped squares.

It looked both neat and modern.

After fixing the hairpin, Wei Lan walked out.

Qing Zhi and the maids followed immediately.

Li Zhufeng was nearly furious.

She muttered to Zhao Linghui, “Just look at her.

She never listens.

With her attitude, shutting herself in the room all day, what future could she have?

If she were smart, she’d be clinging to the young miss every day.

Now that the young miss finally summoned her, she doesn’t even bother dressing up.”

Zhao Linghui sighed.

“This one clearly doesn’t know how to compete for favor.

Sooner or later, she’ll be divorced.

We’d better start planning another path.

Following her won’t lead anywhere.”

“Exactly,” Li Zhufeng agreed wholeheartedly.

Wei Lan, of course, had no idea how much drama the two matrons were spinning.

She had no intention of competing for favor at all.

If anything, she wished Lu Zijin would forget her entirely, as long as she got paid every month.

She followed Qing Zhi quickly toward Jingchen Courtyard.

Upon arrival, she saw many maids and servants bustling about.

When they saw Wei Lan, most of them bowed politely.

Only Yun Xiang did so reluctantly, muttering under her breath, “Don’t think that just because you were summoned, the young miss will use your pheromones.

Are you even worthy?”

Her voice was too low for anyone to hear clearly.

Wei Lan certainly didn’t catch it, though she could guess it wasn’t anything pleasant.

“Mistress Consort, this way please,” Qing Zhi said, stepping forward to open the door slightly and gesture her inside.

Wei Lan stepped in.

The moment she entered, the thick scent of white sandalwood in the room pressed down on her so heavily that she felt slightly short of breath.