Chapter Twenty-Two Humiliation

  Lu Qi brought back a maid, which surprised everyone in the family. Looking at Xiaoyun's pale and thin appearance, many people felt sympathetic towards her. Lu Qi publicly announced his plan to buy a pharmacy and set up a branch store, and made it clear that Dongqing and Xiaoyun would be maids in his household from now on. Lu's mother saw how serious her son was about the matter, so she couldn't help but nod her head in agreement, smiling as she handed over thirty taels of silver to Zhou Yue'er to pass on. Zhou Yue'er didn't show any displeasure, and in fact, she was happy today.

  After the family gathering dispersed, Xiaoyun went to sleep in Dongqing's maid's room. Lu Qi and Ning'er returned to their bedroom. As soon as Ning'er closed the door, she was tightly hugged by a powerful arm and flew onto the bed in the darkness. A pair of devilish claws quickly stripped her naked, and after a few seconds, a heavy body pressed down on her. She grabbed the corner of the quilt and stuffed it into her mouth, her jade-like arms embracing Lu Qi's neck, silently accommodating his wild attack. Her delicate heart fluttered like a fairy in the dark night of passion.

  After a fierce and lingering battle, Lu Qi moved to lie on his side, but his arm still greedily hugged Ning Er's warm and soft body tightly. Ning Er let out a gentle sigh, her body soft and comfortable after the passionate encounter, but what was even more comfortable was her heart. A woman who had been locked deep in the inner courtyard for so long yearned for something, wasn't it a man's love?

  "Xiao Qi, do you like sister?" Ning Er asked in a soft and yearning tone.

  "I like it." Lu Qi replied lazily, most men are sluggish and dull after they've had their fun.

  Two glittering teardrops fell onto the pillow, and Ning'er's gentle sobs startled Lu Qi out of his languor. He hastily propped himself up on his right elbow to look at Ning'er, seeing that her beautiful face was like a pear blossom in the rain.

  "Sister, Xiao Qi really likes you and will always be good to you."

  Lu Qi thought that his lazy response had hurt Ning Er's heart, he had a deep attachment to this older sister and did not want her to leave him from the bottom of his heart, which was also the reason why he put aside all considerations and accepted Ning Er into his room.

  Ning'er suddenly threw herself onto his chest and sobbed, her voice choked with emotion: "Xiao Qi, with words like yours, no matter how much hardship I endure, I'll be content."

  Lu Qi was stunned, and there seemed to be a tone in her words. She hastily patted her snowy back and softly said, "Sister, did someone bully you at the Zhou's house?"

  Ning'er sobbed lightly: "It's not considered bullying, it's just that sister is still not used to it."

  Lu Qi listened and asked again and again, Ning'er hesitated and said. It turned out that she followed Lu Mu and Zhou Yue'er to the old man Zhou's house, when they went to pay respects to Old Lady Zhou, Zhou Yue'er invited her to meet her cousin Zhou Yuer together, with the intention of letting Ning'er help Lu Qi take a look at Miss Yuer.

  She didn't want to go to Zhou Yan'er's place, but she ran into Xin Niangniang from the Zhou Mansion. Xin Niangniang had a big attitude, and as a junior, Zhou Yue'er seemed unwilling to offend her. After exchanging greetings, they sat down together to chat. Zhou Yue'er naturally introduced the recent situation of the Lu family, praising how heroic her younger uncle was.

  Miss Yan'er listened for a while without reacting, still just smiling and listening quietly. However, Xin Niang was extremely interested and occasionally asked a question in detail. While speaking, Xin Niang glanced at Ning'er several times, laughing and asking about her background. Zhou Yue'er said that it was because Madam Lu was eager to hold her grandson, so she specially bought this concubine for Lu Qi.

  Aunt Xin listened and suddenly shifted her attention to Ning'er, calling Ning'er over as if she were the mistress of the house, ordering Ning'er to strip naked and scolding Ning'er for lacking discipline.

  At that time, a beautiful maid was standing behind Xin Niangniang, who called her out to make some flirtatious and seductive gestures, then forced Ning'er to follow the beautiful maid's example. Since Zhou Yue'er remained silent and didn't stop it, Ning'er was reluctantly trained for almost half an hour. At that time, there were five other maids in the room, who kept pointing at and discussing Ning'er, making her feel extremely humiliated under their scrutiny. It wasn't until Miss Yan'er said it was getting late and ordered them to leave that the humiliation finally ended.

  Lu Qi furrowed his brow upon hearing this, wondering how such a thing could happen at the Zhou residence. Ning Er had indeed suffered humiliation, but it was also a case of unrequited love. In normal circumstances, the concubines and maidservants of wealthy official families were supposed to be well-versed in literature and skilled in dance. Xin Shi's behavior could only be considered disrespect towards their guest.

  Lu Qi hugged Ning'er in silence for a moment and said softly: "Ning'er, I'm sorry."

  Ning had already stopped crying, and leaned against Lu Qi's chest in silence for a long time. Suddenly, she spoke softly: "Little Seven, sister was just not used to it and vented her grievances. In fact, sister knows what the status of a concubine is. What that Xin Shi Niang did can't be said to be intentional humiliation. Sister will slowly get used to it in the future. Sister only asks you one thing: if you don't like sister anymore, let sister go and become a kitchen maid, but please don't give sister to someone else."

  "Don't say that, as long as I, Lu Qi, am alive in this life, I will never let my sister leave." Lu Qi's heart ached as he tightly hugged Ning'er, making a man's promise. Ning'er sobbed again on his chest.

  The night was quiet, Lu Qi gently stroked Ning Er's hair, his heart filled with warm tranquility. He came from an official family and had grown up under the strict rules of Confucianism, always showing respect to his mother and elder brother's wife in his mind. His family placed great emphasis on traditional values, allowing him to be carefree outside but bound by invisible familial ties at home.

  His mother was his greatest emotional restraint, and her aged appearance and half-white hair were all due to him. He would not easily break the family hierarchy rules and make his mother angry, which is also why he liked Ning'er but could not directly give her a concubine title, and could only wait until Ning'er had children with the Lu family before his mother would listen to Lu Qi's request.

  "Xiao Qi, why aren't you sleeping with your eyes wide open?" Ning'er leaned against him and said softly, after complaining about her feelings, she felt much better.

  Lu Qi lightly hugged her and teased: "I was thinking that Ning Er's skin is as white as jade, Xin Niang and Zhou Yuer must be very jealous."

  "What nonsense are you talking about? In the past, when you saw a girl, you would immediately blush and avoid her. Now, after just a few years of not seeing each other, you've become like a wolf in heat! You've really changed for the worse." Ning'er scolded in a soft voice, her jade-like hand lightly pinching Lu Qi's chest.

  Lu Qi Xintou was overjoyed, and he lowered his head to kiss Ning Er's lips, smiling as he said: "This lecherous me is all because of my sister's corruption, who let my sister be so beautiful and lovely, making it impossible for me to get enough."

  Ning'er stretched out her jade-like hand and gently patted his cheek, saying with a smile: "Your mouth has also become bad."

  Jiao's soft voice and scolding words made Lu Qi's heart flutter, and before he knew it, his lips were already pressed against hers. Ning Er hummed softly, her delicate arms and legs wrapped around Lu Qi, holding him in a deep kiss for a while before they slowly parted and held each other lightly.

  "Xiao Qi, you scared your sister half to death today with Dong Qing and Xiao Yun, thinking she's too old." Ning Er said softly.

  "Sister, don't worry too much. Dong Qing and Xiao Yun are just young girls. I bought them because I pitied them, and also because Dong Qing asked me to. They have an older brother who left five years ago as a soldier and has not been heard from since. Dong Qing said that the Zhou family is struggling financially and it's already a burden for them to raise ten servants. She's a kind-hearted and virtuous girl. I offered her money, but she refused. For these reasons, I let them join my household, and from now on, they will stay in the pharmacy at Wangjiang Pavilion to sell medicine." Lu Qi explained.

  "Are you going to let them run this medicine shop? Is that okay?" Ning Er asked in surprise.

  "They themselves said they could handle it, so I'll give them this chance. If they can't, then they'll have to go back to the old mansion in the county town and serve my mother," Lu Qi said.

  "It's their good fortune to have a master as gentle as you for the first time." Ning Er sighed.

  Lu Qi listened and his expression turned gloomy, bitterly saying: "When I see them, I think of Xiao Yan. As a brother, I feel like I owe my sister forever."

  "Xiao Qi, Xiao Yan has her own pursuit of happiness, she won't come back, don't blame yourself." Ning Er hurriedly comforted in a soft voice.

  "Don't think about it anymore, aren't you sleepy?" Lu Qi shook his head and smiled softly.

  "I don't know why, but I'm wide awake tonight." Ning Er said softly.

  "I am too, let's hold on till dawn." Lu Qi said warmly as he hugged Ning Er.

  Ning'er murmured in agreement, and her head and body leaned into Lu Qi's embrace. The two of them pretended to sleep with their hearts touching, unaware that a long time had passed again. Ning'er moved slightly, and Lu Qi gently patted her, suddenly remembering something.

  "Sister, have you slept?" Lu Qi asked softly.

  "Nothing, is there something?" Ning Er slightly tilted her head and said softly.

  "Sister, I told Dong Qing that I was betrothed since childhood, so I can only ask for a humble wife. Later, when Dong Qing asks about it, you can help me cover it up." Lu Qi said.