Chapter Thirty-Six: Spring Dream Leaves No Traces

  Quietly, Lü Zhi and Liu Quan looked at each other.

  There was no hint of sadness on Lü Zhi's face, and her smiling appearance seemed as if nothing had happened.

  "Old Cao, get out of the way... Miss Lü has something to say to Ah Kan!"

  Ren Ao walked forward and pulled Cao Shen aside, saying in a low voice: "Don't worry, Ah Kan is a filial person, he knows what's important."

  Although Cao Shen just spoke with a stern tone, he was still considering Liu Jian in his heart. Seeing Ren Ao and Lü Yu coming, he didn't insist anymore.

  "Auntie, you go back home first!" Lv Wei said softly: "You sneaked out this time, and Mother is worried. Go back home, I have some words to discuss with Ah Kan. Cao Gege, Ren Gege, can you find a quiet place for me? I have something to talk to Ah Kan about."

  "Go tell the housekeeper in the back," said Ren Ao with a smile. "It's quite clean over there and also very quiet."

  "Thank you both!"

  Lv Wei slightly bowed her head, which was a way of thanking him. Then, she took the lead and walked ahead, but after two steps, she suddenly stopped and turned back to Liu Jian with a smile: "Ah Jian, I'm not very familiar with the roads in here, why don't you lead the way instead?"

  Liu Kan pursed his lips and nodded slightly.

  Lv Jiao wanted to stay, but after being glared at by Lv Lui, she lowered her head and didn't dare resist.

  Liu Jian and Lü Yu came to the gatehouse in the backyard, pushed open the door and walked in, sat down facing each other, neither of them spoke.

  The room was so quiet that you could even hear each other's heartbeat.

  Lü Zhi suddenly said: "Ah Jian, accompany me for a drink."

  As she spoke, she lifted the coarse cloth on the bamboo basket and took out two small dishes of vegetables. She also brought out a jar of wine. Liu Kan recognized at a glance that it was Suishui Huajiao. Astonished, he looked at Lü Jue, wanting to see what she was thinking from her calm face.

  But unfortunately, Liu Kan did not see anything unusual at all.

  Perhaps Lü Zhi was too good at hiding her true feelings, so that even with Liu Xiang's experience of two lifetimes, he couldn't see through to her heart.

  "Ah Jian, you must be wondering why I agreed to that matter." Lü Cuī poured herself a cup of wine and also gave one to Liu Jian. She looked at Liu Jian and said softly: "No one forced me, it was my own willing... I was born in the Lü family, so I have to take responsibility for the future of the Lü family. Everyone has to do some things that they may not want to do, just like you saving my brother."

  Liu Quan was startled and looked at Lü Zhi in surprise.

  "Although Aunt didn't say anything, I know that you took action because of her. To be honest, if it were me, I would feel uncomfortable too. Father repaid the kindness with his life, and now he wants me to repay it again... How can a clever person be willing?"

  "Intelligent person?"

  Lü Cu did not look at Liu Quan, and instead took a sip of wine on her own. "Although you didn't show anything, I know that you've been hiding something all along... From the time in Danfu, you've always been concealing it... Others thought that exchanging knife coins for Qin currency was just good luck, but I had a hunch... Ah Quan, did you already know beforehand that Qin would abolish the currencies of the six states?"

  Liu Jian was so frightened that he shivered and didn't know what to say.

  "When I knew the decree abolishing the six national currencies, I've been thinking. After leaving Shanfu, you seem to have become a different person. Many things that felt like coincidences before, after careful consideration, will reveal their subtleties. Ah Qiang, sometimes I really suspect that you're an imposter... Haha, later I thought, no way... Even if we can recognize the mistake, how could Auntie not see through it?"

  "So, I knew that from the time you were in Danfu, you've been pretending. I don't know why you're doing this, but I believe there must be some unspeakable difficulties behind it. So... Ah Jian, I'm not blaming you at all, these are true words."

  "Ah Chu..."

  "I remember you used to call me sister!"

  Lü Zhi drank her wine, pretending to be nonchalant. "However, I'm still grateful to you because when my family was in the most difficult situation, you saved my older brother."

  "Then you... why did you agree to marry Liu Ji? You should know what kind of person Liu Ji is."

  Lü Zhi smiled, "Of course I know! And I also know that Liu Ji is currently the only person who can help us get through this difficult time."

  "Difficult situation?"

  "You may not know, after the abolition of the six national currencies, the Lü family has been severely damaged. On the surface, it seems like nothing has happened, but I know that today's Lü family is no longer the same as the single-parent Lü family of those years... In Pei County, many people are eyeing my family covetously. The Yōng family in the south of the city, the Lǐ family in the west... everyone is staring at us, and if we show even a hint of weakness, they will pounce on us without hesitation and tear the Lü family to shreds."

  Ah Q, the Lü family doesn't need money or official help to get through difficulties.

  What we need is a connection in Pei County... someone who can keep those scoundrels who have it in for the Lü family in line. Liu Ji may be a rascal, but you can't deny his prestige in Pei County, which is clearly unmatched by anyone else.

  Even if it was a good opportunity, after being robbed of the limelight by Liu Ji that day, he could only swallow his anger and remain silent.

  My father is old, my elder brother's temperament is weak, Ah Jiao and Shi Zhi are still young and can't exert too much strength.

  I'm the eldest daughter. My parents raised me for twenty years, now I must repay them... Come, let's drink this cup of wine together."

  Liu Quan picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.

  As for the current situation of the Lyu family, he really didn't understand it at all.

  Duty... Is this Lv Lian's answer? Perhaps for her, whether she is happy or not is no longer important, what matters is her duty.

  Liu Kan felt stifled in his heart and wanted to say something, but didn't know how to start.

  The two of them just like that, silently and without speaking, you one cup, I one cup drinking. But after drinking for a while, Liu Jian started to feel something was off.

  It feels like there's a fire burning inside me, and at the same time, an irrepressible impulse has been born.

  At some point, Lü Zhi had become charming and gentle. She slowly leaned in, leaning against Liu Quan's body.

  "A'gan, did you know that in the past, my sister always liked you? She enjoyed watching A'gan practice martial arts and liked how A'gan followed me around like a little tail. But now, I feel afraid... A'gan, I don't know which A'gan is real... Is it the one from before who followed me around like a little tail, or the current clever and brave but always hiding his true self man?"

  The girl's slender body fragrance seemed to be stirring up that flame in Liu Quan's body.

  "Ah Chu, you're drunk..."

  Lü Yu stretched out her soft arms, stroking Liu Quan's cheek. She bit her lip and pulled down the clothes on her body, squeezing into Liu Quan's arms with all her might.

  A beautiful breast half exposed, a pair of slender and long legs.

  Smooth and delicate skin, a hazy and mysterious valley... This fiery body made Liu Kan unable to restrain his increasingly strong impulses.

  His hand involuntarily landed on her smooth and delicate skin, Liu Jian could clearly feel that Lü Mei's body trembled slightly.

  Immediately afterwards, as if stimulated by something, Lü Zhi's soft and boneless arm wrapped around Liu Quan's neck like a snake.

  "Ah Jian, no matter which one is real, I like you!"

  A gentle breeze like orchid fragrance, quietly, pierced into Liu Quan's ears...

  The passion inside could no longer be controlled, Liu Quan's eyes were red as he pressed his lips onto hers. Lü Wei's face was flushed like the sunset at the horizon. She closed her eyes and accepted Liu Quan's gentle kiss. Their lips lightly touched, but in an instant, it ignited their passion.

  The tip of the tongue entwines and rolls, stirring up passion, lingering in the mouth.

  After a long, unrelenting suffocating kiss, Liu Quan pushed Lü Yu onto the couch and pounced on her, pressing down on that delicate, boneless body.

  Heavy breathing sounds, accompanied by those tender and delicate moans, echoed in the room...

  Liu Jian fell asleep!

  The red fruit fell on his body, and he lay on the couch.

  Lü Zhi covered Liu Quan's body with his clothes, staring blankly at him, and suddenly tears welled up in her bright eyes.

  Bent down and gently kissed Liu Kan's forehead.

  "Sleep well, my good fellow... Whether you were pretending or not in the past, that little tail who followed me around every day is gone from now on."

  It seems like murmuring in general, tears burst out of one's eyes.

  Lv Lü got up and walked away with an unsteady gait.

  On the couch, only a few faint red spots remained, like peach blossom petals...