The Minister: Cold by Day, Hot by Night-Chapter 113: Lu Zhan’s Heart Was Suddenly in Turmoil
When she came to her senses, Zhi Wan stomped on Ouyang Zhenzhu’s foot under the table.
Who knew Ouyang Zhenzhu would leap up dramatically and shout, "Someone’s getting desperate! They’re trying to silence me by killing me!"
Zhi Wan was furious and flustered. She reached out, pinched Ouyang Zhenzhu’s cheek, and roared, "You brat, shut your mouth!"
Stunned by the outburst, Ouyang Zhenzhu stared at her in surprise. "Wanwan..."
Zhi Wan flinched and quickly calmed herself. Sure enough, she saw her cousin and Nanny looking at her with astonishment. Her heart sank. She immediately pulled her hand back and said with a helpless, chiding tone, "Zhenzhu, don’t talk such nonsense. It’s not good to give people the wrong idea."
Ouyang Zhenzhu blinked, rubbing her smarting cheek. "Oh," she said distractedly.
’The way Wanwan lost her temper just now was a world away from her usual sweet and gentle self. She seemed like a completely different person.’
’But maybe she just snapped because she was pushed too far.’
’After all, they say even a cornered rabbit will bite.’
With that thought, Ouyang Zhenzhu felt relieved.
She didn’t dare tease Zhi Wan anymore, though inwardly she was blooming with delight.
Lu Zhan averted his gaze and lowered his head to sip his tea as if nothing had happened, but inside, his thoughts were in turmoil again.
’Could it be that my cousin’s usual sweet and gentle demeanor is all an act?’
’The way she lost her temper just now... it was quite similar to the girl in my dreams...’
’And her back injury, plus the temper she just showed, are all things she has in common with that girl. On top of that, my cousin is also a skilled painter and plans to recruit a live-in husband...’
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Lu Zhan’s hand holding the teacup tightened, and his gaze swept over his cousin’s left hand.
’If my cousin also has a red mole between her fingers, then...’
Lu Zhan’s dark eyes lowered slightly, his mind suddenly in chaos.
"Miss, your humble servant and Shuang’er have brought in the gifts you brought for Nanny Chen."
Just as the strange atmosphere in the room was making Zhi Wan uneasy, Nanny Fang walked in carrying a stack of boxes. Shuang’er followed behind her, also holding many things.
Seeing them enter, Zhi Wan quietly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "Just put them on the table for now."
Nanny Fang and Shuang’er piled the things they were holding onto the table. There were nutritional supplements, clothes, socks, shoes, hats, bolts of fabric in various colors, and some food and household items.
"Nanny, I bought these for you and my two brothers. Take a look. If there’s anything else you need, just tell me, and I’ll have someone go to town to get it for you," Zhi Wan said softly, taking Nanny Chen’s hand and leading her to the table.
Nanny Chen’s eyes were already moist with tears. She choked up, "That you still think of me, Miss, and came all this way to see me... I’m already so content. How could I let you spend so much money?"
"Nanny, don’t say such things. You’re not a stranger. I should have come to see you sooner, but the Capital City is so far away, and it wasn’t convenient. Now that I’ve had the rare chance to return to Yangzhou, I had to come see you. I didn’t know what to get you, so I just bought a random assortment of things. I hope you don’t mind," Zhi Wan said, taking out a handkerchief to wipe away Nanny Chen’s tears.
Unexpectedly, this only made Nanny Chen’s tears flow even more fiercely.
She gripped Zhi Wan’s hand and shook her head. "The Madam’s kindness to me was as heavy as a mountain, but back then, I abandoned you when you were at your most helpless. All these years, my heart has been uneasy whenever I think of it. It’s a blessing that you don’t blame me, Miss, and are still so good to me. But I don’t deserve it at all..."
Speaking of the past, Zhi Wan’s eyes reddened as well. She bit her lip and said, "You had your own difficulties, Nanny. Back then, Brother Daniu had broken his leg, and Brother Erniu was still young. If you had gone with me, what would have become of them? You had no choice."
Back then, after her parents’ incident, her home was ransacked, and all the servants abandoned her. Only Shuang’er and Nanny Chen stayed behind.
If her aunt hadn’t heard the news and rushed to Yangzhou, Nanny Chen had been prepared to take her back to Jingning Town to live with her.
Nanny Chen had lost her husband early in life and supported her family alone. At the time Zhi Wan was to go to the Capital City with her aunt, Nanny Chen’s mother-in-law had unfortunately passed away, Brother Daniu had broken his leg, and Brother Erniu was still little. With no other elders to manage the household, if Nanny Chen had left with her, her two sons wouldn’t have survived.
As a mother, how could Nanny Chen have the heart to abandon her own children to go with her to the Capital City?
Nanny had her own struggles.
So, all these years, she had never blamed Nanny for not choosing to go with her.
Instead, she often thought of the times Nanny had spent with her during her childhood.
That was why, upon returning to Yangzhou, she had to come and see Nanny, so that Nanny’s love for her would not have been in vain.
Seeing that Zhi Wan truly didn’t blame her at all and was so understanding, Nanny Chen was deeply moved.
’Such a good Miss. She must have a happy future.’
Thinking this, she couldn’t help but look at Lu Zhan again.
’Although the Miss got a little worked up just now, I think it’s just because she was shy and embarrassed.’
’Besides, Prince Lu didn’t deny any of the things I said.’
So, in her heart, she already saw Lu Zhan and Zhi Wan as a couple.
Moreover, her judgment of character had never been wrong. This Prince Lu, the future son-in-law of their Zhi family, would definitely treat the Miss well.
When Lu Zhan noticed Nanny Chen’s gaze fall on him again, his expression faltered for a moment.
Her stare, like a mother-in-law sizing up her son-in-law, made him a little uncomfortable.
He finished the tea in his bowl, stood up, and said, "I’m going for a walk."
Seeing this, Nanny Chen quickly gave Zhi Wan a nudge. "Miss, go with the son-in-law..."
"Nanny, don’t say such things! He’s my cousin," Zhi Wan corrected her hastily, her brow twitching.
Nanny Chen playfully slapped her own mouth and said with a chuckle, "Right, right, look at me, getting so muddle-headed in my old age. The Miss hasn’t married in yet, so I can’t call the Princely Heir ’son-in-law.’ It’s Prince Lu. His Highness has such a noble status. This little corner of Red Leaf Village doesn’t have much to see. It would be good for you to accompany Prince Lu for a walk and a talk, Miss. Otherwise, it must be too dull for him. I’ll go to the kitchen to prepare the food. I’ll call you when it’s ready."
The blush on Zhi Wan’s face had spread to the base of her neck. She was so embarrassed she wished she could find a hole to crawl into.
’Nanny really knows how to spout nonsense!’
She stomped her foot lightly and complained, "Nanny..."
"Go on, go on." Nanny Chen pushed Zhi Wan toward Lu Zhan.
Just as Zhi Wan was about to make an excuse to slip away, Lu Zhan suddenly said, "Let’s go."
Zhi Wan looked at him in surprise. "Cousin..."
Lu Zhan had already strode out of the house.
Zhi Wan frowned. ’Why didn’t my cousin refute anything Nanny said?’
’Great. Now Nanny’s misunderstanding is only getting deeper.’
Feeling a little dejected, Zhi Wan turned to Ouyang Zhenzhu, who was clearly enjoying the show from the side. "Zhenzhu, come with us."
Ouyang Zhenzhu shook her head like a rattle-drum. "I’m not going. I’m going to watch the chickens lay eggs." With that, she took Nanny Chen’s arm and quickly scurried away.
Zhi Wan: "..."
Frustrated, she walked out of the fenced yard and immediately saw her cousin standing before the gate with his hands behind his back, gazing at the distant mountain forest.
Zhi Wan stopped in her tracks.
Thinking of the embarrassing scene just now, she felt extremely awkward. She forced herself to walk forward and said apologetically, "Cousin, Nanny doesn’t understand the situation. Please don’t blame her for the nonsense she was saying, and please don’t take it to heart."
Lu Zhan suddenly turned his head to look at her.
After a long moment, he just grunted "Mm," and pointed at something on the ground. "Could I trouble you to pick that up for me, cousin?"
