The Minister: Cold by Day, Hot by Night-Chapter 74: Zhi Wan: Your Nose Is Bleeding

Qingyun Residence.

Lu Zhan had just returned from the Ministry of Justice and was sitting in a chair, reading a case file, when Lady Wei walked in.

"Ah Zhan." Lady Wei’s face was full of motherly affection.

Lu Zhan paused, then nodded impassively. "Mother."

"Just back from the Ministry of Justice?" Lady Wei asked with concern.

"Yes," Lu Zhan replied.

"You must be exhausted, dealing with so many official duties every day. I had someone prepare an old hen today and specially made some ginseng soup for you. Have a little." After speaking, Lady Wei took a food box from Nanny Fang and brought out a bowl of soup.

Looking at the ginseng soup she placed before him, Lu Zhan gave her a puzzled look. "What’s the special occasion?"

Lady Wei faltered for a moment, then cleared her throat and chided, "It’s just an ordinary day. What’s wrong? Can’t a mother dote on her son?"

Lu Zhan watched her pensively. "I’ve only heard the saying that unsolicited kindness means you’re either a villain or a thief."

Lady Wei was speechless.

She said in exasperation, "Have I never been good to you before? How can you make such assumptions about me?"

"Of course Mother is good to me," Lu Zhan said seriously.

Lady Wei’s expression softened slightly. "Then hurry up and drink the soup."

Lu Zhan paused, picked up the spoon, and stirred the soup. Then he looked up, his tone exceptionally calm. "What is it that you want me to do, Mother? Or... have I offended you in some way? Are you trying to poison me?"

Lady Wei was speechless.

Her lips trembled. Gritting her teeth, she snatched the soup back from him and said angrily, "Fine, don’t drink it! I’ll save it for your father."

"Mm," Lu Zhan grunted nonchalantly, opening his case file and continuing to read.

Lady Wei was speechless.

She carried the food box to the door, but her son said nothing to stop her. She found herself in a bind.

’How did I give birth to a son whose sole purpose seems to be infuriating me?’

For the one hundred and eighth time, Lady Wei regretted giving birth to this son.

’She really just wanted to take her ginseng soup and walk away.’

But the thought of the birthday banquet at Prince Gao Yang Mansion tomorrow forced her to suppress her frustration. Gritting her teeth, she turned back around.

"Ah Zhan..." Lady Wei’s smile was rather grim.

Lu Zhan glanced at her. "If you have something to say, Mother, just say it. I’m very busy."

Lady Wei gritted her teeth and spoke in a rush, "...Tomorrow, Wan’er is attending the banquet at Prince Gao Yang Mansion. You will escort her. If anything happens to her at the Prince Mansion, I will hold you responsible."

Lu Zhan was speechless.

He raised a hand and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don’t have the time. I’m not going."

"Do you think I want to beg you? If you hadn’t provoked that Commandery Princess, she wouldn’t be taking her anger out on Wan’er! Xuanyuan Jing specifically requested Wan’er’s attendance. It’s obvious she wants to cause trouble for her. This all started because of you, so you can’t be so irresponsible!" Lady Wei said, her tone firm.

Lu Zhan’s brows knitted together. After a long moment of contemplation, he finally nodded. "I understand."

Lady Wei’s expression softened. She placed the ginseng soup in front of him again and urged, "I stewed this soup all afternoon. Hurry and drink it while it’s hot."

Just as Lu Zhan was about to refuse, Lady Wei quickly said, "I spent the entire afternoon on this! You can’t let all my hard work go to waste."

Lu Zhan was speechless.

Only after watching him finish the soup was Lady Wei satisfied. She patted his shoulder and said, "Now that you’ve drunk the soup I worked so hard to make, you must take good care of your cousin tomorrow. Don’t let her get bullied."

Lu Zhan was speechless.

...

Zhi Wan was unaware of what had transpired at Qingyun Residence. After returning to Yaoguang Pavilion, she resumed her painting, not at all worried about attending the banquet at Prince Gao Yang Mansion the next day.

However, after her evening bath, she went to bed early.

After all, she had a banquet to attend tomorrow. She needed to be well-rested to deal with Xuanyuan Jing.

But in the middle of the night, she found herself in a bedchamber.

Seeing the familiar furnishings and smelling the familiar scent of cedarwood in the air, Zhi Wan immediately realized this was that man’s room.

The last time they met, they had parted on rather unpleasant terms. They hadn’t seen each other for a long time since.

She never expected to find herself in his room again tonight.

Recalling how she had defiantly told him not to seek her out again, her first instinct was to slip away.

She had told him not to come looking for her, yet here she was, in his room.

"Where are you running off to?"

Just as her hand was about to touch the door latch, the man’s deep voice sounded.

Zhi Wan turned around and finally noticed him sitting in the shadows by the window, holding a cup as if he were drinking tea.

Zhi Wan sheepishly drew back her hand and walked toward him. "Drinking tea in the middle of the night? Is everything alright?"

The man ignored her. As he set down his cup, his expression suddenly changed, and he covered his nose with his hand.

Zhi Wan leaned in curiously. "What are you doing?"

The man didn’t speak, his ink-black eyes just watched her quietly.

Just as Zhi Wan was about to say something, she suddenly gasped, "Why is there blood on your hand?"

The man’s brow furrowed slightly. "It’s nothing," he said calmly. "Could you be so kind as to bring me a damp cloth?"

Zhi Wan did as he asked.

She quickly pulled a cloth from the washstand and dipped it into the water in the bronze basin.

After wringing it out, she went back and handed it to him.

The man took it and pressed it against his nose.

Seeing this, it dawned on Zhi Wan. "You have a nosebleed."

"Mm," the man grunted in a low voice.

Zhi Wan asked in surprise, "Why are you having a nosebleed? Are you overheated?"

"Perhaps," the man said lightly, a hint of resignation in his voice.

Bored, Zhi Wan began to wander around the room.

She was very curious about what the world outside his room looked like, so she went to the door again, wanting to slide the latch open and have a look.

But just then, a hand reached out from behind her and pressed against the door, holding it shut.

Zhi Wan froze. Just as she was about to turn, a scorching hot chest pressed against her back, pinning her to the door.

She turned her head slightly to look at the man behind her. "You’re burning up. Are you sick?"

"Perhaps," the man’s voice was a little hoarse. His long fingers tugged restlessly at his collar, and his dark eyes, in which two flames seemed to dance, fixed on her enchanting figure.

Zhi Wan felt uneasy under his gaze and struggled a little. "If you’re sick, you should see a doctor."

"Don’t move!" the man suddenly warned in a deep voice.

Zhi Wan grew annoyed. "Then back off a little. Being this close, you’re making me hot too."

The man paused, but didn’t back away. His warm lips brushed against her ear, his voice low, hoarse, and bewitching. "You’re the one who delivered yourself to my door."

"What?" Before Zhi Wan could comprehend the meaning behind his words, the man’s searing kiss fell upon her.

Zhi Wan was stunned.

The kiss left her dazed.

’Didn’t this man say last time that they should just call it quits?’

’So what is he doing now?’

’Just as she thought. You can’t believe a word men say.’

Zhi Wan sneered inwardly, but it didn’t matter.

Her relationship with him was just a game of mutual desire; it couldn’t be taken seriously.

Since that was the case, there was no need for her to hold back either.

With that thought, she spun around in the man’s arms, tilted her head back, and boldly returned his kiss.