Upon receiving the instructions, Boss Lu immediately made the arrangements.
Before long, Xu Wei received a reply from his servant.
"She likes silver? Well, that makes things easier."
Xu Wei wasn’t foolish. If he were to resort to force and the Lu family lodged a complaint, even his aunt might not be able to protect him. But what if Lu Chao came willingly? Tricking an eight-year-old child couldn’t be that hard.
Lu Family Estate.
The weather was clear, with a gentle breeze.
Lady Lu had surprisingly changed into a striking red riding outfit, leaving Lu Chao starry-eyed.
"Mother looks so beautiful in this outfit! Like a female general!"
Lady Lu covered her mouth, laughing.
"Did you coat your lips in honey today? So sweet!"
Beauty needed no explanation.
Not just Lu Chao, but even Lord Lu was momentarily stunned. Over the years, Lady Lu had grown increasingly gentle in temperament and refined in attire. Today, however, she seemed as lively as she had been in the early days of their marriage. Remembering those times, Lord Lu cleared his throat.
"Let’s get on the carriage."
His ears turned faintly red.
Lord Lu and Lady Lu rode in one carriage, the three brothers in another, while Aunt Zhou shared a carriage with her two daughters.
Originally, Lady Lu had only planned to take the three brothers to the estate for a leisurely outing. But Lord Lu, for some inexplicable reason, insisted on joining them. Upon hearing this, Aunt Zhou pleaded with him to bring along her two daughters as well. Since young ladies rarely had opportunities to venture out, Lady Lu didn’t object and allowed them to come along. If not for Aunt Li catching a cold, it would have been a full-family excursion.
Once inside the carriage, Lu Yuanyi bounced excitedly, grinning from ear to ear.
He had woken up unusually early that morning, even offering Lu Chao a warm wake-up call. Lu Chao rolled his eyes at him—who wouldn’t be startled to open their eyes and find someone staring straight at them? The two ended up wrestling on the bed again, much to Nanny Yang’s exasperation.
"There’s a small stream at the estate with fish and shrimp! If Mother is merciful, we can go wading and catch some! We can even fry them into crispy fish!"
Kneeling by the window, Lu Yuanyi leaned close to Lu Chao, eagerly peering outside before instinctively tugging the blanket higher over him.
"If Mother won’t let us in the water, we can still fish or set up a bamboo trap to catch them!"
Lu Yuanzhao shook his head and returned to his book.
"Eldest Brother, aren’t you carsick?" Lu Chao asked curiously.
"What’s carsickness?"
"It’s when riding in a carriage for too long makes you dizzy and nauseous."
Lu Yuanzhao nodded, as if surprised Lu Chao knew about it.
Lu Yuanyi suddenly remembered, "No wonder you couldn’t eat anything last time we went to the estate—you were carsick!"
The carriages of this era lacked shock absorbers, and the roads were rough. It was no surprise if someone felt sick.
"The more you read, the dizzier and more nauseous you’ll get."
Lu Yuanzhao closed his book with a sigh.
"But not reading is so boring."
Lu Chao pulled out a deck of cards.
"Heh heh heh."
Hearing laughter from the carriage behind them, Lady Lu guessed they were playing cards and felt a sudden itch to join.
Would four people in one carriage really be too crowded? Maybe she should squeeze in too?
"Ahem, my lady, you seem a bit weary lately. You’ve lost some weight," Lord Lu remarked, stroking his chin.
"It’s nothing. Just my duties," Lady Lu replied.
"Wanniang, it’s been thirteen years since we married. I still remember our first year—I took you to the southern estate. You wore a red dress then too."
Lady Lu glanced at the hand resting atop hers. Though well-maintained, it lacked the warmth of those early days. She withdrew slightly.
"Yes, time flies. Black hair turns to white."
Lord Lu tightened his grip.
"I’ve failed to earn you a noble title all these years. You’ve suffered."
Lady Lu’s eyes grew moist.
"Your sons just promised me the same thing—each vowed to win me a title."
"Hahaha! Such ambition! Then my lady will outshine me!"
…
In her carriage, Aunt Zhou busily checked their belongings while murmuring reminders.
"Baozhu, Baohua, mind your manners around Lady Lu at the estate. Don’t just play around. Especially you, Baozhu—you’ll be of marriageable age soon. With your brothers here, this is a rare chance to bond. They’ll be your support in the future. Don’t act like mute little dolls."
Baozhu, now nine, already carried herself like a proper young lady, though her eyes remained fixed on the sliver of the outside world visible through the window, as if she couldn’t get enough.
Five-year-old Baohua pressed her face against the window, eyes glued to the gap.
Their brothers were always kind. Last time, they’d brought back roasted duck with osmanthus glaze, which the sisters adored.
They particularly liked Lu Chao. Though Aunt Zhou insisted they should curry favor with the eldest brother, Baozhu always gave her best embroidered pouch to Lu Chao—he often brought back little novelties and taught them popular games.
After over an hour of jolting along, they finally arrived at the suburban estate.
The moment they stepped down, Aunt Zhou rushed forward.
"My lord, my lady, was the journey tiring? I brought a balm—inhaling its scent helps refresh the mind."
Lady Lu accepted it and took a whiff.
"Quite invigorating. Thoughtful of you."
Aunt Zhou glanced hopefully at Lord Lu, who hesitated before taking the balm after Lady Lu’s approval.
"Baohua and Baozhu are here for the first time. Keep an eye on them. Let Lady Lu know if you need anything."
"Thank you, my lord."
Satisfied, Aunt Zhou retreated.
Lu Chao stretched his limbs—his backside had gone numb from the bumpy ride.
The estate manager, having been notified in advance, had prepared fresh ingredients for the family’s arrival.
Lord Lu and Lu Yuanzhao settled into a game of Go, while Lady Lu took Baozhu and Baohua fruit-picking in the orchard. Lu Yuanyi dragged Lu Chao to the stream to catch fish.
Perhaps the playful spirit was inherent in all men—Lu Chao threw himself into the activity even more enthusiastically than his brother, scooping up fish, shrimp, crabs, and clams indiscriminately.
"Second Brother! I’ve got a gift for you! Hold out your hands!"
Lu Chao grinned, fist clenched.
"What is it?" Lu Yuanyi obediently extended his palms.
A moment later—
"AAAAHHH!!!"
"LU CHAO, YOU’RE DEAD!!!"
Lu Yuanyi shrieked, flinging away the wriggling loach in terror, his scream echoing across the sky.
