Chapter 537: Joy Turns to Sorrow

Whether in his past life or this one, Zhang Yue had always been very moderate when it came to drinking and held little interest in alcohol. Yet now, as Qiu Hen opened the food box and arranged dishes on the kang table, he snatched the wine pot, filled a cup, and drank it in one gulp. Then he poured another and another, before finally stopping. At that moment, the mellow aftereffect of the wine began to take effect, making his face heat up, prompting him to let out a long sigh.

If it weren’t for the sacred order that could not be disobeyed, he would have rushed back to the capital day and night. Why bother staying here and drinking alone to his pleasure? With this thought, he looked up at Qiu Hen. Seeing her standing there, staring at him intently, he gently tapped the kang table with his right hand. “Qiu Hen, sit down and drink with me!”

“Oh, young master, I can’t drink…” Qiu Hen stammered in explanation. But seeing Zhang Yue’s bright eyes, she suddenly felt an indescribable joy surge within her. Unconsciously, she leaned over and sat down across from him, then blinked and said, “There’s a saying… um, ‘I’ll risk my life to accompany a gentleman.’ Since you’re so happy, I’ll drink three cups with you!”

“What three cups? If you’re going to drink, drink to your heart’s content! Tomorrow, there’s no need to go to the office or worry about anything. You can just sleep straight through to night. If you get drunk, so be it!”

Noticing there was no cup in front of Qiu Hen, Zhang Yue simply placed his own cup heavily in front of her. Then he casually took a small covered bowl that had been used to hold pastries and poured most of its contents into it. By then, Qiu Hen was completely stunned. It wasn’t until Zhang Yue held up the bowl to signal her that she raised her cup. But when she saw him gulp down a large mouthful, she couldn’t help but jump in shock. Finally, mustering courage, she also drank it all in one gulp. Although Fenjiu was light and smooth, for someone who had never drunk alcohol before, it still burned her throat, causing her to cough twice.

With most of the pot of wine down in an instant, Zhang Yue felt as though his internal organs were on fire, yet he experienced an indescribable sense of pleasure. Blinking at Qiu Hen, he noticed her cheeks were rosy and beautiful. Suddenly, he laughed. “You’ve been following me since we were kids. Even after Amber came along, your habit of always taking the lead hasn’t changed. Qiu Hen, tell me—what do you think is my greatest wish in this life?”

Qiu Hen had drunk alcohol for the first time. At that moment, she felt her body heating up, her heart pounding fiercely. When she heard Zhang Yue talking about her, her heart grew hotter and hotter, but the last question was particularly difficult. After racking her brains for a while, she cheerfully said, “Of course, the young master hopes to rise steadily in rank, reach the highest official position, and obtain a noble title. In this way, he can bring honor to his family, ensuring that his parents, wife, and younger brother can live a peaceful life forever!”

“The beginning was wrong, but the latter part is half right!”

Zhang Yue swallowed a sugar-covered leaf in a few bites, then said without even looking up, “It’s good to be promoted and given noble titles, but happiness should be shared with others—that’s true joy! I’ve suffered enough being alone, so I hope there are more people around me, as many as possible. I hope those who are kind to me can live safely and happily for a lifetime… Of course, having gained a second chance at life, I hope this life will be more meaningful. So far, I’ve defeated the White Lotus Sect, fought against Japanese pirates, and even killed Tartars with my own hands. Now that I’ve helped my father-in-law escape prison smoothly, I’m very happy!”

Having served Zhang Yue for so many years, Qiu Hen had experienced almost everything. She had jumped for joy after becoming a disciple of Mr. Du; she would tell her stories of interesting incidents from the clan school and the local academy; after passing the exams to become a scholar, she would act like an adult in front of others but spin around in joy behind their backs. Once, she even caught a cold but kept talking nonsense while lying in bed… Yet these things Zhang Yue mentioned now were something she had never heard before.

What did he mean by “having suffered enough being alone” and “having gained a second chance at life”? Confused, she saw Zhang Yue pick up the wine pot again to pour more wine. She quickly stepped forward to dissuade him, but before she could stand up, Zhang Yue poured another full cup into her glass.

“You said you’d at least drink three cups with me—this is the second one!”

Without hesitation, Zhang Yue set down the pot, shook it to see there was still wine left, and filled his own bowl as well. Seeing Zhang Yue drink most of the contents in one gulp, Qiu Hen drank another cup along with him. Finally, she couldn’t hold back and softly advised, “Young master, even if you’re happy, you should drink less. A hangover causes terrible headaches—have you forgotten? Besides, you were sick before, and your health isn’t what it used to be. Even if you don’t take care of yourself, I…”

Zhang Yue suddenly raised his head and saw a hint of panic on Qiu Hen’s face. He couldn’t help but recall what she had said that night. After she openly expressed her feelings, he had merely replied, “Silly girl,” yet she had been overjoyed. Even if he were truly insensitive, he should have understood by then, especially since he already understood very well. Having grown up together since childhood, he certainly knew that she had only ever had eyes for him. As for himself, he could no longer tell whether it was family affection, liking, or some other emotion.

“It’s true you don’t care, but I do!” Having said such things that night, there was nothing left to fear now. So Qiu Hen finally gritted her teeth and spoke those words, then looked up into Zhang Yue’s eyes and said slowly, “Young master, don’t drink anymore tonight. You say you’re happy, but happiness shouldn’t mean pushing yourself to this extreme. You once taught me to know when to stop. Even if you really want to drink, wait until the young mistress arrives, and we can all drink together to our heart’s content, okay?”

“Know when to stop… I’ve always been too cautious. Now that I’m happy, must I suppress it so tightly, keeping all this joy inside? I’m not an old man. Come on, drink!”

With an annoyed reply, Zhang Yue picked up his wine bowl, closed his eyes, and drank it all in one gulp. Only after confirming there wasn’t a drop of wine left did he sway back, only to accidentally knock the back of the kang chair against the wall. Seeing Qiu Hen rush over to help, he managed to move slightly, stared at the ceiling for a while, before finally grasping her outstretched hand and managing to sit up.

“Young master, wait a moment. I’ll go get a basin of water to wash your face.”

Dazed, Zhang Yue nodded vaguely. After what felt like a long time, he felt a cold towel on his face. Initially, he thought his whole body was hot, but the icy towel finally eased the unbearable heat. After a while, his mind cleared somewhat, and he pulled the towel away to find Qiu Hen’s cheeks flushed red—clearly tipsy. He tossed the towel at her.

“Wipe yourself too. If not for your persistent advice tonight, I might have drunk another jar of wine. Well, happiness is one thing, but excess leads to sorrow. Qiu Hen, you’re truly wonderful.”

Cold compresses could only slightly relieve the effects of alcohol, but Zhang Yue had indeed drunk quite a lot. After warming his feet with hot water, Qiu Hen quickly helped him go to bed. Seeing him fall into a deep sleep, she felt her cheeks burn even more painfully and couldn’t help but press the towel, already warmed by her hands, against her face. Those simple five words gave her great comfort, but they also prevented her from falling asleep. Sitting against the wall for a long time, staring at Zhang Yue, she finally gave in to exhaustion and unconsciously drifted off to sleep.

Compared to the Minor New Year’s Eve, the Lesser New Year’s Eve before Chinese New Year wasn’t considered a major festival. Since Zhang Yue had been busy almost all the time before, the free time on this day was naturally extremely precious. So early in the morning, the servants in the courtyard got up early, some sweeping and others shopping. When there was still no activity in the inner courtyard by the third hour of the day, they grew curious. Xiang Long and Liu Bao hesitated to go in and disturb them, so they urged Lian Sheng and Lian Hu to go check what was going on. But the usually simple-minded brothers refused both times, with Lian Hu even bluntly saying something that ruined the mood.

Furious, Xiang Long glared at Lian Sheng and Lian Hu, glanced toward the second gate, and saw figures moving in the small kitchen. He quickly called out. Soon, Li Sao, the cook wearing a blue cloth coat, came out. Seeing four big men gathered at the door, she was very puzzled, “What are you all doing here…?”

Lian Sheng, who was always quick-tongued, quickly asked in a low voice, “Sister Li, why hasn’t anyone gotten up inside yet?”

“Last night, the young master came back so late, beaming and saying he wanted to drink. He heated up a whole pot of Fen wine. That Fen wine has a strong aftereffect. If someone really drank a whole pot, they’d probably still be drunk!” At this point, Li Sao suddenly understood the strange expressions on these men’s faces and laughed, “I thought so! What are you all up to here? It’s just a matter of time. Otherwise, why would the old lady send Miss Qiu Hen over?”

Lian Hu chuckled, about to speak when suddenly a loud voice came from outside. It was one of the attendants who had come with Qiu Hen and Li Sao. He rushed out through the screen door. Seeing the two carriages outside, he was stunned. When he saw people getting out of the carriages, he immediately ran back.

“It’s bad! The young mistress… the young mistress has arrived…”

Before he could finish speaking, someone slapped him hard on the head. After that, Liu Bao scolded him irritably, “What’s the problem? If you had said such rude things at home, you would have been scolded badly by the family elders! The young mistress has arrived, and your two brothers’ wives are here too, right? What are you still standing around for? Hurry up and go greet her. You even ran back here as if you’d seen a ghost just now… Sister Li, go inside and urge them quickly, or things will get awkward later!”
“What will get awkward?”
As Liu Bao spoke, he turned his head and saw Du Wan and Lingxi Amber having passed through the screen door and were walking towards them. It was Lingxi who spoke. He couldn’t help but scratch the back of his head, then glanced at the main house inside the second gate—well, there was no time left to send a message or make preparations now. He could only hope the young master wouldn’t suffer setbacks from his joy.