Chapter 429: Chapter 157: Annoy Him_3
"I’m sorry, I’ll build another one for you."
The woman stood in front of the desk, uttering words of apology, yet her tone bore not even a hint of guilt. It was open and confident as if she were the master of the study, and he, an unwelcome intruder who had barged in without permission.
She made excuses with such righteousness.
In a moment, he straightened up, placed the piece of wood he had picked up on the desk, and sighed silently.
It was truly a self-inflicted misery, beyond help.
...
Lu Tong was completely unaware of Pei Yunmeng’s troubles.
Perhaps the familiarity of the Renxin Medical Hall was reassuring, or maybe the excitement of being close to uncovering the secrets of Qi Yutai made for a deep sleep that night.
The next morning, upon waking, Yin Zheng stood before her bed, holding clothing, her smile steadfast.
"Miss, you’ll be going out with Marshal Pei today. Wear this new dress. Otherwise, when the weather gets hotter, you’ll have even less opportunity to wear it, especially since you spend most days at the Medical Officer Institute," she insisted.
Lu Tong: "..."
Yesterday she had visited Pei Yunshu’s residence to provide a medical consultation for Pei Yunshu and Treasure Bead. Since she had to carry a medical box, she still wore her usual old clothes, which left Yin Zheng disappointed.
However, knowing that today she would go out with Pei Yunmeng, Yin Zheng’s heart filled with new anticipation.
She pressed Lu Tong in front of the vanity mirror, acting like a mother dressing up her daughter, wishing she could adorn Lu Tong with all things beautiful and exquisite. While dressing Lu Tong, she said, "The silk shoe shop’s Younger Sister Song, who’s nearly fifteen now—I had Tailor Ge make clothes for the young lady based on designs I’d drawn, and Sister Song saw them. She wanted me to create some designs for Younger Sister Song as well."
"...Every time I see Younger Sister Song dressed up, I think how good those clothes would look on the young lady. Now that you’ve finally returned, it’s not in vain."
Lu Tong let her dress her up, murmuring, "I’m not going out for pleasure."
She was going to the tea garden to inquire about the business of Qi Yutai. What she wore or the accessories she donned were truly insignificant.
"Lord Pei is a man," said Yin Zheng as she combed Lu Tong’s long hair. "He seems hard to approach and wary. But it’s said that heroes are easily taken down by beauty. If the young lady dresses attractively, perhaps he’ll become a most devoted admirer, constantly attentive, and maybe even provide more clues."
Before Lu Tong could speak, Yin Zheng continued, "Well, young lady, liking a man is one thing, and whether he can be of use is another. You don’t need to be too resistant."
Lu Tong remained silent.
Pei Yunmeng was outwardly warm yet inwardly cold, not seeming the type to be swayed by a woman’s charms. It wasn’t that he was a hypocrite; he simply held no interest in love and romance.
Would he become her devoted admirer?
Lu Tong did not think she possessed such allure.
A beautiful knife is still a weapon.
It can wound, but it cannot love.
Yet these words were futile to say to Yin Zheng, so Lu Tong maintained her silence.
After a good half an hour, Yin Zheng finally finished arranging the hair. She then lightly dusted Lu Tong with seldom-used powder and rouge, helping her into the light pink misty dress, before pulling her over to the mirror.
"Look, young lady, doesn’t it fit just right?"
Lu Tong looked at herself in the mirror.
In the brass mirror of that room, a young woman in a long dress stood with newly arranged hair and delicate features, silently staring back at herself.
She looked somewhat unrecognizable.
Seeing her puzzled expression, Yin Zheng chuckled, pushed Lu Tong toward the door, and they walked outside. Miao Liangfang was crouching in front of the medicine cabinet comparing herbs, and Du Changqing was leaning against a desk listlessly looking at the ledger. Hearing their approach, he glanced over and his gaze instantly froze.
"Wow!" exclaimed Ah Cheng, his eyes widening as he threw his broom aside and circled around Lu Tong. "Doctor Lu, your new dress is really beautiful!"
When she was at Benevolent Heart Medical Hall in the past, she never wore makeup and her clothing was mostly simple and old, convenient for handling medical herbs. Wearing something more elaborate was a rare occurrence, thus it was a pleasant surprise for everyone.
Miao Liangfang lifted his head from the pile of herbs, squinted his eyes for a careful look, and marveled, "Xiao Lu dressed up like this looks much more agile! Young girls should wear bright and eye-catching dresses like this!"
"Of course," Yin Zheng said smugly, "It’s the latest fabric from Taylor Ge’s, and I was lucky to grab it fast—it was gone in just two days. I also designed the pattern myself. This craftsmanship is no less than those ready-made clothes stores in the Capital City, right?"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
In the midst of all the praise, only Du Changqing had a furrowed brow, looking at Lu Tong with a vigilant eye, "Why so dressed up early in the morning? Where are you going?"
Lu Tong said, "I still have some matters to attend to at the Medical Officer Institute."
"Just by yourself? Is anyone else going with you? Male or female? Where to?"
He bombarded her with questions, and Yin Zheng rolled her eyes, "Shopkeeper Du, can’t you stop being such a killjoy?"
"How am I being a killjoy? You don’t understand," Du Changqing came out from inside, "There are many villains in Shengjing. Doctor Lu is a young woman at the prime of her youth, naive and unsuspecting. It’s dangerous to make friends carelessly, and look at how she’s dressed—does it look like she’s going to handle affairs? No, wait, stand still, and tell me clearly..." He made a move to grab Lu Tong.
Yin Zheng gave Ah Cheng a knowing look, and understanding her cue, the two dashed up, grabbed Du Changqing around his waist, one on the left and one on the right. Yin Zheng turned to Lu Tong and said, "Miss, hurry up, people are waiting anxiously."
Out of breath with indignation, Du Changqing protested, "What people? Why are they so anxious? I want to see for myself!"
Yin Zheng retorted, "What’s there to see, it’s her betrothed and none of Shopkeeper Du’s business!"
Du Changqing was taken aback, "Betrothed?"
Ignoring the chaos that ensued behind her, Lu Tong picked up her skirt and walked out of the Benevolent Heart Medical Hall. Miao Liangfang waved to her cheerfully, "Xiao Lu, go and come back soon——"
The commotion gradually faded away behind her.
When she reached the end of West Street, indeed, there was a carriage stopped by the roadside. Qingfeng was sitting on a horse in front, and when he saw Lu Tong, he nodded to her, "Doctor Lu."
Lu Tong returned the gesture.
She had agreed to meet with Pei Yunying the day before and he would wait for her at the entrance of West Street after Si Time. Lu Tong didn’t tell Pei Yunying to wait in front of the Medical Hall to avoid being seen by Du Changqing and subjected to his barrage of questions, which she really didn’t have the patience to deal with.
Moreover, Pei Yunying’s entourage was too eye-catching. Staying at the entrance of the Medical Hall for too long and being spotted by someone with intent could be trouble, as they were on a mission today and it was best to keep a low profile.
As she was contemplating this, the carriage curtain lifted, and Pei Yunying’s face appeared from behind it. The sunlight illuminated his robe and cast his face in a glow, making him look exceptionally handsome and youthful, his eyes like stars and his lips like peach blossoms.
He raised an eyebrow, "Doctor Lu is a bit late."
Lu Tong apologized, "Sorry."
Indeed, if it weren’t for Yin Zheng and Ah Cheng holding Du Changqing back, she could have been even later.
Pei Yunying nodded, his eyes landing on her and pausing for a moment.
In the sunlight, the woman did not carry her medical box but wore a light pink tunic dress embroidered with double butterflies. White patterned butterflies adorned the cuffs and collar, her black hair cascaded down to her shoulders, and a Hibiscus Hairpin was tucked into her bun.
She usually wore cool-colored clothes and rarely donned such brightly colored attire, which made her innate chilliness fade away, showcasing an exceptional charm. The pink ribbons falling by her ears made her face look like a painting, bright and radiant, similar to a springtime camellia about to bloom, full of youthful beauty.
It was a stark contrast from her usual self.
Pei Yunying’s expression shifted slightly, "Today you..."
Lu Tong looked at him, "What about me today?"
After a pause, the corner of his lips curled up, "Nothing."
This man made no sense.
Lu Tong didn’t say much else, picked up her dress to get into the carriage. However, the carriage was too high, and the new dress made by Tailor Ge was inconvenient for movement. Seeing her struggle, Pei Yunying held the curtain with one hand and grasped her arm with the other, pulling her up into the carriage.
Once inside, the curtain fell, and Lu Tong looked toward Pei Yunying, "Lord Pei, are we going to Tea Mountain now?"
He nodded and instructed Qingfeng outside, "Let’s go."