Chapter 66 – Memories Tied to a Place (1)
The golden sun slowly set, brandishing the sky with thin stripes of violet hues. Beneath the wide horizon, the lined-up carriages of the Lu Family arrived at the Zhuangzi Hot Springs.
Lu Shiming had already sent people to the Zhuangzi to take care of everything. When they arrived, the establishment’s housekeeper had already met them at the door.
Upon arrival, Pei Shi went to check on Ye Zhen, “It’s getting late. You’ve been in the carriage for most of the day. I must make a hot soup for you.”
“Shouldn’t we go to hot spring together with the rest?”
“Every courtyard here draws water from the spring. There is not only one pool.” Pei Shi spoke with wonder.
Ye Zhen smiled. No one is more familiar with the structure of the hot spring Zhuangzi than she is. This was originally her dowry! Given by her family to the emperor upon their marriage!
She died without children, and her family died right after her death. Therefore, all her things became Mo Rongzhan’s.
She felt bitter in her heart, the tyrant gave her Zhuangzi to the Lu family!
At the thought of this, Ye Zhen’s heart was filled with anger, and his hatred for Mo Rongzhan deepened somewhat.
Because she was an unimportant person to him, her dowry can be freely given to others.
Pei Shi felt that her daughter’s mood was a little foul. Perceiving it as some kind of travel exhaustion, she sent out maids to take Ye Zhen to her temporary chamber and courtyard.
When Ye Zhen came to the courtyard arranged for her, she had a bitter-sweet smile on her face. It turned out to be such a playful coincidence.
She used to live in the very courtyard she was standing on now. Back then, she personally chose this part of the baths for it had the largest courtyard and the biggest pool that had a secret passageway to the adjacent hills.
Although the establishment was surrounded by wooden walls, it was not difficult to swim out and find inexplicable freedom at the other side of the wall.
When she was still unmarried, every time she visited this place she would secretly sneak into the back hill at night. And there, she would bask under the moonlight and embrace the warmth of the night scenery until it was near dawn…
This place also housed memories of her childhood. Her father and her brother, she could see their shadows at every corner.
Her insides shivered and in no time, her eyes welled up with tears. She felt miserable and alone.
Oh god, how she missed them! If only she could turn time back but miracles were not in her control.
“Yao Yao!” Lu Xiangzhi rushed up from behind and the smile was immediately wiped away when he saw tears in his sister’s eyes. “What’s wrong?”
Ye Zhen wiped away tears, smiled and shook her head, “I’m fine. Why aren’t you with father? What brings you here? ”
Pure disbelief in his eyes, Lu Xiangzhi frowned and ignored his sister’s query. Instead, he held her shoulders at arm’s bay and looked at her right in the eye.
”Are you worried about the entrance examination? Or did you hear about other people betting on you? ”
“You know?” Ye Zhen was surprised to ask, has this matter already spread?
One of Lu Xiangzhi’s faces looked exactly like this: “Don’t worry about what other people think, don’t they say you can’t enter if you don’t?”
“Brother, you can bet for me.” Ye Zhen smiled through tears and tugged at Lu Xiangzhi’s sleeve before saying, “All my savings are one hundred and twenty taels. If you bet on me, bet that I will succeed in entering the college, my one hundred taels will turn to one thousand!”
“Eh? You will put you savings at risk?” Lu Xiangzhi eyes look like it would fall at any moment!
Pursing her lips, Ye Zhen put her hands at her sides, a face of injustice stared back at Lu Xiangzhi. “Does brother also think I cannot enter? You also look down on me! Hmph!”
Lu Xiangzhi said hastily, “How can I look down on you? Our family is smart and you will definitely be admitted to the college.”
“Then you should bet on me to win!” Ye Zhen smiled and her clear eyes sparkled like jewels.
T/N : Turns out, this place was linked to her past, did you see that coming?