Chapter 667: 669, Hundred Flowers Conference, lovers must not be separated (second update)

When Mo Zhixuan went downstairs, he happened to run into Chu Xiu coming in from outside. Seeing Mo Zhixuan, Chu Xiu expressed surprise, "Brother-in-law, when did you get here?"

"Mom’s feeling a bit unwell; I just arrived," Mo Zhixuan said, his expression unchanging.

Chu Xiu immediately became very anxious, "Auntie is feeling unwell? How is she now? Have you called a doctor?"

"The doctor will be here soon; come with me to take a look," Mo Zhixuan said, glancing sideways slightly.

"Okay," Chu Xiu nodded and followed behind Mo Zhixuan.

By the time they got there, the butler had already brought the doctor in. She was a female doctor, around 40 years old, looking very gentle.

"Your Excellency, young master Chu." The doctor seemed somewhat constrained upon seeing Mo Zhixuan and Chu Xiu.

Mo Zhixuan spoke slowly, "Doctor Lin, there’s no need to be formal; attending to my mother is the priority."

"Alright," the doctor immediately set down her medical box, sat by the bed, checked Zhao Yan’s pulse, and then shone a flashlight into Zhao Yan’s eyes.

The expression on her face was not at all good.

Seeing this, Chu Xiu asked urgently, "Doctor Lin, how is my auntie? Is she alright?"

Doctor Lin sighed and slightly furrowed her brow, "Madam’s condition is very bad. You must be careful not to let her suffer any shocks, otherwise..."

The rest of her words went unsaid.

"I’ll write you a prescription. Remember to give the medication to madam on time, and it would be best to have her rechecked at the hospital every two weeks," Doctor Lin said as she pulled out a piece of paper and started writing vigorously.

"Thank you very much," Mo Zhixuan accepted the prescription from Doctor Lin and thanked her politely.

Doctor Lin replied somewhat flusteredly, "Your Excellency, you’re too courteous. It’s all part of my job. If there’s nothing else, I will take my leave."

"Hmm," Mo Zhixuan nodded slightly, "Butler Chu, please see Doctor Lin out."

"Of course," the butler immediately stepped forward, gesturing with a "this way, please" motion, "Doctor Lin, please follow me."

Zhao Yan on the bed was in a state of deep sleep.

Chu Xiu wrung out a wet towel and placed it on Zhao Yan’s forehead, speaking with a touch of confusion, "Where is sister Luo Yu? Where did she go?"

Luo Yu was a child with great filial piety; at this time in the past, it was always Luo Yu who took care of Zhao Yan.

How come today, Luo Yu was nowhere to be seen?

"She might have gone upstairs to rest," Mo Zhixuan spoke in a light tone.

Chu Xiu nodded thoughtfully, "Ah, then maybe sister Luo Yu is just too tired."

So far, Chu Xiu had a rather good impression of Luo Yu.

Mo Zhixuan didn’t say anything more, stepping outside. He took a cigarette from his pocket, lit it up, and the thin smoke billowed from his lips, creating an indescribable sense of allure.

There were only five days left until the Hundred Flowers Conference, yet he felt these five days were harder to endure than five centuries.

The next morning, when Luo Yu woke up again, the sky was already bright.

The scene from the previous night still played before Luo Yu’s eyes – the man’s robustness, his vigorous physique, all unleashed upon her to the fullest. Last night, he and she finally became one.

At this thought, Luo Yu’s cheeks turned a blushing red, her lips curving into a slight smile.

"Brother Mo," she turned over in bed, but the space beside her was already empty.

There was no sign of Mo Zhixuan to be seen, and in the air lingered a faint odor of grass and earth.

What was this strange smell?

Was it coming from Mo Zhixuan?

She wouldn’t have thought that someone as handsome as Mo Zhixuan would have such an unpleasant scent.

Luo Yu frowned slightly but did not ponder it deeply.

Initially, Luo Yu had planned to cling to Mo Zhixuan when she woke up, insisting that he acknowledge their relationship. However, to her surprise, Mo Zhixuan had already slipped away.

If not for the marks that still remained on her body, Luo Yu would almost believe that last night’s incident was a hallucination.

But it didn’t matter. Even if Mo Zhixuan had left, he still had to take responsibility for her.

Luo Yu narrowed her eyes slightly, a triumphant glint flashing through them as her hand gently caressed her belly.

To smooth her path to becoming the matriarch of the Mo family, Luo Yu had deliberately taken a medicine that made conception easier.

The success rate was one hundred percent.

With the Mo family’s heir in her womb, she didn’t believe Mo Zhixuan could ignore his responsibility towards her!

Moreover, Madam Mo was already of considerable age; she was probably yearning to hold a great-grandson, wasn’t she?

There was no doubt in Luo Yu’s mind that the child she was carrying was a boy.

With that thought, the curve of Luo Yu’s lips grew more pronounced.

It was truly wonderful, she could finally become the rightful mistress of the Mo family.

From now on, she would be the most distinguished woman among all three realms.

Luo Yu endured the pain on her body and took a bath; by the time she came downstairs, Chu Xiu was already sitting in the dining room eating.

"Good morning, Sister Luo Yu," Chu Xiu took the initiative to greet Luo Yu.

"Good morning," Luo Yu replied with a slight smile, glancing around with the corner of her eye and asked with some surprise, "Xiu, why are you alone? Where’s Zhixuan?"

Zhixuan?

Chu Xiu’s brow furrowed slightly.

Compared to the title "Brother Mo", "Zhixuan" felt ten times more intimate.

What was Luo Yu trying to do?

Could it be...

That she was still after Mo Zhixuan?

If that was indeed the case, then Luo Yu was truly lacking in self-awareness.

Chu Xiu’s frown was subtle as she responded, "My brother-in-law has already gone back."

"Gone back?" Luo Yu sounded surprised, "When did Zhixuan leave?"

This man was really too heartless—once his pants were back on, he didn’t recognize anyone!

Luckily, she was well-prepared!

Otherwise, she would have suffered this loss for nothing.

After having his way with her, he wanted to discard her just like that? Did he think it would be that easy?

Chu Xiu slowly peeled the egg in her hand and continued, "He left not long ago. Why? Do you need my brother-in-law for something?"

Chu Xiu made a point of emphasizing the words "my brother-in-law."

But Luo Yu, as if not catching the undercurrent in Chu Xiu’s words, slowly smiled, her voice soft, "It’s nothing important, I was just asking casually."

"Miss, please enjoy your meal," chimed in a servant, placing Luo Yu’s breakfast on the table with great respect.

Luo Yu assumed the air of a young lady and glanced carelessly at the servant. When she saw the food on the table, she said with dissatisfaction, "How many times have I told you, I don’t like to eat cooked caviar. Take it away, make it again! If there’s a next time, you’re fired!"

Her haughty demeanor made it seem like she was the true mistress of the house.

"I’m sorry, Miss, I’ll take it away right now," the servant immediately apologized, taking the breakfast away.

Chu Xiu took a bite of her sandwich without hurry, her tone calm but firm, "If you don’t like it, just ask for a replacement. Why throw such a tantrum over nothing?"

Chu Xiu’s tone may have sounded even-tempered, but in fact, she was clearly displeased. After some thought, it seemed Luo Yu had never really understood her place.

The young lady?

He remembered that the Chu family’s servants used to call Luo Yu "Miss Luo."

The servants wouldn’t change how they address someone on their own initiative.

Obviously, this must have been Luo Yu’s own doing.

He had thought Luo Yu was compliant.

He had not expected her ambition to be so great, to the point of delusionally aspiring to be the Chu family’s young lady without considering her own weight.

In an instant, Chu Xiu’s regard for Luo Yu halved.

Luo Yu was feeling rather smug inside and failed to catch the meaning in Chu Xiu’s words, continuing to speak, "How can a servant not remember things? Xiu, being too kind isn’t good, if you’re too gentle, those servants will eventually walk all over you. They never truly understand who’s the master and who’s the servant."

Was Luo Yu getting a little too carried away?

Chu Xiu’s brows furrowed slightly, remembering that Luo Yu had not always been like this.

The servant brought a new breakfast, and Luo Yu was finally satisfied. She then said, "Xiu, why didn’t you ask Zhixuan to have breakfast with you? You worked him so hard last night."

Her words carried a hint of innuendo, and Chu Xiu looked up slightly, "Sister Luo Yu, what do you mean by that?"

Luo Yu smiled gently, her voice soft, "It’s exactly as it sounds. Xiu, you’re still young, it’s normal not to understand, now go ahead and eat, you still have to go to school."

"I’m full," Chu Xiu stood up and took a napkin to wipe her mouth, "I’m going to see my aunt."

"Sure, go ahead," Luo Yu replied without looking up.

After Chu Xiu left, the spacious dining room was left with only Luo Yu, who ate slowly and gracefully, her lips constantly curved in a self-satisfied smile.

She could feel a new life sprouting in her belly.

After eating, Luo Yu went to the back garden to relax her mind.

A woman trying to conceive must maintain a good mood; only then will the baby be healthy when born.

After all, the child she was carrying was the Mo family’s heir.

The scenery in the back garden was beautiful, and the air was very fresh. Several gardeners were pruning the branches, and upon seeing Luo Yu, they all respectfully said, "Good day, Miss."

When Luo Yu walked by a gardener, she frowned in disgust. So ugly, truly disgusting. How could the Chu Family hire such a person? It was simply an eyesore.

Luo Yu covered her nose with a handkerchief, carefully avoiding the gardener, but failed to notice a round stone at her feet. She staggered, stepped on the stone unexpectedly, slipped, and hurtled toward a large rock on the rockery.

"Miss Luo, be careful!" It was too late to warn her, but the gardener who had been trimming branches rushed over in a flash and encircled Luo Yu’s waist, pulling off a "hero saving the beauty."

A putrid smell of a garlic-laden breath unbrushed hit her full in the face. Luo Yu was disgusted beyond words. When she opened her eyes and saw the one-eyed gardener’s face, she was horrified and quickly pushed him away, "Get lost! Disgusting creature, who allowed you to touch me!"

"Sorry! Sorry! This humble one didn’t mean to offend." The one-eyed gardener immediately bent over to apologize, his attitude submissive, but inwardly he thought, so what if Luo Yu is a high and mighty young miss of a noble family?

Just last night, she had still been slept by this disgusting thing!

"I said get lost!" Luo Yu bellowed. Just the thought that this revolting gardener had just held her made her skin crawl with layer upon layer of goosebumps.

Disgusting! This gardener was even more nauseating than those ten middle-aged men she had encountered the other night.

The one-eyed gardener gave Luo Yu a glance and then left the range of her sight.

"Disgusting! Absolutely reeks!" Luo Yu’s face twisted in revulsion, and she no longer had any desire to stroll in the garden, leaving hurriedly.

As soon as she reached her bedroom, Luo Yu changed her clothes, throwing the ones she had worn directly into the trash, including her undergarments.

Before long, the one-eyed gardener took a bag of garbage from the trash house.

Whatever was thrown out of Luo Yu’s room, he would carefully collect and keep.

He liked Luo Yu very much, to the point of a near obsession.

Luo Yu still paid a lot of attention to Zhao Yan, and after changing her clothes, she went to Zhao Yan’s room.

Chu Xiu was sitting by the bed wiping Zhao Yan’s face.

"Xiu, you can go attend to your duties. Leave Mother to me," Luo Yu took over the towel from Chu Xiu’s hand and carefully wiped Zhao Yan’s cheek.

Seeing Luo Yu so attentive and tender, Chu Xiu felt much of her pent-up frustration vanish in an instant.

Even if there were some issues with Luo Yu’s character, she was truly good to Zhao Yan. If it had not been for Luo Yu, Zhao Yan might have already turned into a pile of bones by now, Zhao Yan could not do without Luo Yu at all.

Chu Xiu looked up at Luo Yu and said, "Sister Luo Yu, I’ll leave Aunt here to you, I need to get going."

"Of course," Luo Yu nodded gently, a tender smile on her face—such a stark contrast to her appearance earlier that morning—she looked at Chu Xiu, and spoke softly, "Take care on your way, study hard, don’t worry about home, Mother is safe with me."

"Alright, goodbye Sister Luo Yu," Chu Xiu said politely as she bid farewell.

"Goodbye." Chu Xiu rose to send her off.

Watching Chu Xiu’s receding figure, Luo Yu’s lips curled into a satisfied smirk, her hands gently resting on her abdomen.

Four days had passed in the blink of an eye.

There was a lively and harmonious atmosphere throughout the Superpower World.

Young and old, everyone wore new clothes on this day, dressed in their best attire. They stepped on the morning dew to buy a bouquet of fresh flowers from the flower shops in preparation for the evening’s Hundred Flowers Conference.

Because of the Hundred Flowers Conference, Chu Jin didn’t set up her fortune-telling stall. Instead, she slept in the inn for the entire day, only leaving with Little Grey in the evening.

As she went through the lobby of the inn, the innkeeper greeted her warmly, "Miss Chu, heading out?"

"Yes, I’m planning to join the fun at the Hundred Flowers Conference. Would you like to come with me?" Chu Jin asked with a light smile.

The innkeeper looked up at the clock on the wall and replied, "I might have to wait a little longer, you go ahead."

Chu Jin nodded slightly, "Then I’ll take my leave."

"Yes, Miss Chu, take care on your way," the innkeeper watched Chu Jin walk away and then immediately picked up the microphone on the bar and dialed a number, "Hello, Mr. Bai, Miss Chu has left. Yes, she’s holding that hibiscus mask in her hand."

"All right... goodbye."

Dusk had fallen.

The Hundred Flowers Conference was gradually getting underway. The streets of Ancient City Street were lined on both sides with various colored lanterns and fresh flowers.

The air was filled with the fragrant scent of flowers, blissfully intoxicating.

The whole nation celebrated, people all left their homes to stroll the streets and enjoy the flowers.

Apart from the crowds in the streets, there were also quaint sightseeing horse carriages, with young ladies from rich families sitting atop horses to view the scenery.

All the people walking, regardless of gender, age, donned a mask.

Masks of all shapes and colors, but predominantly floral designs.

The Lotus represents aloofness.

Amongst them, the lotus mask was the most popular, followed by the plum blossom and chrysanthemum.

Seeing this, Chu Jin also picked up her mask and put it on.

The mask was shaped like a hibiscus, with lifelike petals, and when worn on her face, only her sparkling peach blossom eyes and a pair of cherry blossom-like lips were visible.

Lips painted as red as if they had been dipped in blood, perfectly complementing the red plum blossoms at her waist.

Today, she was dressed in a white cotton dress made by hand by Mother Lin, with the hem reaching her ankles. A proud, snow-braving red plum blossom was embroidered at the waist, accentuating her already slender waistline, now appearing even more delicate.

A light breeze stirred her silky hair into disarray, and her dress fluttered.

She looked as flawless as an exiled fairy descending from the moon.

The hibiscus mask could hide her face, but not the innate grace she carried.

People passing by couldn’t help but glance her way.

In fact, quite a few young men jumped down from their touring carriages, removed their masks, knelt on one knee, and offered fresh flowers to her.

But Chu Jin politely declined them all.

After all, her sole purpose at the Hundred Flowers Conference was to join in the fun.

"Hey, little Jin Jin," a silver-haired man wearing a mask approached, "what a coincidence, I didn’t expect to see you here. This must be what they call fate..."

As he spoke, he reached out to put his hand on Chu Jin’s shoulder but was nimbly dodged by her.

This person was Bai Ruyu, and the man by his side was Xiao Jinnian.

Bai Ruyu missed his mark but wasn’t embarrassed. Instead, he casually draped his arm over Xiao Jinnian’s shoulder and burst into a hearty laugh, contagiously cheerful.

Even a faint smile appeared on Xiao Jinnian’s lips.

"It is quite the coincidence," Chu Jin said with a slight curl of her lips, touching the mask on her face, "sigh, even like this, you can still recognize me?"

"Of course," Bai Ruyu puffed out his chest, quite haughtily, "Not to brag, but I’d recognize you even if you turned to ash."

"Get lost!" Chu Jin kicked him. "You’re the one who should turn to ash."

After spending a few days together, Chu Jin had revised her opinion of Bai Ruyu. They interacted very naturally, as if they were old friends who had known each other for years.

Bai Ruyu then said, "Oh right, little Jin Jin, let me introduce you. This is my good buddy Xiao Jinnian. Just call him Old Xiao."

"Hello, Xiao Jinnian," Xiao Jinnian extended his hand towards Chu Jin.

Xiao Jinnian was dressed in a handmade white suit, his face concealed by a devil mask that appeared rather ferocious, but his voice was very gentle, smooth as if flowing from jade. It wasn’t hard to guess that underneath the mask, a handsome set of features must be hidden.

Chu Jin gently shook Xiao Jinnian’s hand, smiling as she said, "Mr. Xiao, hello, I am Chu Jin."

Xiao Jinnian nodded slightly, offering Chu Jin a very polite smile.

Bai Ruyu went on, "Little Jin Jin, it’s not lively to stroll through the flower conference alone. Why don’t you join us? We’re quite familiar with this place and can show you around. You know, this Hundred Flowers Conference only happens once every ten years, it’s a rare opportunity."

A red rose was tucked into the pocket of Bai Ruyu’s shirt.

Like Chu Jin, Xiao Jinnian hadn’t brought any flowers.

"Sure," Chu Jin nodded lightly. She did not refuse the kind invitation or any social interaction – more so since she already considered Bai Ruyu a friend.

"Let’s head over there," Bai Ruyu said, arm still around Xiao Jinnian’s shoulders while pointing somewhere not too far away.

The crowd ahead was bustling and lively.

"Let’s go," Chu Jin nodded lightly.

As the trio walked, Bai Ruyu chatted incessantly, introducing Chu Jin to the customs of the Superpower World and the traditions of the Hundred Flowers Conference.

Chu Jin listened intently, and Bai Ruyu spoke earnestly.

From behind, their silhouettes surprisingly matched quite well together.

Xiao Jinnian followed behind the two and suddenly felt very dejected.

He felt...

His presence was somewhat superfluous.

Did Bai Ruyu genuinely like Chu Jin?

Not really.

He was just momentarily intrigued because a woman like Chu Jin was one in ten thousand.

Then, did Chu Jin like Bai Ruyu?

Of course not.

Her behavior made it clear that she only saw Bai Ruyu as a casual friend.

Besides, she already had someone she deeply loved.

Chu Jin and Mo Zhixuan were the actual couple.

He couldn’t bring himself to aid in splitting up a pair of lovers. That would bring divine retribution.

Glimmers of light flickered in Xiao Jinnian’s eyes before he quickened his pace, saying to the two ahead, "You two go ahead, I’ll take a look around there, and we’ll meet up later at Rouge Tower."

Bai Ruyu obviously understood Xiao Jinnian’s intent; he was creating an opportunity for him and Chu Jin.

Truly a good brother.

Bai Ruyu waved him off, "Go on then, we’ll meet at Rouge Tower later."

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read