Chapter 43: Marry me.

Lu Chengxiao’s joy was so enthusiastic, even the silent smile couldn’t hide the heartfelt joy. Liu Yu couldn’t really pretend not to notice, being held like that.

Whether it was being held horizontally by someone or experiencing this passionate and pure affection, both were extremely unfamiliar to Liu Yu. However, she knew she didn’t dislike it.

Even though the river¹I don’t know why the author said it was a beach in the original text, I thought they were in a river so I used the river instead was wide, it was only six or seven yards. Beyond the river was the muddy path on the mountainside that Liu Yu had been walking frequently lately. After waiting for a while, Liu Yu saw that Lu Chengxiao was still holding her steadily, showing no intention of putting her down. Unable to contain herself, she called out, “Young Master Lu.”

The young man’s body stiffened slightly, but he, for the first time, learned to play dumb in front of a girl. He looked down at her and said, “Hmm?”

Liu Yu couldn’t fail to see his thoughts and reminded, “You can put me down, and I can walk by myself.”

Having his thoughts exposed, Lu Chengxiao felt a bit embarrassed. However, his slight selfishness this time was genuinely minimal. He said, “In a few more steps, we’ll enter the mountains through a small path. There might be thorns along the way, and we’re almost there. I’ll let you down at the temple gate.”

Liu Yu distanced herself, and he didn’t dare to be presumptuous again, behaving properly and addressing her respectfully.

As they spoke, they had already turned into the narrow path. Liu Yu, who rarely ventured out of Liujiacun in her childhood, was unaware that this small path next to the mountain trail she often walked recently led to the mountain god’s temple.

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Ebld bl alvwadle, bl oyp dso sdzu olyakdt yd kddla tyaxldv, okvb vbl swvla ascl kd bkp bydep.

Liu Yu was completely stunned.

Lu Chengxiao had good intentions, but at this moment, he felt his ears heating up. Regardless of whether he was now only in an inner garment or offering his own clothes to her, both made his ears increasingly warm.

Not daring to stand there any longer, Liu Yu unfolded the outer robe in her hands and draped it over herself, wrapping herself tightly.

“The wind is strong in the mountains; put this on first.”

Without waiting for Liu Yu to say anything, he turned around and entered the mountain god’s temple, giving the impression of running away.

Liu Yu held onto the large brocade robe, her clothes soaked but still carrying the warmth of its original owner. It indeed protected her from the mountain wind. However, realizing that this garment was previously worn by Lu Chengxiao, her cheeks suddenly felt hot.

The mountain god’s temple was not large, and the moonlight couldn’t penetrate much inside. Liu Yu stood outside, unable to see anything but could only hear some faint movements made by Lu Chengxiao. It wasn’t until a dim light flickered from inside, followed by the sound of gathering firewood. Lu Chengxiao didn’t keep Liu Yu waiting for too long; soon, a pile of bonfire was set up inside, and after some shuffling sounds, she heard him say, “You can come in now.”

In the glow of the fire, Liu Yu could finally make out the interior of the mountain god’s temple. It was quite empty, but the altar was neatly arranged. Besides the incense burner, there were also fire tongs, presumably for the use of worshippers.

In another corner, some firewood was neatly stacked, and she didn’t know its purpose. Lu Chengxiao lit a bonfire in the temple, and he moved two kneeling mats from the altar to place them near the bonfire—one closer and one farther away.

There was a long tree branch was placed horizontally between the farther mat and the bonfire. Liu Yu curiously looked towards Lu Chengxiao, wondering what it was.

In the bright light of the fire, he seemed a bit uneasy, and he pointed to the horizontally placed tree branch, saying, “Miss, hang my wet clothes on that branch to dry. You can sit inside, and I’ll sit outside.”

He turned away as he spoke.

Liu Yu realized that he had created a makeshift curtain. She understood why he had put on his outer robe for her before lighting the fire. Slightly pulling aside Lu Chengxiao’s brocade robe on her, she indeed saw that the thin, old clothes were clinging to her body under the firelight, revealing her figure in a subtle and alluring manner.

She tightly clutched Lu Chengxiao’s outer robe, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She dared not think about how the situation would be if Lu Chengxiao hadn’t considered this layer. At this moment, not to mention her face, the rouge color from behind her ears might have permeated her neck, and her entire skin could have been dyed into a rosy hue.

Seeing that Lu Chengxiao remained facing away from her and happened to be standing near the entrance of the mountain god’s temple, Liu Yu looked around for a moment. Embarrassedly, she took off Lu Chengxiao’s outer robe and quickly hung it on the horizontal branch.

As Liu Yu moved around the bonfire to hang her clothes, the firelight cast her silhouette on the wall. Lu Chengxiao decided to close his eyes. After a while, still not daring to open his eyes, he felt a subtle dimming of the surroundings and asked Liu Yu, “Is… is it done?”

Liu Yu’s face reddened even more. She quickly retreated to the side of the kneeling mat before hurriedly responding, “Done.”

As Liu Yu moved, there were faint sounds near his ears. Lu Chengxiao waited until she settled down before there was no more sound. Only then did he dare to tilt his head slightly. Seeing his outer robe neatly hung, his heart raced. He quickly withdrew his gaze, returning to his kneeling mat and forcing himself to focus on the temple’s entrance.

Inside the mountain god’s temple, there was complete silence, interrupted only by the occasional crackling of the burning firewood. However, the two people sitting on either side of the curtain were far from calm, both thinking about the person separated by the curtain.

Liu Yu thought about Lu Chengxiao sitting outside the curtain, unable to warm himself by the fire. For her own sake, he was also wearing wet clothes and wet hair. However, when she glanced at her own situation, she bit her lip and couldn’t bring herself to say anything. Looking around, she thought of the firewood stack they saw earlier and lightly tapped her forehead: she was really foolish.

She gently reminded, “Young Master Lu, I see there’s more firewood in the temple. Why don’t you make another fire? It’s not good to stay in wet clothes.”

Suddenly hearing Liu Yu speak, Lu Chengxiao’s heart raced. When he heard her suggest making another fire, he felt embarrassed. How did he not think of making two fires?

Busy with the firewood, he responded twice and then said to the curtain, “Thanks for the reminder, Miss.”

Turning around, he went to make a fire.

As he gathered firewood, his heart was uneasy. Would Liu Yu think he was foolish? This wasn’t his usual self, but the folly had already occurred, and now there was no way to explain.

Time passed slowly in silence. Lu Chengxiao remembered how he was interrupted by Mrs. Chen when he was talking about proposing in the river, and Liu Yu hadn’t given him an answer. He looked toward the curtain several times but hesitated to ask again. Thinking about Liu Yu losing her shoe, he decided to tear off the sleeves of his inner garment.

The sound of fabric tearing was loud. Liu Yu asked from behind the curtain, “What’s happening?”

“Your shoe is gone, and I’m making you a pair.”

Liu Yu quickly guessed the fabric Lu Chengxiao was using for the so-called shoes. Her gaze fell on the curtain, showing a complex expression. She chose not to mention it and only said, “Without needle and thread, how can you make shoes?”

A shallow laughter came from the other side, “I don’t even know how to use a needle and thread.”

He teased for a moment, then paused before saying, “I’ll weave you a pair of fabric shoes.”

The sound of tearing fabric echoed for a while. Liu Yu had already guessed how the fabric shoes were made, probably using a method similar to weaving straw shoes.

“Do you know how to do this as well?” Considering his injuries, it surprised her that he could even weave straw shoes. Liu Yu, unaware, already had a hint of surprise and a trace of amusement between her eyebrows.

Lu Chengxiao hadn’t expected that he could interact with Liu Yu in such a calm manner. His heart seemed to beat out of control. Answering Liu Yu’s question was even more nerve-wracking than facing the strictest teacher in the academy.

“Yes, when I was a child, my father was just a small fabric vendor, and our family struggled. We couldn’t afford to go to a private school, so we, three brothers, scavenged a lot. We used to run around the town. Poor families didn’t have much to play with, so sometimes we would casually pull some grass leaves and make things. We made quite a few things using woven grass,” he explained.

Afraid of the silence, he continued to chatter with Liu Yu about some childhood anecdotes. Later, he noticed he was the only one talking and tentatively asked her, “What about your childhood? What did you like to play?”

Liu Yu paused for a moment before saying, “Collecting firewood, playing with straw, cutting pig grass, feeding chickens, washing clothes, cooking, washing clothes…”

She listed each one, all typical household chores for a farm girl.

Lu Chengxiao’s hands, weaving strips of fabric, paused. He looked toward the curtain and asked, “Did you enjoy playing?”

After some thought, Liu Yu shook her head. Then, realizing Lu Chengxiao couldn’t see her, she spoke, “No.”

There was always work to be done, and no time for play.

As they spoke, their clothes were already half-dry, at least not sticking to their bodies like before. Liu Yu combed her long hair with her fingers, recreating the style she had in the morning when she left home. Lu Chengxiao’s shoes were also almost finished, only waiting for the final adjustment of the lengths of the ties on the shoe surface.

Considering the time, Liu Yu reminded Lu Chengxiao, “The clothes are almost dry, sir. Put on your outer robe.”

As she said this, she mimicked Lu Chengxiao’s earlier posture, turning her back and reminding him once more, “I’ve turned around.”

“Oh, alright.” Lu Chengxiao stood up, placed the half-finished fabric shoes on the mat, and then picked up his outer robe from the horizontal branch. After wearing it neatly, he dared to ask Liu Yu to turn around.

Their eyes met briefly, and both awkwardly looked away at the same time. Lu Chengxiao thought of something, turned around, and picked up the fabric shoes on the mat. He held them in front of Liu Yu, saying, “I estimated the size. Take a look to see if it fits.”

He used the moonlight on the riverbank to make a quick estimate, not very clear, but the approximate size was imprinted in his mind.

Liu Yu finally saw the appearance of the fabric shoes Lu Chengxiao had woven—fine strips torn from a good white silk fabric, intricately woven soles, with inevitable frayed edges of fabric strips. Looking at it, it wasn’t particularly aesthetically pleasing. Due to limited fabric, only a few straps secured the upper part of the shoes, serving the purpose of protecting the soles of her feet.

This is the most rudimentary pair of shoes Liu Yu has ever seen in her two lifetimes. However, as she held them in her hands, for some inexplicable reason, it felt as though something gentle had touched her. Unable to describe the feeling, it was like cradling an innocent heart, and she couldn’t help but feel that any treasure adorned with pearls and gems in the world couldn’t compare to the preciousness of this pair of shoes.

Seeing her holding the shoes intently, Lu Chengxiao felt a bit embarrassed and looked away to let Liu Yu try them on.

“Mm,” Liu Yu responded, turning slightly to put the fabric shoes on. They fit quite well, and after fastening a few straps, they hugged her feet snugly. After adjusting her skirt, no one could see the shoe upper, which covered her silk stockings.

Liu Yu stood up, took a few steps, and a smile appeared on her face. “It fits perfectly. Thank you.”

Lu Chengxiao shook his head. “It was nothing. No need to thank me.”

But seeing the smile on Liu Yu’s face, he couldn’t help but be filled with joy.

However, this joy was short-lived. With the clothes dried and the shoes made, it was time to leave. Lu Chengxiao knew that if he didn’t ask now, it would be difficult to find such a suitable opportunity again.

“Liu… Miss Liu,” he approached her, looking into her eyes. “When I proposed earlier, I was serious. You haven’t answered yet. Are you willing?”

Since disembarking from the Yushui River, Liu Yu had waited all the way, but he hadn’t brought it up again. She thought he might have skipped over the matter today, never expecting him to bring it up at this moment.

Was her heart moved?

Liu Yu raised her eyes to meet Lu Chengxiao’s gaze. The young man looked at her with determination, his eyes full of sincerity.

Before this night, perhaps Liu Yu would have considered the offer as a way to gain an additional lifeline.

In the face of the rope of commitment, Liu Yu, at this moment tonight, realized that something in her heart had changed.

In the Yushui River, when she was on the brink of death, he lifted her, telling her not to be afraid, “I’ll take you ashore.” On the river bank, he carried her by the waist without asking for permission. In front of the mountain temple, he took off his outer robe to wrap her up carefully. He ignited the fire but separated himself outside the cloth curtain. He tore his own clothes to weave a pair of shoes that might only be worn once for her.

Adhering to the limits of propriety and being attentive enough to consider every small difficulty of hers.

A person who had once fallen into the dust received respect, and someone who had never been treated kindly was now treasured like a precious gem.

For Liu Yu, who had lived through the past seventeen years, this was a luxury she never thought she could attain.

However, all of this was now presented before her by the young man in front of her.

Liu Yu’s heart was not made of metal but grew from flesh and blood; it, too, could feel a stirring heartbeat.

However, precisely because her heart was stirred, uttering the word “yes” became exceedingly difficult.

Her momentary silence was particularly unbearable for Lu Chengxiao. He took a step, then stopped, looking at Liu Yu with earnest assurance. “Trust me. If you want a better life, I’ll give you a better life. I’ll work hard, and in the future, it will definitely be better than today. I promise you won’t regret today’s decision.”

The light in Liu Yu’s eyes dimmed at this moment, like a star that had just risen, falling slowly and gradually extinguishing its brilliance.

In her expression, there was an indescribable complexity. She managed a smile, shallow and fleeting, a brief curve that quickly faded.

Lu Chengxiao paused, unsure if he had said something wrong.

But Liu Yu didn’t let him dwell on it. She raised her gaze and asked, “Does Young Master Lu know why Mrs. Chen doesn’t want Chen Sheng to marry me?”

Although Lu Chengxiao didn’t understand why she was asking this at the moment, he nodded, “I have a general idea. It’s probably due to social status. They want to find a girl with a better background for Chen Sheng.”

Seeing that he understood, Liu Yu asked in return, “What about Young Master Lu? Don’t your parents want you to marry a girl from an equal social standing?”

Lu Chengxiao, upon hearing this, relaxed his expression, “Miss, you don’t know much about my family. When I was young, we weren’t well-off. My parents were open-minded and didn’t have many requirements. My eldest brother’s wife is a girl from my maternal village. They met when my eldest brother went to the maternal village, and he chose her himself. Our family is just ordinary, and my parents agreed to their engagement.”

“Second sister-in-law’s family runs a grain and oil shop in the county. People in the town think we opened a shop in the county, so my parents set higher conditions for choosing a daughter-in-law for my second brother. But in reality, my second brother chose her himself and asked my parents to negotiate the engagement.”

He smiled at Liu Yu, his eyes sparkling, “My eldest and second brothers married the ones they liked. When it came to me, it was the same. If I’m pleased with Miss, my parents will naturally support and respect my choice.”

Liu Yu looked at Lu Chengxiao, feeling for the first time that her judgment of people was remarkably accurate. She remembered that when she first saw him, she thought he was a gentleman, like jade. At that time, it was just a first impression. Now, looking again, he was truly a young man with a character as pure as good jade.

Sincere, clean, warm—his entire being seemed to radiate the brilliance of beautiful jade.

Liu Yu understood too well what it would mean for her if Lu Chengxiao’s proposal were to succeed. It meant she wouldn’t have to engage in the constant struggles with the members of the Liu family, plotting and scheming, and she would have a brighter path besides the options of marrying into the Li family or escaping.

Yet, she could calmly negotiate with Master Li, but she hesitated because of Lu Chengxiao’s kindness and integrity. In a trade, both parties contribute, but with Lu Chengxiao, she had nothing to repay. However, she might drag him into a quagmire he could never escape from throughout his life.

Liu Yu wanted to hold on to him firmly, yet her heart trembled with guilt.

The final struggle was to wake him up, provide him another chance to choose, and let fate make its decision.

She looked at Lu Chengxiao, shook her head slowly, and spoke with a gentle tone, expressing her feelings, “You don’t understand. You have no idea what marrying me really means. It’s far more complicated than just a mismatch of social status.”

Seeing Lu Chengxiao’s confusion and anticipation, Liu Yu’s expression turned stern, her eyes carrying an inscrutable coldness and mockery, “What you’ll face is a heap of people tearing you apart, kidnapping you, and trying to drain your blood.”

“Lu Chengxiao, you actually know nothing about me. Perhaps what you see is just this face with a good complexion, only the bright side I’m willing to show you. Have you ever considered that what you can’t resist might just be this outward appearance? Have you ever thought that behind the facade of brightness, there might be a pile of inescapable filth?”

She called out Lu Chengxiao’s name, staring directly at him, “And faces will age, flowers will eventually wither. Even before I grow old, you might already be tired of looking at me. But those leeches behind me, you won’t be able to shake off. So, do you still want to marry me?”

Liu Yu spoke each word deliberately and, after finishing, looked at Lu Chengxiao, waiting for his response.

She admitted her cunning, revealing the situation seemingly straightforwardly to Lu Chengxiao due to her difficulties. However, deep down, even though she knew that getting involved with the Liu family meant stepping into a quagmire, she still hoped he would willingly jump in.

Lu Chengxiao didn’t respond immediately or hesitate for long. His past worries suddenly disappeared, and so, all her calculations were just a result of an extremely difficult situation.

“I’m willing!”

Full of tenderness, those two words were spoken without any hesitation.

However, Liu Yu interrupted, “Not in a hurry. This is about a lifelong commitment. Sir, think carefully.”

Lu Chengxiao, urgent, said, “Liu Yu, I’m sure…”

“Lu Chengxiao.” Liu Yu cut him off, saying, “It’s too dark. Walk me back. There’s still a distance to Liujiacun. You can think it over.”

This was her final shred of conscience.

Lu Chengxiao fell into silence, then nodded, “Alright, I will carefully consider and give you my answer.”

He brought back the two kneeling mats they had used to the temple and made sure there was nothing that could catch fire near the bonfire. Only then did he leave with Liu Yu.

Walking side by side, Liu Yu remained silent, as if she had made up her mind to let him think quietly.

Lu Chengxiao pondered his thoughts all the way until they were close to the Liu family village. Suddenly, he remembered Liu Yu’s reaction when he mentioned marrying her in the mountain temple.

Initially, it seemed like Liu Yu was moved, but later, something was amiss. The light in her eyes seemed to dim.

Lu Chengxiao was sure he hadn’t misunderstood.

He recalled what he had said.

“You believe me, you want a good life, I’ll give you a good life. I will strive for it, and in the future, it will definitely be better than today. You won’t regret today’s decision.”

You want a good life…

Lu Chengxiao suddenly froze, as if something had struck his soul. He suddenly understood why the light in Liu Yu’s eyes had dimmed.

It was prejudice, a preconceived impression, a fixed image that he had framed Liu Yu into.

He thought he had already let go, not cared about it, but it turned out that it had been deeply hidden in his bones and blood. It had been triggered at some point, brought out unconsciously, and he was completely unaware of it.

But it was a sharp thorn in Liu Yu’s heart.

Lu Chengxiao stood still, his steps subconsciously following Liu Yu, but his mind was in chaos.

What had he done?

Yes, when Liu Yu fell into the water, after saving her and overhearing the conversation between Chen Sheng’s mother and son, he subconsciously conceived the idea that Liu Yu was scheming against Chen Sheng for the sake of solidifying the marriage with the Chen family.

However, he overlooked the fact that Liu Yu was afraid of water and couldn’t swim. The currents of the Yushui River were swift, and it was completely dark. If it weren’t for his excellent swimming skills, another person might not have been able to rescue her smoothly. Why would Liu Yu risk her life for the sake of a marriage proposal?

A chill climbed into his heart, spreading through his limbs.

Because she had calculated against him, he would forever look at her with the same eyes. Lu Chengxiao’s heart trembled, the pain as if being twisted by a knife.

Liu Yu, so intelligent, must have sensed his prejudice when he uttered those words, hence her disappointment.

Lu Chengxiao’s heart felt like it was collapsing. They had reached Liujiacun. Liu Yu stopped, looked at Lu Chengxiao, and noticed that the closer he got to Liujiacun, the more distracted he became, his gaze dimming. Nevertheless, she managed to summon a smile.

“I’ve arrived.”

“Today, I’m grateful for Young Master’s rescue. Liu Yu will remember this favor, and if Young Master ever needs help in the future, as long as Liu Yu is capable, she will repay the kindness of today.”

Seeing Lu Chengxiao still somewhat dazed, Liu Yu nodded to him, bid farewell, and was about to leave.

Lu Chengxiao suddenly grabbed the hem of her sleeve, urgently called her name.

“Liu Yu.”

Liu Yu looked up at him. Lu Chengxiao met her gaze, saying, “My answer, didn’t you hear it?”

Was there still an answer?

Liu Yu looked at him silently, not saying a word.

“Do you know, when you fell into the water, Chen Sheng was also on the shore?”

A ripple appeared in Liu Yu’s eyes as she waited quietly for the continuation.

Under the moonlight, Lu Chengxiao looked at the girl who seemed like a misty figure. His throat tightened. “He was originally going to come down to save you. When I rushed towards the Yu River, Mrs. Chen said that if he came down, you would lose all your reputation.”

He paused before saying, “At that time, Chen Sheng said he would marry you.”

He clenched his fists, “Liu Yu, I’m very selfish. I grabbed him and threw him back, rushing to you. At that moment, there was only one thought – if you were to be someone’s wife because of falling into the water, it had to be me.”

Liu Yu’s long eyelashes trembled slightly as she listened in silence.

“After entering the water, all I could think about was the panic of losing you. I couldn’t care about anything else. Later, when you hugged me and refused to let go, trembling, I felt both distressed and angry. At that moment, I, out of prejudice, thought you fell into the water to set up a marriage with Chen Sheng. Just now, in the Mountain God Temple, when I said I would give you the best days in the future, the light in your eyes dimmed. I saw it.”

He paused, lowering his eyelashes, “At that time, I didn’t know if I said something wrong again, and only now did I realize – it’s because the initial impression still lingered in my heart, and reason was blinded by fear and jealousy.”

He looked at Liu Yu, “How could you risk your life for a marriage? My prejudice is still there, so you were disappointed, right?”

Liu Yu shivered in her heart, looking up at him. “How do you know I wouldn’t? I’ve always been plotting, haven’t I?”

“Because you’re proud and kind. If you were willing to risk your life for a good marriage, you would have agreed to me without hesitation just now. You wouldn’t have said so much. If you insisted on having a good marriage, you wouldn’t need Chen Sheng. You just needed to meet me a few more times after the failed lotus bag incident, and I would be yours.”

The last sentence unintentionally turned into a confession.

Liu Yu felt a bit uncomfortable being looked at by him. She lowered her eyelids and shook her head. “I’m not as good as you think, and you underestimated yourself.”

Lu Chengxiao smiled faintly. “I didn’t underestimate you. Because I’m fond of you, I’ve had feelings for you since our first meeting. When you asked me what I liked about you – I don’t know where this feeling came from, but when I realized it, I was already deeply trapped, unable to get out, and I didn’t want to come out.”

“You said beauty will fade, and flowers will wither one day – perhaps physical appearance is one of the reasons I like you, but isn’t your appearance a part of you? I like you, the complete you. You will age, and so will I.”

“Liu Yu, I want to marry you. I’m willing to strive for a lifetime to make your life better, not because you like money and wealth, but because I just want to give you the best of everything.” He looked at her intensely, “Are you willing?”

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Sansukini: ☆ﾟ ゜ﾟ☆Д нαρρy ЙёЩ ЧёαЯ!!☆ﾟ ゜ﾟ☆ ゜・. everybody.
Don’t you feel like this is a great confession. It certainly touched me. It’s a great chapter to start 2024. Lu Chengxiao and Liu Yu both have sincere hearts. Sometimes confessions like these are just moments of pursuit but the man doesn’t strive to fulfill his promise when he succeeded. But I like Lu Chengxiao because he will try is best to protect Liu Yu from this moment.

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