coobybook Chapter 39 Spring Outing
Chapter 39 Spring Outing
End of March.
Springtime is in full bloom, making it the perfect time for a spring outing.
Several days passed peacefully like this. One morning, Lin Shu was practicing calligraphy in her study when Li Yun'er ran in: "Sister, sister, there are only a few days left until the exam. Why don't we go on a trip to the outskirts of the city today to relax?"
After writing the last word, Lin Shu put down her pen, pondered for a moment, and thought that Amu had been listless and had a poor appetite recently. It would be good to take him out for a walk to cheer him up today, so she agreed.
Li Yun'er urged her to go out anxiously, but the two of them met their husbands at home as soon as they stepped out. Li Huanzhi was also by their side. Lin Shu saw this and knew that Huanzhi must have told the two of them about the spring outing. So the five of them went out together.
The group traveled by carriage for about half an hour before finally stopping at a flat meadow, arriving at their final destination – the Deer Park.
This deer park is under the jurisdiction of the government and is quite safe, so it attracts many visitors. However, due to the high entrance fee, most of the visitors are high-ranking officials and dignitaries.
Upon getting off the carriage, seeing that it was still early, Li Yun'er instructed the two servants she had brought to unload a cardboard box from the carriage.
Everyone gathered around out of curiosity, and when they opened it, they found it was a kite.
"Oh! This is... a kite?" Song Yun had never flown one before.
Lin Shu also raised her eyebrows slightly.
Li Yun'er said with a smug look on her face, "How about it, sister? How's the arrangement for today?"
Lin Shu: "It's acceptable."
"Hmph! There's more... Just wait and see..." After saying that, Li Yun'er had someone take a piece of oilcloth from the carriage, spread it on the grass, then spread a layer of cotton wool on it, and then covered it with a piece of light green silk cloth. Then she placed a small table on it, on which various kinds of food were placed, making it elegant and pleasing to the eye.
The group sat around a small table, chatting casually, enjoying a rare moment of leisure.
Everyone had only eaten breakfast and was a little hungry, so Li Yun'er had someone bring out the food packed from Bazhen Pavilion. Su Mu hadn't had a good appetite lately, and Lin Shu saw that he was eating more shrimp today, so she kept peeling shrimp for him.
Seeing this, Li Huanzhi looked at Su Mu with some envy. He then noticed the servant standing behind Su Mu and felt he looked familiar, so he asked:
"I don't recognize the servant behind Brother Su."
"I bought Spring Rain after I came to the prefectural city." Su Mu was originally a little shy because of his wife's favoritism, but Li Huanzhi's question was like a timely rain.
The two men's words drew everyone's attention to the servant Chunyu, who seemed flustered and kept his head down, not daring to look up.
Su Mu found it strange; Chunyu was usually not as timid as she was today.
Chunyu never expected that the Lin family was so familiar with Li Huanzhi and the others. Judging from their demeanor, Li Huanzhi would probably marry into the Lin family sooner or later. What if he recognized her…?
Just then, Song Yun, who had almost finished eating, asked Lin Shu to teach him how to fly a kite, and Lin Shu nodded in agreement. It took him quite a while to learn.
"Is Amu tired?" Lin Shu noticed that Su Mu seemed a bit listless not long after finishing his meal, but he kept trying to stay awake.
Su Mu nodded apologetically. He hadn't expected that his long-awaited trip would end so disappointingly.
Lin Shu naturally knew what he was thinking. She reached out and gently stroked his face, saying, "If you're sleepy, get in the carriage and rest for a while. Don't push yourself." After saying that, she instructed Chunyu to help him rest.
Seeing that Lin Shu had some free time, Li Huanzhi came over. He hadn't seen Lin Shu for a long time, so he picked up a kite, blushed, and asked gently, "Miss Lin, would you mind teaching me how to fly a kite?"
Lin Shu was somewhat surprised. She didn't believe Li Huanzhi couldn't fly a kite, but she didn't expose him. She nodded, then took the spool of string, stood behind the man, held his hand, and slowly launched the kite.
Feeling the warmth from behind, Li Huanzhi's mind went completely blank. He turned around, stunned, to look at the woman so close to him. Almost unconsciously, he leaned in, only realizing he'd kissed her chin when he noticed her stiffening body. He was instantly filled with shame and rage. He had actually… wouldn't she think he was being indecent…?
Lin Shu looked at the man in front of her, his eyes red and his face flushed. His face, neck, and ears were all red, as if he were about to burst from the heat. She found it somewhat amusing that he was so ashamed of himself for doing something wrong. However, fearing that he might faint if he continued like this, she was about to change the subject when the man pushed her away and uttered, "You bad guy."
Lin Shu: ...
Watching Li Huanzhi frantically run back to the carriage, Li Yun'er leaned over and hooked her arm around Lin Shu's shoulder, scratching her head and asking with some confusion, "Sister, what's wrong with my brother?"
Lin Shu remained silent: How would I know?
Li Huanzhi, who had run back to the carriage, was now even more dejected, wishing he could beat his chest in frustration. How could he have blurted out that someone was a bad person? He was too ashamed to face Lin Shu...
……
The scene was observed by two people not far away. One of them, a woman in a golden brocade robe and holding a folding fan, exclaimed to her companion, "Ah! What an absolute beauty! Those gentlemen are truly blessed to enjoy such a beauty." Tsk tsk, this woman is so stunningly beautiful; I wonder how it is in bed with her?
"Tch, just a discarded shoe that no one else wants!"
A voice rang out, and the woman in the brocade robe turned her head to look. She saw her lackey filled with jealousy and hatred, then raised an eyebrow and said, "Does Sister Liu know them?"
Liu Qiqi assumed she was referring to Li Huanzhi, who had just met Lin Shu, and said dismissively, "He's just a merchant. Among scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, he's the lowest of the low."
The woman in the brocade robe inwardly grumbled, but showed no sign of it. She looked at Lin Shu and asked Liu Qiqi, "Oh? If I want that person, what do you think, Sister Liu?"
Liu Qiqi immediately became like a sycophant: "Miss Xu wants him, that's his good fortune. If you need my help, I will certainly do my best."
Xu Jingyun waved her fan, laughed a few times, and stared at Lin Shu with a look of determination in her eyes.
Lin Shu keenly sensed that someone was spying on her, and immediately turned her head to look. She saw Liu Qiqi and a woman sitting on a high place not far away, with a small table and a pot of wine in front of them.
Lin Shu looked at the person staring at her. This person seemed to be full of righteousness, but had a cold temperament, like a venomous snake lurking in the dark.
She inadvertently met her pale golden eyes. Seeing her looking over, the man smiled, raised an eyebrow, and even raised his wine glass to Lin Shu from afar. Lin Shu frowned; she disliked the way he was looking at her.
"What's wrong?" Li Yun'er also looked in the direction Lin Shu was looking, and immediately saw Liu Qiqi. She couldn't help but rush over: "Damn it, this shameless thing dares to show her face in front of me? I'm going to beat her to death..."
Lin Shu pulled him back, saying helplessly, "The prefectural examination is just around the corner, it's best not to cause trouble."
Li Yun'er had no choice but to give up.
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