Chapter 5: Blind Date

He still didn’t come looking for her.

Having no other choice, Juchen managed to catch his clever white horse one day after school. Knowing it liked carrots, she used a fishing rod to lure it out.

After giving it three full baskets of carrots, she stuffed a letter into the ornamental harness on its head, begging it to deliver it for her.

The horse, proud as it was, couldn’t resist the bribe. With a disdainful glance, it lifted its head and agreed.

In the letter, she wrote the name and room number of the inn.

She waited in the room for a long time.

As the sun began to set, she thought he wouldn’t come after all and even began to suspect that the horse had been dishonest and cheated a naive girl out of her carrots.

Just then, the white horse, seemingly wronged, sneezed its way to the inn, pulling a carriage and personally arriving to take her to Ci You Bie Yuan.

Juchen had thought he wasn’t fond of her. But once they reached the couch, his passion ignited.

Juchen lay beneath him, looking up at the way his eyes lingered on her face—dark, deep, with a faint tenderness hidden within.

Feeling the veins bulging in his hand as he gripped her snow-white skin and the searing heat of his body, she suddenly felt glad she was beautiful enough to captivate him.

After that, that residence became their secret meeting place.

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Even after receiving Juchen’s promise, as the palace banquet approached, Li Wanyu still made a point of passing by Wutong Courtyard before heading out.

Even though their father had already decided to send Juchen to serve the Empress Dowager, if Li Juchen herself had second thoughts and didn’t want to end up a spinster—if she tried to leverage the Guangping Prince’s son to marry into the royal family—they wouldn’t be able to stop her.

Li Wanyu peered around outside Wutong Courtyard like a thief for a long while. Only after confirming there wasn’t the slightest sign of Juchen going out did she smile, beaming as she called for Dujuan to ready the carriage. It was time for her to attend the banquet in the palace.

The carriage wheels clattered from the back garden to the front gate.

Li Wanyu stepped out, carefully adjusting the peony-patterned gold hairpin on either side of her temple. Just as she turned to ask Dujuan if her hair and makeup were intact, another luxurious, triple-horse-drawn carriage approached from the end of the street and slowly stopped in front of the Li residence.

Li Wanyu caught sight of the golden “Lu” character painted on the lanterns hanging from the carriage.

The Lu clan of Fanyang was one of the most prestigious families in Daliang, with every daughter in the family known as a celebrated socialite in the Eastern Capital. Li Wanyu had long dreamed of befriending them. She stepped forward, hoping to introduce herself.

But when the curtain was lifted, there was no elegant lady inside.

Instead, a maid stepped down, walked past Li Wanyu, and handed an invitation to the gatekeeper, asking to meet the eldest daughter of the Li family—Li Juchen.

“The Lu family sent a carriage personally for the eldest daughter?” Dujuan muttered, shocked, echoing exactly what Li Wanyu was thinking.

The maid was swiftly led in by Mingluan.

Li Wanyu clenched her handkerchief, frozen in place like she was locked in battle with the air itself. Then she snorted and turned away with a huff.

Inside Wutong Courtyard, Mingluan entered the room with the invitation and found Juchen napping on the Luohan couch.

She gently shook her. “Young Miss?”

Juchen furrowed her brows and opened her eyes, her gaze cold and commanding.

In her past life, Juchen had always been extremely busy—barely time to drink water, let alone rest. Her breaks were rare and precious, and she hated being disturbed.

Startled, Mingluan clenched her fists. But as she looked again, Juchen’s expression softened. Her youthful, innocent face was as gentle as usual.

That flash of aristocratic authority just now—perhaps it was Mingluan’s imagination.

“It’s an invitation from the Lu family’s third young lady, asking you to have tea at the Drum Tower.”

Juchen sat up and took the invitation.

She remembered—Lu Yun had sent her a similar invitation in her past life. But back then, all she cared about was one-upping Li Wanyu, so she chose to attend the palace banquet just to spite her.

Later, Lu Yun became the finest diplomatic female official in the Ministry of Rites, a key figure in preserving Daliang’s reputation as a nation of propriety.

Juchen leaned on the short table with one hand, silent for a while, before finally accepting the invitation.

What she didn’t expect was—though she’d gone to such lengths to avoid the palace banquet, she still ended up walking right into Lu Yun’s trap.

When Lu Feng appeared at the Drum Tower entrance, Juchen was stunned for a moment, then chuckled wryly. That girl Lu Yun really lives up to her reputation as my most cunning envoy.

Lu Feng burst through the private room’s doors in a hurry. Realizing it wasn’t his sister—who had threatened him with death if he didn’t show up—he sheepishly tucked away the white silk scarf meant for dramatics.

Juchen frowned slightly.

In the past, marriages were dictated by parents and matchmakers. Many brides never even laid eyes on their future husbands until their wedding night. Some unions went smoothly, but others ended in alienation, strife—or worse, crime. Some villains even impersonated the groom on the wedding night, leading to tragedies where humiliated brides took their own lives.

So after the Empress Dowager took power, she issued an edict permitting a pre-marital meeting between the betrothed—essentially, a blind date.

Lu Feng was clearly used to being tricked by his sister. Realizing she’d likely set someone up again, he quickly hid the scarf, scratched his head, and apologized to Juchen.

“As compensation, this meal is on me! But I have urgent business to attend to. Eat whatever you like—I’ll settle the bill when I return. I’ll be back before dinner!”

Juchen shook her head. “There’s no need. I’ll just head home.”

But Lu Feng insisted, blocking her way. “I must make it up to you! Please, at least order a meal—otherwise I’ll feel guilty forever!”

Having known each other since childhood, Juchen couldn’t resist and stayed.

She didn’t order anything—just sipped tea while waiting nearly half an hour. Then, the door creaked open again.

“I’ve already had tea, so I’ll be going,” Juchen said, standing up as she turned around—and froze.

Lu Feng had indeed returned before dinner, but he had someone with him—someone helping him walk.

Their eyes met.

Song Mi’s brows furrowed slightly. “This is the girl you were meeting today?”

He didn’t mention the word blind date.

Lu Feng, tipsy from four bowls of strong wine, clapped his good buddy’s shoulder and said, “Yes—Li Juchen. You two met when you were kids!”

He looked at Juchen. “You remember him, right?”

Juchen: “……”

Lu Feng beamed. “Isn’t she beautiful? Even more stunning than she was as a child. Girls really do blossom with age.”

Song Mi gave a half-smile. Supporting Lu Feng must’ve been tiring, because when he helped him into the chair, it was with a little extra force.

Lu Feng yelped as his back hit the chair. He thought Song Mi would leave right away, given how he hated meddling.

But instead, Song Mi pulled out another chair and calmly sat down beside him.

Two men on one girl—an outsider might think this was an interrogation.

Lu Feng, startled, wondered, Is he… trying to size her up for me?

Juchen cleared her throat several times.

The tea and snacks from earlier were still on the table. Lu Feng asked why she hadn’t ordered anything. “Didn’t I say you didn’t need to wait?”

Juchen, now anxious to flee, shook her head rapidly. “No need!”

Song Mi raised a hand to summon a waiter, casually scanned the menu, and ordered several dishes.

Juchen tried to stop him. “Really, there’s no need.”

Song Mi closed the menu, passed it to the waiter, and said with a smirk, “No need to save money for this guy. He’s not poor.”

His tone dragged slightly at the end. Juchen’s expression froze.

She remembered their third encounter.

Their relationship had started with her clinging on shamelessly. Wanting to make him enjoy their time together, she’d taken initiative—but she had no experience. Even when she’d tried to take the lead, she didn’t know what to do. In the end, he still did all the work.

Feeling guilty, she’d awkwardly offered to pay him back.

He’d gritted his teeth and smiled. “I’m not short on money.”

Lu Feng chimed in, “Exactly.”

Juchen shot him a glare and asked the waiter for a bowl of hangover soup.

“How thoughtful,” Song Mi said with a deeper smile—though not a trace of warmth could be felt.

Lu Feng chuckled. “Juchen was always known for being kind and beautiful.”

Juchen grew tense, sneaking a glance at Song Mi, worried Lu Feng would start reminiscing. Fortunately, the food arrived in time to change the topic.

The famed Drum Tower feast came in stages—appetizers, entrees, and desserts.

Lu Feng noticed that the first few dishes were all sweets: jade dew pastries, honey puffs, spring jelly… He turned to Song Mi. “Since when do you like sweets?”

“I thought girls would like them,” Song Mi replied.

Lu Feng looked at Juchen.

She nodded slightly, her face turning red. She’d had these same desserts before at Ci You Bie Yuan.

“As long as you like it. Don’t be shy,” Lu Feng said. He then turned to Song Mi, surprised. “You’re being awfully considerate today.”

To Juchen, he added, “This is the first time I’ve seen him actually think about what a girl might want. Not that he’s rude—he just rarely orders for anyone.”

Song Mi answered calmly, “Isn’t she your blind date?”

Lu Feng laughed. “Wow, I must be someone special.”

Juchen coughed hard, sipped her tea, and tried to change the subject.

She asked where they had just come from.

Lu Feng blurted out Red Sleeve Pavilion by the Yaojin Pool—the most famous pleasure house in the capital—then nudged Song Mi, “Had to block drinks for him. Otherwise I’d never have made you wait.”

“Block drinks?” Juchen asked.

“Yeah,” Lu Feng chuckled but didn’t reveal that Song Mi was investigating a case there. Instead, he teased, “Surrounded by gorgeous ladies, and he wouldn’t let even one touch him. What a waste.”

“I’m starting to suspect you,” Lu Feng said.

“Suspect me of what?”

“Of liking men!”

As soon as he said it, Lu Feng burst into laughter.

They’d always joked like this. But Song Mi’s expression darkened slightly. “Watch your words.”

Lu Feng, a bit drunk, noticed Song Mi glance toward Juchen—reminding him there was a lady present. He laughed awkwardly. “Don’t worry, she’s more open-minded than you. She won’t care.”

Juchen nearly choked on her tea but managed to hold it in.

Song Mi handed her a handkerchief, watching her flushed face.

Had she and Lu Feng been on a blind date in their past life too…?