Chapter 2

Identical.

The size, color, arrangement, and even the slight elevation of the moles on her skin.

He was more familiar with the appearance of these three moles than she was.

Lu Yongzhang stared intently at her profile.

If it were just that their faces resembled each other, he would have considered it a coincidence. But if the three moles were the same as well…

If he could transcend time and enter another’s body, why couldn’t she?

Lu Yongzhang had never thought he would come to believe in something so firmly without any other evidence.

Looking at the look of worry and a hint of fear on her face, he felt his gaze harden.

He wanted to understand immediately who had made her suffer this indignity, but he quickly relaxed his face to appear calm as usual. “I didn’t catch what you asked me to do just now; could you repeat it?”

Zheng Xiaorou showed a look of astonishment. His tone was calm and gentle and carried a friendly, guiding warmth, causing her anxious heart to quietly settle down.

There was still hope!

She realized she had made the right gamble. Lu Yongzhang was not as indifferent as he appeared—he had a kind heart that was willing to help others!

She instinctively licked her lips, her fingers nervously curling behind her back. She maintained a smile that revealed a hint of gratefulness and eagerness: “What I meant to say is that I’d like you to pretend to be my boyfriend. Once the rumors die down, that’ll be enough! Don’t worry; I know people are saying terrible things about me right now, and being associated with me might affect your reputation, so I’m willing to pay…”

Noticing the sudden change in his expression, Zheng Xiaorou felt her hands clench into fists, and her voice dropped, almost as if she were talking to herself: “I’m sorry, I might be asking too much.”

Sure enough, it was too much to ask, wasn’t it?

A wave of sadness washed over her as she watched his expression shift. It was more embarrassing than hearing others gossip about her directly.

But in the next moment, she heard Lu Yongzhang’s cold voice: “Who?”

As Zheng Xiaorou lifted her eyes, she missed the fleeting glimpse of his fierce gaze.

His tone carried an inexplicable authority that compelled obedience, making anyone who heard him feel an involuntary urge to comply.

She clutched the edge of her clothing and whispered: “Just those people from the alley.”

Lu Yongzhang slightly turned his body, meticulously fastening his shirt button, his voice betraying no emotion: “What are they saying?”

Although his voice was quiet, it was calm and peculiar. During this time, Zheng Xiaorou had been plagued by rumors, leaving her only with anger.

Yet at this moment, in front of a stranger who had been put in a difficult position because of her, she felt a deep sense of grievance that wanted to be vented.

Her eyes reddened again: “Well, what else can they say? They’re fabricating stories that I married someone in Yunnan, claiming I’m no longer innocent… and so on.”

Zheng Xiaorou couldn’t copy the vulgarity of their words and pouted slightly. “I promise it’s not true, but I really can’t provide any evidence.”

With a sharp “crack,” Lu Yongzhang’s hand broke the bamboo mat beneath him into two pieces.

That brief statement reminded him of the time Zheng Xiaorou was falsely accused while serving as a low-ranking female official in the Clothing Bureau of the Imperial Household Department.

She had exceptional embroidery skills.

Once, she had prepared a ceremonial outfit for the Empress Dowager to wear during the New Year celebrations.

Due to a last-minute visit from foreign dignitaries, they needed to add a specific pattern for etiquette, and at that time, she was the only one in the entire bureau who could manage it. She stayed up late to finish it.

From then on, she caught the attention of the Empress Dowager, who began to designate her for her clothing.

After a couple of instances, the female officials who had been on the same level as her started to spread rumors, claiming that she had been engaging in inappropriate relations with a high-ranking eunuch in the Imperial Harem—which was how she had gotten such a fast track to success.

—o—o—o—

Zheng Xiaorou noticed a glimmer of cold light flash in his eyes, and her heart skipped a beat.

After hearing her “bad reputation,” she thought he found her request excessive. So, she hurriedly said: “Having you pretend to be my boyfriend is indeed a bit sudden. I’ll think of another way.”

She picked up a brick from the ground and glanced at Lu Yongzhang, who hadn’t yet fastened his pants.

Just as she was about to remind him, Lu Yongzhang focused intently on her, dispelling the cold gaze from his eyes. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he took a moment before asking, “Why did you come to me?”

In her previous life, when she had been slandered, he had been without skills or power, weak and vulnerable.

All he could do was angrily shout: “It’s not true! It’s not true! How could Xiaorou possibly choose that old man as her partner?!” at those who accused her.

“Hey, shouldn’t she be going after some powerful eunuch instead of a little chick like you who can’t even stand on his own feet?” After those harsh but true words, the crowd roared with laughter.

At fifteen, his face turned beet red.

Apart from voicing his support, he was unable to protect her.

Even if he loudly proclaimed in front of everyone that if she wanted a backer, she could come to him, no one would believe it.

Across the vast span of his life, Lu Yongzhang had no idea what kind of emotions he was experiencing as he waited for her answer.

Zheng Xiaorou smiled shyly. “It’s because everyone is afraid of you, so they don’t dare to confront you. Therefore, as long as I say we’re dating, we are dating.”

Just a moment ago, she had thought it over and still believed no one was more suitable than him.

Lu Yongzhang turned away to adjust his pants. “Okay.”

Zheng Xiaorou, who had already begun to consider other options in her mind, heard this word of affirmation. She widened her black-and-white eyes in surprise at the back of his head. “You mean…”

Lu Yongzhang turned around, his face partly shrouded in the room’s shadows. Meeting her excited gaze, a smile flickered in his eyes that she couldn’t quite detect. His tone remained calm and unruffled, making it hard to gauge his emotions. “You want me to pretend to be your boyfriend. I said okay, and you don’t need to pay me.”

Although she didn’t remember their previous life, now, he had a healthy body; they had this chance to get to know each other again, become familiar once more, and have a different ending than last time.

Zheng Xiaorou felt a lump in her throat, nearly brought to tears.

His words sounded effortless as if he had merely agreed to help throw away a popsicle wrapper, yet they brought the tangled nightmare she had endured for so long a glimmer of hope for resolution.

“Bang, bang, bang…” The clock chimed twelve times.

Zheng Xiaorou rubbed her eyes absentmindedly, a smile breaking across her face. “Hurry, hurry, hurry! You need to go to your parents’ house for dinner!”

Lu Yongzhang withdrew his deep gaze and nodded. “Yes.”

Indeed, the Lu family had such traditions; meals were eaten at specific times, and each of the twenty-four solar terms came with its own set of customs.

She actually knew.

Thinking that she might have observed him for several days to summarize this pattern, Lu Yongzhang’s eyes softened, revealing a barely noticeable smile.

Zheng Xiaorou could sense that although his expression remained mysterious, his mood seemed to be better at this moment—at least compared to when he had just woken up. He appeared much more approachable.

So, she pointed to the ground and then turned to leave. “I’m off now; don’t forget to buckle your belt.”

Suddenly, there was silence behind her.

Why did she remind him to fasten his belt? Did she think he wouldn’t remember that she had taken advantage of him today?

Feeling frustrated, Zheng Xiaorou quickened her pace and rushed outside.

The sun hung glaringly overhead, casting a shadow that only highlighted the outline of her feet.

But she wasn’t bothered by the scorching sun at all; in fact, she found the bright sunshine pleasant, as if it could burn away all her bad luck!

As she passed through the alley, she could smell the lunch aromas wafting from the neighbors: pickled winter melon soup from one house and sautéed soy pickles with edamame from another. Even through the door, she could tell who was cooking.

Her steps were light, and a long-lost sense of ease returned to her heart. She simply wanted to go home and see what her family had prepared for lunch.

“Mom, what’s for lunch? Do you need me to help?” Zheng Xiaorou asked as she stood at the kitchen door.

Mother Zheng shot her a glance, her expression saying, “You still have the energy to ask about food?” “We’re having loofah soup noodles; it’s refreshing.”

Zheng Xiaorou had resolved a significant worry. Not only did she feel like asking questions, she also felt like being a bit spoiled. “Don’t be angry, don’t be mad; I’ll tell you some good news soon.”

Mother Zheng shot her a glare. “Go call your brother down for lunch.”

She obediently cleared a small dining table in the hallway. She went upstairs to knock on the pavilion door, pulling her brother Zheng Tianlei down from his sleep, even though it was already well past noon.

Although Mother Zheng was in a bad mood, her loofah noodles were always up to par. The tender green flesh of the loofah lay atop the neatly arranged noodles, with a few strips of meat indicating that this bowl of noodles was not just an afterthought.

After slurping down half a bowl, Father Zheng squinted at Zheng Xiaorou. “The carpenter at my workplace has a son. He’s a bit older, but he has skills…”

Here it comes again.

Father Zheng prided himself on his connections, but the men he introduced to Zheng Xiaorou were either older men with some flaws that made them hard to marry off or divorced ones.

Mother Zheng glanced at her husband and then at her daughter, whispering, “Isn’t that a bit inappropriate? He’s older…”

“What do you know? He has skills, and his side income is even more than his salary! If Xiaorou can marry him, her life won’t be hard. Besides, older men tend to be more caring! It’s great that he doesn’t mind her past…”

Zheng Tianlei slammed his chopsticks down. “Dad! My sister said nothing happened! Besides, what makes this kind of person worthy of my sister?”

Since Father Zheng had begun to consider finding a match for Zheng Xiaorou, this scene had played out more than once.

It seemed he didn’t understand that the more anxious he was to find her a partner, the more onlookers suspected that they had something to hide.

Father Zheng was unusually firm. “Your sister has a bad reputation. Why is that? Why do others say things about her when they shouldn’t? Didn’t any of the people she registered with help her out? Even if she finds someone, do you think people will believe what they say?

How naive! I’ve seen too many people driven to death by rumors. I tell you, it happens all the time! In situations like this, you just have to accept your bad luck. Besides, if we want to find her a decent family, we should do it while she’s still young and beautiful! And you, a little brat with no hair on your lip, dare to lecture your old man?”

Zheng Tianlei was speechless, looking at his sister, whose beauty was striking, and opened his mouth only to lower his eyes in defeat.

But today, Zheng Xiaorou had an undeniable reason to refuse this blind date.

She looked at her father. “Dad, I won’t meet this person; I have a friend.”

As she spoke, the image of Lu Yongzhang nodding in agreement flickered in her mind, and her heart began to race.

“What?”

“What?!”

The entire family set down their chopsticks and stared at her.

Zheng Xiaorou felt the weight of their gazes but inappropriately drifted off in her thoughts: Who would be the best matchmaker?

“Sis, when did you start dating someone? How come I didn’t know?” Zheng Tianlei was the first to react.

The Zheng family lived in cramped quarters, with only one main room and a small pavilion.

After she returned to the city, she and Zheng Tianlei squeezed into the pavilion, with Father Zheng using wooden boards to separate the two sides. Each side barely managed to set up a bed and forgot about keeping secrets; even a simple turn would make everything audible.

Zheng Tianlei considered himself the most informed about his sister’s whereabouts in the family.

Zheng Xiaorou ruffled her brother’s hair, releasing it before he could protest with, “You can’t mess with a man’s head,” and smiled. “You go to school during the day. I’m not a worm in your belly; it’s perfectly normal for you not to know about my friend.”

Mother Zheng looked worried. “Xiaorou, it’s best to have someone introduce you to your boyfriend; it’s safer that way. You just came back, and don’t take your dad too seriously. Maybe after a while, no one will talk about it anymore.”

Father Zheng frowned, clearly unconvinced. “Who is he? If his conditions aren’t great, you should still consider the one I just mentioned…”

Zheng Xiaorou stared at her bowl, feeling a bit guilty as she finally admitted, “It’s Lu Yongzhang.”

“What?!” The whole family was stunned, exchanging blank looks.

—o—o—o—

“What?” Mother Lu widened her eyes and asked again, “What did you just say? You have a girlfriend?”

Father Lu pushed up his glasses and repeated his son’s words. “Yes, Lu Yongzhang just said he has a girlfriend, and we need to find a suitable matchmaker to visit the girl’s family officially.”

After speaking, he looked over the top of his glasses at his son, who felt particularly distant today, seeking confirmation. “That’s what you meant, right?”

Lu Yongzhang rested his hands on his knees and nodded slightly. “What Father said is correct.”

At the mention of the word “Father,” he momentarily lost focus.

This term felt too distant for him, so far that it felt unfamiliar to say it aloud.

From the time he could remember, he had never experienced the love of a father or a mother, and as a result, he found it difficult to adapt to these suddenly presented parents.

But none of this affected his respectful stance as he stood up and leaned slightly. He looked at the couple. “Yes, I genuinely admire Xiaorou. I’d like to ask Mom and Dad to help find a matchmaker to formally visit her family to show my sincerity.”