Chapter 209: Meet Chu Lan again (1)

Xie Jue smiled brightly and looked at the tea bag placed by Wei Ruo on the table. Although he had not tasted it yet, he already felt that it must taste sweet and delicious.

After the tea cooled down a little, Xie Ying tasted it and praised, "Ruoruo, you are really a treasure!"

Xie Jue also smiled while sipping tea.

The three of them sat in the tea room drinking tea and eating snacks.

At this moment, another tour boat approached the one they were riding on.

-tour boat: a type of boat used for recreational purposes, such as sightseeing, leisure cruises, or tourism. These boats are often equipped with amenities to enhance the experience of passengers as they enjoy scenic views or relax on the water.

 

Xie Jue cautiously asked the servants to put down the curtain and walked to the bow of the ship.

On the approaching cruise ship, he saw two of his old acquaintances standing — Chu Lan and Lu Yuhong.

"Brother Chu, Brother Lu." Xie Jue clasped his fists and greeted the two of them.

"Brother Xie, you are so mean. You sneaked out to play without bringing us! If Brother Chu and I hadn't happened to come on the cruise, we wouldn't have known that you had visited the East Lake alone!" Lu Yuhong crossed his arms and said with a dissatisfied look on his face.

It was that resentment from the shiitake mushroom sauce that hadn't gone away yet!

"Brother Lu, I apologize for not notifying you two today as I was accompanying my younger sister on a trip." Xie Jue quickly explained.

“From what I can see, Brother Xie is not bringing your sister out for a trip, but rather hiding a ‘charming woman in a golden house’.” Chu Lan's eyes were sharp, and just now, at the moment the gauze curtains were lowered on Xie Jue's ship, he saw the figures of two women.

*"a golden house to hide a charming woman” is a Chinese idiom that symbolizes the desire to keep and cherish a beautiful and beloved person in a splendid home. The phrase can also imply indulgence in romantic or luxurious desires.

Xie Jue only has one sister, and if one of them is his sister, then the other must be a young lady from another family.

Upon hearing this, Xie Jue's face froze and he awkwardly begged for mercy, "Brother Chu, please spare me. This matter is a secret. Don't ruin the reputation of the young lady."

Lu Yuhong suddenly became enthusiastic and said, "Brother Xie, if you want me to keep silent, you have to give me some benefits."

Xie Jue hurriedly said, "I will hold a banquet at the Drunken Immortal Restaurant some other day to invite Brother Lu..."

Lu Yuhong interrupted Xie Jue, "The Drunken Immortal Restaurant is nothing special. It's just there. You can go whenever you want to eat. And I'm not without money."

Chu Lan said slowly, “If I'm not wrong, the person on Brother Xie's boat should be the Wei family's eldest young lady.”

It was not difficult to guess this. Xie Jue's sister didn't have many good friends, and they saw the carriage of the Wei family coming to the city yesterday, so the person traveling with the Xie brothers and sisters on the boat was most likely the eldest daughter of the Wei family.

Xie Jue paused and said in a pleading tone, "Brother Chu, please don't say anything more, don't ruin their reputation."

Lu Yuhong said on the side, "Is it the eldest daughter of the Wei family who can farm and make mushroom sauce?"

Xie Jue did not admit it, but he did not dare to deceive Chu Lan and deny it.

Seeing him like this, he knew the answer was yes.

So Lu Yuhong said, "Xie Jue, do you underestimate us too much? We're not gossipers. Who would bring up this matter? Besides, aren’t there a bunch of servants following us? It’s broad daylight, what are you afraid of?"

Chu Lan also said, "There's really no need to be so cautious. I know Miss Wei quite well, and I admire Miss Wei very much for her contribution in the south of the city. Those who are here today are all my people, so no one dares to speak recklessly. You can rest assured, and Miss Wei and Miss Xie in the cabin can also rest assured."

Wei Ruo, who was in the cabin, had already heard the conversation outside and didn’t want to go out and meet Chu Lan. However, she was recognized by him and couldn't hide.

She secretly complained in her heart, what's wrong with Chu Lan? Shouldn't he be very busy? Why does he come across her every day? Can he still be the crown prince if he is so idle?