Chapter 49: On His Own, He’d Never Find a Wife

Chapter 49: Left to His Own Devices, He Really Can't Find a Wife

The next day.

Li Ruoyao indeed came again. Feng Yin, on guard as ordered, came to report the moment he spotted her figure.

"Young Master, she's here. Quick, into the room."

"Alright."

Li Zhiming and Sang Yu entered the room together and closed the door. Feng Yin retreated, and the courtyard fell empty and silent.

"Young Master, she's here. Go on, then."

Sang Yu retreated to the bedside.

Outside the door.

Li Ruoyao had just stepped into the courtyard and looked around. Not a soul in sight, doors all shut tight, like nobody was home.

"That's weird. Did they all go into hiding?"

She muttered under her breath.

The maid beside her piped up: "Miss, do you hear something?"

"Hm? What sound?"

"It's just... listen. There's some weird noise coming from somewhere."

Li Ruoyao held her breath, straining to listen. She did seem to hear something, and turned to the maid, puzzled: "Sounds like it's coming from big brother's room?"

"It seems so."

"I'll go take a look. You wait for me out in the courtyard."

"Miss."

"Go now."

After sending the maid off, Li Ruoyao, curious now, slowly crossed the inner courtyard and arrived outside Li Zhiming's door.

By now, the sounds were even clearer.

"Softer..."

"Okay, okay, I'll go softer. Like this? Feel good?"

"Mm, that's nice."

From behind the door came snatches of conversation, mixed with two heavy breaths and the creak-sway of a wooden bed.

It was Li Zhiming and Sang Yu's voices.

Li Ruoyao still hadn't figured it out, but she edged closer, and the sounds became even more distinct.

"Ah..."

A moan drifted out, startling her so badly she froze mid-step.

Sang Yu let out a low growl: "Young Master, do you like this? Does it feel good like this?"

Li Zhiming wasn't about to be outdone, practically grinding his teeth: "This beauty serves me so well. She's truly lovely. Does she want her brother to go harder, or softer?"

What followed was a stream of filthy talk, along with sounds that made her blush and her heart race, all of it landing clearly in Li Ruoyao's ears.

Though she was an unmarried girl, she knew a thing or two about such matters.

Especially the gossip about her brother and Sang Yu.

After listening at the door for a good while, she stood there, frozen stiff.

Inside the room.

Li Zhiming's eyes were about to roll out of his head as he looked at the figure outside the door and muttered: "Why won't she leave? I'm worn out from this act. If she doesn't go soon, I'm gonna drop."

Sang Yu piled on: "The Young Master's stamina is truly weak. No matter, I'm still holding up fine."

"You?! Shut it."

The dirty talk rolled off his tongue like nothing.

"Young Master, she's still here. Keep playing along."

"!!!"

Damn it.

He felt ready to keel over. This was more exhausting than the real deal—not that he'd ever done the real deal.

Finally, Li Ruoyao's figure faded into the distance.

She stumbled away in a daze. When she reached the gate, the maid caught her: "Miss, what's the matter? What happened in there? Do you need me to..."

"No. We're going home."

"Going back? Miss, weren't you supposed to go meet Young Master Sang and..."

"I said we're going back!"

Li Ruoyao shouted, tears of hurt instantly spilling down her face as she ran off, the maid left with no choice but to chase after her.

She'd never believed her brother and Sang Yu were a thing.

But hearing all that filth with her own ears just now—wasn't that enough? It was way more than enough.

Once she was gone.

Li Zhiming and Sang Yu came out of the room.

Watching the girl's retreating back, Li Zhiming felt a pang of guilt.

But there was no helping it.

It was all for her own good.

Sang Yu stood next to him, casually fixing his rumpled clothes, and said: "Why won't the Young Master let Third Miss marry me? Am I really that unworthy in your eyes?"

"Absolutely not!"

Li Zhiming would nip any potential displeasure in the bud, and lying came as easily as breathing to him.

"I've told you before, you're someone I brought home. Whether or not anything happened between us, on paper, you're still mine. If my sister married you, where would I have the face? I'm doing this all for my own sake."

Sang Yu clearly wasn't buying it.

"Since when did the eldest young master care so much about his reputation?"

"I—I've always cared. I just didn't show it much before."

"The eldest young master always blushes when he lies."

"!!"

That was complete bullshit.

Li Zhiming raised his hand, so used to swearing oaths by now that it came naturally: "I swear to heaven, if I'm talking nonsense, may I drop dead."

Sang Yu didn't stop him from cursing himself, just watched with a faint smile and said, "Okay."

*

After Li Ruoyao fled from there in a panic, she didn't come back for days. Li Zhiming even started to wonder if she'd been so devastated that she might do something drastic.

Then Feng Yin came bearing news.

Word had it that the Prime Minister had arranged a marriage with the Lu family—the third young lady was to wed General Lu Zhao.

Li Zhiming was stunned and wanted to ask questions, but Li Ruoyao came to him on her own.

After days apart, Li Ruoyao seemed much more settled. She no longer clung to Sang Yu or called him "Sang Yu gege"—she just glanced at him briefly before looking away.

"Brother, I'm getting married on the fifteenth of next month. After that, I won't be able to come hang out with you as often."

Li Ruoyao lowered her head, looking a bit down.

Li Zhiming couldn't stand to see it.

Could it be that she'd been so shaken up she'd given up on herself?

He jumped to his feet: "If you don't want to marry him, don't force yourself. I'll talk to Father. You can't just—because—because..."

He trailed off.

"It's not like that, brother."

Li Ruoyao blushed, showing a rare hint of girlish shyness and coyness: "I met Lu Zhao a few days ago. He treats me really well. I—I'm willing to marry him."

"?"

"Brother, I came to share the good news and to pass on a message."

Li Ruoyao deliberately teased him, waiting until he was scratching his head in frustration before speaking: "I overheard Father telling someone that you're not getting any younger, and it wouldn't be right for the younger sister to marry before the elder brother. But..."

"But what?"

"But Father said this is a special case—you've been too willful, so it's not fitting for you to marry within three months. However, after three months, Father plans to arrange a match for you, to settle you down and keep you in check."

"What?!"

Li Zhiming was stunned. An arranged marriage?!

Li Ruoyao stuck out her tongue: "Brother, Father said he'll find you a virtuous and gentle wife. Just wait in peace—it seems he already has someone in mind."

With that, Li Ruoyao cast a meaningful glance at Sang Yu.

Sang Yu showed no expression, as if he couldn't hear their conversation at all.

What composure.

So he was going to be arranged into marriage too? Would she be a beauty?

Honestly, he was a little curious.

On his own, he really couldn't find a wife.