Chapter 2: Want to Go Crazy with Me?

Ning Lu was also stunned for a moment, pondering the meaning behind his words.

He stood up, took an elegant white cheongsam from the wardrobe, and handed it to her. As she put it on, he turned away and waited quietly. Ning Lu recognized it immediately as an old Su embroidery style; the stitches were fine, the fabric felt soft, and it must have been worth a fortune in its day.

She examined it closely. While the edges were indeed slightly yellowed and aged, the garment was clean and tidy, emitting a faint scent of jasmine. It was clear that whoever had preserved it had done so with great care, and it fit Ning Lu perfectly.

Lu Yanfeng turned around, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes, though he quickly regained his composure. He removed his gloves, placed them on the table, and toyed lightly with the porcelain patterns on the teacup. Seeing the pot, Ning Lu realized the tea had likely gone cold, so she rose to brew a fresh pot.

Lu Yanfeng watched her technique, appearing somewhat surprised. "You know how to brew tea?"

Ning Lu smiled and bowed respectfully, explaining that her home was in Suzhou and she was quite familiar with the art of tea. His eyes brightened at the mention of Suzhou. When he asked her age, she replied eighteen. He smiled, crinkling the corners of his eyes. "What a beautiful age."

Ning Lu peeked at him from time to time. He did not look old at all; his back was straight, and he wore a simple suit. As she drew closer, she caught a faint scent of ink about him—a truly indescribable air of scholarly elegance and nobility.

Noticing her distraction, he asked for her name.

"Ning Lu."

He was silent for a moment. "A single branch of red flowers, dew-kissed and fragrant; the clouds and rain of Wushan are but a wasted heartbreak."

"Sir, that is from Li Bai’s *Qingping Diao*," she replied.

He looked at her with a gentle expression. "Do not call me 'sir' anymore. My name is Lu Yanfeng. When we are alone, you may call me Uncle Feng. I suffer from insomnia and require sleeping pills. You shall stay in the Moonlit Pavilion next door; there are guards patrolling day and night, so just summon them if you need anything."

Ning Lu looked past the screen. Amidst the carved railings and jade masonry stood a small pavilion adjacent to Lu Yanfeng’s courtyard. She looked at him, feeling a bit timid. "Uncle Feng, then... must I sleep with you?"

He hadn't expected the question and reached out to pat her head. "You are still too young."

***

By nightfall, the courtyard was silent. Most of the garden lamps had been extinguished. Lu Yanfeng had taken his sleeping medication, and once Ning Lu blew out the final light, she prepared to leave.

Suddenly, a dark shadow lunged behind her, a large hand clamping over her mouth. Ning Lu struggled violently.

Lu Hongyu’s malicious whisper reached her ears: "If you move again, I will have my way with you right in front of him!"

In the next second, she was pressed against the screen. The sandalwood screen looked hazy under the moonlight. Lu Yanfeng was resting in the inner room, so close that Ning Lu could hear the rhythm of his breathing. Her face turned pale with terror, and her eyes welled with tears, a mix of rage and fear.

Lu Hongyu’s rough fingers traced her skin. "Tell me, has that old man touched you?" He reached behind her, pulling at her clothes, and slipped his hand inside. Suddenly, his mood lifted, likely realizing that Lu Yanfeng had not touched her.

Ning Lu nearly cried out, whispering a plea for him to stop. But Lu Hongyu ignored her; he used a necktie to bind her hands and leaned down to force a kiss upon her. Ning Lu gasped in pain, terrified of waking the sleeping Lu Yanfeng.

"You are mine, do you understand?" Lu Hongyu said, his tone flippant. No matter how she begged, he showed no intention of stopping.

When Lu Hongyu finally performed the act, Ning Lu couldn't help but gasp, her chest drenched in sweat, nearly losing consciousness. The thought of Lu Yanfeng just a few feet away filled her with unbearable anxiety, and she felt as though she were engulfed in flames.

After what felt like an eternity, he let out a muffled grunt and finally released her. The moonlight shone upon her bruised body. Lu Hongyu lit a cigarette, took a slow drag, and tilted his chin at her. "What is your name?"

Ning Lu glared at him. "You bastard!"

Lu Hongyu stood up, smiled, and said carelessly, "That I am."

After he left, it took Ning Lu a long time to wash away the traces left on her body.

***

Early the next morning, Lu Yanfeng was awakened by an urgent phone call and left in a hurry without even eating. Ning Lu made an excuse about needing fresh air and wandered into the depths of the woods behind the estate.

The gardens here were unlike any others, filled with exotic scenery, but Ning Lu had no heart to appreciate them. She had been "deflowered" by the eldest young master, and Lu Yanfeng still didn't know. What would she do once he found out?

With a chaotic mind, she wandered further and further until she realized she was standing before a small courtyard. From the inner room came the familiar, miserable wails of a woman. Ning Lu hurried into the courtyard and followed the corridor to the end.

She pushed the door open, and the sight before her made her blood boil—she nearly collapsed to the ground. A frail girl was surrounded by several men, her body covered in bruises and wounds. The red-haired man who was tormenting her stood naked, reeking of lechery.

The girl was none other than her younger sister, Ning Xiang!

In a fit of rage, Ning Lu rushed forward, desperately shoving the assailant away and shielding her sister. "Get away! Don't touch her!"

The man turned, eyeing her with a lewd gaze. "Well, well, I've never seen such a beautiful little thing."

A man in black behind him whispered, "Brother Sui, since she could get in here, she must have some status. She might be one of the eldest master's or the old man's people. Let's not make trouble."

Hearing this, cold sweat broke out on Ning Lu’s forehead. *Brother Sui? Could it be Lu Yanfeng’s own son—the second young master of the Lu family, Lu Sui?!*

Lu Sui kicked the man in black. "Stop trying to pressure me with that loser Lu Hongyu. Even if the King of Heaven himself showed up today, I’d still finish her!"

Ning Lu felt as though she had fallen into an icy abyss. Having finally found her sister, was she to die here?

Lu Sui pinned Ning Lu to the ground. She seized the moment to kick him in his vital spot. Caught off guard, he clutched his crotch, gasping in pain. "You bitch! Daring to ambush me? I’ll make you pay for this!"

He ordered his men to tie her up tightly. Squatting before her, he grabbed her hair to pull her face up and struck her violently across the cheek. "Go on, you damn bitch, be wild again for me?"