The Female Lead’s Fortuitous Encounter?

Yes, through her time with Lu Chen these past days, she had come to see him as a true gentleman.

He always kept his distance, never overstepping a single boundary.

But that only made her like him more.

After a few more days, Zhuang Jingbai grew anxious.

Lu Chen still hadn’t shown up.

She didn’t know what was wrong with her.

She just wanted to see him.

She looked at the treasure Lin Tian had given her and bit her lip.

“No, I have to go see him.”

She found a suitable excuse for herself.

Lin Tian had obtained this treasure in the Forbidden Land.

It was perfect to offer as an apology to Lu Chen, since she and Lin Tian had both been in the wrong back then.

So Zhuang Jingbai went to find Lin Tian.

“Huh?”

“Wife, you want to give him that treasure that can open a second attribute?” Lin Tian winced.

“Isn’t that too valuable?”

“When you knocked him out and threw him into the bridal chamber, you felt perfectly fine about it.”

“Haven’t you noticed Lu Chen hasn’t come looking for you these past days?”

“And as for me, I tied him up back then.”

“It’s only right to apologize…”

Lin Tian fell silent.

Soon, the two landed their swords at the entrance to Lu Chen’s cave dwelling.

“Junior brother!”

“Open up!”

“Your brother and sister-in-law have come to see you!”

Inside, Lu Chen had only recently sobered up and was sitting cross-legged, regulating his breathing.

Hearing Lin Tian’s voice, he opened his eyes and glanced instinctively toward the guest room.

The guest room door was tightly shut.

He took a deep breath, stood up, and opened the door.

“Senior brother, sister-in-law, why are you here?” Lu Chen stepped aside to let them in.

As Zhuang Jingbai entered, her eyes swept discreetly over the cave’s interior.

Clean.

Too clean.

She hadn’t expected Lu Chen to care so much about his living space.

She silently added a few points to his score in her heart.

“Junior brother, your place…” Lin Tian was also stunned.

“It’s changed.”

“Did you hire someone?”

Lu Chen’s heart tightened, but his face remained calm.

“I tidied it myself.”

“When I came out of seclusion, it was a mess, so I cleaned up.”

“You yourself?” Lin Tian scratched his head.

“Since when are you so hardworking?”

“And you laid flooring, even grew flowers?”

Hearing this, a flicker of alertness passed through Zhuang Jingbai’s eyes.

So it had been recently remodeled.

“Sit down,” Lu Chen said, leading them to the table.

He poured tea for both.

“Senior brother, what brings you here today…”

Lin Tian took a small box from his pocket and placed it on the table.

“Junior brother, this is for you.”

Lu Chen opened it and froze.

Inside was a translucent jade token with intricate patterns carved into it, faint spiritual light flowing through.

“This is…”

“An opportunity I gained in the Forbidden Land.”

“It can open an additional attribute for a person.”

Lu Chen’s hand trembled.

He nearly dropped the box.

“Senior brother, this is too valuable.”

“I can’t accept it!”

“Take it.”

“Knocking you out and throwing you into the bridal chamber, making you take my place in the wedding, that was wrong of me.”

“This is my apology.”

Lu Chen looked at Zhuang Jingbai.

She was sipping her tea, as if she hadn’t heard.

“Senior brother, that matter is in the past.”

“Besides, sister-in-law and I didn’t do anything…” Lu Chen pushed the box back.

In the original story, Lin Tian obtained quite a few of these, but he only used them for himself and the female lead.

It wasn’t until much later that he gave them to friends and family.

Now Lin Tian was giving him the female lead’s item, which made him afraid.

He unconsciously covered his butt.

Could it be that his appearance had changed Lin Tian’s orientation?

“Just take it!”

“Unless you still hold a grudge?”

“No…”

“Then take it!”

Lu Chen had no choice but to accept.

In the guest room.

Jiang Huaiyu pressed herself against the door, peering through the crack.

She heard the entire conversation.

Knocked out?

Substitute for the wedding?

She looked incredulously at the young man outside who was refusing the gift.

He had taken his senior brother’s place in the bridal chamber, faced the bride, and done nothing?

That was a wedding night, with the bride right in front of him, and he… he held back?

A complex emotion surged within Jiang Huaiyu.

She remembered these days with Lu Chen.

He always kept his distance.

Even though they were alone together in the same room, he never had any improper thoughts.

Now she knew he had faced such a test before.

With a beauty like Zhuang Jingbai, he could still remain completely chaste.

Then for her…

She suddenly felt an inexplicable disappointment.

But at the same time, she was even more certain of one thing.

Lu Chen was a responsible, good man.

A true gentleman.

Someone like that was worth entrusting oneself to.

In the main hall.

Lin Tian looked around the cave dwelling and suddenly said, “Junior brother, tell me honestly, did you really not hire someone?”

“I don’t remember you being this diligent.”

“Just an impulse after coming out of seclusion.”

Zhuang Jingbai set down her teacup and stood up.

“I’m going to the kitchen.”

Lu Chen’s heart tightened, but he couldn’t stop her.

He could only watch her figure disappear through the kitchen door.

In the kitchen, Zhuang Jingbai’s eyes swept over the stove, the cutting board, the dish rack.

Too clean.

But cleanliness wasn’t the point.

The point was…

She leaned over the stove and sniffed lightly.

A faint, delicate fragrance entered her nose.

It wasn’t Lu Chen’s scent.

She closed her eyes and concentrated.

It was a woman’s body scent, mixed with a hint of orchid.

Very faint, but definitely there.

And it wasn’t fresh.

The scent had lingered here for some time.

She turned and walked out of the kitchen, her eyes scanning the doors deeper in the cave.

One door was tightly shut.

She withdrew her gaze and returned to the table.

“What’s wrong?” Lin Tian asked.

“Nothing.”

Zhuang Jingbai picked up her teacup and took a small sip, but her gaze fell on Lu Chen.

“Junior brother’s cave is really well-kept,” she said, meaningfully.

Lu Chen smiled but didn’t respond.

In the guest room.

Jiang Huaiyu held her breath, watching through the crack as Zhuang Jingbai sat back down.

She sighed in relief.

But the next moment, Zhuang Jingbai seemed to glance in her direction, intentionally or not.

Jiang Huaiyu’s heart tightened.

She quickly stepped back, hiding in the shadow behind the door.

Suddenly, she regretted it.

Why was she hiding?

She was the victim.

She was staying here because she had nowhere else to go.

She hadn’t done anything; she and Lu Chen were innocent.

But she just didn’t dare go out.

Not because of guilt, but because… she didn’t know how to explain her presence here.

In the main hall, Lin Tian kept rambling.

Zhuang Jingbai occasionally responded, but her mind was no longer on the conversation.

Lu Chen sat across from them, outwardly calm, but cold sweat formed on his back.

He knew Zhuang Jingbai had noticed something.

That woman was too sharp.

Half an hour later, Lin Tian finally got up to leave.

“Junior brother, use that opportunity well.”

“Come have a drink with me sometime!”

“Definitely.”

Lu Chen saw them to the door, watching until their swords disappeared into the distance.

Then he slowly closed the door.

He leaned against it and let out a long breath.

The guest room door opened.

Jiang Huaiyu walked out, a hint of apology on her face.

“I’m sorry for causing you trouble.”

Lu Chen shook his head.

“It’s not your fault.”

Jiang Huaiyu looked at him, seeming to hesitate.

“I heard everything just now…”

Lu Chen froze.

“About you taking Lin Tian’s place in the bridal chamber.” Jiang Huaiyu looked at him, her gaze complex.

“You… did nothing?”

Lu Chen was silent for a moment, then nodded.

How could he dare to talk about that?

Jiang Huaiyu looked at him, emotions churning in her eyes.

After a long while, she spoke softly.

“You’re a good man.”