Chapter 220: Chapter 173: Madam Chu, what do you mean by “serving”?_1
Translator: 549690339
How could Chu Yuqin not know Lu Chen’s thoughts? This little rascal just wanted her body. Thankfully, she regained her consciousness at the crucial moment or they might have been involved in some scandalous affair right there in the study.
Seeing Chu Yuqin’s look of bashful anger, Lu Chen couldn’t help but laugh and say, “Madam Chu, I haven’t even mentioned where I’m uncomfortable yet. How do you know I was going to say it’s there?”
Chu Yuqin ignored Lu Chen’s words, her face flushing as she said, “Anyway, I’ve already helped you regulate your condition. Come back to me when there are issues with your cultivation.”
“I’ll be leaving today.”
As she spoke, Chu Yuqin tried to free herself from Lu Chen’s embrace and leave.
However, she had no skill in her body at the moment, and combined with how Lu Chen had left her feeling weak all over, it wasn’t easy for her to break away from his arms.
Chu Yuqin twisted her waist, but she was still held tightly in Lu Chen’s arms. She was forced to look up into Lu Chen’s eyes and then said, “Chen’er, you’re fine now, please let your aunt go. If Qing Li comes on patrol, there’s a chance she’ll discover us.”
With a nonchalant expression, Lu Chen said, “So what if she discovers us? We haven’t done anything indecent. You were just helping me with my body, what can she say?”
Hearing Lu Chen’s words, Chu Yuqin pouted.
Why did it feel like they were doing something indecent right now?
She, a widow, in Lu Chen’s study, hugging and embracing him—wasn’t this something that couldn’t be seen?
Lu Chen said, “Madam Chu, I think you care too much about what others think. Are their opinions really that important? To me, it doesn’t matter if we’re hugging and embracing, or even if we’ve consummated our relationship; no one has a right to say anything. After all, your husband has already passed away.”
Lu Chen decided to continue instilling some foundational thoughts into Chu Yuqin, wanting her to accept him sooner. It was time to say things he hadn’t been able to say before.
Otherwise, if he continued dragging this out, who knows when he’d finally win Chu Yuqin over.
Chu Yuqin was stunned upon hearing these words.
She hadn’t expected Lu Chen to be so bold today, to actually voice such thoughts. It would have been one thing if he had just played some minor tricks or taken advantage at most, but if these words were overheard, they could directly affect him.
Chu Yuqin hurriedly said sternly, “Chen’er, I forbid you to talk like this. I’m your aunt. How can you have such thoughts?”
Lu Chen, looking unconcerned, said, “It doesn’t matter; we’re not related by blood. You and my mother have no familial ties.”
Chu Yuqin continued, “Even if we’re not related by blood, you can’t have those thoughts. I’m a widow. How can you harbor thoughts about a widow? You’re going to be the Emperor, you can’t have any blemishes on your reputation.”
“Chen’er, you can’t ruin your own reputation because of your aunt.”
Listening to Chu Yuqin, Lu Chen gazed at her beautiful face and asked with a smile, “Madam Chu, I’ve noticed that each time you avoid me, you’re always looking out for me, seeming very afraid that I’ll tarnish my reputation because of you.”
“What if I didn’t care about my reputation, could I then do those things to you?”
Lu Chen’s words made Chu Yuqin’s heart skip a beat; she suddenly became flustered. Indeed, she had never considered rejecting Lu Chen from her own perspective.
Each time, she would tell Lu Chen about the consequences his actions might have for him, without considering the consequences for herself.
From Lu Chen’s perspective, he was someone who paid no mind to his reputation. If Lu Chen himself didn’t care about it, then neither of them cared about the reputation.
If both of them cared for no reputation, then what couldn’t be done?
Just as Chu Yuqin was about to speak, Lu Chen continued, “Madam Chu, I’ve never believed that marrying a widow is a blemish. Moreover, historically, emperors were rarely paragons of private virtue. Some emperors even coveted their brothers’ or sons’ wives, and that was when their husbands were still alive.”
“Madam Chu, your husband has been dead for so long, isn’t it completely normal to find another man? There are many cases of widows remarrying in the common folk, and the people don’t make much fuss about it. Are you planning to remain a widow your whole life for a husband you never met?”
“Besides, even if the people did say something, at most, they would think I lack private virtue, but that doesn’t really concern them.”
“The people of Great Xia already know that I’m a lecherous person. If I took your body, in the eyes of the common folk, it would be considered nothing extraordinary.”
“Since the common people can accept it, Madam Chu, what do you have to worry about?”
With that said, Lu Chen raised his hand and gently swept the hair away from Chu Yuqin’s cheek.
Hearing Lu Chen’s words left Chu Yuqin utterly flustered. She found that he actually made a lot of sense. Initially, Lu Chen’s reputation was not very good to begin with, and the battle at Wanning Valley only just barely improved his reputation a bit.
But many people still saw Lu Chen as a lecher, though to them, that wasn’t such a big deal—lechery wasn’t considered a stain.
Which man wasn’t lecherous?