Crowned by the Treacherous Big Shot-Chapter 378 - 353 Flirting with the Wife

The second snowfall in the Capital City had lasted for several days, blanketing the entire Governor Mansion in thick snow.

Bao Shu was rolling in the snow with the little wolf cub.

Bai Yuwei, who had never seen snow before, was having a snowball fight with Tan’er and Ban Xia.

In the pavilion, Meng Qianqian sat brewing tea, occasionally glancing at them.

At this time last year, she had been at the Lu Family residence.

She couldn’t recall the exact day Lu Lingxiao had returned from the border.

She only remembered that it had been after a heavy snowfall like this one.

She stepped on the thick snow, braving the biting wind, standing at the door to meet her nominal husband, only to encounter another woman.

Back then, her memories hadn’t yet returned, and she didn’t realize her deep vengeance was still unresolved. Thus, she resolved to live her life well as Meng Qianqian.

Sometimes, she would wonder, what if Lu Lingxiao hadn’t brought Lin Wan’er back?

Would she and Lu Lingxiao have become a genuine couple?

"Lost in thought again."

A cold voice sounded above her. Meng Qianqian snapped back to reality, looking at the man who had walked alongside her, fighting battles together. At that moment, she had her answer.

Whether Lin Wan’er existed or not, and whether Lu Lingxiao had betrayed her or not, she would never have become a true couple with him.

Whoosh!

A snowball flew toward the pavilion.

Lu Yuan reached out to catch it.

Meng Qianqian reacted swiftly, bracing a hand against the table, performing a graceful spin like a flying swallow. Not only did she kick the snowball away, but she also pulled Lu Yuan behind her.

Lu Yuan’s face darkened.

"Xiao Bai, you’ve caused trouble now!"

"I... I didn’t mean to... Why did you dodge? Sister-in-law, are you alright?"

"We’re fine, keep playing."

Meng Qianqian responded to Bai Yuwei and then turned to Lu Yuan, saying, "Little sister didn’t do it on purpose, don’t be angry."

Lu Yuan coldly replied, "Was that why I was angry? How many times must I tell you? Don’t always shield me!"

Meng Qianqian: "You’re welcome."

Lu Yuan: "Meng Xiaojiu!"

"I was worried you’d end up covered in snow." Meng Qianqian glanced at the shattered snowball on the ground and then turned to inspect Lu Yuan’s body. "Did it get on you?"

She carefully searched for snowflakes, her slender fingers brushing over his chest inadvertently.

Lu Yuan cleared his throat, his expression unreadable as he replied, "My neck—it feels a little cold."

"Let me take a look!"

Meng Qianqian stood on tiptoe, hooking her fingers around the collar of his inner robe, leaning closer to examine inside.

Her hair lightly grazed his cheek, her breath settling shallowly in the hollow of his neck.

His Adam’s apple moved slightly.

Meng Qianqian wiped his neck with a handkerchief. "Is it here?"

Lu Yuan maintained his composure. "Seems like—lower, just a bit."

Meng Qianqian pulled his collar further apart, her face leaning even closer, her nose taking in the warmth and scent of his skin.

"Is it here?"

"Lower."

"Where exactly? Any lower and I’d have to undo your robe..."

Halfway through her sentence, Meng Qianqian froze, dropped back onto her heels, and stared at him with a stern expression, "Grand Commander!"

Lu Yuan raised a brow. "You insisted on asking."

Meng Qianqian shoved the handkerchief against his chest.

Lu Yuan caught the handkerchief effortlessly, glaring at her. "Meng Xiaojiu, you’re getting bolder—daring to give me attitude now?"

"Master, the carriage is ready!"

Wu Ge’er quickly approached the pavilion, catching sight of Meng Qianqian, and exclaimed in surprise, "Miss, are you also going to pick up the young master?"

Meng Qianqian hesitated. "Pick up my cousin?"

Wu Ge’er explained, "Yes, the Imperial College starts its midterm break tomorrow."

Meng Qianqian felt a moment of awkwardness. She had completely forgotten about this important matter.

Wu Ge’er noticed what happened and couldn’t help but chuckle. "Miss, everything on your side is remembered by the master. Anyone who doesn’t know would think the young master is his cousin instead of yours."

Meng Qianqian smiled faintly.

-

Imperial College.

Today’s final session was an examination.

Yu Li finished his paper early and submitted it. Seeing that there was still time, he decided to visit a nearby bookstore to pick up some storybooks for his grandmother.

After browsing for half an hour, he only settled on one book.

After paying, he stepped outside, finding the snow still falling relentlessly.

He hurried back toward the Imperial College. Passing a narrow alley, he collided with a cart that suddenly emerged.

Yu Li fell to the ground, at the same time hearing the agonized cry of an elderly man: "Ah—"

Yu Li’s face changed. Ignoring his own pain, he quickly got up and helped the fallen elder.

"I’m sorry, sir! Are you hurt? Do you need to go to the clinic?"

The elderly man, around sixty, held his aching back and painfully waved his hand. "It’s nothing, blame me for not watching where I was going. Young man, did I dirty your clothes?"

"I’m fine." Yu Li noticed the elder’s shabby attire, patched clothing, and broken shoes, realizing he was a poor commoner.

His gaze landed on the four straw-covered baskets on the elder’s cart.

"Sir, what kind of business are you doing?"

Yu Li asked.

The elder replied, "I sell charcoal."

Yu Li lifted the straw coverings to find the baskets full of charcoal.

The elder sighed, clutching his aching waist. "Looks like I won’t be able to sell any today."

Guilt rose in Yu Li’s chest. "Sir, I’ll buy all your charcoal."

"Ah..."

The elder stared at Yu Li in disbelief.

Yu Li opened his coin pouch and took out two silver ingots, handing them to him. "Is this enough? If not, wait here for a moment. My family will be here to pick me up soon—I can ask them to pay the balance."

"I can’t, I can’t!"

The elder tried to push the silver back to Yu Li. "Young man, you look like a noble family’s child, unaccustomed to using black charcoal. Today, I was blind and bumped into you. For you to not hold it against me is already a great kindness. How could I dare accept your money?"

Yu Li spoke earnestly, "Sir, please accept it."

"Well..."

The elder could not refuse him further and reluctantly accepted the money. "Young man, where do you live? I’ll deliver the charcoal to you tomorrow. But I won’t be able to bring it today—I can’t move anymore. If you don’t mind, I’ll ask my wife to deliver it to your mansion tomorrow."

Yu Li frowned. "Your wife?"

The elder bitterly smiled. "Sigh, my son froze to death last year. It’s just me and my wife left at home."

Yu Li’s kind-hearted nature made him feel a surge of compassion upon hearing the elder’s plight.

"Sir, where do you live? Let me take you home."

"How can I ask this of you?"

"You can—I insist! Please, sit up here!"

"No, I can’t..."

Yu Li helped the elder up onto the charcoal cart.

Meanwhile, Meng Qianqian and Lu Yuan arrived at the Imperial College.

"I’ll go get the young master."

After parking the carriage, Wu Ge’er took the Governor Mansion’s token and went into the Imperial College to find him.

Soon, Wu Ge’er returned alone to the carriage. "I ran into Lin Gongzi just now. Lin Gongzi said the young master left half an hour ago."

"Wasn’t the session just ending?"

"The last session was an exam, so the young master submitted his paper early."

Lu Yuan said, "Go check the bookstore across the street."

"Hm?"

Meng Qianqian looked at him in confusion.

Lu Yuan replied, "Yu Li often goes there to buy storybooks for his great-grandmother."

Meng Qianqian asked curiously, "How do you know everything?"

Lu Yuan responded lazily, "The Grand Commander is smart."

Wu Ge’er chimed in with a smile, "Master is very attentive when it comes to Great-Grandmother and the young master."

Lu Yuan lightly drummed his fingers on his thigh.

He made a mental note to have Steward Cen increase Wu Ge’er’s monthly pay.

Upon checking the bookstore, Wu Ge’er confirmed that Yu Li had indeed been there earlier, purchasing two books before leaving.

As for where he had gone next, the shopkeeper had no idea.

He was running a business and couldn’t possibly keep track of every guest’s movements.

"Cousin doesn’t seem like someone who would wander about aimlessly."

After saying this, Meng Qianqian suddenly recalled something and felt uncertain. She turned to Lu Yuan and asked, "Would he wander around aimlessly?"

Lu Yuan knew her cousin better than she herself did!

Lu Yuan stared into the distance and said, "No. Wait in the carriage for me."

Meng Qianqian hesitated for a moment before standing up, "I’m coming with you."

The two of them headed to the bookstore.

Lu Yuan inquired about the titles of the books Yu Li purchased.

With the Imperial College on break today, the bookstore saw a surge in customers. Snow-covered footsteps trailed in all directions, leading to countless destinations.

Lu Yuan scanned the area for just a moment before heading toward an eastern alleyway.

At the alley’s entrance lay wheel tracks mixed with snow-smeared charcoal.

In the snow, Lu Yuan uncovered a copy of , one of the books Yu Li had purchased.

Closing his eyes, his mind conjured the image of Yu Li rushing toward the Imperial College’s gate, only to be struck by a cart selling charcoal.

"The cart pusher is an elderly man, in tattered clothes, hair streaked with white, struggling with poor business and injured, moving with difficulty. Ideally, he has no children and lives with his wife in mutual dependence."

Both Meng Qianqian and Wu Ge’er stared at him in disbelief.

Lu Yuan opened his eyes. "Only this way could someone provoke Yu Li’s guilt and compassion, not only selling charcoal to him but also persuading him to take the elder back home."

Wu Ge’er was stunned. "My goodness..."

Meng Qianqian suppressed her shock and solemnly said, "So, someone deliberately orchestrated the abduction of my cousin..."

Lu Yuan glanced at the disrupted wheel tracks among the myriad footprints and murmured, "Let’s hope we’re not too late."

-

"Young master, you have such a kind heart."

On the cart, the elderly man beamed warmly.

"I... I only did... what should be done... Elder... where is your home..."

Yu Li, despite his strong physique from the riding and archery lessons at the Imperial College, was ultimately a scholar. Pushing a cart loaded with charcoal and an elderly man for such a long distance was truly exhausting.

"Almost there—it’s not far ahead!"

"Alright!"

Yu Li gritted his teeth and persevered.

...

"Elder, this alley is awfully dark. It doesn’t seem like anyone lives here. Is this really where your home is?"

Yu Li had lived in the so-called "Ghost Alley" before, but this one, stretching endlessly into obscurity, felt far more unsettling.

Moreover, Ghost Alley merely appeared eerie—it wasn’t frightening at all. The neighborhood was actually friendly—Granny Feng, Uncle Lei, Ji Li... all were acquaintances of his cousin.

The elderly man sighed, "This used to be the old street. Everyone has moved away. My wife and I have nowhere else to go—what home could we move to?"

Yu Li immediately felt guilty. "I’m sorry, elder. I didn’t mean to bring up sad topics."

"You’re truly a good person."

The elderly man smiled faintly as he turned his back to Yu Li. "But you know, sometimes... good people don’t live long lives."