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Edited on May 16, 2021.

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"Are you General Xiao?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"You didn't ask."

"I did ask for your name! Why did you lie to me, saying that your name was Jue Qing?"

"I didn't lie to you, my name is also Jue Qing."

"....." Chu Zhu Yu was speechless.

Alright, his name is Xiao Zhi Zhi AND Jue Qing, but doesn't the fact that he never said his other name before mean that he was hiding his identity from the very beginning?!

"Zhu Yu, does it really make a difference if I am the general or not?" Xiao Zhi Zhi looked at Chu Zhu Yu seriously.

He ordered all the servants to retire from his quarters. Anyone would find it difficult get inside or out because it was the general's bedroom, and now the only people left inside are Xiao Zhi Zhi and Chu Zhu Yu.

Chu Zhu Yu inhaled deeply, "You always wore black clothes, so I misunderstood, thinking that you were an imperial guard. But in reality, you intentionally did not tell me about your status. You just wanted to fool me, didn't you?"

The ridiculous part was that when she was in the kitchen, she was even worried about him so much.

"Are you angry?" her expression made him feel uneasy.

"I am only a lowly maid, I don't have the right to be angry with the big general."

She lowered her head, her action and expression exactly similar to an ordinary maid who is talking to her master.

"No!" he grabbed her hands, "I know you are angry. I wear black clothes because of my childhood habit. Shi Fu taught me how to abstain. That's why I am always wearing black... I admit, I did plan to mislead you, but it was because I was afraid that if you know my status, you will act the same as other people, in fear of me."

He spoke with a hurried tone near her ear. Her wrist felt a bit of pain because he was holding it, but that pain was more pronounced because of his trembling fingers, it made her understand that he was actually so nervous.

Nervous?

He's the great general. How could he be nervous? If I say that to other people, I'm afraid no one will believe me.

"Zhu Yu, don't fear me. Just act the same as before, alright?" he murmured.

She raised her head, and was met with a pair of glistening eyes. His eyes were always clear and direct. Even though he was a person who acted warm or cold depending on his mood, she can't deny that he treated her well whenever they were together.

"I..." she hesitated.

"Don't be afraid of me... Many people fear me, but I want you to be an exception. I like the way we interact."

"......Fine!" Chu Zhu Yu shook her head.

After all, he was only hiding his status, he was still the same person otherwise.

Actually, she should have known earlier. Because no imperial guard could ever casually wear such a pure jade hairpin, and no imperial guard could ever own the expensive Jun Shan Yin Zhen tea, much less drink it everyday.

Moreover, people always talk about the good-looking general. Other than Jue Qing, who would dare say that there is someone more handsome than him?

If she really examined these topics, his true status should have been revealed much earlier.

In her heart, she actually somewhat knew that Xiao Zhi Zhi was special after being with him everyday, but she refused to see the obvious.

Because if she admit that Jue Qing really was the general, she was afraid that their relationship would change.

But if she knew about his status from the very beginning, would she still treat him casually? She was not sure.

Didn't she also hide something from him too? From the moment she entered his residence, she had an ulterior motive.

"Don't hide something this important from me again in the future."

She looked directly into his eyes. She cast aside their difference in status, and spoke to him like usual.

"Alright." he smiled, pulling her to his chest, "Zhu Yu, I want to sleep."

"Go to sleep on your own!"

"But I want to hug you while I sleep."

"You can't." She refused.

"Why?"

"The last time you hugged me, no one knew. But if you act the same way now, all the people in the general's residence will know!"

Then the rumor will spread to the center of Luo Yang City. In the end, I will be labelled as a woman who seduced the general and become his mistress. I will be mocked by all the people everywhere! (ಥ_ಥ)

(E/R: Zhu Yu loves to overthink. 😂)

"So what?"

He raised his eyebrow, he couldn't restrain himself anymore, he hugged her and carried her to his bed.

Wei, wei, my gosh!

Should you really move that fast?

Once her body got in contact with the mattress, she immediately crawled to the edge of the bed. But as soon as she reached the edge, he easily grabbed her ankle.

"Zhu Yu." He frowned, "You allowed me to hug you last time."

"The situation was different."

"What's different?"

"Whatever, it's just..." her tender body was molded to fit his arms, only her blushing face can be seen.

"Others will talk about me!"

He stopped. Half of his body fit snuggly with hers, his fingers gently stroked her hair, his eyebrow pressed deeper, as if he was considering something.

She pushed him away from her body and nagged, "Actually, many maids would die for a chance to be hugged by you, if you really need someone..."

Suddenly, Xiao Zhi Zhi smiled, "How about I marry you? If we do that, then no one will talk about you."

"You will marry me?" Chu Zhu Yu was shocked.

"Yes. I want to marry you, Zhu Yu. I love you." He looked at her lips, as if he wants to suck all of its sweetness.

Suddenly his mind was enlightened.

That's right, he loves her. He wants to marry her. Before he noticed it, he started to think about her everyday.

He wanted to hear her speak, to touch her, to let his scent mix with her own scent when they hug and cuddle.

Zhu Yu, Zhu Yu... She is more than jade, she is more than all the pearls in the world.

He can never let her go.

She is his most precious person.

---

He wants to marry her?

The well-known general, Xiao Zhi Zhi, the big general of the country, wants to marry Chu Zhu Yu?!

If the public hears about this, it would become the biggest joke of the century!

But she knows that he is serious, because he never once laughed when he talked about marriage.

She entered the general's residence to have a baby. The baby will use her surname, Chu, so that her tea house won't be stolen by her big uncle.

If General Xiao Zhi Zhi truly wants to marry her, her big uncle would never dare to take the tea house.

But...

Chu Zhu Yu raised her head and looked at Xiao Zhi Zhi's clear, bright eyes. His eyes looked sincere, as if he is ready to take reaponsibility.

He loves her, but does she love him?

Ironically, she suddenly felt guilty. If he finds out that she was hiding her status all along, and that she was entering his residence to complete a "mission"... She didn't want to imagine his response.

Will he be angry and resent her? Or will he be cold-hearted and silent?

No matter what action he'll choose, she doesn't want to see it.

Without realizing it, Chu Zhu Yu started to bite her lips. She continued until Xiao Zhi Zhi's fingers pinched her jaw, forcing her to stop bitting.

"Why are you biting yourself?" Xiao Zhi Zhi put down the cup of tea with his other hand.

"No, no reason." She doesn't dare to look at his eyes, "Jue Qing, did anyone ever lie to you?" she asked, she still liked to call him by that name.

"There was." His hand grabbed the tea cup tightly, as if he wants to break it.

"When you found out about it, what did you do?"

"Hm. According to the military law, I will either cut that person's head, break all of their bones, disable them from using martial arts, or break one of their arms." Xiao Zhi Zhi answered after thinking for a while.

Chu Zhu Yu was shocked after she heard it. "But didn't you learn Buddhism? Such brutal ways are not something that they would recommend doing."

"Since those people dared to betray me, naturally they understood that their death would end that way. I learned Buddhist scriptures..." he chuckled, "Only to suppress my vicious character, My Shi Fu said I killed too many people. He said my evil aura would become too heavy if I didn't control or suppress it. Otherwise our country would have become a bloodbath."

He studied Buddhism... just for that? She stupidly looked at his beautiful face. Even though she understands that he is the general who will kill thousands in the battlefield, she can never imagine him having a vicious aura. His looks and demeanor makes him more like a scholar than a general.

She absent-mindedly looked at his beautiful face for too long, so Xiao Zhi Zhi turned to face her, "Why are you staring at me?"

She woke up from her daze, and randomly said, "Oh, I just wanted to keep looking at your handsome face."

His face showed happiness, "Zhu Yu, do you really think I am good-looking?"

Chu Zhu Yu felt that she was sucked by his sparkling eyes that was full of anticipation, "Very... good-looking."

Suddenly, her throat was dry. She hurriedly grabbed a cup of tea, "If you didn't have dark circles under your eyes, you would become more handsome."

"Dark circles..."

Xiao Zhi Zhi lifted his finger and slightly stroked his eyes, his dark circles appeared because he couldn't sleep properly. He never cared about it before, but after she mentioned it, he frowned,

"Does Zhu Yu dislike it?"

"Your tired look makes you look like a terminally-ill patient. Even if you are a powerful general, letting your subordinates think that you are sick might not be a good sign." As she talked, she looked at the tea cup in her hand,

"I know! Maybe you can do this!"

"Oh?"

"Let's use the tea water and tea leaves." Chu Zhu Yu took out all the tea leaves that remained inside the tea pot, put all the tea leaves on the table, drained the excess water, and pulled out the clean cotton.

"What will you do with these?" Xiao Zhi Zhi was puzzled.

"We'll use this to improve the skin condition around your eyes." She replied while taking a sheet of cotton, rolling it into a small ball, and staining the cotton with tea. She then said, "Bend your waist."

He did as she said, he lowered his body until he face was at the same height as her face, "Is this enough?"

"It's enough..." she ordered him a second time, "Close your eyes."

"Alright."

He closed his eyes. Chu Zhu Yu saw his long, black eyelashes and felt envious of it. There were a lot of girls who dream of having those kind of lashes. She suddenly wants to touch it just to know if it's real or fake.

His soft eyelashes seems to have the same color as his smooth black hair, her finger touched his eyelashes and played with it as if it was a new toy.

All of a sudden, Xiao Zhi Zhi opened his eyes, leaving Chu Zhu Yu's hands hanging in the air.

"Hm, hm, I touched your eyes and realized, your eyelashes... are a bit firm." she blushed.

"Oh? And the result?" he asked normally.

"It's a good thing, it means they won't fall off so easily." She replied awkwardly.

"You, quickly close your eyes, I want to use the tea to cleanse your eyes."

Xiao Zhi Zhi once again closed his eyes, and this time, Chu Zhu Yu diligently filled the cotton with tea and covered his eyes with it.

"How does it feel?" she asked.

"It's a bit cold." He answered.

"This method came from an old man who loves to plant tea leaves. He said that all tea leaves are a treasure. It can be used to make tea and the excess can be used to improve skin complexion. Later on, I will make two bags of tea for your eyes."

She keeps replacing the cotton after a few moments, "Are your eyes comfortable now?"

"Hm."

After that, Chu Zhu Yu asked the head housekeeper, Xiao Ren, to take a gauze and needle and make two tea bags for Xiao Zhi Zhi's eyes.

Xiao Ren almost couldn't stop his jaw from dropping. The big general was so obedient! He listens to her every instruction!

"Chu... Lady Chu, there's nothing wrong with the general, right?"

Xiao Ren recently feels that he is easily astonished. Since he found out that his big general "depends on" this maid, Chu Zhu Yu, he felt his lifespan decreasing everyday due to shock.

Above all, every night when the general wants to sleep, he must hug Lady Chu.

At other times, if the general wants to eat, he must be fed by Lady Chu. And just a while ago, he even "carelessly" heard that the general wants to marry Chu Zhu Yu as his First. Official. Wife!

"There's no problem, he only closed his eyes." Chu Zhu Yu patted her hands.

"So the general must apply these to his eyes everyday?" he asked, his mouth twitching.

"Most likely, yes." Until his dark circles vanish.

Suddenly, Xiao Ren started shaking.

If other people were to see this scene, I'm afraid the general's dignity would reach rock-bottom.