Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Hunting Time

Li Zhan wanted to explain that he had no choice, but looking at the frost in Nan Xu's eyes, he couldn't say anything.

The grievances and hatreds between him and her are too numerous to count.

It was not until this moment that he seemed to see clearly that there was no possibility for him and Nan Xu anymore.

Before leaving, King Yi's words kept circling in his ears. Li Zhan closed his eyes in pain, reached into his arms, took out a handkerchief, and inside was a bunch of green plums that had lost their luster.

The plum petals are bent and yellow, and the juice seeps into the brocade handkerchief. The faint green plum fragrance with a different taste floats in the room. I don’t know how long it took to become this shape after being held in my arms.

Nan Xu glanced at him indifferently and looked away.

"Get out of the way."

Li Zhan held the green plum without moving.

Nan Xu called out Ruyi, and Li Zhan suddenly took two steps forward. Nan Xu watched him retreat warily.

Until she retreated to the armchair by the wall, staring at him as he slowly placed the bunch of green plums on the table.

"This is the last time I'll give you green plums."

He leaned towards her, stopped in her panicked and disgusted eyes, laughed miserably, and stretched out his hand in the air, blocking her eyes.

"sorry."

"sorry."

He regretted it.

He shouldn't have kidnapped her for his own selfish desires, and he regretted not being more resolute. He regretted even more that he had been bewitched by Jingyi and almost forced himself on her.

But there is no medicine for regret in this world. No matter how much regret he has, it can only turn into a sigh in his heart.

It was fate, it was time. He no longer knew who to blame, or how to make amends or rectify the situation...

He took a few steps back, straightened his clothes, and bowed to Nan Xu as he did when they first met many years ago.

The candle flames popped with a hissing sound, and time passed. On that sultry afternoon, the little girl who had stood on the rockery and returned the greeting to the young man with a smile now didn't even look at him.

Li Zhan suppressed the sadness in his heart, turned around and walked towards the door, his figure looking extremely embarrassed.

After watching him go away, Ruyi turned around and saw Nan Xu staring at the green plum on the table, wondering what he was thinking.

After a long while, Nan Xu softly said, "Throw it away."

Ruyi did as she was told. After a few steps, Nanxu called her back, "Forget it. Wrap it up and bury it somewhere to plant flowers. Next year... the plum blossoms will bloom, and the tree will be filled with fragrance again."

*

That night, Nan Xu tossed and turned and couldn't sleep. Unable to bear it any longer, she asked someone to bring her a second bowl of calming soup.

After drinking the warm soup, she thought for a while, put on her clothes, sat up, picked up a pen and paper, wrote a few words tentatively, and put them on the table. Then she went back to bed. She didn't know if the soup had taken effect, but she fell into a deep sleep.

In her hazy consciousness, she seemed to see a figure. When she opened her eyes again, the sunlight shone through the bed curtains, and a faint fragrance surrounded her nose.

Nan Xu suddenly pulled open the bed curtains. On the table, on top of the paper she had written last night, was a huge vase with several large branches of fresh green plums in it.

She squinted her eyes and looked around. The doors and windows were in good condition and there was nothing unusual. She turned around and touched the inside of the bed, and sure enough, her hands were warm.

Nan Xu gritted her teeth and punched the quilt hard.

It was this blow that affected her lower body. Nan Xu realized it later and lifted the quilt to take a closer look. A blush quickly climbed up to the tips of her ears, spread to her cheeks, and finally her whole body became hot.

She understood about 80% of what was going on. With trembling legs, she got out of bed, put on her shoes, and walked to the table. Under the piece of paper that said "Jingyi is different", there were two lines of words written in strong and powerful strokes.

"All medicines are poisonous. Drinking too much is not good. You will feel tired and sleepy."

'Green plums are offered to relieve my sorrow'

Nanxu came closer. In the bottom corner, there was a sentence: "Eating the marrow, I know the taste. Only you and I are a perfect match."

......

Nan Xu clapped his hands and sneered, but the blush on his cheeks was frighteningly hot.

She pulled out the paper, crumpled it, and squeezed it harder and harder. The paper in front of her was not paper, but a person's face. She wanted to rush to Zhao's house right now, throw the paper in his face, and spit at him, "Shameless guy who climbed through the window."

"Madam, are you awake? The servants are coming in."

Ruyi's voice was heard outside. Nan Xu stretched out the crumpled paper, folded it and put it in the drawer. She slowly calmed down, exhaled and patted her face with her hands. When her cheeks looked less red, she called them in.

As soon as Nan Xu finished packing, Yin Ruizhu came to her with a basket of freshly baked cakes.

It is said that it is a must-eat cake on the Lantern Festival in Shuzhou City, symbolizing reunion.

Nan Xu was shocked to realize that today was the Lantern Festival, and after today, the New Year would be almost over.

"Isn't that strange? I was the last one there, and the people in line ahead of me had already dispersed, but the owner called me over and said someone had paid in advance and saved a basket for me." She ate two in one gulp and reached for the third. "Tell me, could it be that some handsome man in Shuzhou City has taken a fancy to me?"

Nan Xu had a rough idea in her mind, but she didn't intend to say it out loud. She ate her cake in small bites, looked her over and said, "It's not impossible. Why don't you change back into women's clothes and see if anyone comes up to talk to you."

Yin Ruizhu took a sip of water and shook her head like a rattle. "No, no, no, don't mention it. After what happened before, I now find that getting married is meaningless. It's better to be a woman who comes and goes freely in this world and acts freely."

After she finished speaking, she was about to pick up the fourth cake when she suddenly stopped and turned back to look at Nan Xu nervously, "Is what I said a little shocking?"

Although she and Nan Xu have known each other for many years, Nan Xu is still a little different from her. She was afraid that Nan Xu would think her ideas were absurd and look at her strangely.

Now, Nan Xu is her only good friend.

"A Xu..."

"It's a bit shocking, but," Nan Xu said, seeing her wanting to cry but unable to, poked her forehead with a finger in amusement, "After going through so much, I've also learned some truths. Why should we confine ourselves to certain things in life? Everyone has their own way of living. If you feel happy and comfortable living this way, then live that way."

"Live out of yourself and create a world that belongs to you."

Yin Ruizhu hadn't expected her to say such a thing. She was completely mesmerized. While chewing her fourth piece of cake, she asked her incoherently, "What about you? Ah Xu, how do you want to live?"

Nan Xu still couldn't explain this question until the two of them arrived at the pharmacy.

Yin Ruizhu felt like she was itching to say it, and she almost blurted out the three words "Duan Wenpei".

However, Nan Xu was either busy helping the shop assistant to make medicine, or busy counting the accounts, or sitting next to the doctor who was seeing patients and learning some simple medical knowledge.

The doubts in Yin Ruizhu's heart were gradually replaced by another doubt.

Taking a moment to spare, she ran over to Nan Xu, who was drinking water, and whispered to her, "Actually, I've always wanted to ask you why you suddenly came up with the idea of ​​opening a medicine shop and why you had to do it yourself. As for me, I'm used to the streets, so it doesn't matter. Besides, it's a livelihood. Why are you doing this?"

Nan Xu was about to answer when a mother and daughter came in to get medicine. When the child saw Nan Xu, she called her "Shopkeeper Nan" sweetly. Nan Xu smiled, touched her head, and took out some malt candy from her arms and gave it to her.

"You see, I'm not just the wife of Marquis Weiyang as everyone in Kyoto knows me, I'm also the Nanxu, the shopkeeper of Fuze Pavilion."

Nan Xu curled her lips, and Yin Ruizhu turned around to look at the cute little girl and smiled too.

When she asked Duan Wenpei to help her find the murderer who hurt Yu Ming, Nan Xu gradually realized what she should do.

But she didn't know exactly how to do it.

It was not until the night she arrived in Shu that she saw the victims suffering from injuries and illnesses. Later, Duan Wenpei took her to visit most of Shuzhou City. She asked Duan Wenpei casually, and her question was very vague. Duan Wenpei pointed to the crooked and incomplete words on the shop and replied, "A doctor has a kind heart."

It was these four words that gave her the idea of ​​opening a pharmacy.

It wasn't a big deal, but at least she wasn't stuck in the backyard anymore, relying on others for help.

Just when the pharmacy business was in full swing, news of Duan Wenpei and Qin Hui's engagement also came out.

At that time, Nan Xu and Yin Ruizhu were returning to the villa from the pharmacy and having dinner with everyone in the flower hall.

Everyone was at the table except Jingyi and Li Zhan, who had been going out early and coming back late recently. Even Xie Jin, who had disappeared for several days, was there.

The news was originally mentioned casually by a customer who was getting medicine, but judging by everyone's expressions, it must have spread a long time ago.

Nan Yicheng has been worried about Nan Yiling recently. When he heard about this, he hurried to observe Nan Xu's expression. Seeing that she looked calm, he felt even more uncomfortable.

My sister knows it herself, and although she doesn't show it on her face, she must be extremely sad in her heart, just like when Li Zhan suddenly married her, she locked herself in the room and grieved silently.

"Ah Xu," he put down his chopsticks and looked at her worriedly, as if he had made some kind of decision, "Big brother doesn't want to see you suffer. As long as you give the order, big brother will risk your second brother's life to go to the Zhao Mansion to avenge you."

He spoke with righteous indignation. Before Nan Xu could react, Xie Jin glared at him and said, "You can't say that. The divorce wasn't Huaizhou's idea. My sister-in-law is also responsible. Hey, hey, hey, why are you stepping on my foot, you tomboy?"

Xiao Jing raised the bowl with one hand, slurped a mouthful of porridge, and glanced at him with disdain. "You look down on me, but you look down on Qin Hui? Duan Huaizhou's taste is really bad. Did he learn it from you?"

Xie Jin looked her up and down, crying out in injustice, but his words were tinged with bitterness, "With someone like you, it's impossible for a man to be attracted to you. Ah, sister-in-law, please judge for yourself. How can a woman assault a man so casually..."

Xiao Jing chased him all over the yard, and from time to time, the words "sister-in-law" floated into the flower hall intermittently as if someone was strangling her throat.

Nan Xu chewed the dishes. They were obviously her favorites, but she couldn't taste anything.

Just at this moment, a miserable cry of "sister-in-law" pierced the night sky. Nan Xu's teeth suddenly hit her tongue, and the pain instantly forced her to tears.

The irritation that had been suppressed for a long time burst out in silence. She suddenly stood up from the desk and slammed her palm on the table in front of everyone's astonished eyes.

The chopsticks broke with a snap.

The word "shut up" was stuck between the slightly opened lips, like a firecracker that didn't go off. You could only see the sound but not hear it.

Nan Yicheng and Yin Ruizhu stood up at the same time and wanted to support her, but she dodged them and rushed out of the hall without looking back.

Yin Ruizhu hurriedly chased after him, all the way to the backyard, but saw arrows flying randomly, revealing the owner's confused mood at the moment.

Only when she was exhausted did Nan Xu go back to her room to rest accompanied by Yin Ruizhu.

As the night deepened, Yin Ruizhu wanted to accompany her, but she declined. Yin Ruizhu had no choice but to walk away, looking back every three steps.

After sending Yin Ruizhu away, Ruyi brought a calming soup. Nan Xu took a look at it and silently pushed it away.

Ask Ruyi to put the bow and quiver next to her bed.

-----------------------

The author has something to say: Nanxu: Die tonight