Chapter 54: Talking in Sleep
Zhang Guangzong's illness seemed to be more serious than everyone imagined.
Even after taking medicine, he still had a fever for a day and a night.
Zhang Guangzong was so sick that he was confused and felt uncomfortable all over, as if his whole body was on fire.
He couldn't remember the last time he had such a severe fever. At this moment, he just felt tortured by the illness and his desire to survive didn't seem to be that strong anymore.
Mrs. Cai kept urging him to get some sleep, but once he closed his eyes, he felt heat coming out of his body and even breathing became difficult. It seemed that no part of his body was comfortable.
He couldn't sleep the whole night.
He had never felt that time was so long, and he quietly felt that his body seemed to be declining.
When a glimmer of light appeared in the sky, Zhang Guangzong finally fell into a deep sleep.
"The fever is gone! The fever is gone!"
Xiao Cai's scream easily woke Zhang Guangzong up. He had no idea what he had dreamed about. He just felt extremely tired, as if he had not slept for several days and was desperately in need of sleep.
But after he was awakened, no matter how sleepy he was, he couldn't fall asleep.
Just because the fever goes away doesn't mean the disease is cured.
Feeling sleepy but unable to fall asleep, feeling heavy all over but unable to feel relieved, these two kinds of pain intertwined together made Zhang Guangzong feel that life would be worse than death again.
According to the current situation, he might not be able to take part in the secondary test in a few days.
Whether it was the physical discomfort or the pain of missing out on fame and fortune, they were all tormenting Zhang Guangzong. Naturally, he would not blame himself, but instead directed all his resentment on who he thought was the source.
Little Cai.
He felt that everything was his wife's fault, from the bowl of soup she failed to prepare for him to the rain she caught without an umbrella.
With such a mood, even though he was so sick that he had difficulty sitting up, he still did not forget to torment Xiao Cai.
"The medicine is too hot, please blow on it." Zhang Guangzong said weakly.
Firstly, Xiao Cai knew that she was in the wrong, and secondly, she had been submissive for many years and had long been accustomed to Zhang Guangzong's bad temper. She did not dare to resist at first.
He said the medicine was hot, so Mrs. Cai tried her best to blow it cool down.
He said the medicine was cold, so Mrs. Cai started heating it up again.
Zhang Guangzong would pour the food he couldn't finish on the ground and force Xiao Cai to eat it all up on the ground like a dog, but Xiao Cai endured it.
Zhang Guangzong didn't have the strength to hit her, so he pinched her, leaving Xiao Cai's thigh bruised and purple.
But the more tolerant she was, the more aggressive Zhang Guangzong became. His mentality had become distorted, and he became more and more violent.
Even the toughest softie could not bear it, not to mention that little Cai was a softie with no morals.
The man at home goes crazy every day, while the man outside is gentle, considerate and generous.
Little Cai was originally good-looking and was praised by everyone in Qingshui Village.
Because of Liu Xiaoru's words "seducing men", Xiao Cai was isolated by almost all the women in the house.
They were all afraid that Xiao Cai would fail to seduce Gu Mingda and would turn around and seduce their own men.
The capital city is vast and densely populated. A beautiful woman from another place with no followers would be enough to attract the attention of the local tyrants even if she just goes out to buy groceries every day.
On the second day after Zhang Guangzong's fever subsided, Xiao Cai was harassed by a group of hooligans who were attracted by her beauty on the way to buy groceries.
Just like what is written in the storybook, during the struggle, a hero descended from the sky to save the beauty.
Although this hero was a bit ruffian and looked ordinary, the stimulation at that moment made little Cai's heart beat faster.
Yingxiong claimed that he was a native of the city and had a big house in the provincial capital. His family also ran a small business that brought in a hundred taels of silver a month.
Zhang Yunniang didn't know that her brother's illness was so severe that his wife was about to run away with someone else.
She was busy checking Gu Mingda's examination basket.
Ever since she learned about the little incidents that happened in the first exam, Zhang Yunniang couldn't help but feel nervous. She had finally finished the first exam safely, and she was afraid that her husband would miss the opportunity because of any mistake.
The results of the first exam came out, and Gu Mingda's name was ranked first.
Although Zhang Guangzong ranked low, he still passed the exam. However, due to his current condition, he was unable to take the exam.
In addition to him, more than half of the students from the same school who went to the examination hall with Gu Mingda that morning also passed the exam.
Those who have passed the exam felt that Gu Mingda’s encouragement before entering the examination room played a big role. They came to thank Gu Mingda and hoped to take the second exam with him again.
Among the four people who had guarantied with Gu Mingda, only Zheng Qi passed the exam. He was almost framed for cheating due to a momentary negligence. Now he is only one step away from obtaining the title of scholar, so he is naturally grateful to Gu Mingda.
Without realizing it, Gu Mingda had gathered a group of people around him.
If it were someone else, they would have become flattered by the flattery and gratitude, but Gu Mingda remained calm.
He is already thirty-four years old and is no longer a young man. The most important thing to him now is his wife and children. He must pass the imperial examination and gain a good academic reputation.
Gu Mingda still got up early, ate his breakfast slowly, and then drank the champion soup that his wife had prepared early.
This time, Niu Niu on the bed did not wake up suddenly, but instead lay down on the bed and slept soundly.
Gu Mingda remembered very clearly that Niu Niu's sleeping posture seemed a little restrained before. Even in her sleep, she was very well-behaved and definitely did not take up too much space.
Ever since he talked to the child, Gu Mingda clearly felt that the little girl's uneasiness seemed to have disappeared.
Similarly, her sleeping position became strange. She would talk in her sleep, move around in her dreams, and her sleeping position was not very honest. She also dared to make requests actively, and every night she would clamor to sleep in Zhang Yunniang's arms.
Although Gu Mingda and Zhang Yunniang might be kicked awake by Niu Niu in the middle of the night, neither of them blamed Niu Niu. They would always tuck her in and continue to sleep soundly.
"She was sleeping very soundly." Gu Mingda said suddenly.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Yunniang immediately looked at her daughter on the bed.
Gu Mingda took advantage of this opportunity, lowered his head and gently kissed Zhang Yuniang on the cheek.
Zhang Yuniang turned her head and gave him a coquettish look.
"Wait until I come back."
After Gu Mingda finished speaking, he turned around, picked up his exam basket, strode out of the door, and walked towards the familiar examination room together with the many scholars waiting there, holding lanterns.
Zhang Yunniang watched her husband disappear in the yard. She turned around and hastily tidied up the dishes on the table. Suddenly, she felt sleepy. Seeing that it was still dark outside, she took off her coat, climbed onto the bed, and took Niu Niu into her arms.
Niu Niu felt like she was falling into a warm embrace in her sleep. Without even opening her eyes, she continued to talk in her sleep with her lips smacking.
“Delicious… so fragrant…”
Zhang Yuniang gently pinched the little girl's cheeks and said, "Little greedy cat, you dream about eating."
Niuniu suddenly twisted her body, as if she was losing her temper with someone in her dream, and shouted, "My dad is number one! If he says he is number one, then he is number one!"
After these words were spoken, Zhang Yunniang was so shocked that she lost most of her sleepiness.
Second update~
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
