Chapter 72 The only one: She and Jiang Chen never had to fight for every moment...
Without hesitation or lingering, Jiang Chen asked directly and sincerely. The secret that had been swirling in Shen Yujiao's heart for so long, which she had never told anyone, was now asked by the boy she had been secretly in love with for so long.
The faint firelight reflected in her eyes as she and Jiang Chen gazed at each other, making her eyes appear bright and sparkling. But Shen Yujiao knew perfectly well how oblivious she was at that moment.
This scene had played out in her mind countless times, but she had always imagined how she would confess to Jiang Chen. Now that it was Jiang Chen who had revealed his feelings first, she was at a loss.
"Jiang Chen..."
Shen Yujiao subconsciously gripped Jiang Chen's hand tightly. She was happy, even a little overjoyed, but she wasn't blinded by joy. She subconsciously thought of Chu Rou in the modern world. She wasn't sure if they still had a chance to return to that world, but she felt that if she didn't ask clearly now, she might regret it later.
"Then... what about Chu Rou?"
Her serious expression when she asked the question left Jiang Chen somewhat bewildered. He looked up in the direction of Chu Liangdi's room, puzzled, and asked Shen Yujiao, "What... what happened to her?"
"Not Consort Chu, I'm asking about Chu Rou."
Jiang Chen came to her senses and realized who she was talking about, but the question in her heart remained undiminished.
"Chu Rou... what's wrong now?"
Jiang Chen's reaction far exceeded Shen Yujiao's expectations, making her somewhat uneasy. The rumors of a "golden couple" and a "match made in heaven" on campus echoed in her mind again, so she gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and asked—
What is your relationship with her?
Finally, after asking the question, Shen Yujiao felt a huge weight lifted off her shoulders, as if a boulder that had been pressing on her heart for years had vanished instantly. She could finally talk to Jiang Chen about this face to face.
"Me and Chu Rou?"
Jiang Chen was stunned for a moment. After a while, he seemed to have figured something out. He was first at a loss for words, then overjoyed. He took Shen Yujiao's hands and raised them high, asking her with a smile, "What do you think is my relationship with her? Shen Jiaojiao, the person I'm holding hands with is you."
"You didn't always think that I liked Chu Rou, did you?"
His attitude made Shen Yujiao feel like she had made a huge joke. She tried to pull her hand away from Jiang Chen's, but she couldn't pull it back even with a strong pull. She simply gave up and said, "That's what everyone at school says. You haven't told me what the situation is."
“Because I don’t think I need to tell you,” Jiang Chen’s gaze followed Shen Yujiao’s eyes. “She’s just my deskmate, and we don’t have any other relationship. Well… sometimes we participate in competitions together, and we’re either teammates or opponents on the field.”
"oh."
Faced with Jiang Chen's honesty, Shen Yujiao remained calm on the surface, but her heart was filled with sweet joy. Seeing her feigning indifference, Jiang Chen found her both adorable and pitiful. He raised his hand and lightly tapped the tip of Shen Yujiao's nose, pretending to be fierce as he said, "Shen Yujiao, you heartless thing! I didn't even say you and He Zhiju were getting too close, yet you're making baseless accusations and believing all sorts of nonsense."
"Huh?" This time it was Shen Yujiao's turn to be shocked. "You, are you kidding me? Brother Zhiju grew up with us since we were little. You know him, and besides, weren't you the one who was closer to him when we were little? How come it's the other way around, that I'm the one who's closer to him?"
"Don't talk nonsense!" Jiang Chen immediately denied. "You're the one who's clingy to him! Every time he comes back to school, he comes to see you. And you're always going to his place, aren't you?"
"Jiang Xiaochen, I am solemnly warning you, do not spread rumors about Brother Zhiju. He has someone he likes."
After giving Jiang Chen a fierce warning, Shen Yujiao realized that it wasn't right to reveal her brother's secret. She instinctively tried to cover Jiang Chen's ears and take back what she had said, but Jiang Chen had already heard every single word.
"ah?"
Jiang Chen and Shen Yujiao looked at each other, blinking their eyes. They both felt that they were being a little silly. Jiang Chen didn't like Chu Rou, and He Zhiju also had someone he liked. So what did all the jealousy they had experienced over the years matter?
What a ridiculous blunder!
"Shen Jiaojiao, if this happens again, why don't you just ask me directly? Don't you even trust me that much?"
"And you dare to say that! At least I heard it because it's being spread around the school, but you haven't heard a single rumor and you've just been making wild guesses. Do you even trust me?"
After the misunderstanding was cleared up, the two were somewhat embarrassed and angry. But just a few seconds after their bickering, they looked at each other and burst into laughter, as if they realized that what they had said was too childish.
Jiang Chen held Shen Yujiao's shoulders, his gaze no longer evasive, and asked again, "You still haven't answered me, Shen Jiaojiao, would you like to be my girlfriend?"
“Hmm,” Shen Yujiao nodded very slightly, then added, “I’ve never liked anyone else either…”
From beginning to end, the only boy I've ever liked is you.
After receiving the answer, Jiang Chen pulled her into his arms. His fingers gently ran through Shen Yujiao's long hair as he whispered in her ear, "If my mom knew, she'd probably be even happier than I am. I've finally brought her daughter-in-law home."
"Jiang Xiaochen!"
One second they were being tender and affectionate, the next they were bickering and fighting. Jiang Chen and Shen Yujiao seemed to enjoy it immensely, as if becoming lovers hadn't changed anything.
At night, after washing up again, the two finally lay down quietly. It had been a long time since she had slept next to Jiang Chen. However, Shen Yujiao felt a little uncomfortable. She hadn't felt anything when they weren't lovers, but now that the person next to her was her boyfriend, she felt somewhat embarrassed.
Jiang Chen didn't notice anything unusual about her. After being away for so long, he was finally able to lie on a clean and comfortable bed again, and he felt much more relaxed.
"Alright, let's get down to business."
Looking up at the bed curtains, Jiang Chen spoke again in a heavy tone. The topic they had avoided all night was finally about to be brought up—"General Qi did not come back with us."
"The night we were assassinated, we were rescued by General Qi..."
Through Jiang Chen's narration, Shen Yujiao could vaguely imagine the scene that day.
That day, He Zhiju and Jiang Chen were being chased by men in black. Normally, He Zhiju was a master of martial arts, and Jiang Chen was also quite skilled. Even if they couldn't win, they could still escape. However, on that day, they were almost completely exhausted and were outnumbered by the group. Even though He Zhiju tried his best to protect them, Jiang Chen was still stabbed.
At the critical moment, several people suddenly emerged from the shadows of the previously uninhabited desert village, nimbly helping He Zhiju deal with the men in black who were chasing them, and then taking Jiang Chen away from the scene.
“While we were searching for General Qi, he was also secretly observing us. Originally, General Qi wanted to make He Zhiju back down, but he didn’t expect someone to dare to kill him. He led a small team of a few people and hid in a deserted village. Fortunately, the accompanying military doctor treated my wounds in time.”
"General Qi said that there are too many people looking for him now, and if he shows his face, it will cause trouble, so he simply went into hiding. I was quite surprised. Although he was on the run, he took his youngest son with him. The little boy is quite capable. He is very resilient at a young age. He can not only counter-track, but he is also quite skilled. He did not become a burden even with a group of adults."
"However, General Qi was still worried about his son following him through all the hardships, so he handed Qi Zheng over to us. He Zhiju originally wanted to take General Qi back to the Northern Frontier Camp, but General Qi said that he suspected there were spies in the Northern Border, so He Zhiju gave up his insistence on having General Qi go with him."
"The day my injuries were almost healed, we didn't see General Qi and his party again when we got up early in the morning. They left under the cover of darkness, leaving little Qi Zheng behind. He Zhiju and I brought him back."
Upon hearing this, Shen Yujiao sighed softly, "So that's how it is..."
She estimated the marching route and then asked, "If we continue forward, we should be able to reach the northern frontier by the end of November. Would you like to take a look at the military camp yourself?"
Jiang Chen's gaze darkened as he stared at the bed curtains: "Yes, if we have enough time, I also want to find out exactly who the traitor is."
On the battlefield, the only people soldiers can trust are their comrades who have fought alongside them. But if there are traitors in the army, there will be no way out on the battlefield. Soldiers without support will be attacked from both sides. Jiang Chen could not tolerate such betrayal.
"General Qi said that besides us looking for him, there should be several other forces. He has been secretly observing for a long time and guesses that they should be high-ranking officials in the court and princes who have established their own residences, as well as a group of Northern Di people. I guess Li Lu must be among them, but General Qi thinks that none of the adult princes can be extricated from the list."
They couldn't get rid of it. Shen Yujiao felt something was off about what she was saying. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Are you saying that even the King of Han and the King of Zhao have a share?"
Jiang Chen gave a low hum, feeling that this matter was indeed very troublesome.
“But…” Shen Yujiao sat up, somewhat puzzled. “The foundation of the King of Han lies in the civil officials who speak out against him. He has always been supported by the officials for his reputation as a wise king and his talent. Why would he want to get involved in this matter?”
"Moreover, King Huan and King Zhao are already on the same side. Why would King Zhao send another team after sending people from King Huan's residence? Isn't that redundant?"
“Yes, why do you think so?” Jiang Chen sneered. “I don’t think this King Zhao is truly and completely obedient to King Huan. After so many encounters, I think that although Jiang Yu is ruthless, he is an upright person. But Jiang Jin, I really can’t say anything good about him.”
"As for the King of Han... I think he's just participating for the sake of participating. Just like you said, in the struggle for military power, the King of Huan and the King of Tai have a better chance of winning. For him, perhaps he just doesn't want to watch it all slip away?"
Upon hearing this, Shen Yujiao couldn't help but ponder the key points. However, in the instant she looked down, her eyes met Jiang Chen's. The awkward feeling she had just experienced since confirming their relationship welled up again, and she awkwardly lay back down, turning her back to Jiang Chen and humming in response.
Seeing her like this, Jiang Chen didn't say anything. He just secretly raised the corners of his mouth where Shen Yujiao couldn't see. As usual, he straightened the corners of the blanket for Shen Yujiao and whispered goodnight in her ear.
Warm breath brushed against her ear, and Shen Yujiao subconsciously shrank further into the blanket. Although she was a little shy, the flutter in her heart was crystal clear. Being cared for so tenderly by the boy she liked made her feel both satisfied and regretful.
The good thing is that Jiang Chen's kindness to her didn't just start today; she's always been very clear about that. But the bad thing is also that they've been arguing for so many years because of this ridiculous misunderstanding. If they had realized it sooner, wouldn't they have been spared the other's troubles?
Thinking this, Shen Yujiao couldn't help but frown and smile, and she also said goodnight to the person behind her.
It's okay. Even though we've missed each other for so many years by mistake, it's not too late to know now. If we miss each other's time, we still have a lifetime to make up for it. She and Jiang Chen never have to rush things.
Childhood sweethearts are like this: the years they spend together are longer than the years they meet with anyone else afterward.
There was no distinction between their first and last appearances; from the very beginning, they were each other's only leading man and woman in life.
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Author's Note: The bickering lovers are finally together!
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