Chapter 10: Clouds Covering the Sun (3) Fearing the Lonely Years of Widowhood...
Why did Su Zixu agree?
In the past, when she wanted him to give her some advice, he always refused. Why did he agree so easily today?
Thinking of this, Meng Xuanli's heart tightened. She understood the deep meaning of Lu Guanque's words just now.
I'm afraid he is suspicious of Su Zixu.
Meng Xuanli suppressed his doubts and maintained a gentle expression, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Mr. Su."
"Don't worry, Miss Meng. I will go back to Renjitang first and send a medicine boy to bring the medicine later." Su Zixu's voice was still calm.
Lu Guanque stood up and personally escorted him to the door.
Outside the window, snow had been falling for half a day, the white light swirling faintly, even the interior of the house was tinged with a cold white halo. Lu Guanque looked up and saw a dead branch in the yard, unable to bear the weight, snapping in the snow with a loud "crack".
Seeing that she was silent for a long time with a dazed look on her face, Lu Guanque looked at her carefully and deliberately broke the silence: "It's important to be on guard against others."
He sat back on the edge of the bed and whispered, "I will investigate this kidnapping thoroughly. If he can truly heal your eyes, then he'll be cleared of suspicion."
Meng Xuanli said firmly, "He is not the one who kidnapped me."
"But..." She hesitated slightly, "He is a little different today than before."
Lu Guanque's eyes narrowed slightly, and he asked casually, "Before? When did you two meet?"
"Changsheng Temple..." Meng Xuanli said softly, "That day I was performing a ritual for my mother. It was raining when I came out, and I happened to meet him in the pavilion."
Mentioning her late mother, her face was once again filled with uneasiness. She had also felt this way the day Lu Guanque met her. Perhaps because of the barrier of being a substitute bride, she had always been distant and reserved towards herself. But from now on, she shouldn't have such an expression on her face again, and she shouldn't worry about these things.
"I'll come to see you often these days." Lu Guanque looked her in the eye, his warm palm covering the back of her hand. "Just one thing. From now on, if you have anything, you must tell me."
"This..." Meng Xuanli subconsciously wanted to pull his hand back, "I'm sorry to bother you, my Lord."
Lu Guanque's face instantly turned cold. He naturally understood the rejection in her words. She was simply unwilling to open her heart to him.
He held his fingertips in the air, fanning her bangs lightly, "How can this be considered troublesome?"
Meng Xuanli felt a slight itch and raised his hand to smooth the hair on his forehead.
Lu Guanque smiled and leaned in close, his breath almost brushing her ear: "My health is in danger every day. It is a blessing from heaven that you are willing to marry me. It is me who has implicated you and caused you trouble by this marriage."
"While I'm still in good spirits, let me stay with you for a while longer, okay?"
Meng Xuanli was about to decline politely, but her body suddenly felt lighter and she was picked up by Lu Guanque around the waist.
"ah!"
She screamed, afraid of falling and even more afraid of tiring him out, so she had to cling tightly to his shoulders and neck.
Lu Guanque's hot breath sprayed on her earlobe. She leaned back tensely, trying to avoid this intimate contact. As she trembled slightly, a few strands of hair accidentally brushed against his jaw.
"Don't move."
Lu Guanque's voice was hoarse and his arms tightened.
He wanted her to move, wanted her to snuggle up to him, but for the moment, for the sake of a smooth marriage, he could only suppress his desire.
Lu Guanque stopped and loosened his hand around her waist: "There's a window next to us, listen to the sound of snow."
How did he know that she loved to listen to the falling snow?
Meng Xuanli's heart moved slightly, and he gasped softly. He groped for the backrest and pillow and carefully shrank inward.
Lu Guanque settled her down, covered her with a soft blanket, and put a warm hot water bottle in her hand: "Sit down and rest for a while."
"I have something to do at home. I will come to see you tomorrow." After saying that, he leaned over and hugged her gently.
Meng Xuanli's eyelashes trembled with shock, and she lowered her eyes, not daring to "look" at him. Her long hair fell to her wrists, and she lifted it up, holding the warmth from the hot water bottle tightly in her palm.
“…Go ahead.”
As she listened to Lu Guanque's footsteps fade away, Meng Xuanli inexplicably recalled his past actions. He had always been so gentle, easygoing, and elegant... He was clearly such a good person, yet why did she still feel a lingering fear deep in her heart?
Yes, afraid that he would leave suddenly?
Or, are you afraid of the lonely years of widowhood?
Meng Xuanli shook his head, realizing that he was judging others by his own standards.
Suddenly, she listened attentively.
In the courtyard outside the window, snowflakes were swirling in the cold wind, occasionally mixed with the sound of dead branches falling.
Meng Xuanli stretched out his hand, his fingertips following the kang table and touching the window, where there was a layer of water vapor that had melted due to the warmth in the room.
The warmth on his fingertips, memories and long-cherished wishes once again flooded towards Meng Xuanli like a tide.
The corners of her lips curled up unconsciously, and she sighed softly: "It's snowing."
*
Meng Xuanli had been staying in the house for more than half a month. On this day, the sky was clear, the snow had stopped, and the wind was gentle.
With Chen Bi's support, she walked down the corridor to relax and get some fresh air. As soon as she sat down, she heard a familiar voice.
"Miss Meng, how do you feel today?"
Since that day, although Su Zixu sent people to deliver medicine to the Meng Mansion every day, due to the complicated affairs of Renjitang, he rarely came in person. Today, he came in person, so he must have something important to tell him.
"I feel much better today. My eyes don't hurt anymore." Meng Xuanli covered her eyes with a thin silk handkerchief, and outsiders could tell at a glance that something was wrong. "But I still can't sleep well at night."
"This silk." Su Zixu approached and stood beside her. "Miss, you don't need to cover yourself with it."
"I put it on because I'm afraid it'll get in the way of the maids during their work." Meng Xuanli frowned slightly and asked doubtfully, "Sir, are you here today for something important?"
Su Zixu was slightly startled and placed the things on the table beside him. "It's said that the young lady and the prince will get married at the beginning of next month. I am just a common doctor and have nothing..."
"These are the notes I've taken over many years of medical practice. If you can regain your sight, you might want to take a look at them."
Meng Xuanli was surprised when he heard this. His throat moved slightly as he declined, "How can I accept this? This is the product of your hard work, how can you give it to me for nothing?"
Su Zixu smiled faintly: "Didn't you say that day that you wanted to study medicine for the prince?"
"This notebook contains quite a lot of details." He suddenly slowed down his speech, emphasizing each word with remarkable clarity. "Besides, I will be returning to Qiantang with Miss Zhen in the early spring of next year."
Meng Xuanli had heard that Mr. Su and Miss Zhen had been engaged since childhood.
"Qiantang?" Meng Xuanli was puzzled. "Sir, your business in Dongdu is going well. Why do you suddenly want to go back?"
"Living in the Eastern Capital is not easy," Su Zixu said wearily. "The rent for the shop is high, and even though I work all day, the income is very meager. It's not even enough to buy the girl medicine for a month. So I'm thinking it would be better to return to my hometown in Qiantang, get married, and then open a small clinic to live a stable life."
"I see." Meng Xuanli pondered for a moment, then turned his head and called out, "Chenbi, go get the pair of mutton-fat jade bracelets from my jewelry box, and the red gold necklace that the prince gave me the other day."
Su Zixu quickly bowed and said, "Miss Meng, this is unacceptable. I am not saying this to ask for a gift, but to say goodbye in advance."
Chen Bi quickly brought the things out.
Meng Xuanli gathered the soft blanket around him and said with a gentle smile, "Mr. Su, you've taken care of me and the Crown Prince these days. Although we've only known each other for a short time, we're already half friends. Consider this a wedding gift to you and Miss Zhen. If I have the chance in the future, I'll definitely come to Qiantang and ask for a glass of wedding wine."
"Then..." Su Zixu lowered his eyes, his emotions difficult to discern, but his voice remained respectful, "Su is deeply grateful for your kindness, young lady."
He changed the subject: "Miss, you've been sitting for too long. It's not good for your blood circulation. Why don't you get up and walk around?"
"Okay." Meng Xuanli leaned back and pursed his lips, saying, "Chenbi, come and help me..."
Before he could finish his words, Su Zixu had already firmly supported his arm.
A strange masculine scent suddenly hit him, and Meng Xuanli subconsciously rejected it: "Mr. Su, this is against the rules. Let Chen Bi come."
"Miss Chen Bi, I just went to boil medicine for you." Su Zixu said in a calm voice.
Everything in front of Meng Xuanli was dark. If he struggled to break free rashly, he might fall. If he allowed him to support him, he was afraid that others would see him and criticize him.
She sighed inwardly, her whole body like a pushed boat, immersed in the dark and shoreless sea, drifting with the current.
At the moon-shaped door at the other end of the corridor, Lu Guanque was walking towards him.
The sky was dim and the twilight seemed pale and powerless. Wherever he looked, he could vaguely smell the breath of death.
He asked Su Zixu to take care of Meng Xuanli's illness, firstly because he saw that his medical skills were indeed extraordinary, and secondly because he wanted to take this opportunity to further explore the depth of this person's abilities.
Unexpectedly, the relationship between these two people is so close?
So good that you can walk with support like this?
"Mr. Su."
Lu Guanque's voice rang out, almost overwhelmingly calm.
Su Zixu had his back to him. He paused at the sound, let go of Meng Xuanli's hand, and then turned around, bowed, and said gently, "My lord, how are you?"
Lu Guanque walked calmly and gracefully until he reached Su Zixu. A nearly cruel smile blossomed on his pale face. "I heard that Mr. Su will be returning to Qiantang with his family soon. This prince is here to offer his congratulations in advance."
He glanced coldly at the gold and jade items on the table: "Why did Ah Li take these things out?"
Meng Xuanli stood frozen in place, not daring to move. He quickly explained, "I heard Mr. Su and Miss Zhen were returning to Qiantang to get married. These... are wedding gifts for them."
When she heard that Lu Guanque was coming, she was already panicked, and when she heard his unfriendly tone, she was afraid that he would misunderstand her.
Lu Guanque was wearing a dark mink cloak, which made him look particularly deep and lonely among Meng Xuanli and Su Zixu in plain white.
His face was gentle, but his voice was chillingly cold: "Mr. Su, if you have nothing else to do, please go back."
Su Zixu nodded slightly and said meaningfully: "The wind and clouds disperse, and the farewell is like rain. My Lord, the mountains are high and the waters are long. We will meet again if fate allows."[1]
He spoke the last two words very softly, with an indescribable meaning.
"Yeah." Lu Guanque glanced at him coldly.
Meng Xuanli stood aside, not knowing what the two were talking about.
Soon, there were only two people left in the courtyard.
Lu Guanque walked towards Meng Xuanli and picked her up by the waist again without saying anything.
His movements seemed gentle and affectionate, but his arms held an irresistible strength. "Even though the snow has melted, the cold remains. You haven't recovered yet, how can you move around freely?"
At first, Meng Xuanli felt uncomfortable with Lu Guanque's care. But as time went on, and everyone in the mansion seemed to acquiesce, her inner distance began to relax somewhat.
Meng Xuanli explained: "I just sat for a long time and wanted to move around."
"Why is the prince here?"
Lu Guanque lowered his eyes to look at her, not realizing that she had done anything wrong. With a gloomy face, he said softly, "The wedding dress is ready. I'll bring it to you to try on."
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References
[1] From Wang Can’s “Presented to Cai Zidu”
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