Chapter 20: Hua Lang is even more aggrieved.
The crowd was noisy and bustling, gathered on the lakeside path, discussing the matter.
"Excuse me, please make way," Zhan Yunmei squeezed into the crowd. After pushing through layer after layer of people, she used her height advantage to tiptoe and gaze at the lake with a worried expression.
Just now, they saw Geng Qi heading in their direction. Then Hua Lang disappeared again. Geng Qi's malice towards Hua Lang was too obvious. It was hard for Zhan Yunmei not to wonder if he had taken Hua Lang away or done something to her.
Ripples spread across the lake, splashing water. Zhan Yunmei stared intently at the person in the water, her heart gradually calming down.
Suddenly, someone grabbed her hand. It was long and thin, and a little cool. She recognized who it was, squeezed his hand, and pulled him closer, asking with concern, "Hua Lang, where did you go just now?"
Hua Lang glanced at Geng Qi swimming in the water, her expression calm, then looked back at Zhan Yunmei, "He was pushed aside."
"It's good that you're alright," Zhan Yunmei said, leading Hua Lang out of the crowd. Geng Qi can swim, so there's no need to worry too much about him.
Leaving the throng behind, Zhan Yunmei pulled Hua Lang forward to buy scar removal cream. When she wanted to turn back, Geng Qi had already come ashore, but he was soaking wet and his headdress had fallen off. He was also looking at them.
Zhan Yunmei casually looked away, her fingertips gently tracing Hua Lang's hand. His skin felt delicate and smooth to the touch; it was worth the long time she had spent raising him.
I accidentally touched a tiny bit of water.
Logically speaking, Hua Lang is not the kind of person who would take revenge. He would only act if someone angered him. The past is long gone, so what's the point of him bothering to dwell on it?
Zhan Yunmei couldn't help but guess that Geng Qi might have come for them, which was why Hua Lang made his move.
The hand that was holding her gradually loosened. She looked up in confusion, while Hua Lang lowered his eyes and stared at a small patch in front of his feet.
"Why didn't you hold my hand?" By this time they had entered the clinic. Zhan Yunmei grasped Hua Lang's hand and showed it to the doctor. "Please take a look at him and prescribe some ointment to remove the scar."
Both of her hands were held in her palms, warm and comforting. It was an intimate gesture, completely unashamed of anything. Hua Lang felt a surge of joy, but also a great deal of embarrassment and timidity.
“There’s nothing to pull, she’s not a child who’s going to get lost,” Hua Lang replied softly.
The doctor examined Hua Lang's scars. Most of them were injuries from torture, with skin and flesh peeled off, and some nails were missing. After the medicine was applied, they had mostly healed, with only scars remaining between the fingers and on the fingers.
Zhan Yunmei specially brought Hua Lang to this clinic. Being close to the capital city also means being close to bloodshed. This shop has excellent scar removal and wound treatment techniques. Once, she was injured outside and had a long scar on her back. She came here for treatment and bought medicine, and now only a faint hyperplasia remains.
"Please wait a moment," the doctor said, dipping his brush in ink and writing out a prescription for a plaster.
Zhan Yunmei slipped her five fingers between Hua Lang's fingers and sat down beside him to wait.
"Didn't it just run away?" Zhan Yunmei said to Hua Lang in a gentle tone, without any anger, when talking about what happened by the lake.
Hua Lang glanced at her lightly, then looked away, his voice sweet and strange: "So what if she ran away? The general can just find another one. There are so many men in the world, why would they need one who is neither male nor female?"
Upon hearing this, Zhan Yunmei stared intently at Hua Lang without speaking. Hua Lang, receiving her ambiguous gaze and knowing she was about to make sarcastic remarks, frowned and wisely shut her mouth.
She lowered her eyes again, trying to hide the panic in her gaze.
“Well, the autumn hunt is coming soon, and all the kings, ministers and officials from all directions will be here. There will be quite a few beautiful ones. I’ll take a look and pick a few I like to send to my residence to serve me,” Zhan Yunmei said in a relaxed tone, her lips curving into a smile. “You used to pick out a lot of concubines for the emperor, didn’t you? I suppose you have a good eye. When I send them over, you can help me take a look first.”
"..." Hua Lang secretly glared at Zhan Yunmei, a fierce glint appearing around his eyes. Just before she looked at him, he lowered his eyes again and slowly nodded, "Okay."
After the ointment was prepared and packed into a small box, she stood up and walked towards the counter, giving a faint hum. "You're quite generous."
Hua Lang felt he was pandering to her, and he was indeed unhappy. But what could he do? He couldn't possibly make demands of her, could he? She was supporting him; how could he dare say no to her suggestions?
If she really did that, he felt he would agree; he wouldn't dare to object.
He quickened his pace to catch up with her, and seeing her pay the bill, he felt a little ashamed, so he took the ointment and went out with her.
Hua Lang always kept his head down, avoiding eye contact. He couldn't see others, so he buryed his head in the sand, thinking that others couldn't see him either. Even when he was next to the dazzling Zhan Yunmei, a sense of inferiority always lingered and was impossible to shake off.
The curtain was lifted, and someone entered. As he brushed past Hua Lang, he grabbed Hua Lang's forearm.
Hua Lang raised his eyes and gave Geng Qi a gloomy look. While Zhan Yunmei was still in front, he broke free and secretly kicked him.
Then he quickened his pace and pulled Zhan Yunmei closer.
Geng Qi was soaking wet and felt heavy all over. Hua Lang kicked him hard, and he staggered forward a few times. He turned around angrily, about to curse Hua Lang, but unexpectedly, Hua Lang went to Zhan Yunmei's side.
Of course she sided with him, without distinguishing right from wrong, and Geng Qi just accepted his bad luck.
He really wanted to push Hua Lang into the water by the lake, but Hua Lang noticed him early on and kicked him into the water before he could react.
Who would have thought he would get kicked twice by Hua Lang in one night?
Zhan Yunmei's hand was suddenly gripped tightly. She looked at Hua Lang strangely, "Hmm?"
“I can’t keep up,” Hua Lang continued walking with his head down, his voice light and flat as he explained.
There was a burly figure in the clinic, water dripping from the hem of his clothes. Zhan Yunmei knew who it was. She raised her eyes, and Hua Lang's eyelashes covered half of his pupils.
"Should I slow down?" Zhan Yunmei slowed her pace.
"Need not."
The plaster was applied to his fingers, and the coolness seeped into his skin. The coolness was mixed with the warmth from Zhan Yunmei's hand, creating a strange alternation between hot and cold. Hua Lang withdrew his hand.
Zhan Yunmei hooked her fingertips around Hua Lang's, lowered her eyes, dipped her fingers in the medicine, and continued to apply it carefully to him. "Don't dodge, it will be over soon."
Her words were always gentle yet firm; she seemed to always exude an unquestionable will in an excellent tone.
The feeling was indescribable. Hua Lang took in her gentle features, the candlelight casting shadows on her face.
His gaze shifted downwards to her lips, which were neither too thin nor too thick, and he pursed his lips.
"Ugh...it hurts," a sudden pain shot from her fingertips into her brain, and Hua Lang abruptly tightened her grip on her hand.
Upon closer inspection, she realized that she had applied the ointment to a wound on his hand. She quickly grabbed a handkerchief, wiped the ointment off, and gently blew on it, saying, "How come there's still a wound?"
It doesn't look like a physical injury. Besides, physical injuries should have healed long ago. What does it look like? It looks more like a knife cut, a thin, long line on the side of the finger.
"Did you cut yourself?" Zhan Yunmei recalled that Hua Lang had often used a knife to peel fruit during his time at the mansion. He had probably never used a knife much in all these years.
“I’m not sure,” Hua Lang said, withdrawing his hand and lingering on Zhan Yunmei’s lips for a final moment.
How could she not understand his thoughts!
She slowly opened her arms, a perfect pose. He was sitting, and she was standing, encircling him in her arms and stroking his cheek.
“From now on, you must take Shuniang with you when you go out. Take good care of yourself. Geng Qi is a petty person. He will never let you go.” Zhan Yunmei stroked Hua Lang’s neck again and again with her palm. Her low, husky voice was dizzying. “If you can’t peel the fruit, then don’t. The servants all have monthly salaries. Ask them to do some work and give them some money. They will be happy, and you will live more comfortably.”
She gently pulled him out of the embrace. His thoughts were still immersed in the slight tremor of her chest and her sweet words as she spoke. Suddenly, he broke free from the embrace and frowned slightly.
“Come on, give me a kiss,” Zhan Yunmei bent down, her lips curving upwards.
Hua Lang's thoughts were pulled back, she blinked and said, "No."
A sharp pain suddenly erupted on his cheek. Hua Lang opened his eyes wide in disbelief, his face showing both grievance and shock. Zhan Yunmei had actually hit him.
After giving him a light slap, she cupped his face, gently and slowly rubbed it, kissed him, and then let go, saying in the intermittent pauses, "Now you won't even grant me one of my requests?"
How could Hua Lang answer? He was so dizzy from her kisses that he couldn't make out what was happening in front of him. He could only clutch the mattress next to his face, squint his eyes in pain, and let out a wet, deep groan.
The sounds of Zhan Yunmei's coaxing filled my ears, far more pleasant than any other sound in the world.
Hua Lang unconsciously moved to the inside of the bed, unable to bear it, but Zhan Yunmei was kissing him, and he didn't even have a chance to ask for anything.
It wasn't until a thunderstorm started outside and a flash of white light stung his eyes that he found her hand, and she followed his movement and hugged him.
Zhan Yunmei raised her hand to wipe away a tear from the corner of Hua Lang's eye. "Qiu Shou will come with me to help me find someone."
Hua Lang felt even more aggrieved. How could she do this? They were still on the bed together, and she started talking about others. Couldn't she at least wait until dawn?
He wasn't sure if he had cried or not; he just felt dizzy and lightheaded, and fell asleep as soon as he closed his eyes.
.
Under the arrangement of Zhan Yunmei and Helan Wan, the autumn hunt proceeded normally, set up in the royal hunting grounds, not far from the capital.
The first event was the review of the Imperial Guard. Hua Lang stayed in Zhan Yunmei's tent, opened a crack in the door, and looked at the emperor on the high platform and Zhan Yunmei behind her.
The dragon and python swirled on the narrow-sleeved, round-collared military uniform. It was a bestowed garment of hers, symbolizing supreme authority and glory, and she carried it off with unwavering dignity.
He should have been very happy, but when he saw the several royal relatives below the platform who were eager to cause trouble, he was filled with resentment.
Zhan Yunmei seemed to be paying attention to this side as well. When the emperor spoke, she raised her chin, her eyebrows, eyes and lips filled with a carefree smile. Her bright eyes looked up, pierced through the crowd, and came to where Hua Lang was.
Meeting her gaze made Hua Lang feel flustered, so he took a half step back and quickly lowered the curtain.
After a short while, he opened an even smaller gap, but unfortunately Zhan Yunmei had already changed her position and could no longer be seen through the small gap.
He suddenly didn't want to look at her anymore, and lowered the tent flap again. Just as it was about to be completely closed, Geng Qi's figure appeared outside, walking quickly towards the hunting grounds.
A note from the author:
----------------------
Thank you everyone for the nutrient solution! I've been very busy these past few days, and I didn't expect to reach 400 chapters so quickly. I'll add an extra chapter in a couple of days. [crying emoji] Thank you so much everyone! [crying emoji] [crying emoji]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
