Chapter 45 Chapter 45 "Then what am I in your heart...
These words were like plucking a taut string in the wind.
Ji Yang's hand, hanging at his side, tightened slightly, and after a long moment, he took a step forward. His fingertips lightly touched the sandalwood handle of the comb, pausing for a moment, but he never stopped moving.
He looked at Jiang Ci's face in the bronze mirror, his gaze instantly withdrawn, his Adam's apple moving slightly, and his tone awkward: "I... have a heavy hand, so I'm not suitable for this."
As soon as he finished speaking, he gently placed the comb back on the table and took a half step back, as if he was afraid of making a mistake if he stayed any longer.
"I'll wait for you downstairs." His tone was restrained and short, as if he was suppressing something. As soon as he finished speaking, he strode out of the room, his steps so fast that he seemed to be running away.
The moment the door closed, Jiang Ci finally let out a laugh. She looked at herself in the mirror, a soft smile on her lips and an unconcealable light in her eyes.
The afternoon sun slanted down from the eastern district of Yuguan County, casting warm shadows on the brick walls of the street corners. Jiang Ci and Ji Yang walked side by side through the alleys, their steps slow and steady. The sounds of street vendors, children playing, and casual conversation at tea stalls echoed in the background.
"I heard that the Grand Commander of Dongyang personally carried the wounded out of the mud and water."
"Alas, even a general can be kind-hearted. This man is truly different."
Every word that fell into his ears was a compliment to Ji Yang. Jiang Ci couldn't help but laugh. He raised his hand and patted his shoulder with a meaningful smile: "Commander, whether they are joking or just chatting, you must not let them down."
Ji Yang's shoulders sank when she patted him, his brows slightly furrowed. He glanced at her, but before he could speak, Jiang Ci had already walked a few steps away with his hands behind his back, speaking in a light tone, as if he didn't care about his cold face.
He sighed and finally followed.
At the corner of the alley, an old woman with a hunched back staggered towards me. Her clothes were simple but neat. There was a hint of hesitation on her weather-beaten face, but her eyes were filled with expectation.
"This lady..." The old woman's voice was hoarse. She stopped Jiang Ci and asked cautiously, "Can you two... help me fix the house?"
Jiang Ci stopped, startled for a moment, then lowered his head and asked, "Is there no one at home?"
The old woman shook her head slightly, her voice choking with sobs. "My husband and son went to the battlefield a long time ago and never returned. I'm the only one left at home with a sick grandson. It's been raining a lot these days, and a corner of the roof has collapsed. I was going out to ask some young people to help fix it, and I happened to see you passing by..."
As she spoke, the old woman raised her hand and pointed to the low tiled house at the end of the alley. The eaves tiles at the corner of the house had collapsed, and the wooden beams showed charred scars, as if they were struck by lightning on a rainy night a few days ago.
Jiang Ci followed the trend and looked over, his eyes falling on the broken area. He then looked back at Ji Yang, a smile on his lips and a slight raise of his eyebrows: "Sir?"
Ji Yang glanced at the house coldly, crossed his arms over his chest, and said in a calm tone as if he was rejecting a trouble: "Repairing the roof is not our job."
Jiang Ci ignored the advice and nodded directly to the old woman: "You lead the way, we will do our best."
Ji Yang stood there, watching her take the first step without hesitation, a hint of helplessness on his face. After a long pause, he murmured something, took off his outer robe and threw it on the wooden rack beside him, rolled up his sleeves, picked up the hammer and walked over.
The ladder behind the house had been in disrepair for a long time. Jiang Ci helped the old woman borrow a sturdy bamboo ladder. Ji Yang climbed up the ladder, and the sunlight cast a steady shadow on his back.
He moved quickly and steadily. After he stood still, he leaned over to check the broken roof beams without saying a word.
The old woman brought a cup of coarse tea, placed it on the table, and said with a smile, "Looking at the young lady and this young man, I guess they are not from here, right?"
Jiang Ci took the teacup and said gently, "We came from Ningling."
"Ningling..." The old woman couldn't help but sigh softly upon hearing these two words, her tone filled with concern. "I wonder how the flood there is going. A few days ago, Envoy Meng came to the county to collect food, and many neighbors donated their surplus grain. They just hope that the people there can survive and not go without food."
When Ji Yang heard these words, he paused slightly.
Jiang Ci stood under the house and looked up at the roof. He saw him raising his hands to straighten the cracked wooden boards one by one, and then laying new tiles. Every movement was steady, powerful, clean and neat. He was even more serious than an ordinary craftsman.
She retracted her gaze and replied softly, "Yes, fortunately, they have now survived the most difficult time."
"That's good, that's good." The old woman nodded repeatedly with a gleam of relief in her eyes.
The hem of Ji Yang's robe was blown up by the wind, and beads of sweat slid down his forehead, but he did not pause for a moment, his eyes focused.
The young boy next to the house was lying by the window, his eyes shining. He suddenly smiled and shouted at Jiang Ci, "Sister, your husband is so amazing!"
Jiang Ci listened, his eyes turned, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly: "Yes, with him around, I'm not afraid of anything."
The man on the roof paused, and the rhythm of the hammer hitting the tiles suddenly slowed down for a moment.
The child blinked and asked again: "Do you quarrel?"
Jiang Ci pretended to be serious and lowered his tone a little: "He doesn't dare."
Ji Yang remained silent, his brows raised slightly, but he said nothing. The last tile was firmly in place, and the roof repair was complete.
Ji Yang descended the ladder, his palms still rough from sawdust, his back soaked with sweat. The old woman thanked him profusely and insisted on inviting them to a simple meal. Jiang Ci nodded in agreement, not waiting for Ji Yang to speak.
"It's rare to have a hot meal, why don't we join us?" she said with a smile.
Ji Yang looked at her, but ultimately did not refute.
The dining table in the house is simple, but it is filled with fragrance, and the smoke from the firewood cooking carries the long-lost smell of farmhouse cooking.
The old woman brought out her homemade preserved radish and bean soup, and murmuring words of gratitude as she served the dishes.
Ji Yang didn't say much, just ate, occasionally looking up at Jiang Ci. Her sleeves were rolled up, her face still sweaty and smiling, her eyes clear and without any burden, a look he had never seen in Fengdu before.
He suddenly understood why she insisted on staying to help.
Because she really cares about everything here, just like she cares about the people of Ningling. When she encounters their problems, she always does not hesitate.
When they were about to leave after the meal, the old woman stuffed a bag of pickled vegetables into Jiang Ci's arms and said with a smile, "They are homemade. They are not worth much, but they are delicious when eaten with rice."
Jiang Ci took it and thanked her with a smile. Suddenly, he remembered that the old woman had mentioned that her grandson had been ill in bed for a long time, so he took the initiative to say, "Old lady, I know some medical knowledge. If you don't mind, can I take your grandson's pulse?"
The old woman was startled for a moment, then burst into tears of gratitude: "Young lady, you are willing to help us, both grandparents and grandchildren, are very grateful. However, our family is really short of money and cannot afford the consultation fee..."
Jiang Ci said softly, "This bag of pickles is the consultation fee." She smiled, without any sign of favor.
Upon hearing this, the old woman thanked him repeatedly, tears welling up in her eyes as she muttered, "Young lady and young master are truly kind-hearted. People like you will surely be rewarded in the future."
Jiang Ci walked into the wing room and took the sick boy's pulse for a moment, frowning slightly. "It's a lung disease. If it's delayed for too long, it needs to be properly treated. We can't delay any longer."
After leaving the house, Jiang Ci took Ji Yang all the way to a pharmacy in the east of the city, wrote down the prescription, handed it to the shopkeeper, and attached a piece of paper with the address, saying, "Please prepare this medicine according to the prescription and deliver one dose every ten days to this old man's door."
The shopkeeper nodded in agreement, but after glancing at the prescription, he said, "This medicine is very expensive. Miss, you have to pay some money first."
Jiang Ci lowered his head and flipped through his clothes, then took out a jade hairpin from his hair and gently placed it on the counter. "The discount on this hairpin should be enough, right?"
The shopkeeper picked it up, took a look, and nodded in agreement.
Ji Yang was watching from the side and suddenly said, "I brought money."
Jiang Ci smiled and shook his head: "It's okay, I'll take care of it." His tone was gentle but could not be refused.
Ji Yang moved his lips, but ultimately said nothing more.
After leaving the drugstore, the two walked side by side for a few steps. A ray of sunlight from the street corner fell obliquely on Jiang Ci's temples. The hairpin was gone, but her expression was as usual, and she only occasionally reached out to tidy up her hair.
Ji Yang suddenly stopped and said, "I think I left something behind. Please wait here for a moment."
Jiang Ci nodded and stood on the street waiting for him.
Ji Yang turned back to the pharmacy, quietly took out a silver ingot from his pocket and placed it on the counter, saying, "This medicine money is mine, give me back the hairpin."
The shopkeeper took the silver, nodded repeatedly, and carefully handed the hairpin back.
Ji Yang took the hairpin, then carefully put it in his arms, turned and left, looking calm, as if nothing had happened.
He walked back to Jiang Ci, his expression the same as before, and even his pace was neither fast nor slow.
Jiang Ci turned to look at him and asked with a smile, "Did you find it?"
"Yeah." Ji Yang responded lightly.
The two walked aimlessly. The streets in the east of the city gradually became sparse. When they turned into an open dirt road, the view ahead suddenly opened up and a horse farm came into view.
Jiang Ci paused slightly, standing by the fence outside the stables, her gaze drawn to the horses galloping past. She subconsciously took two steps closer, her eyes following a tall horse, a rare moment of trance in her expression.
Ji Yang also stopped and glanced at her indifferently.
"Why?" he asked. Jiang Ci looked at him, his tone revealing a hint of uncontrollable yearning: "When I was a child, I thought horses were very majestic. But my father said that girls were not suitable for riding, so I never learned."
Ji Yang was silent for two breaths, then he spoke in a calm tone: "Do you want to ride?"
Jiang Ci turned around and looked at him, as if he didn't understand: "Huh?"
His eyes fell on her eyebrows, and his voice was not loud, but every word was clear: "I ask you, do you want to ride?"
Jiang Ci's eyes lit up slightly and he nodded: "I want to."
Ji Yang didn't say anything else. He just raised his hand to call the steward of the stable and whispered a few words. Soon someone led out a docile chestnut horse.
Jiang Ci stood in front of the horse, hesitating for a moment. The horse was much taller than her, and its breath made the hair on her forehead move slightly.
"Are you scared?" Ji Yang suddenly spoke.
Jiang Ci raised an eyebrow and looked at him: "Since my lord is here, how could I be afraid? You are the one who swept across the world on horseback. If I can stand by your side, I should not retreat no matter what happens."
"Very good." His tone was emotionless, but the corners of his mouth moved slightly unconsciously.
He said nothing more, took the reins, and led the horse steadily in front of her. He walked to the side of the horse, naturally extended his hand to her, and said in a steady tone:
"Put your foot on my hand."
Jiang Ci was startled, but before he could react, Ji Yang had already half-crouched, his left hand raised. Sunlight fell on his shoulders, and the hands that were used to holding swords were right before his eyes.
She hesitated for a moment, then finally placed her hand lightly on his shoulder and stepped on his palm. His strength was steady and powerful, neither overstepping the bounds nor delaying, and he lifted her onto the horse's back.
She sat firmly on the saddle, and before she could recover from the smooth movement, she heard the slight movement of clothes behind her. Ji Yang jumped onto the horse and sat behind her.
Her heart skipped a beat.
There was almost no space between them, their shoulders pressed against each other, his breath pounding on her neck through her clothes, and his deep voice rang out:
"Hold on to the saddle."
Jiang Ci hummed, lowered his head to hold the saddle, but found that his palms were a little hot.
It was clearly she who took the initiative to suggest riding a horse, but now that she was really close, she felt a little at a loss.
She deliberately looked into the distance, suppressing the inexplicable tension in her heart.
It was just a ride, she consoled herself.
But on this swaying horseback, the sound of the wind whistling past her ears, and the breath of the person behind her was as steady as a mountain, she inexplicably developed a false sense of... security.
Jiang Ci's drooping eyelashes trembled, and he didn't dare turn around to look at him.
The horse started slowly and crossed the path at the edge of the horse farm.
He leaned close to her ear and taught her little by little: "Keep your legs together. Don't rely on me to lead you. The horse will get confused if it senses you're scared."
"Try holding the reins yourself."
"Sit up straight and don't hunch your back."
His voice was always cold, and Jiang Ci did as he was told. After a while, he was able to sit steadily in tune with his rhythm.
The wind passed by his ears, the sound of horses' hooves clattered softly, and Jiang Ci's hair brushed his chin, but he didn't move. He just lowered his eyes and remained silent for a while.
After a long while, Jiang Ci suddenly whispered, "You are more patient than I thought."
Ji Yang raised his eyebrows when he heard this: "Then what am I like in your heart?"
Jiang Ci chuckled and said nothing more.
The two of them rode slowly on their horses, crossing the open grassland. The afterglow of the setting sun stretched the two figures very long and quietly overlapped each other. Ji Yang took out the hairpin from his arms and calmly put it back on Jiang Ci's head.
Raindrops began to fall silently, at first just a few scattered drops, then a dense mass, draping the sky like a silken curtain. The horse's ears twitched, and he snorted, slowing his pace.
Ji Yang looked up at the gloomy sky and whispered, "It seems that the rain has come earlier than I thought. We have to go back."
Jiang Ci responded.
He flipped over and jumped off the horse, landing cleanly and neatly. He turned and held out his hand to her, his expression calm and his tone steady: "Come down."
Jiang Ci was stunned for a moment, but she still placed her hand on his palm. His palm was warm and strong, and his arm tightened, steadily taking her from the horse's back. The moment her toes touched the ground, she felt an inexplicable throbbing in her heart for some reason.
The rain intensified, and without further ado, the two hurried to an old shed by the roadside to take shelter. The rain curtain obscured the bridle path, leaving only the gurgling sound of water and the scent of damp grass beneath the eaves.
Jiang Ci stood in the shed, stretched out his hand to tidy up the rain-soaked hair on his temples, but his fingers paused at his ear.
Where her fingertips touched, she was slightly startled and felt a familiar hairpin - it was the plain jade hairpin that she had picked up today.
She turned to look and saw Ji Yang standing a step away from her, his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze calmly gazing out at the rain. Raindrops shone a thin layer of water on his shoulders, but he was unaware. His profile was handsome and stern, but his eyes were as still as a deep pool.
The dim light from under the eaves reflected the lines of his tightly pursed thin lips, making him look like a calm and picturesque face, so cold that it was almost inhuman, yet it made people unable to look away.
Jiang Ci suddenly felt a dull pain in his abdomen. He frowned slightly, covered his lower abdomen with his hands, and his body involuntarily bent slightly.
Ji Yang's eyes flashed, and he immediately turned to look at her, his tone tense: "What's wrong?"
"...For some reason, my abdomen feels a little sore." Her voice was so soft that it was almost inaudible, and her face looked a little strange.
Ji Yang's eyes changed, and without saying a word, he took off his robe and put it on her shoulders, and whispered, "Don't move."
Before he finished speaking, he leaned over, picked her up and carried her sideways, and ran steadily towards the drugstore at the corner of the street.
Jiang Ci wanted to protest, but was suppressed by his low, cold tone: "What if the fetus is disturbed?"
She was stunned, her expression changed slightly, and she whispered: "After that day, I asked Wanniang to make contraceptive soup. Don't worry, I won't make it difficult for the governor. I have a child you don't like, and I am not ready to have a child with you."
When Ji Yang heard this, it was as if the secret he had been hiding was torn open and exposed to the sunlight. He had obviously thought so too, but his heart inexplicably sank a little, and a sense of indescribable sadness arose.
He rolled his throat slightly and whispered, "That's good."
After saying that, he put her down without pausing for even a breath, and without waiting for her to take a step, he walked into the rain. His back was cold and stiff, but his steps revealed a hint of loneliness.
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