Chapter 105 Like Strong Wine (Seventeen) A fleeting kiss...
Three years ago, on the day Zhi Rou jumped into the water to save someone, Wei Yuanzhan was almost frantic. Without thinking, he took a step forward and was about to jump in, but Lan Ye stopped him, and he managed to hold onto a sliver of reason.
From then on, he resolved to learn to swim so that if he encountered a similar situation again, he could save her or others.
There are not many places in the capital where one can learn to swim. The riverbanks are crowded with people. He is only sixteen years old and at the age where he is concerned about his appearance. He hesitated for a moment and then received the news that Zhi Rou was going north with him.
Wei Yuanzhan asked his father for permission to go to Yuyang. Not long after, Beili and Yanchao suddenly went to war. Although the fighting stopped, the army's training could not be relaxed for even a day.
I thought it would be difficult to find a chance to swim in the Northwest, until last spring.
After the Lantern Festival in Lancheng, General Gao ordered Wei Yuanzhan to train troops in Qingluan Valley. At that time, the ice and snow melted, and the water flowed in a concentrated manner, forming a temporary body of water with a suitable depth.
Upon seeing this, Wei Yuanzhan had an idea. He summoned a soldier from the south and asked him to teach him the art of swimming.
That time, everyone saw him standing firm and undeterred in the icy water, practicing tirelessly for several days in a row, almost like a living dragon king. Secretly, someone gave him the nickname "Cold River Traveler".
Sunlight dappled the white walls, and Wei Yuanzhan stared at Zhirou without any attempt to hide his gaze. His tone was rather irreverent, and when Zhirou met his eyes, an uncontrollable pounding of her heart reached her ears.
He pronounced the words "ask for a reward" very clearly and with great interest. Zhi Rou didn't question the first part of his sentence, but the last part made her nervous again.
He had assumed that she had been avoiding him for three years and that they had grown distant from each other. Now he was certain that it wasn't because they were strangers.
The wind stirred the light and shadows, and their eyes met. Zhi Rou's entire senses were focused on the space between his fingers, the place he had lightly pressed down.
Wei Yuanzhan moved closer to her, his voice low, both questioning and seductive: "I can..."
These two words were all that remained, and there was no further explanation.
Zhi Rou's breathing was a little erratic, but it seemed that once he grabbed her, she no longer wanted to escape. His hands were very proper, without any teasing, but she felt a tingling sensation creeping from her fingertips to her bones.
Before long, something soft landed on her cheek, youthful and fleeting, causing Zhi Rou a long, lingering heart palpitation.
She was a little stunned, unable to believe what Wei Yuanzhan had just done. She felt as if a string in her chest was about to snap, and for the first time ever, her cheeks flushed red.
This was the first time Wei Yuanzhan had ever done something so outrageous. He had been patient for a long time and was unwilling to rush things. The fleeting kiss was a young man's most direct and passionate love for his beloved.
Zhi Rou was stunned for a moment, then suddenly pulled her hand away and stood up, shyly wanting to run away immediately.
Wei Yuanzhan watched her run towards the low gate as if her life depended on it. He stood up, chuckled softly behind her, and then called out loudly, "Zhirou! Will you be my wife?"
He didn't give her a chance to back down, and he laid bare his feelings for her.
Since they met, Zhi Rou had almost never heard Wei Yuanzhan call her name alone. She stopped in her tracks, slowly turned around, and asked in a flustered and hesitant manner, "...What did you say?"
Under the sunlight, Wei Yuanzhan, dressed in a light blue round-necked robe, smiled brightly. This time, he didn't ask a question, but said confidently and boldly, "I said, I want to marry you. I don't care what your name is. Even if you are a demon, I will still marry you!"
Was Wei Yuanzhan always so straightforward?
Isn't he the one who loves to misrepresent the East and refuses to admit who he cares about?
Zhi Rou's eyelashes fluttered, her lips parted slightly, but she couldn't utter a single word for a long time.
This is so unlike her! She would never be so clumsy! Zhi Rou bit her lip, her fingers clenching her dress, leaving marks, as if she was forcing herself to say something.
Wei Yuanzhan had never seen Zhirou like this before. Her cheeks were flushed, and she looked flustered and adorable, captivating his heart. He laughed heartily, standing still without chasing after her, giving her time to react.
The gentle spring breeze, warm and tender, warms the heart, nurturing the flame of longing.
Zhi Rou never considered marriage; at each stage of her life, she had things she needed to focus on. In Bei Li, she wanted to go home; in the capital, she wanted to help her mother.
But Wei Yuanzhan's sudden words seemed to bring her not only trouble but also joy. She was troubled because she didn't know how to respond, but she was certain she would never reject him.
"you……"
Zhi Rou started to speak, then stammered out "I" twice, before finally covering her face and loudly accepting the answer.
"knew!"
After saying that, she turned and ran away. His laughter came from behind her, making her even more embarrassed and quickening her pace.
When we left the Song residence, the sky was still bright.
Wei Yuanzhan seemed to be in a very good mood. Outsiders couldn't tell what was going on, but Chang Huai had been following him for a long time. Seeing the slight upturn at the corner of his lips, he walked up to him and asked, "Master, what's making you so happy?"
The more Wei Yuanzhan thought about Zhi Rou's reply, the more interesting it seemed; she really did like him. Stepping down the stairs, he smiled smugly and answered Chang Huai, "She said she knows."
The sentence was so abrupt and confusing that Changhuai was a little bewildered. He glanced at Lanye, who also had his eyebrows raised and his mouth drooping, and he didn't understand anything either.
"I just saw Su Du come out, and he looked terrible. He was with the Fourth Miss..." Chang Huai reported other things, and as he walked, he reached out to help Wei Yuanzhan into the carriage.
He never needed help, but today he pressed on his hand, as if the joy in his heart needed an outlet.
As he sat in the carriage, Wei Yuanzhan's expression gradually faded, remaining exactly the same as usual, even with a hint of gloom.
He truly didn't care whether Zhi Rou's surname was Chang or Song. In his eyes, she was simply herself—the one who had played with him since childhood, was fearless, loved to compete with him, and was the first to stand up for him when others slandered him.
What he cared about was the aggrieved and lonely expression on her face when she talked about her background and her mother, and how she had to force herself to be relaxed. Her resilience made his heart ache.
Therefore, he refused to press Zhi Rou, since there was still plenty of time and he could wait.
As for Su Du… Wei Yuanzhan frowned. Zhi Rou wasn’t very enthusiastic about him. When she talked about him, her tone was somber, suggesting that the two of them disagreed.
Wei Yuanzhan wanted to investigate what happened back then and was thinking about where to start when he suddenly remembered Zhi Rou's strange behavior in the past.
She broke into Yuan's residence at night, but when he questioned her, she refused to speak, even saying that what she had done was not good, and provoking him to stop interfering.
As soon as the carriage started moving, Wei Yuanzhan did not respond to Changhuai's words, but instead ordered: "Send a visiting card to Lord Yuan for me, within the next two days."
Although Changhuai didn't understand why his master suddenly wanted to see Yuan Zhaobi, after a moment's thought, he figured it must be related to the Fourth Miss, so he accepted the order and said, "Yes. Shall we return to the manor now?"
Wei Yuanzhan picked up the water pouch and took a sip. He seemed to be thinking of something sweet again, and smiled slightly, but his voice was calm: "Let's go back to the manor."
After they parted in the afternoon, Zhi Rou couldn't help but think of Wei Yuanzhan. Distracted and unable to accomplish anything, an hour passed, and she had only written a few names in her room; she seemed to have no recollection of what she was supposed to do.
"My dear girl, what's wrong with you?" Xinghui, who had been following Zhirou like a little tail, was really tired. She paused for a moment and looked at her with suspicion. "You've been like this ever since you came back from your aunt's place... Could it be that you're possessed?"
A few days ago, the Fourth Sister was quiet and reserved, and she had just recovered a bit, so why has she developed a new "illness"?
Zhi Rou glanced guiltily at Xing Hui, cleared her throat, and pretended to be nonchalant: "I'm just hungry, but I don't want to eat dinner. Let's go for a walk... Sister Xing Hui, you should rest. I'm fine, don't worry."
What could Xinghui do? Her young mistress's soul was no longer in her body; she could only stay by her side.
As night fell and the sky began to darken, Zhi Rou's nerves seemed to find some solace, and she became much calmer.
She thought carefully and remembered that she had copied several pages of the notes she had taken back from the Yuan residence, but three years had passed and she had forgotten where she had put them. She searched all the places where she had hidden things, but there was no trace of them.
Just as she opened the door to go outside and look for someone, a bright and pretty face came into view. Zhi Rou was slightly surprised: "Sister?"
Song Hanjin rarely saw a look of surprise on her face. She was extremely alert. In the past, she could sense movement even when she was several feet away. How could she not know that there was someone outside the door?
"Is Fourth Sister in a hurry to go out?" Song Hanjin asked tentatively.
"No." Zhi Rou took a half step back. "Sister, come in quickly."
As the lamp in the room was about to burn out, Xing Hui bowed to the Third Sister and then lit the lamp, letting the firelight fill the room again.
Song Hanjin hesitated for a moment before speaking: "Have you sent away everyone in your courtyard again?"
"I don't need anyone to serve me. I'm quite comfortable with Sister Xinghui here." Zhirou gestured for her to sit down. "Sister, did you come to see me because you have something to say?"
Song Hanjin nodded: "Do you still remember Song Peiyu?"
Zhi Rou raised her eyebrows but remained silent.
When she was young, Song Peiyu teased her pet turtle. Not only that, he also frequently provoked her. After being kicked out of the family school by her older brother, she saw him less often, and when they occasionally bumped into each other on the street, she would pretend not to see him.
Song Hanjin said, "His father is now a favorite of the Crown Prince. In the middle of this month, Song Lang is hosting a banquet, and the invitation has been sent to our residence."
Zhi Rou remained silent.
Song Hanjin came to see her specifically to prove that she could not resign from this position.
As expected, Song Hanjin took out an invitation from her sleeve, her brows furrowed: "This is written specifically for you."
Although it wasn't dangerous for her to be specifically asked to go, the troublesome little devil made Song Hanjin inevitably worried.
Zhi Rou secretly clenched her fist, then smiled indifferently after a moment, her eyes never once glancing at the post: "Has sister eaten?"
Song Hanjin observed her for a moment, then shook her head: "It's not time yet, I need to use it later."
The two chatted for a few more minutes. Seeing that Zhi Rou didn't seem to care about the banquet, Song Han Jin didn't want to spoil the mood by bringing it up again. When the candles had burned down to half their original length, she bid farewell and returned to Jueyan.
After seeing the third young lady off, Xinghui hurriedly ran over and sat down opposite Zhirou: "Miss, why don't you go to the master and ask him to cancel this matter for you?"
Zhi Rou kept her eyes calm. Not wanting to trouble her father, she said softly, "It's alright. I haven't been to a banquet in a long time."
Her brows relaxed slightly, and she looked carefree again. She got up and rubbed her wrists for a while. "Sister Xinghui, where's the ladder?"
Night fell, the sky was like a deep sea, with twinkling stars shining within it, and the moon was nowhere to be seen.
Zhi Rou found the letter she had hidden under the roof tile.
Wrapped in oil paper, it survived several rain and snowstorms, and when unwrapped, it was exactly the same as before.
Zhi Rou used the light from the courtyard lamp to examine her own handwriting from that time, lost in thought.
After a long while, she turned over and looked around at everything. The scenery gradually changed, as if she had returned to Qiyun Garden, where she and Wei Yuanzhan were on the rooftop enjoying the everyday life of the world.
They had spent so much time together, and there were so many memories to recall, that she would think of him again without even realizing it.
In the afternoon, in the narrow passage, Wei Yuanzhan's words and actions stirred her heart. Unlike the sound of her heart racing every time before, this time it was beating very heavily and powerfully.
How many times have I missed him today?
Zhi Rou's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, forming a helpless arc, as she slowly lay down and covered her eyes with her wrist.
She murmured, "This is insane..."
Author's Note: Ding! Achieved!
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