Chapter 21 Promise
But for some reason, that sense of resentment clung to her like a vine, making her unwilling to let go.
Yu Wanxue gripped Chen Xuanqing's clothes tightly with her fingertips. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something soft to keep him, but all that came out of her mouth was incoherent panic.
Chen Xuanqing's patience had long since run out, and his eyes and brows were filled with impatience. Just as he was about to reprimand someone, his gaze inadvertently swept over the willow tree diagonally in front of him.
There stood a beautiful young woman, her face veiled, revealing a pair of clear, doe-like eyes.
Her plain dress was damp with morning dew, and she was staring intently at him, her gaze carrying a heavy weight.
He subconsciously frowned, his first thought being of the women who approached him under various pretexts.
He was most disgusted by such self-respecting and persistent behavior, and immediately ordered his servant to drive the person away.
But just a second before she could speak, Gu Jinchao's face suddenly flashed through her mind. Wasn't that the same look she gave him every time she looked at him?
Unadulterated seriousness, tinged with a cautious stubbornness, perfectly mirrored the gaze beneath the willow tree.
It's her!
It's Gu Jinchao!
The person who keeps him tossing and turning at night, the person he misses most!
Chen Xuanqing's heart skipped a beat, all his impatience was instantly replaced by ecstasy, and he couldn't wait to walk towards her, but Yu Wanxue gripped the hem of his clothes even tighter, as if she wanted to embed it into the fabric.
The usually dignified and self-possessed young nobleman was now provoked by the stubborn pulling and tugging, which stirred up a bit of anger in him.
He abruptly flicked his sleeve, forcefully shoving Yu Wanxue's hand away, his voice as cold as ice: "Miss Yu! Pulling and shoving in public, is this the kind of upbringing your Yu family has?"
Yu Wanxue was so frightened by his sudden anger that she trembled all over. Her hand froze in mid-air, her eyes instantly reddening. She could only look at him timidly, looking as pitiful as if she had suffered a great injustice.
But Chen Xuanqing had long since lost all pity, and his gaze was fixed urgently on the area under the willow tree—which was now completely empty.
He clearly saw that when Gu Jinchao watched them struggle, the last glimmer of hope in his eyes completely faded. When he turned around, his back was straight, but it conveyed an indescribable determination. He had obviously completely misunderstood this "intimate" scene and given up hope.
Chen Xuanqing felt as if his heart had been struck by a heavy hammer, and his vision went black, as if he had been struck by lightning.
no!
She must have misunderstood!
She can't just leave like this!
He could no longer care about Yu Wanxue, who was still sobbing behind him, and he took off chasing after Gu Jinchao in the direction he had left. His voice was filled with unprecedented panic and urgency as he called out that name: "Jinchao!"
After navigating countless narrow alleyways, with the bluestone pavement casting interlaced, damp, and cold shadows beneath his feet, Chen Xuanqing finally intercepted the staggering figure in a desolate and deserted alley.
He suddenly stood before her, his figure as straight as a pine tree. The hem of his blue robe was still damp with the scent of the alley and fallen leaves, but his eyes instantly lit up with a burning joy, and even his voice trembled with barely suppressed excitement: "Jin Chao! You actually... you actually came to find me!"
Gu Jinchao's body stiffened, her eyes instantly reddening, tears welling up between her long eyelashes.
She forced a faint smile, but deliberately made her tone distant and polite: "Young Master Chen, how have you been? I never expected to run into you in this back alley in Jiangnan."
"Jin Chao!" Chen Xuanqing frowned, his tone revealing a barely perceptible sense of loss and panic. "Why must we be so distant? You know perfectly well..."
"What do I know?" Gu Jinchao interrupted him abruptly, and before he finished speaking, he turned around and tried to escape to the end of the alley.
But as soon as she moved her wrist, he grabbed it.
The force in her fingertips was urgent yet restrained, as if she was afraid that if she loosened her grip, she would completely disappear into the misty rain of Jiangnan.
Gu Jinzhao's tears finally broke free and rolled down her cheeks, landing on her light-colored veil, leaving a small, faint wet patch that silently seeped into the fabric, as if it had never fallen.
But that scalding temperature felt like a red-hot iron, burning Chen Xuanqing's heart, instantly throwing him into a panic. He could only call out to her blankly, "Jin Chao..."
He tentatively raised his hand, his fingertips hovering beside her veil, wanting to wipe away the unseen tears, but Gu Jinchao suddenly took a big step back, avoiding his touch.
Her voice was choked with sobs, almost breaking into fragments, each word sharp and piercing: "Young Master Chen, there's no need for such excessive sentimentality! Since you already have Miss Yu as your fiancée, why do you need to show such indiscriminate pity to other women? Besides, there is absolutely no reason for the legitimate daughter of the Gu family to become a concubine!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly raised the back of her hand and fiercely wiped away the tears on her cheeks, the movement so heavy that it seemed as if she wanted to scrape away the last remaining thoughts in her heart.
Without a trace of hesitation on his face, only a resolute determination remained: "I, Gu Jinchao, came to Jiangnan this time simply to give up! Now that my heart is dead, I hope that you and I will never see each other again!"
"No--!"
Chen Xuanqing stepped forward hastily.
He gripped her shoulders tightly, his eyes suddenly turning sharp as a blade, his tone filled with unwavering determination: "I won't allow you to say such a thing! How can we never see each other again?"
He was reborn and did everything in his power to break free from the path of his mistaken marriage to Yu Wanxue in his previous life. He resisted the pressure from his family and even persuaded his father and grandmother in advance, all so that he could hold her hand and fulfill the marriage that had been missed in two lifetimes (dreams and his previous life).
If even meeting is a luxury, why should Heaven allow him to return with the regrets and obsessions of two lifetimes?
He suddenly pulled her into his arms, his arms tightening as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones, his voice filled with an unprecedented vulnerability: "Jinzhao, please don't say such hurtful things to me anymore, okay?"
Gu Jinchao pushed against his chest forcefully, struggling several times before finally breaking free from his embrace. Tears welled up again: "But what I said is true! Your wedding with Miss Yu is approaching, so what about me? What am I? Just something you use for your amusement when you have nothing better to do?"
Chen Xuanqing refused to let go and held her tightly again. This time, his voice was full of urgency and honesty, and even his breathing trembled: "Jinzhao, let me explain! My trip to Jiangnan this time was not for preparing for the wedding at all."
"I came here to break off the engagement with the Yu family! I have already spoken to my father and grandmother, and I only need to personally visit them to explain things to them so that this matter can be settled! I originally intended... I originally intended to go to the Gu family in a grand manner to ask for your hand in marriage after everything was settled, but I never expected that you would come to Jiangnan and... and even misunderstand to this extent!"
Chen Xuanqing tightened his grip, his knuckles sinking into Gu Jinchao's slender waist.
Her small body was initially tense, but then it gradually softened, her cheek pressed against his warm chest, and even the slight trembling gradually subsided.
The autumn wind carried the scent of moss from the alley walls, but it carried no trace of chill.
The warmth of his embrace was so intense that it overflowed her clothes, enveloping her in the embarrassment and fear of the past few days.
Chen Xuanqing gently brushed his fingertips across the top of her head, feeling extremely dazed.
The person in his arms was soft, with delicate hair, and he could clearly feel the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. This vivid touch was like a gentle knife, softly cutting open the hidden pain of her past life.
At that time, all he held was a cold urn with the three words "Gu Jinchao" engraved on it. The porcelain surface was chillingly cold. No one would ever look at her with deep love again, and no one would ever be alive to watch over the plum blossoms for him.
"Jin Chao," his voice was close to the top of her head, hoarse with the sound of someone who had just survived a disaster, "I, Chen Xuanqing, only wish to marry you in this lifetime. I will tear up the engagement with the Yu family myself, and from now on, there will only be me by your side."
These words were like a warm current, instantly breaking down the dam in Gu Jinchao's heart.
She could no longer hold back and burst into tears in his arms, her tears soaking through his long robe and leaving a small, dark stain.
The grievances I've been feeling lately have suddenly found a place to go.
The helplessness when his purse was stolen, the panic when he was bullied by the madam's thugs, the despair when he was kidnapped, and the countless thoughts of regret that he "should not have come to Jiangnan" all turned into relief at this moment.
It turns out she didn't go astray; all the hardships and wanderings along the way were worth it.
Chen Xuanqing could clearly feel her shoulders trembling. He gently stroked her back with his fingertips, like coaxing a frightened cub. When her crying gradually subsided, he slowly released his arms and cupped her cheeks in his palm.
He ran his fingertips across the corners of her reddened eyes, wiping away the undried tear stains.
Her skin was soft, but her tears were scalding hot, making his fingertips numb and causing him to breathe softly.
"Jinzhao," his gaze fell on her tear-stained eyelashes, his voice so gentle it could melt water, "you will obediently go back to the Gu family and wait for me, okay? I will make proper arrangements for the Yu family. I will prepare everything, from the documents to dissolve the engagement to the ceremonial procession to the one that will come to the capital to fetch you. I will not let you wait too long."
Looking into the earnestness in his eyes, Gu Jinchao nodded, her voice still hoarse from choking back tears: "Okay."
Chen Xuanqing couldn't help but smile, gently stroking the top of her head with his fingertips, as if treating a rare treasure.
His gaze fell on her smooth forehead, and a sudden thought struck him—he wanted to lower his head and kiss it, to melt all his tenderness and promises into it. But his fingertips hovered half an inch above her forehead, and ultimately gently fell back to the top of her hair.
He had to be mindful of propriety and could not be too forward with her before marriage. This affection should be kept within reasonable bounds, and he should protect her completely.
He pulled her into his arms again, resting his chin on the top of her head, his voice as soft as a whisper: "Wait for me a little longer, it'll be soon."
As dusk crept into the windows of the riverside inn, Chen Xuanqing had already escorted Gu Jinchao back to the inn.
He didn't rush to leave. He personally checked the latches on the doors and windows and then bent down to rummage through his luggage.
Seeing that Caifu had already packed the blanket, porcelain cup and her usual handkerchief, he turned to the servant guarding the door and instructed him: "Tomorrow, avoid crowded docks along the way. Before sunset, be sure to send someone to report to me that you are safe. If you encounter any suspicious people, protect Miss Gu first, and then seek help from the local officials."
The servants readily agreed, and he then looked at Gu Jinchao, his tone softening: "I'll leave these clever servants with you. Also, it's chilly at night, so don't linger and get some rest. I'll take you to the dock tomorrow."
Gu Jinchao sat at the table, watching him arrange everything in detail. She lightly touched the hot tea on the table with her fingertips and simply hummed in agreement.
The next morning, before the river mist had completely dissipated, the dew on the bluestone path dampened the soles of my boots.
Chen Xuanqing accompanied Gu Jinchao to the dock, walking very slowly, and occasionally turning his head to ask her, "Is there enough candied fruit in your luggage? If the food on the ship is not to your liking, have Caifu ask the boatman to heat up some porridge."
Gu Jinchao listened the whole way, occasionally nodding in response. The morning light fell on his profile, making the concern in his eyes clear.
The covered boats were moored on the shore, the sound of oars gently swaying the river mist.
Gu Jinchao boarded the boat by holding onto the gunwale. As soon as she stood up, she saw Chen Xuanqing also step onto the bow and reach out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
His fingertips brushed against her earlobe, and seeing her ears turn red instantly, he paused, then softened his touch, gently tucking a stray hair behind her ear with his fingertips. His voice was as gentle as the river breeze: "Jinzhao, wait for me for a month. After a month, I will definitely bring betrothal gifts to the Gu family to propose marriage. I will bring you into the family in a grand and glorious manner, and I will never let you suffer any more grievances."
Gu Jinchao lowered her eyes, her fingertips gently twisting the hem of her skirt.
A blush spread from her cheekbones to her neck, but she still mustered the courage to look up at him. Dewdrops still clung to her eyelashes, and her voice was soft yet firm: "Yes, I'll wait for you."
Caifu stood at the stern of the boat, watching the two people looking at each other at the bow, and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
All the hardships I endured, all the heartache I felt for my wife, were ultimately worth it.
The person her wife had been waiting for for so long truly cherished her.
"It's time to set sail, young master," the boatman called from inside the cabin.
Gu Jinchao took half a step back, held onto the gunwale, and waved: "Go back now, and remember... take care of yourself."
Chen Xuanqing stood on the stone steps of the dock, not moving, just looking at her and nodding: "You too, don't catch a cold on the boat."
As the sound of oars grew louder, the covered boat slowly sailed away from the dock.
Gu Jinchao kept waving while holding onto the gunwale until the river mist gradually obscured his figure on the shore, then he slowly withdrew his hand.
Chen Xuanqing stood still, his posture as upright as a pine tree, his gaze following the hem of the water-green skirt, watching the awning boat change from a clear outline to a small black dot on the river, and then completely melt into the morning mist before slowly withdrawing his gaze.
The river breeze swirled around his silver robe. He raised his hand and touched the fingertips that had just brushed her hair together, as if he could still feel the softness of her hair.
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