Chapter 42 I'll always be there for you
Shanlai felt that if tears were shed not for personal gain, it was not something to be shown to others.
Liu Min must have thought the same thing as her, which is why he was secretly crying alone at this time, perhaps even covering himself with a blanket.
He probably wouldn't want anyone to see his tears, so let's just pretend we didn't hear it!
Shanlai made up his mind to stay silent, but he kept crying.
He has been crying for a long time; if he continues to cry, he may harm his health.
She should be good to him.
So we can no longer pretend we don't know.
The lamp was placed on the stool in front of the bed, and the tinderbox was also there. He pulled it open, blew on it, and the fire started. He lit the lamp, extinguished the tinderbox, and put it back in its place. After doing all this, Shanlai put on his clothes, picked up the lamp, and slowly walked out of the dark room.
The crying had stopped sometime earlier, leaving only the chirping of insects in the corner and the wind blowing outside.
He indeed refused to let anyone know.
Should we go back?
Shanlai thought about it and decided to go.
This is not something that can be resolved with just a few tears.
The bed was quiet. I shone the lamp over it, but I couldn't see any face, only the undulations under the covers.
Shanlai bent down and stood by the bed for a while before reaching out to lift the blanket.
We encountered obstacles.
He didn't speak.
Shanlai let go of his hand and asked him in a low voice, "Would you like some water?"
He remained silent. Shanlai turned and walked towards the table in the next room.
There was a tea tray on the table. The water in the teapot had long since cooled down, but the water in the kettle was still hot. Shanlai poured out a cup of warm water and carried it back to the bedside.
"The water is ready, get up and have some."
There was no response for a long time.
Shan Lai then said, "Have some drinks, otherwise I've wasted my time."
She didn't say that you must be very thirsty after crying for so long.
The person under the blanket stirred.
Shanlai placed the cup on the edge of the bed with a "click". She stood up and said, "The cup is here, get up and have some." After saying that, she turned and walked away again.
He heard her footsteps as she left, and cautiously peeked out from under the covers. His eyes were red and noticeably swollen.
The lights were dim, the white porcelain was warm and smooth, and the water shone brightly.
He swallowed unconsciously and immediately felt the pain.
He really cried for a long time, until his throat was dry.
She has already gone far away.
So he gently reached out his hand to reach the white porcelain cup.
The water temperature was just right, very smooth, and soothing to the throat. It was a pity there was only one cup, not enough. He thought he would wait until she fell asleep before going over.
Just as Shanlai thought, Liu Min had the same idea: shedding tears was shameful, and crying was even more so. Crying would also attract attention, making it impossible to live like that.
Fortunately, she was sensible and understanding, so his kindness to her was not in vain.
Just as I was thinking this, I suddenly heard footsteps approaching. In a panic, I looked up and saw a clear and beautiful face.
She is truly beautiful; he had thought so from the beginning.
But now he felt disgusted by her beautiful face. His previous gratitude towards her had vanished. Why did she come back? He had just praised her for being charming and witty, and she did this... Resentment filled his face.
His expression changed, but Shanlai remained calm and composed, extending his arm forward to offer a damp handkerchief.
"If you don't have a basin, just make do and wipe it down simply."
He didn't answer, still looking at her with resentment.
She met his gaze without backing down, but over time, her eyes gradually softened with compassion.
"I know why you're crying... Don't cry, I'll always be there for you."
After saying that, she put the handkerchief in his hand, picked up the cup, and said, "I'll go pour you another cup, so you can drink some more."
I still used cold water to mix with hot water, carefully controlling the amount of water to make a cup of just the right amount of warm water.
He handed it over, saying, "Have some more."
Liu Min silently accepted it and drank it in small sips.
Seeing that he was tilting his head back, Shan realized the water glass was empty again, so she reached out to him, "Give it to me, I'll go pour some more." She then explained, "There's nowhere to put anything nearby, and there's only one kettle, so I can only mix it one cup at a time..."
Liu Min handed her the cup, which she grasped. She turned to leave, but a strong force suddenly struck her wrist, causing her to feel dizzy. When she regained her balance, she found herself enveloped in a warm and soft embrace.
He hugged her tightly.
Shan Lai was stunned for a moment. When she came to her senses, she realized that something was wrong. It had nothing to do with gender. After all, she was still young and hadn't thought about this. It was because the two of them were too close, skin to skin. She was not used to it and felt uncomfortable both physically and mentally. She subconsciously wanted to move away from him. Just as she was about to move, a drop of water fell on the back of her neck without warning. It was a very full drop of water, so full that it could roll down her spine and all the way down her back, leaving her feeling wet.
Of course she knew those were his tears.
He shed tears again.
For his sake, Shanlai felt she shouldn't do anything more, at least until he stopped crying.
In mid-autumn, the nights in the north were already as cold as water, but because their bodies were so close together, they didn't feel cold at all. So they held each other without moving for a while until Shanlai couldn't hold on any longer and started to shake. Only then did Liu Min come to his senses and hurriedly let go of his arms.
Once Shanlai was free, he stretched his arms and legs and backed away. Once he stood still, he looked up at Liu Min.
Liu Min remained seated. Shan Lai looked at him, and he looked back at her, tilting his head slightly. In the lamplight, Shan Lai could see his slightly pursed lips and the streaks of water on his face. Suddenly, he sniffed and said, "Don't tell anyone about tonight's events..." His voice was hoarse and pitiful.
The voice was pitiful, and the person was pitiful too.
Shanlai had never seen him like this before. Even before, although he had cried for a while and looked disheveled, he still maintained a superior attitude towards Shanlai, raising his chin and glaring at her. But now he was very different, with a worried expression and tearful eyes, gentle and silent. Because he looked like his mother, he naturally had some feminine features. Now, with his hair down, he really looked no different from a girl.
A beautiful girl with a pitiful look is truly touching; one can't help but feel a little sorry for her... Looking at him, I gradually frowned as well.
"It's cold, go back to sleep, don't catch a cold..."
He began by saying this.
I hadn't noticed it at first, but after he reminded me, I suddenly felt cold, my body trembled, and goosebumps appeared on my arms.
"Go back quickly," he said urgently.
Shanlai also felt she should hurry back, but as a servant girl, and having just made up her mind to be a good servant girl, she did not go back immediately. First, she returned the cup to the tea tray, then turned back to tidy up Liu Min's quilt. After everything was settled, she said, "I'm going back to sleep."
Liu Min didn't speak, but just looked at her and nodded slightly.
"Young master, you should go to sleep early." With that, he picked up the lamp and hurried back to the dark room.
The light source was in her hands; she left, and the light was gone, leaving only darkness once more.
In the darkness, Liu Min lay awake, not a trace of sleepiness in his eyes.
Shan Lai was truly shocked. What she said... she wasn't just talking nonsense; she genuinely knew why he was crying...
He didn't want to come to the capital at all. This wasn't his home, his father was a stranger, and everyone else was even less of a concern. Only the Liu family mansion in Pingcheng—no, his grandmother—was where he felt at peace. But his grandmother insisted he come. She was doing it for his own good, and he couldn't hurt her feelings, so he finally came. He knew life here wouldn't be easy, but knowing and experiencing it firsthand were completely different. It was like self-torture; he stood beside them for an entire afternoon, watching them enjoy their family time together… his heart bled, but he wouldn't leave. He just stared, letting them tear his heart apart, and then, in the quiet of the night, he would weep alone.
Crying is a sign of weakness. He used to look down on people who cried and would get impatient with them. He never imagined he would be in this situation today.
The pain in my heart, I don't intend to tell anyone, but who can I tell? The people here are all untrustworthy. Wu Mama is in such poor health, how can anyone bear to see her like this? Shanlai can be considered one of our own, but she's just a little girl, can she understand his heart? If she doesn't, she's just making a fool of herself for everyone to see.
She understands.
So she said she would stay with him, no matter what, she would stay with him and not leave him alone...
She made a very serious promise to him.
He couldn't help but look at the partition. She was right behind it; if he called her, she would answer.
Only then did he understand his grandmother's good intentions.
Based on what she said, he was determined not to let her down and to treat her well.
On the other side of the partition, Shanlai, who had also decided to be kind to someone, was also awake.
She always felt like the water on her back hadn't dried, it was still damp and uncomfortable, and his pitiful appearance kept flashing before her eyes, making her restless and unable to sleep at all...
It's such a long night.
It was quite bright outside, and the dew on the leaves had completely evaporated, but there was still no movement inside the house.
Ziyu got up at 3 AM, which is her usual time. She has never been late, so she couldn't understand how someone could sleep until almost 7 AM. They're not children... How long will they work if they get up so late? What will happen if word gets out?
She felt anxious, but then she thought that the journey had been arduous, and she couldn't rest immediately. Sleeping longer was understandable and perfectly reasonable. Thinking this, her heart gradually calmed down, and she stopped pacing back and forth. Once she stopped, she realized that the water for washing her face must be cold after so long. She reached out to check, and sure enough, it was cold. She immediately told the maid to change it. The maid had been carrying the basin for a long time, and her arms were already sore, but she hadn't dared to say anything. Now that she had an excuse, she quickly grabbed the basin and ran away, tripping over her own feet. Ziyu saw this and, disliking her carelessness, was about to scold her when suddenly, with a creak, the door behind her opened.
She had already thought about what to do after the door opened.
If the young master can sleep until noon, can this servant do the same? If you can't control your master, can't you control your servant?
Young Master is of noble birth, so it must be a maid who opens the door. Getting up so late and delaying everyone's business, she deserves to be scolded.
However, she couldn't go too far with her insults, or it would give others cause for gossip. She didn't ask for anything else, just that her thorn in her side lose face and be unable to cause trouble in the future.
The mouth was already open, but...
Why was it the young master who opened the door?
She didn't react for a moment and stood there stunned.
Seeing her dazed look, Liu Min thought to himself, "This person is stupid. Of course, he prefers clever people." He was immediately displeased.
What are you standing there for?
His face was expressionless, but his tone was not very pleasant.
Ziyu woke up with a start, responded, and hurriedly led the people inside.
Wash your face, comb your hair, rinse your mouth, choose your clothes and put on your accessories.
Everything was settled. Ziyu had even forgotten the curses she had prepared earlier, and kept glancing into the dark room.
She stayed in that place for a few days, and the thought of it filled her with hatred.
"Why isn't Shanlai up yet? Isn't he up? That's not a good idea..." She smiled and said to a little maid beside her, "Go check on him and urge him..."
Liu Min was about to go to Yihe Hall to pay his respects when he heard Ziyu's words, and he withdrew his foot that had already stepped out.
Yeah, why isn't she up yet? With so many people moving around, didn't they wake her up?
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