Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Heartfelt Speech
Lan Nongnong had been having a high fever for most of the day, her mood was fluctuating greatly, she was extremely tired, and her head was even more dizzy. She snuggled in his arms, surrounded by the elegant and cool fragrance of his body, and felt even more drowsy.
Hearing his voice, her eyelashes trembled slightly, she raised her face drowsily, and obediently parted her lips. But as soon as the porridge smell entered her nose, her stomach suddenly tightened, a sour taste rushed straight to her throat, and her eyes immediately turned red with discomfort.
She clenched her teeth, swallowed hard in her throat, and forced the sour feeling down. She turned her head away suddenly, tightened her arms around his waist, and buried her face in his chest. She gasped and trembled with sobs, "I feel uncomfortable. I can't eat. I don't want to eat, Yao Jing."
Qin Jingyao was silent for a moment, then gently placed the spoon back into the bowl. Without a trace of impatience on his face, he coaxed her gently, "If you're feeling uncomfortable, don't force yourself to eat the porridge. But you can't take medicine on an empty stomach. Drink some warm water, okay? Just be patient for a while. Once you take the medicine and feel better, you'll naturally feel better."
Life here is inconvenient, and being sick is the most unbearable. Lan Nongnong suppressed her nausea and nodded weakly. As soon as she showed her face, the cup of water was considerately placed next to her lips. She opened her lips and took a sip, and her body trembled suddenly. Her forehead throbbed, and her throat spasmed uncontrollably. She instinctively wanted to vomit.
Qin Jingyao seemed to have expected this. He moved his hand from her waist to the back of her neck and pressed lightly on her raised throat. The saliva slid down her throat, causing her to choke and cough painfully.
He immediately tightened his arms and pulled her into his embrace, slowly rubbing his palms against her back, silently soothing her discomfort.
It was a little difficult at first, but after swallowing the first mouthful, it gradually became easier. Lan Nongnong was fed two glasses of water and then slowly drank half a bowl of porridge. He gently rubbed her stomach with his palm to help her digest the food. Neither of them spoke, but they tacitly immersed themselves in this moment of peace.
Her turbulent thoughts had completely calmed down. When the steaming, bitter medicine that was suffocating was brought to her, Lan Nongnong huddled in his arms as if escaping, and said in a muffled voice, "I feel much better. No need to take medicine."
Qin Jingyao didn't indulge her this time. He handed her the medicine bowl, held her shoulders with both hands and pretended to push her away, sighing, "Since you really don't want to drink, then go to bed early. I've left someone to watch over you. If you feel uncomfortable, call them over--"
Before he could finish his words, the woman hidden in his arms suddenly rushed in front of him. Her eyes were already red and slightly swollen, and now they were filled with mist. She sniffed, pursed her lips and whispered aggrievedly, "I'll take the medicine, I'll take the medicine, Yao Jing, don't leave, don't be angry..."
Her eyelashes were wet, and tears rolled down from the corners of her crimson eyes. The eyes washed by tears were as clear as glass, which made the faint red on her cheeks and nose even more beautiful. The tear marks on her upturned face were not dry, but it revealed a breathtaking purity and beauty.
She pleaded with her eyes and tried to keep him with soft words. A pair of hands as entwined as cattail silk tightly grasped his sleeves. She looked obviously aggrieved but still endured it. Anyone who saw her in this state would probably find it hard to leave.
She was frightened and fell ill. Qin Jingyao would not abandon her. Moreover, she was so clingy and attached to him, which softened his heart.
He really couldn't bear to see this little face, which should have been smiling like a flower and lively and bright, turned into such a tearful face.
"Okay, okay, stop crying. I won't leave, and I'm not angry with you. The medicine is bitter, but only after you drink it can you get better. Once you finish drinking it, I'll give you some candied fruit. Okay?"
He held her face in his warm palms, gently wiped away her tears with the tip of his thumb, then took out a soft handkerchief to clean her face, then held her in his arms and comforted her gently.
After receiving his promise, Lan Nongnong felt relieved. She leaned against his neck, her heart, which had been particularly fragile today because of his gentleness, fluctuated again. She took a deep breath, her fingertips unconsciously clicking the pattern on his belt. She hummed muffledly in her throat, but finally couldn't help complaining to him: "But it's really bitter... I can't swallow it."
As if she was afraid that he would regret it, she loosened her grip on his waist and stood up to look at him. Tears welled up in her eyes and she said eagerly, "Can you make the medicine into pills? That way, even if it's bitter, I'll just endure it for a while. I'll definitely bear it, okay?"
She was so pitiful, how could Qin Jingyao bear to refuse her? He lowered his eyes and smiled softly, his features made more elegant by the light. He said softly, "It's better to be afraid of hardship. You should be like this in the future. If you have any grievances... you should let me know. Don't keep the bitterness in your heart, okay?"
Under his gentle gaze and coaxing, Lan Nongnong couldn't resist at all. Her heart felt sore and swollen, and she couldn't suppress the worries that weighed on her mind any longer. She pressed herself against him, her throat tight and painful, and her voice was so low that it was inaudible.
"Yao Jing, I'm scared,"
Qin Jingyao lowered his head slightly, one hand caressing her suddenly cold face, the other hand wrapping around her tense back, warmth passing from his palm to her, and softly asked, "What are you afraid of?"
The night was dark, scattered lights flickered outside the window, reflecting a warm lamp in the room. The faint fragrance of crabapples wafted quietly on the flower table. The person beside her snuggled up to her, and his body temperature slowly melted the coldness around her body like melting snow, and warmth gradually seeped into her heart.
Lan Nongnong sighed softly, her body gradually softening. She whispered, "Today, I went to the shop and heard Sister Wenniang talk about... the treason case ten years ago, which implicated nine clans and stained the streets with blood... It's only been a few years, and the blood hasn't dried yet, and someone has repeated the same mistake again."
"It is clear that the world is now at peace and the people are living in peace..."
"I've been staying indoors these past few days, concentrating on drawing and making dolls. Sister Wen Niang paid me last month's dividends, and I counted them, there are more than sixty taels. Sister Wen Niang said that these dolls have been sold to several cities, and in the future they will be sold even further, and she will open more shops."
"My sister-in-law, Aunt Liu, who helps me cook, is going to give birth in two months. Aunt Liu said that a son's belly is pointed, and a daughter's belly is round, so this round baby is definitely a daughter."
"The little granddaughter of a grain merchant came to buy a doll. She ordered a smiling star. I met her when she was delivered. She was only four or five years old, with a white, round face and big, round eyes. She loved to smile, like a lucky doll."
"Sister Wen Niang said that many people were taken away that day. The older ones had gray hair, the younger ones couldn't even speak. Some wore splendid clothes, some wore coarse cloth... She said that the city was filled with awe and terror that day, and the execution grounds were filled with cries and shouts. She said it was a good thing I stayed home. I, I..."
Lan Nongnong raised her head, tears blurring her vision. She felt dizzy and could no longer see his expression. "If you make a mistake, you should be punished. If you break the law, you must be punished. But, but..."
She said with a trembling voice, "Such a young child, still doesn't understand anything..."
She held him tightly, swallowing back the words that they were all innocent, her knuckles turning white from excessive force. "I just... it was too close to me, it happened right next to me... this kind of thing... is too terrible, human life is so light, it's like..."
Lan Nongnong's throat rolled over a few times, but she couldn't find a suitable metaphor.
"They may not even know what's happening, but they have to pay the price for sharing the same surname and clan. Their lives and futures are not in their own hands. Maybe my name is also written in a family tree that I don't even know about... Maybe one day--"
“Nong Nong!”
Qin Jingyao interrupted her wandering thoughts in a deep voice. At this moment, he had understood her heart knot and grasped the crux of the matter from her incoherent narration.
Her identity as an orphan makes her like a rootless duckweed. Although she can take things as they come, she is always anxious when there is any disturbance.
She is like a fledgling separated from the flock, craving every bit of warmth and stability. That is why she seems cheerful and open-minded on weekdays, but in fact, her mind is more delicate and sensitive than anyone else.
He looked at her panicked and helpless expression, the corners of his lips slightly raised, his voice gentle but unyielding, "Our family is of the same roots, and we share the glory and disgrace. If we enjoy the protection, we also bear the responsibility. As you said, if we make mistakes, we will have to bear the consequences ourselves."
"No regrets for your moves. Everyone must pay the price for their choices."
"Thick,"
He held her face in his palms, staring at her confused expression, his voice low and firm: "Don't worry about other people's affairs. You are kind and sensible. As long as you always keep your original heart and stay by my side, those things will never have anything to do with you."
Lan Nongnong was in a trance and failed to notice the strangeness in his words, and he would not understand that what really bothered her was not the possibility of being implicated one day, just as she could never tell him how cruel this era was to her.
-
Although I wasn't truly comforted by his words, I did feel a little relieved after pouring out some of the heavy thoughts on my mind.
About two quarters of an hour later, the pills arrived. They were small dark brown pills, each about half the size of a little fingernail, and there were fifteen or sixteen of them.
Lan Nongnong really didn't hesitate this time. She tensed her face and held her breath, not giving herself the slightest chance to regret as she swallowed the whole pill. Only after she had swallowed all the pills did she feel relieved and let out a long sigh of relief.
When the bright red candied fruit sprinkled with frosting was passed to her lips, she subconsciously opened her mouth and took it in. Her lips and tongue, still hot from the high fever, were burning hot. She inadvertently sucked on the other person's fingertips, causing them to tremble slightly.
She didn't notice that the bitterness was covered by the sweetness. After rinsing her mouth, she sank limply into his arms. Although she was still sick, her mood brightened. She smiled at him with her face tilted up: "Yao Jing, thank goodness you came today. Otherwise, I might really be burned into a little fool, or even die from the illness."
"So, you are my savior."
"Don't talk nonsense about life and death,"
Qin Jingyao gently pinched the tip of her nose and said, "How can I give you a life-saving favor casually? It's okay to say it in front of me today, but you must never be so naive in front of outsiders in the future."
"Silly Nongnong, how are you going to repay me?"
Qin Jingyao teased her with a smile, but frowned slightly. She was indeed in danger today. If he had returned to Beijing directly from Wucheng yesterday, the young woman in his arms would have been sick alone at home, and her life or death would be uncertain.
Thinking of this, a strange feeling passed through his heart, but his fingertips still stroked her hot cheek steadily, without showing any expression.
Lan Nongnong cried for a long time today. Her eyes were swollen and her temples were aching. As her worries eased a little and she felt safe again, fatigue came over her like a tide. Her eyelids gradually became so heavy that she couldn't lift them up.
His words drifted into my ears, but I was powerless to respond. I instinctively grabbed his hand, but I didn't even have the strength to hold it tightly. The words "Don't go" stayed between my lips and teeth, mumbling out incoherently.
She could not see the man's suddenly deep gaze above her, she only vaguely heard a response, and then let herself fall into the darkness.
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