Chapter 100 Ning Jue is frozen.
Bai Hua originally thought that the journey was long and it would take at least four or five days for the letter to reach Ning Jue. However, she did not expect that when she sent someone to the post office in the morning, the letter was already in Ning Jue's hands in the afternoon.
Of course, it was not transported by the post office.
Ning Jue is not currently in Suizhou or Qingcheng, but in Jingqi, at the Prince's residence, which is only two main streets away from the Bai residence.
Following Bai Shu'an's instructions, the messenger secretly made a detour before reaching the post office and delivered the letter to the Prince's residence.
Bai Hua was completely unaware of all of this.
She was still in her boudoir hoping for a sunny and warm day so as not to delay the messenger's swift journey on horseback.
Ning Jue held the letter in his palm and read it carefully three times, still reluctant to part with it. The first sentence, in particular, contained a coquettish teasing tone, which made Ning Jue almost able to imagine Bai Hua's shy expression and blushing cheeks as she wrote those words.
In the second paragraph of the letter, Bai Hua wrote about the strange way people treated her after she woke up, and the confusion she couldn't understand.
[I'm a little frustrated. Since waking up, no matter how I ask, my brother and sister-in-law avoid talking about what happened after I was in danger. But my mind is a mess, and I can't remember anything. The only evidence I have is the wounds on my ten fingers. Those cuts and scrapes look unusual; they don't look like torture, but rather like injuries from constant wear and tear... Young master, is my experience bad? Actually, what's past is past. I'm not afraid anymore. I just want to understand something. My brother, sister-in-law, and Xiao You probably think I'm weak, which is why they don't tell me. But I'm not... Why don't you tell me when you come back?]
Ning Jue gripped the corner of the letter, unconsciously increasing the pressure, his chest heaving twice more.
In the third paragraph, Bai Hua no longer mentions the danger she encountered. She picks up her pen to inquire about the progress of Ning Jue's work for the Grand General, whether it is going smoothly, how many more days it will take to complete, and approximately how many days it will take for him to return. She misses him very much.
I really miss that passage. It was probably added at the very end, and the handwriting became hurried, with ink varying in shade from the previous two paragraphs.
Perhaps she changed her mind just before sending it, hastily adding this shy phrase to express her feelings.
Ning Jue pressed the letter to his chest, a bitter taste rising in his throat, a truly unpleasant feeling.
How could he not want to see her? It was just a deep-seated fear. He was afraid that seeing the wound on her finger would trigger images of her being forcibly sealed in a coffin while she was still conscious, overwhelmed by terror, powerless to resist, only able to try and hold the coffin lid open with her bare hands, and the desperate look on her face as she struggled to survive but still couldn't find her…
With so much blood on her fingers, how many times had she struggled to prop up the coffin...? He dared not think about it.
...
Day after day, the weather was still chilly despite the fluctuating temperatures. Several flowering trees in the city, eager to bloom in spring, burst into bloom one after another, only to be suddenly struck by frost and snow. The delicate flowers could not stretch out and bloom, and instead, each tree was covered with a layer of snow-white cotton.
Who can I reason with about this?
Bai Hua's mood was as if covered by a layer of frost and snow, melancholy and sorrowful. She couldn't help but sigh and lament the passing of spring and the coming of autumn.
As was her daily routine, she would ask Xiao You, "Haven't you received a reply yet?"
Xiao You shook her head, trying to cover up her lie: "It just so happens that we've encountered the unpredictable weather of snow in spring. Traveling in the snow is difficult, so it's inevitable that we'll be delayed for a few more days."
Bai Hua leaned back in the chaise lounge, her lips pursed in disappointment upon hearing this.
She muttered to herself, "The roads are slippery with snow, and the seasons are unpredictable; I just happened to be in all of these situations."
His words revealed his anxiety.
Xiao You couldn't bear it, and hesitated for a long time before finally not telling the young lady the truth that Young Master Ning was in the city.
She had to keep her word as she had promised the eldest son, and not add to the young lady's troubles by talking too much.
Thinking of this, Xiao You lowered her head and left the inner room to prevent herself from acting impulsively.
Bai Hua was alone, propping her chin up with one hand, and peering out through the gap in the window. She looked at the peach trees in the courtyard, their branches dripping with melting snow, and felt a deep sense of melancholy.
There's no one around, so there's no need to worry about anything.
She rested her forehead on her arm, relaxed, and slumped weakly on the table. After a while, she finally couldn't help but let out a few low sobs.
Fortunately, no one witnessed this embarrassing moment of hers.
...
Although Ning Jue was in the Prince's mansion, he knew everything about Bai Hua's current situation and how much her health had recovered.
Jiuqiu received today's letter on Ningjue's behalf.
After reading it, she exchanged a glance with Chen Fu and raised an eyebrow, signaling him to go forward and say a few words of advice to the young master.
Chen Fu naturally listened to Jiu Qiu's words.
He moved closer to Ning Jue, then cleared his throat and said, "Young master, this is a letter I just received. Miss Bai cried secretly again yesterday. I don't know if it was because she missed you or because she was worried that you had disappeared without a trace. Why don't you go to the Bai residence tonight? Just say that you finished your business ahead of schedule and rushed back. The young lady will be happy to see you."
Jiuqiu hurriedly chimed in, "Yes, young master, please go. Miss Bai thinks of you every day, and how could you not know the pain of unrequited love? For so many days, you have been endlessly blaming yourself, blaming yourself for causing the girl to be in danger and injured, taking all the blame upon yourself, trapped in a quagmire of guilt, unable to extricate yourself. But the truth is, the perpetrator has already been personally killed by you, and you remained calm in the face of danger, finding the place where the girl was imprisoned in time and saving her life. You have done everything within your power. The girl was frightened and suffered, but she will certainly not blame you."
"And there's Brother Bai. He didn't know the details, but he sent word that Young Master shouldn't be bothered by Hua'er's injuries. Young Master is the one who saved her, not the one who hurt her. If you come to visit, the Bai family will certainly welcome you."
Young women are more perceptive, and compared to Chen Fu's dry advice, Jiu Qiu's words were more likely to move Ning Jue.
Ning Jue remained silent for a moment, stood by the window, and finally lowered his eyes and shook his head to indicate, "You all go out, I want to be alone."
This means I haven't figured it out yet.
Chen Fu and Jiu Qiu suddenly felt a bit powerless, but they couldn't say anything more to persuade them, so they could only stop there.
...
That evening, thunder roared and lightning flashed, the force of which seemed to cleave the night sky in two.
Ning Jue couldn't sleep. Sometimes he would close his eyes, and sometimes he would be startled awake by the thunder. He tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep, and was very tormented.
His gaze drifted into the dark void of the room. His mind was blank, but as thunder rumbled outside the window, his thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the past. He naturally thought of his sea voyage to Ye City with Hua'er. Back then, the two of them would always experience crazy nights like today, with storms and thunder.
The weather at sea is always unpredictable, and thunderstorms are common. However, Hua'er was particularly afraid of thunder and dared not sleep alone. So he took advantage of the situation and, half-coaxing and half-tricking, lured Hua'er to share a cabin and bed with him, spending the night together...
Looking back now, I realize I was really inhuman.
Just as Ning Jue regained his senses, another clap of thunder startled him. The trail of lightning was menacingly imprinted on the window paper, as if baring its fangs and baring its claws, impossible to ignore.
Will Hua'er be unable to sleep peacefully in her boudoir because she is afraid of thunder and rain?
Ning Jue turned over, forcibly trying to stop himself from thinking about it, but his thoughts were beyond his control.
The thunder and rain continued. Ning Jue sighed deeply, then opened his eyes, quickly got up, dressed, and tidied his hair. He then grabbed his raincoat and straw hat and went out without further hesitation.
The servant on night watch at the side gate of the Prince's mansion was taking a nap when he vaguely heard the neighing of horses and the whooshing sound in his ears. He thought he was dreaming.
Until, something hard pressed against my shoulder, and I was poked hard.
"Open the door."
The servant's heart skipped a beat, his eyes half-open and still dazed. Before he could react, he heard the man on horseback urge him again in a stern voice: "Hurry up!"
"……yes."
The servant shuddered, recognizing the voice as the other person's. Without hesitation, he quickly got up and did as instructed.
As soon as the gate opened, the horses galloped out.
Watching the receding figure disappear into the distance, the servant subconsciously guessed: "With such a flurry of activity, I wonder what urgent task the Prince has assigned to Young Master Ning this time."
However, even if something truly momentous happens, it won't affect ordinary people like them.
The servant bolted the door again, sat back on the cushion in the corner, relaxed, and went back to dozing.
...
Bai Mansion, Xiangyun Garden.
Inside the boudoir, with the doors and windows tightly shut, Bai Hua lay alone on the couch, covering her head with two layers of quilts and covering her ears with her hands to try to block out the penetrating power of the thunder and lightning.
The knocking sounded a second time at the door, and Bai Hua's heart skipped a beat. However, the sound was not what she had been expecting.
It was Xiao You speaking.
She was afraid of disturbing her, so she deliberately lowered her voice.
"Girl, are you asleep?"
Bai Hua didn't respond, but that didn't stop Xiao You from continuing, "Miss, in the past, whenever there was a thunderstorm like this, you would be scared and call me in to keep you company. Why is today different? The thunder outside is so terrifying, yet you insist on staying inside alone? Are you angry that I haven't told you anything, so you're upset with me and don't want to talk to me anymore? I... I'll tell you everything I know tomorrow, okay? I promise I won't hold anything back. I just beg you not to be angry with me anymore. You and I are the closest of friends. Even if the young master punishes me, I'm not afraid! The thunder is so terrifying. If you haven't gone to sleep, please call me in..."
Xiao You spoke at length, and Bai Hua felt a little soft-hearted.
However, today was a test she had planned, and she didn't know when she would encounter such torrential rain again.
Therefore, she must remain calm and suppress her fear.
Bai Hua remained silent.
Xiao You waited for a long time but received no response, so she could only comfort herself that the girl inside must be fast asleep.
With a gloomy face, she opened her umbrella and walked towards the side room where she was resting, completely unaware that a dark shadow was crouching on the roof.
A gust of wind blew open half of the window, and the wind and rain rushed into the room, tearing at the window curtains and making a mess of the bed curtains.
The wind howled, and lightning crackled.
Bai Hua wanted to get out of bed to close the window, but she was afraid that as soon as she got to the window, lightning would strike like a blade, tearing through the thick sky, so she hesitated and dared not move.
But if I keep holding back, the calligraphy practice books on my desk will probably get soaked!
Thinking of the master's original work that she had obtained after escaping death, Bai Hua gritted her teeth and threw off the covers without any regard for anything else.
However, when he looked up, he saw someone at the window.
As she lifted the blanket, the man conveniently closed the window tightly for her.
He had his back to her, and as he looked at her like this, it was as if his back was shielding her from all the wind and rain.
Bai Hua's heart stirred, and she moved closer to the person.
In the dead of night, in complete darkness, if a tall, imposing man's back suddenly appeared in a woman's boudoir, most people would be so frightened that they would scream and their legs would go weak.
However, Bai Hua remained calm and still, and apart from her increasingly rapid heartbeat, she showed no sign of panic on her face.
She strode forward, getting closer and closer to the figure, until she almost jogged over. She couldn't wait any longer, and without calling out, she rushed over and hugged his waist tightly.
When she hugged him, Ning Jue's body stiffened.
For a moment, neither of them spoke, and a barrier seemed to automatically form around them, isolating them from all the disturbances. Even though the wind and rain outside the window continued as usual, and thunder kept rumbling, Bai Hua paid no attention. The only sound that echoed in her ears was the pounding of Ning Jue's heart.
Ning Jue relented and hugged her back, letting out a very soft sigh, unsure whether she was sighing for her or for herself.
Bai Hua's thin nightgown was soaked by his rain-soaked outer garment, and after being held for a long time, Bai Hua unconsciously trembled slightly.
Ning Jue finally responded by holding her and asking, "Does your finger still hurt?"
Bai Hua shook her head and said truthfully, "It doesn't hurt anymore. The doctor came to my house and applied medicine three times. Now that I'm almost fully recovered, I don't need to apply it a fourth time."
Ning Jue: "Let me see."
There were no candles lit inside, and the moonlight tonight was not bright. Even though Ning Jue's eyesight was better than that of an ordinary person, he still had to hold it up to his eyes to see it clearly.
He gently held her wrist, checking each of her ten fingers one by one, and examining them carefully. Before long, Bai Hua felt her arm getting sore.
She didn't say anything, but Ning Jue glanced at her and understood what she meant. He quickly let her go and suggested, "Why don't we go to the bed to watch? You'll be more comfortable lying down. It's cold standing here."
Bai Hua blinked, unsure whether he meant that they slept together or just by herself.
But it's not a good question to ask; it's a bit embarrassing.
"Okay," she replied simply.
After responding, Bai Hua went inside first.
Ning Jue took off her soaking wet outer robe on the spot and piled it in the corner, afraid of soiling the exquisite velvet carpet in her inner room.
Bai Hua glanced back at him, thinking that he had already changed out of his wet clothes, and her own nightgown had just gotten wet too, so she should probably change into something else as well...
She climbed onto the bed and slipped into the warm blankets. Except for her head, her entire body from the neck down was covered by the blankets, and then she began to rustle and wriggle.
Ning Jue took off his boots and walked in barefoot. When he stood at the edge of the bed, Bai Hua was perfectly still.
Ning Jue sat down on the edge of the bed, not taking up much of Bai Hua's space.
"Come closer, let me take another look." He turned to the side and looked at Bai Huayan.
Bai Hua: "Stop looking. They're all similar injuries. Once one heals, they'll all be healed."
Ning Jue, however, was particularly concerned and insisted, "I'll only feel at ease if I've seen it myself."
Bai Hua snorted inwardly, thinking to herself, "If you don't trust me, why haven't you come to see me for so long?"
However, let's postpone settling the score for now.
He finally agreed to come over, and if we blame him again, he will probably feel guilty and choose to distance himself, claiming that it's for her own good.
snort.
Ning Jue noticed that her eyes were darting around as if she was pondering something. After a while, she still refused to cooperate and continued to wrap herself up like a silkworm cocoon.
He gently pinched Bai Hua's cheek and issued an ultimatum: "If you don't stick your head out, don't blame me for pulling you out."
Bai Hua raised an eyebrow: "Go ahead and pull it."
Ning Jue was not just talking; faced with the other party's provocation, he did not hesitate to lift a corner of the blanket and stick his left hand straight in.
Given the distance between them and the force with which he reached in, he should have been able to grab Bai Hua's arm or wrist without a doubt.
However, Bai Hua was lying in a very improper position inside, which led him to misjudge the situation. When he reached out, he touched not her arm, but Bai Hua's soft, trembling breasts.
Bai Hua moaned softly, her delicate breaths escaping her lips.
Ning Jue froze instantly once again.
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