Chapter 24 Applying Medicine
Five or six days passed peacefully, and Bai Hua gradually became accustomed to the tranquil life before her.
Spending every day with Ning Jue, their relationship was that of master and servant, but it was much closer than that. Their closeness was unlike that of ordinary relatives and friends. After all, ordinary friends would not use professional massage techniques from martial arts practitioners to help her recover from her sprained ankle every day.
Bai Hua initially refused.
Her injuries were not serious, but more importantly, there were concerns about the proper conduct between men and women. However, the young master was not bound by worldly views and did not care or feel sensitive about this. He simply treated her as an ordinary injured person without any favoritism.
Faced with his composure, Bai Hua's restraint seemed somewhat awkward.
The young master casually asked her: Don't you want to recover sooner?
The injury was on her own body, and the aching sensation when walking was really unpleasant. If she could recover sooner, she could move around more easily.
Because of this, Bai Hua reluctantly agreed, but ultimately swallowed her embarrassment and nodded in agreement.
When massaging, you need to take off your shoes and socks, apply a special ointment, apply it for a while, and then massage it in for the best effect. So Bai Hua's defenses shifted again and again for him, from initially being wary of close contact with him, to later trying to hold hands, then hugging, and now, face to face, he expressionlessly took off her shoes and socks, his fingertips falling and caressing the most sensitive and vulnerable spot on her ankle.
He spun around and around, his calloused skin rough and calloused, sending shivers down her spine time and again, leaving her utterly defenseless.
It's for applying medicine...
Bai Hua closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and tried to suppress her racing heart, reminding herself that this was just applying medicine.
She glanced at the young master's expression out of the corner of her eye. He was calm and composed, with no sign of anything amiss. His gaze was serious and focused, much more composed and serene than her own flustered state of mind.
She couldn't help but feel frustrated, wondering why she couldn't be as calm and composed as the young master.
After massaging, the ointment was almost completely absorbed by the skin.
Ning Jue stopped, picked up a clean cotton handkerchief from the side, and slowly wiped the sticky, damp paste off her fingertips.
As I wiped it, I savored the memory.
It leaves a lasting impression.
Even though his fingers were no longer on her, the surging emotions in his heart still rippled in circles. Especially when he saw with his own eyes so many vivid and lively expressions on her face because of his touch, he felt a deep sense of satisfaction and his heart was even more difficult to calm down.
What's on the surface is fake.
What he excels at is hiding his emotions perfectly, thus concealing them flawlessly.
On the other side, Bai Hua's face was flushed with ochre. She was bowing her head and hurriedly putting on her shoes and socks. Then she whispered her gratitude to Ning Jue.
Ning Jue smiled slightly, looked at her, and shook his head, saying, "I should take responsibility for this. You twisted your ankle while dancing for me, how can I just sit idly by?"
Bai Hua said awkwardly, "Luckily, the injury wasn't serious, otherwise it would have caused you a lot of trouble, young master."
Ning Jue replied, "I don't want you to be seriously injured, but if such an accident were to happen, I will take full responsibility."
Bai Hua followed up with his question, "What if this person is lame?"
Ning Jue simply said, "Take responsibility."
Bai Hua then asked, "What if you become disabled?"
Ning Jue didn't answer, but instead asked her, "Can you still get married if you're disabled?"
These words came so suddenly that Bai Hua hesitated for a moment, taken aback.
Think about it carefully: which family would willingly let their able-bodied son marry a woman with a physical disability? This isn't discrimination, but rather a matter of personal and family interests, and they can't afford to take the risk. Unless a wealthy family actively seeks out a son-in-law, perhaps with other benefits involved, it's rare to find someone who is truly willing to do so.
Bai Hua carefully replied: "Based on my understanding, it is generally possible for both parties to have flaws, live together as a couple, and not mind each other's shortcomings."
Ning Jue said calmly, "That means I won't be able to marry my ideal husband."
Bai Hua nodded, agreeing that this was the prevailing trend.
Ning Jue chuckled meaningfully, tilting his head with a languid and weary expression. He then said, "Since that's the case, wouldn't I become a villain if I didn't take responsibility? Don't worry, if you really develop a chronic illness, become lame, or disabled, I'll want you. Is that alright?"
His final question trailed off with a slightly flippant tone, not in an unsettling way, but rather with a dashing and charming quality that left a tingling, ticklish feeling in the ear.
Bai Hua's face flushed red from his teasing, and her ear tips burned; she didn't want to answer.
Ning Jue rarely pressed her for an answer, fixated on it: "Don't you want to? Do you really look down on me that much...?"
His rare display of vulnerability in front of her was practically unfair.
Bai Hua's heart pounded violently, her fingers hidden under her sleeves, circling around and around.
Furthermore, her subconscious reaction left her flustered and at a loss; she almost blurted out, "No."
It's not that I look down on them, but that I dare not be a good match for them.
Bai Hua didn't want to be led by the nose by him anymore. She mustered her courage, suppressed her nervousness, and asked him in return, "How could you curse me to be crippled? There's no such possibility, so why make meaningless assumptions?"
Ning Jue concealed the sharpness in his eyes and replied, "Under normal circumstances, you wouldn't be willing, so I have to make a compromise assumption."
Bai Hua pursed her lips, her heart in turmoil, and turned her eyes away, saying, "I am unworthy of you, young master."
Ning Jue raised an eyebrow, his tone casual: "I am just a country bumpkin wandering the martial world, without official position or salary, and with no stability to speak of. I only practice martial arts and swordsmanship in my daily life. I have no livelihood or wealth, so what is so noble about me?"
Bai Hua lowered her eyes, thought for a moment, and spoke her mind: "I have eyes and can observe. I know that you are no ordinary person, not a carp in a pond, but a dragon lurking in the abyss. Since you do not wish to explain your origins, I will not ask further. But no matter what your identity is, I am willing to stay by your side for a long time to repay the kindness that saved me from trouble."
Ning Jue smiled loosely, his eyes mocking, and said without changing his mind: "You think too highly of me. I might not even be a carp in the pond. I'm just an arrogant frog in a well with limited vision and even more limited ability. I'm trapped in my own little world, just getting by."
When he said this, Ning Jue no longer spoke in a joking or teasing tone; his tone carried a hint of resentment and self-mockery.
Bai Hua's smile faded.
She keenly sensed that she might have inadvertently touched upon the young master's deeply buried secrets, and these secrets were unusual; to be more precise, they were a mental illness.
But clearly, at this moment, Ning Jue was avoiding this matter at all costs, and had no intention of sharing it with others.
Bai Hua, being sensible, did not respond to his words, but spoke only about herself, saying, "To me, young master is omnipotent, pure and immaculate, elegant and outstanding, with a unique temperament and aura. He is someone I look up to with great admiration."
Ning Jue looked at her bright eyes and remained silent for a long time.
Finally, she turned her gaze away first, saying in a detached tone, "You think too highly of me."
Bai Hua tentatively asked, "Can I continue to think this way?"
Ning Jue was silent for a moment before replying, "As for being omnipotent, yes. Whatever you want to do, no matter how difficult, if you ask me for help, I will assist you."
This was a very heavy promise, so heavy that Bai Hua dared not casually agree to it.
How can a disloyal person with ulterior motives be worthy of such honesty from you, my lord?
If he treated her badly, she would feel at ease; but now, amidst the tenderness, there was only torment.
Bai Hua didn't want to continue facing him, so she took the initiative to change the subject and tried to extricate herself: "Is the young master hungry? I'll go cook for you. Even if you are truly incompetent, you still need to eat grains to fill your stomach."
Ning Jue pondered for a moment and said, "Chestnut cake, I'll peel it."
She got up, and he got up too.
Unable to extricate themselves, the two became inseparable again.
...
The next few days were uneventful.
Ning Jue practiced swordsmanship, Bai Hua prepared food, they drank tea together in their spare time, and played chess to pass the time when they were bored. The two spent their days together and truly lived like a couple.
But Bai Hua knew in her heart that the comfort was just an illusion.
Her inner anxiety and unease were perhaps only glimpsed by the moon when she tossed and turned at night.
The longer time dragged on, the more worried and anxious she became about her brother, who was imprisoned in Jingqi Prison.
With the official opening of the tournament by the Great General King drawing ever closer, she must find a way to contact her cousin as soon as possible and inform him that the latter half of Ning Jue's sword technique is extremely secretive and difficult to glimpse unless he voluntarily reveals it, and that... if she wants to witness the prowess of his sword technique openly, she must become his wife.
The situation was difficult, and she was powerless to help.
This time... I'm afraid I'll really have to go home empty-handed.
However, her brother's wrongful imprisonment could not be delayed, and she was eager to see her cousin to ask if there was any other way to save her brother.
The more anxious they were, the harder it was to find a suitable reason to go down the mountain.
Especially after her foot injury, Ning Jue took extra care of her, wanting her to recover fully as soon as possible. He didn't take her with him when they went out, in order to prevent her from injuring her bones again if she got too tired.
Under these circumstances, she was really getting worried about waiting.
However, just as she was getting anxious and about to lose her composure, Zang Fan, whom she hadn't seen for a long time, returned from escorting goods in Ye City and personally went up the mountain to invite Ning Jue to his victory celebration banquet.
As the young master of the Zangmen Escort Agency, this was the first time he had shouldered the heavy responsibility of the Zang family business, leading the escort mission to a complete success. Naturally, he had to establish his authority and celebrate.
Zang Fan, his face beaming with joy, had just explained his purpose when Ning Jue, with a stern expression, summoned him to the study.
Suddenly, his joyful expression turned into confusion.
Bai Hua watched the two interact silently, observing without making a sound.
Just before closing the door, Ning Jue stood behind the threshold of the study and glanced at her indifferently.
Bai Hua quickly understood and consciously moved away, not daring to pry into their private affairs.
What exactly is it that we need to discuss with her without her knowledge?
Bai Hua felt disappointed because she couldn't get close to Ning Jue's most private secrets, and uneasy because she couldn't find out any information.
Separated by a door, each of them ultimately keeps their own thoughts to themselves.
...
The atmosphere in the study was slightly tense.
Ning Jue sat behind his desk, his face cold and stern. Zang Fan stood facing him, unaware of what was going on, and was quite apprehensive under his cold gaze.
Unexpectedly, Ning Jue's first words were a question: "When you left for Ye City, did you feed A Peng any random things the night before you left?"
Upon hearing this, the joy on Zang Fan's face vanished completely.
He could no longer contain himself. He glared at Ning Jue and complained fiercely, "I just came back from a grueling escort mission out of town, and you didn't say a word of concern. Instead, you came up here to question me on behalf of that troublemaker. What, did she tell you about me?"
Ning Jue: "If she had mentioned this to me, why would I ask you again? Just tell me the truth, and I won't take sides."
And you're not even taking sides...
Is it that he genuinely didn't realize it, or is he simply adept at blatantly lying?
How can someone who's already so biased still say "I'm not biased" without batting an eye?
Zang Fan was furious and said impatiently, "Yes, yes, I'm meddling in other people's business. The night before I left, I forced her to take the pill. Wasn't my purpose to protect you? If she had hidden her martial arts skills, taking that pill would not only have suppressed her power, but it would also have made her weak and powerless. I thought of your safety in every possible way, and instead of being grateful, you come here to question me."
Ning Jue frowned: "The pill only suppresses one's power? Are there any other side effects?"
"What side effects? It's not poison." Getting angrier the more he talked, the more Zang Fan decided to throw caution to the wind. "Fine, how about you just consider it as me poisoning her? What then? How about you slap me to death, or find me a bottle of poison to eat?"
Ning Jue didn't argue with his childishness, but only reminded him, "That pill is not right. You need to be more careful in the future and not use it on others indiscriminately."
After calming down a bit, Zang Fan pondered for a moment and asked, "What happened? Is she feeling unwell because of the pills? Is it serious?"
Ning Jue couldn't tell Zang Fan the truth about Bai Hua's unusual discomfort that night.
Therefore, they could only downplay the seriousness of the matter and give a vague answer: "It was similar to catching a cold, and I had a fever all night."
The truth is, it's not a fever, it's an asthma.
Without any derogatory meaning, it simply means that Ning Jue was itching to get back to work.
Zang Fan snorted again, refusing to admit that he had acted without thinking, and said only, "It's probably because she's frail. Don't try to take advantage of me just because she's not feeling well once."
Ning Jue replied calmly, "You're overthinking it."
If it's a matter of blaming someone, it's not his fault.
Zang Fan shrugged, thinking about the purpose of his visit today. In addition to sending an invitation, he had also learned something that he planned to tell Ning Jue in detail.
He spoke up abruptly, "This little maidservant beside you is no ordinary person. Guess who I ran into on my trip to Ye City? Duan Yi, the former chief of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. You've been looking for him, haven't you? Now, he's posing as a tea merchant near Ye City, and we happened to do business together. During our conversation, I truthfully told him that you were looking for me, and he asked me to pass on a message that he would be waiting for you at the Fairy Maiden Inn in Ye City within a month."
"After that, we chatted for a while. We talked about General Wang holding a challenge to recruit talents, and Ji Ling's many sword sects, led by the Guihong Sword Hall. When I mentioned the name of Rong Linyan, this nobody, Duan Yi actually said that he had heard of him. I continued to inquire, and unexpectedly, I learned from Duan Yi about Rong Linyan's affair with his cousin. You can guess who his cousin is, right?"
Ning Jue's expression changed slightly, and in an instant, his eyes surged with intense emotions.
A love affair...
Ning Jue admitted to being curious about her past, but at the same time, he was reluctant to learn about her from others.
Distant and unfamiliar.
It seemed that the person was not the same as A Peng beside him.
Ning Jue replied expressionlessly, "Go ahead."
Zang Fan still had the mind to joke with him: "If you ask me honestly, are you sure you can handle it?"
Ning Jue frowned, his voice cold and impatient: "Speak."
Zang Fan braced himself and recounted everything he had heard in detail: "Her identity is completely fabricated. What country bumpkin? She was once the daughter of an earl's family, and her maternal grandfather was the Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. She was a truly noble and wealthy official's daughter, and she even won the favor of the former Crown Prince and almost became the Crown Princess."
Upon hearing this, Ning Jue asked, "What is her real name?"
Zang Fan: "The Bai family of Jingqi, Bai Hua, whose given name I do not know."
Bai Hua, this name matches the one she revealed when she was drunk.
'She is both graceful and serene in her quietude, and charming and alluring in the human world.'
That's where her name comes from.
As for A Peng, she's probably a fake.
Seeing that Ning Jue remained silent, Zang Fan continued: "Unfortunately, things are unpredictable. Later, the Crown Prince fell into trouble, Prince Ying ascended the throne, and his father was found guilty of forming cliques and choosing the wrong side. He was demoted and forced to leave the capital, and soon after, he and his wife passed away."
"The eldest son of the Bai family was detained in the capital. Bai Hua originally planned to return to the capital to seek refuge with her brother, but instead, she was targeted by a playboy in the capital who coveted her beauty. Not wanting to cause trouble for her brother and sister-in-law, she had no choice but to leave the capital and seek refuge with relatives and friends, eventually settling in Jiling to stay at her aunt's house. As a result, she gradually developed feelings for her cousin while spending time with him..."
Zang Fan's throat was dry from talking, so he paused for a moment and then provoked Ning Jue by asking, "How is it? Doesn't it sound a bit like a storybook? What a perfect couple, a match made in heaven."
Ning Jue remained silent for a long while before replying indifferently, "The son of a merchant, of low status and power, was originally not even worthy of being noticed by a thousand gold pieces. Now, taking advantage of his misfortune and exploiting his vulnerability, isn't that despicable?"
Zang Fan smiled and said, "Your point of view is quite unique."
Ning Jue did not respond, still pondering other things.
In Jingqi, she was once very famous. Apart from the Crown Prince and wealthy young men, countless other men had expressed their love and admiration for her.
It turns out that the countless compliments she casually mentioned on the day she returned from Green Ivy Village were all true.
There was no anger, but I felt a tightness in my chest and a sense of unease.
He wasn't surprised that many men were in love with her, but he cared about it far more than he had imagined.
In front of those people, did she ever smile radiantly, her eyes sparkling, her beauty beyond compare?
When they looked at her, did their eyes show more admiration or more intimacy?
Despite his calm and collected demeanor, Ning Jue was on the verge of going crazy inside.
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