Chapter 52 Body to Body
Bai Hua couldn't reason with Ning Jue.
No matter how she analyzed the benefits of bringing him along to the banquet, Ning Jue firmly refused, unwilling to take her along on this risky endeavor.
The two parted on bad terms, failing to reach an agreement.
The next day, Ning Jue did not disappear early in the morning as usual, but stayed to take care of Bai Hua and check on her foot injury recovery.
Actually, it hasn't hurt for a long time.
Yesterday, she deliberately made it sound serious because she secretly wanted Ning Jue to pay more attention to her. Now that she saw that he was really going to take a day off for her, Bai Hua felt guilty.
“It doesn’t hurt at all anymore, so the injury has probably healed. Young Master, you don’t need to stay here with me. You should go and meet up with Chen Fu as soon as possible to discuss important matters,” Bai Hua urged.
Ning Jue replied, "Everything is almost ready. We're just waiting for the King's banquet to begin. There's no rush. I won't go anywhere today. I'll just stay at the teahouse with you all day."
Bai Hua asked again, "Are you sure it won't cause any delays?"
Ning Jue reassured her, "No, it won't."
Hearing him say that, Bai Hua felt a little more at ease. Taking advantage of this rare opportunity to spend time together, she asked Ning Jue about the detailed plan to get closer to Jiang Shen'er.
Ning Jue did not hide anything from her and told her the truth.
“The Prince Cheng’s mansion has a large number of soldiers, and Chen Fu has also learned through his informants that the Prince Cheng still holds military power over the Guocheng patrol battalion. Therefore, if we rashly cause trouble in the mansion, we will face considerable pressure in responding to the enemy. So, this trouble should not be caused by human error, but rather by natural disaster.”
Bai Hua listened attentively.
Ning Jue: "Jiuqiu is lurking among the dancers, while Chen Fu and I remain backstage at the opera troupe. We also have people in the kitchen and the stables in the backyard. Once the guests have all arrived and the stage is filled with the sounds of singing, we will, as planned, retrieve the tinderboxes we've hidden beforehand, and seize the opportunity to start a fire, fanning the flames to cause panic among the guests and create chaos within the mansion. When 'Umbrella Fairy' Jiang Shen'er hastily leaves the mansion, I will intercept her. The event will be so sudden that the news won't reach the patrol camp in such a short time, and the people from Tianji Pavilion won't be able to arrive in time."
Bai Hua: "Young Master makes it sound so easy, but the actual situation must be much more complicated than you imagine. A slight mistake could lead to a blunder. It's so dangerous, yet I can't help at all. How can I just stay in the teahouse and live a life of quiet desperation?"
Ning Jue reassured her, "Trust me, everything will be alright. This is the most prudent approach right now. As long as we get the chance to face Jiang Shen'er head-on..."
Bai Hua's brow furrowed with worry as she earnestly instructed, "If you suddenly realize something is wrong, don't be reckless. Even if you fail this time, there will always be another chance. Ensuring safety is the most important thing. Also, Miss Jiuqiu doesn't know martial arts, so you must do your best to take good care of her. Never treat human life as a pawn to be used and discarded, especially since she has been kind to me."
"Don't worry, the worst outcome is that the plan fails, but even so, getting away won't be a problem." Ning Jue added, "As for Jiu Qiu, I know you feel indebted to her, so why would I deliberately go against you and put her in danger? Besides, she's working with us now, so she's practically a partner. I, Ning Jue, won't do anything that goes against my principles."
With those words from him, Bai Hua felt at ease.
Both of them had their own thoughts on their minds, so their interactions were less relaxed. As a result, there was almost no flirtatious communication or playful banter between them that day. They mostly just kept each other company quietly and naturally.
The two hung out the laundry together and made chestnut cakes together, making this day, which they stole from their busy schedules, feel as warm and fulfilling as an ordinary young couple.
As the chestnut cakes were ready, the kitchen was filled with steam. Suddenly, a pair of chubby little hands reached through the doorway, followed by a round little head tied with a red string peeking in.
Bai Hua was the first to notice Hong Gu. Seeing that she was timid and shy and dared not approach, she took the initiative to beckon her over.
Hong Gu stole a glance at Ning Jue, then ran to Bai Hua's side, grabbed the hem of her fairy-like white dress, and hid behind her.
Ning Jue, carrying a plate, bent down and scooped a piece of chestnut cake from the steamer, handing it to Bai Hua to try. Bai Hua took it, blew on it, smiled, and squatted down to give it to Hong Gu to eat first.
Hong Gu's face flushed slightly. She took the gift quietly and said softly, "Thank you, pretty sister, thank you, big brother."
Ning Jue then lowered his eyes to look at the child, deliberately teasing her. With a serious expression, he snatched the chestnut cake away, causing the little girl to frown and pout unhappily.
Bai Hua nudged him with her elbow, standing up for Hong Gu and saying, "Why are you bullying people, young master?"
"It's not bullying, I have something to ask her." After replying to Bai Hua, Ning Jue squatted down to be at eye level with Hong Gu and asked, "Tell me, who is prettier, this sister or the sister who combed your hair the other day?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Hua was the first to feel uncomfortable.
She didn't know how the young master had noticed that she had been bothered by this matter, and her cheeks flushed slightly as she awkwardly looked up.
Hong Gu blinked blankly, then after thinking for a moment, she pointed forward, her gaze settling on Bai Hua's face, and replied in a childish tone, "This older sister is prettier."
Ning Jue raised his eyebrows slightly, seemingly not letting Hong Gu off the hook, but in reality not letting Bai Hua off the hook.
He then asked, "So, who do you think is a better match for the older brother?"
Bai Hua was completely caught off guard and felt extremely embarrassed, but she couldn't escape... So she simply turned her back to Ning Jue so that he wouldn't see the emotional fluctuations on her face.
A moment later, Hong Gu's voice rang out again: "The sister I saw that day was wearing a red dress, but Sister A Peng and Brother A Peng both like to wear white clothes, so naturally you two look better together. Besides, my mother said you two are a couple."
"cough……"
Children speak without restraint.
Bai Hua couldn't help but cough.
Whether it was due to excessive tension or some other reason, she suddenly felt an itch in her throat, an itch that seemed to penetrate deep into her throat.
Ning Jue seemed to chuckle softly from behind.
He moved closer to her, took her wrist, and his deep voice sounded in her ear: "Chestnut cake, would you like to try some?"
Bai Hua turned around with difficulty, not knowing when Hong Gu had run out to play. Once again, only she and the young master were left in the kitchen.
Ning Jue picked up another plate and handed her the chestnut cake.
Bai Hua awkwardly reached out and took the cake, then ate it in silence. To avoid further embarrassment, she urged him to eat as well, saying, "Young master, please eat some too. You were the one who painstakingly peeled the chestnut shells."
Ning Jue saw that she had eaten half of the cake, so he grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward. Instead of eating all the cakes, he insisted on taking the half that she had left.
Bai Hua's round eyes instantly showed surprise.
As Ning Jue chewed, he calmly met her gaze and commented, "Sweet but not cloying, with a smooth texture, delicious."
"..."
Bai Hua struggled to pull her hand back, feeling the warmth of his lips on her fingertips, which instead of cooling down, became scorching hot.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly looked away.
Ning Jue picked up another piece of cake, eating it while staring at her with a half-smile.
I just really enjoy teasing her.
Just spending a short time alone with her was enough to easily dispel the fatigue and exhaustion he had felt from the previous few days of busy work.
She was his sweet spring water, and also his elixir of life.
...
For the next two days, Bai Hua hardly saw Ning Jue and Chen Fu. They were hiding in the opera troupe and returning later and later, usually in the middle of the night. Bai Hua couldn't stay awake any longer and decided to wait for the young master to return, but in the end, her eyelids became heavy and she fell asleep without realizing it.
On the last night, the night before the uprising, Bai Hua, in order to see Ning Jue and say that he was safe, forced herself to pace back and forth in her room, despite her sleepiness.
She dared not sit down, afraid that she would fall asleep if she relaxed. Even if she was very sleepy, she did not believe that she could fall asleep while standing.
As a result, we waited for a very long time, but there was still no movement from the next room, nor from the yard.
She wasn't disappointed. She had a guess in her mind that perhaps the young master had many things to prepare for tonight and was too busy with trivial matters to make a special trip back to the teahouse.
Thinking of this, Bai Hua's worries deepened, but right now there was nothing she could do but wait.
She tossed and turned in bed for a while, not feeling very sleepy. She didn't know when she fell asleep, but subconsciously felt that she hadn't slept soundly.
In my daze, I seemed to hear the sound of a door being pushed open.
She wasn't sure if the voice came from a dream or from reality.
Until... someone gently nudged her shoulder.
The force was undeniable. Bai Hua half-opened her eyes, still dazed, and saw only darkness. She thought a figure flashed past her.
Before she could even scream, Ning Jue swiftly covered her mouth and revealed his identity first.
"It's me."
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Bai Hua's fear dissipated.
Ning Jue withdrew his hand, and Bai Hua reached out and pressed her hand to her chest, suppressing her shock.
"Young master? How come you..." Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke.
Ning Jue explained, also feeling apologetic for frightening her: "I was afraid you would feel uneasy if you didn't see me tonight. Last night, Chen Fu, his brothers, and I were familiarizing ourselves with the surrounding streets and alleys outside the Prince Cheng's mansion, and also planting spies so that we could track down Jiang Shen'er's whereabouts in time after the fire. We've been busy until now and finally have some free time. I didn't go to the opera troupe afterwards; I wanted to come back to find you first and let you know I'm safe."
He spoke at length, and Bai Hua heard every single word clearly.
Without candlelight, in the dim light, and perhaps with limited vision, hearing becomes doubly sensitive.
So, when she heard him say these words, in addition to his clear voice, she could almost hear the hoarseness beneath his words, and through that hoarseness, she could sense how hard the young master had worked in recent days.
Previously, Bai Hua had always believed that as long as the young master wanted to do something, there was nothing he couldn't do. She trusted him so much and admired him as much.
As the day of the actual operation drew closer, she became increasingly aware of her fear and unease—it was the Prince Cheng's mansion, the royal family of the Southern Fujian, with a hundred guards and the threat of the patrol battalion. The young master and his party had no advantage in terms of location, so how easy would it be to succeed?
Ning Jue sat on the edge of her bed, his expression not serious at all. Instead, he comforted her, "Don't worry about me. When I come back tomorrow, we won't have to be so cautious anymore and can't show our faces. I'll take you to the biggest restaurant in Guocheng for a good meal to make up for the days you've been worrying about me, not being able to eat or sleep properly."
His second half of the sentence was clearly teasing.
But Bai Hua didn't immediately refute him as usual. Instead, she leaned forward, reached out, and hugged him tightly. With their bodies pressed together, she felt the chill of the night air emanating from him.
They both fell silent, their heartbeats pounding together.
Bai Hua's voice was slightly hoarse, with a hint of sobbing as she said, "Young Master, I hope everything goes well for you."
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