Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Or do you just like this kind of love but can’t get it…
On the fifth day of the rain, Cuiyulou and Jinluoge delivered the clothes and jewelry that Nanxu had ordered to Bo's house.
Looking at the dazzling silks, jewels and jades, Nan Xu ordered people to count and put them into the warehouse, and then sent the jewelry that she had said she would give to her mother, several sisters-in-law and Yin Ruizhu.
Yuxiang had been behaving well for a few days and was almost getting bored. Seeing an opportunity to leave the house, he wanted to go with them.
Nan Xu was just wanting to see if she had really learned her lesson, and also wanted to test if she could be more cautious in doing things, so she nodded and agreed to her request.
After dinner, Nan Xu lay on the couch for a while. Having nothing to do, he asked someone to bring an umbrella, and the master and servants walked along the corridor to the east.
Under the eaves of the eastern side courtyard, two little maids saw Nan Xu and his group coming from afar, and hurriedly rushed over to welcome them into the house.
The winter rain was heavy and the wind was biting, but the room was warm. Nan Xu took off the feather gauze cloak and sat down in front of Yu Ming's bed.
Yu Ming was thinner than before, almost to the point of being out of shape.
Nan Xu lifted the corner of the quilt and pinched her wrist. Feeling the prickly touch in her hand, her eyes instantly became wet.
"Are you still taking the medicine prescribed by the imperial physician? Do you still have any ginseng?"
Several maids replied, "We all fed Sister Yuming, but, but..."
"But what! Madam is here, just say whatever you want to say, why are you hesitating?" Chunya scolded in a low voice, with some of the authority of a maid.
The maids didn't dare to hide it, and one of them hurriedly said, "Before, I could feed her, but these past few days, for some reason, she can't even take the ginseng soup or medicine."
Another also said, "The servants can only help Sister Yuming sit up, pry open her mouth and force the liquid down her throat, but most of the time she doesn't drink much."
"Why didn't you come and tell me?"
Nan Xu turned to look at them. The maids panicked and hurriedly explained, "It's not that I didn't tell Madam, but every time I was about to go, Sister Yuming seemed to be able to sense it and drink it like before. I didn't dare to disturb Madam rashly. I thought I would observe for a few days before making any decision, but I didn't expect it to be delayed until today."
The maid's voice became smaller and smaller, until it was almost inaudible.
Is there such a miraculous thing? Nan Xu was a little skeptical, thinking that the maids who took care of her were not doing their best, so she asked the maid to bring in a bowl of ginseng soup and she would feed her.
Just as the maids said, it was impossible to feed the baby at first. But after Nan Xu whispered a few words in Yu Ming's ear, feeding the baby was no longer as difficult as before.
As I was feeding, tears blurred my eyes.
Others might not know, but how could Nan Xu not understand in her heart that even in his coma, Yu Ming was thinking about her and was unwilling to cause trouble for her with his last breath.
But she still hasn't found the real culprit who hurt her like this. Nan Xu feels a little guilty towards Yu Ming, ashamed of her sincerity towards her...
Nan Xu took the handkerchief handed to her by Chunya, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and handed the ginseng soup to the maid next to her.
"Keep feeding."
"If you encounter this kind of thing again, just mention my name in Yuming's ear. If it doesn't work, report back to me. Don't delay!"
After saying that, Nan Xu did not stay any longer and left the yard.
The maids watched Nan Xu leave and didn't notice that Yu Ming's fingers on the bed moved.
*
After leaving Yuming, Nanxu walked very fast. Chunya didn't have time to put the cloak on her, and the rain wet Nanxu's shoulders and cuffs.
After passing through the corridor and around the rockery, Nan Xu was about to reach the main house. He paused and turned to walk towards the study.
She walked so fast that she almost bumped into Yu Rong who was coming towards her.
Fortunately, Yu Rong braked quickly, took two steps back, clasped his fists and greeted Nan Xu.
Nan Xu nodded, walked around him and was about to enter the study, but when she pushed the door open, Yu Rong stopped her.
"Madam, the uncle is meeting a guest. I'm afraid it's not convenient to see you at this time."
Nan Xu then remembered that she was so busy thinking about something that she forgot to ask someone to pass the message, so she asked Yu Rong to go in and tell Duan Wenpei that she wanted to see him.
Yu Rong wanted to say that the guest might not be able to leave for a while, but seeing Nan Xu's solemn expression, he knew that he was not the one to say this, so he nodded and turned to go into the study.
Nan Xu stared at the vermilion lacquered wooden door that opened and closed, and unconsciously walked a few steps closer and put his ear close to it to listen to the sounds inside.
It was intermittent and unclear. She could only vaguely hear that something was found, and that the news had spread. The palace had summoned the princess to talk to someone. Then she heard that the rain was really effective, and the governor of a certain place submitted a petition requesting disaster relief... Nan Xu was listening intently when, with a creak, the door in front of her was opened from the inside. Nan Xu looked up and her eyes met the person inside.
"Sister-in-law, this is..."
Xie Jin blinked his peach blossom eyes, looked at the beautiful face in front of him, and smiled suavely.
Nan Xu felt a little uncomfortable being stared at by him, and because she was caught eavesdropping, she panicked for a moment. Just as she was about to speak, a gentle scolding came from inside, "Xie Yunzhi, show some respect to your sister-in-law!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a dark figure swept out from the room, pushed Xie Jin aside, and took Nan Xu's wrist and walked into the study.
Xie Jin rubbed his sore arm and silently rolled his eyes at Duan Wenpei's back. His smile faded as he gave Nan Xu a formal bow. "Xie Jin, greetings to my sister-in-law."
"Thank you, sir, no need to be so polite." Nan Xu broke free from the shackles on his wrists and moved away from the person beside him.
Xie Jin saw this scene and couldn't help but say inwardly, Zhao Huaizhou, ah Zhao Huaizhou, you have come to this day!
"Aren't you leaving yet? Didn't you say you had something else to do?" Duan Wenpei reminded Xie Jin when he saw him standing still.
This was the first time Nan Xu had come to him on her own initiative since the day they parted on bad terms. Duan Wenpei felt mixed emotions, a bit of surprise and some lingering resentment.
The hardness he had deliberately maintained in his heart began to crumble when she appeared at the door, leaving only panic and a hint of secret expectation.
This expectation forced him to want to drive out everyone else in the room except him and her.
Duan Wenpei thought about it and gave Xie Jin a look, telling him to leave quickly.
Who is Xie Jin? Last time I discovered the awkward relationship between Duan Wenpei and this lady of the earl's family.
He liked to watch the fun and wanted to see how Duan Wenpei looked when he was humiliated.
He suppressed the corners of his mouth that were about to turn up, covered his stomach and pretended to be hungry, then said goodbye to the two of them, "Your Highness is right. I was in such a hurry to come to you to discuss something that I didn't even have time to eat breakfast. It's getting late, so I should take my leave and find a place to fill my stomach."
Duan Wenpei knew Xie Jin's cunning intentions from the moment he looked at him, and urged him, "If you want to go, hurry up!"
Xie Jin nodded sadly, and walked towards the door under his expectant gaze. Just as he was about to leave the room, he turned back and asked, "Xie is also working for the uncle. Otherwise... the uncle would like me to eat before leaving?"
Xie Jin's acting skills are no worse than those of the singers in the opera troupes.
Duan Wenpei didn't buy it, but Nan Xu couldn't ignore the reputation of Wei Yangbo's Mansion. She was in charge of the general affairs of the mansion. If the word of her harsh treatment of colleagues got out, others might not only criticize Duan Wenpei but also her.
"In that case, Sir Xie, please stay and have dinner with us."
Duan Wenpei: ...
Xie Jin, having gotten what he wanted, said: "It is better to obey than to be respectful. Thank you, sister-in-law."
*
There is food on the table, and the three people at the table each have their own thoughts.
Nan Xu thought of Yu Ming and lost her appetite. Duan Wenpei picked up a few dishes for her, but she tried her best to refuse them. Duan Wenpei felt bad for a moment, so he put down his chopsticks and watched Xie Jin eat with a cold face.
Xie Jin... ate happily, and occasionally commented on the dishes on the table.
"This is spicy too, but it pales in comparison to the food at Tianxianglou."
"This soup is delicious too. It has the flavors of Kyoto mixed with the flavors of Shu. It's simply wonderful." "And this..."
Annoyed by his words, Duan Wenpei warned him coldly, "Don't talk while eating, and don't talk while sleeping!"
Xie Jin shook his head indifferently. "This isn't the Xie residence. Huaizhou, why are you preaching like an old woman?"
When Nan Xu heard him compare Duan Wenpei to an old nanny, and then looked at Duan Wenpei's handsome face which was as black as the bottom of a pot, she found it a little funny. She had to pick up the teacup and pretend to drink tea to hide her smile. Unexpectedly, she choked after only two sips of the tea.
Duan Wenpei reached out to pat her back to soothe her, but Xie Jin deliberately took the initiative and handed her a glass of water. "Sister-in-law, drink some water to moisten your throat. It's no wonder you're coughing. This dish is delicious, but it's too strong. Ah~ It hurts—"
Xie Jin grinned and silently said to Duan Wenpei, "Let go."
Duan Wenpei pulled the corner of his mouth with a forced smile, signaling him to behave himself. Xie Jin nodded reluctantly. Duan Wenpei raised his eyebrows and moved his legs away from his feet.
Nan Xu saw everything the two men did and could tell that they had a good relationship. Just as she was thinking about it, a magnetic voice came from beside her.
"Madam, what's the matter with you?"
Duan Wenpei had wanted to ask this a long time ago, but because Xie Jin was there, he didn't have time to ask.
Nan Xu didn't expect Duan Wenpei to ask this suddenly. She looked at Xie Jin who was eating opposite her and felt a little hesitant.
Duan Wenpei encouraged: "As long as it doesn't involve our personal affairs, you can talk about it."
He was certain that Nan Xu didn't come to him at this time to talk about love.
He has said so, what else does she have to worry about!
Nan Xu stroked the teacup beside her, her eyes wandering across the tabletop. After a moment, she slowly said, "It's nothing serious. I just wanted to ask, sir, how's the progress on the person you promised me to find?"
Looking for someone?
Before Duan Wenpei could speak, Xie Jin looked up and said, "Who are you looking for, sister-in-law? Huaizhou hasn't found him yet? Let me give it a try. The Xie family is best at finding... well -"
Noisy!
Duan Wenpei couldn't stand it any longer and pressed Xie Jin's mute xue.
Nan Xu saw him lightly tapping Xie Jin. Xie Jin opened his mouth but was silent. He looked at his hand in surprise.
"If you want to learn, I'll teach you later."
Nanxu: That’s not necessary…
Xie Jin smiled wickedly: Ha! Even the greatest hero can only become a bear in front of a beauty...
"Uncle hasn't said anything yet, but has there been any results in the search for that person?"
Nan Xu got back to the topic and looked straight at Duan Wenpei, trying to see the answer she wanted from his face.
Facing her expectant gaze, Duan Wenpei couldn't help but curl his fingers. "Not yet. However, I've asked Yu Rong to change the direction of his investigation. He's probably near Kyoto, so we'll get results."
Nan Xu was a little skeptical. "With Master's methods, how could he not find the murderer after so long? Or did Master think that Yu Ming was just a maid, and her life was like a piece of grass by the roadside compared to Master's business? Master, you treat her like a piece of grass, and you never take this matter to heart!"
She spoke quickly and urgently, and every word she said pierced people's hearts.
Xie Jin glanced at Duan Wenpei worriedly. Sure enough, his expression, which had been a little warm just now, suddenly turned cold, and anger was visible on his brows, but he suppressed it with restraint.
"It turns out that I am so unbearable in your heart."
He looked at her as if he wanted to see through her.
Nan Xu bit her lip, clenched her hands, and turned her head away stubbornly.
Concern can lead to confusion, and she was the first to lose her composure. She had been asking for his help, so whether he helped or not, she had no right to criticize him. Furthermore, she had her own selfish motives, and she had been accumulating all her resentment towards him for days. The words that came out of her mouth were harsh and piercing, and she felt a sense of regret...
"I'm sorry." A faint blush spread across the corners of her eyes. Nan Xu stood up and turned away, feeling somewhat embarrassed. "Uncle said something similar before, and in my haste, I assumed you still felt the same way. I didn't mean to misunderstand you. If I've said anything wrong, please forgive me."
An image flashed through his mind, and Duan Wenpei remembered saying the same thing in the carriage on his way back from the Big Buddha Temple. Back then, he hadn't fully grasped his feelings for Nan Xu, and seeing her anxious, he'd offered words of comfort. He hadn't expected to remember it until today.
He rubbed his eyebrows, not knowing whether to blame Nan Xu for not understanding him, or to blame himself for saying the wrong thing.
Nan Xu waited for a long time but heard no response. She thought Duan Wenpei was unwilling to forgive her. She secretly called him a stingy guy and was about to leave, but was stopped by someone from behind.
Nan Xu knew who it was. She struggled but couldn't get free, so she just stood there, not moving or looking back.
Duan Wenpei had lost his temper at her words. He sighed, forcefully led her to sit down, and handed the chopsticks to her. "Don't worry about this matter. I promised and I won't go back on my word. Let's not talk about this now. You just ate too little. Eat more before you leave." Seeing Nan Xu lower her head and not move, he leaned towards her and said almost coaxingly, "Eat a few more bites, then leave. I won't stop you."
Seeing that he was in a posture of not letting go until she had eaten it, Nan Xu pursed her lips and actually took two more bites.
Duan Wenpei smiled bitterly: ...You are obedient at this time.
Xie Jin, who was unable to speak, widened his peach blossom eyes into almond-shaped ones. If it weren't for the wrong occasion, he would have almost fainted from laughing.
If those people outside who were afraid of Duan Wenpei like a ghost saw him like this, they would probably think they had really seen a ghost!
*
After Nan Xu left, Duan Wenpei reached out and untied Xie Jin's mute acupoint.
Xie Jin couldn't help but burst out laughing, laughing at the fact that he was a henpecked husband.
Duan Wenpei glanced at him and said, "You're not married yet, what do you know?"
Xie Jin shook his head. "Although I'm not married, I've experienced many women, but no one has ever been able to conquer me." He said with some complacency, "Unlike you, Huaizhou, you are being led around by the nose by a woman who doesn't care about you at all. Huaizhou, you have changed!"
No longer so cold and heartless, no longer as hard as iron, and now has soft spots.
"Huaizhou, have you figured out whether you truly love this second girl? Or do you just like the feeling of wanting to conquer someone you can't love?"
After all, from his perspective of having seen countless women, the second daughter of the Marquis's Mansion is not comparable to those submissive women in the harem.
Duan Wenpei had little experience with women, so maybe it was just a temporary novelty...
Duan Wenpei frowned, tapped the table with his fingers intermittently, and said nothing.
Xie Jin knew that this meant that he had taken his words to heart.
He patted Duan Wenpei's arm and said earnestly, "Don't blame me for being harsh. I'm doing this for your own good. If you truly love me, that's all that matters. But if not, instead of giving others hope and letting them slowly fall in love with you one day, it's better to hold back your affection. Huaizhou, the Zhao family is a dangerous place she can't enter. My cousin's spirit in heaven wouldn't want innocent people to be implicated in our affairs."
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