Chapter 148 - Side Story Six
"This medicine is a bit bitter, but Old Chong said that drinking it will relieve the pain."
Beside the dimly lit bathtub, Ruan Jinling sat half-squatting, holding a small bowl in her hand. The medicine in the bowl was black and sticky, emitting a strange smell that made her feel nauseous. She could understand the other person's feelings.
For the past two months, he hasn't eaten a single meal. He takes medicine every day, and he is visibly losing weight.
On the day she first came to see him, although he was pale and seemed lifeless, he was sturdy with well-defined muscles. Over the next two months, he became even paler and thinner, and with his overly handsome appearance, he visibly became a pretty boy.
At first, Ruan Jinling was not used to his completely different face. Now she is a little more comfortable with it, but she is still a little reserved.
This man used to be upright and gentle, making it easy for people to trust him. Even knowing he was rich and powerful, it wasn't hard to feel fear towards him. Now, however, he's much more aggressive, and coupled with his indifferent attitude, she's been acting like a little maidservant lately, feeding him medicine, washing him, and then leaving.
Ruan Jinling felt guilty and remorseful, but she also felt wronged. She pursed her lips, her almond-shaped eyes drooped, and she looked a little listless. Anyone who didn't know better would think that she had been bullied.
Suppressing her grievances, she raised the spoon to his lips and said, "Just drink a little bit."
Song Shang leaned back against the edge of the bathtub, feeling as if a thousand insects were gnawing at his heart. He looked listless, raised his eyelids, and looked at the medicine brought to his lips, saying sarcastically, "I dare not drink it, I'm afraid it's poison."
Ruan Jinling froze, her eyes reddening, her heart clenching, unable to speak.
Although it was not her wish, his calamity today was indeed due to her. She had secretly asked the Old Insect to test a little bit of the Gu pain on her. Even a fingernail-sized amount of pain made her cry, and now his whole body was in the same state.
It's understandable that he resents her.
Ruan Jinling caught her breath, suppressed the bitterness in her heart, and forced a smile. In front of him, she withdrew her hand and stuffed the spoon into the medicine, with a hint of defiance, wanting to prove to him that although the medicine smelled bad, it was non-toxic.
But just as the spoon reached her lips, her hand was grasped. She couldn't help but hiss as the spoon was taken from her hand and placed back into the bowl. Then the bowl was also removed from her hand, and as her Adam's apple bobbed, she swallowed it little by little.
Song Shang gripped her hand, tossed the bowl aside, stared at her with his narrow phoenix eyes, and smirked, "Feeling wronged?"
Ruan Jinling pursed her lips: "No."
It's her fault, what right does she have to feel wronged?
That's what she said and that's what she thought, but how can a person control themselves?
Thinking of his past kindness and gentleness, and seeing his current coldness and sarcasm, her shoulders trembled, her head drooped, her almond-shaped eyes reddened, tears welled up, threatening to fall, her lips were bitten so hard that teeth marks appeared, and she sniffled softly, her face practically screaming "wronged."
Song Shang glanced at her like this, then gently lifted her hand. She immediately hissed and her brows furrowed, showing that she was in real pain.
He scoffed and pulled open her sleeve.
During this period of time, he was not the only one who lost weight; she did too. Her once lustrous wrists became thin and dry, unable to hold a jade bracelet. They were still fair, but had turned from jade to stone, becoming rough and thin. Her wrists were wrapped in gauze, and bloodstains were visible on them.
Ruan Jinling subconsciously tried to pull her hand back, but it was held tightly and she couldn't move. She explained again, "I got it in the room earlier, it's nothing."
Song Shang didn't speak. He unwrapped the gauze, revealing a fair wrist covered in medicinal powder, with a half-finger-long knife wound.
There was no way to hide it anymore. Ruan Jinling carefully observed his expression and said cautiously, "It's just a little blood, it won't make a difference."
Song Shang raised his eyes, his voice icy: "Don't you understand what I'm saying? You think I'll thank you for this?"
Ruan Jinling's nose tingled, and her voice choked with emotion: "I didn't, I just, I only..."
"Just what?" Song Shang's overly beautiful face was covered with frost. "Just want to lessen your guilt? Or just think of me, and this matter will be over. Then the world is vast, and you can go anywhere."
Tears fell as Ruan Jinling clutched her chest with her other hand. It felt like something was trying to burst out, causing her excruciating pain. Her eyes were red and she sobbed incessantly. Amidst her anguish, she questioned, "Is this how you see me? Song Shang, do you have no heart?"
If she truly wanted to roam freely, why couldn't she have escaped during those few months they knew each other? Why didn't she leave when he had his accident?
"I know you hate me for hurting you like this, and it's understandable that you hate me, but am I really that worthless in your eyes?" She pointed to her chest, her eyes red, and sobbed uncontrollably. "Yes, I lied to you at first, but didn't you lie to me too? Is it my fault that I have an unusual background? I just want to live a good life and avoid trouble. In the eyes of powerful people like you, is it wrong for people like us to even exist?"
Given the circumstances and her own situation, what else could she do but pretend to be stupid?
Be honest and truthful.
She was lucky enough to be pulled into the vanguard and was given freedom by this side, but she also completely offended the girls and the people behind them. Her identity was exposed, and she would live in constant fear from now on.
If you're even less lucky, you might be given away as a plaything and become a slave or servant.
Song Shang remained silent.
Ruan Jinling reached out to pull at his clothes, but then remembered that he wasn't wearing anything. Instead, she pushed him away and slapped him on the chest: "Say something!"
Song Shang stared at her intently with his long, dark eyes, as if trying to ascertain something. After a long while, he finally said, "You're wrong."
Ruan Jinling was stunned, a wave of unspoken disappointment washing over her.
Song Shang didn't give her a chance to speak again. He had already said enough. He grabbed her hand, which was patting her chest, and pulled her in with a force.
With a splash, water rose up
"First, I, Song Shang, don't need you to bleed me; I can live just fine. Second, without you, there is no us. This is between you and me; why drag others into it? Third..." At this point, Song Shang paused. Under her astonished gaze, his slender fingers gently untied her belt, pulled open her inner garment, and pressed against her chest. His fingertips brushed against her increasingly full and soft breasts, then pressed directly against her heart, suppressing the spreading red Gu. His voice was deep and resonant.
"You've been affected by the Red Thread Gu again. You think bloodletting is so fun? The Ten Gu of Lingnan are not some Tom, Dick, or Harry. Do you still want this child?"
His gaze fell on her chest, where what had initially been a small red mole had, over time, expanded to the size of half a palm, spreading out like fallen plum blossoms, feeding on her flesh and blood. Although Elder Chong could cure it, he had to consider her health and the baby, so he could only remove it slowly.
Most importantly.
Song Shang placed his large hand down on her slightly protruding belly. At three months pregnant, she wasn't showing yet. If one didn't know beforehand, they would only think she had eaten too much. But now, there was definitely a child inside her.
It was his and her child.
Song Shang's gaze softened unconsciously. He gently pressed the fair belly, and naturally there was no reaction, but he felt a strong throbbing inside, indicating that it must be a very lively little one.
He asked, "Did that old man tell you?"
After a while, they discovered that Ruan Jinling had a rather special constitution. The Red Thread Gu was as docile as a tiger turning into a cat on her body, which is why Song Shang did not discover the Red Thread Gu on her body in time.
If she wanted to, she could switch from removing the Gu to controlling it, which would be very beneficial to her in the future. Not only would her health improve, but she would also no longer have to worry about these insidious things. However, she would inevitably have to suffer a lot.
Ruan Jinling hesitated, then said, "I told you."
Song Shang: "Then you should also know that you are pregnant."
Ruan Jinling pursed her lips and reached out to touch her belly. Although it was only three months along, she could feel the occasional throbbing inside. It was a well-behaved and robust little one.
Her eyes softened, and she said softly, "I know, but I still want to do it. Elder Chong said that after practicing Gu, my body will be much better, and the child in my womb will also benefit."
"Him? Do you know how many people died in Lingnan because of him? You actually believe what he says?" Song Shang scoffed, withdrawing his hand and twirling her hair, which was damp from the medicine, with his fingertips. His narrow phoenix eyes looked down at her, and he grabbed her pointed chin with a hint of malice. "What, Miss Ruan, are you still so naive?"
He wanted to say she was stupid, but looking at her reddened eyes, he held back slightly.
Ruan Jinling's wet eyelashes trembled slightly, it was hard to tell if it was from medicine or tears. She raised her head and looked directly at him, her almond-shaped eyes wet, like a young animal that had just opened its eyes, with the trust of a first meeting.
She said each word carefully: "Because of you."
The old man was unpredictable, both righteous and wicked, and looked so intimidating that Ruan Jinling couldn't possibly trust him completely. She only knew that even though the person in front of her was in such a state, the old man didn't dare to make any underhanded moves and instead did his best to treat her, so there must be something he had up his sleeve.
He probably hid something bad in what he said, but on the surface, everything seemed fine.
Besides, there's nothing else to it; this person in front of him certainly won't let Elder Chong do whatever he wants.
The child in her belly isn't just hers.
Ruan Jinling wasn't stupid; she just hoped to have more self-protection skills so that she wouldn't encounter such a thing again in the future.
Song Shang stared at her intently, observing her dependence, her regret, and her resentment. He clicked his tongue, leaned down, and stared at her with his narrow eyes, a smirk playing on his lips, his aggressive gaze enveloping her completely.
"Me? You know who I am and you still dare to say that?"
Ruan Jinling sniffed: "You are Song Shang, you are Qu Maoze, you are the father of my child, and you are someone who is good to me."
Is that enough?
Song Shang stared at her intently, his heart racing at her fragile appearance. A wicked impulse surged within him, and he moved his large hand down her delicate skin, until he reached her thighs. He pinched the tender flesh, his lips curving into a smile as he looked at her suddenly smiling face, his knuckles tightening his grip.
"Being good to you? In what way? Is this better, or this..."
The pattering of water couldn't drown out the gasps and sobs. (The last line appears to be a fragment and doesn't translate directly.)
Tears eventually soaked her eyelashes. Ruan Jinling trembled, biting her lip to suppress a moan, thinking to herself that she must have been out of her mind to think this person was so nice.
That's a shameless jerk.
[Author's Note]
Little Rascal: Ahhhhh, not suitable for children, not suitable for children!
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