Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Night Cough
Taozhou is located on the northern border and has a particularly cold climate. Although it is already past the beginning of spring and there are heated kangs and charcoal basins in the house, cold wind and chilly air can still seep in through the window cracks at night.
Zhe Rou was sleeping soundly in her dream. She didn't know what time it was when she vaguely felt a chill on her body. She reached out to pull the quilt in a daze, but she didn't expect that the warm kang beside her was half empty and there was no warmth left.
No one knew where Lu Chen had gone.
Her fingertips paused for a moment, then she pulled the quilt tighter, turned over and continued to sleep, not intending to pay any attention.
I was closing my eyes when I suddenly heard a slight noise outside the house, like someone coughing, but trying hard to suppress it. The sound was a little muffled and intermittent, mixed in the whistling and sobbing night wind, and it was not very clear.
Zhe Rou frowned and buried her face deeper into the pillow.
The coughing outside the house suddenly became rapid. It was obvious that the cold wind choked the throat and caught the lungs in the cold, making it more and more unbearable. It continued one after another and could no longer be stopped.
Soon, there was a sound of hurried footsteps under the eaves, stepping on the fallen snow, making a sharp crunching sound.
Lu Chen seemed to have walked a little further away, and his already intermittent coughing was completely drowned out by the night wind.
Suddenly, there was silence all around, and only the howling of the north wind could be heard, occasionally blowing up pieces of snow that hit the window frames, making a slight rustling sound.
Zhe Rou slowly opened her eyes.
When they were in Minzhou, Nan Heng had told her that Lu Chen had suffered from symptoms after the assassination that night. He often coughed up blood at night and it was possible that he would have difficulty in getting rid of the symptoms for the rest of his life.
In the dim light, Zhe Rou looked at the familiar window lattice pattern in front of her, her fingertips unconsciously clenching the corner of the quilt, and she couldn't explain what she felt in her heart.
After a long while, she pursed her lips, closed her eyes again, and pretended to be unaware.
There was fine snow falling in the night. Lu Chen coughed for a long time outside the house. Snowflakes fell on his shoulders and his body was already soaked in the cold.
He tiptoed back to the house, rinsed his mouth, and went to the charcoal brazier to fumigate away the coldness until he no longer felt cold to the touch, then he walked back again.
Just as he was about to lift the quilt, Lu Chen suddenly froze.
Having slept in the same bed for so many years, he knew very well whether she was fast asleep or just pretending to be asleep. He could tell the difference at a glance.
Her shoulders and back were slightly stiff, and her breathing was a little sluggish. She was clearly awake, but was pretending to be asleep.
She knew he had a relapse of his old illness.
But she clearly didn't want to care, and no longer felt sorry for him. She probably just wanted to watch him fend for himself.
Lu Chen lowered his eyes and looked at the gentle profile of the person on the couch.
That year he just had a cold and a fever, but she was so distressed that her eyes turned red. She stayed by his bedside for a whole day, making hot tea while humming a Jiangnan folk song that she had learned from somewhere. She sang it quite well, with a slightly rising ending note and a bit of awkward tact.
He was so delirious from the fever that he vaguely remembered the lyrics, which went something like, "Below the thatched eaves, green grass on the stream, I see smoke rising from the distant house..."
It was also in Taozhou, also at this time of year. Outside, the wind and snow were blanketing the sky. Inside, the teapot on the small stove was bubbling with steam, the tea boiling over and over again. She patiently blew on it to warm it, and gently coaxed him to have another cup.
When I think about the difference between the past and now, my throat, which was hurt by the cough just now, feels like I have swallowed a piece of hot charcoal, which is both stinging, hot, and bitter.
After a moment of silence, he lifted the quilt and lay back down. He stretched out his long arms and pulled the person into his arms.
Zhe Rou was caught off guard when her back suddenly collided with a warm, hard chest. The young man's protruding collarbone pressed against her shoulder blade like a knife, causing her to feel a dull pain.
She unconsciously tensed her body and even held her breath for a moment.
Lu Chen put an arm around her waist and sniffed her neck, like a wild animal stalking its prey. "Pretending to sleep, huh?"
Zhe Rou pursed her lips, still facing away from him, motionless.
Lu Chen's eyes darkened.
She would only face him with her back, her long, dark hair disheveled, covering half of her face, preventing him from seeing her expression. She was still like that, curled up in her quilt when she felt unhappy, pursing her lips and ignoring him.
The winter quilt was thick, and covering her like this made her look even thinner and more frail. Half of her shoulder was not even as long as one of his hands, yet she exuded a stubbornness in every way.
Lu Chen simply used some force, pulled her over, pinched her soft cheeks, and with a hint of punishment, lowered his head and kissed her fiercely.
Zhe Rou was stunned for a moment, and was about to struggle, but he held her firmly with one hand and pressed her tighter.
The warm and moist breath invaded without warning, carrying with it the bitter taste of tea and a hint of blood.
The kiss came on fiercely. Lu Chen pushed her teeth open with force, hooked up her tongue and sucked it, not allowing any resistance, as if he wanted to swallow up her breath.
The root of her tongue was numbed by the sucking, and Zhe Rou gradually became breathless. She whimpered and tried to break free, but he held the back of her head even tighter, forcing her to breathe in, forcing her saliva to mix with his. Her breath was filled with his scent, and they could no longer tell each other apart.
It was not until he noticed that the person in his arms slowly relaxed and the whimper in her throat turned into a gasping hum that his movements became gentle. He pecked and kissed her slowly, wrapped his palm around her slender waist, pulled her into his arms, and held her closer.
His hands were also in a mess, and his fingertips with thin calluses carefully stroked the vertebrae on her back. Zhe Rou caused him to tremble slightly, and he couldn't help but tilt his neck back slightly.
Lu Chen's breathing gradually became heavier, his lips and tongue moved down and rolled around, sucking and biting on the white and tender neck, leaving star-shaped red marks. It seemed that only by leaving his mark in this way could he feel a little satisfied.
After a pause, he spoke hoarsely, his warm, thin lips still pressed against her neck, his voice trembling slightly as he spoke, "After the assassination on the boat that night, the poison in my lungs hasn't cleared yet, and I haven't been feeling well ever since. Can Dr. Lao Ning see me tomorrow and prescribe two prescriptions?"
Zhe Rou finally managed to catch her breath, but naturally refused to agree. She turned her head away calmly and said, "Everyone in the Imperial Medical Bureau is a master of medicine, much better than me."
Lu Chen chuckled softly and kissed her earlobe. His deep voice, wrapped in warm breath, warmed her ears. "How can those quack doctors compare to the master of the art?"
"What's more," he gently stroked her cheek with his palm, but his tone was unquestionable, and every word was emphasized: "Miss, this is what you owe me, you should pay it back."
After saying this, Zhe Rou was stunned and didn't respond for a long time.
Lu Chen paused, raised his head to look for her eyes, but saw that she was clutching the quilt tightly, her shoulders trembling slightly, as if she was trying hard to suppress something.
After waiting for a long time, she finally spoke, her voice so soft that it was almost inaudible.
"What do you owe me, Lu Bingyan?"
Lu Chen was stunned.
Zhe Rou raised her eyes to look at him, her throat felt dry and mist gradually filled her eyes.
Lu Chen was very careful and considerate, and he loved and cared for her, but he also kept forcing and pressuring her.
She had to accept what he gave her, and she had to give him what he wanted.
He is a person with an extremely paranoid temperament. He is extreme in both love and hate. He wants those he loves to live and those he hates to die.
If he wanted to do something, she would have no room to resist. How could she not be afraid?
The more he forced it, the more afraid she became.
I am afraid of being worn down by him and losing myself bit by bit, but I am powerless to break free. I can only endure, bear it, and become numb.
She resented him even more for saying those harsh words to her and doing those embarrassing things.
Zhe Rou unconsciously clenched the corner of the quilt and spoke softly, "Lu Bingyan, during those few months in Yanziwu, no one forced me, and no one bullied me. I lived on my own ability. Although my life was usually hard, I felt comfortable, at ease, and happy."
"But you insisted on forcing me to come back and forced me to bow my head. I don't like living like this, and I don't want to live like this..."
The more she spoke, the more pain she felt. However, she knew very well that nothing she said would be of any use. She couldn't help but curl up slightly, choking with sobs. "You are powerful and influential, in your prime, with a bright future ahead of you. There are many women in Shangjing who are willing to marry you... Why do you have to force me? Let me go..."
Why did he have to force her and gradually wear away her feelings for him, causing a young couple to end up like this?
"No." As if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, Lu Chen's anger suddenly surged. The veins on his forehead throbbed. He stared at her with dark eyes and gritted his teeth, "In short, I won't allow it. If you mention it again, I..."
"How are you?"
Zhe Rou couldn't help but feel a bit of resentment when she heard him being so arrogant. She interrupted him angrily: "Now you have forced me to stay here, what else do you want?"
Lu Chen's breathing stagnated, and he stared at the pair of stubborn and beautiful eyes filled with mist, his Adam's apple rolling a few times with difficulty.
What else does he want?
The person stayed by his side, but the closer she was to him, the more unwilling she became, and the more she wanted more.
I want you to love me.
I want you to love me as before.
Why do you just refuse to do so?
My heart ached, and an indescribable weakness surged up like a tide, making my chest feel dry and dry.
In the end, Lu Chen didn't say anything. He just squeezed her tighter, buried his head in the crook of her neck, and sighed softly, "妱妱..."
Zhe Rou was held motionless in his arms, feeling indescribable sadness in her heart.
Things are different, people are different, everything is over.
The girl whose heart and eyes were once filled with Lu Bingyan had long been lost somewhere, and even she herself couldn't find her.
**
Lu Chen had asked for leave earlier, and the two of them stayed in Taozhou for several days until the Lantern Festival was approaching. He then had someone pack their luggage and took her back to Beijing.
I originally thought I would have to go back to the Lu Mansion, but I didn't expect that Lu Chen had already set up another three-story courtyard in Tianshui Lane. There was a small pond in the garden and official willows were planted. The scenery was secluded and elegant. It was also close to Panlou and convenient for transportation.
The two of them settled down quickly. When having dinner in the evening, Zhe Rou tentatively mentioned the old medicine shop to him, saying that she wanted to go back and take a look.
Lu Chen looked at her but didn't respond immediately.
"Lu Bingyan," Zhe Rou couldn't help but frown, but she managed to be patient and soften her voice a little, "You have to give me a break. Are you really going to lock me up like a prisoner?"
Now Lu Chen has forced her back again, and is guarding her even more closely than before. Nan Heng follows her all day long, never leaving her side.
It is extremely difficult to get away, but sooner or later she will find a way to leave and will not stay in Shangjing for long. Naturally, this medicine shop will not be a long-term business.
But she didn't know when she could escape. Before that, she had to find a way to breathe. She couldn't just let him lock her up in the backyard.
Hearing this, Lu Chen lowered his eyes and stared at her for a long time, finally nodding, "That's fine. Xiaochan has missed you during the days you were away. But I have other things to do on duty and can't always get away. Nanheng needs to stay and guard outside the medicine shop."
Zhe Rou naturally didn't expect Lu Chen to let her go easily. As long as she could go out and do something, it would be good enough. She nodded when she heard that, and the next day, Nan Heng followed her closely to the medicine store on Ma Xing Street.
When Xiaochan saw her for the first time, she was so happy that she almost went crazy. She pulled her hand and warmly for a while, then suddenly remembered something. She turned around and ran back to the counter, hurriedly holding up two thick account books, "Madam, look, all the accounts collected these days are here. I've recorded every single one for you!"
A pair of eyes sparkled like a little bird seeking credit.
Zhe Rou couldn't help but laugh, "This shop was originally given to you, why do you have to show it to me?"
Xiaochan was a little surprised. "Madam, don't you know? My husband gave me some money in exchange for money, and only asked me to help look after it. This medicine shop is still yours."
Zhe Rou was stunned for a long while, and didn't say much. She just took the account book from her hand, sat down at the desk and slowly looked through it.
After finishing one book and about to pick up another, a burly man wearing a conical hat came in from outside. The brim of the hat was pulled down a little low, so his face could not be seen clearly. Only the lower half of his face with a beard could be seen.
Xiaochan greeted him with a smile, "Sir..."
Before she could finish, the burly man snorted coldly, pulled out a wrinkled medicine bag from his bosom, and said in a gruff voice, "My wife bought a set of Ganlu Pills from you yesterday. Who knew that after she took it, she became ill before nightfall. Her lower abdomen was swollen and painful, and she was in pain all night. Did your shop use the wrong herbs, or were they substituting inferior ones for good ones?"
Xiao Chan was stunned and said hurriedly, "How could that be? The ingredients used in our shop are of good quality and have always been well-known. If you don't believe me, you can go and ask..."
"Stop talking nonsense," the man raised his hand, strode past Xiaochan, and walked straight in, his tone becoming increasingly hostile: "Where is the person in charge of your store? If you don't give me an explanation today, I will smash your shabby store!"
Seeing that he seemed to be looking for trouble, Zhe Rou couldn't help but frown and stood up.
However, at the moment they passed each other, the man called out very softly and quickly in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "Ninth Lady."
Zhe Rou's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't show it on her face. She just smiled and said softly, "I wrote the prescription for this Ganlu Pill. Let me show it to you. However, this medicine uses more than a dozen herbs. If you want to distinguish them clearly, you need to hold it up to the light. Come with me to the backyard."
Xiaochan was startled and looked at the man's sturdy figure, hesitant: "Madam..."
Zhe Rou smiled at her soothingly, "It's okay."
He paused, then deliberately glanced at her quietly, then lowered his voice and said, "Wait here. If you hear me make any noise, go outside and call Nan Heng to help."
Xiaochan’s mind has always been simple and gullible, so she immediately obeyed her instructions, nodded heavily, and whispered, “Don’t worry, my lady!”
Zhe Rou felt a little relieved and led the man to the backyard. There was no one around, so she turned around and took a closer look. The man was indeed Zhou Xiao.
"Did Mingqi ask you to come?"
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