flamboyant - Chapter 30
He sat in his wheelchair, looking arrogant, and asked her in a cold voice with a frown, "Are you Feng Ning?"
"Is that so?" Feng Ning replied, thinking to herself, "Does Nie Chengyan also think he's the third wife of the Long family?"
It turned out that Nie Chengyan had never seen Feng Ning's true face. He was still doubtful: "How can you prove it?"
Proof? Feng Ning was displeased. She had risked her life to come here, going without sleep and starving, and yet no one trusted her anywhere. She replied matter-of-factly, "I don't know, why would I need proof?"
Nie Chengyan's eyes held Feng Ning's extremely displeased scrutiny. The Long family was her husband's family; she could tolerate her own family, but why should she put up with the attitude of outsiders? She took out the small box and handed it to Nie Chengyan, saying in a harsh voice, "The three Long brothers are not at home. The Long mansion was robbed, and they wanted to steal this box. I stole it, but I don't know who to keep it for. I heard that the Lord of Baiqiao City is a close friend of the Third Master Long, so I came here."
Nie Chengyan was taken aback, but he refused Feng Ning's request to leave the Nie residence for Qingfeng City and then return. He promised that he would send someone to handle the matter and let Feng Ning stay at the Nie residence.
Feng Ning thought this was fine; it was best to leave the task to someone capable. Someone as incompetent as her would be useless there except for escaping. Although Nie Chengyan's words implied wariness and distrust, as well as a desire to detain and monitor her, Feng Ning was certain that they would provide meals, so she didn't care. After all, they were Long San's friends; she could just eat and drink and wait for Long San to come and pick her up.
Feng Ning stayed at the Nie residence for three days, and she had a very comfortable time during those three days. Although Nie Chengyan tried to probe her motives and the authenticity of her identity, Feng Ning did nothing wrong and remained completely open and honest. She enjoyed good food and lodging there, and had several servants' children to play with, making her even happier than she was at the Long residence.
However, the person Feng Ning envied most was a girl named Han Xiao. She was Nie Chengyan's personal maid, serving him with his medicine, treatments, and daily needs. In this medical city, such people were called medical servants. It wasn't that Feng Ning thought being a servant was anything special, but rather that she envied Nie Chengyan's affection for Han Xiao.
Although Han Xiao was just her physician and servant, he listened to her every word and obeyed her every whim. Of course, this should be ignored when he lost his temper. In short, Feng Ning felt that no matter what their status was, it would be enough to have someone treat her so wholeheartedly in this life.
Han Xiao, who was studying medicine, was very polite to Feng Ning. Upon hearing that she had lost her memory, he quickly took her pulse, wanting to treat her. However, the illness was strange, and Han Xiao was naturally helpless. Feng Ning thought that this maid was neither humble nor arrogant, neither proud nor impatient, and was very likable. It was just a pity that she was paired with such a bad-tempered cripple as Nie Chengyan.
Long San arrived much faster than Feng Ning had imagined. She didn't know that Long San had chased her all the way to Qingfeng City and happened to run into Nie Chengyan's men. So, in just three days, he arrived at the Nie residence.
When Long San arrived, Feng Ning was playing "Catch the Thief with a Mask" with the children. She was blindfolded and trying to catch the children who were hiding. She was laughing happily, and her voice could be heard from afar. Long San walked over and watched her jumping around and playing happily. The worry in his heart finally subsided.
A child ran toward Long San with a "thump, thump, whoosh" sound. Feng Ning heard the sound and chased after him. The child screamed and hid behind Long San. Feng Ning shouted, "Where do you think you're going to run to?" and pounced on him.
With a sudden lunge, she caught Long San in her arms. Feng Ning was startled and quickly let go, taking a step back. "Oops, I grabbed the wrong person!" She pulled off the blindfold and saw that it was indeed Long San. She screamed "Wah wah!" louder than a child's voice. She lunged forward again, excitedly hugging Long San tightly. "I didn't grab the wrong person! I didn't grab the wrong person! It's my Long San! My Long San has come to pick me up! Hahaha..."
Several children curiously circled around the two adults who were embracing, but Han Xiao's younger brother, Han Le, acted like a little adult and exclaimed "Ouch!" while covering his eyes and pretending to shout, "Don't look at what you shouldn't look at! Don't look at what you shouldn't look at!"
Feng Ning didn't mind at all, and was still jumping around excitedly: "Long San, Long San, you're here! How did you move so fast? You're so fast..."
"Alright, alright." Long San couldn't help but laugh at her antics, but he felt extremely uncomfortable being surrounded by a group of children, so he had to push Feng Ning away: "Stop playing around, go and wash up, I'll wait for you in Ayan's study."
Feng Ning didn't mind that Long San wasn't keeping her company, and happily ran back to her room. Han Le also ran off happily, heading towards the study. He didn't want to miss out on the excitement.
Long San had already spoken with Nie Chengyan, and he confirmed that this Feng Ning was indeed his Feng Ning, and the box was indeed a valuable item: "It's a long story." He said to Nie Chengyan, "In short, my troubles are no less than yours these days." The two looked at each other and sighed.
Not long after, Feng Ning came running in. As soon as she entered, she asked, "Long San, Long San, does your family think that I'm in cahoots with those people to rob your family?" She had thought about this matter several times and was very bothered by it.
“Yes.” Long San sighed.
"Then you must go back and plead my case, otherwise Granny Yu will punish me again." Feng Ning tugged at Long San's sleeve. In this vast world, she, who had no memory, could only rely on Long San.
Upon hearing the name Yu Mama, Han Le exclaimed, "That fierce old lady!"
"Huh, you've met me before too?" Feng Ning asked in surprise.
Han Le nodded vigorously: "Back then, she stole my sister and married her to him as a concubine." Han Le pointed at Long San, and both Nie Chengyan and Long San's faces darkened. They both wished they could throw him out.
"Oh dear." Feng Ning circled around Han Xiao. "So we're sisters! How did you end up here?"
Nie Chengyan's face turned extremely ugly, and he shouted, "Xiaoxiao is not your husband's concubine."
Long San pursed his lips and said to her, "This was because Granny Yu saw how badly I was injured and believed in the idea of a marriage to ward off bad luck, so she didn't approve it." Feng Ning looked at Long San with sympathy.
“Since it keeps causing misunderstandings, it’s better to be on the safe side and write a letter of divorce.” Nie Chengyan said through gritted teeth, seemingly unable to contain his anger.
Without further ado, the two men, working in perfect unison, prepared paper, ink, and brush. Long San quickly wrote out a "letter of divorce." Feng Ning watched enviously from the side. How come it was so easy for him to get a divorce letter, but she couldn't? It really was easier to get things done with a powerful backer. She held back for a while, but finally couldn't help but say, "Long San, why don't you write one for me too?"
Long San's hand trembled, almost causing him to write the character crookedly. Fortunately, he had already finished writing the last character. He pressed his fingerprint on the paper and pretended not to have heard. Feng Ning moved to his other side and said, "It's very simple. Just copy this and change her name to mine."
Long San ignored her, handed over the letter of divorce, and pushed her out, saying, "Go pack your things, everyone is waiting for us to come back."
“I have no luggage. I have paper and pen now, so I’ll write another one while I’m at it. Didn’t they say I’ve committed all seven grounds for divorce? It’s easy for me to get a divorce.”
Long San was deaf at this time and could not hear anything. He only said to Nie Chengyan, "I have something to do at home, and there is no one to help you in the desert for the time being. You can send someone to take over the spies."
Nie Chengyan nodded, and the two whispered a few words. Long San turned to look at Feng Ning, then spoke a few more words to Nie Chengyan before finally taking his leave. Feng Ning was somewhat unhappy. Long San was biased; he was kind to others but not to her.
He readily agreed to divorce others, but when she wanted one, he pretended not to understand. The thought that the Long family would only think the worst of her made her uncomfortable. If she had a divorce decree, she could hold her head high. But it was all because of that wicked Long San that things wouldn't go her way.
Long San turned around and saw her pouting and throwing a tantrum, so he said, "I have to go, are you coming or not?" Feng Ning had no choice but to wave goodbye to Han Xiao and her brother listlessly, and followed Long San off.
"Long San, will we go hungry on our way back? Have you brought enough money?" There are countless difficulties when traveling, but this is the one Feng Ning fears the most.
"I won't let you go hungry anymore," Long San promised, which made Feng Ning happy.
"Hey, Long San, why aren't there any guards?"
"Aren't you one? Bodyguard and assassin."
This answer made Feng Ning giggle.
After a while, Feng Ning couldn't sit still any longer: "Long San, which way do we go? Is this the way home?"
"I'm not going back yet, I have something to take care of."
Feng Ning wanted to ask what to do with the box, but then she thought, "Whatever, I've given it to Long San. He can do whatever he wants with it; it's none of my business." She was going to follow Long San wherever he went.
Long San turned to look at her, and seeing her bright, big eyes staring straight at him, he smiled and said, "What, nothing to ask?"
Feng Ning kept staring at him, then suddenly asked seriously, "Long San, are you short of women?"
Author's Note: Leave of Absence: I have some things to take care of these two days and won't have time to write "Dragon and Phoenix Dance". Therefore, I am requesting a two-day leave of absence. Updates will resume at 8 PM on Saturday. Please forgive me!