The Beauties of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 131

But he was really angry right now, so angry that he had a headache, heartache, and stomachache.

He was angry but also deeply afraid – thankfully she was alright, otherwise he would have regretted it for the rest of his life!

After feeling angry and scared, I also felt helplessly heartbroken.

Seeing her pitifully squatting in the grass, looking up at him with such a pale face, he felt his heart aching so much he felt like he was going to die!

How could she be so awful?

How could she torture him by hurting herself?

The two, seemingly bound together and soaking wet, returned to their camp. When Xue Weiji saw Zhao Defang's deep expression, he quickly stepped aside, asked no questions, and drove away the occasional curious soldiers. He then escorted the two back to Zhao Defang's tent without any hindrance before secretly letting out a sigh of relief and leaving quietly.

Chapter 113, A Person Across the River Amidst the Sound of Rain (2)

Wanlan, dressed in Zhao Defang's oversized clothes, sat on his bed wrapped in a quilt, her cold body completely covered. She buried her head deep in the quilt, like an ostrich trying to avoid the man standing by the bed, staring at her. Zhao Defang's hands, hanging by his sides, tightened and loosened repeatedly.

Even now, after she had dried herself, changed her clothes, and obediently wrapped herself up, he still couldn't calm the anger surging in his chest. But he didn't want to hurt her with his anger, so he could only fiercely suppress his rage, fear, and heartache. "You—"

"I will not apologize."

Her muffled voice came out, and her body, wrapped in the blanket, seemed to tremble slightly, "I won't apologize."

He gritted his teeth, "Do you even know what you're doing! This is an army going to war, what do you take this for?"

She lowered her head and remained silent for a while before saying in a hoarse, slightly trembling voice, "You promised... no matter what happens, no matter when or where, you will never leave me. You can forget, but I will not forget."

He had to leave her side for work, and she didn't care; she could turn around and follow him. Zhao Defang paused, then incredulously reached out and grasped her shoulder. "Even so, do you really need to risk your life? Did you even consider that I might worry or be afraid! You're so reckless—"

He suddenly stopped speaking, holding his breath as he stared at the pale, tear-streaked face of the woman who had suddenly looked up. His throat tightened reflexively, and he caught his breath, his mind going blank.

"You know how to worry and be afraid, but why don't you ever think about how my feelings are the same as yours? I also worry and be afraid. Of course I know that fighting is a dangerous thing, but how can you expect me to calmly watch you, who has never been on a battlefield before, go to war? I—ugh!"

Her tear-stained lips were suddenly captured by his, silencing her choked words. She closed her tear-filled eyes, pulled her hands away, and wrapped them around his neck, receiving his intense emotions.

“Wanlan…”

He spoke haltingly at her lips, his voice hoarse and strained, "You scared me..."

She turned her face and buried her face in his neck and shoulder, "I didn't mean to..."

She opened her eyes, distanced herself from him, and looked at him pitifully, "Zehua, you can't send me back."

He gazed at her extremely frail appearance, sighed, and pulled her back into his arms. "The military camp is dangerous. You can't stay here. If your uncle finds out, you will be punished."

"I insist you keep your promise. You're right, this is my stubbornness, but this time I will not compromise." She had never been so unreasonable before, but this time, she couldn't leave easily. War was such a dangerous thing; how could she anxiously await his news from a thousand miles away? Since she was going to be worried anyway, she'd rather stand closest to him, watching him constantly; perhaps that would give her more peace of mind. "Wanlan, you can't stay."

She pursed her lips and stepped out of his embrace, silently lifting the covers to get out of bed.

Zhao Defang quickly stopped her, exclaiming in surprise and anger, "What are you doing! It's so cold, and you just got caught in the rain. Do you really want to get sick?!"

"Didn't you say I couldn't stay? I'll go back to being my little guard, at least Lord Xue won't kick me out!" She stubbornly waved his hand away and insisted on getting out of bed, but Zhao Defang quickly wrapped her up again and trapped her and the blanket together.

"You shouldn't leave now. Let's wait until dawn. I'll have someone take you there—"

"I'm not leaving."

She lowered her eyes quietly and said softly, "If you don't want me to stay, I will continue to serve under Lord Xue." "Wanlan!"

Zhao Defang clenched her fist tightly, abruptly stood up, and turned her back. He couldn't give in to her on this matter, but he didn't know what to do about her stubbornness, so he could only grit his teeth and change the subject:

"Didn't Lan Wu and Xuan'er know that you were traveling with Lord Xue?"

Wanlan raised her gaze, staring intently at his clenched, almost white fist. She sighed, pulled her hands from under the covers, and reached out to cup his stiff, unnatural hands, whispering:

"I left Xuan'er behind to help my mother take care of the children, but Lan Wu insisted on coming along, and I had no choice..."

He turned around and grasped her no longer cold hand, looking down at her intently. "Where is he? Doesn't he care that you're getting soaked in the rain?"

"Is he still with Lord Xue? I went to the river to wash my hair, how could I let a grown man follow me? Then it started raining, and I only had time to quickly tie my hair up. Just as I was about to go back, I was startled by a clap of thunder, so I hid in the bushes. And then... you came..."

She watched his increasingly grim expression, her voice growing softer and softer until she finally shut up completely. "Don't you know it's dangerous to hide under a tree or in the grass during thunder?" Wanlan shrank her neck, lowered her head, and secretly stuck out her tongue.

Zehua was probably furious with her; he had never been so angry before. Zhao Defang, with a stern face, pulled her hand away and turned to leave.

Wanlan paused for a moment, then suddenly looked up and called out to him, "Zehua! Where are you going?"

"Have Lan Wu escort you back—"

Before he could finish speaking, his waist was already encircled tightly. He paused, looked down at the slender arm around his waist, and whispered, "Let go."

"You can do whatever you want, just don't let me leave."

She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly, ignoring the chill that enveloped her. Her slender body, clad only in his oversized undergarment, pressed against his chest, her long, dark hair covering her entire back. "Zehua, I won't get in your way. Please let me protect you..."

Zhao Defang stared blankly at her trembling body, her brows furrowed in pain. Just as she was about to speak, the curtain three steps in front of her was suddenly lifted without warning. The person who entered called out before even raising their eyes, "Defang, who did Xue Weiji make you see for so long?"

A gust of cold wind swept in along with the newcomer, causing the person in his arms to stiffen. Zhao Defang sighed, tightened his embrace, and looked up to meet the newcomer's astonished gaze, a helpless smile playing on his lips:

"Big brother."

Zhao Dezhao stared at the person in his arms. He could only see that the person had long black hair and knew at a glance that she was a woman who could never appear in the military camp.

"who is she?"

With her head bowed low, Wanlan slowly turned around and forced a slight smile at him. "Zhao Dezhao, long time no see." Zhao Dezhao stared in disbelief.

"Defang, she... how could she be here!"