Zhuang Su felt the bowl of medicine in her palm was burning hot. She hesitated somewhat as she walked towards Qing Chen's villa. She'd heard he hadn't had a relapse in a long time; this time, he was probably exhausted from saving her.
Having mentally prepared himself, Zhuang Su was about to approach when he noticed from afar that the window of Qing Chen's room was open, casting a dim light inside. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, his face appearing slightly pale in the light. He seemed to be talking to someone. Curious, Zhuang Su immediately softened his steps.
As she got closer, she realized that the other person in the room was Yan Bei.
Yan Bei's expression was somewhat strange, and there seemed to be an odd atmosphere in the room. However, being far away, Zhuang Su couldn't hear what they were saying, but she noticed that Qing Chen's face was indeed somewhat pale, an unnatural paleness. Qing Chen wasn't smiling now, his face was expressionless, indifferent, almost as if he had no desires or wants, as if everything in the world was irrelevant to him.
Zhuang Su slowly approached, trying to hear something. Gradually, she could hear snippets of conversation. She gritted her teeth slightly and was about to continue wriggling when Yan Bei was about to say something loudly, but Qing Chen silenced her with a single sentence: "Oh, my daughter has come to see me?" His tone rose slightly, carrying a smile, as if he were somewhat flattered.
Zhuang Su's furtive movements stopped abruptly. She slowly looked up and met the man's gentle smile through the window. His smile was so pure and clean that she momentarily doubted whether the expressionless person she had just seen was the same one before her. She glanced into the room; Yan Bei's expression was indeed unpleasant. He hadn't uttered what he had been interrupted about, but had simply watched her silently from behind Qing Chen.
It seemed he had arrived at the worst possible time. Zhuang Su could only secretly wish he could disappear into a hole.
"Susu, come in quickly." Qingchen waved to her from afar. He was wearing a clean white robe, light and thin, which fluttered in the breeze, giving him an otherworldly air.
Light Dust. Light Dust. Zhuang Su savored the tea carefully and had to admit that the name was truly excellent.
Zhuang Su was pulled into the house by Qing Chen, while Yan Bei was naturally kicked out.
"Old Bei, we can talk about this another time. Can't you see my Susu is here?" Qingchen smiled smugly, as if Susu's arrival was some huge deal.
Yan Bei glanced at him indifferently, seemingly wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent. Zhuang Su felt his gaze linger on her as he left, a gaze that held a deeper meaning. She couldn't help but secretly swallow.
"Susu, what brings you to see your father?" Qingchen smiled and beckoned her over, then leaned against the window, watching her leisurely, quite content.
Zhuang Su couldn't quite figure out how many faces this person had. But remembering how careless he was with his health, she slammed the medicine on the table and said irritably, "Here, Steward Li asked me to get it for him."
When Qingchen saw the bowl of medicine, her face immediately turned sour: "So it was Li Jiu who sent you."
Just as Zhuang Su was about to say something more, he saw him turn his face to the side and say, "I'm not taking this medicine."
For a moment, she was truly at a loss for words, wondering who the child was. Zhuang Su patiently tried to calm herself down, her tone unconsciously taking on a coaxing quality: "Father, aren't you sick? How can you not take your medicine when you're sick? Even if it tastes bad, you still have to take it..." She was only seven years old, and her voice was naturally tender, so this tone sounded rather strange.
Qingchen's head was turned towards the bed curtains, so his expression was not visible. Only his voice could be heard: "Did Li Jiu say anything to you?"
“Hmm…” Zhuang Su carefully chose her words, “Butler Li only said that Father’s health is not good.”
"Hmm, anything else?" "He said his father keeps refusing to take his medicine and asked me to persuade him..." Zhuang Su's voice gradually softened.
"Does he think you can stop him?" Qingchen's words inexplicably added an extra chill to the room, like a thick, dark cloud suddenly descending, creating a sense of oppression. Zhuang Su looked at the medicine bowl in her hand, inexplicably unsure how to respond.
In that instant, I felt as if the person in front of me was not from the same world as me.
After a brief silence, Qingchen turned her head and smiled at her: "So, Susu, how do you plan to get me to take the medicine?" In that instant, everything that had just happened seemed like an illusion.
Zhuang Su was taken aback by his question: "What? How do I get you to take your medicine?"
Qingchen raised an eyebrow with a hint of roguishness: "If you want me to take the medicine obediently, you should at least give me some benefits, right?"
Zhuang Su swore that for a moment she really wanted to beat him up. Suppressing her anger, she gritted her teeth and asked, "What do you want in return?"
“Well…” Qingchen seemed to be thinking very seriously. “First of all, you have to promise to call me Father forever, no matter how long it is or what happens, until I no longer allow you to call me that, then you will not be allowed to stop calling me that.”
"This is it?" Zhuang Su frowned slightly. "Okay."
"Secondly..." Qingchen's lips suddenly curled up slightly, a smile appearing on her face, "You have to listen to me and start learning opera seriously. Don't think I didn't know you've been slacking off all this time."
Zhuang Su's lips curled slightly: "Okay. Anything else?"
"No more for now." After a moment's consideration, Qingchen added, "I think..."
"Then you can take your medicine now?" At this moment, Zhuang Su realized that she really had no temper at all. She picked up the medicine on the table and handed it to her.
As the medicine drew near, its strong aroma made Qingchen involuntarily frown slightly. This was the first time Zhuang Su had seen him frown, and for a moment she felt a pang of pity, but a quick glance made her pretend not to notice. Qingchen took the bowl of medicine without complaint, closed his eyes, and drank it all in a few gulps.
Perhaps this is the mouth of a grown man; such a large bowl of medicine, he only needs to take a few sips.
After Qingchen finished his drink, he noticed Zhuang Su staring at him in a daze and couldn't help but smile: "What's wrong?"
"So Father didn't dislike taking medicine after all." Zhuang Su frowned, as if complaining that Qing Chen had made her make a vow for nothing.
Qingchen reached out and touched her brow until it relaxed, then smiled slightly: "I didn't dislike it, I just didn't want to drink it."
"Why?" Zhuang Su asked subconsciously, but saw Qing Chen leaning against the bed, lazily looking out the window.
Moonlight streamed in through the window. The pale moonlight fell upon his white robes, making them appear pristine and even somewhat sacred. He was only wearing a single garment. Zhuang Su realized for the first time that he was such a slender man, with the sharp features of a grown man, yet possessing a unique elegance. His fully developed physique made his limbs appear exceptionally long. Sitting casually and relaxed on the edge of the bed, he exuded a distinctive aura.
Zhuang Su stared, somewhat mesmerized, when she suddenly felt a strange emptiness in her heart. Looking at Qing Chen like this, she felt inexplicably sad...
Sad? Zhuang Su was puzzled when she realized what was happening. Why was she sad? When she looked again, Qing Chen had already gotten up and closed the window. He patted Zhuang Su's head as usual and smiled slightly: "Daughter, it's getting late. You should go back and rest." His smile was still very gentle and harmless.
When he released her, Zhuang Su subconsciously touched her forehead, where the warmth of that large hand still lingered.
Why do all the men beside her have such warm hands...? She was somewhat dazed.
With Zhuang Su's permission, Qing Chen began taking the medicine, while Zhuang Su was forced to begin the arduous days of learning opera. Li Jiu treated her with increasing respect, as if she were a benefactor, leaving her with unspeakable suffering.
Chapter Four: The Wind of Last Night Leaning Against the Balcony (Part Two)
It was still early that day, and the weather was nice. Zhuang Su sat by the window of the bamboo house, listening to someone singing beside her. This bamboo house was built for her second senior brother, Liu Su, and was located in a quiet corner of Shengxiao Valley. During the period when Zhuang Su began learning opera, she came here most often.
"Second Brother, you sing so well," Zhuang Su couldn't help but exclaim.
Upon hearing this, Liusu, who was singing a song nearby, paused and pursed her lips, saying, "Thank you."
Seeing him smile, Zhuang Su couldn't help but laugh as well: "Has anyone ever told you that you look like a woman?" Liu Su was very handsome, with a scholarly air about him, and was usually very quiet. Being with him was a uniquely comfortable experience. Liu Su had a good temper, so Zhuang Su wasn't afraid of offending him by asking such a question. Seeing that he just smiled, she couldn't help but tease him again: "If I were to walk out with you one day, people would probably think we were sisters."
Just as Liu Su was about to say something, she noticed Zhuang Su suddenly pause, and couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
Zhuang Su chuckled awkwardly, "No, Second Senior Brother, you're so handsome, you don't have a sister as ugly as me." After saying that, she couldn't help but laugh.
Liu Su couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time: "You...who said you were ugly?"
“No one said it, but I know.” Zhuang Su playfully stuck out her tongue, but Liu Su reached out and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She felt a little awkward being so close, but when she looked up, she saw Liu Su looking directly at her and smiling slightly, “Nothing of the sort, Su Su’s eyes are very beautiful.”
His exclamation seemed genuine. Zhuang Su was immediately embarrassed. This was the first time someone had ever said she was beautiful. Instinctively, she pushed Liu Su away, her face burning.
Liu Su smiled gently: "Su Su, I've always been curious about why you came here?"
"Huh?" Zhuang Su didn't understand.
“Your eyes are so clear, so I don’t understand why you’re here,” Liu Su said softly, turning back to continue studying the sheet music.
Zhuang Su felt there was something implied in her tone. She remembered Yan Bei saying that one should be careful in this Shengxiao Valley. But why did everyone seem to know something, while she alone remained unaware?
"Did you compose this piece?" Zhuang Su was about to ask something when Liu Su interrupted her again. Seeing him point to a spot in the red book, she nodded and replied, "Yes, I wrote it."
“There’s a mistake here,” Liusu said.
"Huh, how could this be..." Zhuang Su walked over, a bit annoyed. This was a poem she'd spent so much time working on, and yet it was wrong again. She leaned closer and looked at where Liu Su was pointing. Sure enough, there was a mistake in the tonal pattern, and she couldn't help but grimace. Liu Su pointed it out for her and wrote it down: "Here, how about writing it like this..."
Because it's close to the ground, you can smell the delicate fragrance of ink from the brush.
Zhuang Su was examining the ground closely when she suddenly heard a cold, lonely voice behind her: "Zhuang Su." She felt her blood freeze.
"Susu, who is he?" Liusu asked, standing next to Zhuangsu.
Before Zhuang Su could answer, she had already run over and hugged the person tightly: "Damn it, Shen Jian, you still know to come see me." She complained, but hugged him exceptionally tightly.
Shen Jian stiffened, hesitated, and then reached out to hug her tightly. The movement was somewhat awkward, but it carried a heavy, weighty feeling.
The atmosphere became somewhat somber.
"So you finally realized you were coming?" Zhuang Su's face was buried in Chen Jian's arms, her voice muffled.
"kindness."
"How was your time there?"
"good."
"..."
"And you?"
"It's nice here."
"That's good."
"..." Zhuang Su fell silent, then suddenly pushed him away. "What do you mean 'that's good'? Who was it that said they would come to see me?"
She was blaming him. Shen Jian frowned slightly: "I'm very busy."
Okay, he's busy... Zhuang Su felt a pang of sadness, and recalling Yan Bei's words that day only intensified her unease. She would never know what Shen Jian was thinking, his past, or even what he was doing now. In Yan Bei's words, Shen Jian seemed exceptionally cold and heartless, but she wanted to confirm that this wasn't the case.
Seeing Zhuang Su's expression darken, Shen Jian felt inexplicably irritated. Suddenly, he heard someone say calmly, "I heard that the Third Prince, who was in the Han Kingdom a while ago, unfortunately died of a serious illness. Recently, there has been quite a commotion inside and outside the court, so the Silver Hall of the One Leaf Alliance is naturally extremely busy."
Liu Su was always approachable, so Zhuang Su was surprised that he would bring up such an irrelevant topic at this time. Turning her head, she noticed that Shen Jian's expression was not good, and hurriedly tried to smooth things over, saying, "Father has been unwell recently, and I have been thinking of going to the market to buy some things to help him recover. Shen Jian, if you are free today, would you like to come with me?"
Shen Jian's gaze fell on Liu Su, clearly without goodwill. Hearing Zhuang Su's words, he nodded indifferently.
Zhuang Su naturally took Shen Jian's hand and led him outside. Shen Jian followed her, pausing slightly at the doorway, turning back to gaze meaningfully at Liu Su. Under that gaze, Liu Su smiled faintly, a sharp glint flashing in her gentle expression.
Suddenly a gust of wind arose, startling a flock of crows and sparrows into flight.
As she left, Li Jiu had already ordered a carriage to be prepared at the door. Zhuang Su noticed the weather and was a little worried about whether it would rain. When she turned around, she caught a glimpse of Shen Jian, pursed her lips slightly, and then got into the carriage. Shen Jian followed her in, and the driver called out "Giddy up!" and the wooden wheels began to creak and turn.
Zhuang Su lifted the curtain and casually looked at the scenery outside. Layer upon layer of trees stretched out, the forest dense with trees, sunlight filtering softly through the leaves, the occasional bird call echoing through the deep mountain valley. Zhuang Su had been told she was free to wander down the mountain, but had never made any demands.
This trip was the first since the kidnapping, and the scenery lingered in Zhuang Su's heart, leaving her with a unique sense of gratitude. Shen Jian sat behind her, watching her with a detached expression, seemingly even more indifferent than when they parted. Zhuang Su patiently listened to the sound of the carriage moving forward—"Gurgle, gurgle..."
Shengxiao Valley is located at the foot of the mountain, some distance from the town below.
"Are you really angry?" Shen Jian broke the silence first.
"No." Zhuang Su herself felt awkward, so she simply kept staring out the window and deliberately didn't turn around to look.
Shen Jian stared at her silently for a long while, then asked, "Aren't you planning to run away?"
Zhuang Su was taken aback upon hearing this. After a moment's thought, she said, "The One Leaf Alliance is so powerful, where can we escape to?" She added, "Besides, Aunt Liu was quite a burden to raise me. Now that I'm gone, she should be better off alone. And Father is a good man." Looking out, one could vaguely see the pavilions nestled among the distant trees. Shengxiao Valley, true to its name, possessed a unique and secluded charm amidst the mountains and forests.
Shen Jian glanced at her a couple more times: "You're not Aunt Liu, how do you know you're a nuisance?"
Zhuang Su pouted: "Of course I know. Although Aunt Liu doesn't say anything usually, I've heard people gossiping about it. They're saying that Aunt Liu, a woman in her twenties, is raising a seven-year-old child like me all by herself, and they're all speculating whether I'm actually Aunt Liu's illegitimate child. Now that I'm gone, Aunt Liu can't find me anywhere, so maybe she can find a good family to settle down with. Aunt Liu has always served my mother, and she took care of me after my mother died. Now that she's gone to find her own happiness, I believe my mother would be happy to know."
After listening to her mutter a lot, Shen Jian couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth slightly: "You do have a point."
“I am in the right.” Zhuang Su chuckled, seemingly pleased with herself. “Besides, I am now part of the One Leaf Alliance. The One Leaf Alliance has such great power, I’m not afraid of anyone bullying me.”
"You really like the One Leaf Alliance that much?"
“It’s not that I like it, it’s that I have nowhere to go.” Zhuang Su playfully stuck out her tongue. “People often say that sometimes you have to deceive yourself, so you can be content with what you have.” Seeing Shen Jian’s expression, she smiled faintly, seemingly helpless. She reached out and patted his shoulder, saying seriously, “So, Shen Jian, you shouldn’t always hold grudges, or you’ll grow old prematurely. There are some things I may not be able to help with, but…” She didn’t know what else to say after “but,” so she quietly shut her mouth.
"We've arrived," the driver outside called out.