A Stolen Romance - Chapter 30

Chapter 30: A Long-Awaited Awakening

Shi Yuning fell into a very deep sleep and had a long, drawn-out dream.

She dreamed of her mischievous childhood, climbing trees to get eggs and fishing in the river. Her life was carefree and thoughtless until her grandfather came to their door. She saw that everyone in the dream was happy; their neighbors were all congratulating them, saying they would live a better life from now on. Her mother was so excited she kept wiping away tears. Only she didn’t seem happy in the dream. She saw her dream self forcing a smile, pretending to be happy.

Shi Yuning knew she was reluctant to leave her home of over ten years and filled with worry about an unknown future. The day they entered the capital, Shi Yuning looked at the tall city gate and lamented that once they passed through it, the past and the future would be two different worlds. Just as they were about to enter the city, a luxurious palanquin with red silk tassels, carried by eight men, came towards them, heading out of the city. The once-wide road instantly became crowded, and pedestrians scrambled to get out of the way. Shi Yuning’s family’s carriage also moved to the side.

Shi Yuning lifted the carriage curtain and saw the palanquin was embroidered with intricate peony flowers, the kind that bloomed with fiery intensity. The centers of the peonies were adorned with dazzling, brilliant jewels, making it look incredibly regal. She heard people in the crowd exclaim, “It’s the daughter of the Duke of Xie, the future Crown Princess’s palanquin! It’s so beautiful!” Another person said, “What’s so great about the palanquin? That Miss Xie is the number one beauty in Daye—now that’s what’s truly beautiful.”

Curiosity sparked by the chatter, Shi Yuning craned her neck, wanting to peek through the palanquin’s curtain to see how beautiful the “number one beauty” could be. As the palanquin passed their carriage, Shi Yuning heard the clear, pleasant tinkling of little bells hanging from its sides. A gentle breeze lifted the window curtain.

“Xie Zhaoran—”

Shi Yuning cried out and woke with a start from her dream. She opened her eyes to see a face exactly like the one in her dream, except this face had a few healing scratches on it.

“You’re awake?” Xie Zhaoran saw Shi Yuning suddenly sit up and stare at her blankly without saying a word. She was a little worried. “Are you not feeling well anywhere?”

Shi Yuning blinked and quickly glanced around. They were in a somewhat dilapidated but clean room. The room wasn’t big. In the corner was a pile of miscellaneous items. Besides the bed they were on, there were only two boxes at the foot of the bed and a long wooden bench for four people by the side.

“Where is this? How did we get here? What about you? What about your leg?” Shi Yuning’s mind was a mess, full of questions, but she couldn’t organize her thoughts.

Xie Zhaoran took hold of her flailing hands, her gaze deep and reassuring. “Don’t rush. Everything is fine. We’ve been saved, and it’s all thanks to you.” With her hands held tightly, a warm feeling radiated to Shi Yuning, and she gradually calmed down under Xie Zhaoran’s gaze.

Xie Zhaoran told Shi Yuning what happened after she fainted. Auntie Tian, who Shi Yuning had asked for help, was a kind and warm-hearted person. She not only found people to carry them home but also asked the village chief, who knew how to treat sprains and fractures, to examine them. Xie Zhaoran had woken up from the pain while being treated.

The village chief asked about their background, and Xie Zhaoran made up a story about going to visit a relative, running into bandits, and escaping by jumping off a cliff. The village chief lamented the state of the world, and Auntie Tian said it was a miracle they survived. Xie Zhaoran took off both her and Shi Yuning’s earrings and gave them to Auntie Tian as payment for the medicine, with the extra to be used as rent. Auntie Tian initially didn’t want to accept them. Her husband had died long ago, and her daughter had married, so she lived alone. Now that she was going to take care of her daughter, the house was empty, and having them stay there was like having house sitters. But Xie Zhaoran insisted on giving them to her, saying that the bandits had stolen all their things, and this was all they had left, so she shouldn’t look down on them. Auntie Tian tried to refuse but eventually accepted them. Though she hadn’t seen many expensive things, she knew from the intricate craftsmanship of the earrings that they were valuable. She thought it would be a good thing to give to her daughter, as she hadn’t given her anything valuable when she married.

Auntie Tian was not a greedy person. She not only left the chicken soup for them but also said they could use the vegetables from the field and the rice and flour in the house as they wished. She also told them if they needed anything, they could find the village chief. The village chief agreed, but since Xie Zhaoran and Shi Yuning were two young girls and Auntie Tian was not home, it was not appropriate for him to visit alone. Fortunately, Xie Zhaoran’s leg had been splinted, and he said he would ask his wife to bring the medicine daily.

…

After the two kind people left, Xie Zhaoran sincerely thanked them again. She saw that Shi Yuning was still asleep and began thinking about the events of the day. As she was thinking about how to contact Xiao Lijun, she heard Shi Yuning call her name in her sleep. After Shi Yuning woke up, she seemed dazed, as if still in a dream. Xie Zhaoran felt a pang of heartache, thinking she must have been too frightened.

After hearing the story, Shi Yuning also remembered everything that had happened that day: the ambush on the way to Crane’s Call Temple, the pursuit that forced them to jump off a cliff, her rescuing Xie Zhaoran from the water, and the kind people they met. After confirming they were safe, Shi Yuning couldn’t hold back her tears, which streamed down her face as she looked at Xie Zhaoran.

Xie Zhaoran wiped away the tears one by one, comforting her. “Don’t cry. We both survived.”

Shi Yuning sniffled and nodded. Then she saw the simple splint on Xie Zhaoran’s leg and grew concerned. “What about your leg?”

Xie Zhaoran gave a reassuring smile. “It’s fine. It’s just broken.”

Shi Yuning’s eyes widened. “It’s broken and it’s ‘fine’? How good is the village chief’s medical skill? Did he say if it would affect you in the future?”

Xie Zhaoran raised her eyebrow slightly. “If my leg is crippled, would you dislike me?”

Shi Yuning spat twice. “What nonsense! You’re not going to be crippled! Your leg will definitely heal. Besides, I worked so hard to save your life. No matter what happens, I won’t dislike you, and you can’t dislike yourself.”

Xie Zhaoran felt warmth spread through her heart as she looked at Shi Yuning’s serious expression. “If it weren’t for you this time, I would have died.” She paused, her eyes sparkling like they had been touched by sunlight. “A debt of gratitude for saving a life—how would you like me to repay you?”

“Huh?” Shi Yuning gasped softly. She hadn’t expected Xie Zhaoran to bring up the debt of gratitude first. Her face flushed slightly, and she didn’t dare to look at Xie Zhaoran, her eyes darting around the room. She had thought about asking Xie Zhaoran to marry her, but now that the words were on her tongue, she couldn’t say them. She internally chastised herself. How could I use a kindness as leverage or take advantage of someone in a vulnerable position?

“N-no need to repay me.” Shi Yuning pulled her hands away, quickly climbed off the bed, and put some distance between herself and Xie Zhaoran.

Xie Zhaoran looked at her empty hands and felt a wave of disappointment. She had hoped Shi Yuning would ask, “How do you want to repay me?” so she could have said, “By marrying me.”

Oh well. I’ll plan slowly and carefully. Xie Zhaoran put away her disappointed expression and pointed to the chicken soup. “Auntie Tian left that for you. Drink it to replenish your strength. You worked hard today.”

Shi Yuning shook her head. “You’re so badly injured. You should drink it. I’ll go see what’s in the room. Is there anything you’d like to eat?” Since Auntie Tian had said everything was available and Xie Zhaoran had paid, they would have to live there for a while. She had to see what she could make. It seemed to be getting late. After a full day of running for their lives, now that they were safe, all her senses returned, and she was hungry.

Xie Zhaoran was also a little hungry. She was annoyed. Not only was her leg injured, but her arm was, too. The thought of Shi Yuning having to take care of her made her heart ache.

Shi Yuning was unaware of Xie Zhaoran’s internal conflict. Since Xie Zhaoran didn’t say what she wanted to eat, Shi Yuning decided to improvise. Fortunately, she wasn’t a proper young lady. Auntie Tian’s rustic stove was the same as the one in her old home in the countryside, so she was very comfortable using it. That evening, she simply cooked a pot of congee, stir-fried a plate of shredded potatoes, and a plate of cucumbers. Luckily, Xie Zhaoran wasn’t picky and ate everything. Shi Yuning thought this must be what her mother meant when she said that when you’re hungry, everything tastes good.

But Xie Zhaoran did get picky with the chicken soup. After a couple of sips, she said it was too greasy and not well-simmered because the oil hadn’t been skimmed. Shi Yuning figured out a way to remove the oil, but Xie Zhaoran took another sip and said it was bland and didn’t taste good. Shi Yuning mentally withdrew her compliment. Who said she wasn’t picky? She’s pickier than anyone! With no other choice, she drank all the chicken soup herself. Although it wasn’t as good as the food her family’s chef made for Xie Zhaoran, it was still drinkable. Xie Zhaoran was truly too picky, Shi Yuning thought as she drank the soup. She started to wonder what she could cook for Xie Zhaoran to help her recover in the coming days. Right, pork bone soup. Like cures like. But she wasn’t sure if her cooking skills would suit Xie Zhaoran’s palate.

Even after washing up and lying down, Shi Yuning was still thinking about where she could get some pork ribs when she looked at the person next to her. Xie Zhaoran was severely injured and had lost a lot of blood. She was feeling very groggy. Although she had a lot she wanted to say to Shi Yuning, her body’s physical limits won out. After dinner, her eyelids gradually began to droop.

Auntie Tian’s house only had this one bed. This was the first time she had ever shared a bed with Shi Yuning, and she didn’t want to fall asleep just yet. But unfortunately, she couldn’t hold on. Xie Zhaoran closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Shi Yuning, however, couldn’t sleep. Xie Zhaoran’s breathing echoed softly in the quiet room, gradually becoming even. Her etiquette was truly ingrained to the bone. Even her sleeping posture was impeccably proper: lying on her back, hands clasped over her abdomen, her hair neatly spread out behind her head. Shi Yuning had been lying on her side, only able to see half of Xie Zhaoran’s face. After a while, she propped herself up on her elbow to get a better look at her whole face.

Auntie Tian’s wooden bed was right under the window, which was simply covered with a layer of paper. The moonlight that couldn’t be blocked out spilled onto the bed, illuminating Xie Zhaoran’s face. Her eyelashes were so long. In the moonlight, they looked as if they were coated with a layer of shimmering dust, trembling slightly with her breathing, like swaying starlight. Her upturned nose was like a mountain rising from the plains, giving her an air of sharpness, which was softened by the delicate and rounded tip. Shi Yuning’s gaze slid down from her nose and landed on her slightly parted, light pink lips. They were like a tiny lotus flower blooming quietly on a summer night, exuding a fatal attraction that made people lose their minds and want to transgress in the darkness.

Shi Yuning’s mind fell into utter chaos, and her heart pounded. She was like a devotee who had been enchanted and lost her wits. Before her wandering thoughts could return, her body moved uncontrollably. She leaned over and gently pressed her lips against those warm lips that tempted her to transgress.

In the vast darkness of the night, the fragrance of gardenias drifted through the small room with the breeze.

Under the silver moonlight, the person who had been fast asleep suddenly opened her eyes. They seemed to hold countless colorful starlights, shining so brightly they could ignite the night.

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