Knowing the Warmth of Southern Tea (GL) - Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Rongrong lay on the inner side of the bed, with Zhuang on the outer side. She leaned her head against his shoulder, nuzzling him repeatedly. Suddenly, it occurred to her: her period was two months late. She had been so busy seeing patients these past two months that she had completely forgotten. Could it be…

“What is it?” Zhuang asked, still very much enjoying his young wife’s coyness.

“Where exactly is Nan Nuan from?” Rongrong suddenly sat up and asked, masking her inner guilt. If this were true, she couldn’t let Gu Zhuang find out yet, or else…

“The Capital, the Nan family,” Gu Zhuang explained. He felt his wife’s reaction was a bit intense, but he didn’t dwell on it. After all, Rongrong truly loathed the Capital and the current Emperor. She was the living embodiment of the phrase: Hate a person, hate their city.

“Then why does the Gu poison in those two girls look like my Senior Sister’s handiwork? Logically, that shouldn’t be possible.” Rongrong had intended to change the subject, but the more she thought about the Gu poison, the more unsettled she felt.

“The injured one is not,” Zhuang explained, before gently pushing the seated Rongrong back down. From the first moment he saw Wen Cha, he felt a sense of familiarity. She reminded him of an old partner—his wife’s Senior Sister.

“Could this girl be related to Senior Sister? No, I have to ask.” Rongrong prepared to get up again but was caught by Zhuang’s hand.

“Rest first. They aren’t going anywhere.” Zhuang pressed her down once more.

Rongrong glanced at Zhuang and silently closed her eyes. She hadn’t decided how to tell him yet; in that case, it would be better to ask the girl first. If she was her Senior Sister’s child, she was surely that person’s child too. What should she do? She was so conflicted!

Suddenly, she regretted having Gu Zhuang lie there with her. This man knew everything, yet he purposefully let her agonize and guess. He was as wicked as he was detestable. With these thoughts swirling, she eventually drifted off to sleep.

…

Meanwhile, Nan Nuan was still in the medical room.

“Master, absolutely not!” An Yi immediately tried to stop his master after hearing her plan.

“An Yi, my mind is made up. We cannot delay; I must reach Qingzhou according to the plan. This is the most crucial link in my strategy. The spring cold has passed, and midsummer has not yet arrived. If we don’t arrive in time, none of this will have any meaning,” Nan Nuan said.

“But Master, Miss Wen Cha is gravely injured and cannot be easily moved. If anything happens to her, your life…” This was simply suicidal.

“Since I decided to do this, I have long since ceased to fear life or death,” Nan Nuan stated. Ever since she chose to board the Crown Prince’s ship, she had put her own safety aside.

“Even if Master does not fear death, do you not care for Miss Wen Cha’s life? The journey is perilous. If her wound becomes infected, it will cost two lives!” An Yi understood Nan Nuan’s resolve and could only try to persuade her from another angle.

“I… am not afraid to die.” No one knew when Wen Cha had woken up or how much she had heard, but her voice was very raspy.

“Wen Cha. Bring water,” Nan Nuan looked down at her and helped her drink the water An Yi handed over.

Wen Cha moistened her throat and said, “Since neither of us fears death, why use it to frighten us? Nan Nuan, whatever you want to do, I will support you.” Wen Cha knew that if she hadn’t indiscriminately placed the Love Gu on Nan Nuan, the situation wouldn’t be this dire. Should Nan Nuan be held back further because of her?

After spending this time together, Wen Cha knew Nan Nuan was no ordinary person. She had things she wanted to do and her own purposes. She wasn’t aimless like herself.

“Wen Cha, thank you. This all started because of me, involving you for no reason.”

“You didn’t involve me; I went looking for trouble myself. Nan Nuan, I am willing to follow you. But you must tell me what you are doing in Qingzhou. I am gambling with my life; I have a right to know.” Wen Cha needed to know if the thing she was risking her life for was worth it.

“An Yi, let no one within fifty paces,” Nan Nuan commanded.

“Master, this is a matter of great importance…” It wasn’t that An Yi didn’t trust Wen Cha, but her identity was still a mystery. An Er, who had gone to the border to investigate, had not yet returned. What if this was an enemy’s “bitter meat” trap?

“Go.” Nan Nuan signaled An Yi with a look. He understood; his Master wouldn’t reveal her true intentions.

“Understood.” An Yi withdrew. Nan Nuan took a sip of water, cleared her throat, and said, “Do you know that Qingzhou is prone to flooding?”

Wen Cha nodded. Having come to the Central Plains, she had done her homework. She had planned to bypass places prone to natural disasters. Confused as to why Nan Nuan was asking, she said, “The flooding in Qingzhou isn’t that severe, and many places have floods. Why Qingzhou? Are you going to manage the waters?” Wen Cha knew Nan Nuan was the daughter of General Nan and very intelligent. Was she a scholar of the world, writing strategies for flood control?

“Not exactly. My brother observed the stars and learned that Qingzhou will surely suffer a great flood this year.”

“So, you’re going to stop the flood?” Wen Cha asked, looking at Nan Nuan with admiration. At a similar age, one cared for the world while the other was still chasing the fantasy of “the martial arts world.” But where was this “world” anyway?

Faced with Wen Cha’s idolizing gaze, Nan Nuan gave a helpless smile. “You could put it that way.” A sliver of guilt touched her heart. She felt sorry for Wen Cha; in reality, she was…

“Then what are we afraid of? Let’s go, let’s go!” Wen Cha tried to sit up but pulled her wound. “Ow, ow, ow…” She lay back down quietly. While she couldn’t become someone who cared for the world like Nan Nuan, she could at least avoid being a burden to such a person.

“Wen Cha, your injuries are severe. I am worried about you.” Through their interactions, Nan Nuan had come to believe that Wen Cha was a truly kind and gentle person. By comparison, she felt ashamed of herself.

“Don’t worry, I’m tough. When do we leave?” Wen Cha didn’t sense Nan Nuan’s guilt; she was immersed in the joy of being about to do something significant.

“Tomorrow morning. Get some rest first,” Nan Nuan soothed her.

“Okay. Nan Nuan, let me tell you, it actually doesn’t hurt at all.”

“Mhm,” Nan Nuan replied.

“Nuan Nuan, I’m so sorry. Such a pretty dress, ruined…”

“It’s nothing.”

“Nuan Nuan…”

Looking at Wen Cha, who was deathly pale and clearly in pain yet pretending to be at ease, the ice in Nan Nuan’s heart seemed to melt significantly. Even her soul felt a few degrees warmer.

Though this world has those who are selfish, it also has those who give selflessly.

Light and shadow never exist independently of one another. Every heart has a dark side, and just as surely, every heart has a side that shines.