Knowing the Warmth of Southern Tea (GL) - Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Rongrong slept until the afternoon. Upon waking, she first checked her own pulse, and the result confirmed her suspicions. This matter can wait for now, she thought.

Rongrong got up and went to the kitchen, where she found the meal Gu Zhuang had left for her in the pot. After eating, she went to change Wen Cha’s dressings.

“Miss Nan, is Miss Wen awake?” Rongrong’s voice came from outside the room.

Hearing the voice, Wen Cha beat Nan Nuan to the punch and replied, “I’m awake!”

Rongrong walked in and observed Wen Cha’s complexion; she looked much better than the previous night. Today, Rongrong finally had the chance to study Wen Cha’s face closely. She truly resembled her Senior Sister. Could it be… that child? If she really was that child, then Wen Cha’s astonishing self-healing ability was no longer a mystery. For an ordinary person, it would be impossible not to remain in a deep sleep for several days after such a heavy injury. But if she were Senior Sister’s daughter, it was entirely possible.

Wen Cha felt a sudden chill from the way Rongrong was looking at her. It felt exactly like the way she herself looked at a roast chicken—with an excess of enthusiasm. She silently tucked her small blanket tighter around herself.

“Would Miss Nan mind stepping out? I’m not used to having others in the room when I change dressings,” Rongrong said to Nan Nuan with a smile. Nan Nuan took the hint and left. She didn’t find the request strange; after all, her hidden guards often returned to duty shortly after being injured. She didn’t see a problem. Perhaps it was because the people around Nan Nuan were either as strong as oxen or as sickly as dogs…

Before leaving, Nan Nuan tugged the blanket up for Wen Cha. Wen Cha stole a glance at her with a pitiful expression, and Nan Nuan smiled as she walked out.

Recalling Rongrong’s “brutality” from the night before, Wen Cha looked at the woman before her with trepidation. She felt her wound aching—and not just the wound, her head ached too.

“Please, big sister, be gentle.”

Wen Cha’s will to live was strong; she felt she could still be saved.

Rongrong saw Wen Cha’s fear and searched her memory. She didn’t think she had been heavy-handed at all. She hadn’t used much strength; she had been very gentle, like wiping away sweat. As for the flattery of being called “big sister,” she really couldn’t accept it.

“At my age, I am more than old enough to be your mother.”

…

Wen Cha was speechless and silently shut her mouth. It was true; Xingyue wasn’t much younger than her…

She could only watch as Rongrong took out the medicine and unwrapped the white bandages. As the medicinal powder was slowly poured on, the pain intensified.

Looking at Wen Cha, whose lips had turned pale from the pain, Rongrong asked seemingly casually:

“Do you like Miss Nan?”

“I… I don’t. She is my best friend, a very, very good one,” Wen Cha replied instantly, terrified that a second’s delay would cause a misunderstanding. No, wait, there’s nothing between us to misunderstand. Yes, that’s right.

“Then why did you place a Gu poison on her?” Rongrong asked testingly. She felt this young girl was much easier to bluff than Miss Nan. Besides, I didn’t specify which kind of “liking” I meant!

“Ah, you saw through it!” Wen Cha suddenly felt a sense of relief, though she couldn’t tell if it was more joy or regret. she began to recount the whole story.

“So that’s how it is. So, you raised this Love Gu yourself?” Rongrong listened. The story was logical, but there was one issue: if she raised the Love Gu herself, she should be able to control it. Furthermore, the Gu technique bore the distinct style of her Senior Sister.

“Um… actually no, my mother raised it,” Wen Cha confessed sheepishly. After all, all the Gu insects she tried to raise herself ended up…

“Who is your mother?”

“My mother said she has too many enemies, so she won’t let me speak her name.” Rongrong burst out laughing upon hearing this. She’s so good at tricking children. “Too many enemies?” More like too many old grudges…

“Beautiful sister, why are you laughing?” Wen Cha couldn’t grasp the joke.

“Still calling me ‘sister’? Did your mother ever tell you that you have an aunt—a foster mother who is a physician?”

“You are… the Physician Immortal, Rongrong. Greetings, Auntie!” Wen Cha tried to sit up to bow but was pulled back by Rongrong and pressed into the bed. She continued changing the dressings, sighing at the girl’s disregard for her own body.

“I’ll consider the bow accepted. ‘Physician Immortal Rongrong’… that’s actually quite embarrassing!” Rongrong said with a smile, her cheeks flushing with a touch of shyness. Besides, I can hardly live up to the title of Physician Immortal.

“I heard from my mother that the only person in the world who could see through her Gu techniques is my Auntie. She said Auntie is a wonderful person who risked her life to cure a plague, and that she is the most skilled physician in the world. Please, Auntie, teach me medicine! I want to become someone like you.”

Rongrong lowered her head to hide her smile. “Your mother hasn’t changed a bit. Rest well for now; there’s no hurry to learn medicine.” However, the sadness in her eyes was hard to miss.

“Auntie, why are you sad?”

“It’s nothing. I just thought of your mother. We haven’t seen each other in over ten years.”

“Don’t be sad, Auntie. Mother said that as long as we are alive, we will meet again.” Rongrong nodded with a smile, but felt a pang of sorrow. I fear we may never meet again in this lifetime.

“Auntie, I have to leave with Nan Nuan tomorrow. When I return, I will formally perform the tea ceremony to become your disciple.” Wen Cha didn’t know how else to change the subject, so she just said whatever came to mind.

“Not tomorrow. It won’t be good for your wound’s recovery.”

“Auntie, I must go.” Looking at Wen Cha’s determined eyes, Rongrong thought: You still won’t admit you like Nan Nuan? But you silly child, the Gu poison you used is actually useless… Ah well, the younger generation will find their own way.

“Wen Cha, because of my history with your mother, I have a word for you. Whether you listen or not is up to you.”

“Please speak, Auntie.”

“Do not mention the connection between your mother and me to Miss Nan. You must only say that you and I felt an immediate bond upon meeting. Can you do that?”

“I can. Mother said I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone anyway,” Wen Cha replied solemnly. She began to have doubts about her mother’s identity. Why doesn’t Auntie want me to tell Nan Nuan? Could it be that my late father was from the Capital and offended some powerful people? Heavens, the daughter pays for the father’s debts… why is my life so bitter! (A sincere reminder: one should read fewer romance novels; Wen Cha has read too many and has an overactive imagination. There is clearly something missing in her head!)

Nan Nuan was, after all, a person of the Capital. If a mistake were made, it would be a capital offense.

Furthermore, these two children still had a long road ahead of them. If Nan Nuan found out Wen Cha’s true identity, would she…

No, this secret will go to the grave with me.

If such a day must come, I hope it comes very late. People of the martial arts world shouldn’t be entangled with those of the Imperial Court. This was wrong from the very beginning. If there are bitter fruits to be swallowed, it shouldn’t be Wen Cha who swallows them.

Senior Sister, why did you let Wen Cha return to Great Rui? Are you… still unable to forget him?