My Lady Says She Wants to Marry Me - Chapter 22

Chapter 22

In the dark mountain forest, only a single bonfire illuminated the surroundings. Su Wanrou and Lu Youming sat together, eating small fish that Lu Youming had roasted until they were fragrant and slightly charred.

Su Wanrou sat on a flat rock, taking small, dainty bites. Her gaze was lowered, and she ate with a sense of reverence; this was the first proper meal she’d had in days. The tender meat of the small fish had no fishy smell at all, and despite the lack of seasoning, it tasted wonderful to her.

Seeing how much she cherished the food, Lu Youming sighed inwardly. If not for this flood, a noble lady like Su Wanrou would likely never have touched such tiny, bony fish in her entire life. Lu Youming placed another roasted fish by Su Wanrou’s hand. She was starving herself, her mouth watering at the scent, but she held back.

Su Wanrou’s constitution was delicate. Without protein, she would surely fall ill, and her condition would be far more dangerous than Lu Youming’s. Lu Youming watched her eat until, inevitably, her own stomach let out a loud, traitorous growl.

Su Wanrou looked up, catching Lu Youming looking embarrassed while clutching her stomach. She glanced at the fish by her side and frowned. “Why aren’t you eating?”

“Your illness isn’t fully gone yet,” Lu Youming began, but Su Wanrou cut her off, looking a bit miffed. “If you don’t eat, you won’t recover either.”

Su Wanrou tossed a fishbone into the fire and personally held the fish to Lu Youming’s lips. Under that steady gaze, Lu Youming happily took a bite. The bland fish suddenly tasted much better. Since arriving in this world, it had been a long time since anyone had cared for her like this. She ate a bite, stole a glance at Su Wanrou, and grinned.

In the flickering firelight, Su Wanrou thought Lu Youming looked a bit messy but beautiful—and her silly, happy smile was unexpectedly cute. Her gaze unintentionally drifted downward to Lu Youming’s chest and paused.

It really is quite small, Su Wanrou thought, her face heating up. But it looks… rather lovely.

Lu Youming had no idea her “wife” was analyzing her figure. She was busy thinking that being lifelong best friends with Su Wanrou wouldn’t be a bad deal at all, considering they had survived life and death together several times now.

The bitter scent of mugwort began to waft through the air. They had gathered a large pile of the herb to burn to ward off mosquitoes and snakes, and Lu Youming was also boiling some in a bamboo tube.

“Drink this,” Su Wanrou urged, handing a bamboo cup of the green, bitter liquid to Lu Youming.

Lu Youming looked at the brew with pure rejection, but Su Wanrou’s gaze was firm. “Mugwort dispels dampness and cold. We were in the water far too long.”

Lu Youming gulped it down, the bitterness making her tongue go numb. “At least I won’t feel hungry after tasting something this bitter,” she joked. Su Wanrou drank hers as well, despite the grimace on her face.

The two sat on the warm rock, looking up at the stars. “Look, Wife! That’s the North Star!” Lu Youming pointed at the brightest speck in the sky. By identifying the Big Dipper, they confirmed they were currently south of their original position. Tomorrow, they would simply follow the river’s direction to find their way back.

As they settled in for the night, Lu Youming lay on the side away from the fire. The mountain mosquitoes were massive and vicious, but the smoke from the mugwort kept them at bay.

Su Wanrou fell asleep quickly, comforted by the sound of the crackling wood and Lu Youming’s steady breathing. Lu Youming, however, had slept too much during the day. She stayed awake, staring at the stars and wondering how the Magistrate and the others were faring.

She didn’t know that the Magistrate was currently in a towering rage. He had ordered the immediate execution of the two men who had pushed Su Wanrou. He was terrified; Lu Youming was a “peace official” sent from above, and Su Wanrou’s uncle was his direct superior, while her father was a high-ranking Censor in the capital. His retirement plans were currently going up in flames, and he intended to use the blood of the criminals to restore order.

In the middle of the night, Su Wanrou began to tremble in her sleep. “Save me… I don’t want to die…” she whimpered, trapped in a nightmare.

Lu Youming immediately sat up and pulled her into her arms, patting her back gently. “Wife, Wife, don’t be afraid. We’re safe now.”

Su Wanrou didn’t wake, but she curled into Lu Youming’s chest, clutching the front of her robes. “Husband… Husband…” she whispered.

“I’m here,” Lu Youming murmured, her heart softening. “I’m right here.” Feeling the familiar scent and warmth, Su Wanrou finally relaxed and fell back into a deep, peaceful sleep.

The next morning, the sky was a deep, ghostly blue. Su Wanrou woke up groggily to a view of green trees and a pale, slender chin right above her. She reached up and poked the chin.

Lu Youming stirred, her head tilting down until her forehead rested against Su Wanrou’s. Su Wanrou froze. She realized her legs were tangled with Lu Youming’s, and her arms were wrapped tightly around the other woman’s waist.

Lu Youming opened her eyes and tried to roll over, only to hiss in pain. “Ah… so numb…”

Su Wanrou quickly retracted her hands, her face turning an explosive shade of red.

“Good morning, Wife,” Lu Youming said with a chuckle.

Su Wanrou was mortified. She couldn’t believe she had spent the night basically embedded in Lu Youming’s embrace. Lu Youming reached out and playfully flicked her nose. “Don’t overthink it. It’s daylight; we should get moving.”

As Su Wanrou scrambled to move her legs away, Lu Youming let out another groan, a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead. The “pins and needles” sensation felt like a million ants biting her.

“Is it very bad?” Su Wanrou asked, her eyes full of worry and a new, complicated layer of guilt. She realized that Lu Youming was a woman just like her, yet she was the one constantly protecting and comforting everyone.

“I’ll be fine in a minute,” Lu Youming panted.

Su Wanrou sat by her side, tenderly wiping the sweat from her brow with a handkerchief. Once Lu Youming regained her strength, she went to check the “fish trap” she had built the night before—a circle of river stones with a one-way entrance baited with earthworms.

She lifted the bamboo cover and let out a triumphant laugh. “Haha! Ten fish! Way better than yesterday!”

She deftly cleaned the fish and skewered them on sharpened sticks. Humming a cheerful tune, she walked back toward Su Wanrou with her bounty held high, looking incredibly proud of herself.