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[This is an extra chapter dedicated to Ling Xiaoqi, Mu someone, Zixing Qiyue for requesting extra content, and to my silent supporters whose names I do not know.]
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Miss Jun walked into the courtyard, and Liu'er had already flitted inside like a butterfly.
The courtyard was just as it used to be, with no throngs of maids and servants, just Maidong and Baishao standing alone.
Upon seeing Miss Jun, their expressions were still apprehensive.
Their past fear was due to helplessness and injustice. Now, it was because of past helplessness and injustice, making them uneasy and embarrassed.
Miss Jun's expression remained unchanged.
She hadn't noticed them before, and she didn't now.
"Aren't you going to open the curtain?" Liu'er shouted from inside, "What are you standing there for?"
Liu'er was just as fierce as ever.
Maidong and Baishao hurried to open the curtain.
Fang Chengyu and Miss Jun entered one after the other.
"Miss, Miss, please sit down quickly," Liu'er said, personally bringing the tea over. "You must be tired, aren't you hungry?"
Miss Jun sat down, smiled, and accepted the tea, answering each question.
"Not tired. Not hungry."
As soon as Liu'er heard that she wasn't tired or hungry, she opened up a conversation box.
"Miss, you have no idea how much happened after you left," she said excitedly. "That very night you and the young master left, you have no idea, it scared me to death..."
Starting from that time, she might not finish telling everything until nightfall.
Fang Chengyu smiled as he watched Liu'er animatedly recounting stories to Miss Jun before he turned and left.
"What's planned for dinner?" he asked as he stood under the veranda.
Maidong cautiously handed him a list.
"This was arranged by Sister Liu'er," she said.
Fang Chengyu looked at it seriously. He had no idea what good food tasted like; for nearly ten years, his diet had been bland and monotonous.
"I'll go to the kitchen and have a look," he said.
He wanted to question, taste, and observe carefully. Isn't it said that good food is a blend of color, aroma, and flavor?
Maidong replied in understanding, watching as Fang Chengyu walked out.
"Why did you let the young master go alone? Why didn't you follow him?" Baishao approached her and whispered.
Maidong looked at her.
"Why didn't you follow him?" she said with a hum.
It's because of Lingzhi's previous misfortunes.
The two maids glared at each other for a moment.
"But now, the young master has recovered..." Maidong hesitated for a moment, then whispered.
Before, he was sick and sought her treatment, but now that he had recovered, maybe some things shouldn't be overdone?
Baishao snorted.
"The young master is well, but the young lady remains the most important," she said. "Moreover, if she truly gets angry, she managed to cure the young master, so do you think she might also cause the young master's relapse?"
Maidong instinctively looked into the room and shrank her head.
"I'm not sure about the young lady, but Liu'er definitely could," she said softly.
Baishao snorted again, then laughed, shook her head, and the two stopped joking and resumed their solemn stance.
.............
When Miss Jun awoke from her afternoon nap, it was already evening, and she smelled the fresh coolness. As it turned out, it was pouring summer rain outside, and she didn't know how long it had been raining.
She sat up and saw Fang Chengyu reading on the other side of the kang table.
"You're awake," he said, smiling as he poured tea as soon as he noticed her looking.
"It's more restful to sleep at home," Miss Jun said, standing to receive the tea. "Didn't you get some sleep?"
"I took a nap," Fang Chengyu said. "Liu'er is still sleeping."
Miss Jun drank a few sips of tea.
"She's worn out; let her sleep well," she said.
With so many things happening, sometimes it wasn't those involved who were the most exhausted but the bystanders who were worried without knowing the details.
Fang Chengyu nodded.
"Would you like to eat? The food in the kitchen is ready," he said. "I also told Grandmother and Mother that we wouldn't be eating together tonight so everyone can have a good rest."
Miss Jun nodded.
"I'll freshen up and then eat," she said.
Fang Chengyu called for Maidong, and Maidong quickly came in to accompany Miss Jun to the Castration Room. Once Miss Jun had washed and changed clothes and came out, the lamps were already lit, and the dining table was set.
"It's hot, and since you've been on the road for days, I've prepared something light. I'm not sure if you'll like it," Fang Chengyu said, handing her the chopsticks.
In their time together, because of Fang Chengyu's medications, their meals had dietary restrictions. It was unclear what Miss Jun liked.
Miss Jun took the chopsticks and sat down.
"I'm not picky with food," she said with a smile. "I can eat anything, and I want to taste everything. Sampling the flavors of life is also a pleasure."
Fang Chengyu smiled and nodded, as Maidong and Baishao served them rice and then lowered their heads respectfully as they left.
The two of them quietly ate their meal. After dinner, because of the rain, they strolled slowly inside, listening to the sound of the rain outside.
"The house has a training yard. You should, like Grandmother, exercise daily," Miss Jun said. "Although you're healthy again, your body is still badly damaged and has a poor foundation."
"I know," Fang Chengyu said, reaching out and making a fist. "I walked several laps this morning and practiced on the wooden stake, just like you and Grandmother."
He extended his fist to her.
"See if it's still red."
Miss Jun laughed heartily.
"Sister, look, I wrote three long calligraphy pieces today, and my hand is all red."
She seemed to once again see Jiurong standing before her, acting playfully.
Her laughter held a tinge of bitterness but quickly turned to happiness.
No matter what, she had another chance to see Jiurong.
Baishao and Maidong came out of the room.
"Young master, young lady, the hot water is ready, and the bed is made," they said, bowing.
Before they knew it, it was already time for bed. But how should they sleep now?
Previously, they shared a bed for the sake of treatment, and in Runan for precaution. Now, with no need for either, should they still sleep together?
After all, they were not truly husband and wife.
Fang Chengyu fiddled with his fingers.
"There's one more thing I haven't told you," he said.
"We'll talk about it in bed," Miss Jun said.
Maidong and Baishao, as always, closed the door and retreated. Miss Jun never required night guards.
"I wanted to tell you that I killed County Magistrate Li with my own hands," Fang Chengyu said in a hushed voice as soon as they entered the inner room.
Miss Jun looked at him.
"Of course, it's not because I hated him so much that I lost control," Fang Chengyu said gravely, "but because he was about to reveal a secret about our Fang Family, a secret that seems mustn't be known."
So it was that secret.
That's why County Magistrate Li did what he did. Everything made sense now.
Miss Jun nodded.
"Let's sit and talk," she said, leading the way to the kang.
The kang was already prepared, with pillows side by side on a cool bamboo mat.
Miss Jun sat down directly, shifting further in to signal Fang Chengyu to come up as well.
Fang Chengyu didn't hesitate.
"This was the situation at the time," he said, sitting cross-legged on the bed as he began to explain.
After listening to Fang Chengyu's account, Miss Jun nodded.
"You're right. Your family must have a secret," she said. "And this secret can mobilize officials in both Shanxi and Henan Provinces. Moreover, this secret cannot be disclosed publicly. Even you don't know. I suspect your mother doesn't either."
Fang Chengyu nodded.
"This is probably why Uncle Lei said my father's misfortune was the work of government soldiers, and why Grandmother was so certain that it was impossible," he mused.
Miss Jun nodded but said nothing.
Both were silent for a moment.
"No matter what, since Grandmother can't speak of it, there must be a reason for that, and we should trust her," Miss Jun said.
Fang Chengyu nodded.
"Yes, so I haven't asked anything," he said with a smile. Leaning against his hand, changing positions, he continued, "Thinking back, many things I found strange as a child make sense now."
"What kind of things?" Miss Jun asked out of curiosity.
Fang Chengyu eagerly recounted some childhood events. There were so many things he could barely remember, telling them while thinking, and only after he finished did he notice Miss Jun had, at some point, fallen asleep against the pillow.
Though she had just had an afternoon nap, she must have been truly exhausted.
Traveling for over two months, and after painstakingly reviving Jiuling Hall in Runan, she had experienced life-threatening peril on the road. These past months had been hard for everyone, especially for her.
Fang Chengyu gently draped a thin blanket over her, hesitated as he looked at the bed on the other side of the room for a long moment.
She had just said her body was severely depleted, the foundation weak. Although she had let him travel alone after the White Crane Ridge ambush, that was out of necessity to not delay matters in Yangcheng.
Now that they were home, he should still sleep with her, in case she woke up in the night and worried.
Wait until she says they don't need to share a bed anymore, then they'll separate.
Fang Chengyu took a breath, blew out the light by the bed, and lowered the mosquito net, lying down cautiously, covering the joy in his eyes as he closed them.
Outside, the light rain pitter-pattered on the banana leaves, making the night tranquil as the Fang Family's residence fell into slumber.
Fang Jinxiu lay in the darkness as usual with her eyes open, when suddenly there were footsteps outside, and the door was pushed open.
Who?
She reflexively asked herself but was too lazy to move.
"Third Miss," Concubine Yuan's voice sounded in the darkness.
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[2,800 words. Just realized everyone misunderstood that I said I'd add chapters after improving the storyline. Everyone thought it meant extra content now, so, what now? Let's add then~]
It's the weekend. How delightful, isn't it? O(∩_∩)O Haha~
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