Chapter 17

Chapter 17: Can’t Sleep

In this town, all outsiders needed a travel permit, or they would be seized for questioning. Huo Qi was an alias, so the travel permit had to be remade. Huo Zheng had gone out to have one made. Otherwise, even if he and Chun Zhi went through the fake marriage tomorrow, it would be useless. If people from the Magistrate’s Office came, they could still drag Chun Zhi away for a forced match. He had a travel permit made in the name of Huo Qi to be kind to the end, and also to hide his true identity even deeper. He did not expect to scare Chun Zhi like this.

Chun Zhi rubbed her nose and said in a hoarse voice: “You went to get the travel permit, but why didn’t you tell me? I thought you…”

Huo Zheng asked: “You thought what about me?”

Chun Zhi answered softly: “I thought you changed your mind.”

Huo Zheng frowned a little and said: “Do I look like someone who goes back on his word?”

Chun Zhi nodded, then quickly shook her head and said: “N-no, you don’t.”

Huo Zheng could tell she had first wanted to say yes. He pushed the wheelchair inside. Chun Zhi closed the gate and followed while opening the travel permit to look. The name on it truly said “Huo Qi.” She thought: [So Huo Qi isn’t a fake name. That must be his real name. I judged a gentleman with a petty heart.]

After reading, she folded the travel permit and handed it back, saying: “This is your travel permit. Keep it safe.”

Huo Zheng was an outsider. In Linshui Town, there was no way to check his household registration. If the Magistrate’s Office came, they could only look at his travel permit. Once she married him tomorrow, if people from the Magistrate’s Office came to ask, she would show them this. The travel permit mattered a lot. No wonder Huo Zheng went out to get it even while wounded.

Huo Zheng tucked the travel permit back into his sleeve and asked casually: “You were out for most of the day. Did you get everything done?”

Chun Zhi said: “Almost everything. I bought you a wedding robe. Go try it on.”

He answered: “Mm,” and pushed his wheelchair into the room.

At the door, Chun Zhi said: “You are hurt and it is hard to move. Do you want me to help you?”

While loosening his belt, Huo Zheng said in his usual calm voice: “Come here.”

“Alright,” said Chun Zhi as she came in and opened the bundle. She took the pieces out one by one. When she turned back, she saw that Huo Qi had already untied his belt and was standing.

The man was tall, and standing so close gave off a strong pressure. Chun Zhi stepped forward, eased off his robe, and then lifted the wedding robe for him to put on. The size and length were just right, as if made to measure. The red color made Huo Qi look like fine jade, strikingly handsome.

While she tied his belt, they were very close, so close they could hear each other’s breathing. She lowered her head a little, showing the pale back of her slender neck, and her cheeks turned the color of peach blossoms.

Huo Zheng looked down at her and suddenly thought: [A feast for the eyes.]

His gaze grew darker.

Chun Zhi looked up and said: “The wedding robe fits. Take it off for now and wear it tomorrow.”

She helped him change back into his indigo robe, tied his belt, and stepped back. She folded the wedding robe and placed it on the small table before the bed.

The sun set behind West Mountain, and the sky grew dim. Chun Zhi lit the oil lamp and asked gently: “Are you hungry? I will cook dinner.”

Huo Qi gave a soft “Mm,” so Chun Zhi went to the kitchen to work. She still had a lot to do tonight, but she made four good dishes and heated the half pot of chicken soup left from noon. It became four dishes and one soup.

Huo Qi did not talk much, but he ate a lot. After dinner, Chun Zhi washed the bowls and chopsticks, then started cutting double happiness cutouts and window flowers. In the small room, one oil lamp burned. She sat at the table cutting red paper. Her shadow fell across the window, like a painting.

Huo Zheng looked at the wedding robe on the table and felt his thoughts scatter. He wondered what Chun Zhi would look like in a bridal dress. Then he caught himself and thought: [Why am I thinking about this? It is only a fake marriage.]

When she finished the cutouts and window flowers, Chun Zhi pasted them on the doors and windows with paste. When she reached the window of the next room, she saw Huo Qi still sitting in the wheelchair and asked: “It is late. Why are you not sleeping?”

Huo Zheng said: “You are not sleeping either.”

Chun Zhi smiled and said: “I still have work to do. You do not.”

She truly kept her promise to take care of him. Even with so much to prepare for tomorrow’s wedding, she did not make him do tiring work.

Huo Zheng said: “I cannot sleep.”

Standing by the window, Chun Zhi asked: “Why can’t you sleep?”

Huo Zheng did not answer.

After a moment, Chun Zhi said: “If you cannot sleep, then come help.”

He was wounded and could not do heavy work, but he could hold a ladder. In his heart, Huo Zheng thought: [You are a village girl, yet you dare tell this prince what to do.] Still, he pushed his wheelchair out of the room.

Chun Zhi brought a ladder and climbed up and down to paste double happiness cutouts and window flowers and to hang red silk. She said down to Huo Qi: “Please hold the ladder for me.”

Sitting in the wheelchair, Huo Zheng held the ladder steady.

Chun Zhi was always capable and often worked alone. Even before, in the Lu Clan, when Lu Jing Yun was there, she pitied him for studying hard and would not let him handle chores. Now with Huo Qi keeping her company, she felt that a quiet man could be nice. No matter what the task was, two people were faster than one.

After finishing the cutouts, Chun Zhi wanted to change the old lantern for a red one, so she had to climb higher.

Huo Zheng said: “Be careful. Do not miss a step.”

Chun Zhi laughed and answered: “Don’t worry. I am very careful.”

The old lantern could still be used, so she held it in one hand and the ladder with the other. On the way down, her foot slipped. She fell backward with a cry: “Ah!”

Huo Zheng stood up at once, reached out, and caught her so that she landed in his arms.

Chun Zhi squeezed her eyes shut. The pain she expected did not come. Instead, she fell into a warm, wide embrace. She opened her eyes slowly and saw his handsome face very close.

With little change on his face, Huo Zheng asked: “How long do you plan to lie in my arms?”

Flushing, Chun Zhi said: “Then put me down.”

He set her down and sat back in the wheelchair. Chun Zhi placed the old lantern on the ground and leaned close to look at him, asking: “Did I bump your wound?”

Huo Zheng said: “You did.”

Hearing that, Chun Zhi grew anxious and said: “I really hit your wound? Did it split open? Take off your robe and let me check.” As she spoke, she reached to untie his belt.

Huo Zheng leaned back a little and said: “You are undressing me again.”

“I…” Chun Zhi paused, at a loss for words, then said: “I am worried about your wound!” She told herself: [It is not because I have improper thoughts about him at all.]