Chapter 87

Chapter 87: Don’t Panic

“Elder brother is back!” Song Wan’er was overjoyed to see him. Whenever she stayed near Huo Zheng, she always felt anxious. Once her elder brother returned, her heart settled.

Song An Lan took off his cloak and handed it to the maid. Sitting across from them, he said gently: “Let us eat.”

He did not find it strange that Huo Zheng had come to dine. Chun Zhi, however, felt a little sorry for troubling the Song siblings. Song An Lan gave her a small, reassuring smile.

Song Wan’er personally ladled a bowl of old duck soup for Chun Zhi and said: “Sister, I asked Chef Zhang to make this for you. It smells wonderful. Drink more.”

Huo Zheng had been about to serve soup to Chun Zhi, but Song Wan’er got there first. So he used his chopsticks to place dishes on Chun Zhi’s plate. Song Wan’er also liked to feed Chun Zhi. Seeing Huo Zheng compete with her, she felt annoyed and turned to give food to her elder brother, saying: “Elder brother, you should eat more.”

“Do not fuss,” Song An Lan said as he picked up a piece of sweet-and-sour fish for his sister. “You should eat more too.”

Watching the give-and-take among herself, Chun Zhi, and her elder brother, Song Wan’er noticed that only Prince Chang’an was one-sided. She tipped up her chin: [The three of us are a family. This Prince Chang’an is just an outsider.] She then served another bowl of soup for her elder brother.

“Since Chun Zhi came, Wan’er has become more sensible,” Song An Lan said with a smile.

“Of course,” Song Wan’er said, a little proud. She had rarely gone out before and did not know how other sisters treated their elder brothers. But after Chun Zhi arrived, Chun Zhi cared for her and for elder brother. Watching from the side, she had learned a few things.

Song Wan’er chatted about funny things she had seen in the kitchen while watching the chefs cook. Song An Lan drank his soup and coughed from time to time, as if trying to hold it back so his sister would not worry.

Chun Zhi said: “On a snowy, cold day, elder brother should ask the stewards to handle your errands.”

Song An Lan smiled and answered: “All right.”

Huo Zheng said very little. When he served Chun Zhi, he stripped the meat from the ribs and removed the bones from the fish.

During the meal, Huo Zheng said to Song An Lan: “Young Master Song may speak to this prince directly if you have any matters.”

He meant that whatever trouble Song An Lan met, he would help resolve it. Song An Lan gave a small smile and said: “Then I thank the prince first.”

After the meal, Huo Zheng supported Chun Zhi back to her room, and Song An Lan saw Song Wan’er back to her quarters.

“I should send elder brother back,” Song Wan’er said. “You coughed again just now. I will ask the physician to take a look at you.”

“There is no need,” Song An Lan said. “I will rest early.”

Talking as they walked, the siblings slowly moved away.

Holding an oil-paper umbrella with one hand and supporting Chun Zhi with the other, Huo Zheng stepped through the snow and returned with her to the small courtyard. After eating, Chun Zhi felt sleepy and asked the maids to bring hot water for washing. But Huo Zheng sent the maids away and, with his own hands, dipped a cloth into the hot water to wipe her face and hands.

He had done the same during those days at South City Villa. At first, Chun Zhi resisted. Huo Zheng was not someone who served others. But after many times, he grew more skilled, and she also got used to it. She could not stop him anyway, so she let him.

After helping her wash, Huo Zheng asked for a fresh basin of hot water so Chun Zhi could soak her feet. With her belly heavy, she could not bend well, and even washing her feet was hard. These days, Huo Zheng did it for her.

Chun Zhi’s feet were very pale. Because of the pregnancy, they were a little swollen. In the hot water, they looked even softer. When his hand brushed her sole, it tickled. The first time he touched her like that, she could not help kicking him. Now it was a little better.

She bit her lip for a while, then said: “You do not have to do this.”

Looking up at her, Huo Zheng said: “Carrying a child is the hardest. I cannot bear the pain of birth for you. I can only do these things.”

He did not know how hard the long months of pregnancy had been for her while she was alone. No matter how good Song An Lan was, and no matter how much Song Wan’er loved her sister, they could not lessen the burden of pregnancy. Even now, though he was by her side, he could not truly share it. All he could do was stay with her and do what he could, even if she did not need him and did not want him in front of her. He still would not leave.

Outside, the winter snow fell. Inside, a brazier warmed the room. Chun Zhi’s feet soaked in the hot water, and she felt very comfortable, so comfortable that sleepiness came over her. Soaking, she drifted off.

Huo Zheng dried her feet, picked her up and laid her gently on the bed, tucked the quilt around her, then carried the water out to pour it away. Afraid of waking her, he washed up outside before coming back in. With the brazier going, Chun Zhi slept more soundly than she had during those days at South City Villa.

Sitting by the bed, Huo Zheng watched her sleeping face for a long time. Then he dragged the beauty couch over, placed it beside the bed, and lay down close to her. The snow fell harder, wrapping the world in white.

In the middle of the night, Chun Zhi’s leg suddenly cramped. Still asleep, she frowned deeply, looking very uncomfortable. Huo Zheng sat up at once and carefully massaged her leg. After a while, her brows eased. The worst had passed. He let out a quiet breath, noticed her arm had slipped out from the quilt, and tucked it back in, smoothing the corner.

He sat at the bedside and listened as her breathing evened out, then bent and brushed a light kiss between her brows.

Chun Zhi slept deeply. When she woke the next morning, it was still snowing outside, and she could not tell the time. Huo Zheng was not there. She lifted the quilt and was about to get out of bed when he came in from the outer room. He did not ask why she had not called him. Even if he stood right in front of her, Chun Zhi would not ask him to help on her own.

Huo Zheng helped her up and dressed her. Her movements were slow and clumsy, and he did not rush her. When he finished, he tied her sash. They looked at each other in silence. Soon, Chun Zhi turned her eyes away. Snow fell quietly.

From outside came Song Wan’er’s voice. She had run over in a panic and knocked without any care, crying: “Sister, open the door! Elder brother… elder brother coughed blood and fainted.”

Chun Zhi was shocked and moved at once to open the door. Huo Zheng pressed her shoulder and said: “Don’t panic, I will open it.” With that, he stepped forward and pulled the door open.

Chun Zhi had seen Song An Lan cough blood before, but this was the first time he had fainted afterward. It meant his illness was getting worse. Song Wan’er’s face was streaked with tears. She did not even see who had opened the door. She cried out: “Sister, I am so scared.”