Chapter 94

Chapter 94: More Than Enough to Match Prince Chang’an

Chun Zhi’s ear tingled under his breath.

She could do nothing with the way Huo Zheng was now, so she stayed with him, planning to wait until he fell asleep.

But each time Huo Zheng shut his eyes, he opened them again to look at her, as if he feared she would suddenly leave.

Chun Zhi raised her hand and covered his eyes, saying softly: “Sleep.”

Huo Zheng’s thin lips curved. He leaned closer to her, pressed against her, and soon fell asleep.

Listening to his steady breathing, Chun Zhi let out a quiet sigh of relief.

[She knew the Golden Crow was too bright to look at. She knew that someone of Huo Zheng’s rank was beyond her reach. Yet his feelings burned so hot that she could not resist.]

Chun Zhi slowly drew back her hands, lay by the bed, and looked at Huo Zheng at arm’s length.

He was very handsome, with sword-like brows and starry eyes, a face like warm jade.

[If he had not looked like this, she would never have wished for a child who took after him.]

One moment of folly, drunken and greedy for pleasure, had led to today.

Chun Zhi kept watch over Huo Zheng for a long time, tracing his brows and eyes with her gaze again and again.

Dusk fell and the maids lit the lamps outside the door.

Chun Zhi stood up too, ready to light the lamps inside the room.

She had barely risen when Huo Zheng woke. He caught her hand and asked in a hoarse voice: “Where are you going?”

“Nowhere,” Chun Zhi said softly: “It’s dark. I’m going to light the lamp.”

“Don’t light it,” Huo Zheng said as he held on to her: “Let it stay dim.”

“Let go,” Chun Zhi said helplessly.

He did not wish to anger her. He held her hand for a while longer, then released it.

Chun Zhi went to the table and lit the oil lamp. The flame wavered and slowly brightened the room.

Huo Zheng sat up and leaned against the bed, watching her with a deep, shadowed gaze.

“You barely ate today,” Chun Zhi asked him: “Are you hungry?”

“A little,” Huo Zheng said.

“Then I’ll have someone bring you food.”

Chun Zhi went to the door and called for Qing Ye.

Qing Ye answered at once: “Miss, what are your orders?”

“Bring some food,” Chun Zhi said, glancing back at Huo Zheng.

Following her look, Qing Ye also saw that the nobleman who had slept in the side room last night was now lying on the main bed. She knew by now how tangled he and the Miss were, and she did not dare look him in the eye. She hurried off to the kitchen to have food prepared.

Chun Zhi returned to the bed and told Huo Zheng: “There are three petals of the Revival Blossom left. It also works well for the cold in your body. Doctor Zhao and Doctor Liang are compounding medicine. I’ll go see how they are doing…”

Before she could finish, Huo Zheng caught her hand again.

His hand was cold.

Hers was warm.

Cold and heat overlapped. Chun Zhi wanted to shake him off, but she remembered he had become like this searching for the Revival Blossom for Song An Lan, and she forced herself to endure.

She asked in a low voice: “Why are you pulling me again?”

“I’m afraid you’ll only care about Song An Lan and stop caring about me,” Huo Zheng said.

Chun Zhi fell silent.

[What he really wanted was food made by Chun Zhi’s own hands, even a simple bowl of noodles. For the past half year, everything had tasted bland to him. He had dreamed of eating her cooking. But she was pregnant now, and even sitting and walking were hard. How could he bear to ask her to cook? Having her by his side was already enough.]

Chun Zhi had no idea what was running through his mind. She treated Song An Lan as an elder brother. Since her elder brother was seriously ill, she, as his sister, naturally had to care for him at all times.

But whenever Huo Zheng heard Song An Lan’s name, jealousy surged like a storm.

He had not been like this back on Peach Blossom Lane.

Back then he talked little and was cold and proud.

Standing by the bed, Chun Zhi told him: “I liked you better the way you were before.”

“What way?” Huo Zheng asked at once.

Chun Zhi pulled her hand free and tossed him a line: “Figure it out.”

With that, she turned to go.

He lifted the quilt, ready to get out of bed and follow her.

“Lie down and stay put,” Chun Zhi said without looking back.

At her words, Huo Zheng slowly lay back and asked in a muffled voice: “Where are you going?”

“To see elder brother.”

As she spoke, the corners of her lips could not help lifting.

Huo Zheng said nothing.

She had heard so much from him today that her heart was a mess. She wanted a quiet place to think. [When one person cannot untangle a knot, two people might.]

Chun Zhi crossed the courtyard and went to Song An Lan.

Song Wan’er had just been sent back to rest.

Only two maids were in the room. After Chun Zhi arrived, she stood by the bed, hesitant to speak.

Song An Lan waved the two maids away.

“What is it?” he asked gently: “If you have something to say, just say it.”

“Elder brother,” Chun Zhi said softly: “If you met someone whose status was worlds apart from yours, and he chased you without giving up, willing to give you everything, and you liked him a little too, would you cut off the feelings, or would you try your best and give it a try?”

Hearing this, Song An Lan knew she was speaking of herself and Huo Zheng.

“If you cut it off now,” he told her: “You will surely regret it later. If you try with all your strength, the result may not be good, but at least you won’t regret it.”

He said he had long known he would not live long, so he always tried his best in anything he did.

“I know what you fear,” he said: “But Chun Zhi, in a lifetime not everyone meets a true love. The person you like also liking you is rare…”

He looked at her steadily. Keeping Chun Zhi at Song Manor for more than half a year had involved some calculation, but there had also been true care.

[Such a good young lady. If only we had met earlier. If only I were not so sick and weak, I would have pursued her too.]

He smiled bitterly and said: “As your elder brother, I naturally don’t want you to be hurt. But I also hope you and the one you love will become a family.”

Sensing the bitterness in his words, Chun Zhi lowered her head and stayed quiet.

“If what you worry about most is the difference in rank, then your elder brother can help a little… cough, cough…” He began to cough.

Chun Zhi quickly patted his back, poured a cup of hot water, and handed it to him.

He drank to soothe his throat, then went on: “The class of merchants is low, yet many daughters still marry high. Now the State Treasury is empty, and the Imperial Court is troubled. I am willing to give half of the Song Clan’s wealth as your dowry. As long as Prince Chang’an truly means to marry you, you can bear the title of Princess Consort of Chang’an.”

Chun Zhi looked up at him: “Elder brother…”

“Do not belittle yourself, Chun Zhi,” Song An Lan said: “In my heart you are good in a thousand ways. You are more than enough to match Prince Chang’an.”