Pheonix Ascending(PA)

Chapters 70-81

Chapter 70: Doubts

Recognizing Nan Xun’s voice, Jun Huang let out a sigh of relief. There was cold sweat covering her forehead. She couldn’t help but shiver in the cooled water.

She quickly put on some clothes and wrapped them tightly around herself before walking out from behind the screen. Nan Xun stood by the door with candlelight illuminating him from behind. “What are you here for so late at night?” she asked.

Nan Xun sighed inwardly. Of course Jun Huang would ask him this. He did need a justification for a social call at this time of day.

He cleared his throat. “I forgot to ask you how you are going to deal with Wan’er.”

Jun Huang’s shoulders slumped. She really didn’t want to think about this, but she had to. During dinner, Nan Guyue had also been trying to get a feel for Jun Huang’s intention. Jun Huang had deflected the questions. She didn’t expect Nan Xun to vault over the wall and sneak in to get an answer.

Nan Xun’s eyes were drawn to Jun Huang. She hadn’t dried her hair; it was still dripping water. She was showing the gentle side of a woman now. Her make-up free face held an aloof expression.

“I’ve told you that I can’t possibly marry princess Wan’er even if I want to,” Jun Huang said with a frown. She was getting tired of this.

Nan Xun sighed. “That said, I know what kind of a person Wan’er is,” he said seriously. “She doesn’t give up easily. If there’s no reason good enough to convince her, she’ll continue to chase after you for years.”

Jun Huang lowered her eyes and stared at the floor. She didn’t answer immediately. “Then I might as well tell her I’m a woman.”

Nan Xun frowned and loomed over her. “Don’t be absurd. You know Wan’er and Qi Chen are siblings. They have a close relationship. If she knows, it’s only a matter of time before she tells Qi Chen. What are you going to do then? Are you going to tell the world that you are princess Jun Huang of the lost Western Que?”

His tone was harsh, and his eyes were blazing with ire. He held onto Jun Huang’s hand with more force than he had intended. A pair of hands accustomed to wielding weapons knew not how to be tender.

Jun Huang grimaced in pain, her face going pale. Under the warm candlelight she looked as if she would disappear from the world any second. Nan Xun was startled and quickly let go of her.

“There’s no need for you to worry, Nan Xun,” Jun Huang said tiredly and took a seat. “I don’t know what princess Wan’er is thinking, but Qi Chen now knows my problem. I told him and Nan Guyue that I’ve lost my family and have to mourn for them. I won’t get married in three years.”

“I understand,” Nan Xun quietly said. He didn’t notice that Jun Huang wasn’t her usual self. “I’ll try to convince Wan’er.”

Jun Huang stared blankly at the floor. She was suddenly hit by a wave of sorrow. She had thought that she had forgotten about her hatred and despair, but the emotions had only been growing deep inside her heart. They grew and grew until they became a tree tall enough to reach the sky.

She closed her eyes. Tears trickled down her cheeks and dropped onto the floor. The sound might as well be as loud as thunder claps. Nan Xun was a trained fighter. He had better hearing than the average man. He heard the sound and looked over at Jun Huang.

She was sobbing.

All her suppressed pain and grief erupted from her heart and overwhelmed her. She had difficulties breathing under the weight of her emotions. Her tears ran nonstop down her face. Nan Xun had never seen a woman cry. He didn’t know what to do and what to say in comfort.