TCN: Mei Gongqing

Chapter 168

Chen Rong merely shook her head. She laughed and said, "Loosen your arms, you're suffocating me."

Ever since their meeting today, her laughter had been ringing bright and clear as though her happiness radiated from within. Each passing second was another lost yet she was laughing so mirthfully.

Wang Hong stared down at her hair and at length closed his eyes.

The two of them embraced each other and continued their broken conversation until the sun began its westward descent.

Wang Hong was no longer running a fever or chills over the next hour, giving Chen Rong the reassurance she sought.

As soon as night fell, she helped him back to the temple.

No sooner had they arrived than Nurse Ping and Ying'gu hurried to them. When they saw Wang Hong walking steadily and gracefully as usual, both stopped in their tracks. Nurse Ping thought to say something before Ying'gu held her back.

They returned to Chen Rong's bedchamber.

***

While night deepened, the crimson lantern was surrounded within water steam behind a room divider. Chen Rong had her back turned at the moment, her face slightly glowing.

"Darling," Wang Hong's raspy voice was heard amid the sloshing sound of water.

"What is it?"

"I can't reach my back."

Chen Rong's blush deepened. "You'll be all right without washing your back for one day."

"In the past when we used to make love..." Wang Hong only managed this much by the time Chen Rong snarled: "Stop it! It only happened once, there's no collective past."

Wang Hong's voice took a grievous turn: "That day when we left the Jiankang Prince's estate, I was suffering so much the entire time... so somuch, darling."

Chen Rong exhaled and, without humor, reminded him: "Stop dawdling, the water is going to turn cold."

"My chest feels itchy," came Wang Hong's mumbling.

Chen Rong drew her lips into a line. "Shall I call Ying'gu?"

"No," Wang Hong grumbled, "I only want my darling."

"Y-you're unwell. You can't do that."

Wang Hong appeared to be taken aback. He complained that he was taken wrongly. "You misunderstood me darling. I'm just itchy, that's all."

At this point, he threw a hand over his mouth and blithely asked, "Or do you want to do that?"

"Stop your nonsense!" cried Chen Rong.

"The water is really getting cold," she reminded him again.

Wang Hong dunk his face in the water and let his voice bubble out: "I want you to treat me as you did that day in the carriage."

He was of course talking about the time he saved her from the Jiankang Prince's estate.

Chen Rong was drugged that day.

She restrained herself and went on to say: "I have no memory of what happened."

Wang Hong looked up from the water, accusingly crying: "Liar."

His tone of voice made Chen Rong think of his faint ruddy face, his bewitching eyes, and the water droplets on his skin.

Blushing, Chen Rong thought to herself: Why am I being so stubborn? After today there may not be a tomorrow... I should do as he wants.