Chapter 189
Chapter 189
Only when they reached her door did Ren Fengjue release her hand.
Xia Ximo removed the cloak and returned it to him, sweeping him a glance. “Can you make it back?”
“I can.”
“Good.”
She turned and entered the room. Seeing him still standing outside, she waved a hand at him.
Yet only moments after she closed the door, a sound came from outside.
Something was wrong.
When Xia Ximo opened the door again, she found a figure sprawled in the snow.
“…”
She stood with her arms folded and watched him for a while. Only when he remained motionless and snow had covered his back did she step forward and drag him inside.
Wuyou was delighted by the spectacle. “Now I finally know why he never touches wine away from home. It turns out… he has no tolerance at all.”
“Hahahahaha…”
Wuyou laughed loudly.
Xia Ximo stared at the motionless man on the floor, at a rare loss for what to do.
She certainly would not surrender the bed to him.
The room was bare and simple, without even a daybed or chair. The only place available to him was the floor.
After a moment’s thought, she noticed a small stove in the corner. Daoist Yan had placed it there especially so she could light a fire and boil water.
Several pieces of charcoal remained inside and could still be used.
With that decided, she dragged the man across the floor again, straight into the corner…
…
The cold woke Ren Fengjue.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself in an unfamiliar room.
His head felt heavy, his body weighed down, and everything seemed caught between dream and reality.
He heard water bubbling beside his ear.
Through the drifting steam, he turned his head and saw Xia Ximo seated nearby, using the stove to cook some kind of broth.
Ren Fengjue struggled halfway upright, his head swimming and his vision blurred. He could not even make out the sky beyond the window.
He saw only a haze of daylight, though the sky did not seem fully bright.
While he stared in a daze, Xia Ximo poured the finished broth into a bowl, carried it straight to him, and gave a one-word command. “Drink.”
“…”
It smelled faintly sweet and tart, perhaps some kind of citrus water…
Ren Fengjue could no longer think clearly. In a fog, he leaned forward and drank directly from the bowl in her hands.
Xia Ximo’s hand paused, her arm stiffening faintly.
After he finished, Ren Fengjue’s head grew heavier still. He fell straight back, intoxication washing over him again.
As consciousness faded, he seemed to hear someone speak.
“You are right not to drink while away from home. Do not drink again.”
…
By the time he was completely sober, day had fully broken.
Ren Fengjue opened his eyes again through the lingering haze. Warmth still remained in the charcoal inside the nearby stove.
But the room around him was unfamiliar.
He vaguely remembered drinking too much, yet had no memory of how he entered this room…
He was about to rise when rustling footsteps and conversation sounded outside.
“We searched all of Mount Yunhe and didn’t see Lord Ren anywhere…”
“Then my guess is probably right. The Young Marquis must be here…”
“Should we knock? Miss Xia won’t hit me, will she?”
“Ahem. We can say we’re calling her to breakfast.”
“I still don’t dare. Why don’t you do it?”
The footsteps drew nearer.
Ren Fengjue grew inexplicably nervous and hurriedly sat up, only to see a figure sleeping peacefully on the bed nearby.
He rose as quietly as possible and went to the door. Just as the two men outside were about to knock, he opened it.
Yu Lang’s startled expression froze on his face at the sight of Lord Ren suddenly opening the door.
“My…”
Ren Fengjue raised a finger to his lips. Then he quietly stepped out and gently closed the door behind him.
With his eyes, he signaled for the two men to leave at once.
Yu Lang and Yan Zhengchu exchanged a look, their expressions shifting from shock to knowing understanding.
Inside, Xia Ximo opened her eyes. Too lazy to pay them any attention, she rolled over and went back to sleep.
…
The three men left Xia Ximo’s courtyard.
Only then did Ren Fengjue stop and say, “It is not what you think…”
In truth, he was deeply regretful at the moment.
Yu Lang hastily declared his loyalty. “My lord, I didn’t think anything…”
Yan Zhengchu chimed in, “Neither did I.”
Ren Fengjue glanced back at them. “I was drunk last night…”
Yu Lang bobbed his head like a chick pecking grain. “Yes, yes. Axia told us. He wanted to escort you back to your room, but you absolutely refused to leave and said you had to wait for Miss Xia…”
“…”
When Lord Ren’s eyes abruptly narrowed…
Yu Lang hurriedly corrected himself. “But I know you only wanted to wait for the longevity noodles. We understand.”
Yan Zhengchu also explained, “We were all drunk too. We only searched around because you were gone when we woke. We certainly weren’t trying to pry into anything…”
“…”
Ren Fengjue had nothing to say, but frustration still troubled him.
He truly remembered nothing that happened after he became drunk.
Nor did he know whether he had done anything improper.
If he had…
He frowned in thought while two pairs of eyes beside him widened like bronze bells, practically longing to press close and dig out every detail…
“In any case, nothing happened.”
“When Miss Xia wakes, neither of you will say a single unnecessary word.”
“A young woman’s reputation is important. You must not spread wild stories. Do you understand?”
Yu Lang and Yan Zhengchu nodded repeatedly, then exchanged another look.
Both thought that Miss Xia was no ordinary woman. She hardly seemed like someone who cared about her reputation.
Just then, Axia’s anxious voice came from nearby.
“Young Master Yu, Daoist Yan, is my young master really with Miss Xia? We searched everywhere else and couldn’t find him…”
At that moment, a tree in front of the entrance happened to conceal Ren Fengjue.
Only when Axia came closer did he see him. Though neither Yu Lang nor Yan Zhengchu answered, Axia instantly understood everything.
…
Xia Ximo had not rested well during the night. Only after Ren Fengjue left could she sleep peacefully.
By the time she woke, it was already noon.
Her stomach empty, she had no choice but to get out of bed, wash, and look for something to eat.
But when she opened the door, she found a figure standing outside.
The snow had stopped, and the sun had even emerged.
Sunlight reflected from the snow with a particularly dazzling glare.
She narrowed her eyes and made out Ren Fengjue holding a food box.
“You must be hungry.”
It was as though he had calculated when she would wake and waited for her.
Xia Ximo did not stand on ceremony. “Is there food?”
“I brought some for you.”
The cook hired the previous night had not yet descended the mountain. With a generous wave of his hand, Vice Minister Yu paid him more money to remain for another two days.
Thus, when the food box was opened, it revealed an assortment of exquisite dishes, all still hot.
Xia Ximo truly was hungry. As soon as the food was set out, she ate a spoonful of soup, then a bite of food, chewing slowly and thoroughly.
Even with Ren Fengjue standing beside her, she continued enjoying the meal.
Then he suddenly said, “I fear I behaved offensively last night…”
Xia Ximo looked up. “So you remember behaving offensively?”