newbobooks Chapter 10
Chapter 10
"Not a big deal? Then what would be a big deal? Would it be a big deal if you were forcibly taken away, lost your virginity, and forced into a servant? Or would it be a big deal if you were humiliated and your body was found?"
Nalan Jingwen raised his voice and said sternly.
Liu Qishan suddenly looked up and stared at her intently. His eyes were like stars, and his expression was unreadable. Even though Nalan Jingwen knew he couldn't see her, she still felt as if she were being stared at by those eyes.
He asked, "Are you more concerned about me losing my innocence or about me getting hurt?"
Nalan Jingwen frowned, not understanding why he asked this.
"Everyone cares."
She wasn't someone who valued a man's chastity, and Liu Qishan wasn't her man, so it was none of her business. But they were friends, and she couldn't stand by and watch him be insulted or hurt. He had saved her life, and she owed him a great debt of gratitude.
Liu Qishan remained silent, watching her without moving.
Nalan Jingwen realized that he, like everyone else, believed that a man's innocence was more important than his life.
He sighed, gently touching the slightly swollen face with a tender touch.
“Liu Qishan, I thought we were friends. Friends wouldn’t stand by and watch each other get hurt, much less be insulted. This has nothing to do with whether you are a virgin or not. I’m angry only because you’ve been hurt. Do you understand?”
How could Liu Qishan not understand? He was exceptionally intelligent and had a transcendent mind; he could understand with just a single sentence.
Talking to him is never a hassle.
Liu Qishan turned his head away from the hand that was stroking him and responded softly.
"Ah."
He helped Nalan Jingwen sit down, and under her intense gaze, he tidied up the scattered herbs on the ground, then took a bundle from his basket and handed it to her.
Nalan Jingwen opened the bundle, and inside lay a set of clothes, neatly made of coarse linen without any exquisite embroidery, which surprised her.
"For me?"
Liu Qishan nodded.
"It's not a good idea for you to keep wearing a cloak all the time."
"Where did you get the money?"
Liu Qishan pursed his lips, a hint of hesitation flashing across his face.
“I usually go to the surrounding towns to treat patients in the afternoon, and I pay for it with the consultation fees.”
Nalan Jingwen fell silent and looked at the clothes on his knees.
No wonder.
No wonder he's so busy every day, no wonder he always comes back covered in dust, no wonder he still has rice porridge every day even though he's penniless.
It turns out he had been walking so far to treat patients. Given Liu Qishan's personality, he probably wouldn't charge high consultation fees; a little rice would suffice. I wonder how long he had saved up to buy her this dress.
How did she figure it out? Liu Qishan always used a different bag for the rice each time he took it out. Would a rice shop change bags so frequently?
"Put your clothes on and see if they fit."
Then he turned around and faced away from her.
It doesn't really matter whether you transfer it or not.
Without any hesitation, she put on the clothes. They weren't the elaborate garments worn by wealthy families, so she put them on easily. But the only problem was…
She couldn't use her hands properly, so she couldn't tie the knot.
Looking up at the slender figure with his back to her, she asked, "Can you do me a favor?"
Liu Qishan asked in confusion.
"Ok?"
"I can't tie the strap."
The man then turned around and walked towards her, squatting down to feel around. His pale hands occasionally brushed against her delicate skin. He glanced at Liu Qishan again, his expression still indifferent.
After dressing, Liu Qishan took out some things from his pocket and handed them to her.
Looking into his palm, I saw a jade pendant and a handkerchief.
She frowned and took the two items, examining them in her palm.
"This was found on you back then, and I've kept it with me ever since. Now it's back to its rightful owner."
Nalan Jingwen lowered his gaze.
This jade pendant was always carried by the original owner; it was given to her by her father and she always wore it.
The other handkerchief, clearly a men's style, gave her a very familiar feeling; something flashed through her mind.
She remembered.
This is Rong Hengyu's handkerchief. It was discarded by someone else and left on the ground. The original owner picked it up and kept it like a treasure, always carrying it with him.
……
Feeling inexplicably irritated, he thanked Liu Qishan.
Liu Qishan then took out a wooden hairpin for her. Nalan Jingwen glanced at it, somewhat puzzled.
"Is it for me too?"
Liu Qishan didn't speak, but he tacitly agreed. He walked behind her, picked up a strand of her black hair, and tied it into a simple bun.
Nalan Jingwen raised his hand and touched it, feeling a strange sensation in his heart, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He turned to look at Liu Qishan, and seeing that there was nothing strange about him, he didn't say anything more.
"Thank you."
He glanced at the blazing fire beside him, then threw the handkerchief into it. Sparks flew, and the handkerchief instantly burned into a pile of smoke.
Liu Qishan seemed to sense something and tilted his head, "What happened?"
Nalan Jingwen shook his head.
"nothing."
Since he himself did not choose to go back and give up his status as a prince, he should not have any connection with the past, and the same goes for Rong Hengyu.
But this jade pendant...
She picked up the jade pendant and examined it closely. It felt smooth and translucent to the touch, and slightly cool. The carving on it was something she couldn't tell what it was. It resembled a dragon but wasn't a dragon, and it resembled a phoenix but wasn't a phoenix. She couldn't make out what it was. Even though she had seen countless pieces of jade, she couldn't tell what kind of jade it was. A very subtle feeling welled up in her heart.
Suddenly, a scorching power surged from the white jade through her palm into her body. The power was domineering and strong, and she was unable to resist it for a moment. The jade in her hand fell to the ground with a crisp sound.
Liu Qishan sensed something was wrong and immediately reached out to Nalan Jingwen, pulling her into his arms.
"what happened to you?"
He quickly checked her pulse, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.
He murmured, "How could this happen..."
Nalan Jingwen felt as if she were surrounded by scorching flames. Her meridians were being struck by that powerful force, causing dull pain time and time again. Before long, she was covered in sweat.
But that force did not stop, constantly impacting her meridians, as if it wanted to break through. She feared that she would explode and die in the next second.
She leaned against Liu Qishan's chest, trembling with pain, but she gritted her teeth and refused to utter a sound.
Sensing Liu Qishan's worry and panic, she slightly opened her eyes and comforted him, "It's alright, don't worry."
Liu Qishan held her hand tightly, his knuckles white, his face cold and stern.
"Listen to me, do as I say."
Nalan Jing wanted to agree, but he was in so much pain that he had no strength left.
His clear, gentle voice, tinged with a hint of seriousness, resonated in her ears.
"Try to control this power and guide it to your dantian."
Upon hearing this, Nalan Jing tried to calm himself down and began to regulate his breathing.