Chapter 19 (1/2)
Chapter 19 – The Impressively Powerful Mrs. Long San
Feng Ning’s fist was surprisingly quick, but her loud shout gave away her intent, Long San’s skill was not inferior, so his response was naturally also swift, with a slight tilt of his body, he easily avoided it. Feng Ning, missing her mark, did not stop, and moved forward to strike again. Long San raised his arm and blocked, supporting her small arm. Feng Ning turned her hand over, sliding upwards along his arm, changing her hand into a fist, going straight for his stomach.
“Hey, not bad.” Long San generously praised, then retreating fast as lighting, with a twist of his foot, whirled around and moved towards Feng Ning’s side, Feng Ning not even bothering to look, spun around, leaped up with a kick, sweeping towards his lower half.
The two of them went back and forth, rapidly exchanging ten blows. Long San was inwardly amazed, this Feng Ning not only knew martial arts, but was also unexpectedly an expert at it. The first time he met her after she had lost her memories, she had been in the middle of fighting with two hoodlums. But at that time, he didn’t actually see her fight much, so he had a.s.sumed she only knew some basic self-defense, it was only alright, nothing special. Who would’ve thought, this time in a serious match, her talent was far from alright, it was absolutely, extremely good. She had jokingly said she could be an a.s.sa.s.sin, in actuality that was indeed just a huge truth.
The more Feng Ning fought, the happier she got, she actually didn’t know exercising her muscles was such a relaxing and pleasing thing to do. Long San’s martial arts was excellent, allowing her to let herself go completely and compete properly, Feng Ning truly felt extremely overjoyed.
But before she could satisfy her craving for fighting, a burst of footsteps could be heard from a distance, Feng Ning panicked, pulling Long San with her and leaping on to the rooftop. Very quickly they saw several soldiers running over, probably hearing the sound of movement and coming over to look.
Long San seeing Feng Ning’s face full of guilt, inwardly found it funny. She was often one moment a tiger mother baring her fangs and claws, and then the next moment a little kitten licking her paws.
Underneath the roof, several soldiers very quickly made a round of inspection. Apart from the kitchen containing signs of having been messed with, there didn’t seem to be anything suspicious. The servant who had gone to the kitchen earlier came over and spoke a few words to the soldiers, probably telling them of San Ye using the kitchen, the soldiers perhaps worried that someone may have invaded, still carefully inspected another three times.
Feng Ning held Long San’s arm and sat on the roof waiting. Waiting, waiting, she yawned twice in a row, and finally unable to bear it anymore, nudged Long San: “Long San, I’m tired.”
“En.” Long San pretended not to understand.
Feng Ning yawned again, and said: “Go send them away ah, I want to go back and sleep.”
“Do it yourself, if it weren’t for you making such a racket, we would’ve already been asleep at this point. The mess you started, clean it up yourself.”
“But I am San Furen[1] ah, discovered hiding on the rooftop in the middle of the night, I’ll lose face.”
“I’m this household’s San Ye[2] ah, discovered hiding on the rooftop in the middle of the night, I’ll lose face.”
“So then why did you hide? So annoying.” Feng Ning’s temper rose again at her tiredness.
“You were the one that pulled me up.”
“So why were you pulled up by me.” Feng Ning buried her head in his chest: “I don’t care, I’m sleeping.” She squeezed herself into his chest, pulled his arm round her head, and actually without a care, shut her eyes ready to sleep.
Long San stiffened and blanked out on the spot, this Feng Ning was always able to do things he did not expect. The soldiers below were still diligently making their rounds, while this master of the house was foolishly sitting on the rooftop holding an odd woman who should have been divorced but is instead unabashedly sleeping.
He helplessly lowered his head to look at her, she really was extremely tired, having fallen asleep so fast, her breathing steady and constant, sleepiness seemingly from having eaten her fill and then exercising. Pity on this having-prepared-the-food-and-accompanied-to-fight so-called husband, indeed, no matter how he thought about it, he was at a total disadvantage.
Finally after waiting with great difficulty for the people below to leave, Long San held Feng Ning and transported her back to the room. When he placed her onto the bed, she woke up in a daze, mumbling a few words, and turning over. Long San helped her cover herself with the blanket, she once again muttered a few words, Long San finally couldn’t help but ask: “What are you saying, I can’t tell.”
Feng Ning replied with her eyes closed: “The divorce certificate should also have a pig hoof print sealed on, only then will it be valid.”
These words nearly made Long San’s face contort with anger, Feng Ning unaware of this continued to speak: “You guys bully me, my mother and father also don’t protect me…….” The rest Long San didn’t hear clearly, but still felt his heart soften. He stroked Feng Ning’s head and quietly said: “Sleep ah, don’t think of these foolish thoughts.”
Feng Ning rubbed against his palm, and fell asleep again. Long San tidied up and blew out the light. After a while, he felt Feng Ning move towards his side, limbs moving, breathing chaotic. Long San reached out and held her hand: “Don’t panic, there’s no water, no river.”
Feng Ning subconsciously held tight onto his hand, for a long time leveling out her breathing, and as if in a dream, quietly whispered: “Long San, don’t abandon me.”
Long San looked at the ceiling of the bed, and for a long time, could not fall sleep.
The following days, Long San became very busy and didn’t have the chance to settle the matter of divorce. In reality, he also didn’t know how to settle it. He knew in his heart there was no possibility for them to develop any further, but he also didn’t have the heart to abandon her regardless at this time.
But she would go to Long San to request snacks, would go to Long San to request whatever new novel, amusing plaything. In the daytime, if she was unable to see Long San, she would then hide in her own courtyard, and only at night would she jabber on about all the acc.u.mulated things she wanted to say in the day and tell it to him.
Long Er didn’t say anything, but was actually taking advantage of the busy days to drag Long San around everywhere, decreasing any opportunities of interactions between Long San and Feng Ning. So much that even a few proper young ladies that had expressed goodwill towards Long San, Long Er also intentionally or otherwise encouraged and spread rumors. Long San originally already loved making friends, with a chivalrous and magnanimous conduct, so both male and female friends indeed he had many, and with Long Er’s stirring up, somehow Jianghu began to have rumors circulate that the distinguished San Shao[3] had the intention of settling down.
Yu Mama also changed her att.i.tude of ignoring Feng Ning, and began to demand a good deal towards particular etiquettes, customs, and practices in daily life. Feng Ning did not say anything, but in her heart she understood, they wanted to have her take the initiative to request to leave.
Today, Feng Ning was alone in her courtyard playing, using stones to create a maze and walking in it, while discussing to herself: “Leave or not? If I leave and am sad, what to do? If I don’t leave, and am even more sad, what to do?”
Just as she hesitated, Long San arrived, getting right to the point saying: “There are some three stores that have had problems, the shopkeeper and a.s.sistants have all been murdered. Er Ge and I have to go over, you obediently stay at home, don’t go out, and listen to Yu Mama.”
“Oh.” Feng Ning was listless, still stuck thinking on the difficult decision on whether to leave or not.
Long San patted her head: “I already talked to Yu Mama, you can go over to her place to sleep at night.” And also handed her a bag: “Shortcakes, the ones you like.”
“En.” Feng Ning lazily received it.
Her being like this, Long San also didn’t know what to do, and could only say: “Then I’m going, be obedient.”