Vol 9 Chapter 62 (1/2)
VOLUME 9 CHAPTER 62: DON’T TELL ME THIS IS A SLEEPLESS NIGHT IN XINYE (2)
Liu Bei POV
“Is there any problem?” I asked, thinking that Yuan Zhi might have finalised the deployments which meant that adding in Huang Zu would throw a spanner in the works, “You don’t need to give her too critical a role. I believe Lord Huang Zu is content with just defending Xinye city.”
“Un…” Even so, Yuan Zhi still seemed deeply troubled, “About that–”
“Un?” Yuan Zhi spoke up but stopped halfway so I tried to prompt her to continue. Just then, the clouds merged and I could no longer see her expression.
“No, nothing.” She said, somewhat less down than I expected, and forcefully ended the topic. I wonder if she is acting like this because she’s a strategist?
“Alright,” I nodded, “In that case, I’ll refrain from asking then.”
“Un.” She said and, it seemed, nodded as well. Just after she said so, the clouds parted once more unexpectedly and moonlight shone on Yuan Zhi’s expressionless face as she called out to me, “Xuan De.”
“Un?”
I did not expect her to continue the conversation but it seems like she had more to say as she called out to me as she looked at me from the corner of her eyes. I found this weird as she could turn and look at me. Moreover, in this dim light, it will be difficult to look at me from that angle.
“At the banquet earlier today,” She blinked very rapidly a few times, revealing long eyelashes that dazzled under the moonlight, and casted her gaze to the side, “Thank you, Xuan De, for trusting in me.”
“Un?” I was a little surprised when she said this and it took me a while before I remembered what I did, that I helped to suppress any dissent to her being in charge for the upcoming operations.
“Oh, oh, that.” I said when I realised what she meant and waved my hands in denial, “No, no, no, I don’t think that’s very much, is it?”
“Un… Yes, it’s probably nothing much when you think about it.” Yuan Zhi closed her eyes and smiled stiffly as she said so.
“Eh?” I really did not know what she meant. Her answer is not quite appropriate to the conversation, and it also seems like she does not mean what she just said either so I felt confused, “Umm, Yuan Zhi?”
“It’s nothing, I was just talking to myself.” Yuan Zhi said as she shook her head and looked up at the moon which was now hidden behind the clouds again, “But even so, I would like to express my thanks to Xuan De for having my back. Without you, I doubt that everyone would listen to me.”
“How could that be? Everyone is very reasonable.”
Probably. I might say as much but I know full well that they are all very a.s.sertive people with very diverse opinions. However, it still seems like I do not understand them well enough since Yun Chang and Wen Yuan said that I was blockheaded.
“Umm, can I ask you a question?” I asked, feeling that it was time that I asked her something that had been troubling me for some time now.
“… What is it?”
“What I want to ask is, yes…” I nodded and gathered my thoughts together, “I actually don’t know why you wanted to join me.”
“Un?”
“So, you said you wanted to join me when you saw me, right? I still don’t understand why.”
“Un, un.” Yuan Zhi nodded when she heard my explanation and tucked her hands in her sleeve as she looked up again.
“Xuan De, some things can&
rsquo;t be controlled.” She slowly said, “Sometimes, it’s either you approach something or something approaches you. At times like these, you really can’t hide from it.” As she said so, she s.h.i.+fted her gaze back to me, “My joining Xuan De is like that as well. Fate decreed that we should meet. This cannot be explained.”
“Un…” To be honest, Yuan Zhi did not explain anything at all. The only difference between this explanation and the one before is that it’s plainer this time.
On the other hand, I think I get it. I have been through many similar situations after all. As someone who is here from the future, everything I have been through has almost always followed the logic of what Yuan Zhi just said. It’s there even if I do not want to believe it.