Chapter 340 (1/2)

Chapter 340: Late Night Conversation

Neither of them said anything. In the end, Jun Huang fell asleep in Nan Xun's arms.

His eyes turned soft as he looked at her candle-lit face. Carefully, he moved her to the bed and tucked her in.

He spent the night sitting by the bed. Jun Huang held onto his hand and didn't let go until the day broke. Nan Xun rose to his feet and stretched his numb limbs before leaving for his safehouse.

When he arrived, he asked his shadowguard where Oleg Cragfiend was. He was told that the old master had woken up and was taking care of the herbs he'd planted in the backyard.

Nan Xun told Oleg Cragfiend about Jun Huang's nightmare. After a brief pause, the old man said, “It's a normal reaction. What happened to the emperor of Eastern Wu triggered the memory hidden in her mind. That's why she recovered the bad memories first and keeps having nightmares. What she dreams about is what she least wants to recall.”

Nan Xun understood part of the explanation. The violent scene that day must have been stressful to Jun Huang. Of all the memories she might recover, it was the tragedy that plagued her dreams.

He sighed without a word and told himself that he'd spend more time with Jun Huang.

“It's not necessarily a bad thing,” said Oleg Cragfiend, his tone serious. “Had she had her memory, she wouldn't have reacted that violently to what happened at the banquet. She's kept her trauma hidden. The less she's willing to open up to others, the more it hurts her. The fact that she can talk to you about it means she's healing. Only after the worst pain would an injury heal. That's what is happening to her. Once she picks herself up, she won't be trapped by her nightmares anymore. Therefore… what you should do is to help her move on.”

Nan Xun considered Oleg Cragfiend's words carefully. The poison master had a point. Jun Huang had been difficult to read. She kept everything, pain and suffering included, to herself. This was an opportunity for him to help her.

With his mind made up, Nan Xun walked away. Oleg Cragfiend looked at the general thoughtfully. Nan Xun had proven time and again that he had more of a heart than his reputation would suggest.

I hope the silly girl has truly met a man who loves her. Oleg Cragfiend sighed, silently praying for Jun Huang.

His relations.h.i.+p with Jun Huang hadn't always been good, and he only approached her to use her as a test subject. However, they had spent quite some time together. He couldn't not feel sympathy for the girl. He knew how deeply Jun Huang cared under her cold facade. He hoped Nan Xun would never wrong her.

For the next few days, Nan Xun never left Jun Huang's side. At first Jun Huang hadn't noticed, but then she realized that Nan Xun was always around whenever she checked. It made her feel safe.

“Don't you have other things to take care of?” Jun Huang couldn't help but ask. She put away her book and looked at Nan Xun questioningly.

Nan Xun ruffled her hair and chuckled. “Nothing is more important than you.”

Jun Huang's heart swell, her eyelashes shuddering. There was an undeniable warmth in her chest. “I get that, but I'm alright. I must have made you worried that night. But – ”

“What are you talking about? I just want to spend time with you.” Nan Xun played ignorant and knelt down to take Jun Huang's hands, his eyes serious.

Jun Huang smiled, her mood brightened. “If so, tell me another story about us.”

Nan Xun wasn't going to say no to that. He nodded and sat down beside her, talking about their time in Northern Qi.

She listened with rapt attention, unwilling to miss any details. Although she didn't remember, subconsciously she recognized that Nan Xun was describing something she'd lived through.

Nan Xun told the tale earnestly, his expression softening when he noted Jun Huang's concentrated look. His voice grew gentle.

Telling the story was no longer only for Jun Huang's benefit. She might not know, but he'd been too busy to look back and examine their relations.h.i.+p until now. As he talked, he remembered all the little details. It affected him more than he had expected.

At the time, they spend more time apart than together. His responsibilities kept him busy, and Jun Huang didn't allow herself any break from her plot for revenge. Even when she'd fallen ill, she persisted. She refused to play the p.a.w.ns in a chess game. She had to be the one pulling the strings.