Chapter 215 - Saying Goodbye (2/2)
Shi Fengju widened his eyes as he looked dumbfounded at the girl on top of him with an oversized pink robe hung loosely around her and her collarbone half exposed. He could smell the fragrance from her raven-black hair that was slightly disheveled and hung down to her chest while a few strands teased his face.
“Sang Wan…” Shi Fengju’s throat tightened. His eyes suddenly glimmered and he looked straight at her.
“Sang Wan, what are you…” Shi Fengju gritted his teeth as he inhaled sharply and tried to switch their positions. However, a series of knocks came from the outside and Nanny Li’s hoarse voice could be heard from outside, “Young Master, it’s almost time! Are you up yet?”
The two stiffened and remained still.
As his desire slowly subsided, Shi Fengju turned and sat up. He hugged Sang Wan and laid her properly on the bed before covering her with the blanket again. With a smile, he bent forward slightly, “Sang Wan, you’ll owe me this. Remember that. When I’m back, you have to return me with interest.”
The flush on Sang Wan’s face did not subside, and her eyes were bright and watery. Her lips opened to inhale heavily and no words left her mouth.
Shi Fengju let out a soft sigh and lowered his head to kiss her before finally getting up and left.
After the door opened and closed, the room suddenly became quiet as if nothing had happened just then. Sang Wan raised her hands to touch her own face, and she felt the heat on her cheeks.
Recalling how daring she was, she suddenly felt ashamed and had a sense of uncertainty. Worried that he would be mocking her, she gave a self-deprecating laugh and thought that she must have really been possessed to have done so without thinking.
“Young Master, the luggage has been passed to Zhan Huan. This old servant has already ordered him to take care of it. However, because the outside is different from here, you should take care of yourself. And remember not to let that servant take a break! Even though spring is here, this boat you’re taking goes north. I’m afraid it will only get colder as you go northwards. Old Mistress, Young Mistress, and this old servant will miss you dearly! Once you’ve found Second Young Master, please return quickly. If this piece of news isn’t true, arrange for the shopkeepers and servants there to look into it before coming back quickly. Outside will not be as comfortable as at home, and everything there from your lodgings to food is done shabbily, how can it be better than the household!” Nanny Li nagged incessantly.
Shi Fengju rinsed his mouth and groomed himself as he agreed. Once everything was ready, Liu Ya served a large bowl of chicken soup with noodles. Nanny Li pulled Shi Fengju to the table and passed a pair of chopsticks to him, “Young Master, quickly have a seat and eat! The horse carriage has been prepared, you can go as soon as you finish eating. You mustn’t tarry!”
Shi Fengju smiled and took the chopsticks before finishing his food quickly. After he rinsed his mouth again, he drank two mouths of warm tea while Zhide came with a thin cloak to put around him. Liu Ya kneeled in front of him to help him change into a thick pair of shoes.
After which, Nanny Li and the rest sent him to the gate. Other than Nanny Li, Shi Fengju signalled everyone else to leave before saying to her, “Nanny, when I’m not around, please take good care of Sang Wan for me. If she goes through any injustice, you’ve to urge her to hold herself back, and wait for me to return to help her.”
Nanny Li was elated when she heard him. She quickly nodded and smiled, “That is natural, there’s no need for Young Master to tell me to! Ai, but really, there is only one person in this household who can cause Young Mistress to suffer from injustice. Even so, Young Mistress cannot do anything to retaliate at all, I think it will be difficult for Young Master to handle even if you are back!”
Shi Fengju knew that she was referring to Gu Fangzi, and he said, “It’s fine if Cousin Fangzi remains docile and honest, but if she does anything overboard to Sang Wan, you and Sang Wan mustn’t get into a conflict with her. Otherwise, my mother’s face will not look good. Just wait for me to return and I will do something about it! Sang Wan is my wife, of course she’s more important than anyone else!”
“With your words, this old servant isn’t worried anymore!” Nanny Li was suddenly jubilant. As to Shi Fengju’s sudden change of attitude towards Gu Fangzi, Nanny Li was unconcerned. From her perspective, her Young Master was no longer blinded and it was best if he could remain this way!
Nanny Li sighed and said, “For the days you aren’t here, this old servant will look after Young Mistress carefully and improve her health. It’s been quite some time since Young Mistress was married. If she has your flesh and blood, then there will be less trouble in the household!”
Shi Fengju was stunned momentarily, and he nodded with a smile, “Yes, you are right! It’ll be better to answer to my mother if I’ve a son!” After they became intimate, they were loving each other everyday. Of course, Shi Fengju was enjoying himself and did not think about children. But after Nanny Li’s reminder, he was suddenly concerned. He was late in getting married, and it should be about time to have kids. Now that his heart only had Sang Wan, he longed for her to be pregnant with his child. At the thought of a child, his heart unknowingly became happy.
“Listen to what you are saying! What answering! The eldest son from the First family should be from Young Mistress,” Nanny Li smiled.
Shi Fengju smiled as well and gave a few more instructions to Nanny Li before he left in a hurry.
After Shi Fengju left the house, everywhere else was fine except for Ning Garden and Wang Shi’s place. When Sang Wan went to greet Wang Shi in the morning, both of them were not in the right mental state and Wang Shi sent her back after a few words.
Sure enough, Nanny Li busied herself and went out that day. Who knew where she got a large bag of herbs from, and let Sang Wan have a look while she explained to her in detail. The herbs were from the best physician in the city. Drinking it once in the morning and once at night everyday would increase the chance of a woman getting pregnant.
Listening to Nanny Li, Sang Wan was stunned just like Shi Fengju. Although she knew that it would be best if she could have a son, she had never given it much thought.
Having children, a matter that seemed so far away was suddenly brought right in front of her.
Counting the days they were officially together, it had been a few months already.
While Sang Wan remained quiet, Nanny Li thought that she was being shy and smiled, “Young Mistress, having children is important, there’s nothing to be shy about! Right now, Young Master treasures you a lot so you have to take this chance to get pregnant! The best is if you can have two children in three years! If not that vixen will not rest! If you have three or four sons, that vixen won’t be able to overtake you even if she used every means she has!”
Sang Wan remained stunned and stared blankly at Nanny Li. Her lips moved but she did not speak.
Three or four sons? Sang Wan felt tired just thinking about it. She would already be satisfied with just a son and a daughter. Just the thought of having three or four sons was already stressful for her.
Nanny Li seemed to have seen through her thoughts and said firmly, “Three or four isn’t too many at all! Just look at Old Mistress, she has two sons and one daughter, doesn’t she? To go against that vixen, having many children will be good! Who doesn’t dote on their grandson and granddaughter? If you have many children, then you will be regarded highly in the family. Old Mistress will definitely dote on you more! Listen to this old servant and you won’t go wrong! For the rest of the days when Young Master isn’t around, you have to take good care of your health so that you can get pregnant when he comes back!”
Sang Wan’s face heated up and she forced an awkward smile.
Since Sang Wan did not refuse, Nanny Li immediately perked up and smiled energetically, “Don’t worry, this old servant is best at these! Tonight, I will boil a bowl for you!”
That night before Sang Wan went to sleep, Nanny Li really boiled a large bowl of black and smelly medicinal soup.
The strong smell was overpowering and Sang Wan subconsciously covered her mouth to stop herself from breathing.
“Young Mistress, herbal medicines are all like this, but you mustn’t look down on them. Drink it while it’s hot! You will get used to it after awhile!” Nanny Li consoled her and brought the large porcelain bowl to Sang Wan for her to drink.
Sang Wan turned her body slowly and stared at the liquid inside. She creased her eyebrows and drank it all in one breath under the hopeful eyes of Nanny Li.
Satisfied, Nanny Li took the empty bowl from her and Liu Ya passed a cup of water to her. Sang Wan quickly rinsed her mouth to clear away the taste still lingering inside. Nanny Li smiled and said, “You might not be used to drinking it for the first time, but after a while, you will be!”
Sang Wan panted for air and raised her handkerchief to wipe her mouth before she smiled bitterly, “Nanny, could you make a little less next time? This large bowl is too much!”
Nanny Li smiled and agreed. She quickly ordered the people to help Sang Wan wash her face and prepare her for bed.
Once the doors were closed and the curtains were put down, Sang Wan subconsciously looked to her side after wrapping herself with the blanket and she smiled bitterly.
He was only gone for a day and she could not help but think of him already. Who knew where he was now? Was he going to sleep now too? Was he thinking of her too? This was the first time she felt that the bed was so wide without him. She never had this empty feeling in the past when he slept on the mattress while she slept on the bed. But now, the cool feeling of loneliness was slowly spreading in her heart.
Sang Wan sighed soundlessly. It was indeed scary to get used to things. When they first started, she was not used to falling asleep in his embrace, but was afraid of disobeying him. Every so often, he would lock her in his embrace until the next morning, but who knew she’d become so accustomed to it in the end. At present, he would stretch his arms out in bed every night and she would take the initiative to lay in his embrace. Now that he was not here, she felt like she had no one to depend on all of a sudden, and she could not sleep soundly.
At the thought of the next day when Gu Fangzi would finally return from the temple, Sang Wan’s hands tightened. Alas, what is coming, will come.
Sang Wan tossed and turned that night. The next day, she felt very lethargic. After having breakfast and grooming herself, she left to greet Wang Shi. Wang Shi inquired if a horse carriage was sent to pick Gu Fangzi up and Sang Wan nodded. Wang Shi gave a satisfied smile and started to hint at them living harmoniously as sisters, which made Sang Wan feel uncomfortable and agitated inside.
Before noon, Gu Fangzi returned.