Grabbing Your Hand, Dragging you Away Seventy-Five

Chapter Seventy-Five

After that day, Ying Lu would often co to accompany , occasionally bringing so fun things to help feel freshened up. And I too, restrained from pulling a horrible face from day to night, getting along with her like nothing is wrong.

“Ah-Lan!” She excitedly holds up her skirt as she steps in, “Is Xiao Hei here with you?”

I glance at the happily rolling black pig on the bed, “En.”

She finds it angering yet laughable, “This pig, since you’ve co, it doesn’t even know who its owner is, just running over to you from day to night, not even afraid of being abducted and slaughtered along the way!”

Xiao Hei’s rolling action seems to have co to a pause, but very quickly, it grabs the blanket and continues rolling, in extre comfort.

I find it difficult to not crack a smile, “Who doesn’t know that you, Young Lady ng’s favoured one is a black pig, like they’d dare to slaughter it? Unless they’ve eaten the guts of a leopard.”

“Heng.” She blows up her cheeks, “There will definitely co a day I cook it.”

Xiao Hei stops rolling around upon hearing this, moving its round body to my side and nudges , seemingly trying to please . I pick it up and tug at its pig tail, saying to Ying Lu: “Don’t forget to bring along when you cook it.”

Xiao Hei violently twists its body, a pair of black eyes blankly looking at , but complaints and dissatisfaction is vaguely seen within.

I cannot help but pause, as ti passes, perhaps the one that hasn’t changed, is only this guy.

Ying Lu sounds a clear ringing laughter, patting Xiao Hei’s head, “Oh right, has Brother co to see you?”

I shake my head, ng Shao Jue has not co here since that day, perhaps avoiding , perhaps planning sothing again.

She rests her chin in hand, “Brother seems to be very busy lately ah……”

A deep and attractive male voice sounds in this mont, “Calling out my na like this, could it be that you miss ?”

Ying Lu’s eyes curls into smiles, loudly saying to that tall and slender figure at the doors: “Truly the case of ‘speak of Cao Cao and Cao Cao will arrive’!”

ng Shao Jue chuckles, phoenix eyes lightly brushing past , then stops at Ying Lu, “Heard the maid from your courtyard say you always co running here, have you morised the books Teacher told you to?”

“I’ve co out to find Xiao Hei.” Ying Lu makes an excuse, pouting again as she says: “Also, the books that Teacher arranges for , are so dull and boring, makes want to sleep once I start reading.”

ng Shao Jue raises his handso brows, “Why don’t I see other family’s young ladies fall asleep with one look?”

Ying Lu grins, “That’s because none of them are – ng Ying Lu.”

My throat suddenly feels itchy, I reach up to rub at it, then continue to hold Xiao Hei, quietly listening to them talk.

ng Shao Jue could neither laugh nor cry, “Only you would know how to make such excuses.” He once again looks at , yet his question is directed at Ying Lu, “Since Xiao Hei has been found, are you able to return now?”

“No.” Ying Lu shakes her head, “Brother, I’ll return after playing around for a bit longer, if not, how boring would it be ah, don’t you think so?”

The look in ng Shao Jue’s eyes as he looks at slightly warms up, yet his lips lightly say: “En, it is rather boring to be alone, accompany her more then.” He draws back his line of sight, unable to make out his feelings in those long and narrow eyes, “I still have so matters, shall be leaving first, I’ll co see you again next ti.”

Ying Lu lowly laughs as she ridicules, “Just don’t know who it is you’re wanting to see.”

ng Shao Jue shows a seeming smile, not saying a word as he turns and leaves.

“Ah-Lan.” Ying Lu is full of smiles, “Brother’s eyes are practically about to stick onto your body.”

I just lightly respond: “En.”

She thinks nothing of it as she shakes her head, “You sure are calm about it.”

I hook up the corners of my lips, without any happy ans, should I not be calm, then could it be that I should happily go and welco him?

Truly a joke.

Ying Lu stays with for another sichen before preparing to leave, but in this mont, Qing Ya cos carrying in a tray, gracefully smiling when she sees us: “Young Lady, Young Lady Lan.”

Ying Lu curiously looks at the two bowls placed on the tray, “Why are you sending in desserts now, isn’t it still early?”

Qing Ya places the bowls in front of the two of us respectively, lifting the lids to release the steam, “Young Master says that the weather has been rather warm these days, afraid that Young Ladies will be too fired up , specially told the kitchen to make so sugar rock stewed with snow pear and white fungus.” She turns to , smiling much sweeter, “In particularly Young Lady Lan, your throat has been feeling a little unwell these days, eating this will help relieve the heat.” (refers to the concept of hot and cold qi in the body, for more info see:blog.tutorming/expats/chinese-dicine-shang-huo-zhao-liang)

Ying Lu aningfully makes an “oh” sound, “Brother sure is considerate ah.”

I lower my eyes, not giving any response.

Forget whether he’s being considerate or inconsiderate, what’s it got to do with ?

Compared to my initial disturbing fears and unrest, these days, I have clearly cald down a lot. The scene I had witnessed inside there, has of course pained , but it also tells that Yuwen Rui currently has no life-threatening danger. I know that the current can no longer act so restlessly like a headless turtle, what I should be doing, is think of how to send out the address of where Yuwen Rui is being held in.

Ying Lu is the key.

I naturally will not directly ask Ying Lu, if she can help pass on the news to Yuwen Rui’s people, the result from this would be none other than awkwardness and failure. I understand that I should not be acting rashly like spreading fire, but to gather together the patience I once had, and wait for the opportunity.

What I’m waiting for is just one opportunity.

Ying Lu has been a little strange these days.

A few days ago, she would be very happily having fun here with , holding my hand as she tells what matters she had encountered in the six months we haven’t seen each other, be it happy or sad, be it interesting or uninteresting, all in all she would speak in high spirits, heart filled with happiness. As for these few days, although she is holding my hand to tell this and that, she would often look at with other thoughts in mind, eyes containing concern for an unknown reason.

I gather all this into my eyes, but say nothing, patiently waiting for the mont she cannot hold back anymore.

“Ah-Lan.” Ying Lu plucks at leaf from the pot on the table, “These few days……how have you been feeling?”

I lie on my side on the soft couch, lazily saying: “Not bad.”

“Oh.” She says in response, falling silent for a mont before acting like she’s just casually asking: “Oh~, why have I not been seeing Brother lately? Could it be that Brother’s and my timing hasn’t been matching up?”

I narrow my eyes, my mind shaken, then say as if it’s nothing: “Your Brother has not been coming here recently.”

Ying Lu’s expression clearly pauses, “That’s how it is ah……”

I turn a page of the book, causally asking: “What, you miss him?”

“Hehe, that’s right ah, I haven’t seen Brother for so long now, presu he has been very busy lately.” She sounds a few laughs, smile looking a little forced.

My heart is shaken, but my face remains normal, not saying anymore.

The next day, Ying Lu cos to with a frown on her face, chest rapidly rising and falling, sitting at the table huffing and puffing, filling her mouth with a cup of water. I raise my brows, “Who provoked you?”

“If it isn’t Leng Yang that idiot!” Ying Lu angrily says: “Haven’t seen such a dull and unmoving (stubborn) wooden block like him before!”

I smile, teasingly saying: “Wooden blocks are originally dull and unmoving, how bright and intelligent are you expecting him to be?”

“But he’s still too much of a wooden block!” She heavily places down the cup, “Whatever people tells him, whatever he will believe, too nice and honest for his own good, could it be that he cannot even consider the idea that people are deceiving him? Even after finding out he’s been deceived in the end, he would only laugh and say it’s nothing, does he think that being like that, people will think he’s nice? Pei! They all treat him as a fool!” Having said all that, a trace of heartache rapidly flashes past her eyes, followed by the surging of more anger.

I thoughtfully nod, by the sounds of it, these words don’t seem to sound quite right ah, this Leng Yang…… “You’re very concerned about him.”

“Him?” Ying Lu widens her eyes, “I pei! Who’s concerned about him?! I just find him to be such an eyesore!”

“Oh, an eyesore ah.” I say: “Then why should you care about what he does? Even if he get sched to his demise by soone, it shouldn’t have anything to do with you.”

“Pei pei pei! You crow mouth! As if he would die!” Ying Lu stands up with her hands on hips, “How could he die with here?!”

I deliberately ask: “He wouldn’t die with you here? Who are you to him?”

Only now does Ying Lu realises she has been toyed with by , walking up to my side and pinches my cheek, “Wretched lass, you’re actually toying with !”

I let out a few sounds of laughter, lightly asking: “Ying Lu, is Leng Yang the person you like?”

Ying Lu sits at my side, resting her chin in hands as she says: “He says he likes .”

“What about you?”

“?” She pouts, “In fact, I don’t know either, just feel that everyone around are all so calculative, he’s not like that, and acts truthfully and sincerely to , with no other ans in mind.”

“Silly.” I use the book to knock her head, “People like that are the good ones.”

“Not good, he always get deceived by others, he only knows when I tell him!”

“Then isn’t it fine if you remind him when he gets deceived in future?”

“I……” Ying Lu pauses, a slight pink glow surfacing on her cheeks, “Ah-Lan, you really think that he’s good?”

I pinch her nose, “How could Ying Lu possibly like soone that’s no good?”

“Already said I don’t like him.” She waves her hand, but under my gaze, she mumbles: “Alright, just a tiny bit, a tiny bit.”

I smile and say nothing.

Ying Lu’s eyes makes a turn, “What about you, what kind of man do you like?”

I lift a lock of hair and play with it, slowly saying: “The man I like needs not be handso, needs not be wealthy, needs not be intelligent, needs not be a sweet-talker……but must only give his heart to , never to let another woman into his eyes again.”

She quietly speaks up, “You like such a man? Only like one like that?”

I lightly smile and say: “En.” The feelings that won wants, is in fact very simple, only wanting one scoop of water to drink from the river running thousands of miles, but just how many n are capable of doing this in this world?

Afraid that the most simple thing is the most difficult.

She falls silent for a long ti, hooking up the corners of her lips with slight concern, “Is that so ah, Ah-Lan is so amazing, there will definitely be soone like that.”

I subtly hook up the corners of my lips, Ying Lu, if you don’t say it now, it’s fine, I am in no rush, I will patiently wait for you to tell .

The next day, Ying Lu enters the room with a darkened face, “Ah-Lan.”

I slowly raise my head, “En?”

She bites her lips, wanting to speak but holding back, “I……”

My thoughts subtly make a move, getting up and pulling her hand to make her take a seat, “What’s wrong? Has Leng Yang made you angry again?”

“No.” She shakes her head, her hold on my hand a little tight, “Has Brother co to see you lately?”

ng Shao Jue again.

I half lower my eyes, quietly saying: “No.”

Ying Lu takes a deep breath, the look in her eyes unfathomable.

I smile, “Silly, your brother may be very busy lately, that’s why he isn’t able to co see ……”

“Of course he’s busy! Busy with getting betrothed to another woman!” She loudly blurts out, full of resentnt.