This was, of course, to be expected. Just like Ran Min, no matter how many Jin lives he saved, no matter how many storms he weathered for the residents of Nan’yang, people would always look down on his surname behind his back.
She at last received the evaluation she wanted, even if it came from an unknown young lady like Chen Qi. Alas, such evaluation did not come without a dilemma.
The girls chatted for an hour and then began to take their leave.
Listening to their distancing footsteps, Chen Rong lay back down and sprawled motionlessly for a long while before suddenly yelling out: “Nurse Ping!”
The nurse hastily ran in while repeatedly asking, “Miss, what’s the matter?”
Answering her was Chen Rong’s suddenly feeble voice: “Nothing, nothing. You may go.”
Subsequently, Chen Rong’s courtyard became completely swamped with even more girls who came to visit.
After consistently pleading illness to turn her guests away, Chen Rong suddenly found in the late afternoon that her courtyard had fallen to a strange silence.
Though it was usually quiet, the servants’ whispers and distant sound of laughter were always heard. At present, however, all voices had vanished from the world.
Chen Rong paid the silence little attention at first. Slowly, when she felt something was amiss, she sat up in bed to call for Nurse Ping.
She had scarcely sat up when she heard Nurse Ping’s voice trembling with joy: “H-have you personally come to visit my young lady? Please, come in, come in.”
Chen Rong quickly closed her mouth and stifled her voice.
At this time, a familiar voice rang soft and pleasant like springwater. “All, please rise.”
Just three words. Three single words.
And yet the dead silent yard erupted into cheers and chatter.
Amid the excitement, leisure footsteps steadily fell on the ground.
Listening to the footfall that was advancing toward her bedchamber, Chen Rong jumped down from bed and reached for the whip on the wall.
She had only touched the handle by the time a low laughter sounded at the door.
His laughter was gentle and soft, and had a teasing note that stiffened Chen Rong‘s movement.
Chen Rong only paused for a second before she removed the whip, narrowed her eyes, and then turned around to look at the man.
Leaning against the door frame and faintly smiling at her in his snow white attire, while illuminating the entire room with his beauty, was that not Wang Hong?
Chen Rong glanced behind him and quietly barked, “Close the door!”
It was an order.