Chapter 81: Return to Nan’yang
Wang Hong smiled to see that he was speechless.
At this time, Chen Rong saw Wang Hong waving to her and thus quickly came over. Seeing Sun Yan’s irritated expression, she turned and looked at him with concern before asking Wang Hong: “What’s the matter?”
“General Sun wants to go rescue General Ran. Do you want to go with him?”
“I’d like to go with you, Qilang.”
Wang Hong nodded. He turned to face Sun Yan, raised his clasped hands and said, “That being the case, we’ll not go there. I’ll see you again, General Sun. Let’s have a drink then.”
Despite giving a scoff, Sun Yan also returned his clasped hand gesture.
He went to Chen Rong and whispered to her: “Come with me.”
After he had led Chen Rong a hundred paces away, he tilted his head glancing at Wang Hong, then turned to Chen Rong and frowningly said, “Ah Rong, that Wang Qilang is a playboy; he knows how to win over the women. You mustn’t be fooled.”
At this moment, his jet black eyes, which resembled those of wolves, gave off a flash of tenderness. He gently held Chen Rong’s shoulders, regarded her and said, “We are the same, you and I… we cannot afford to fool around.”
Chen Rong returned his gaze with one of gratefulness. Slowly, she dropped into a curtsy, lowered her gaze and replied, “I’ll remember your words, my lord.”
After giving him this formal reply, she looked up, blinked her large eyes, and playfully asked, “Sun Yan, if one day you can be in control of your marriage, and you don’t have someone you love, will you marry me?” Her smile was one of innocence, but her eyes were those of earnestness.
The same earnestness with which a wolf longs for warmth and companionship after countless years of loneliness and disappointment.
Sun Yan could not understand this earnestness. He frowned and pondered, but in the end shook his head and whispered back, “I don’t want to promise what I don’t yet know if I can do.”
He lightly pressed on Chen Rong’s arms, rasping: “I do not know whether we will see each other again after this parting. Ah Rong, you must stay strong; and stay smart. You mustn’t let them deceive you or destroy you.”
Having said this, he turned to go.
Chen Rong’s gaze followed him. She looked at the young man who was striding away then was mounting his horse, and at the two thousand men sending smoke into the moonlit sky.
While she was lost in thought, a string of melodious music sounded. Different from what was played just now, it was full of melancholy and the sorrow of separation. It contained the sentiments of a gentleman who was sending his friends far away – a willow branch of sorts, a promise of next year’s reunion.
Chen Rong turned around. Under the moonlight, she saw Wang Hong attired in black and masked under a layer of fog, playing his zither. She slowly approached him.
When she reached him, a maid swiftly brought out a seat at Wang Hong’s right side.
Chen Rong sat down and startlingly stared at Wang Hong’s handsome profile.
His dancing fingers slowed down. He turned his head to look at Chen Rong, his eyes shining like the stars. They were real stars, as far as she was concerned – very bright, very clear, and so very far away…
Chen Rong looked up at him.
Wang Hong upturned his lips in a smile: “What are you looking at, Ah Rong?”
“You’re still alive.” Her gaze remained dazed.
She actually gave him such baffling words. She actually gave him those words with eyes that were empty and dazed.
Wang Hong raised his brow. He put the zither down, turned, and contemplated her.
At this point, Chen Rong gave a start, hesitantly smiled, and rose to leave.
“Ah Rong?”
Her footsteps paused.
He stood up and came up behind her. When she was only half an arm’s length away, he stopped, lowered his head, and softly asked, “Will you let me know why you came to Mo’yang?”