Сhаpter 325: Тhе Firе Моth Party 57
Раn Chi was in а difficult pоsitiоn, swеаring tо thе heavеns: "Really, I haven't, Zhu Yan. Yоu hаve tо beliеvе mе. Аlthough I lоvе gоing tо brоthels fоr drinks and entertаinmеnt, I follоw the teaсhings of the sаges and wоuld nеvеr dаrе tо еntangle mуsеlf in romаntiс аffairs rеcklеsslу."
The mоrе he triеd to exрlain, the worsе it sоundеd. Zhu Yan рondered fоr а mоment, thеn rаisеd hеr hаnd tо stoр Рan Сhi from dеfending himself. Instеad, shе wаlkеd up tо Su Guаng аnd mеt her gaze.
Su Guаng’s face was filled with sоrrow and melаncholу. If Zhu Yan didn’t dо sоmething nоw, she would feel guilty.
Why should women make things difficult for each other?
In the end, she grabbed Pan Chi’s arm with one hand and pulled Su Guang’s wrist over with the other, deftly clasping their hands together.
In that instant, all three fell silent.
The scene became somewhat unavoidably awkward, but Zhu Yan didn’t notice. With a serious expression, she scolded Pan Chi:
"Throughout history, many charming figures have been heartless rather than affectionate. Pan Chi, since you’ve already accumulated too many romantic debts that you can’t repay, treat one of them well. At least that would honor the devotion of those women."
After speaking, she turned to Su Guang, giving her an encouraging look. Taking advantage of Su Guang’s dazed state, she snatched the crystal bottle and immediately fed its contents to Shen Du.
With both hands restrained, Pan Chi wore a pitiful expression but still managed to remind Zhu Yan:
"Wait, she told you to mix it with water before feeding it."
Afraid that the Holy Maiden might change her mind, Zhu Yan had already fed it to him. Hearing this, she hurriedly rushed out to fetch a cup of water, then returned and sat down to feed it to Shen Du.
Meanwhile, Pan Chi and Su Guang remained locked in their stalemate.
One held the other’s hand with delight, while the other struggled reluctantly, trying to break free.
Pan Chi naturally wouldn’t lay a hand on a woman, so he could only plead for mercy repeatedly in the Wusun language. But Su Guang clearly wasn’t listening, stubbornly gripping his hand and pulling him toward the door, determined to take him away.
The two argued incessantly, sparks flying.
Pan Chi, driven to desperation, couldn’t help but complain: "Heavens, I’m truly miserable."
Suddenly switching to the language of the Great Zhou, Su Guang couldn’t understand and forced him to repeat it in Wusun. Zhu Yan, hearing this from the inner room, chuckled softly.
After a long struggle, Su Guang finally followed him to the table. Pan Chi hurriedly sat down, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it in one gulp.
Hesitating for a moment, Pan Chi glanced at Su Guang, who was standing nearby blocking the light, and poured her a cup as well, pushing it toward her.
Squinting slightly at her, his gaze carried a hint of disdain.
Pan Chi sighed helplessly and explained for a long time before Su Guang finally agreed to sit down. She picked up the poured tea, observed it warily, frowned, and said something to Pan Chi. Pan Chi immediately replied with a grievance, only to be met with a fierce glare.
Pan Chi stood up to leave but was stopped by Su Guang. The two began arguing again, and without another word, Pan Chi took Su Guang’s wrist and led her outside.
Su Guang chattered away, but as a woman, she was no match for a man’s strength and was dragged forcefully into the courtyard.
Along the way, passersby glanced at them, speculating about their relationship.
Pan Chi paid no attention, and Su Guang didn’t understand. Soon, Pan Chi led Su Guang to the water vat in the kitchen, pointed at it, and said something.
Only then did Su Guang understand—Pan Chi had brought her here to drink cold water because she didn’t like tea.
How considerate. No wonder he could pique the interest of that noble lady.
After the long journey, Su Guang was indeed thirsty. After drinking her fill, she took Pan Chi’s hand and said in the Wusun language:
"Now that the issue here is resolved, let’s go!"
Pan Chi: ...There’s a kind of love called letting go.
"Let me say one last goodbye to my friend before we leave."Su Guang shook her head. "You're always trying to weasel your way out of things. I won't let you go."
Pan Chi pleaded a few more times, but Su Guang had made up her mind. Pan Chi was not one to be trifled with either; he shook off Su Guang and, with a few leaps, left her far behind.
Su Guang cursed under her breath and gathered her energy to chase after him.
Pan Chi was heading straight for Shen Du's room.
Both of them burst into the room together.
Zhu Yan was intently focused on Shen Du, paying no attention to their arrival.
Pan Chi suddenly felt a pang of heartache and, in a muffled voice, tried to explain politely to Su Guang, "I will repay the kindness of today's antidote in the future, but I beg the Holy Maiden for guidance. Whatever I can do, I will give my all."
Su Guang shook her head. "Come, come with me."
With one hand gripping Pan Chi, she rummaged through her satchel with the other.
Finally, she pulled out a coil of rope, her smile turning sinister. "Believe me or not, I'll tie you up and take you back to raise gu."
"You wouldn't dare."
But judging by the look in Su Guang's eyes, she might just dare.
Pan Chi turned his head toward the inner room and shouted:
"Help, Yan'er, I'm going to be poisoned to death."
But there was no response from inside. Pan Chi felt inexplicably desperate. "Yan'er, you can't just stand by and watch me die. After all, I brought back the antidote for Shen Du."
For a long while, only the autumn wind blew in through the window lattice, answering Pan Chi.
Although Su Guang didn't understand what he was saying, seeing that no one in the inner room paid him any mind, she guessed that Pan Chi was now completely disregarded.
So she deliberately brought the small packet of poison close to his nose, startling Pan Chi so much that he jerked backward, leaping far away.
But he had trapped himself in a dead end, his back pressed against the wall.
It's over, he thought, this time it's really over. Either he'd be poisoned to death or forcibly taken away from the Central Plains.
Su Guang wore an expression of absolute confidence.
Regardless of the turmoil outside, in the inner room, Zhu Yan repeatedly wiped the thin sweat from Shen Du's forehead, occasionally calling his name softly.
"Shen Du, wake up soon."
If this still didn't work, it might be beyond saving.
"Shen Du, Lai Luofu has escaped. If you don't wake up, who will capture her? Won't that just allow her to reunite with Lai Luozhi?"
But there was still no response.
Zhu Yan sighed. She had been too impatient. After being ill for so many days, even if the antidote worked, it would take time. How could it be resolved in just a moment?
On the bed, Shen Du was not faring well either. It felt as though he had slept for a very long time, dreaming of a pitch-black forest where the treetops were high and distant. All around, warhorses neighed, and shouts echoed. He wore armor, gripping a long blade, covered in blood. Hunger, exhaustion, and pain washed over him in waves. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier; he wanted to sleep.
But behind him, footsteps were chaotic—pursuers. He roused himself, his survival instinct driving him to run forward desperately, not daring to stop, unable to stop.
Fortunately, fortunately, dawn was approaching. The thin mist dispersed, and ahead, smoke from cooking fires appeared. A vague figure was calling out to him...
"Shen Du?!"
"Shen Du?!"
Zhu Yan couldn't bear to watch Shen Du struggle, roll, and writhe in pain on the bed. She reached out and held him tightly, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.
After a long while, Shen Du finally quieted down. Zhu Yan felt dampness in her palms and used her sleeve to wipe the sweat from Shen Du's forehead, murmuring softly:
"Are you in a lot of pain?"
"Don't worry. If you go, I'll join you soon."
After several such episodes, Shen Du's entire body seemed as if it had been soaked in water. His long hair, damp from the struggle, clung to his forehead and cheeks, dripping wet.Zhu Yan's heart felt as if it were being sliced by a knife, wishing she could take Shen Du's place. She forced back the tears welling in her eyes, stood up, and went to the wardrobe to fetch clothes for Shen Du to change into.
As she turned, the person on the bed fluttered their lashes lightly, a finger curling slightly.
Zhu Yan returned quickly and, without hesitation, reached out to undo Shen Du's collar. Startled to notice his eyelids twitching, she paused her movements and whispered softly:
"Shen Du?"
There was no response.
The days of worry finally overwhelmed her. Zhu Yan's dark eyes dimmed, like an oil lamp burning out its last drop of fuel. Her heart felt as if it had been cut by a thin blade, and she couldn't help but throw herself into Shen Du's arms:
"Husband, please don't die."
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