novelraw Chapter 705 - 685: Well Acquainted
Chapter 705 - 685: Well Acquainted
Although he and Fang Chuning slept in the same tent, sharing the same bed, most of the time Fang Chuning was on duty patrolling the camp. He often stayed out surveying until the break of dawn.
His routine was very healthy, going to bed early and rising early. Thus, when he awoke, Fang Chuning would just return to camp to freshen up and rest. Fang Chuning had developed a bad habit, not wanting to have breakfast and falling asleep immediately after washing up. Xie Jue often insisted he join him for a meal before going back to sleep, but Fang Chuning would just ignore him. When pressed, Fang Chuning would pull up the blanket over his head and say, "No meal, don’t call me!"
In time, it became a habit!
After a moment, Xie Jue couldn’t help but wonder if he had become obsessed, frequently thinking of Fang Chuning. Perhaps it was because they rarely spent so much time apart that his longing grew!
Outside the house, snow had piled up in thick layers. Fortunately, the front yard and the rooms were connected by corridors, allowing meals to be delivered via the passages, as most other places were impassable. After delivering the meal, the old lady also mentioned that the snowstorm was severe lately, and they might not be able to return to the city for the time being. Lan Ningzhen had given them a large sum of money, enough for their board and lodging while they were here. This meal included not only beef and mutton but also some pickled vegetables. Xie Jue asked the old lady if she could bring him some books to pass the time. She left, looking somewhat troubled.
It was a long time before the old lady returned, bringing a box of old books. Apart from miscellaneous records and cultural books, the majority were medical texts, all in Beiman language, hurriedly edited, making them somewhat difficult for Xie Jue to read. Yet he didn’t mind; otherwise, what else could he and Lan Ningzhen do in this almost entirely enclosed space besides sleep?
One must find something to do!
The old lady seemed to also know he was bored and needed something to pass the time, so she also gave him a few pieces of jade and a carving knife, telling him to carve the jade if he was too bored.
After all, almost all of those books were medical, and others might find them dull; Xie Jue was immensely grateful. He enjoyed peace and quiet, content to stay locked in and keep busy reading. He just wasn’t sure how many days they would be staying here because he could finish reading these books in a day.
Xie Jue perused the Beiman’s miscellaneous records and leisure books and realized after a short while that he had already read them. Even when in the Marquis Mansion, he liked reading. Beiman’s books were rare and mostly about the Heavenly God or the priest, which he found uninteresting. It was a forced understanding of Beiman culture, reading through with patience to gain a simple understanding of Beiman from the books.
Bored, he turned to the medical books. Beiman’s medical texts were largely about poison, a field Xie Jue had never explored, so he read them with great interest.
When the old lady brought lunch, Lan Ningzhen was still sound asleep. Xie Jue looked back at the girl sleeping sweetly beside him in disbelief— despite sharing a room and being strangers, she trusted him so much, unafraid that he might harm her in her sleep? If not for him realizing, this would be the best time to strike Lan Ningzhen.
"Beauty, I wake up to find you staring at me— captivated by my charm?" Lan Ningzhen joked as she awoke to find Xie Jue watching her, resting a palm against her face, lying on her side.
Xie Jue replied with feigned annoyance, "Lunch is here, get up and eat."
"Alrighty!"
Lan Ningzhen promptly got up to rinse her mouth and groom herself behind the screen. She poured a cup of hot water that quickly turned lukewarm, took a swig, and adjusted the scarf around her neck, checking her complexion in a small mirror to ensure her makeup remained intact after a night’s rest. Seeing all was well, Lan Ningzhen was relieved.
"Do you care so much about your appearance?" Xie Jue watched her little actions attentively.
"Young women love beauty. I’ve been insecure since childhood, naturally concerned about my looks."
A pack of lies!
In terms of upbringing, Lan Ningzhen certainly didn’t seem like someone who grew up insecure; rather, she seemed more like someone who had been adored and admired by many since childhood!
Her appetite was surprisingly large— three times that of Xie Jue’s. Even though Xie Jue didn’t particularly like Beiman food, he still followed local customs and ate patiently. Lan Ningzhen devoured everything left on his plate, wasting not a grain.
She could really eat, just like Xie Xun!
After their meal, Xie Jue quietly went back to his reading, and Lan Ningzhen tidied everything away before starting to pester Xie Jue again out of boredom. Xie Jue tossed the jade and knife to her, "You can carve."
And keep quiet!
Lan Ningzhen looked at the palm-sized jade in her hand; its surface had been polished, revealing a rich, dense inside— a lush green stone, visually pleasing and of excellent quality. Such stones were not valued in Beiman because they were abundant and couldn’t be monetized, so they were often carved into ornaments or trinkets for fun.
Lan Ningzhen looked at the stone, troubled, and raised the small knife in her hand, "Mr. Helian, I don’t know how to carve."
"You don’t?"
"No!"
Xie Jue found it odd because Beiman was full of colorful stones, and girls generally loved carving them into jewelry, so Beiman girls nearly all loved carving.
Lan Ningzhen had been sent to Heavenly God Mountain from a young age without experiencing an ordinary girl’s life, so perhaps it was normal she didn’t know how to carve. Xie Jue had no choice but to push the book he was holding towards her.
But reading also held no interest for Lan Ningzhen; she had read these books before, "Mr. Helian, chat with me for a while."
"I don’t want to talk."
"So cold." Lan Ningzhen asked, "Mr. Helian, have you always been this cold since childhood?"
Xie Jue remained silent, indirectly admitting it.
"Then you certainly have no friends."
"Who says so!" Xie Jue couldn’t help but retort, "I have a very good friend."
Lan Ningzhen’s eyes brightened, "Really? What kind of person is your friend, tell me about them."
"It’s inconvenient!" Xie Jue cursed himself for losing control of his temper.
No matter how Lan Ningzhen tried to tease him afterward, Xie Jue wouldn’t reveal a single word. Extremely bored, Lan Ningzhen had no idea what to do and went outside to build two snowmen.
Xie Jue, "..."
Truly unable to stay idle for even a moment!
"If you have nothing to do, you can help the doctor in the front yard."
Lan Ningzhen had actually already been there. Today, no one came for treatment— with the snowstorm so fierce, every household stayed shut in. The doctor and his family were busy preparing various New Year festivities.
Yes, it’s almost New Year!
Feeling low, Xie Jue thought there were only three days left until the New Year.
This was the first time he wouldn’t spend the New Year with his family. Even though the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry Soldiers were busy, they still got time off during festivals. Beiman generally also ceased fighting from November, with battles resuming only mid-February the following year. Half of the cavalry soldiers could go home to celebrate the New Year, but Marquis Zhenbei and Xie Zhang couldn’t both take leave; at least one had to stay stationed at the army camp.
This year, it was Marquis Zhenbei’s turn to return to the capital for the New Year, while his elder brother guarded the border. If he hadn’t come to Fox City, he should have been in the capital by now, accompanying his mother and aunts.
They would have arranged various banquets, inviting young ladies from noble families to the mansion, subtly indicating that he should start considering potential brides.