Feng Zhiwei cried out: “It’s me!”
The golden lights froze and two finger sized monkeys paused, large round eyes staring at Feng Zhiwei mid-pounce. The light of recognition flashed in those eyes and the little monkeys squeaked excitedly as they reached out to hug her, somehow forgetting that they were still airborne as they dropped.
Feng Zhiwei reached out and caught the two furballs.
Beside her, Gu Nanyi had grabbed the human cannon-ball, holding the huge, howling man still.
Feng Zhiwei carefully cradled the two monkeys as she stared at the dirty man’s swollen face. She breathed deeply, a teary smile on her face.
“Chunyu… you’re alive.”
Feng Zhiwei explained the bare bones of the matter to the officials to Tao Shifeng’s pleasant surprise. Chunyu Meng had a significant background and his father was deputy to the Northern Expedition General. Saving his life was a great merit.
Feng Zhiwei finally threw off the gloom that had surrounded her ever since she had arrived in South Sea. The separation in Ji Yang Mountain and Chunyu Meng’s presumed death had been a thorn in her heart; through many sleepless nights, she had thought of this young man. She still remembered how he had approached her in the Qing Ming dining hall, and she treasured that straightforward frankness, sincere and without hidden agenda.
For the first time in her life, Feng Zhiwei felt gratitude to the heavens; they sometimes still had eyes.
But the happiness soon faded to worry as she stared at Chunyu Meng — what had happened to this child?
He was barely recognizable, so much so that his parents might think him someone else’s child.
The torn clothes and ragged hair suggested imprisonment and poor treatment, but why had those cold-blooded assassins kept him alive? He was clearly not in right mind and could not even recognize her. The blue purple of his face was less like bruises and more the unnatural shade of some manner of illness.
Chunyu Meng howled and raged, trying to kill everyone in sight. Feng Zhiwei could only have Gu Nanyi physically stuff the man into the coach so that they could return to Xi Yard.
Back at the courtyard, the physicians realized that Chunyu Meng had eaten something bad and might have eaten a poisonous plant by accident. Fortunately, this matter was curable.
Feng Zhiwei breathed a sigh of relief, but her curiosity soon rose. She assumed that Chunyu Meng would only eat random plants if he were starving, but he was incredibly energetic and not at all emaciated, and that was not even mentioning the very well fed, chubby monkeys. If he was not starving, why would he eat random plants?
As she was wondering, a servant girl brought Feng Zhiwei’s medicine over. Without Ning Yi here to supervise her, Feng Zhiwei often cheated, so she immediately set it aside. To her astonishment, Chunyu Meng immediately grabbed the cup and gulped all of the rancid medicine down, even licking his lips in longing for more.
Feng Zhiwei stared in utter amazement. The horrifying smell and taste of the medicine was enough to make people wish for death and anyone who smelled it would want to vomit — how could Chunyu Meng enjoy it as if it were a top-quality wine?
A theory popped into her head and she had people bring over some sweet plums and placed them in front of Chunyu Meng. As she suspected, he immediately jerked back from it as if it were a pile of crap.
Chunyu’s taste and smell were both confused…
Feng Zhiwei immediately thought of the poison in Ning Yi’s eyes. Had Chunyu also been hit by a venomous insect’s curse?
Eyes and ears, mouth and nostrils were the seven apertures of the head — if she could heal Chunyu’s poison, she might also be able to help Ning Yi.
“Brother Gu.” Feng Zhiwei asked, turning. “Did that famous physician leave?”
Young Master Gu stayed silent; whenever he refused to speak, it meant he did not wish to answer or did not want to lie.
“He is my dear friend.” Feng Zhiwei said, pointing at Chunyu Meng. “He is only like this because he saved my life. Please tell the man that I am willing to pay any cost for him to save my friend.”
“Oh.” Young Master Gu said as he turned to leave.
Some time later, Gu Nanyi returned and vigorously shook his head.
Feng Zhiwei grew angry. Why was this man so difficult to speak with? She could understanding not wanting to help Ning Yi, but why did he refuse to help Chunyu Meng?
“He says: young girls should worry less about others.” Young Master Gu passed along the message.
Feng Zhiwei stared — had the physician guessed her plan? That she wanted to cure Ning Yi with the method he used to help Chunyu?
Why did he refuse to help Ning Yi?
And after all this time, none of the people following Gu Nanyi to protect her had revealed themselves. Were they hiding from Feng Zhiwei, or were they hiding from Ning Yi?
Although Ning Yi was not in her camp and it was normal to be cautious, Feng Zhiwei felt that there was some other reason behind this enmity.
“Fine, I won’t worry about others.” Feng Zhiwei said after a short pause. “I would like to return these words. It is better for the sirs to worry less about others; after all, Feng Zhiwei is just a normal commoner and not worth your deep care. In the future… there is no need.”
As she finished speaking, she heard a quiet noise around her, but Young Master Gu just sat quietly, not reacting as he ate his walnuts.
Feng Zhiwei eyed him.
He stared at Feng Zhiwei.
Feng Zhiwei stared meaningfully at him.
He stared back at Feng Zhiwei.
Finally, Feng Zhiwei could no longer hold her peace. “Brother Gu, I mean I no longer want protection.”
“Oh.” Young Master Gu answered calmly, munching on his walnuts. “They know.”
Feng Zhiwei mastered herself and patiently explained: “That includes you.”
Young Master Gu stopped chewing and stared at her. Finally, he popped another walnut into his mouth: “No.”
“Yes.”
“No.” Young Master Gu dusted some walnut off of his hand. “I am yours.”
Feng Zhiwei breathed out: “You belong to yourself. You are no one else’s. You have to be yourself.”
“You don’t want me anymore?”
Feng Zhiwei could only cry out wordlessly, incapable of speaking with Young Master Gu.
But though she did not speak, Young Master Gu still had questions.
“You don’t want me?” He lifted his head as he murmured to himself, staring up at the ceiling. “What do I do now?”
“Do whatever you want. Travel, start a shop, or…” Feng Zhiwei gently suggested. “Marry someone and start a life.”
Young Master Gu carefully thought over her words before firmly shaking his head. As Feng Zhiwei sighed, he lowered his eyes and began eating his walnuts again.
After a moment, Young Master Gu’s sleeves rustled as he spoke again: “When you said you did not want me, my heart suddenly felt a little empty. What is that called?”
