Chapter 395: It’s Not Pity, It’s Heartache for You
Bai Ruozhu was shocked, not only because the somewhat hard chest made her sore, but also because his words sent an uproar through her heart.
Before she could respond, Jiang Yichun held her like this, saying, "Don’t move. It’s easier to whisper to you from this close, it won’t alert your family."
Bai Ruozhu wanted to move, but in the end, she didn’t. She didn’t know if she was lingering on this embrace, or so curious about what he was about to say.
"I was born in the Capital City. You’ve probably guessed that. We were a noble family. I wasn’t surrounded by many siblings; my parents only had me. It was quite boring as a child, but thankfully my father always took me out to play. My grandfather reprimanded my father quite a bit for this, saying he was spoiling me too much and I would turn out bad." said Jiang Yichun, with a tender smile on his face.
"I remember when I was six, I went with my father to fly kites in the countryside. The Capital City’s scholars liked to go on outings. They were always in groups of good friends, drinking and composing poetry. But Me and my father were just having fun. We ran into people we knew, and they mocked father for being so carefree and accused that he’d be a good-for-nothing all his life. I was young at the time, so I got into a fight with them and ended up crying after not being able to win the argument."
Bai Ruozhu found it amusing, wasn’t six years old around the same age as Xiaosi?
"My mother was good too, but she would sometimes complain that my father spoiled me. She was a virtuous lady who followed all rules. She didn’t get along with me much, and always had a wet nurse look after me." Jiang Yichun said, shaking his head slightly. Bai Ruozhu couldn’t see his face, but she could sense the faint irony in his tone.
"I have an uncle and an aunt at home; my aunt married well and loved me a lot. My uncle, never had much of a facial expression, so I wasn’t close to him."
While listening, Bai Ruozhu had some doubts. Didn’t he previously mention having no family? That he was alone, that his father was dead, and that he had no news of his mother. Now he was mentioning his grandfather, uncle, and aunt again. Could it be that all these relatives had also died?
A phrase suddenly flashed in her mind: "extermination of all family members." She involuntarily stiffened, and sympathy for the man holding her started to fill her heart.
Afterwards, Jiang Yichun told her many stories about his childhood. Bai Ruozhu listened attentively, visually imagining his growth process and watching him transform from a child into a handsome adult.
"Until I was twelve years old, something happened at home. My grandfather expelled my father from home, and ordered him to leave the Capital City or he would break his legs. My grandfather asked me if I wanted to stay at the Jiang Family. I said I wanted to follow my father. So, we both ended up homeless. Later my grandfather really ordered someone to beat up my father. Although they didn’t break his legs, they broke one of his hands. They left his legs so he could leave the Capital."
Bai Ruozhu lifted her head surprisedly, looking at him, asking, "What could have caused your grandfather to be so heartless? If you were expelled from home, then where was your mother?"
Jiang Yichun’s face was clear, and there seemed to be something flashing in his eyes. Bai Ruozhu’s heart throbbed, and she couldn’t help raising her hand to wipe it away. They say that a man does not shed tears easily, only because he has yet to face true sorrow.
"My mother divorced my father." Jiang Yichun’s voice became lower, and his face showed a struggle. That incident from the past seemed very difficult for him to bring up.
Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but hold him and say softly, "Maybe it will feel better if you talk about it."
He didn’t speak, and the room was exceptionally quiet. Under the moonlight, the two hugged each other, with tears glimmering at the corners of their eyes. Bai Ruozhu could feel the sadness in him, and regretted asking him about this, which led him to recall the heartbreaking incident.
After a while, Jiang Yichun tightened the grip of Bai Ruozhu’s hand and slowly began, "There was a scandal in the house. A servant saw my father break into my grandfather’s concubine’s room, trying to... take advantage of her."
The last sentence was very difficult for him to say, but he quickly explained, "My father was not that kind of person, it couldn’t have been his intention!"
"Your father who loved his child so much, he was a rare good father, he would never do that." Bai Ruozhu was not only comforting him, but also believed that a father who dearly loved his child would not commit such incest, because he would not bear to see his child hurt.
"But my grandfather didn’t believe it, even my mother felt embarrassed and directly divorced my father. Only I went with my father and left the Capital City. As a result, he fell ill due to his broken hand and the emotional toll; he left me within half a year. Before he died, he told me to return to the Jiang Family. I’m their descendant after all, so my grandfather wouldn’t refuse me."
Jiang Yichun finished talking, scoffed, "Why would I go back to such a heartless house? I used my remaining money for my father’s funeral, and then wandered outside. Soon all my money was spent. I became a little beggar in the city until my father’s old friend, my Master, found me and took me as his disciple."
No wonder he learned medical skills. It must be guilt for not being able to save his father. Bai Ruozhu held him tightly and said, "Not going back to that kind of house is the right choice. In the future, I..." Her face started to blush as she hesitated, her voice became as soft as a mosquito’s, "I will stay with you."
Jiang Yichun was shocked, pulling her to face him. Looking into her eyes, confirming that she had indeed said those words, his heart was stirred.
She had never promised him anything, not even agreeing to marry him someday. But at this moment, she said she would stay with him in the future. Was this out of sympathy for him?
Scrutiny appeared in his eyes, mixed with pain. How could Bai Ruozhu, who was so astute, not discern his sensitivity? She couldn’t help raising her hand to cover his eyes, softly saying, "You fool, it’s not sympathy, it’s because my heart aches for you."
Jiang Yichun grabbed her hand away, his eyes wide open in surprise. What did she just say? That she was heartbroken for him?
He couldn’t control himself anymore, grabbing the back of her head, he dove in deeply for a kiss. He held her tightly, as if gathering all his strength to kiss her deeper and deeper...
His tongue was aggressive as it extracted the sweet scent from her dainty lips. His lips, teeth, and tongue intertwined with hers, that it nearly choked her. He was not a rookie who didn’t know how to kiss. His clever tongue navigated her mouth inch by inch, and quickly evolved into a wild plunder. The kiss fired up their bodies with passion.
Bai Ruozhu was the first to regain her senses, mainly because she felt a hard object pressing against her lower abdomen. She pushed Jiang Yichun away in fright, stammering, "I...I need to go to sleep..."
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On another note, I sent out more red envelopes in the Book Friends Group today. Does no one really want to join?