Scent Of Time

Chapter 46

These past few days, Minister Hua no longer had the motivation; he sometimes didn’t go to court and stayed idle at home, taking care of the profoundly shocked Mrs. Hua and occasionally coming to find me. His words contained a father’s warmth, and he put down the prime minister’s frame and began to take on the responsibility of a husband and father.

I took out the evidence in the jewelry box several times and wanted to burn it on the candle flame, but I still put it back. I began to read books behind closed doors, not asking questions outside and only waiting for Muyao to ascertain what I suspected in my heart. It gave me time to pay attention to the people around me, and I found many unusual things. The steady Yin Xing, cheerful Cui Zhu, gradually mature Qian Zhi, and — I couldn’t see through Hua Rongzhou more and more. When I first saw him, I felt that he was a bashful little child, and now he was acting very differently from before, and I didn’t know what stimulated him.

“Miss ……” Seeing me idle all day, Yin Xing came to my side, wanting to speak.

With no one around, when the stable Yin Xing revealed this look, I said nothing, only put down the embroidery in my hand, quietly waiting for her to open her mouth. Ultimately, she said, “Miss, there is something that I don’t know whether to tell you or not.”

I stroked the embroidery and asked, “What is it?”

Yin Xing looked troubled, still hesitant to speak, “These days, I saw Qian Zhi and — Nan Feng together.”

Nan Feng — Zhong Yelan’s guard? I didn’t know about this. I smiled at Yin Xing’s slightly worried face and said, “Yin Xing, Qian Zhi has her life. I should not interfere.”

“But Nan Feng is …… Prince Jin’s –” Yin Xing was still frowning.

“Yin Xing.” I solemnly lifted my head and looked at her, “I know your worries, but I understand Qian Zhi. You guys are finally at the age of marriage. I support whoever you guys like. I won’t restrain you because of your status. You guys should have your own life.”

Yin Xing froze for a long time and finally stopped talking. I became interested. Having a touch of color in this boring life was a happy thing. I never noticed about Qian Zhi and Nan Feng. The novel never mentioned the feelings of minor characters. I didn’t know Qian Zhi and Nan Feng initially loved each other or because I changed the plot. So, I began to explore and squat on the corner. After all, I only listened to Yin Xing’s words; if I rashly went to ask Qian Zhi, she wouldn’t tell the truth, so I needed to understand to help her properly. Then, I discovered that Nan Feng often came occasionally to find Qian Zhi, but Qian Zhi avoided him. Perhaps the silly girl was worried about each other’s identity. After all, Zhong Yelan was my nominal ex-husband.

After returning to the Hua Mansion, Qian Zhi often appeared sad, and I thought she was worried about me; now, it looked like I overthought. Standing up and hammering my numb feet, I whispered to Hua Rongzhou, “Let’s go.”

He obediently followed me as I tiptoed away. After all, eavesdropping was a technical job that involved Qian Zhi’s privacy, so I had to bring Hua Rongzhou along to listen. After stretching my arms and legs, I told Hua Rongzhou: “Let’s go shopping and buy a dowry.”

From one corner of the city to the other, I carefully studied the location and business conditions of all the stores. Because I feared negligence, I held paper and pencil to write and draw. Watching my good mood because of Qian Zhi, Hua Rongzhou suddenly interjected, “Miss, there is one thing I can’t figure out.”

“What is it?”

“My mother told me when I was a child that if you kiss someone, you should be responsible.” Like an inexperienced little white rabbit, Hua Rongzhou looked at me and asked very seriously.

I inappropriately laughed aloud, “That’s right, your mother was right.”

Looking at Hua Rongzhou hanging his head and not saying anything, I asked curiously, “Which …… kiss did you steal?”

I hadn’t finished my words when Hua Rongzhou violently pulled me. I bumped straight into him, and simultaneously, a thin figure fell to the position where I originally stood. I only focused on talking and did not look at the road, almost hit by the child on the ground. Hua Rongzhou pulled me back on time, but the child fell. I carefully looked at the child on the ground. He wore ragged clothes; he should be just a beggar.

I went over and was about to help him, but Hua Rongzhou pulled me again. This time, he didn’t wait for me to speak before speaking, “Dirty.”

I frowned and broke away from his hand, “Where did you learn this prejudice from?” I helped that little beggar up and saw his bruised knees. He should be only six or seven years old, with a thin face and round eyes, looking at me in panic.

“Are you all right? Does your knee hurt? Do you want to go with me to the medical center to have it checked?” I spoke softly, afraid of scaring him.

That child shook his head and broke away from my hand, pulling his legs and running, but Hua Rongzhou picked him up after he ran a few steps. Looking at the small beggar who could not stop struggling, I had not yet opened my mouth, and I saw Hua Rongzhou pull out a purse from the small beggar’s arms. I touched my waist; it was gone.

After taking back the purse, I saw the small beggar shrink into a ball, shivering. I pulled out two silver coins and gave it to him. The small beggar brightly grabbed them, turned, and ran. My heart was slightly sour when I looked at that child’s bloody knees.

“Miss, that child is stealing and pretending to be pitiful. You should not give him money. This trick is common. Usually, people won’t be fooled.” Hua Rongzhou saw the child run away before speaking. The childish face faded, and a pair of brown pupils became increasingly cold, without the previous youthfulness.

“What do you mean by pretending to be pitiful? His knees are bleeding.” I frowned.

“You’re good at being deceived.” Hua Rongzhou lifted his leg after saying this and continued walking.

Is he leaving me in anger? Is this child really in his rebellious phase?

Still, I followed up and changed the topic: “Speaking of which, it’s my fault for never paying attention to you and Qian Zhi. She probably didn’t have a good time this period, but I don’t know –”

“Miss indeed has a bad memory and carelessness.” Hua Rongzhou answered without mercy.

I became furious. He didn’t appreciate when I deliberately found a topic to ease the atmosphere: “You still stomped on my face ……”

“Does Miss still feel that you first saw me at the ancestor ceremony?”

Isn’t it? Seeing Hua Rongzhou’s serious look, I couldn’t speak, so I seriously pondered: Could the previous Hua Qian have met him?

Hua Rongzhou suddenly stopped walking. I subconsciously looked at him and heard him speak, “It’s here.”

The main street? I subconsciously looked around. There was no impression, so I guessed the one who met him was not me. I smiled awkwardly and said, “Oh, so it’s here, ah…”

“Don’t say it if you don’t remember.” Hua Rongzhou once again did not give me a bit of face.

When I was unhappy, Hua Rongzhou added, “But it’s okay if Miss doesn’t remember, I’ll tell you.”

I looked at this child, who was already half a head taller than me, and he looked at me with eyes full of sincerity.

“The first time I saw you, I almost crashed into your carriage, but you didn’t blame me and complimented me for being so young and highly tolerant, saying I could go to your mansion in the future. But I was too inferior, so I didn’t go. I no longer begged and began relying on my efforts to earn money.'”

A child who crashed into the carriage? There was a slight impression in my mind: was it the day I returned to my home?

“The second time I saw you was in the restaurant. Facing slander and ridicule, you did not flinch, but I could not help but move first. Then you told me if I want to protect others, I must learn how to protect myself first. Then, I resigned from the restaurant to join the army.”

Restaurant? Was that the servant beaten up when Hua Shen made a mess?

“The third time I saw you was at the Ancestor Ceremony. This time, I finally protected you on my own, and you patted me on the shoulder and praised me for having a future.”

I knew this one was him. “The fourth time I saw you was when I successfully became a guard in your courtyard, and I finally could walk in front of your eyes after spending half a year in the King Jin Mansion.”

Hearing this, I was unresponsive. A few scenes from the past slowly strung together: beggar, servant, government soldier—surprisingly, all of them were him.

Hua Rongzhou did not stop and said, “You asked me my name four times. You finally remembered it at the fourth time, so Miss, you still do not admit you have a bad memory?”

The beggar, who said his name was ‘Zhou,’ and the beaten servant, ‘Zhou Yong,’ were all him.

Zhou Yong, Yong Zhou, Rong — Zhou.

When I met Hua Rongzhou’s eyes, which were full of expectations, my heartbeat slowed down. “Don’t you usually don’t like to talk? Why so many words today?”

Hua Rongzhou answered righteously, “It’s Miss who said to tell you whatever I have in the future.”

He was grown up and learned to take my words to counterattack.

“Oh …… oh, then …… it’s my fault. I won’t do that again in the future.” I was slightly embarrassed.

Hua Rongzhou smiled brightly at me like an immature child, but I wouldn’t be fooled by his little white rabbit appearance anymore. He was clearly a big-tailed wolf in rabbit skin.