Spring Remains the Same - Chapter 52

Exploiting another’s feelings would make no one comfortable, and Wei Xiu was certainly no exception; she could not feel at ease.

It was now the height of a scorching summer, with frequent thunderstorms and howling winds.

Wei Xiu sat before her door, watching the ceaseless raindrops fall to the ground, each one splashing into a watery blossom. Lightning streaked across the gloomy sky, as if tearing the celestial canopy, followed immediately by a booming thunderclap—an earth-shattering roar that made one’s heart tremble.

The sound of the rain was dense, every drop audible. Wei Xiu closed her eyes, her mind reviewing her recent actions for any oversights. This was a habit of hers, to always reflect on what she had done. No person is ever perfectly precise, and it was inevitable that some things might be overlooked. Frequent reflection could help discover flaws early and allow for correction.

The downpour intensified abruptly, blurring the world into a vast, white mist. The scenery became indistinct, with nothing visible beyond a few feet. Rain sprayed inward, landing on Wei Xiu and quickly coating her robes in a transparent layer of moisture.

A Rong said hurriedly, “Sir, you should go inside.”

Wei Xiu opened her eyes and gazed into the distance. She merely maneuvered her wheelchair back a little, not going all the way in.

A Rong pressed her lips together. Seeing no sign of the rain letting up, she noted that although Sir had moved back enough to avoid the rain, the damp air was still palpable. Her legs had been aching these past few days, and the humidity would only make it worse.

She advised softly, “The rain is growing heavier. I imagine the Princess will not be coming at a time like this.”

“Hm?” Wei Xiu tilted her head and smiled faintly. “How did you know I was waiting for her?”

“For the past few days, the Princess has come at this same hour every day,” A Rong replied. There was another sentence she left unsaid: she felt that the Princess and Sir had grown somewhat more intimate.

Wei Xiu was not angered at being found out, offering only a faint smile. She was indeed waiting for Puyang. Though the rain was heavy, she was certain the Princess would come. His Majesty had summoned her to the palace in the afternoon; if Puyang did not come now, they would not be able to see each other today.

“A Rong.”

A Rong lowered her gaze, assuming a posture of awaiting orders.

Wei Xiu couldn’t help but chuckle. She pointed to a couch nearby, gesturing for her to sit. Taking advantage of the stormy weather while they both had a moment of leisure, she asked, “When we have finished our business here, where would you like to go?”

A Rong was taken aback. Sir had never asked about the future. She exhausted her mind and energy on one thing only, rarely caring about matters unrelated to it, let alone asking what would come after.

Despite her surprise, she answered immediately, “Naturally, wherever Sir is, I will be.”

Hearing this, Wei Xiu thought for a moment, then asked, “And Yan Huan?”

A Rong smiled lightly. “He was the Young General’s personal guard and was meant to follow him his entire life. With the Young General gone, his heart is loyal only to you, Sir. Naturally, he feels the same as I do.”

This, too, was an expected answer. Wei Xiu’s expression was gentle, but for a rare moment, her heart was filled with confusion. They both wanted to follow her, yet she did not know where she ought to go. She did not even know if there was any need for her to exist after her revenge was complete.

She wasn’t sure why she had suddenly thought to ask this. Perhaps the scene before her had made her think of how much circumstances could change.

At this time last year, she was still on Mount Mang, planning a long journey. In just one year, she had thrown herself into the vortex of Luoyang, her feet stuck deep in the mire.

These thoughts were fleeting, likely born from the weariness of her long perseverance. But Wei Xiu quickly cast the sentiments aside.

A group of figures appeared at the courtyard gate, drawing closer as they passed through the white, misty curtain of rain.

The wind drove the rain sideways, impeding their progress. Escorted by several attendants, Puyang walked with difficulty. Wei Xiu subconsciously moved to go out and greet her, but a glance down at her own legs brought a flicker of gloom to her eyes. If she went out, she would only be a hindrance. Her left hand, which had been resting on the armrest, drew back and concealed itself under her sleeve. She instructed A Rong, “Go to the kitchen and brew some ginger soup.”

Getting soaked in this kind of weather could easily lead to a cold if not handled properly. A Rong immediately agreed and went.

Puyang braved the wind and rain, approaching step by step. The umbrella tilted against the wind, offering scant protection. Her clothes were soaked, and even her elegant coiffure was in disarray. If she was in such a state, her serving palace attendants were undoubtedly worse off. Wei Xiu summoned a servant and ordered them to take the attendants to get cleaned up.

Then she looked at Puyang.

Puyang coughed lightly, feeling that her coming here in such a storm was rather willful. She explained, “When I left, the rain was still gentle. Who knew that halfway here, the rain would suddenly turn fierce and the wind would pick up.”

Considering the time, that was indeed plausible. But the residence was filled with pavilions; even if she was halfway, how hard could it have been to find a place to take shelter?

Wei Xiu looked at her reproachfully.

Puyang knew she couldn’t hide it from her. Seeing her reproachful gaze, she also felt she had been too hasty.

It was just that these past few days, she could feel something different between herself and Sir. Sir was as serene and gentle as ever, but when they discussed serious matters, her eyes would focus intently on her. When Puyang said something flirtatious, she would still evade with her words, but her expression would be soft. The look in her eyes held a hint of helplessness and indulgence, not like a rejection, but more like she was allowing her to draw closer, step by step.

It was because of all this that Puyang found it even harder to get her out of her mind. This way of getting along was wonderful—subtle, yet filled with a warm care and tacit understanding, as if a single glance was enough to know what the other was thinking. Yet it also tickled one’s heart, creating a longing to see her every day just to feel at ease.

Just as Puyang was about to offer an excuse for her eagerness, she noticed the water droplets on Wei Xiu’s robes and quickly changed the subject. “Sir, your clothes are damp. You should go and change.”

It was clearly her own clothes that were far more soaked, yet she had only noticed the trivial dampness on her robes. Wei Xiu glanced at the fierce wind and rain outside, and her tone softened. “Your Highness, please follow me inside.”

On a stormy day, the sky was gray and gloomy, making the room dim. With the doors and windows shut, it was like the twilight before nightfall, with only faint visibility. This was Wei Xiu’s bedchamber. It was Puyang’s second time here, and she walked with a slight hesitation.

Wei Xiu had already gone to fetch a towel for her. “Eunuch Qin is thorough; he has surely gone to fetch a change of clothes for Your Highness. Please dry yourself for now.”

Puyang was surveying the inner chamber. She accepted the towel with some reserve and said, “Thank you, Sir.”

As she wiped her face with the towel, Wei Xiu went to get a blanket, intending for the Princess to wrap herself in it for warmth and to prevent the dampness from seeping in and causing a cold. When she emerged from behind the screen, she saw Puyang’s hand, clutching the towel tightly, paused at her chin.

The light in the room was dim, and the person before her seemed to be behind a thin, gray veil. Though she knew she was right there, looking over, she could not clearly see her every smile and frown. Her Highness’s head was slightly bowed, so Wei Xiu could not see her expression, but she could sense that she was flustered and uneasy.

She was dressed today in a goose-yellow ruqun. It was a dignified garment, but now, soaked by the rain, it revealed a different kind of allure. Her smooth, slender neck was exposed, and even the skin of her collarbones was faintly visible. Her skin was wet, with water droplets clinging to her fair complexion, looking as if they might fall at any moment.

Outside, in the rush, it had gone unnoticed. But here, in Wei Xiu’s bedchamber, with only the two of them present, the wind, rain, thunder, and lightning were all shut out, as if they were in another world.

It is a woman’s nature to be reserved. Puyang was shy. Seeing Wei Xiu emerge, she hurriedly wiped herself. Her every movement, her attempts to endure her bashfulness, spoke of an endless shyness. This shyness should have been charming, alluring, and captivating, but in Wei Xiu’s eyes, it only made her heart ache.

This heartache came without reason, yet Wei Xiu simply felt that Her Highness needed someone to cherish and protect her. But that person could never be her. She dared not look any longer, nor dared she think on it further. Wei Xiu suppressed the turmoil in her heart and presented the blanket. “Your Highness, please use this to warm yourself for now. I will go outside and see if Eunuch Qin has returned.”

The situation was both awkward and mortifying. Puyang nodded distractedly, yet she couldn’t stop herself from looking at Wei Xiu. Wei Xiu’s bearing was still gentle and elegant, her gaze serene, but Puyang noticed that her breathing had become exceptionally shallow. The moment their eyes met, they both quickly looked away.

Outside, the wind and rain had subsided. The dark, heavy clouds had been driven away, and the sky was gradually brightening.

Summer thunderstorms often came in bursts. A moment ago it was a cold, heavy downpour; soon, perhaps, the sun would shine.

Qin Kun was extremely quick and thoughtful. Bearing in mind that Her Highness would soon be entering the palace, he had brought a set of court attire. Wei Xiu had a maidservant deliver the clean clothes inside while she waited in the main hall.

A Rong brought the ginger soup. After changing her clothes, Puyang was just in time to drink a bowl.

The ginger soup was brewed thick and was spicy to the taste, but it was an excellent remedy for warding off a chill.