Chapter 61

The rain didn’t fall; Heaven wasn’t so cruel after all.

On the twenty-first day of the sixth month, Suzhou city and the entire Jiangnan region began post-disaster repairs.

The residence Rong Tang bought in Suzhou was originally the former home of a top scholar from the previous dynasty. It had elegant scenery, an exquisite design and was named “Lin,” after the auspicious beast, Qilin.

From the day they moved in, Lin Estate had been bustling with people. Jiang Shanxing, the magistrate of Suzhou, visited the house three times. Stewards from various estates and shops under Duke Ningxuan’s Palace came to pay their respects to their young master. Sheng Chengming led a group of officials who stayed over under the pretext of “lodging.”

It wasn’t until the heavy rain passed and the sky cleared up, that the guests, like fish swimming out of an estuary, left the house one after another.

Rong Tang woke up in the morning to the crisp chirping of insects and birds outside the room. He subconsciously sensed the pain that had been lingering in his bones for many days and discovered that it wasn’t as painful anymore. Unlike the days of heavy rain, when even the slightest movement felt like insects burrowing into and gnawing at his bone marrow.

He didn’t know if it was because the weather was improving or if the medicine Su Huaijing had decocted last night was taking effect, but he was definitely feeling better.

But when he thought of Su Huaijing, Rong Tang lay on the bed for a long time, closed his eyes, and silently sighed. He reached out to cover his face, the warm sensation on his lips still seeming to linger.

He was somewhat at a loss about how to face him.

[Host,] the system suddenly called out faintly. Rong Tang inexplicably felt that its words carried more resentment than a ghost.

He was stunned for a moment and asked, “Weren’t you dormant?”

[……] Do you think I can sleep?

Fortunately, the system has no physical form; otherwise, its dark circles would probably be deeper than those of an owl. It asked: [Are you planning to accept Su Huaijing?]

Rong Tang: “……”

He remained silent for a long time before asking, “Can I live for more than four years?”

The system replied with another question: “Can Sheng Chengli become emperor?”

Outside the room, Shuang Fu began preparing things for Rong Tang to wash up with after getting up in the morning. Birds chirped on the treetops. A few words from Su Huaijing’s deliberately soft voice occasionally leaked in. Rong Tang stared at a pair of budding wooden lotus flowers on the headboard, blinked, and sighed softly: “So it’s impossible to accept.”

This problem has no solution.

Having experienced the same life twice, there must be a goal to support it if one wants to live it again.

From the beginning, Rong Tang’s goal was simply to protect Su Huaijing, but recently, he has been harbouring a vague expectation.

In the original work and the development of the first two lives, Su Huaijing’s character ultimately collapsed and darkened significantly. He became the mastermind behind the scenes, promoting the war. He was obviously a tyrant without a monarch’s morality.

If he becomes emperor like that, Dayu will be headed for annihilation. This is Heavenly Way’s judgement.

But what if Su Huaijing does not turn dark in this life?

If he can cherish the citizens, be diligent in governance, and be a wise and sagacious emperor, then even if Heavenly Way’s chosen protagonist is not in his place, will this world not collapse?

There isn’t anyone who can discuss this speculation with Rong Tang, and he can’t mention a peep of it to others. However, he still can’t help but have such expectations.

In addition to looking forward to protecting Su Huaijing, he hopes he can grow to become a wise emperor.

In this case, how could he allow Su Huaijing to be buried with him?

Why would he be worth asking others to give up their lives to accompany him?

Or, in other words, no one in this world is worth someone else giving up their life.

Rong Tang doesn’t understand how Su Huaijing could speak so lightly of death, but what he says is always genuine. After last night, Rong Tang confirmed this once again.

If, three or four years later, he follows the storyline and his body gradually declines towards irreversible death, and Su Huaijing goes with him, then what is the point of the life he’d mustered the courage to live?

Rong Tang truly hopes that Su Huaijing can have a good ending. Even if Heavenly Way doesn’t allow it, he still wants to give it a try. As for himself——

He is bound to Sheng Chengli.

If Sheng Chengli cannot become emperor, the minor world’s plot cannot return to its original track. Even if he won’t be punished, he still won’t be able to obtain the rewards promised by the system’s mainframe.

There is no way for him to trade for a healthy body. He could only drag on this sickly body that he’s known for three lifetimes and eke out a few more years.

How could he accept Su Huaijing?

He wants him to be well.

Su Huaijing had lost all his relatives, endured many hardships, and walked alone in this world for many years. How could he, at his young age, have the idea to be buried with a sick person who already has one foot in the grave?

Three years later, he would only be twenty years old.

Rong Tang continued lying on the bed for a long time. There was a knock on the door, and Su Huaijing called softly from outside the room, “Tangtang, are you up?”

Rong Tang blinked and slowly withdrew from his thoughts. Just as the door was about to be pushed open from the outside, he spoke, “I’m up.”

Su Huaijing paused, then pushed the door open and walked in.

The light from the courtyard streamed into the room for a moment, then quickly retracted as the door closed behind him. Rong Tang hurriedly sat up. Su Huaijing came in and saw his slightly messy hair and somewhat dazed eyes.

He couldn’t help but want to laugh. He turned around and took out a set of clothes for Rong Tang to wear today from the closet. He was extremely considerate: “Half of the servants have been sent out to distribute porridge, so there are not many people available to serve. Breakfast is simple. I could only ask the kitchen to cook a pot of white porridge and prepare two side dishes. If you can’t get used to eating it, I will make you a bowl of tofu pudding. It happens that the west courtyard was flooded two days ago, and Uncle Wu caught a small pail of river shrimp. I’ll sprinkle some on the tofu pudding for you later.”

Su Huaijing spoke so naturally that Rong Tang unconsciously followed his train of thought. He got out of bed, picked up a piece of clothing, and put it on. “Porridge is enough.”

Su Huaijing smiled and nodded. Once Rong Tang had put on his inner garment, Su Huaijing handed him a robe.

Rong Tang took it, draped it halfway on, and then suddenly realised something was off. He frowned and looked at Su Huaijing. “Why did you come into my room?”

Su Huaijing’s eyes widened in surprise. “Why can’t I come in?”

Rong Tang opened his mouth to speak, but when the words reached his lips, he was too embarrassed to say them out loud, so he could only glare at Su Huaijing again.

The latter blinked and seemed to suddenly understand. He walked over, lowered his head, and helped Rong Tang put on the robe he had half-draped. As he did, he said, “Tangtang, you mean because you rejected my courtship last night, I shouldn’t come into your room today?”

Rong Tang didn’t quite understand how he could say these words without blushing or his heart skipping a beat.

He pursed his lips and made a muffled “hmm” sound.

Su Huaijing’s smile deepened. After helping him dress, he stepped back, picked up the belt from the bed, and handed it to him. Seeing Rong Tang tying it himself, he narrowed his eyes with a hint of regret and said, “But

I’ve always done it this way.”

Rong Tang was slightly startled, and Su Huaijing said, “Since we got married, as long as I have the time, when have I not dressed you in the morning? Isn’t it me who brings you water to wash up before bed? If the weather is bad and it rains continuously, I also bring breakfast into the room for you, wait for you to finish, and then fetch water to clean your hands.”

He paused and dramatically opened his mouth: “Tangtang gege wouldn’t have forgotten all that, right?”

Rong Tang: “……” I regret it. I shouldn’t have been greedy for a moment’s pleasure.

Su Huaijing waited a while for his reaction, then dejectedly lowered his head and curled his lips. Whether true or not, he looked very depressed. “Tangtang gege, you’re making me too sad.”

“……” Rong Tang had no choice but to say, “I haven’t forgotten.”

“You truly haven’t forgotten?” Su Huaijing instantly lifted his eyes to stare at him.

Rong Tang choked up and nodded. “I haven’t forgotten.”

Su Huaijing smiled: “Since you haven’t forgotten, Tangtang should also know that it’s not just you; everyone in the courtyard can see it. If I have been doing this for several months and now suddenly change, won’t Shuang Fu, Shuang Shou, and the others think that I have evil intentions, coaxing you into handing over all your property to me, and then stop serving you?”

Rong Tang’s scalp turned numb as he listened to his nonsense.

“We are in Suzhou now, and Mother can’t hear any gossip. But when we return to the capital, any of the servants and maids in the house could talk to her, and wouldn’t that make it impossible for me to conduct myself?” Su Huaijing raised his gaze. After sleeping, the shadows from the days of hard work were gone, and even the redness and swelling from crying last night had disappeared, but his eyes still sparkled. When he looked up at others, he had a sort of pitifulness that made it hard for people to reject him.

He said, “Yet, clearly, it’s not that I don’t want to serve you.”

Su Huaijing’s voice gradually became lower, with a hint of grievance and imperceptible accusation in it: “It was obviously Tangtang who asked to marry me, stirring my heart and making me confess, that I wanted to be a real couple with you. As a result, you rejected me, and now I’m not even allowed to enter your room.”

“I am the one who has been wronged the most, okay? If my reputation is ruined by people’s gossip again, how can I continue to exist?” Su Huaijing asked in a muffled voice, even sobbing a little.

Rong Tang was at a loss and wished he could beg for mercy.

But he became uncharacteristically obstinate, stiffening his neck and not saying anything for a long time. Su Huaijing felt aggrieved for a while. He raised his eyes to glance at him, nodded, and his voice gradually grew colder: “I get it.”

Rong Tang was confused: “What do you get?”

Su Huaijing: “Tangtang doesn’t let me enter your room now. It seems that you think my confession is detestable, but because of our relationship, you didn’t say it outright. In fact, you hate me. You’ll probably issue me divorce papers once we return to the capital, right?”

Rong Tang: “?!!!”

He was shocked for a long time. His eyes widened, and he became a little irate, glaring at Su Huaijing. “Right? What’s right?!”

Su Huaijing innocently lifted his gaze: “Isn’t that right?”

Rong Tang: “No! What are you thinking about all day long!?”

Su Huaijing responded decisively: “I’m thinking of Tangtang.”

Rong Tang choked, and belatedly realised that he seemed to have stepped into Su Huaijing’s trap again.

Su Huaijing drew closer and coaxed softly, “Tangtang likes me, right?”

Rong Tang looked away. “Nope.”

Su Huaijing’s gaze lowered. “Nope is nope, ba? Tangtang has always said one thing and meant another. I’ve long been used to it.”

Rong Tang retorted, “……And you’ve always confused right and wrong!”

Su Huaijing was scolded, but he smiled instead of getting angry: “So, Tangtang admits that you say one thing and mean another, and that you like me?”

Rong Tang: “?”

“I don’t,” he said resolutely.

Su Huaijing nodded, took a step back in a most proper manner, and then slid Rong Tang’s skewed belt along his thin waistline in a most improper manner until it was straightened: “Then you don’t. You will come to like me sooner or later.”

He asked, “Tangtang, are you hungry? Let’s go out and have breakfast. When you’re done, I’ll take you out. Don’t you want to see if you have saved those people? I’ll take you to see them.”

Go and see the world you like, the people you’ve been longing for, and then please also cherish yourself a little.

I don’t pray for you to live a long life; I just pray that you’re free from pain and misfortune.