Chapter 521: Chapter 480, Night Talk_1
After chatting for a while, Daohua and Yan Wenxiu left. As they were leaving the yard, Yan Wenxiu handed a box of ointment to Daohua, “This was prepared by Wu Hongda’s grandfather, Wu Yuanzheng, who says it is very effective for scar removal.”
Daohua smiled and accepted it, “Thank you, big brother.”
Yan Wenxiu looked at Daohua, “Alright, you’ve been tired these past days, go back and rest.”
Daohua, “Oh, then I’ll be leaving!”
Yan Wenxiu watched Daohua leave before he returned to his own courtyard.
Inside the main house, Yan Zhigao and Madam Li were also ready to go to sleep.
After finishing his nightly routine, Yan Zhigao was lying half-reclined on the bed waiting for Madam Li. Once she got into bed, he said with a sigh, “Tell me, is our daughter’s luck good or bad in the end?”
Madam Li knew her husband was referring to the incident in Sishan Village. After thinking for a moment, she said, “This incident really terrified me. Achieving great deeds is for you men. I just want our daughter to be safe and sound. I don’t ask for any credit.”
Yan Zhigao chuckled, lying down beside Madam Li, and exclaimed, “Back then, when mother and you agreed to let Daohua train with Qin Wu in wielding a whip, I worried for quite a while, afraid that girl would become wilder the more she trained. Now it seems that you and mother had the foresight.”
“Just think, if this had happened to a daughter from another family, let alone achieving anything, it’s uncertain if she would have even made it back alive.”
Madam Li, “Your mother and I only wanted what was best for Daohua. It’s good for a girl to be active. Having some skills also means she won’t be easily bullied.”
Yan Zhigao laughed, “This time, Wentao and Wenkai were with her throughout. The credit Daohua earned might be attributed to them. Those two boys are indeed quite lucky.”
Madam Li, recalling the previous assassination attempt on the Jiang Family, her face showed worry, “I just hope this incident doesn’t get out. If the Duke takes notice of our family, we’d be finished.”
Yet Yan Zhigao wasn’t too concerned, “Don’t worry, the Emperor doesn’t want this news leaked any more than we do.”
…
Daohua Pavilion.
Just as Daohua finished washing up and got into bed, she heard Guyu report, “Miss, Miss Dong is here.”
Before her words fell, Dong Yuanyao, wearing a cape, walked in, “Yiyi, tonight I’m going to sleep with you.”
Daohua, lying in bed only revealing her head, laughed, “Good, I can’t seem to fall asleep anyway.” Turning to Wang Manman, “Go and bring another quilt over.”
Dong Yuanyao untied her cape and began undressing while saying, “I’ve already washed up.” After finishing, she clambered into bed and burrowed into the quilt.
The cold wind came in, making Daohua shiver, “Get out, who wants to share a quilt with you?”
Just then, Wang Manman arrived with a new quilt.
Dong Yuanyao chuckled, “Don’t be like that. We’re so close, we should share a quilt.” Saying so, she moved closer to Daohua, prompting Daohua to retreat again and again.
The two played around for a while, then each lay down under their own quilts.
Daohua looked at the canopy overhead, “I thought you would sleep with your aunt.”
Dong Yuanyao, “My mother is worried that I was frightened by this incident. She wanted to accompany me to sleep, but I rejected her.” She fell silent for a moment, then rolled over to face Daohua, “Yiyi, when you realized you were kidnapped, were you scared?”
Daohua turned to look at Dong Yuanyao and after a moment said, “I was scared at the beginning.”
Dong Yuanyao, “And later?”
Daohua, “Later…” Memories of Xiao Yeyang briefly flashed through her mind, “I knew… I knew my brothers would definitely come to rescue me, and I wasn’t scared anymore.”
Speaking, her expression lingered in a trance.
Actually, what she was even more certain of in her heart was that Xiao Yeyang would come to rescue her and that he had the capability and would definitely find her.
It turned out that she had come to trust him so much without even realizing it.
Dong Yuanyao fell silent for a moment, “…Like you, I was scared at first, but later… I wasn’t scared anymore.”
Daohua turned her head to look at Dong Yuanyao, her eyes filled with confusion, “After being found by Xiao Yeyang and Brother Dong?”
Dong Yuanyao shook her head, “No, it was during the fight against those people with Sun Changze and Guard Yan that I stopped being afraid.”
As she spoke, Dong Yuanyao’s face bloomed with a smile, and her brows exuded a hint of self-confidence.
“Yiyi, do you know? It was in the midst of that fight that I realized I could protect myself, that I didn’t need to live under the wings of my parents and brothers, and that the swordsmanship I learned wasn’t just for show.”
“But if it weren’t for Sun Changze blocking a sword for you, you would still be lying in bed right now!” Daohua quipped dryly.
The pride just gathering in Dong Yuanyao instantly deflated as she shot a glance at Daohua, “You just know how to ruin my mood.”
Daohua didn’t take it to heart, “This experience also served as a warning to me. In the future, I should devote more time to practicing with the whip. Before, I practiced just for physical training, but from now on, I have to take it more seriously and diligently. Who knows when disaster might strike again? Having some skills could at least increase my chances of escaping, right?”
Dong Yuanyao nodded in agreement, and after pondering for a moment, she suddenly asked, “Do you know why Sun Changze appeared in time to rescue us?”
Daohua lay back down in her bed, “I heard from Xiao Yeyang that Sun Changze is now a dealer at the Glass Factory.” Seeing Dong Yuanyao’s puzzled face, she explained.
“It means he buys glass from Xiao Yeyang and then sells it. That day when we were captured and put on the ship, he just happened to see it, so he followed along.”
“Speaking of Sun Changze, he has quite a history too. Remember him? We met him back when we were in Jiguang.”
Dong Yuanyao nodded, “How could I forget? He boldly criticized all the officials in front of the two of us.”
Daohua smiled, “Exactly.”
Dong Yuanyao urged, “So what’s so special about him? Go on, tell me.”
Daohua, “Do you know about the shipping gangs? It’s why Sun Changze and his brothers are so adept at water. Their family has been involved in shipping for generations.”
A look of realization dawned on Dong Yuanyao’s face, “No wonder he’s so skilled. So he’s from the shipping gangs.”
Daohua, “The Sun Family is no ordinary shipping gang member either. Rumor has it his father is a helmsman of a sub-fleet. Otherwise, Xiao Yeyang wouldn’t trust him with large quantities of glass to sell.”
As she spoke, she paused, turning her head to look at Dong Yuanyao.
“Why did you suddenly ask about Sun Changze?”
Dong Yuanyao averted her gaze, “I just think that man… is quite loyal.”
Daohua nodded, “He is quite loyal. I never expected he would take a risk to save me.”
Dong Yuanyao, “You still haven’t said why he went to save you.”
Daohua furrowed her brows and thought for a moment, “Probably, most likely, I guess it’s because I helped him once.” As she spoke, she couldn’t help but sneak a peek at Dong Yuanyao, “You seem quite interested in him.”
Dong Yuanyao kept her composure, “It’s only natural for me to want to know more about someone who saved my life, isn’t it?”