Miss Truth
Chapter 267 - 168 Asking_2

Chapter 267: Chapter 168 Asking_2

"We’ll talk about these matters later, Wife. Take good care of your injuries," Lady Xing looked at Ran Yan’s face, which had finally gained some flesh but had thinned again, and chose not to scold her at this time. Instead, she said, "Wife, you have been only drinking ginseng soup every day. You must be hungry by now. Let your old servant prepare some food for you."

"Xiao Song has done it," Ran Yan said.

Lady Xing’s expression changed slightly, but she quickly concealed it, "He, a pampered noble from a prominent family, how would he know how to do these things? Your old servant will go check on it."

Ge Lan understood Lady Xing’s implication and sighed internally. Should she persuade the Wife or not?

Lady Xing hurried to the kitchen and saw that Xiao Song indeed was cooking the porridge himself. She stood at the doorway for a while. The light filtering through the Korean paper paneled window cast a faint halo around him. His disheveled appearance did not seem at all inconvenient, but rather conveyed a lazy ease, making him seem more approachable than his usual tidy and sharp appearance.

Lady Xing understood Xiao Song’s thoughts deeply. A man who could manipulate political currents effortlessly, hearing that Ran Yan was in danger, had traveled day and night to return. Seeing Ran Yan’s life hanging by a thread, he had not rested for a moment, staying by her side for two days and three nights... Although he always appeared indifferent, the gradually haggard look could not be hidden from anyone.

"Assistant Minister Xiao," Lady Xing chose such a distant address. She approached and said politely, "Why should the Assistant Minister trouble himself with such menial tasks? Let your old servant handle it."

Xiao Song turned around, nodded slightly, his face wearing an unchanged, faint smile, "Don’t worry. Go and take care of Seventeen Lady."

"Assistant Minister Xiao, your old servant..." Lady Xing couldn’t bear to speak harshly, but for someone as tall, handsome, and high-ranking as he, showing the slightest bit of tenderness would make countless women willing to marry him unregrettably, even if the Wife currently harbors no romantic feelings for him. Continuous exposure could melt even a heart of stone.

"Lady Xing, speak your mind," Xiao Song paused his actions, quietly staring at Lady Xing.

Under such a natural pressure, Lady Xing suddenly knelt in front of him, her head touching the ground "My wife lost her mother at a young age and had lived through extreme hardships. She finally survived those years and only wishes to marry a sincerely devoted husband to live a peaceful life. She does not aspire to climb into a high family. Assistant Minister Xiao, if you truly have my lady’s best interests at heart, please do not..."

show such eager concern.

Xiao Song had already outlived two Ladies and two Concubines, solidifying his reputation as a "husband who leads wives to death." Lady Xing, a believer in ghosts and spirits, would not watch Ran Yan marry Xiao Song and be sent to her death.

Xiao Song stirred the green rice porridge in the earthen pot, squinting his eyes against the rising steam, said indifferently, "Please rise."

Lady Xing stayed down, not moving.

After a long while, Xiao Song finally glanced down at her, chuckled, and said, "Do I look like someone who would act recklessly?"

This... Feeling a subtle anger, Lady Xing trembled. Nobody who knew of Xiao Song would believe he could lose his rationality. He is as logical as one could be. If not for the casual reports of his outbursts of drawing swords against his father at home, making him seem human and passionate, he would not have earned the title "Chang’an’s Source of Sorrow," but rather "Chang’an’s Reason to Flee."

"Do I seem like someone who would disregard the life of Seventeen Lady?" Xiao Song stirred the charcoal in the stove, reflecting the red glow, and asked in an even tone.

Lady Xing was, again, speechless. To have gone so far for the Wife, he presumably wouldn’t ignore her life, but what significance did his actions bear for someone cursed with a wife-depleting destiny?

This time, Lady Xing, though still confused, rose as bidden.

"Assistant Minister Xiao, after standing vigil for so many days, would you like to go back and wash up?" Lady Xing asked.

"There’s no need," Xiao Song flatly refused, since cooking plain porridge was all he knew. If he did not show his worth now, he might lose the chance later.

Lady Xing did not dare to insist further, her heart filled once again with deep regret. If only Xiao Song did not have the curse of outliving his wives! But without such a notorious reputation, at his age, he might already have a son who could read.

A choice between two advantages is not possible.

When the porridge was nearly ready, Xiao Song turned off the stove, covered the pot to let it simmer for a while, and took this time to quickly bathe and return just as the porridge was perfect.

When Xiao Song brought the porridge into the room, Ran Yan was again somewhat drowsy.

"Rise and eat," Xiao Song placed the porridge on the table, and Wan Lu hurriedly served a bowl. The porridge was cooked perfectly, its broth thick and creamy. Ran Yan, who hadn’t eaten much in several days, could only consume this for now and would slowly start eating more.

Xiao Song sat in front of the bed, naturally reaching to take the rice soup Wan Lu handed over, testing the temperature of the bowl with his hand, finding it just right, then scooping up a spoonful and bringing it to Ran Yan’s lips.

The room suddenly fell silent.

Wan Lu was also somewhat baffled; she had intended to feed the Wife herself, but the bowl had naturally been taken from her hands.

Ran Yan caught a glimpse of Wan Lu and Ge Lan’s expressions from the corner of her eye, and wished she could bury her head in the covers.

After an awkward moment, Ge Lan quietly pulled Wan Lu out of the room.

Unaware, Xiao Song drew back his hand and scooped another spoonful to offer.

Ran Yan took it into her mouth and swallowed before saying, "Have you always been this... unchanging in response to all changes?" Ran Yan intended to say shameless.

"Yes." Xiao Song nodded, "You can say shameless. That’s fine."(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, we welcome you to visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)