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T/N: Thank you patrons for sponsoring this chapter.
Title: The Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir
Chapter 342 - A special task (1)
Zhu Yurun was especially well-behaved as stood in front of Ning Yuxuan. Her hands were clasped behind her back, and her feet were close together. She obediently responded, "Your Lordship."
"Yingchen is engaged to Grand Tutor Peng's granddaughter," Marquis Moyu said with a slight smile, "Miss Peng is gentle and virtuous. She's an educated and sensible girl that's very suitable for Yingchen."
Zhu Yurun stiffened. She raised her head and looked at Ning Yuxuan with a somewhat blank gaze.
"But, it wouldn't be difficult for him to take a concubine. If you cancel your engagement with Teacher Ji, I'll help you find a way. What do you think?" said the cunning wolf with a gentle expression.
Zhu Yurun's eyes brightened. She jumped into the trap without any hesitation. "Your Lordship, you're willing to help Yurun?"
Ning Yuxuan nodded. "Even though Yingchen dislikes you, you're pregnant with his child after all. You said the two of you just need time to get to know each other better. I can create some opportunities for you to meet with him."
"Many thanks, Your Lordship." Overjoyed, Miss Zhu knelt down to express her appreciation despite her large pregnancy belly.
Ji Man slightly furrowed her brow. Based on Qian Yingchen's earlier response, he most likely deeply abhorred Zhu Yurun. How could he possibly be willing to take her as a concubine? She kept thinking that a foolish girl like Zhu Yurun wouldn't have a good outcome if she continued to chase after him.
It was too late at night to send Miss Zhu home, so Ning Yuxuan had Guibai arrange a room for Miss Zhu to stay in. He planned on bringing her over to Qian Residence the next day.
Ji Man decided to go back to her own room. Before she left, Ning Yuxuan stretched his hand out and stopped her. Ji Man turned her head and looked at him with a smile that was free of guilt. "Marquis, good night."
Ning Yuxuan deeply looked into her eyes before nodding. "En."
If someone had harmed your entire family, was it possible to look at him without any hate?
A normal person wouldn't be able to do so. There would inevitably be negative feelings that she couldn't dispel, and her eyes wouldn't be clear. This was why most people wouldn't look into the eyes of someone he or she hated.
But, Ji Man's gaze was very clear and calm when she looked at him. It was as if nothing had happened between. She didn't refuse his hugs and kisses or show the slightest trace of resistance towards his touch. And yet, he could feel that he had never come close to walking into her heart.
He suddenly felt a bit irritated.
He really wanted to explain to her why he had opened the capital's gate to allow the second prince and his army inside. He really wanted to ask her if she hated him. But, she was only a woman. Even if he told her the circumstances back then, she probably wouldn't forgiving him. Even if he wanted to plead for her forgiveness, when he was faced with her eyes that showed no emotion at all, he couldn't even mutter a single, "I'm sorry."
He had never met a woman like her before, so he had no idea what he should do. Obviously, there were uncompleted great undertakings that were more deserving of his attention. And yet, his mind kept going back to thoughts of her. Had he just fallen under her spell?
He let go of her, and she departed from the room. Ning Yuxuan silently swore to himself that he would go to the palace tomorrow to discuss important matters. He couldn't keep spending his time worrying about her.
---
After Ji Man had escorted Zhu Yurun to a guest room, she returned to her own room to wash up and go to sleep. Perhaps, the moonlight was too beautiful tonight, so she ended up having a nightmare. She dreamed that she and Ning Yuxuan were standing underneath the moonlight. He warmly approached her, then his mouth opened into a bloody maw, and he swallowed her down in one gulp.
When she woke up, the sky was already bright outside.
A servant girl was standing in front of her bed and holding Haohao in her arms. The servant girl lightly smiled and said, "Teacher, it's time for the heir's lessons."
Marquis Moyu was willing to let her give lessons to Haohao again. Ji Man was smiling as she rubbed her eyes. She swiftly got up, tidied up, and started walking to the garden with Haohao.
The servant girl stayed behind and watched them leave. She waited until the two of them had walked far away, then she turned around, entered Ji Man's room, and close the doors from the inside.
Ji Man's room was very clean and tidy. There weren't many items in the room. The servant girl rummaged through the boxes and didn't find anything of potential interest until she opened a small bag. The two items in the bag weren't outstanding. It was just a concentric knot waist accessory and a concentric knot ring that could easily be purchased from a street vendor.
Just as the servant girl was mumbling to herself, Zhu Yurun's voice came from the outside, "Teacher Ji, are you awake?"
Startled, the servant girl hurriedly picked up the nearby basin and pretended that she was tidying up the room.
Zhu Yurun pushed open the doors without waiting for a response. Seeing only the servant girl, she asked, "Where's the teacher?"
"He took the heir to the garden with him." The servant girl smiled and very naturally walked out of the room while carrying the basin. She had already casually tucked the small bag into her sleeve.
Zhu Yurun thought; the teacher was probably really busy too. She could just go to Qian Residence by herself. She kept worrying that something bad would happen to the person in her painting, so she hadn't been able to sleep well all night.
---
Two hours of classes had gone by. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that she had played with Haohao for an hour, then she sang nursery rhymes to Haohao for another hour. Ji Man stroked his little face and sighed, "It would be so nice if you only belonged to me."
Haohao tilted his head. "I belong to dad."
Ji Man put on extra sad expression as she said, "Yeah, that's why teacher is very sad."
Haohao seriously thought for a while before saying, "Dad will feel sad too if he doesn't have Haohao. Let's not make dad feel sad first, then don't let teacher feel sad."
Ji Man didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Haohao had been with his father for too long, so he always considered his father first. No, this won't do. She had to tell him more stories about how only mothers were good. Brainwashing had to start at a young age.