Phi-Fic Chapter 1356 Crying
Chapter 1356 Crying
When Rong Zhiyu left the Marquis's residence, she wiped off the burn ointment as soon as she turned around.
She curled her lips into a mocking smile, a chilling glint in her eyes.
At night, Zhan Mu left the palace and rode his horse to Rong Zhiyu's courtyard.
As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, he saw Rong Zhiyu sitting on a stone bench in a daze, with a bowl of lotus seed soup that had long since gone cold beside her, and her eyes were red, as if she had just been crying.
"Zhiyu, what's wrong with you?" Zhan Mu's heart tightened, and he strode over to her side, reaching out to wipe the moisture from the corner of her eyes.
Rong Zhiyu seemed startled, hurriedly shrinking back and forcing a smile: "It's nothing, maybe the wind got in my eyes."
The more she pretended to be strong, the more Zhan Mu felt sorry for her.
He knelt down, took her cold hand in his, and his fingertips touched the red burn on the back of her hand. His brows furrowed instantly: "What happened? It's so swollen. Did something happen?"
Rong Zhiyu lowered his eyes to look at their clasped hands, remained silent for a long time, and then gently shook his head, his voice barely audible: "It's really nothing, Brother Mu, you don't need to worry."
This hesitant manner only fueled Zhan Mu's suspicions.
He patiently softened his tone: "Zhiyu, why be so formal between us? If you have any grievances, just tell me."
These words seemed to strike Rong Zhiyu's weak spot. Her shoulders trembled slightly, and tears finally streamed down her face.
She hurriedly raised her hand to wipe it, but the more she wiped, the more it spread. She choked out, "Today, today I went to the Marquis's residence."
Zhan Mu was taken aback: "You went to see your mother?"
Rong Zhiyu nodded, tears falling onto the back of her hand, icy cold. "I thought, you are so filial, if I could win the favor of the Madam, you wouldn't have to be caught in the middle in the future. I specially made her favorite lotus seed soup, and got up before dawn, afraid that being late would affect the taste."
Her voice suddenly choked up as she spoke, and she could no longer continue.
Zhan Mu's heart sank, and he pressed on, "Did Mother make things difficult for you?"
Rong Zhiyu quickly shook his head, biting his lower lip, looking unwilling to provoke anyone: "No, Madam didn't make things difficult for me. It's just... I accidentally spilled the porridge. I'm so clumsy. If I were more careful, I would never have burned myself. It's all my fault!"
She raised her hand to cover her face, her shoulders trembling violently: "I know I am of lowly status and shouldn't covet things I don't deserve. But I just wanted to do my filial duty for you, and to get Madam to accept me... I really had no other intentions."
Zhan Mu's expression gradually darkened. He knew his mother's temperament all too well; she probably still harbored resentment towards Rong Zhiyu, which was why she had hurt her in this way.
She's gone too far!
But when he looked at the person in his arms who was sobbing uncontrollably, and remembered her usual gentleness and understanding, and the way she cooked and cleaned for him, the anger in his heart burned fiercely.
"I will never let you suffer such injustice. I'm going back to her right now to get to the bottom of this!" Zhan Mu's voice was as cold as ice.
Rong Zhiyu hesitated for a moment, as if she had mustered up a great deal of courage, before saying in a hoarse voice, "Brother Mu, why don't we just give up? I don't want others to think I'm a woman who clings to power. I'll be content as long as I can watch you from afar!"
As she finished speaking, her voice was filled with deep sorrow. She gripped Zhan Mu's sleeve tightly, as if grasping at a last straw: "Brother Mu, I'm not afraid of getting hurt myself, I'm only afraid of implicating you. If Madam really can't tolerate me, I'm willing to leave the capital!"
These words were like a sharp knife, piercing Zhan Mu's heart.
He recalled the moments he had spent with Rong Zhiyu these past few days—her gentleness, her thoughtfulness, her cautiousness—where was there even a hint of her clinging? It was clearly his mother who was stubborn and unreasonable, taking advantage of his father's doting on her to bully Rong Zhiyu, an orphan with no status or background.
What chilled him even more was that his mother actually allowed Rong Zhiyu to be scalded.
Isn't she a doctor?
Doctors are supposed to have a benevolent heart, how come she doesn't even have the most basic kindness?
"I won't let you leave!" Zhan Mu suddenly tightened his arms, holding Rong Zhiyu tightly in his embrace, his tone full of rage: "You are the wife I've chosen. Whether or not I can tolerate you is not for her to decide!"
Rong Zhiyu leaned against his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat and feeling the protectiveness in his tone, a hint of smugness flashing quickly in his eyes.
She raised her hand and gently patted Zhan Mu's back, her voice trembling with tears, yet every word pierced his heart: "Don't be like this, Zhan Mu, she is your mother. If you quarrel with Madam for my sake, others will only say that I am unfilial and that I am a source of trouble."
Zhan Mu sneered, his tone resolute, "My woman is none of anyone else's business! My mother doesn't care about you, so I'm determined to have a serious talk with her!"
Rong Zhiyu's lips slowly curved into a cold arc from an angle he couldn't see.
This is exactly the effect she wants.
The more Zhan Mu felt sorry for her, the more disappointed he became in his mother. Once the rift between mother and son was broken, it could never be mended.
She gently pushed Zhan Mu away, raised her hand to wipe away the anger in the corner of his eyes, and said softly, "Don't be impulsive, I'm fine. As long as I can be by your side, what does suffering a little grievance matter?"
Seeing how sensible she was, Zhan Mu's anger intensified, and his dissatisfaction with Lin Yiwan grew even stronger.
He immediately stood up and said in a deep voice, "You wait here, I'll go back to the manor right now and ask her!"
Rong Zhiyu watched his angry departure, slowly wiping away the tears on her face. Her fingertips lightly traced the cold lotus seed soup on the stone table, her eyes filled with icy coldness.
Zhan Mu spurred his horse and galloped back to the Marquis's residence. His hooves kicked up clouds of dust as they trod the cobblestone path, startling passersby who quickly gave way.
He dismounted, threw the reins to the servant who came to greet him, and strode into the mansion with a livid face. The maids and nannies in the corridor were so frightened by his appearance that they dared not even breathe.
Inside the main hall, Lin Yiwan was leaning against a soft couch, listening to the head maid report on the household's accounts, with wisps of steam rising from the teacup beside her.
Hearing footsteps outside the door, she glanced up and saw Zhan Mu. Her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly: "Why are you back so early today? Has something happened?"
Zhan Mu stood in the hall, his chest heaving, his gaze fixed on Lin Yiwan, his voice filled with suppressed anger: "Mother, did you see Rong Zhiyu today?"
Lin Yiwan put down the account book in her hand and replied in surprise, "I've seen her before. She brought me lotus seed soup and said she made it herself!"
Upon hearing her words, Zhan Mu stepped forward, his eyes filled with a chilling coldness that could almost freeze a person. "Do you even know that the back of her hand was burned? Why didn't you care? She shielded my son from an arrow; she's his savior. How can my son face us if you treat her so poorly?"