After Becoming the Hero’s Ex-fiancée

Don't Know Her (2)

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Cui Wang clutched his chest with a strange expression.
“Just like right now, the mere mention of her has made my heart beat so fast, as if I am sick.”

“When Father died, I didn’t cry, and when Mother died, I’d only shed a few tears.
Even when I followed Mother’s will to propose a marriage with the Zheng’s, and received a rejection and a flogging, I didn’t feel very much.
At most, I only felt physical discomfort and some annoyance.
But as soon as she shed tears, it was like a bug had tunnelled through me.”

It was very itchy, and very painful.

It was rare for the old ancestor to hear him say so much at one go; he was stunned for a while before responding.

“You fool, this is lovesickness! Not a bug!

“I knew it! You’ve been led astray by your master’s teachings! What bullshit Daoism, your cultivation has stripped you of your humanity! Let me tell you, Xiao Wangwang, a heart can beat and move; it can be happy, and it can be sad—that’s what being a human is!

“If you can't even be a proper human being, what’s the damn point of cultivating immortality?!”

Cui Wang remained noncommittal.
Outside, the moonlight had become dim and hazy; he stopped paying attention to the incessant buzzing in his ears, sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began exhaling.

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In another month, it would be about time for him to leave.

——————

Zheng Wan paced around the house for a while before managing to suppress her chaotic emotions.

She did not expect that Cui Wang would really take Third Lady Liu back to his residence.
This also seemed to cause a warning bell to ring out in her ears, cautioning herself not to be complacent, and not to be… indulgent.

Third Lady Liu was attempting to get to the moon first by scaling the waterfront tower2— but whether she could succeed was still dependent on Zheng Wan’s willingness to allow her.

“My lady, it's time to go to bed.”

Luodai untied her hairdo and combed her hair with a double-edged fine-toothed comb.
Zheng Wan looked at the beauty in the mirror and asked, “Luodai, if you were a gentleman, would you like someone like Third Lady Liu, or someone like me?”

“Naturally, my choice would be someone like my lady.”

Luodai looked like she was speaking an unquestionable truth.
“How can that little concubine-born compare with you?”

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“But she is kind-hearted, submissive and loyal.”

Zheng Wan’s mouth pressed into a straight line.
“With that, would you still not like her?”

“If one wants a person like that, they can just find a servant girl and get her to sign a life-long bond,” said Luodai dismissively.
“Don’t we have plenty of those within the residence? In my humble opinion, it's the vivacious ones like my lady that others would be fond of.”

“Your words have really awakened this dreamer3.”

Zheng Wan’s eyes rolled to her, “Don't wake me up tomorrow.”

“But—— My lady doesn’t want to go to the State Preceptor’s residence?”

“I want to test it out, to see if that blockhead will come looking for me.
If he doesn’t, that means my type doesn’t appeal to him, and I will change to become obsequious.
If he comes… I will have to spell it out clearly and let him know that I am unhappy.”

When Mother was unhappy, Father would cede some land to her in apology.

Zheng Wan really slept long and deep.
When she woke up the next day, it was nearly late morning.
Luodai cried gloomily, “My lady, no one has come from the State Preceptor’s residence.”

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Zheng Wang sat for a while, then suddenly struck her pillow and quickly scrambled up.
How could she forget that the young Sword Sovereign was inherently heartless and unfeeling? Getting him to bow and scrape would be more difficult than ascending to heaven.

But at this moment, she saw Yanzhi rush over excitedly.
There seemed to be someone standing outside the door— handsome and tall, like the clear rising sun, dazzling her boudoir such that it seemed to have become a golden palace.

“My lady, my lady, the, the State Preceptor has come in person!”

Zheng Wan froze, then suddenly threw her face into the pillow, waving her hand in the direction of the door.
“Don't let him in! Tell him to wait in the parlour.” She hadn't washed her face or cleaned her teeth; she didn't want to live anymore!

Outside, the corners of Cui Wang’s lips curved up in a rare moment.
As the maidservants looked on in amazement, he really headed off to the parlour to wait.

Zheng Wan only came two cups of tea later, stammering.

“I… woke up late today.”

“I know.”

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Cui Wang nodded and got up.
“Let’s go.”

“Where to?”

“The State Preceptor’s residence.”

Zheng Wan shook her head and refused firmly, “No.”

“Why?”

“The Third Lady is at your place, why should I go?”

Zheng Wan turned away huffily; she wanted to see where the baseline Cui Wang's tolerance for her was.

Footnote:

2 get to the moon first by scaling the waterfront tower: 近水楼台先得月; A Chinese idiomatic expression, which means that the tower near the water gets the moonlight first.
It is a metaphor for getting some benefits or convenience first because of being close to some people or things.

3 Your words have really awakened this dreamer: 一言惊醒梦中人; A Chinese expression that refers to a person who is in a state of chaos and confusion (dreamer) and suddenly became enlightened (awakened) by someone else’s words.