Chapter 611 - 226: Knowing
Chapter 611: Chapter 226: Knowing
Xu Shiling’s expression turned strange when he learned that the handsome young man from earlier was Meng Jintang, the one who had once been engaged to his niece. He told Zhao Jing, "If I had known he was Meng Jintang, I wouldn’t have given him the cloak."
Zhao Jing chuckled. "We still had to give it to him. Otherwise, if he really fell ill and couldn’t take the Imperial Examination, how could we afford to compensate him?"
He certainly didn’t want Meng Jintang to get tangled up with Wanqing again over this matter. So, what did lending a mere cloak matter? If possible, they should offer an even more generous thank-you gift tomorrow. It would be best to completely settle the debt, leaving no lingering ties.
Though he thought this, he spoke magnanimously. "He’s also heading to the Capital City for the Imperial Examination. To him, the Capital City is unfamiliar territory. Since he did a great favor for Yao’an, we should lend him a hand if he runs into any troublesome situations there."
Xu Su Ying hurriedly turned her head. "Our relationship with his family isn’t deep enough for that. They tried to harm Qing’er; it is already my greatest mercy not to hold a grudge against them. It’s best if our two families go our separate ways and never cross paths again. It’s true that he saved Yao’an, but a generous gift to express our thanks will suffice. He is a man with a wife and children now; I’m sure he doesn’t want to get mixed up with us either. If nasty rumors start spreading, his own family will be heartbroken."
"You make a valid point, Mother. Shall we do as you say, then?"
"We’ll do exactly that. Don’t worry about this matter anymore. I’ll have someone deliver the thank-you gift to him tomorrow."
Hearing this, Zhao Jing nodded and turned to Xu Shiling. "Uncle Shiling, are we still traveling tomorrow?"
"Let’s not push it. With Yao’an burning up with such a fever, how about we rest at the inn for another night?"
Zhao Jing nodded. "I was thinking the same. Wanqing has a weak constitution and can’t endure prolonged travel. These past few days, she’s been falling asleep the moment she hits the bed and can barely wake up the next morning."
Xu Su Ying grew deeply worried upon hearing this. She was about to say that they should have had the doctor examine her earlier, but then she jolted, recalling that the doctor was Meng Jintang, and swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
After a moment of thought, Xu Su Ying still said, "Shiling, have someone ask around to see which inn is closest to the county town. Once we get there, we’ll go into town and find a doctor for her."
"For Qing’er? Alright!"
Xu Su Ying’s original intention hadn’t been to just have Chen Wanqing examined; she had wanted a doctor to check everyone’s pulse and make sure the journey hadn’t taken a toll on anyone’s health. But because of the way Xu Shiling singled out Qing’er, Xu Su Ying’s heart suddenly began to pound uncontrollably.
At that moment, memories of her own early pregnancy abruptly surfaced in her mind. It had been difficult for her to conceive; she hadn’t gotten pregnant until two or three years after marrying Chen Song. But perhaps the child had known of her delicate constitution, because it hadn’t caused her any trouble at all while in her womb. Aside from being a bit more lethargic, she hadn’t suffered any other issues. She could even eat plain boiled noodles with great relish. She wondered if her daughter’s unusual lethargy now meant she was pregnant too.
Xu Su Ying’s expression changed. Unable to focus on anything else, she grabbed Zhao Jing and pulled him outside.
The others were bewildered by this and stepped forward to follow.
Xu Su Ying turned her head and said, "I have something to discuss with Jing. It has nothing to do with the rest of you. Yao’an is asleep now, so go get some rest. I’ll stay and look after Yao’an for the latter half of the night."
Pulling on Zhao Jing’s sleeve, she led him to the osmanthus tree in the corner of the courtyard. It was already nearing November, and the osmanthus tree was completely bare, having shed all its leaves. On the other hand, the plum tree on the opposite side was lush and densely packed with foliage. Xu Su Ying had no time to pay attention to any of this. She asked him outright, "Jing, are you and Qing’er still trying to prevent pregnancy?"
How did it feel to have one’s mother-in-law bring up birth control to one’s face?
Zhao Jing’s face burned hotly. For a moment, he wanted the ground to swallow him whole. His mind went blank for a second, and he immediately wanted to say, "Yes, we are." But before the words could leave his mouth, he recalled a certain night before their journey. Because he had been overly immersed in that soul-stirring, bone-melting ecstasy, he had exerted too much force, causing the fish bladder condom to rupture at the final moment.
He knew his mother-in-law had always possessed a proper sense of boundaries and wouldn’t question their private marital affairs without reason; since she was asking now, there had to be a reason. Thinking of how extremely drowsy Wanqing had been lately—and how she hadn’t even gotten up today despite the commotion outside, showing no signs of being disturbed—Zhao Jing’s mind began to buzz. At that moment, it was as if lightning had struck his entire body. The tiny electrical currents surged through his limbs and bones, leaving him trembling uncontrollably.
With great difficulty, Zhao Jing squeezed out a sentence. "I’ll go back to the room and check on Wanqing."
Then, he strode toward the house. His steps were frantic and he stumbled as he walked, swaying unsteadily like a drunkard who had lost his footing.
Seeing this, De’an was puzzled. "Mother, what did you say to Jing? Look at how much you’ve scared him."