Chapter 60: Another Side of Xin Cheng
Chapter 60: Another Side of Xin Cheng
The day was quite hot and if not for the fact that they were traveling through a forest, Xiang Ling would have probably started sweating under the bright sun that was showing no mercy. It was still the rainy season but it hadn’t rained for nearly a week.
"Want some water?" Xin Cheng asked as he offered her his bamboo water container. Xiang Ling accepted it and took a sip of the cold water that immediately filled her body with energy. Once she had drank a few more sips, she returned the container to him and asked, "Since when did you start caring for me?"
The man was acting too nicely for her to not feel suspicious. Though he hadn’t purposely made things harder for her since that very eventful day in the mountains, Xiang Ling was having a hard time believing that a kiss alone could tame him.
"I’m just being thoughtful." Xin Cheng answered and it made Xiang Ling scoff in response. "I thought you hated me." She said while allowing herself to take a closer look at her surroundings.
If given a chance, she wouldn’t waste her time talking to someone like Xin Cheng, but at the moment, talking to him was a much better option than staying silent. Because when they weren’t talking, all that she could think about was how nice her body felt pressed against him, and these weren’t the kind of thoughts she wanted to entertain.
"I never hated you." Xin Cheng responded to her accusation. "I just didn’t trust you and your act of losing your memories." He told her truthfully. To him, it never mattered what sort of personality Chen Xiang Ling carried. He didn’t care if she was abusing and manipulating others, causing chaos, or spending time with male courtesans... until now.
His statement made Xiang Ling turn her head to look at his face from over her shoulder. It was not the most comfortable angle but she needed to see his expression as she asked, "So, you trust me now?"
The man looked down at her and just gave a little nod in response to her question. "Why?" She found herself asking right before she turned her attention back to the road ahead.
Xin Cheng remained silent for a few long seconds before he finally answered, "Because the Chen Xiang Ling I know, she can’t pretend to be a good person even for a few minutes let alone for over ten straight days. I tested you again and again, and your act didn’t falter even for a mere second. The others tested you as well and they too couldn’t see a single fault in your act."
He stopped to take a little break before continuing, "Most importantly, we all saw how you looked after the refugees and took care of them. What we saw in you during these past few days as you fed them, talked with them, tended to them, and played around the children, none of it was acting."
Xiang Ling was too stunned to say anything. What surprised her the most wasn’t his words but the softness in his voice as he talked about her. She felt the sudden urge to look over at his face to see his expression again but she held herself back.
The two of them remained silent for a while before he spoke again, "I will not apologize for my past behavior because I believe I did what any sane man should have done... but I promise to not treat you badly unless you proved me wrong about my judgment."
Xiang Ling was unable to suppress the smile that spilled on her lips at his words. No matter what, the man was unable to act like a softball. Even his assurance sounded more like a warning. Clearing her throat, she softly whispered, "Thank you."
The two of them fell into complete silence after that and continued riding behind the carriage. They crossed the forest and farming fields that were stretched across miles. They crossed some more villages and finally arrived at a town that was located in the middle of their journey to Dongzhi City from the Shengdu Village.
"I think this is the right place for us to stop for the night. Barely an hour or so is left in the sunset. Let’s find an inn and rest there." Dao Ming said once they all arrived at the entrance of Xinyang Town.
Everyone collectively agreed and headed inside the Town after crossing the checkpoint at the entrance. It took them a few minutes to find an Inn where they could rest.
Xin Cheng jumped down first before he helped Xiang Ling down. His strong arms supported her waist as he pulled her down on the ground next to him.
Xiang Ling immediately stepped away from him and ran her fingers through her hair as she ran over to Fu Xiao and the An sisters, putting as much distance between herself and the man who was making her nervous as usual but for an entirely different reason this time.
As they all headed inside the inn, Xiang Ling realized that she would end up broke after paying for the rooms and the food for everyone. Thankfully, she hadn’t spent much from the hundred silver taels that she earned.
There were four women and five men and even if two stayed in each room, they still needed five rooms. The coachman had a relative living in the town, so he had already left.
"We need five rooms." She told the manager of the inn as she took out her pouch of money, but before she could have made the payment, someone else intervened.
Xin Cheng placed a big pouch filled with money on the table and ordered the manager. "Book one big room for the lady here and another room next to hers for the maids. Book three more rooms on the same floor."
The manager quickly grabbed the pouch and took a look inside. A huge smile immediately appeared on his lips as he looked up at Xin Cheng and answered, "I will do it right away."