Chapter 30: Afraid I Love Him Too Much
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### Chapter 30: Afraid I Love Him Too Much
The person in the pavilion had clearly been keeping an eye on the surroundings. As soon as Chang Suining and her servant appeared, he quickly noticed them.
Though they were still some distance apart, upon catching sight of the girl, the young man abruptly tightened his grip on the edge of his sleeve, his eyes betraying an uncontainable shock.
Even though the girl was wearing a veil, he would never mistake her identity.
Seeing the pair approach, the young man hurriedly concealed his unusual expression, quickly stepping out of the pavilion with a smile to greet them.
In Da Sheng Dynasty, where the customs were relatively open, it was common to see young men and women outing together during springtime. Thus, a girl wearing a veil did not attract much attention here.
"Lady Chang has arrived," Zhou Ding said, raising his hand in a polite gesture, exuding an air of elegance. "Lady Chang, please—"
Chang Suining nodded slightly and walked into the pavilion.
Once inside, she casually lifted the sheer veil covering her face and draped it over the edge of her hat.
Her skin was like fine jade, and her lips were naturally rosy. Her pair of apricot eyes were clear and bright, making everything outside the pavilion—the lake water and the mountains—seem less colorful in comparison.
Seeing her beautiful, harmless face, Zhou Ding's heart raced a few beats, and the initial feeling of panic unexpectedly dissipated somewhat.
"It’s been a while since I last saw Lady Chang, and I was truly quite worried. I only learned yesterday that Lady Chang has been ill..." He asked with concern, "Are you feeling any better now?"
"I am fine now," Chang Suining replied as she turned to look at him. "Do you know how I fell ill, Young Master Zhou?"
Zhou Ding was taken aback, bewildered. "Lady Chang... how did you become ill?"
"On the night of the Lantern Festival, I was pushed into the water by someone at Moonbridge River and fell gravely ill, almost losing my life."
Zhou Ding's expression changed, anger and surprise filling his face. "What… how could something like this happen? Who is so audacious?"
Chang Suining said, "It was too dark to see clearly."
Since he dared to come to the appointment, it was clear that he was not the one who acted that night—using someone else's hand to do so was simple enough to understand.
She continued, "I came today to ask if Young Master Zhou was also at Moonbridge River that night and if he saw any suspicious individuals?"
She left some unsaid implications in her words, which Zhou Ding quickly answered: "I was just about to apologize to Lady Chang regarding this matter. That night, I was caught up in family matters and couldn’t arrive on time... When I did arrive, I didn’t see Lady Chang, and I assumed you must have grown tired of waiting for me and returned home early—"
Chang Suining understood.
So it was true that he had invited A Li out—through a poetic and secretive way.
"Who would have thought that Lady Chang encountered such a thing!" Zhou Ding said with a face full of guilt. "This is my fault... If I hadn’t invited you, you wouldn’t have faced this calamity... Lady Chang, can you blame me?"
Chang Suining nodded, "I do blame you."
Zhou Ding: "…?"
"…It’s only human nature." He quickly adjusted his expression, bowing deeply to Chang Suining. "I apologize to Lady Chang."
Chang Suining shot him a glance.
So it really was just talk.
At that moment, she noticed several thin calluses on his fingertips.
He was a gambler.
This had been mentioned in the news that Chang Sui'an brought back last night.
Initially, she had some doubts about why a scholar with a degree would risk harming the daughter of the General of Cavalry, but upon learning of his gambling addiction, the question was answered.
Gamblers need money, especially quick money.
And those who are deeply addicted to gambling often cannot be considered human.
Not hearing the expected response, the one who maintained the bowing position added, "Lady Chang may hit or scold me; Zhou Ding would never argue."
Chang Suining said in a flat voice, "No need."
No need to hit or scold; a life for a life would suffice.
Zhou Ding then felt a slight sense of relief in his heart as he straightened up. "Speaking of which, how can such an innocent lady like you have any enemies? Why would you attract such disaster? Do you have any leads on who pushed you into the water? Has your residence found anything out?"
Chang Suining pretended not to hear his probing: "Though I was saved after falling into the water, I was unconscious for several days before waking up. The crowds during the Lantern Festival were chaotic, so I have yet to find out anything."
As for whether there was anything he could help with—there was indeed a lot.
Zhou Ding frowned, showing a complex expression. "This assailant was so malicious. If the truth isn’t uncovered, it’s really unsettling."
As he spoke, his expression suddenly became a bit moved. "Lady Chang, after experiencing such fright, and with the culprit still at large, you shouldn’t risk coming out to see me..."
Chang Suining: "…"
How did it come to this?
"Today, besides wanting to inquire about the events of the Lantern Festival night with Young Master Zhou, I also came for another matter."
Zhou Ding asked, "What does Lady Chang mean?"
"I heard that Young Master Zhou has become engaged a few days ago." Chang Suining asked calmly, "Why didn’t you inform me of such a joyful occasion?"
This was the second noteworthy piece of news Chang Suining had received from Chang Sui'an last night.
Zhou Ding’s complexion changed several times, his eyes showing some panic, but a strange hope ignited within him.
He thought—
No wonder Lady Chang was rather cold toward him today, but she clearly had not suspected him...
So she was jealous!
This was clearly her throwing a small tantrum at him!
Previously, he had subtly probed her feelings, but she had never responded, focusing only on discussing poetry and compositions with him. He had assumed she had no interest in him and that there could be no future, which was why he had agreed to the engagement with that other person...
But now it seemed she did not have no feelings for him.
She had simply not realized until now what it meant to like someone... Until she heard of his engagement, she finally recognized her feelings!
Coming to question him about his engagement before fully recovering from her illness... She must be deeply in love with him!
Thinking about it, it made sense. She was sensitive and withdrawn, rarely interacting with other young men. Having just turned eighteen, she met him—he was young and already a scholar, with both talent and appearance—naturally, it was reasonable for her to develop feelings for him.
Zhou Ding's heart suddenly burned with passion, yet his expression was filled with painful struggle, his eyes filled with unrequited love.
Chang Suining: "…"
To be honest, this man had a bit of charm, but the way he was desperately trying to turn that little charm into something more only caused him to lose that charm completely—it was a loss of another kind.
Not only that, but he took a couple of steps closer to Chang Suining.
Chang Suining clenched her fingers tightly, desperately suppressing the urge to throw him over her shoulder and kick him into the lake.
Zhou Ding opened his mouth to "explain": "Becoming engaged to her was not out of romantic feelings, but because her parents have passed away, and she has only a younger brother to take care of. Our families have been old acquaintances, and I couldn’t bear to see her and her brother without support, so I agreed to it..."
Chang Suining was taken aback: "Marrying a widow?"
"…?!" Zhou Ding looked at her in disbelief. "Why would Lady Chang think of me this way?"
Good afternoon, everyone!
Thank you to Mingyue Wu Jian, dordor2019, and book friend 20210301106522994002 for the rewards!
Thank you for everyone’s monthly tickets!
See you tomorrow! Mua! (*╯3╰)
(End of this chapter)
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