Chapter 86: The Reason Behind
The moment Qing’er’s words fell, Xie Rong immediately pushed the door open. The wooden door struck the wall with a loud thud.
"Furen!"
His gaze instantly swept across the room before finally landing on the figure kneeling beside the washbasin.
"Ugh..." Wang Gege supported herself against the edge of the basin with one trembling hand, while the other pressed tightly against her chest.
Her shoulders trembled as another wave of nausea overtook her. She bent forward once more.
"Ugh..."
Nothing came out. Only the sound of dry retching echoed through the otherwise silent room.
"Young Madam!"
Qing’er hurried over, gently supporting Wang Gege’s shoulder before turning toward another maid standing frozen by the doorway.
"Quickly! Bring another basin of warm water!"
"Y-Yes!" The maid immediately ran out.
Xie Rong had already crossed the room in just a few strides. He crouched beside Wang Gege, his brows tightly furrowed.
"Furen."
Wang Gege slowly raised her head. The color had completely drained from her face.
Seeing Xie Rong, she tried to force a smile, "Husband."
Before she could say another word, another wave of nausea struck. She immediately covered her mouth and turned back toward the basin.
Xie Rong instinctively reached out, placing one hand against her back to steady her while supporting her shoulder with the other.
His expression grew increasingly solemn, "Summon the physician."
Qing’er immediately lowered her head, "Yes, Young Master!"
She had barely taken two steps when Wang Gege suddenly reached out and grabbed the edge of Xie Rong’s sleeve.
"No." Her voice was weak.
Xie Rong lowered his gaze toward her, "You need a physician."
Wang Gege slowly shook her head.
"I..." She took a slow breath before continuing, "I don’t think I’m sick."
Her eyes lowered to the basin, "I’ve just..." She swallowed, "never seen someone die before."
Silence filled the room.
Xie Rong’s hand resting against her back stiffened slightly, only then did he understand.
This wasn’t an illness, it was a shock.
She had forced herself to remain calm inside the Punishment Courtyard, only for everything to collapse once she returned to the safety of their room.
Another wave of nausea rose within Wang Gege. She hurriedly covered her mouth before bending over the basin once more.
"Ugh..."
Nothing came out. Her stomach had already emptied itself. All that remained was the uncomfortable sensation twisting within her chest.
Xie Rong quietly supported her as she trembled. His brows remained tightly furrowed.
After a long while, Wang Gege finally leaned back against the side of the bed, exhausted.
"I’m sorry..." she whispered, her breathing still uneven. "I made Husband worry."
Xie Rong looked at her pale face, "There is nothing to apologize for."
Wang Gege lowered her eyes.
"I thought..." She forced out a bitter smile. "I thought I would be fine."
She let out a soft, self-deprecating laugh.
"I’ve watched so many crime dramas... I’ve read countless novels where people died. I even thought..."
Her voice abruptly stopped and the room fell silent.
Wang Gege’s eyes slowly widened, "Ah."
Only then did she realize what she had just said.
’Crime dramas? Novels?’
She stiffly lifted her head, only to find Xie Rong quietly looking at her.
"Ah—" She suddenly raised both hands to her forehead. "My head..."
She squeezed her eyes shut. "My head hurts!"
Without another word, she slowly leaned forward until her forehead rested against Xie Rong’s shoulder. "It hurts..."
Qing’er immediately became anxious.
"Young Madam!" She turned toward the doorway, "I’ll summon the physician at once!"
"No!" Wang Gege instantly replied, "I mean..."
She quickly rubbed her forehead, "It suddenly feels much better."
Qing’er blinked but before she could say anything, Xie Rong spoke.
"Summon the physician." His voice was calm but the firmness within it left no room for refusal.
Qing’er immediately lowered her head, "Yes, Young Master."
She turned and hurried out of the room.
Wang Gege quietly lowered her gaze. The words that had nearly left her lips were swallowed back down. Hearing the tone, she no longer felt like arguing.
The room fell silent once more.
After a long while, Wang Gege slowly lifted her head, looking at Xie Rong’s eyes behind the blindfold, "Husband."
Xie Rong looked at her without saying a word.
Wang Gege lowered her eyes again before softly saying, "I’m sorry."
Xie Rong remained silent.
Wang Gege gently clasped her own hands together.
"Back at the Punishment Courtyard... I said Chuntao’s death was Husband’s fault."
She bit her lower lip lightly, "I shouldn’t have said that. I was only..." She paused, searching for the right words, "trying to find someone to blame."
Her fingers slowly tightened. "At that moment, I couldn’t accept that Chuntao was gone. So I kept thinking... If only this had happened... or If only that had happened..."
She gave a small, bitter smile.
"In the end... I even blamed Husband." Wang Gege looked at him once more. "I’m sorry."
Xie Rong remained silent. He did look at her, but his expression at that moment was unreadable.
The longer he stayed quiet... The more uneasy Wang Gege became.
She unconsciously pursed her lips before looking at him cautiously.
"Husband..." She hesitated for a moment, "You must think I’m being unreasonable."
Only then did Xie Rong slowly shake his head.
"No." His answer came without hesitation.
Wang Gege blinked.
Xie Rong lowered his gaze.
"I was merely thinking..." He paused briefly, "whether Furen’s words were truly unreasonable."
Wang Gege looked at him in confusion.
Xie Rong’s eyes drifted toward the washbasin beside the bed.
"When Chuntao was first confined... I did have someone inform her that her younger sister would not be implicated."
He slowly drew in a breath, "However... I never considered whether she believed those words." His voice remained calm, "Nor did I consider whether there was something else weighing on her mind."
He looked back at Wang Gege, "So... perhaps I bear some responsibility after all."
Wang Gege’s eyes widened slightly.
"So..." She looked at him in disbelief, "Husband is saying that you had already told her her younger sister was safe?"
Xie Rong gave a slight nod.
"Not long after Furen met her, this husband instructed one of the guards to relay the message to Chuntao."
Wang Gege stared at him blankly.
"Then..." Her brows slowly knitted together. "Why...? Why would Chuntao still..."
The words caught in her throat, "Did someone kill her?"
Xie Rong slowly shook his head. "The physician has already examined her body. Based on the findings... she took her own life."
Wang Gege slowly covered her mouth. Her eyes were filled with shock, "But... why?"
Xie Rong lowered his gaze. "That..." He paused for a brief moment, "Is precisely what this husband intends to find out."