Chapter 133: The Answer According To His Heart
The moment they returned to the secluded courtyard, Qing’er immediately hurried toward the medicine cabinet.
"This servant will prepare the ointment at once."
Before Wang Gege could even say that the scratch was only a minor one, Qing’er had already disappeared through the curtain leading toward the side room.
The courtyard gradually became quiet once more.
Inside the outer hall, Xie Rong stood silently beside the table.
Neither sat down or spoke.
The fragrance of sandalwood still lingered faintly within the room, blending with the gentle breeze drifting in through the half-open lattice windows.
Not far away, Wang Gege lowered herself onto one of the wooden chairs. Her fingers unconsciously touched the outer robe draped around her shoulders.
It still carried a faint trace of sandalwood, the same subtle fragrance that always lingered upon Xie Rong.
"Young Master." She gently lifted her chin and looked at him. "Did you secretly follow me there?"
There was no hesitation.
"Yes." The answer came so readily that Wang Gege was momentarily caught off guard.
She had expected him to deny it or at least offer another explanation.
But he admitted it without the slightest attempt to conceal the truth.
Wang Gege blinked several times before letting out a soft, helpless laugh. "Why?"
Xie Rong lowered his gaze slightly.
"This husband knew Furen wished to be alone." His voice remained as calm as ever. "Following too closely would only have made Furen feel troubled."
He paused briefly before continuing, "So... this husband merely watched from a distance."
The outer hall gradually fell silent once more. After a long while, Wang Gege quietly asked, "I asked... why?"
Xie Rong did not answer immediately. His fingers unconsciously tightened behind his back before slowly relaxing again.
"I was worried."
Those three simple words were spoken so naturally that even he himself did not seem to realize how unusual they sounded.
"Worried?" Wang Gege repeated softly.
Xie Rong gave a slight nod.
"Although the capital appears peaceful, no place is without danger." He looked toward her calmly. "Furen was unwilling to allow this husband to accompany her. The least this husband could do... was make certain Furen returned safely."
He stopped for a brief moment. "I had no intention of disturbing Furen. I only wished to ensure..." His gaze rested quietly upon her. "that nothing happened to you."
The words were spoken without flourish, without hidden meaning.
Yet for reasons Wang Gege herself could not explain, her fingertips unconsciously tightened around the outer robe draped across her shoulders.
"I hope..." She smiled faintly. "Young Master will not do such a thing again."
Xie Rong quietly looked toward her.
"This one believes..." She lowered her eyes. "I am capable of protecting myself."
She paused briefly before taking a slow breath. "There is also one more matter."
Xie Rong waited silently.
Wang Gege looked at him for a long moment before speaking.
"I believe... both of us have gradually forgotten the agreement we made on the second day of our marriage."
The outer hall instantly became quiet.
"From the very beginning, this marriage was only one of convenience." Her voice remained gentle, yet every word was spoken with unusual clarity. "Young Master lives his life, while I live mine. Neither of us would interfere in the other’s affairs."
She smiled softly.
"We were only husband and wife by name. That arrangement..." She slowly lowered her gaze to the robe resting over her shoulders, "was something we both agreed upon. I hope Young Master will continue to honor it."
Silence.
The sandalwood incense continued to burn quietly inside the outer hall.
No one spoke.
Qing’er, who sensed the tension in the air, remained outside with the medicine in her hands, dared interrupt the heavy atmosphere between the husband and wife.
After what felt like a little too long, Xie Rong suddenly took a step forward.
Before Wang Gege could react, he slowly lowered himself onto one knee before her.
"Young Master?" Her eyes widened slightly.
No one had expected the usually aloof Young Master Xie to lower himself before anyone, much less his own wife.
Xie Rong gently rested one hand upon his raised knee. His posture remained straight, his bearing as composed as ever.
Yet the distance between them had quietly shortened. He raised his head toward her.
"If..." His voice remained calm, "this husband no longer wishes to honor that agreement."
Wang Gege’s breathing unconsciously halted.
Xie Rong continued looking at her.
"What..." He paused only briefly, "must this husband do... for Furen to agree to revoke it?"
Caught completely off guard, Wang Gege’s lips parted slightly. She wanted to answer yet no words came out.
Never in her wildest imagination had she expected Xie Rong to ask such a question.
For a long while, she could only look at the man kneeling before her, her thoughts falling into complete disarray.
Seeing her remain silent, Xie Rong did not urge her to answer.
Instead, he quietly said, "The question Furen asked last night..."
His fingers slowly tightened upon his raised knee. "At the time, this husband answered according to reason. Today... this husband wishes to answer according to his heart."
A faint, self-deprecating smile appeared upon his lips. "This husband realized I had been lying to myself."
Wang Gege’s breathing unconsciously slowed.
Xie Rong continued, "When this husband saw Furen’s robes in disarray...This husband forgot the reason. When this husband saw the wound upon Furen’s neck... This husband forgot the disguise I had maintained for an entire year. And when Furen walked away from this husband yesterday..."
He paused, "This husband secretly followed."
He slowly lifted his head. "I kept telling myself it was because I was worried about Furen’s safety. But..."
The corners of Wang Gege’s eyes widened slightly.
Xie Rong let out a quiet breath. "This husband was merely finding reasons... to remain by Furen’s side."
Silence.
Not even the breeze drifting through the lattice window seemed willing to disturb the quiet between them.
Xie Rong looked at her steadily.
"So... If Furen asks this husband again... If both Furen and Xie An’an were to fall into the lake, this husband would still choose Furen. There would be no hesitation... No reason... No calculation."
He paused briefly before continuing, his voice quieter than before.
"Because... this husband has finally realized that the thought of losing Furen frightens me."