Miss Jun took the large bowl of tea he handed over.
The earthenware bowl was rough, and the tea was brackish.
Naturally, the tea served in this roadside tea house for passersby's thirst could not be considered tasty.
However, tea was originally meant to quench thirst, perhaps this was indeed the true flavor of tea.
Miss Jun took a sip.
"My father thinks we should put forth sincerity, to make up for past debts," said Ning Yunzhao, his expression composed.
Miss Jun smiled.
"So does my grandmother," she said.
"Although debts from the past can never be fully repaid, as their children, we can't bear to see them too embarrassed," remarked Ning Yunzhao.
This was to indicate that he did not agree with his father's approach.
Miss Jun looked at him and smiled again.
"So do I," she said, then blinked, "but what we're doing now seems to be causing them some embarrassment."
Just then, when Eldest Master Ning stepped down from his carriage and Ning Yunzhao, who was sitting inside pondering when might be the appropriate time to step out, suddenly noticed pebbles hitting the carriage window.
He turned and looked, seeing through the bamboo curtain a girl at the corner of the street gesturing to him.
Miss Jun?
Ning Yunzhao was somewhat surprised. He got out of the carriage, and that girl gave a shushing gesture before waving again and heading into the alley.
Of course, Ning Yunzhao understood her intentions. Somewhat surprised but also amused, he glanced at his father in front of Shunde Building who was laughing and verbally parrying with Old Lady Fang, then looked around at the civilians on tiptoes, fully engrossed in watching the commotion, and gave a meaningful look to the coachman before stealthily following the girl along the wall's edge.
Thinking back, Ning Yunzhao chuckled.
This felt like sneaking away from the academy to play when the teacher wasn't paying attention during school days.
Of course, he had never done such a thing.
"It's not possible to have a proper conversation over there; the Jinyiwei are surely keeping watch. Let grandmother and Uncle Ning keep them company," said Miss Jun. "Although it's plain here, it's also a place where we can speak freely."
While they were talking, a few hawkers stopped by the side.
"Old Wang, a bowl of tea," they called out loudly.
The tea-seller Old Man Wang responded affirmatively, placing the tea bowls on the wooden rack, and the hawkers stood outside, leaning on the rack, laughing and chatting while drinking tea.
Of course, noticing people inside the tea house, they also cast curious glances. The hanging bamboo mats obscured the figures within, revealing only that they were a young man and woman.
On such a hot day, only young men and women would have the mood to idle about on the streets.
The hawkers paid no more attention, drinking and laughing as they talked.
"How did you think of this place?" Ning Yunzhao asked in a low chuckle.
"Fang Chengyu found it for me," said Miss Jun.
That kid, Ning Yunzhao smiled without comment.
"Oh, by the way, have you heard about what happened in the northern lands?" Miss Jun asked.
The northern lands? Ning Yunzhao's expression became somber as he shook his head.
Sure enough, the news from De Sheng Chang was the fastest, Miss Jun thought. She did not withhold any information and told Ning Yunzhao about the Jurchen people's capture of Hejian Prefecture and the smallpox vaccine incident in the western part of Hebei.
After listening, Ning Yunzhao's expression was grave for a moment.
"This, I'm afraid, is going to lead to unrest," he said.
"The Duke of Chengguo should be fine in the northern lands," Miss Jun said.
Ning Yunzhao shook his head.
"Good fortune and disaster have always been intertwined; nothing is absolute," he said. After a moment of thought, he finally smiled, "It's all uncertain, but I believe the heroes of the northern lands won't allow the Jurchen people to run rampant."
Miss Jun also nodded with a smile.
"Then, does that mean this tea is a farewell drink?" Ning Yunzhao asked again, pointing to the tea bowl in front of him.
Fang Chengyu was smart, and Ning Yunzhao wasn't foolish either; he could guess her intentions, and Miss Jun nodded with a smile.
"Then I wish you a smooth journey," Ning Yunzhao said, raising his tea bowl.
Miss Jun smiled, lifting her own bowl, and they both drank it down in one gulp.
"What did you want to see me about?"
Putting down her tea bowl, Miss Jun suddenly asked.
She had originally thought that since Ning Yunzhao had seen her once and then asked to meet again the next day, he must have heard about the events in the northern lands and had come especially to inform her, but just now Ning Yunzhao admitted he was unaware.
So his reason for seeking her out must be for some other matter.
Ning Yunzhao raised his sleeve and gently rubbed his nose; it seemed like he drank too quickly just now, causing him to choke a bit.
He had thought about what to say in advance, the kind of romantic rhetoric, admiration and longing that could be described as poetic and picturesque.
But in fact, sitting in front of this girl, he couldn't think of anything at all, nor did he know how to start.
Logically speaking, this was the second time, he should be more adept at this.
Thinking this, he couldn't help but laugh at himself with self-deprecation.
Miss Jun was puzzled by his laughter.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
The girl in front of him had a serene expression and clear eyes, just like she was as a person.
When the Ning Family harbored ill will, she returned the malice; when he showed goodwill, she promptly reciprocated it.
Good and evil were distinct; there was no fuss, everything was clear-cut, talking to her was an easy and enjoyable thing.
Ning Yunzhao stroked the teacup.
"I feel somewhat embarrassed to say," he spoke, "I still want to ask you about the question I asked last time."
The question he asked last time? Which time? Miss Jun looked at him, puzzled.
"That is, the one you've rejected before," Ning Yunzhao said with a smile. "I'm sorry, I just can't let it go, and it's even harder to restrain myself."
Miss Jun looked at him, her expression momentarily confused, then she quickly understood and smiled at Ning Yunzhao.
"So, in this world there is no help without a reason?" she said.
Had already annulled the marriage agreement, but claimed to be helping when facing Lu Yunqi; it can't be as simple as drawing a sword to help seeing injustice on the road.
"These words are not hurtful." Ning Yunzhao smiled, "It's more of a relief to me than the claim that there is no such thing as a free favor in this world."
Unreasoned help is a matter of one's own volition, without expecting anything in return, but a favor not given freely suggests coercion and exchange.
Miss Jun smiled.
"Noble Son Ning is a nice person," she said.
Ning Yunzhao smiled and shook his head.
"I can't really be called a nice person," he said. "As everyone says, initially, we paid you no mind, but now we cling to you incessantly, this is arrogant at first but humble later."
"Being arrogant at first but humble later is actually quite human," Miss Jun said, and smiled again. "I think about it, it's better than if I were like this, and you still ignored me and made things difficult for me at every turn."
Ning Yunzhao laughed heartily.
He knew this girl was interesting.
"Although it seems a bit shameless, I'm sincere," he added, his smile fading as he looked at her. "I genuinely like the person Miss Jun Jiuling is."
Not Jun Zhenzhen, not Jiuling Hall, not the divine doctor, but the person Miss Jun Jiuling.
"To care for, help, and like someone, that's what I should and must do," he continued. "This isn't coercion or exchange, but action from the heart. If anyone should be thanked, it should be me; I should thank you. To have the opportunity to assist someone you like, to do something for someone you like, that is rare. Some people never have the chance in their lifetime."
Miss Jun smiled again.
"I really have no experience with this kind of thing," she said.
Being a princess, a princess (junzhu), whether they liked her or not, she didn't really have to care.
"Moreover, I don't want to think about it," she continued, looking at Ning Yunzhao.
She said this for the first time.
She said she didn't want to, she said it wasn't suitable.
Ning Yunzhao looked at the girl in front of him, with her serene expression and calm gaze, without a trace of the excitement, joy, panic, or aversion that a girl might feel when speaking with the opposite sex about matters of the heart.
To put it bluntly, her reaction was like stagnant water.
This wasn't the reaction a girl at the threshold of womanhood should have.
She said she didn't want to, last time he thought she meant she didn't want to with him, with the Ning Family to discuss this matter, but now he suddenly realized, her not wanting just meant she didn't want to.
She didn't want to marry, didn't want to care about mutual affection, didn't want to grow old together with a devoted partner.
She was like a young bud ready to bloom, yet it seemed she had already withered and aged.
In this world, there is no help without a reason, just as there are no hearts that turn to stagnant water without reason.
"Jiuling," he sat up straight, looking at her, "is there something troubling you?"
Miss Jun looked at him, her smile only slight.
"Yes," she said, "but it's unspeakable."
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Thanks for the He's Bi reward to "The Last Bullet", "Lying Lover 2", and "The Ice of the South" O(∩_∩)O
Thank you, everyone, thank you.