Bai Li’s Dream – Chapter 115

Chapter 115: Night Peace

The night was deep, and the magnificent pleasure boat sailed away from the shore. Wherever it passed, the lights illuminated the water, as if there was another pleasure boat underwater.

Shangguan Yue leaned on the railing, bending down to look.

“Young Master, be careful.” A servant hurriedly said, stepping forward to support him.

Shangguan Yue glanced at him. This was the new servant given to him by the Imperial Consort’s Husband, called Jixiang. Like Ruibo, it was a common name with good implications.

“I know, I’m holding onto the railing.” He said, smiling at Jixiang.

Under the brilliant lights, Shangguan Yue’s face was even paler, like a white porcelain. This smile made the servant Jixiang tremble a little, for fear that the white porcelain would shatter.

“Young Master, your body has just, just recovered.” He said in a low voice, “The winter wind is cold, let’s go inside.”

Shangguan Yue didn’t refuse, saying “Okay,” and turned to go inside. The building was already bustling with noise. He leaned on the railing and looked down, seeing Wang Tong sitting in the middle of the crowd, winning hand after hand.

Wang Tong also saw him and waved, “Young Sir, why didn’t you come yesterday?”

This was Shangguan Yue’s pleasure boat. He practically lived here, and would personally welcome and see off the guests.

But yesterday, the steward took his place.

Shangguan Yue leaned against the railing and said lazily, “Why else? I caused trouble and was called out to be lectured.”

Wang Tong also remembered. He had mentioned the fight between the two brothers. He made a sound of understanding, and under the lights, he saw that Shangguan Yue was still smiling, but looked as if he was about to break.

It seemed that the Imperial Consort’s Husband’s lecture this time was not light.

“Are you okay?” Wang Tong asked with concern, “Did he really hit you?”

He put down the cards in his hand and got up to walk over.

Shangguan Yue thought of something and hurriedly raised his hand to stop him, “Don’t waste a good hand!”

Wang Tong laughed.

“Don’t worry about me.” Shangguan Yue waved his hand at him, leaning against the railing, “I’m going to shut myself away and reflect.”

After saying that, he turned and swayed towards the inside, asking Jixiang beside him.

“Why hasn’t Wang Tong returned to the Temple of the Holy Ancestor yet?”

He didn’t come yesterday, so he didn’t notice Wang Tong’s presence.

Although Jixiang had just arrived at Shangguan Yue’s side, he was very familiar with the affairs and people on the pleasure boat. He immediately replied in a low voice, “He said Zhang Ze kept him by his side, and wants to present him to Princess Jinyu.”

Shangguan Yue chuckled.

Jixiang added other news he had gathered elsewhere, “Besides Wang Tong, Zhang Ze also kept a folk artist who is skilled in illusionary techniques. He should have found a way to create the so-called ghostly disturbances.”

Shangguan Yue made a sound of understanding.

If Ruibo was here, he would definitely ask him why he didn’t say it was indeed people causing trouble, not ghosts.

That was because he had really seen a ghost. He believed that ghosts really existed.

Shangguan Yue pursed his lips and couldn’t help but smile, as if he could see Ruibo’s “Why are you going crazy again?” expression.

Jixiang watched Shangguan Yue’s ambiguous smile from the side, hesitated for a moment, and asked, “Why doesn’t Young Master ask Wang Tong over to ask? Although Wang Tong is muddle-headed, he’s by Zhang Ze’s side, so he can always reveal details that outsiders don’t know.”

Shangguan Yue nodded, “I know.” He smiled at Jixiang again, “It’s not convenient now.”

Not convenient now? How is it not convenient? Jixiang was a little puzzled, but thinking of the Imperial Consort’s Husband’s instructions to prioritize the Young Master’s wishes, he didn’t ask any more questions.

“Young Master, please have a good rest.” He said, “I’ll go prepare your medicine. The doctor instructed you to take it for two more days.”

Actually, he should have stayed at the Imperial Consort’s Husband’s place for two more days, but the Young Master insisted on returning to the pleasure boat.

“There’s no external injury. It’s just a whiff of poisonous smoke that’s as fast as the wind. It’s nothing serious.”

Since Shangguan Yue insisted, the Imperial Consort’s Husband agreed and instructed them to take good care of him, and also added more manpower.

Jixiang replied, “Yes.”

The closing of the room door blocked the noise from the outside world. In the quietness, one could feel the slight swaying of the pleasure boat, like a cradle.

Shangguan Yue leaned against the armrest and closed his eyes, seemingly asleep. Suddenly, he whispered, “Bai Li.”

There was no response in the room.

“Bai Li, are you there?” Shangguan Yue whispered again.

He didn’t think that what he saw that night was a hallucination caused by near-death.

He knew that this person must exist in the world. No, this ghost.

He had dreamed of Bai Li before, and also, even earlier, the night of Li Shilang’s accident, the same fragrance. If it was a hallucination once or twice, it couldn’t be three times.

If it wasn’t for her that night, he wouldn’t have made it to Doctor Zhang’s medical clinic at all.

The poison the music boy got from Princess Jinyu was extremely potent, as evidenced by the others who died on the spot.

Shangguan Yue opened his eyes and looked around.

Wang Tong carried a Taoist ritual object that was harmful to ghosts, so he didn’t let him get close, lest he hurt Bai Li.

“What do I have to do to see you again?” Shangguan Yue continued to talk to himself, and then smiled, “I want to thank you. You saved me, and I haven’t thanked you in person yet.”

The room was quiet, with no response, only the candlelight flickering with the night wind.

Shangguan Yue quietly looked at his shadow cast on the ground.

It’s okay if you don’t answer or appear.

You must still be here.

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……

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The night grew darker, the night lamp flickered, and the room became even dimmer.

Zhou Jingyun put down the book in his hand, looked at Zhuang Li, who had fallen asleep with her eyes closed beside him, pulled the quilt up to her shoulders, extinguished the lamp, lowered the bed curtains, and lay down.

He lay there for a moment with his eyes open, and then turned over to face outwards.

He was a little afraid to close his eyes, or rather, afraid that when he woke up again, the person lying next to him would have turned into…

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but turn over again and look at Zhuang Li, who was sleeping facing him. In the dimness of the bed curtains, it was still Zhuang Li’s face.

He looked at her quietly for a moment, then gently placed his hand on the pillow beside him, lightly touching Zhuang Li’s hand, which was resting on her cheek.

The person beside him gradually breathed evenly. Zhuang Li opened her eyes and saw Zhou Jingyun had fallen asleep with his eyes closed.

It took him so long to fall asleep, which showed how uneasy he was.

Actually, there was nothing that couldn’t be said. He could just ask her directly, and everything would be fine once it was spoken. This person was too reserved.

She looked at Zhou Jingyun’s hand that was close to hers. Was he afraid that she would have another strange episode, and wanted to be the first to notice?

Zhuang Li raised her hand and held Zhou Jingyun’s hand, closing her eyes again.

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Zhou Jingyun woke up with a start. His vision was blurry, just like yesterday, the sky was not yet bright.

He subconsciously looked to his side, and at a glance, he saw his arm was being used as a pillow under Zhuang Li’s neck, as if he was holding her in his arms.

He was startled and hurriedly tried to pull his arm out to avoid her, but then he stopped, for fear of waking Zhuang Li. But it was too late, his arm was already numb, and he involuntarily leaned to one side, falling onto Zhuang Li.

Zhuang Li opened her eyes.

Their eyes met, so close that they could feel the warmth of each other’s skin.

A thought flashed through Zhou Jingyun’s mind, thankfully the winter quilt was thick, otherwise they would have really been skin-to-skin.

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Chun Yue was not on duty today. When she walked in with the morning light, she saw the servants carrying buckets of hot water, obviously they had already woken up and washed up.

“So early today?” Chun Yue asked in surprise.

Chun Hong said in a low voice, “They all got up before dawn.”

“Is the Marquis’s Heir going out?” Chun Yue asked, puzzled. She didn’t hear any instructions last night, and besides, there was a family banquet today.

The family banquet didn’t start until the afternoon, so there was no need to get up so early, right?

Chun Hong shook her head, “The Marquis’s Heir and the Young Madam woke up early. I don’t know what they talked about, but they were both laughing, so they got up.”

As they were talking, Chun Xiang walked out and said, “The Marquis’s Heir said breakfast is ready.”

Chun Yue and Chun Hong hurriedly stopped talking and went to the kitchen to serve the meal.

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The food was set, the maids retreated, and only the husband and wife were left in the room, eating face to face.

Perhaps the sudden quietness made him uncomfortable. Zhou Jingyun raised his head and said, “It was really an accident just now. I, I was originally going to get up…”

Zhuang Li interrupted him with a smile, “Yes, I know, the Marquis’s Heir wasn’t trying to take advantage of me.”

The way she used this term made Zhou Jingyun feel both awkward and amused. Thinking of the scene just now, he woke up from his sleep and saw a man falling on top of him. Anyone would think he was trying to take advantage.

However, Zhuang Li didn’t scream or push him away. He was the one who was so scared that he abruptly backed away. It just so happened that Zhuang Li also got up, so he pulled his arm out and fell out of bed.

Zhuang Li exclaimed and hurriedly reached out to pull him up.

The commotion also alarmed the maids, who inquired from outside the door.

Zhuang Li appeased the maids and pulled him back onto the bed.

There was no way they could sleep after that, so they both got up, drank tea, and let the maids in to help them wash up. It was chaotic and lively, and it wasn’t until they sat down to eat that they were alone again.

Zhou Jingyun felt it was necessary to explain what happened in the morning.

But after hearing Zhuang Li say that, he also felt that there was indeed no need to explain.

She knew what kind of person he was, and he also knew that she was open-minded and wouldn’t misunderstand him.

“But,” he hesitated and said, “I still have to apologize for scaring you.”

Zhuang Li said, “Marquis’s Heir, it should be me apologizing. After all, it was because I slept on your arm.” She immediately smiled, “It was I who took advantage of the Marquis’s Heir.”

Zhou Jingyun couldn’t help but burst out laughing, then he stopped laughing and coughed lightly, “Madam, there’s no need to talk about taking advantage between us husband and wife.”

Zhuang Li covered her mouth with her chopsticks and laughed too.

The maids standing outside the door looked at each other and smiled too.

Chun Hong said with a smile, “See, they’ve been laughing since before dawn, and they’re still laughing now.”

Chun Yue said with a smile, “It’s so good to be happy.”

Zhuang Li picked up her chopsticks and ate, looking at Zhou Jingyun across from her, who was still smiling with his head lowered. She pursed her lips.

This time, the fright of falling out of bed could erase the previous one.