Eight Treasures Trousseau

18

Chapter Eighteen: Fatal Case

Past midnight, Hua Xi Wan suddenly woke up from her dream. She sat on the bed and looked at the shadow of trees on the window. After a few dazed moments, she turned and looked at the person beside her. She touched the fine sweat on her forehead and exhaled deeply.

A warm hand touched her forehead and found the sweat. He used the sleeve of his robe to wipe her sweat for her, and put an arm around her waist. "Had a nightmare?"

"It's nothing." Hua Xi Wan looked at Yan Jin Qiu who sat up and gave a smile. "I just dreamed that I dropped down from a cliff. It gave me a fright."

"Ha." Yan Jin Qiu laughed lowly and touched her soft hair, pulling her to lie down and tucking in the blankets for her. "The elders say that it is because you are growing."

Hua Xi Wan felt slightly hot and took her arms out of the blanket. "When did you ever see a family's girl who is seventeen still growing taller?"

"Those of other people's families might not grow, but that does not mean that our family's girl won't grow." Yan Jin Qiu touched her arm. Detecting that her arm was slightly hot, he did not put her arm back under the blanket. "Sleep, I'm here."

In the darkness, Hua Xi Wan could not see Yan Jin Qiu's expression clearly, but she was sure that Yan Jin Qiu's eyes were not as deep and emotional as his words. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of the wind blowing past the tree branches. She smiled. So what if it was fake or sincere—it was fine as long as she had comfortable days.

Lu Zhu who had been standing guard outside heard noise inside the room and had planned on coming into the room to light a lamp. But when she heard the sound of conversation inside the room, she rested her thoughts. When the inner room became silent again, she finally lay down on her side.

At this time, a strong light suddenly flashed across the window, and then a rumble of thunder sounded. She was frightened and hurriedly put on a robe and shoes. When she walked to the door to the inner rooms, she listened for sound before speaking. "Junwang Ye, Junwang Fei, do you need a lamp?"

"No, nothing. You can leave."

Hearing Junwang Ye's words, Lu Zhu hesitated and made sure that Junwang Fei did not have any opinions before she retreated to the mattress outside. At this time, the wind was blowing wildly outside, the doors and windows creaking. She raised her head to look at the ceiling and seemed to hear the sound of rain hitting the tiles.

As expected, a short while later, the rain started to pour down. It sounded as though the rain was going to push apart the roof. Using the light of the lightning, she looked in the direction of the inner rooms and pulled her blankets tightly around her.

Tomorrow, it was the day to go to Princess Rui He's estate to play. She didn't know if the rain would stop tomorrow.

The rain continued until eight before stopping. When Hua Xi Wan got up, the yard had been cleaned up. There weren't any marks left by the storm remaining. She looked at the sun that had started to turn red on the horizon, rubbed her forehead, and spoke to Bai Xia behind her. "The thunder didn't stop last night. I didn't sleep well."

Yan Jin Qiu who stood beside the window heard this and said, "Later, nap in the carriage."

Hua Xi Wan covered her mouth and yawned. She did not refuse Yan Jin Qiu's wonderful suggestion.

Because of the rainstorm last night, there was a fresh scent of rain spreading through the street under the sun. Hua Xi Wan raised the curtain to look at the clean streets and the passerby on the road. She patted the soft cushion supporting her waist, chose a comfortable position, and started to make up for her lack of sleep.