nucmednet Chapter 188 Reunion after a long absence
Chapter 188 Reunion after a long absence
When Cheng Yuntao saw Xu Ranyuan's unsteady steps and unstable appearance, she knew that he might not be able to walk tonight.
She sighed helplessly and said, "You two should support each other and go to the house to rest."
The two men put their arms around each other's shoulders and staggered towards the room. Their steps were crooked, sometimes bumping into the door frame, sometimes almost falling. After some twists and turns, they finally stepped over the threshold and entered the house.
After the two figures completely disappeared, Cheng Yuntao turned around and planned to clean up the remaining mess. Just as she bent down to pick up the dishes and chopsticks on the ground, she caught a glimpse of a figure approaching her quickly out of the corner of her eye.
When she raised her eyes, she saw Jiang Yu's face flushed and he was running towards her with staggering steps.
Before she could ask, Jiang Yu said breathlessly, "I...I want to help clean up."
"You're so drunk, why are you still packing up? Go and rest." Cheng Yuntao said as she reached out to support him, trying to make him stand more steadily.
Jiang Yu stood there in a daze for a long while, his eyes a little blank, as if he was trying hard to think about her words.
Suddenly, Jiang Yu seemed to have made up his mind and hugged Cheng Yuntao. His movements were a bit reckless. He buried his head in her neck, exhaled warm breath softly, and mumbled coquettishly: "Then hug her for a while, just for a while."
Cheng Yuntao smiled helplessly and let him hold her for a while. Then she gently pushed Jiang Yu's head away, looked into his sleepy eyes, and said angrily, "You can't drink much either, but you're still trying to show off."
He wet the handkerchief, wiped Jiang Yu's face, and then half-supported and half-dragged him back to the room.
As soon as I entered the room, I saw Xu Ranyuan casually thrown by Jiang Yu on the recliner in the room, sleeping in a crooked position and unconscious.
Cheng Yuntao first placed Jiang Yu on the bed, covered him with the quilt, and tucked it in. Then she turned around and got another quilt for Xu Ranyuan. Although the weather was getting warmer, it was still a little chilly at night. He had drunk alcohol, so he had to be more careful. If he got sick, it would be bad.
After everything was settled, Cheng Yuntao closed the door quietly and turned to leave.
As I was walking through the corridor, I heard someone knocking on the door. The "dong dong dong" sound was particularly clear in the quiet night.
Cheng Yuntao was puzzled for a moment, wondering who it could be at this late hour?
She quickened her pace and walked forward to check. The candlelight swayed slightly with her hurried steps, casting mottled light and shadows on the wall.
Cheng Yuntao stopped in front of the door, took a deep breath, and whispered through the door, "Who's knocking?"
There was silence outside for a moment, so quiet that it was a little eerie. Just when Cheng Yuntao was full of doubts and was about to ask again, the wooden door shook slightly, as if someone was approaching inside.
Then, a strange yet familiar voice came: "Yun Tao, it's me."
Cheng Yuntao was startled. This voice... She widened her eyes and a figure instantly appeared in her mind.
With shaking hands, she quickly unlatched the door.
The door slowly opened, and the watery moonlight poured in, outlining a slender figure.
The woman in front of him was wearing a moon-white silk dress, the hem of which fluttered gently in the night breeze. Her face was covered with a thin veil, revealing only her eyes.
Cheng Yuntao was very familiar with those eyes.
Even though they were separated by several months, and even though she was wearing a veil, when their eyes met, Cheng Yuntao's heart still trembled violently, and she blurted out in surprise and doubt: "Sister Shen?"
Shen Shulan's eyes were filled with complex emotions, including the joy of reunion, as well as unspeakable fatigue and anxiety. She nodded gently, her voice slightly hoarse: "Yun Tao, it's me."
Only then did she notice that Shen Shulan had become much thinner, and her once bright eyes were now bloodshot, revealing a deep sense of fatigue. A few strands of hair were blown to her veil by the night wind, making her look even more haggard.
Cheng Yuntao was surprised and delighted. After reacting, she looked around and, after confirming that there was no suspicious person, she reached out and pulled Shen Shulan in. She turned quickly and closed the door again, not forgetting to put the bolt on it, as if she was afraid that someone would catch up with her.
After bringing Shen Shulan to her room, Cheng Yuntao quickly walked to the table and brewed a cup of hot tea for Shen Shulan. The steaming aroma of the tea instantly spread, easing the tense atmosphere a little.
"Sister Shen, please sit down and rest for a while." Cheng Yuntao's voice was full of heartache and concern, and she pulled Shen Shulan to sit on the chair.
"Okay, thank you Yuntao." Shen Shulan was already exhausted after rushing here, so she sat down obediently, raised her hand to slowly untie her veil, picked up the teacup and took a sip. The hot tea slid down her throat, slightly dispelling some of the coldness and fatigue all over her body.
While she was drinking tea, Cheng Yuntao hurried back to the kitchen to get some snacks. When she stepped into the house, her eyes met with Shen Shulan who was looking up.
After seeing the scene clearly, Cheng Yuntao stood there in a daze, almost dropping the snacks in her hand.
Her gaze fell directly on Shen Shulan's right cheek, where there was a long scar winding down from the corner of the eye to the cheek, which looked particularly glaring in the soft candlelight.
"Sister Shen, your face! What...what's going on?" Cheng Yuntao's face was full of panic. She took a few steps forward and half-knelt in front of Shen Shulan. She raised her hand carefully, but did not dare to touch the scar.
Shen Shulan raised his hand and slowly touched the scar on his cheek, his fingertips gently sliding over the hideous mark. He took a deep breath and slowly spoke, telling Cheng Yuntao what had happened in the past few days.
"My second brother, Shen Linfeng, has completely taken control of the City Lord's Mansion. He now holds absolute power in Junhua City, and no one can defy his decisions." Shen Shulan's voice was low and subdued. "I attempted to investigate some hidden truths, and this angered him, leading him to attempt to kill me. The scar on my face was accidentally sustained at that time."
Cheng Yuntao was shocked and a trace of fear flashed across her face. She felt scared about what happened to Shen Shulan.
"Maybe God thought I wasn't destined to die. After escaping death, I was treated by my trusted confidants. They hid me in a farm outside the city to recuperate." Shen Shulan paused, a hint of gratitude in his eyes. "After my injuries healed, I remembered the promise we made, so I returned to Junhua City again, hoping to find you."
Hearing this, Cheng Yuntao was quite moved and placed her hand on the back of Shen Shulan's cold hand, wanting to convey some warmth to her.
"Fortunately, Shen Linfeng hadn't figured out my identity as a woman yet. After changing back into women's clothes, I successfully sneaked into the city. Two days after entering the city, I met a child. He stared at me for a long time and said that I looked a bit like the person he was looking for."