Scent Of Time

Chapter 31

It seemed like a year had passed, yet it also seemed like only one day. I sat on the window sill, watching the sun rising and setting. So quiet that I was like a stone. Time passed slowly, and I refused to see Mrs. Hua’s cries at the door. I even had the guts to decline the Empress Dowager’s summons.

I don’t know what happened to Hua Shen or how Mu Yao dealt with the Hua Family. For quite a while, it seemed like the whole world had nothing to do with me. When the maids in the courtyard watched me being silent day after day and considerably different from before, they became cautious. But I didn’t even have the energy to comfort them.

I — am I depressed?

Sitting on the recliner, I pondered this question seriously. Otherwise, why did I suddenly have no half interest in life here? Or am I running away from facts I don’t want to face? That’s why I’m hiding in this yard.

I was like a falling leaf that wither with each passing day, slowly dying. I thought about being cold-blooded and ruthless, and I also thought about being righteous, yet in the end, I couldn’t convince myself either way. Thinking about it, I was sleepy again, so I reclined on the chair and fell into a deep sleep. In drowsiness, my head suddenly slammed down. My body was not able to react in time, and my mind was thinking – it’s over, I’m going to crash my head. However, the imagined pain didn’t come. I opened my eyes and saw Hua Rongzhou bent over halfway, with one hand holding the armrest of the recliner, while my head hit hard on the back of his hand.

I straightened up and rubbed my temples, looked around, and spoke, “Where are they?”

How come there is not a single maid?

“I don’t know.” Hua Rongzhou let go of his hand and stood up straight.

“Is your hand alright? I’m all sleepy and disoriented.” I looked at the back of his hand. It was already red.

Is my head that heavy?

“It’s fine.” Hua Rongzhou put his hands behind his back and stood respectfully.

I sat up straight and pulled on his clothes, “Squat down and talk to me for a while. I’m not sleepy now.”

Hua Rongzhou obediently squatted down, leveling his eyes with me.

Looking at his meek appearance, I spoke, “Are your parents in the capital?”

His eyes darted before he spoke, “My parents are from the countryside. When I was a child, because of the famine, I was sold to a rich man’s family as a slave.”

This mouth of mine is really — poking people s hearts.

“Then how did you get to King Jin’s Mansion?” I asked.

Hua Rongzhou hung his head and spoke, “I escaped from that rich man’s house.”

Although there were no waves in his tone, I saw that his hand hanging down by his side had clenched. It must have been that household that treated him harshly. The slaves in this world are all cheap and worthless. The higher-ups didn’t know about how miserable they were. Even I, a modern person, had chosen to ignore their suffering because of my status.

Raising my hand to rub the top of Hua Rongzhou’s head, I spoke, “Then you…must have lived a very bitter life.”

Like countless struggling people at the bottom who had laborious lives because they didn’t have the right to choose.

Hua Rongzhou raised his head. I saw his reddened eyes. However, he said, “It’s not bitter …… when I met Princess Consort, I’m not bitter anymore.”

I was stunned and met his gaze. Clean and fiery, vividly subtracting the indifferent color of his brown pupils.

“Do you still …… hate the rich family that treated you harshly before?” I do not know what’s on my mind when I ask this. I only want to hear the answer.

“No.” Hua Rongzhou answered, and his pupils seemed to shrink slightly.

“Why?” I retracted my hand and looked at him as I asked.

Hua Rongzhou’s eyes were full of colors that I couldn’t see through, and for the first time, I realized that I had never seen a bit of a child’s innocence in this child. He said, “Because I’ve ……”

But then he heard a voice interject, interrupting him.

“Why are you looking for me?”

I was shocked and looked towards the courtyard entrance. I saw Zhong Yelan’s tall figure stepping in, followed by Cui Zhu, whose eyes were red. She looked like she had been crying.

Hua Rong Zhou moved extremely fast to stand up and block in front of me. I was stunned before I got up, pulled Hua Rongzhou aside, and shook my head at him.

Zhong Yelan watched my moves and snorted before speaking, “You have raised a good and loyal minion.”

I ignored his mockery and spoke, “Why did King Jin come here for?”

Zhong Yelan frowned, “Wasn’t it you who looked for me?”

I was stunned and only reacted when I saw Cui Zhu behind him. This silly girl must have thought I didn’t want to eat or drink because of Zhong Yelan, so she went to look for him of her own accord.

I sighed, “The maid has disturbed the King on her initiative. I have nothing to do with it. King, please return.”

Zhong Yelan’s frown deepened, “What are you trying to do with this sympathetic behavior now?”

His mockery did not stir up half of my fighting spirit. I looked at him and spoke, “Did I do something wrong, or is it because of the prejudice in King’s heart that you feel I am wrong no matter what?”

Zhong Yelan’s expression didn’t change. His dark gaze fell on me, “Are you complaining about me?”

“What’s the use of complaining about you? It’s only make my own heart uncomfortable.” I ignored Zhong Yelan’s eyes, which gradually became dangerous, and continued, “You didn’t want to listen to me before, and now I don’t want to talk to you either. My head is messy now, so please don’t bother me.” After speaking, I turned around and wanted to walk towards the house.

Zhong Yelan’s voice came from behind me, “Hua Qian ……”

It wasn’t an annoyed tone. It seemed he had something to say, so I turned around and saw his eyes. I couldn’t help but be stunned, and the next second, mockery filled my heart. With my hand uncontrollably clenched, I spoke, “You can take Hua Shen’s life if you want, as long as your heart is at peace with it.”

Without stopping my footsteps, I walked to the inner room and closed the door behind me, no longer paying attention to him. Right now, my mind is like a tangled mass of messy twine. I need to sort it out. Therefore, they can do whatever they like.

“Princess Consort, do you want to look at your dowry store?” Qian Zhi couldn’t stand watching me stay in the courtyard for a month without going out. Before, whenever I mentioned the store, I was happy. But now I think it’s useless to have so much money. What can money do for me now? What can money buy?

Hmmm?
I suddenly sat up, “Come on, Qian Zhi. Let’s go out and take a look at the store.”

Qian Zhi was only asking and not expecting me to respond. Thus, she could not hide the joy in her eyes. Refusing the other maids to follow, I only took Qian Zhi and Hua Rongzhou out.

So, after traveling from the south to the north of the city and being busy until it was getting late, I finally counted the money in my hand from the profit of a dozen stores in these few months. Looking at Qian Zhi and Hua Rongzhou, who followed me for a day without complaint, I couldn’t help but soften my heart. They were just like me, not getting a drop of water. So I pulled them to a restaurant to eat some meals. After following me for a long time, they were not polite to me and sat around to eat together.

After eating, the sky was already dark. The roadside began to hang up the lanterns, and all kinds of stalls set out. It was a lively night market.

I had come here for half a year but never come out at night. So I didn’t take the carriage and walked with them in the alleys. On both sides are the merchants, travelers, and hawkers who yell hard.

This scene makes my messy heart suddenly relax. In modern times, I had spent money to go to the ancient town to find peace. Yet, it was not as good as these actual historical sites. There was a pedestrian who pushed a cart and yelled to make way, but before I could dodge, I was pulled to the side of the road by an arm. I turned my head and saw Hua Rongzhou’s face. The roadside lanterns illuminated his eyes with streams of color. Did this kid take a height enhancer? Why does he look like he’s taller than me again? If it continues like this, he will be a head taller than me.

Just as he was about to speak, his eyes drifted to a silhouette behind him. His eyes suddenly widened. I saw Zhong Xiwu standing under a lantern, and the light dyed his green clothes yellowish. He looked at me as if he had been looking at me for a long time, and there was a lingering smile at the corner of his mouth.