Chapter 245

Chapter 245: 238: Changling, hug me (first update) Chapter 245: 238: Changling, hug me (first update) When they broke up initially, Wen Changling said he was the son of Xie Liangjiang and didn’t deserve to be with her.

Wielding the shovel and diggings the soil, Wen Changling didn’t directly answer Xie Shang’s question: “Have you told your grandfather about your uncle’s affair?”

“Hmm.”

The actual cause of Xie Qingze’s death was a right for Xie Jingxian, as a father, to know.

“Does he believe it?”

Xie Shang said, “He needs time.” Time to verify Xie Jiwen’s words, and time to come to terms with them.

“How’s his health?”

There was a time when Wen Changling hated every member of the Xie Family. But now... let it go, they are all Xie Shang’s relatives. There’s a debtor for every grievance, and getting just retribution for Xie Liangjiang was enough.

“On the way here, I talked to the doctor,” Xie Shang said, “His condition is fairly stable for now; he needs rest.”

Before coming clean to Xie Jingxian, Xie Shang had prepared medicine and called the doctor in advance.

“What about the law firm? Do you still manage it?”

He answered truthfully, “I do. It’s my grandfather’s life’s work.”

He needed to dig out all the rotten parts, purge all the infiltrated capital, and redefine the rules.

Wen Changling set down the shovel, dusted her hands and walked over to Xie Shang, looked him in the eyes, and softly asked, “Xie Shang, are you upset?”

“He got what he deserved.”

Xie Shang’s gaze was very calm, but Wen Changling still caught a ripple in it, the understated sorrow he held in check.

Even though Xie Qingze’s revenge had been served, even though she had done everything she promised, even though it was evil paying for evil, there were many ‘even thoughs’. But after all, that was Xie Shang’s father.

So even with retribution achieved, Wen Changling felt no satisfaction, just sadness, for many people, for Xie Qingze, for Ah Na, for Wen Yuan.

For Xie Shang.

She asked him, “Are you upset?”

“Changling.”

Xie Shang just called her name and then said nothing.

Wen Changling handed the shovel to him, “Come help me dig out the wine,” she stepped aside and pointed near the roots of the Hooked Cymbidium, “There’s a jar of wine buried here, I’ll go get some playing cards, and we can play a game.”

After she spoke, she went to fetch the items from the room. Her suggestion came so suddenly that Xie Shang dug out the wine as she had instructed.

The wine jar was quite large, able to hold several pounds, filled with glutinous rice wine which, when uncapped, released a rich fragrance.

Wen Changling was a skilled brewer, capable of making rice wine and fruit wine. She brought two cups and a deck of playing cards that looked very new.

The blanket was spread on the old bamboo bed, and she and Xie Shang sat at opposite ends.

“Remember the drinking game we played before?” she asked. “Remember the rules?”

“Hmm.”

Xie Shang had no idea what Wen Changling wanted to play, but he went along with her.

“Today the rules are different. The person with the higher points can order the one with lower points to do something. If they refuse, they must drink wine, as many cups as the point difference.”

“Anything?”

Wen Changling added a rule, “Nothing against morals, only valid for today.”

Just for today, huh.

Xie Shang poured himself a full cup, “Okay.”

The cups were large, each capable of holding several ounces. Wen Changling had a good tolerance for alcohol, and Xie Shang was prepared to end up drunk. Anyway, he never won against her.

“The cards are shuffled.” She didn’t reshuffle the deck, but spread out the whole set with her hand, “You draw first.”

Xie Shang drew a card at random and turned it over: a 9. Wen Changling drew a 3.

The first round, she lost.

She didn’t pour herself a drink, her feet crossed and her cartoon cotton slippers swaying carelessly, her expression relaxed, looking like she could afford to lose: “What do you want me to do?”

Xie Shang said, “Come a bit closer to me.”

“Hmm?”

Is that it?

“Move a bit closer to me.”

Wen Changling, a person who always honored her bets, took off her slippers and sat down next to Xie Shang.

The day had warmed up a bit, but the sun had set and it was still cold. Xie Shang folded the blanket in half – half to sit on, half to cover Wen Changling’s legs.

The second round.

“You draw first again.”

Xie Shang drew a 5.

Wen Changling picked the card furthest to the left and flipped it: a 4.

She lost again, her hands chilled, she kept them under the blanket, not taking them out, she looked up at Xie Shang, signaling him to make a request.

“Aren’t you drinking?”

Wen Changling shook her head. She didn’t feel like drinking today, although the liquor was originally buried in celebration of the avenged wrong. But at this moment, she felt no inclination to drink.

Xie Shang’s request was also simple, “Have dinner with me.”

“Okay.”

The third round, Wen Changling drew first, pulling the smallest, a 1.

Xie Shang drew a 7.

It seemed she had resolved not to touch the wine, her hands remained inside the blanket for warmth.

“Answer my question from before.” The sky turned dark, in the yard with no lights on, the moon late to rise, only Xie Shang’s eyes were bright, as though an entire galaxy was condensed within them, “Am I worthy now?”

Wen Changling nodded without hesitation.

The one unworthy was herself.

Nothing against morals, only valid for today. It was now 5:38 Imperial Capital Time, a long way off until tomorrow. If Xie Shang was a bit more cunning, a bit more malicious, he actually could demand a lot from her.

Really, she was gambling big.

The fourth round.

Xie Shang drew first, a 3.

Wen Changling drew a 2.

She pouted, “My luck’s really off today.” A jar of glutinous rice wine, and Miss Wen who wouldn’t say no to a glass, hadn’t touched a single drop today, “What else do you want me to do for you?”

Miss Wen, confident in her drinking ability, had never lost a drinking game.

Xie Shang realized from the second round that Miss Wen was feeling tenderhearted today, starting from when she asked him if he was upset. He couldn’t tell if he felt more sadness or relief, but he knew he needed Wen Changling right then.

“Changling, hug me.”

“You won, I’m supposed to do as you say.”

She had been complaining about the cold but now uncovered the blanket and hugged Xie Shang.

He was so easy to satisfy; she had gone through the trouble of bringing an entire shuffled deck, yet all he asked for was a hug.

She hugged him tightly.