Chapter 77: Ordinarily, It Shouldn’t
Jun Jiuling
Neck.
Old Lady Fang was stunned by her movements.
Her hanging? This child remembered it, as expected. She really wasnât a dim-witted fool who couldnât tell kindness from enmity.
Old Lady Fang sighed.
"You know that you are in someone elseâs trap," she said sincerely. "And you know you must be wary of her. Bur right now, you do not need to settle your debts with her. A gentlemanâs revengeâ¦"
"A gentlemanâs revenge is never late," Miss Jun finished. Then, more gently added, "That is because there are things that are now impossible, so you must endure and store up strength. However, some people and some things do not require such forbearance."
That was true, but right now, the Fang Family was in turmoil inside and out.
Old Lady Fang frowned.
"Grandmother, be at ease," Miss Jun followed up with a smile. "Mother has meticulously and cautiously arranged everything. I guarantee that I can follow through. Moreover, the most pressing matter right now is Little Cousin, which I have under control."
Since she said as much, she would continue on, seeming as if she was wholeheartedly devoted to Fang Chengyuâs illness.
Old Lady Fang fell silent.
"Than you must be careful." She paused again. "If you go out, go with many people. I will arrange for someone to take precautions."
Miss Jun nodded and smiled, then left after paying her respects.
Old Lady Fang watched her retreating back with a complicated expression.
Miss Jun did not look back at all until she stepped into her courtyard. She paused, then sighed.
"What is it, Young Miss?" Liuâer asked hurriedly. She had not gone in with her, so she didnât know the details of the conversation. "Could it be that they didnât agree for you to go out?"
The little servant girl was like a cat with its hair on end, prepared to scratch Old Lady the moment Young Miss gave the order.
Miss Jun chuckled.
"She agreed," she said, then considered whether or not she should say this.
Liuâer saw that she had something to say and waited expectantly.
"This time she didnât say who would be going with me," Miss Jun said.
She felt somewhat awkward after saying that, like she was making an aggrieved complaint, but she was actually not aggrieved or complaining.
What Old Lady Fang said was correct. Association with Lin Jinâer was willingly going onto a mountain you knew had tigers. She already did what she had to do, warning people to take care. If she didnât listen to her advice, she could only send people to protect her. How could she let her own granddaughter walk into danger?
So thatâs why she felt a bit embarrassed after saying that.
She felt that the more she lived in this body, the younger she became. She truly had become a fourteen-, fifteen-year-old girl.
"Itâs better if no one comes," Liuâer did not notice Miss Junâs embarrassment and said cheerily. "Saving us losing face with them. Itâs enough if I go with Young Miss."
Miss Jun smiled.
"Going out to play can be very dangerous," she warned. "After all, Iâm no longer an bureaucrat familyâs Young Miss."
She had married into a merchant family, her husbandâs family. If a merchant girl married into an bureaucrat family, she has lept through the dragon gates [1] and become part of the land-owning class, just like Jun Zhenzhenâs mother. But for a noble girl to marry a merchant, that was the exact opposite.
Young Miss felt that even walking out of the Fang gates was shameful. Right now, she was a daughter-in-law of the Fang Family. It must be terribly frightening for her to go out.
Acridity arose in Liuâerâs heart.
"Do not be afraid Young Miss. There may be danger, but I will be there too. I will protect you, Young Miss." She patted her chest proudly.
Miss Jun laughed.
Her laugh was like silver bells, like the burbling of a mountain spring, extremely pleasant.
Miss Jun was scared by her own life.
Firstly, she never thought that this girl had such a pleasant laugh, and second, it had been a long time since she had truly laughed.
Miss Junâs smile regained its softness, and she patted Liuâerâs head.
"You are no good, but also very good," she said.
Liuâer didnât understand what she was saying, but she did not bother thinking about things she didnât understand. When Young Miss was happy, she would laugh with her. When Young Miss was not happy, she would cry with her. When Young Miss was angry, she would yell with her. That was enough.
Liuâer giggled.
Miss Junâs laugh was loud and clear, and she was standing in front of the courtyard entrance, so Fang Chengyu could hear her from inside.
Fang Chengyu was still reclining on the bed with the drapes down to shield the outside from view. But they could not block out the laughter.
Fang Chengyu smiled coldly and rolled over, seemingly not minding the disturbance.
Then he stiffened as pleasant shock covered him like the tide.
Did he just roll over?
He really rolled over?
Let it be known that he was someone who had been paralyzed for many years. Since he was five, he was unable to roll over. He didnât even know what rolling over was.
Fang Chengyu thought woodenly, So Iâve started hallucinating because of all this time. Next thing you know, Iâll think I can run or jump in the snow.
He slowly shifted his body. Perhaps he was too stiff, but he flopped over on the bed like a frozen fish.
The mattress underneath him was very thick so he wasnât hurt by the fall, but a tear dripped out of his eye.
The tear broke the dam.
He began to sob, his tears gushing forth like a spring. Very quickly, the whole pillow was wet.
When he realized this, Fang Chengyu felt angry, and he tugged the blanket over his head.
How could a man cry? This really was too shameful.
But he actually was not a man. He was still just fourteen years of age. So what if he cried?
Men could cry; he had read so in books. He had also seen some of the servant boys crying after getting into an argument or fighting or suffering. Although their eyes would redden and moisten, at the most they would look snively.
But he hadnât cried for seven or eight years. It was reasonable to say that his tears had been stored up.
But there were some fools who didnât understand.
When night fell, the servant girls filed out one by one. Liuâer tugged on Miss Junâs sleeve and giggled secretively into her ear.
"Young Miss, Young Master wet the bed."
Fang Chengyu almost dropped his book.
"How is that possible?" Miss Jun spoke with surprise.
"Itâs true. Those servants were hiding it, but thereâs nothing in this courtyard that can be concealed from me," Liuâer announced proudly. "I saw the wet quilt and pillow⦠Tsk, it really is too repulsiveâ¦"
Fang Chengyu laughed inside, and Miss Jun walked over to where he was.
He felt her assessing gaze.
"That shouldnât be," Miss Jun said, her brows knitting together.
Logically, even if he couldnât take care of himself, those servant girls attending to him would not let a situation of him soiling himself happen.
Rather, she had given him medicine for so long, so he shouldnât be in such a filthy situation.
Fang Chengyu knew what she meant.
He felt an indescribable happiness, it was strong enough that even having people think he wet the bed did not matter.
"I truly am sorry," he sincerely and regretfully apologized. "I will take more care from now on."
When he said this, he paused.
"I already told them to burn some incense."
Liuâer pinched her nose as she poked her head in from outside.
"Young Miss, why donât you sleep in the study," came her muffled, nasally voice.
Miss Jun waved her hand at Liuâer. Liuâer understood and shut the door, though unwillingly.
Just as she always did, Miss Jun pushed the wheelchair into the bathing room.
"Why are you bothering with this?" Fang Chengyu asked with a sigh. "Elder Cousin, you do not need to bother with me."
"No, I do," Miss Jun said.
"The doctors said that someone like me would lose bowel control," Fang Chengyu said.
Miss Jun loosened his clothes as she was accustomed to.
"Not possible,â she said, shaking her head at him.
The young manâs face was embarrassed and frustrated.
Miss Jun paused in consideration.
"I am a doctor, and I wonât dislike you dirty," she said.
Fang Chengyu smiled, but immediately grew grave.
"But Elder Cousin, I dislike your dirt," he said solemnly.
Miss Jun gave him a look. Her face did not have the fury he wanted to see. He only felt himself getting hauled forward.
With a loud splash, he was thrown into the bath, clothes and all.
[1] Leap through the dragon gates: There is a legend that a carp can leap through these gates and become a dragon.