Chapter 227: Reconciliation with Cheng Yunshuo

Chapter 227: Reconciliation with Cheng Yunshuo

"Dairong, Dairong, Dairong, where are you?"

"Dairong, come back, I won't bully you anymore."

"Dairong, I miss you..."

Every word Cheng Yunshuo muttered reached Dai Ruo's ears.

It felt like each word was a heavy drumbeat pounding in her chest.

Dairong, Dairong, Xing Dairong.

Why was he still calling out Xing Dairong's name, even in his drunken state?

Earlier, when Cheng Yunshuo heard Luo Heng's name from Lu Lingyun's mouth, and that someone had married him, he immediately thought of Xing Dairong.

He left the Marquis's Mansion alone, wandered the streets for a bit, and then headed straight into the Fragrant Breeze Pavilion.

He drank himself into a stupor, cup after cup, all day long.

He drank himself into oblivion, frenzied, as if only that could bring him back to the day they first met.

"Dairong, where are you..."

Dai Ruo snapped back to her senses and rushed forward to push Cheng Yunshuo, fueled by anger and frustration. "Why are you calling her name? What for!"

"She betrayed you, treated you unfairly, took everything from you, showed no patience or care, and yet you still think of her!"

"You told me she was annoying and that you didn't like her anymore, so why are you still calling for her?"

"She's already gone!"

By this time, Cheng Yunshuo had already fallen into a deep sleep.

Dai Ruo's questions went unanswered. She looked at him, unable to wake him, his eyes tightly closed as he slept off his drunkenness, and her tears suddenly burst forth.

"Don't call her. Master, call my name."

"Call me A'Ruo."

"A'Ruo is right here."

"A'Ruo loves you so much. Don't call for anyone else."

Cheng Yunshuo slept soundly in bed, while Dai Ruo wept broken-heartedly beside him.

"Don't think about other women..."

The night dragged on, heavy with tension.

The next day, Cheng Yunshuo woke up.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he was met with a pair of extremely red, swollen eyes, glaring at him.

The fog of his hangover lifted almost instantly when he saw A'Ruo, and he sighed, rubbing his head and frowning. "A'Ruo, what's wrong with you?"

A'Ruo glared at him, her eyes red and swollen from crying.

There was hatred and resentment in her eyes, along with the signs of a sleepless night.

She had sat like that all night, staring deadly at him.

She simply couldn't bring herself to close her eyes or let go of her anger.

"What's wrong with you?" Cheng Yunshuo sat up, sensing that something was off with Du Ruo. Seeing her haggard and somewhat terrifying appearance, he thought she had become obsessed. "Why do you look so awful? Do you feel unwell?"

He reached out to touch Du Ruo's forehead, but she turned her face away and continued staring at him.

Like a cat throwing a tantrum.

"Who upset you?" Cheng Yunshuo, in an unusually gentle mood, spoke with great concern. "Aren't I your teacher? If you have any grievances, tell your teacher, and I'll stand up for you."

Hearing Cheng Yunshuo's repeated soft and caring words—especially when he called himself her teacher—Du Ruo's pent-up frustrations and resentment burst forth.

"Why are you even thinking about me? Just go on thinking about that other woman!"

Cheng Yunshuo was instantly bewildered. "What other woman are you talking about?"

He hadn't taken any concubines recently and hadn't been near any women. Even when he visited the brothel yesterday, he didn't ask for any company.

He had just drunk alone in the flower room where Xing Dairong used to be.

Du Ruo stared at him intently. Under his gaze, she gritted her teeth and shouted, "Xing Dairong!"

As soon as that name left her lips, the concerned expression on Cheng Yunshuo's face instantly changed.

It was like he had been plunged into an icy pit, his entire demeanor freezing over, especially his eyes.

In a tone filled with loathing, as if speaking to a sworn enemy, he said, "Don't mention her!"

The freezing tone immediately startled Du Ruo. She looked at Cheng Yunshuo in disbelief.

With a cold face, Cheng Yunshuo got out of bed and began dressing in the armor of the royal guards. Every movement he made seemed ready to erupt into anger.

Du Ruo immediately sensed his disgust for that woman.

In that tense atmosphere, even Du Ruo hesitated to mention Xing Dairong's name again.

After a long while, as Cheng Yunshuo finished dressing in his armor, his expression softened back to its usual calm. "Where's the water?"

Du Ruo quickly got up. "Xiaoqin, bring water!"

She called for the maid Xiaoqin, who soon entered the room with water.

Noticing Cheng Yunshuo's expression, Du Ruo dampened a cloth and gently wiped his face.

After washing up, Cheng Yunshuo's expression softened. He looked at the haggard Du Ruo in front of him. "You took care of me all night?"

"Yes," Du Ruo lowered her eyes, nodding with a hint of resentment.

"Rest well later. If anyone asks you to do something, don't go," Cheng Yunshuo lovingly patted her head. "Even if there's an order, just say I permitted it."

As Cheng Yunshuo's warm hand rested on her head, his words warmed Du Ruo's heart.

The pain in her heart, which had been raw all night, slowly began to mend.

She let out a soft, pitiful whimper in response.

"Alright."

"Alright, go rest. Xiaoqin will bring your meal to your room later."

"Mm."

After saying these things, Cheng Yunshuo went out to attend his duties.

Du Ruo saw him off at the door, leaning on the doorframe, watching his departing figure. She had so many questions burning inside her, but in the end, she swallowed them all.

Not asking a single extra word.

Maybe it was just Cheng Yunshuo lashing out after drinking too much last night.

Otherwise, why would he look at her with such disgust when he sobered up?

That must be it.

After all, even before Xing Dairong died, Cheng Yunshuo had already stopped loving her.

Back then, he always told her about Xing Dairong's faults, saying she wasn't considerate, didn't care about him, had no understanding of him, and that he couldn't talk to her anymore.

He had already stopped loving her.

And what was the point of competing with someone who was long gone?

Xing Dairong had been dead for a long time, and from now on, it would be her accompanying Cheng Yunshuo.

Yesterday, she should just treat it as a nightmare.

With these thoughts, Du Ruo managed to console herself and felt a sense of peace with Cheng Yunshuo.

Cheng Yunshuo arrived at the palace with a cold expression to attend his duties.

Today, the atmosphere was tense, and his colleagues could tell something was off as soon as they saw him.

"What's wrong, Yunshuo?"

"Why do you look unhappy?"

Cheng Yunshuo shook his head. "It's nothing."

"Don't lie, you clearly don't look happy."

"I'm really fine," Cheng Yunshuo said, forcing a smile.

"Forget it, no need to talk about it. We’ve got a good task for you today!"

"Yeah, this job suits you well."

"What is it?" Cheng Yunshuo asked curiously.

"The inner palace needs some guards to help move supplies. You should take this job—you’ll get to see plenty of pretty palace maids!"