Chapter 169 Want to Go With Me?

Chapter 169: Care to Join Me?

A Chan lay awake in bed, the dream’s voice so vivid it made her wonder if she was missing Bai Xiuming too much.

That couldn't be right; she’d just seen him a few days ago.

Just then, a familiar voice murmured by her ear, its deep tone laced with a hint of nighttime languor: "What did you dream about?"

"I dreamed about… Mother. Bai Xiuming?" The voice jolted her fully awake. A Chan sat up in bed, immediately spotting the dark figure standing by her bedside.

The candle on the table flared to life, its dim, yellow glow finally allowing A Chan to see the person clearly.

Bai Xiuming was dressed in an indigo-blue wide-sleeved, cross-collared robe. A Chan reached out to grasp his sleeve.

Once she had a firm hold, she tugged lightly, and Bai Xiuming took the hint, settling onto the edge of the bed.

"Why are you here?" A Chan sat sideways, her thin nightgown clinging to her, her long hair cascading softly in front. Her face still bore traces of sleepy confusion.

"Just passing by, thought I’d check on you."

"Passing by where?" A Chan wasn't buying for a second that he just happened to be wandering near her home.

Bai Xiuming chuckled but offered no explanation. He opened his arms slightly, and A Chan immediately launched herself into them.

She nestled against his chest, nuzzling into him. Bai Xiuming lifted her chin with his fingers, studying her face briefly before asking, "Not sleeping well lately?"

"Mmm." A Chan nodded, sliding her arms around his waist.

"Dreamed about your mother?"

A Chan nodded again. "I miss them a little."

Bai Xiuming gently stroked her long hair and said in a low voice, "The Crown Princess will give birth soon. If all goes well, it’ll be a royal grandson."

A Chan tilted her head, unsure why he was telling her this.

"Congratulations to her, then?"

Bai Xiuming gave a soft chuckle. "This is the Crown Prince’s firstborn son. His Majesty values him greatly. When the little prince is born, His Majesty will likely issue a royal pardon to mark the occasion."

It finally clicked for A Chan. In Bai Xiuming’s eyes, she must have been dreaming about the Lin family.

When she said she missed "them," he assumed she meant the Lin family—certainly not the Marquis of Jinyang.

"So… you mean my maternal family might be pardoned?"

"Yes. Though the Lin family shared some blame for the theft of the Demon Seal, they were merely deceived. That’s all water under the bridge now; His Majesty won’t hold it against them forever."

"So, after the Crown Princess gives birth, they might return to the capital?"

"Mm. I’ve looked into it. Though life in exile hasn't been easy, they've remained healthy. They may not regain their former positions, but they'll likely get all their seized property back."

The Lin family was well-off. Even without official titles, their wealth would be enough to ensure a comfortable life.

Of course, for most exiled families, seized assets rarely made it back whole.

But if Bai Xiuming said so, no one would dare withhold what belonged to the Lin family.

A Chan considered this and decided it was good news. As far as she could recall, Ji Chan had been close to her maternal family.

Since they were Ji Chan’s relatives, knowing they were safe and well would surely please her.

Feeling the tension in her body ease, Bai Xiuming lowered his head and asked, "Feeling better?"

"Mmm." A Chan nodded. Honestly, just having him there made her happy.

After holding her for a while longer, Bai Xiuming said, "I've got to go away for a bit soon."

A Chan lifted her head. "How long will you be gone?"

"Hard to say. Maybe a month, maybe half."

"Why so long?" A Chan pouted, a hint of displeasure in her voice.

Bai Xiuming chuckled and tweaked her pouting lips, finding even her sulk adorable. "Not curious where I'm headed?"

"Then where are you going?"

"The Wilderness."

A Chan wondered if she'd heard right. Bewildered, she echoed, "You’re going to the Wilderness?"

"Yes. So, care to join me?" Bai Xiuming asked.

"You’re taking me?"

"Mm. I’m not going on official business—just paying my father's respects to an old friend of his. Would you like to come along to get away for a while? I hear the climate is pleasant, and the scenery's quite beautiful. You’d probably like it."

When A Chan didn’t answer immediately, Bai Xiuming asked, "Don’t want to go?"

"I do! I want to go!"

She snuggled deeper against him, hesitating briefly before mentioning the letter Shen Huixue had sent—though she omitted some details.

"Actually, a few days ago, I got a letter from Huixue. She said she’s settled in the Wilderness and invited me to visit her sometime."

Bai Xiuming raised his eyebrows. "What a coincidence."

"Yeah. If you hadn’t come today, I was planning to take Hui Niang and visit her."

Bai Xiuming caressed her cheek. "The Wilderness is far from Great Xia. How were you planning to get there?"

"By traveling with a merchant caravan. The person who delivered Huixue’s letter said I could go with them." A Chan sat up and looped her arms around his neck. "What about you? How were you planning to go?"

Bai Xiuming hadn’t thought that far. If it were just him, he could make the journey in a few days by traveling day and night.

But A Chan was too delicate—she couldn't handle that pace.

In that case, joining a merchant caravan wasn't a bad plan.

"Then we’ll go with the caravan. I’ll accompany you."

"Okay!" A Chan’s eyes lit up. "They leave on the third day of the third month. We just need to meet them at the West Market."

"Whatever you say."

A Chan felt reassured. It was a long journey, and with Hui Niang only at the Second Realm, she hadn’t felt entirely at ease.

But with Bai Xiuming by her side, she had nothing to worry about.

Her excitement faded, and A Chan yawned, faintly hearing the night watchman's clapper outside—it was already the third watch.

Thinking that Bai Xiuming would have to leave soon, A Chan suddenly felt a pang of reluctance.

She wanted him to stay, to stay with her.

A Chan had never been one to hold back, so she asked directly, "Do you still have to go back later?"

"You don’t want me to leave?"

"Yeah." A Chan leaned against him, tilting her head to whisper in his ear, "I don’t want you to go. I want you to stay and sleep with me."

Bai Xiuming closed his eyes for a moment, suppressing the sudden surge of barely contained desire in his gaze.

"Please?" Oblivious, A Chan clung to him, insisting on an answer.

Bai Xiuming’s fingers lightly stroked the nape of her neck before he nuzzled into her neck, his thin lips brushing inch by inch over her fair, slender throat.

A Chan didn’t resist. Her dark, silky hair slid through his fingers as his hand disappeared into the strands, the veins on the back of his hand faintly visible.

His voice was tight with restraint: "No."

"Why?" A Chan clutched his collar, her voice breathy.

Bai Xiuming offered no explanation, only repeating, "No."

In the end, A Chan couldn’t entice him into her bed. Instead, his kisses left her boneless.

Before losing control, Bai Xiuming laid A Chan back on the bed, tucked her in, and smoothed his rumpled clothes.

Then, softly, he said, "Sleep. I’ll stay with you."

A Chan thought for a moment. If he wouldn’t sleep beside her, keeping her company was acceptable too.

"You can’t sneak away." She reached out, slipping her small hand into his.

Bai Xiuming clasped her delicate hand and promised, "Alright."

As the candle died, A Chan slowly closed her eyes in the darkness, a small smile tugging at her lips at the warmth of his hand in hers.

That night, she dreamed again—but this time, it wasn’t a nightmare.

In her dream, there were no longer the faceless figures of her parents, only Bai Xiuming.

A dream where only he existed.

The next morning, when she woke, Bai Xiuming was already gone.

A Chan stepped out, yawning, and saw Chen Hui coming from the kitchen. She asked, "Hui Niang, did you see—"

She stopped herself mid-sentence.

"See what?" Chen Hui’s tone was calm, implying she hadn’t noticed anyone unusual leaving A Chan’s room.

A Chan guessed Bai Xiuming must have left without being seen.

Since Chen Hui hadn’t noticed, it was better left unsaid—especially since, in Chen Hui’s eyes, Bai Xiuming was still someone to watch out for. A Chan decided to wait a couple of days before telling Chen Hui about her plans to travel to the Wilderness with Bai Xiuming.

Chen Hui’s eyes swept over A Chan, immediately spotting the red marks on her neck—though A Chan herself was oblivious.

Chen Hui thought to herself, *I was the one who brought him here, yet A Chan is the one bearing the consequences. That Lord Bai really never missed an opportunity.*

Still, at least A Chan seemed in better spirits today, her mood no longer as low as it had been in recent days. Bai Xiuming did have some use after all. Reassured by this, Chen Hui finally stopped worrying.

Over the next few days, Bai Xiuming continued to visit A Chan’s room at night, and the nightmares that had haunted her finally ceased.

One evening, Bai Xiuming arrived earlier than usual. When he entered, A Chan was soaking her feet.

She had just gotten her period that day and had been in pain for hours, leaving her drained. When Bai Xiuming walked in, she barely looked up, not even greeting him.

"What’s wrong? Are you upset again?"

"My stomach hurts."

Bai Xiuming paused, then immediately understood. He knelt before her, taking her snow-white feet from the water into his hands.

Startled, A Chan tried to pull her legs back but couldn’t free them from his grip.

Bai Xiuming picked up a nearby cloth and carefully dried her feet, her round, fair toes flushed pink from the warm water.

The way he held her feet, his gaze lingering, made A Chan’s fingers unconsciously clutch the bedsheet beneath her—even though he wasn’t doing anything inappropriate.

"Bai Xiuming, stop looking."

He glanced up to find A Chan’s eyes avoiding his gaze, and he gave a low chuckle.

Letting go, he barely had time to speak before A Chan swiftly withdrew her feet, yanking the covers up.

"I’m going to sleep." She turned onto her side, facing the wall, her toes fidgeting against the sheets as if chasing the lingering sensation of his touch.

"So early?"

"I’m tired. You should go."

"Alright."

She heard rustling behind her. Thinking he was leaving, A Chan turned—only to find him removing his outer robe instead.

"I thought you refused to sleep with me?" A Chan hadn’t let it go.

Bai Xiuming lifted the blanket. "You wore me down."

Under the shared covers, Bai Xiuming pulled A Chan close, his arm wrapping around her waist from behind.

Her back pressed against his chest, his palm gently massaging her lower abdomen.

The warmth of his hand made A Chan close her eyes in comfort, the dull ache gradually easing.

"Bai Xiuming, you’re so warm." The heat radiating from him was intense, even his palm unusually hot.

"Close your eyes and sleep."

"I slept for hours during the day. I’m not tired now." A Chan leaned back against him. "Why did you come so early today? Is the case closed?"

"Almost. It’ll be wrapped up in two more days."

A Chan brightened at the subject. Rolling over, she half-sprawled across Bai Xiuming and asked, "What will happen to Shang Yin? Will he die?"

"That depends on His Majesty’s decision."

"So, is he going to die or what?"

Bai Xiuming chuckled and asked her, "Why do you want to help Shang Yin?"

A Chan's answer remained unchanged: "I just lend a hand when I see someone in trouble."

"You must walk some pretty special paths—always leading you to those in need of your help."

"You got that right."

"Do you want him to live?" Bai Xiuming asked.

"Very much so." A Chan didn’t hide her thoughts in front of him. "So, does he have a chance to survive?"

A Chan knew that whether Shang Yin lived or died depended on the emperor’s will, not on the crimes he had committed.

And the one who could sway the emperor’s mind was, of course, Bai Xiuming.

With A Chan looking at him hopefully, Bai Xiuming said, "His Majesty intends to spare his life."

"Really?"

"Really. They're reopening the Shang case. With Zhao Qi dealt with, but the previous King of Northern Wilderness is dead, His Majesty is counting on Shang Yin’s testimony to really shake up the Residence of the King of Northern Wilderness once the current King of Northern Wilderness arrives in the capital."

Bai Xiuming understood clearly that the emperor would not punish the current King of Northern Wilderness this time, as this king wasn't the one who messed up.

But mistakes must be paid for. Word is the King of Northern Wilderness is a clever man—if he truly is wise, he would know how to calm the emperor down.

A Chan, however, shifted her attention to another matter: "When will the King of Northern Wilderness arrive in the capital?"

Bai Xiuming replied casually, "From the time the imperial decree reaches the Northern Wilderness to when the King of Northern Wilderness hits the road, it’ll likely take a month or two. By the time we return from the Wilderness, we should just be in time to catch all the drama."