In the afternoon, after Liu Ming'an learned about Jiang Ning's situation from Zhao Qiang, he immediately returned to the room and told Jiang Ning everything he had heard.
"Qushui City... Blind Yang..." Jiang Ning softly repeated these words, lost in thought.
Liu Ming'an was genuinely happy that things were progressing smoothly. He smiled at Jiang Ning and said, "I'll be taking the provincial exam next month. The results should be out in about half a month, which means we have about a month's time."
"What do you mean, a month's time?" Jiang Ning asked, puzzled.
"In a month, when the provincial exam results are out, I should be able to pass and become a Juren. The metropolitan exam will be in early March next year. During this period, we can make a trip to Qushui City to investigate your background."
Liu Ming'an spoke seriously about the plan, clearly having thought it through beforehand. As he spoke, there was a faint smile in his eyes.
Jiang Ning wanted to say "I'll go by myself," wanted to say "You should live well on your own in the future," wanted to say "We'll meet again someday." But looking into Liu Ming'an's clear eyes, those hurtful words of farewell got stuck in her throat, and she couldn't utter a single word.
Forget it, Jiang Ning sighed inwardly. She'd leave him a note and slip away without saying goodbye, just like the first time she went up the mountain.
Having made her decision secretly, Jiang Ning continued reading her book. Tomorrow, when she left, she planned to take only two taels of silver for emergencies, leaving the rest of the money for Liu Ming'an. After packing her clothes, she would set off for Lingshan Town and then find a way to get to Qushui City.
These leisure books were bought to pass the time, and Jiang Ning wouldn't take them with her to add to her burden. She'd leave them for Liu Ming'an to do with as he pleased.
However, Jiang Ning couldn't help but think that after she left, given Liu Ming'an's cooking skills, he would likely revert to his former skinny self in no time, despite having put on some healthy weight from eating meat every day recently. The thought of him returning to that thin figure she first saw filled her with an indescribable feeling.
After a while, Jiang Ning put down her book and went into the kitchen.
They ate dinner as usual, and Liu Ming'an went to wash the dishes. When he came out of the kitchen, wiping his hands dry, he heard Jiang Ning say, "Liu Ming'an, can you teach me how to do my hair?"
"Why do you suddenly want to learn how to do your hair?" Liu Ming'an asked, surprised.
Because I'm leaving, so I need to learn how to do my own hair, Jiang Ning said to herself.
"I just want to learn. Please teach me, just the simplest style will do," Jiang Ning said casually, reaching up to untie her hair ribbon. Her dark tresses cascaded down, falling over her shoulders.
By now, the sun had set, with only the last crimson glow remaining on the horizon. The orange light shone through the window, enveloping Jiang Ning, making her appear as if she were immersed in a vibrant cloud, breathtakingly beautiful.
Liu Ming'an stood rooted to the spot, gazing at this scene. Without realizing it, his heartbeat gradually intensified.
"Liu Ming'an?" Jiang Ning called out, puzzled by his silence and stillness.
Liu Ming'an snapped out of his brief trance, embarrassedly cleared his throat with a light cough, and turned his face away, not wanting Jiang Ning to notice anything.
Liu Ming'an placed a mirror in front of Jiang Ning, then walked behind her. With one hand, he gathered all her hair, and with the other, he began combing it from top to bottom.
Liu Ming'an combed slowly, stroke by stroke. Neither of them spoke. At this moment, time seemed to turn into a gentle stream, flowing quietly past them. Liu Ming'an wished this peaceful, warm moment could last forever.
"Something simple, please. I won't be able to learn anything too complicated," Jiang Ning spoke again.
Liu Ming'an looked at her cool, indifferent features reflected in the mirror, and the poem flashed through his mind again: "Her eyes are like rippling water, her eyebrows like distant mountains."
"Jiang Ning, actually, I could do your hair for you for a lifetime."
As if bewitched, Liu Ming'an forgot his restraint and softly uttered these words, following his heart.
As soon as the words left his mouth, their gazes met in the mirror.
In the past, Liu Ming'an would have hurriedly averted his eyes, too flustered to look at Jiang Ning. Perhaps it was the brilliant glow of the evening that gave Liu Ming'an courage. This time, he didn't look away. He smiled gently, his eyes full of tender, indescribable love.
In the end, it was Jiang Ning who looked away first.
The young man's gaze was too intense, his emotions too pure. Jiang Ning felt she couldn't bear it, and her hands resting on her knees unconsciously clenched into fists.
"Liu Ming'an," Jiang Ning still didn't look at him, struggling to speak, "You..."
But before she could finish, there was a sudden "thud" as the person behind her collapsed to the ground.
"Liu Ming'an!"
Jiang Ning was startled. She quickly crouched down and found that Liu Ming'an's breathing was normal, his heart rate and pulse were fine, but he wouldn't wake up no matter how much she shook him or called his name.
Jiang Ning helped Liu Ming'an to the bed, carefully examined him again, and confirmed that there was nothing wrong with him; he had just fallen into a deep sleep.
But for a healthy, strong young man to be looking at her lovingly one moment and then suddenly fall into a dead sleep the next – this in itself was the biggest problem.
Jiang Ning narrowed her eyes, and a dagger suddenly appeared in her hand. Her entire body tensed like a fully drawn bow.
Only drugs could make an awake person fall asleep so quickly!
Who had drugged him? How had they administered the drug? Why had only Liu Ming'an been affected while she remained unharmed? Was it because of the space inside her?
Jiang Ning closed her eyes, and everything that had happened during the day flashed through her mind like a film reel.
...
"Scholar Liu, I'm a bit thirsty. Could I trouble you for a cup of water?"
"The water vat is just outside. No need to trouble yourself, I'll go get it myself."
...
Jiang Ning's eyes snapped open, a cold glint flashing in them like an arrow.
It must have been him!
He was the only one who had entered the courtyard today and had direct access to the water vat.
Zhao Instructor, what was he planning to do?
On the other side of Lotus Flower Village, Zhao Qiang sat by He Zhenhu's door, watching the last ray of sunset being swallowed by the mountains and wilderness, leaving the sky a pale gray.
Zhao Qiang stood up, waited for about a quarter of an hour more, and then pushed open the door and left.
After Zhao Qiang left, He Zhenhu poked his head out of the room. Seeing Zhao Qiang's figure disappear in the distance, he immediately prepared to go out as well.
"Zhenhu, what are you doing? It's almost dark, why are you going out? You should rest early," Li Xiangyun said, trying her best to appear gentle as she watched her husband about to leave. She was afraid that He Zhenhu would return to town, back to the beds of those little harlots at the Red Apricot Tower.
"Get lost!" He Zhenhu impatiently shook off Li Xiangyun's hand on his arm, then warned her fiercely, "Stop meddling in my affairs! And don't gossip! Otherwise, I'll divorce you!"
Li Xiangyun's eyes suddenly reddened, unable to say anything. She could only watch as He Zhenhu left.
After leaving the house, He Zhenhu walked straight towards the dense bamboo forest behind their home.
The sky had darkened, and the bamboo forest was even darker, with only the "rustle" of bamboo leaves in the gentle breeze.
"Monkey, monkey, monkey..." He Zhenhu called out in a low voice in the quiet bamboo forest.
A moment later, a thin, tall figure emerged. In the dim light, one could only make out a prominent scar on his face and his sinister, downturned eyes.
"Has he gone?"
"He's already left."
After this brief exchange, the two men walked out of the bamboo forest together, then parted ways. One returned home, while the other headed towards Liu Ming'an's house.