CH 11

Biying heard the sound and hurried in, seeing her pale appearance, she asked, "Miss, did you have a nightmare?"

Ming Zhu first shook her head and then nodded, "Biying, I want to sleep with the lights on."

"Yes."

Biying again lit two red candles before retreating from the room.

Fortunately, Ming Zhu didn't dream again during the second half of the night and slept peacefully until dawn. She heard that the red plum flowers in the back garden had blossomed today and thus intended to go see the plum flowers.

Chapter 11

(4.3)

Last night it snowed heavily again and the cold wind was blowing strongly. Biying advised her to stay in the room, but Ming Zhu refused to listen, she put on her coat and skirt, found a cloak in the box and tied it on her body. The white clock's collar and hat were made with a snow-white fox's fluffy fur. Half of her little face was hidden in the furry collar, she looked delicate and cute.

Ming Zhu, with a pair of small red boots on her feet and a warm pad in her hands, was particularly excited when she opened the door. She asked Biying, "Do you think plum blossoms can be used to make pastries ?"

Biying didn't know what to say, Miss Ming Zhu's heart really was big, she was not sad at all, and every day she only cared about what to eat.

"This slave servant also does not know."

Although Ming Zhu didn't live very well in the Ming family before, but still this body of hers was somewhat delicate. She just went out the door, and already her delicate face was aching from the cold wind blowing on it.

Ming Zhu shrank her neck and stepped on the snow with caution, being careful with every step.

When she got to the back garden, the garden was full of beautiful red plum flowers in full bloom.

Ming Zhu stood on tiptoe to get close to the branches in order to smell them. As she smiled, an imperceptible dimple at the corner of her mouth appeared, and she said, "It smells so good."

Ming Zhu snapped off a branch of the plum tree and discussed with Biying: "Let's break a few more and put them in a vase that we'll place by the window frame, okay?"

"Okay."

She was about to say something else when she heard the sound of footsteps behind her, getting closer, treading on the snow. The man stepped in front of her without haste, blocking her view.

Ming Zhu's heart trembled at the familiar pressure and she raised her head to look at him. The man wore an embroidered long gown made of black satin and the belt was white like jade. His body appeared slender, standing upright in the breeze. His long black hair was tied in a jade crown, his features were dignified, his face delicate. From his long and thick eyelashes, fine snowflakes were falling. His eyebrows looked like a painting, his nose bone was full of an heroic air, his closed red lips had some strands of blood and the whole person appeared cold and detached.

The man stretched out his thin and beautiful fingers, wordlessly and slowly tying tighter the cloak around her, and gently patted the snowflakes on her body with his fingers, asking lightly, "You like to come out and be blown by the wind?"

Ming Zhu replied in a whisper, "The plum flowers are in bloom."

She had a dream last night and inevitably remembered again how she died. Thus, naturally, facing him right now she felt hatred for the heartless and fickle man. Nevertheless, Ming Zhu's heart carried more fear than resentment.

How was Zhao Zhi at all like the rumors made him to be, which was a simple-minded and dazzling gentleman ? He did things without showing any emotion and only used methods that could kill someone without leaving any trace. When he talked to you, the tone of his voice was calm and you couldn't see whether he was angry or not.

Zhao Zhi coldly glanced at the maidservant beside her, and then reached out his hand to clasp her fingers, leading her back by the hand. His voice was somewhat cold: "If you want to see the plum blossoms, let the girls break them for you."

Ming Zhu tried to pull her hand out of his palm, but the man exerted more force to tighten his grip.

Ming Zhu, a weak woman, could not resist his strength, "I wanted to come out to get some air."

Zhao Zhi coldly responded with a word: "Hmm."

In fact, it was not possible to hear whether his tone was cold or not, because it seemed that when he spoke it was always this way, cold and indifferent, without ups and downs.

Zhao Zhi didn't come for more than twenty days, and it wasn't entirely because he intended to give her the cold shoulder. There was a blizzard in Jiangnan and he was so busy that he spent several days and nights without sleeping, and he really couldn't pay attention to her.

Moreover, Zhao Zhi ever since childhood liked to suppress his emotions and thus the word self-control became engraved into his bones. When doing anything, there had to be a limit, if anything crossed over the line, that wasn't okay.

Ming Zhu was led back by him to Wangyue Pavilion. As she looked at the man's figure, her eyes became sour. She used to love him so much at that time, yet it was in vain, and he killed her just like that.

She felt aggrieved every time she thought about it. Since he forcibly took her from the Ming family and broke up her engagement, which was excellent, why couldn't he treat her better ?

Zhao Zhi took off his cloak and ordered to the maids, "Go make a bowl of ginger soup for your miss."

Biying and the others immediately went to the kitchen to arrange it.

Only the two of them were left in the room. Zhao Zhi glanced at the books lying on the low table near the soft couch, picked up one and opened two pages randomly, then raised his eyebrows and asked her in a light voice: "These recent days, have you always been reading these books ?"

The smile on his face was unclear.

It seemed like a sneer, and also seemed like a taunt.

It was no wonder then, that during the days he didn't come, she appeared to have lived very comfortably, without any sign of unease. Look at these rosy cheeks, she even gained a pound.

Great, it was really excellent.