CH 126

Villainous Fake Eunuch (3)

As Song Xu Yi approached the carriage house, her drenched clothes clung to her shivering body. She had been running away and didn’t have the luxury of bringing extra clothes or a coat.

Changing her clothes now was out of the question, especially with only two loincloths in her possession.

In this era, traveling long distances was no easy feat, and the only option was to rely on expensive carriage houses. Unfortunately, on this rainy day, business was slow with only a handful of customers waiting for a ride.

Desperate to leave the city, Song Xu Yi was willing to take a detour if it meant a quicker escape.

She had no choice but to brave the cold and damp conditions and hope that she would be able to secure a ride soon.

As Song Xu Yi approached the carriage, she noticed a group of people with haggard faces and tattered clothing surrounding it. They all seemed to be in a hurry, including a woman with red eyes who was desperately pleading with the carriage driver.

“Please, brother, I beg of you. The journey from Lujiazhuang to here is only two days, and we’ve already paid 10% more than the market price. Our relatives are dying, and we need to get to them as soon as possible. Please, I’m begging you to help us,” she pleaded.

The driver’s face showed a mix of embarrassment and sympathy.

“I don’t mean to make things difficult for you, but there’s been a recent outbreak of the plague in Lujiazhuang, and the boss has raised the prices in the past two days. I’m taking a huge risk by making this trip,” he explained.

Both sides were facing their own difficulties, and a stalemate had formed.

Song Xu Yi hesitated at first, feeling a bit apprehensive about the plague that the driver mentioned.

However, upon seeing the devoted-looking men with bloodshot eyes and the almost weeping woman, memories of her own past experiences travelling to tend to her grandmother’s ailments flooded back. With a sigh, she stepped aside and spoke up, “Count me in. I’m also heading to Lujiazhuang.”

“Great! Just give me a moment to settle the bill with the boss,” the driver replied with a sense of relief as Song Xu Yi climbed aboard. With her presence on board, the journey to Lujiazhuang would be a more profitable one.

Despite the loyal demeanor of the men, Song Xu Yi remained vigilant, huddling in a corner and keeping her guard up. She paid her fare in silence and settled in for the journey. The woman beside her cast a sympathetic glance at her drenched figure and, noticing that Song Xu Yi had only a small bag with her, offered a clean shirt from her own luggage. “Sister, it’s clear you’re not from around Lujiazhuang, and I appreciate your kind gesture. Don’t hesitate to decline if it doesn’t suit you. There are rumors of an epidemic in some nearby villages, so do take care not to catch a cold.”

Song Xu Yi was surprised by the woman’s thoughtfulness, but she was too cold to refuse. She thanked the woman and made her way to the courtyard to change her clothes, grateful for the kindness of a stranger.

As Song Xu Yi returned from changing, she was taken aback to find another passenger in the carriage.

The man was unattractive, with a long sword fastened to his waist, and he appeared alarmingly thin, swathed in dark clothing. His face was pallid, almost waxy, as if he were stricken with tuberculosis. He sat motionless in the corner, his eyes almost closed, wearing a frown that etched deep lines into his forehead.

Beside him, a piece of cloth lay on the ground where a sleeve had been cut off. The woman who had lent Song Xu Yi the clothes drew back in terror at the sight of the man, “I’m terribly sorry. I didn’t realize you dislike being touched.”

Song Xu Yi immediately deduced the source of the cut sleeve on the ground.

The man ignored the woman’s nervous apology and instead kept his lips tightly pursed, avoiding eye contact as he remained seated, with half of his face hidden behind the carriage curtain.

The man’s countenance, although waxy and unappealing, seemed to hold a certain charm when bathed in the dim light of the carriage.

Song Xu Yi wondered if her perception was playing tricks on her and quickly averted her gaze.

The other passengers felt apprehensive about the newcomer, but the driver was overjoyed. Having already settled the carriage fees with the owner, the addition of the man brought in a handsome sum of money.

The fact that everyone’s destination was Lujiazhuang and that they wouldn’t need to make any more stops only added to the driver’s contentment.

With a whip of the reins, the driver urged the horses forward. They had a two-day journey ahead, and loitering around the carriage courtyard was not a viable option.

Song Xu Yi surveyed the cramped carriage, noting the limited space available. The woman and several men had already taken up one side, leaving only a sizable gap next to the unsavory man. Despite the woman’s apprehensive gaze, Song Xu Yi took a deep breath and summoned the courage to sit beside the man.

She was mindful not to encroach upon the cold man’s personal space or cause him any discomfort. However, the carriage suddenly jolted, causing Song Xu Yi to stumble and almost tumble onto the man.

His body felt as cold as ice.

“I apologize!” Song Xu Yi quickly pulled back her hand and offered a sincere apology.

The man’s eyelashes fluttered, and he slowly opened his eyes, fixing his gaze on her…

Only then did Song Xu Yi realise that even though this man had a face that looked like no one else’s, his eyes were extremely beautiful, with long, wispy lashes and an upturned tail, like the most graceful stroke in an ink painting…

At this moment, the man himself was as frosty as ice, and he was staring deeply at Song Xu Yi.

“I’m sorry!” When she met the man’s gaze, Song Xu Yi inexplicably felt a bit nervous and could not help but apologize again, carefully shrinking into a ball and sitting beside him.

The carriage was surprisingly quiet as it moved along, probably because of the oppressive aura emanating from the man beside her.

Song Xu Yi couldn’t help but strain her ears to listen for any sounds outside the carriage. The rain was gradually subsiding, but she couldn’t hear the sound of any other carriage behind them.

As the carriage left the city, Song Xu Yi felt a sense of relief, wondering if Gu Ruyu and the others had yet to discover her escape.

Perhaps it was the sudden relaxation of her nerves, but she couldn’t help but sneeze several times.

The dim oil lamp inside the carriage barely illuminated the interior, but the musty smell of dampness was overwhelming, making her nauseous. It seemed like the smell had never bothered her before, but now it was unbearable.

The woman and men across from her were already fast asleep, and not wanting to disturb them, Song Xu Yi covered her mouth and nose with her hand. However, the effort to suppress her sneeze was unbearable, and her eyes started to tear up involuntarily.

The man next to her opened his eyes once again, probably disturbed by her sneezing. He frowned at Song Xu Yi, noticing her teary eyes. After a moment of consideration, he pursed his lips, furrowed his brows, and retrieved a water bag from his travel bag. Holding it out to Song Xu Yi, he spoke in a cold tone, “Drink.”

For the first time since they met, the man opened his mouth, and his voice sounded as rough as gravel, as if he had something lodged in his throat.

Song Xu Yi took a glance at the water bag, noticing that it appeared to be untouched and new. Despite her hesitation about drinking from a stranger, the man’s unblinking gaze made her feel obliged to accept the offer.

She uncorked the stopper and took a sip, mindful of the man’s displayed cleanliness.

The water bag was filled with a mixture of sleeping and anti-cold herbs, making it almost overpowering in smell, which nearly caused Song Xu Yi to choke on the first sip. However, she took another sip and felt a warm sensation rising from her chest, making her feel slightly better.

After drinking, Song Xu Yi returned the water bag to the man. The man looked at her with a cold indifference, with his eyes looking downcast and turned away, closing them once more.

Song Xu Yi quietly retracted her hand.

— Based on the man’s fastidiousness, he probably didn’t want the water bag anymore.

“Thank you,” Song Xu Yi whispered, thinking that since the man didn’t want the water bag, she might as well finish it all. She opened the water bag and took a few more sips. Perhaps due to the potency of the herbs, she let out a soft yawn and soon felt drowsy.

“Xu Yi,” the system in her mind suddenly spoke in a hesitant tone: “I sense something peculiar, but I’m not entirely certain. I’m feeling a bit apprehensive…”

“Hmm?” Song Xu Yi struggled to keep her eyes open and replied to the system’s words, “What’s happening?”

“Forget it,” the system said, gazing at Song Xu Yi, whose eyelids were battling, and then at the man with the waxen face beside her. “You can rest for a while. I may have made a misjudgment in my perception when I traversed time and space.”

Otherwise, how could it sense that the unremarkable man next to Song Xu Yi was actually Gu Ruyu in a world without immortal cultivation?

……

The rudimentary system was oblivious to the existence of disguise techniques in this world, and decided to observe the strange, emaciated man for a while longer. It planned to warn Song Xu Yi about him the next day when she woke up, advising her to steer clear of the man as much as possible.

However, events took an unexpected turn.

The following day, Song Xu Yi remained asleep until late, despite several attempts by the system to rouse her.

Upon seeing her flushed cheeks and haggard appearance, the system realized with a sinking feeling that she had succumbed to the rain-induced illness.

The man next to her appeared to have taken notice of her condition as well, and cast a perplexed glance at her for a few moments, his brows furrowed in concern.

“Dear me, what do we do now?”

The woman sitting across from Song Xu Yi let out a heavy sigh. “This poor young lady, with such delicate skin and flesh, must have faced some sort of trouble to seek refuge in this carriage house during such heavy rain…But alas, the world outside is far from kind. With no village ahead and no shop behind, our only option is to head to Wangjiazhuang to seek medical attention and buy some medicine.”

She reached out to feel Song Xu Yi’s forehead, but the man’s cold eyes staring at her made her skin crawl. After hesitating for a while, she withdrew her hand, her eyes flickering with sympathy and apology as she looked at Song Xu Yi.

Meanwhile, Song Xu Yi remained unaware of the conversation going on in the carriage.

Her mind was hazy, her body burning with an unexplainable discomfort.

At first, her instincts warned Song Xu Yi to keep her distance, but the throbbing ache in her head and the chills running through her body drove her to seek comfort. Slowly, she inched closer.

Step by step, Song Xu Yi shuffled in her oversized, dull grey dress, sniffling and with a bright red nose, resembling a plump little bunny.

However, the closer she got, the more the iceberg retreated, its frigid aura seemingly repulsing her.

As the feverish heat consumed her, Song Xu Yi’s resolve crumbled. She reached out with both arms and clung to the iceberg, using her hands and feet to embrace it tightly.

As she pressed her cheek against the icy surface, Song Xu Yi felt the frigid coldness seeping into her bones, and a contented smile spread across her face as she nuzzled against the iceberg in blissful relief.

“Hiss–“

A sharp intake of breath echoed inside the carriage, as the woman shivered from the sudden drop in temperature. She watched with bated breath as Song Xu Yi clung onto the man’s arm like a koala, and the man’s expression darkened with each passing second.

The creases between his brows deepened, and his lips were pursed in a thin line, as if suppressing an urge to push her away.

The woman braced herself for the worst, expecting the man to forcefully remove Song Xu Yi’s grip. Even the system in Song Xu Yi’s mind was alarmed, desperately trying to rouse her from her slumber, but to no avail.

Just as the tension in the air became almost palpable, the man’s eyes flickered with an unfamiliar emotion, and he slowly reached out a hand–

Was he going to throttle the poor girl’s neck?

The woman balled her fists, barely able to watch any longer.

However, to everyone’s surprise, despite his impatience and palpable murderous aura, the man gently and awkwardly placed his hand on the girl’s head and uttered a disgruntled “troublesome”…

What in the world…?!

The woman gaped at the man, scrutinizing his every move until she was sure that he had no intention of tossing Song Xu Yi out. Only then did her heart, which had been lodged in her throat, finally loosen.

The woman’s mind raced with worry and apprehension, as she thought about the worst possible scenario.

However, as she looked at Song Xu Yi’s peaceful face, her fears slowly dissipated. The young girl was like a serene sleeping angel, completely unaware of the chaos and danger that surrounded her.

The woman couldn’t help but envy the girl’s youthful beauty, and compared it to her own aged features, which lacked the same charm and allure. She realized that this little girl, with her delicate features and innocent eyes, would effortlessly win the hearts of many.

With a deep sigh, the woman’s tense body finally relaxed, as she reassured herself that the little girl would be okay.

The author has something to say:

Gu Ruyu: I just think that as a princess, she shouldn’t go too far, it’s not because I think she’s cute!!!

Don’t misunderstand!!!