Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 304 Second Update

Chapter 304: Chapter 304 Second Update

Zheng Nianru suddenly grabbed onto Zheng Congyuan’s hand, but the next moment, she slowed down her pace, as if she was naturally moved by the man’s words.

"Mm, with brother here, what else do I have to worry about?" Zheng Nianru nodded her head earnestly, as if the action of grabbing the hand was meant to underline what she wanted to say.

Zheng Congyuan wanted to pull back his hand, but the soft pads of her fingers pressed upon his, and Zheng Congyuan looked down to see Zheng Nianru’s pair of serious and earnest eyes.

Zheng Congyuan was momentarily dazed; he had thought wrong – Nian Ru’s joy and hatred only lasted a moment and were always evident on her face, even her lies came with a distinctive expression, which he could clearly see and easily discern.

So, the young girl before him was merely trying to seriously communicate that she wasn’t worried.

Zheng Congyuan suddenly felt it was not enough; he needed to distract his mind.

"You also need not worry about Zong Sheng Residence, when the opportunity comes, I will bestow you with a noble title even higher than that of the Princely Heir. Seeing the face of the Zheng Imperial Family, the Zong Sheng Aristocratic Family would not make things difficult for you," Zheng Congyuan continued to speak.

"Brother, what don’t you know?" Zheng Nianru said, showing a deflated expression, as if her little schemes had been found out.

Zheng Congyuan gave a silent laugh, belatedly catching on; Nian Ru would naturally not treat herself unfairly when it came to things like her dowry, which would only make more sense after it was handled by Prince Duan. Even if there were troubles in the future, she, Zheng Nianru, wouldn’t need to rely on the Zong Sheng Residence to make a living.

"Brother, you don’t know, today I was jostled by a guard of the Imperial Forest Guard; it still hurts a bit. If you don’t believe me, touch here," Zheng Nianru suddenly spoke up, as if the motion of turning her waist had reminded her of the injury there, and she directly placed Zheng Congyuan’s hand, which she had been holding onto, at her waist.

Zheng Congyuan’s head roared, instinctively wanting to retract his hand, but the softness of her fingertips was already pressing on his fingertips; the softness at her waist immediately overwhelmed all of his senses.

"It hurts, it hurts here—," Zheng Nianru stated even more earnestly.

Zheng Congyuan was trapped in a tumult of conflicting emotions, his eyes trembling faintly, not daring to settle.

"Does it hurt here?" Zheng Congyuan scrabbled through his mind for knowledge about waist injuries, completely forgetting he was not a physician and didn’t even know the basic diagnostic methods.

"It seems to hurt here too—" Zheng Nianru’s tone changed as she even voluntarily created some distance, allowing Zheng Congyuan, engulfed in the scorching air, to finally catch his breath and reclaim a sliver of reason leaking into his mind.

"Nian Ru, how about I find a physician..."

"Don’t," Zheng Nianru immediately looked up, her eyes filled with entreaty, "first, it’s so late, we can’t have your people disturb Father; secondly, it wasn’t anything good to begin with, and Father would certainly inquire how I got the waist injury, and then..."

Zheng Nianru lowered her head, the very picture of forbearance and suffering.

"I think it’s nothing serious, it just hurts a bit when I turn, maybe I just twisted it?" Zheng Nianru continued to speak about her sore waist, guiding Zheng Congyuan’s fingers to gently touch atop the thin silk.

Zheng Congyuan took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

"Brother, over these years, you and I have been the closest. I naturally only dare to tell you," Zheng Nianru added another sentence, her head lowered, not even looking at Zheng Congyuan. "Those people from the Imperial Forest Guard are truly too audacious; they almost want to strut around Zheng Capital with their noses in the air."

Zheng Congyuan’s gaze became complicated, wanting to say something, but the next moment, he felt like he was overthinking it. Nian Ru was just inside Qishun Building, where reading, writing, and pursuits such as chess and painting were all done haphazardly. The only thing she showed some interest in was embroidery, and even with those sketchbooks, she would only look at simple and amusing ones.

Therefore, she was as uncomplicated as a lotus emerging from clear waters, and all she could depend on was this closer-than-usual sibling affection.

"Does it hurt here too?" With that thought, Zheng Congyuan’s hand finally found its own strength; he pinched the flesh at her waist, firm and soft and endearingly delicate, a sensation Zheng Congyuan had never experienced before.

"I do feel a bit of pain," Zheng Nianru nodded seriously, her hands blocking the ones that were reaching for her back, placed on either side.

"It hurts on both sides, I don’t feel it when I’m sitting, but once I stand up, I can feel it," Zheng Nianru said playfully.

"What are your people doing?" Zheng Congyuan, seeing that Zheng Nianru was being truly descriptive, couldn’t help but complain. Xing Yu was strong, how could she fail to protect her own Commandery Princess?

Indeed, although Xing Yu was special, she was still young, and not very thoughtful, so naturally, she made mistakes.

"The situation was too chaotic at that time," Zheng Nianru suddenly pushed Zheng Congyuan’s hands away, frowning slightly as if Zheng Congyuan’s squeeze had pained her, her face creasing.

Zheng Congyuan had no other thoughts.

"Why don’t you sit down, and I’ll massage it for you?" Zheng Congyuan said, then immediately felt it wasn’t appropriate, but then again, considering all her maids were unreliable, except maybe Fu Dong.

"How about I let Fu Dong come in to give you a massage?" Zheng Congyuan offered, but still felt it might not be appropriate.

"No, she got hit in the arm by a chair from Miss Wen’s family while blocking in front of me today. I sent her to rest early," Zheng Nianru wouldn’t let him have his way.

"It’s better to lie down. Brother, please help me massage it," Zheng Nianru patted her waist and lay down seriously.

Zheng Congyuan didn’t want to go over, but his legs took a step towards her first.

"Does it hurt here?" Zheng Congyuan placed his hand where it hurt just before. If it were really painful, Nianru would have cried out already. In front of him, even the slightest pain would have her complaining as if it was five times worse, so it seems it was just a strain.

He hadn’t seen the scene with his own eyes, but based on what Ju Nanyi described, the two adjoining rooms were a mess, with shattered bowls and dishes everywhere, broken furniture and branches, and even the windows gone. Zheng Congyuan knew it must be Xing Yu’s doing.

In such chaos, no matter how well Nianru was protected, it was inevitable that she would strain muscles during the scuffle.

"I reckon it’s not a big problem. I’ll give it a massage today, and tomorrow, I’ll have Nanny Yun and Nian Xia help you with it. I’ll send for a physician first thing in the morning and say you strained your back while sleeping at night—nothing serious," Zheng Congyuan said, his fingers caressing her tender, smooth skin, all the while listening to Zheng Nianru’s earnest replies.

"And here too," Zheng Nianru’s hand unconsciously guided his, slowly moving along her waist. Zheng Congyuan dared not look elsewhere, desperately needing to say something to ease the inexplicable restlessness in his heart.

"Brother, the Eldest Madam Zong truly is difficult to deal with," she said.

Zheng Congyuan smiled, was she only realizing this now? Presumably, his concerns earlier had not yet crossed her mind.

"I think I’ll need to bring more of my own people with me when I marry. If that really doesn’t work, I just won’t go to the Northwest Border from Zheng Capital—"

"Nonsense, if you don’t go to the Northwest..." Zheng Congyuan suddenly stopped, why hadn’t he considered the possibility of her not going to the Northwest Border before?

Zheng Nianru’s hand slowly moved up, still holding onto Zheng Congyuan’s.

"If I don’t go to the Northwest Border, I can stay with Father Emperor, and see you. Where I’ll be going, I won’t know anyone, no one will help me..."

"Nian Ru, about this matter..." Zheng Congyuan’s mind snapped back to reality, the momentary thrill replaced by a calm determination to ensure that everything was settled flawlessly...