Reborn as Powerful Minister's Beloved
Chapter 397 - 376 Second Update

Chapter 397: Chapter 376 Second Update

The room was steeped in silence, where the drop of a pin could be heard. Zheng Nianru was anticipating an answer, but with the answer from her past life already known, what was there left to look forward to?

Zheng Nianru let out a laugh, unwilling to wait for Zheng Congyuan’s lengthy discourse from a moral high ground—those doctrines of family virtues, state affairs, each word making her feel breathless. Zheng Nianru wanted to leave, finding herself inexplicably doing so, as senseless as the things she did that day.

She wanted to see how Zheng Congyuan would react upon her death. In this life, she was determined not to die after Zheng Congyuan.

"Nian Ru, you are still young, there are some things..." Zheng Congyuan began, but she wasn’t even clear about what she wanted; the luxury and material enjoyment in front of her were not enough. Once she had them, she would want something even better. No matter how fine her clothes were, even if they were unique, the next time she would still want better ones.

Even so, she wouldn’t be happy, recklessly splurging emotions, unable to find an outlet. One day, she would grow indifferent to what she now had, and start to think about marriage and childbirth, about giving her children a legitimate status.

Zheng Nianru laughed helplessly and abruptly, even her words sounded the same as before. So, even if she tested him with her death, the answer would still be the same.

Zheng Nianru couldn’t believe it, didn’t want to believe it. Clearly, she saw the emotions in Zheng Congyuan’s eyes, his yearning, his desire.

"Zheng Congyuan, what if I died right now?" Zheng Nianru suddenly spoke, not wanting to hear what Zheng Congyuan would say next; she was tired of it, and it was still the ending she could not change.

Even if she took away the state and the world he talked about, she still couldn’t have him.

"Nian Ru, don’t say such things—" Zheng Congyuan immediately stopped, some lies seemed to linger, as if the Zheng Nianru in front of him still had aspects he couldn’t understand. Over the years, he had convinced himself that his choices were the most correct amongst reluctant decisions...

"Zheng Congyuan, just like today..." Zheng Nianru stepped forward decisively toward the screen, clearly hearing the sound of water behind it. Without slowing down, she rushed in to see Zheng Congyuan, who had already stepped out of the bathtub. His clothes, just thrown on, were soaked with dripping water, and before he could put on another outer garment, the woman had embraced him.

Zheng Congyuan’s hand paused in the air, somewhat helplessly.

"Nian Ru, it’s not as you think, there’s much more to consider with this status, I’ve thought about it..." Zheng Congyuan slowly started to say.

"I’d rather die right now, and you still care so much? I will die tomorrow, yes, tomorrow I will die," Zheng Nianru said spitefully. She had no intention of dying before him; she must not in this lifetime.

"Nonsense! You’re not going to die," Zheng Congyuan felt a pang in his heart, and the motion to push Zheng Nianru away paused mid-air. In the past, if Zheng Nianru had said such things, he would have stopped her; he wouldn’t have allowed anything to happen to her.

But, after the disappearance at Golden Spirit Mountain and today’s events, Zheng Congyuan suddenly realized that he really could lose her. This awareness drove him nearly mad, to the point where he could scarcely breathe, and he was nearly prepared to follow her immediately.

So, he would lose her. The first time he had harbored hope it was just an accident, but this time, he realized accidents were everywhere, ready to snatch away the person he had carefully protected until now.

Therefore, every word the girl said hammered into his heart.

"Zheng Congyuan, I will die. Even if not right now, if I’m lucky, I will die a few decades later. Life is just a few short decades, do you want to live every day in such pain?" Zheng Nianru empathized, as every day she was alive was an ordeal, unbearably dull and tasteless.

Zheng Congyuan didn’t speak, looking at the darkness that the candlelight couldn’t illuminate, watching the misty steam trying to cover up all truths. What Nian Ru said, he knew all too well.

"Nian Ru, you..." Zheng Congyuan didn’t know how to start. Wishing for a long life? Then, to endure agony like his every single day?

"Zheng Congyuan, just think of it as if I’m going to die tomorrow, and tonight’s the last night I’m alive. Don’t ponder the future; there is no future for us, no future at all. To live one more day is a day earned," Nian Ru said slowly. It took her a long time to come up with these words. She couldn’t see through issues as clearly as Zheng Congyuan and convincing him wasn’t so easy.

However, she saw the path ahead clearly, and she’d walked through their inevitable tragic ending already. If it wasn’t good, and since it wasn’t, why not just close her eyes and live it day by day.

Nian Ru didn’t give him a chance to speak.

"I was about to die today, and at that moment, I suddenly felt that if I really was going to die, the only thing I couldn’t let go of was you. I resented but had to accept it. From then on, I’d regard every day I lived as time snatched from the jaws of death, as time won back," Nian Ru continued.

Zheng Congyuan stayed silent, and after a long sigh, he slowly raised his hand to Nian Ru’s shoulder and tightened his grip, savoring the presence of the one he desired in his arms. Every cell of his body seemed reborn, an unprecedented feeling of solidity he’d never felt before.

"Nian Ru, don’t worry, I have a plan—" he’d schemed over and over again. Although it might come at a cost, that didn’t mean it wasn’t feasible.

"Mmm—" Nian Ru wasn’t in a rush, contentedly leaning against his chest, behaving properly for the first time, calm and unhurried, not eager to prove anything as if the years were peacefully passing, as if all was bright and luminous.

...

"Your Highness, Lord Ju has regained consciousness—" early in the morning, Qi Zhu came in excitedly to report.

Zheng Congyuan nodded; he’d already received a report at dawn. The fact that Ju Nanyi’s breathing had stabilized was unexpected. However, having saved Nian Ru, Ju’s career from now on was bound to go smoothly.

Zheng Congyuan, accompanied by Qi Ling and Qi Zhu, made a personal visit; the Crown Prince had arrived early as well, and Housekeeper He, along with the house servants, brought many nutritious gifts piled up in the room.

"Your Highness—" Ju Nanyi tried to get up from the bed, but the Crown Prince stopped him the next moment.

"You’ve escaped death, no need to stand on ceremony, just lie down properly," Zheng Congyuan said, then turned toward Yu Yuan standing by.

"Your Highness, in the morning, Master Yu Sheng paid a visit and said that Lord Ju’s condition has improved. With proper rest and care, he will be able to get out of bed," Yu Yuan said excitedly.

"Indeed, Lord Ju is a blessed man and has also saved my life," Prince Duan said with emotion. Though his life was not in danger, looking at Ju Nanyi’s condition, it would take at least a month in bed and gradual healing before being able to walk as normal people do.

Ju Nanyi didn’t speak, only glanced at Yu Yuan with a pale face. To outsiders, he seemed too weak to talk.

Ju Nanyi was still looking at Yu Yuan. He recognized him, yet it was as if he didn’t. He remembered that when he had met Yu Yuan, it was not in this present time, nor when he was of this age, and especially not before he was married.

Similarly, before his marriage, his visits to Prince Duan’s Mansion were limited, and he certainly would never have been lying in Prince Duan’s Mansion.

He didn’t even know how he got injured, or why he was injured at all.

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