Chapter 530: 402. There is no woman in the world who cannot be coaxed [7K, extra update for monthly votes!]

402. There is no woman in the world who cannot be coaxed 【7K, extra update for monthly votes!】

"Has the Magistrate finished yet? I have been waiting from yesterday until today. I am not an idler like you, who can hide a beauty in a golden house while handling official business, going to eat every meal, showing concern for everyone, and not neglecting a single one."

"Quick, Sister Xiuniang and Lady Pei are coming back soon."

After a pause, a voice belonging to Ouyang Rong said helplessly:

"What Magistrate or not? Don't call me that, Official Historian Rong. It feels strange."

"Hmph."

The next day, at the entrance of the quiet courtyard.

After a torrential downpour from yesterday afternoon through the night, today the sun was shining brightly.

In the morning, Ouyang Rong and Rong Zhen arrived at the quiet courtyard again, stopping in an alley not far from the gate to wait quietly.

This was their appointment from yesterday.

Today, Rong Zhen had changed back into that plain, monotonous white palace dress. Standing in the alley with her hands tucked, she said coldly:

"Magistrate, please hurry up. Why are you acting like you're hiding a treasure? You're afraid she'll break if you hold her in your hand, and afraid she'll melt if you keep her in your mouth. Making it so troublesome for me to even take a look—do you have a guilty conscience, or do you not trust me?"

"If I didn't trust you, I wouldn't have let you come, Official Historian Rong. It's just that Xiuniang's situation is special and she needs quiet rest. You'll understand once you see her in a moment."

After speaking, Ouyang Rong looked at the cold, frost-like palace girl beside him and sighed:

"Are you still not over your anger, Official Historian Rong?"

Rong Zhen immediately turned her head, her words spilling out like a string of pearls:

"Angry? Angry about what? Where am I angry? Which eye of yours saw me angry? I'm not angry, I'm not angry at all. I'm just handling official business. In my opinion, it's you, Magistrate, who has too much selfishness, to the point where you've forgotten what official business is."

"I haven't forgotten. As I said, Xiuniang's matter is indeed a private matter, but it won't delay official business, nor will it affect the completion of the Donglin Great Buddha. I have always kept this in mind."

Rong Zhen drooped her eyelids, looking ahead with her hands tucked into her sleeves: "I hope so."

Ouyang Rong also stood with his hands tucked into his sleeves.

The two of them, one tall and one short, one calm and one sulking, were a green robe paired with a white skirt, both standing side by side with their hands tucked.

If an outsider were to pass through the alley at this moment, they would certainly take a few extra looks; the pairing was surprisingly harmonious and left a deep impression.

Unfortunately, the parties involved were unaware of it.

After reviewing and thinking for a night, Ouyang Rong had roughly figured some things out and took the initiative to say:

"Thinking about it carefully, it's normal to be angry. Yesterday, my Xiao Shimei did indeed say some things that were inappropriate; she shouldn't have judged others so arbitrarily. I am here to apologize to you, Official Historian Rong, and I hope you are magnanimous and won't take offense."

Rong Zhen asked back:

"Weren't you looking for those broken umbrellas at the time? How do you know what we talked about?"

Ouyang Rong coughed: "I learned a little bit from Lady Pei."

Rong Zhen glanced at him sideways.

Just then, both of them fell silent and looked toward the corner of the street at the same time.

A luxurious carriage drove over and stopped in front of the quiet courtyard.

From the carriage, a beautiful woman in a purple-gold shawl stepped down first, and she turned to help a young girl inside the carriage get out.

The girl was delicate and lovely, her eyes covered by a sky-blue silk ribbon. She wore a white jade hairpin that chimed with a "Longling" sound and held a green jade staff. She landed lightly. She seemed to be mute, making a gesture of thanks to the beautiful woman in the purple-gold shawl, who smiled and helped her into the quiet courtyard...

It took only about ten breaths for the two women, one big and one small, to get out of the carriage and enter the courtyard.

But Rong Zhen watched intently, and Ouyang Rong noticed that she didn't even blink.

Especially when the delicate girl stepped out of the carriage, Rong Zhen's gaze fell mostly on the white jade hairpin on her head that made a special sound as the pendant swayed, and of course, on the green jade staff in her hand.

The blind and mute girl was sent into the courtyard.

The beautiful woman in the purple-gold shawl returned, boarded the luxurious carriage, and slowly drove away.

The two people standing in the alley made no sound throughout the whole process, nor were they discovered.

After a long while, Ouyang Rong asked:

"Did you see her?"

"Yes."

"Then there's no need for me to explain."

Rong Zhen nodded indifferently: "No wonder you cherish her so much, and didn't want to bring me over to disturb her."

Ouyang Rong shook his head: "It's not about disturbing, it's just that Xiuniang, she..." His tone was slightly hesitant.

Rong Zhen suddenly asked: "Does she not know your specific position?"

"More or less. She only knows my name, not my courtesy name."

Rong Zhen said softly:

"To be crowned and given a courtesy name is to respect one's name. One uses their name before the sovereign and teachers, but others use the courtesy name. You are already a Magistrate of a prefecture; apart from the sovereign, teachers, or your own humility, who would dare to call your name in public?"

Ouyang Rong was silent.

In the Great Zhou Dynasty, a "courtesy name" was not something ordinary people could have. One had to be a person of status, position, or culture—at least one of them. It was a convention among the noble scholar class and, in a sense, a threshold for entering that circle.

Because after a man turned twenty, he had the way of being a father, so he was crowned and given a courtesy name.

Once one had a "courtesy name," friends of the same generation or juniors could not call him by his name directly. If one were to call him by his name in public, it would be seen as great disrespect and very offensive.

For a subordinate to a superior, or a lowly person to a respected one, especially the names of the sovereign or one's own parents and elders, one could not even mention them, otherwise, it would be treasonous.

Ouyang Rong's courtesy name, "Lianghan," was given by his mentor Xie Xun when he was studying at the Bai Lu Dong Academy, taken from the line, "The Zhou state is all happy, Rong has a good pillar."

A teacher giving a courtesy name was a form of recognition of status and the inheritance of a literary lineage.

Otherwise, why say "a teacher for a day is a father for life"? He could give you a "courtesy name" directly to use for the rest of your life; that was the right of naming. If he were to use it randomly on purpose, insisting on calling you a strange name like "Goudan" by citing classics, then you'd be finished...

Those from long ago like Tao Qian, or those closer like Watching Yuan Huaimin, all used "Surname" plus "Courtesy Name."

Watching Yuan Huaimin also had a name, but Ouyang Rong, as a close friend, didn't know it either; he was used to calling him by his courtesy name every day.

When Watching Yuan Huaimin went out to serve as an official, he also went out under his "courtesy name." His name was probably only known to the elders in his clan. Even Yi Chong, who was frustrated that he couldn't live up to expectations, didn't call it out when they met last time and he went on a rampage to beat him up.

As for Tao Qian, his name was "Qian." Actually, one could understand it this way: when that Great Lady with hair like a candle scolded him for being a thief, she called him by his name directly, showing how angry she was.

"So you were afraid that if I met her face-to-face, she would notice our identities and also figure out yours?"

Ouyang Rong frowned and didn't speak.

Rong Zhen chuckled: "Your great name, Ouyang Lianghan, should be quite famous. Like me, you are regarded as a traitor to the court by the Yunmeng Yue women and the rebels of the Tiannan Jianghu."

Ouyang Rong shook his head: "Xiuniang is different from them."

"Yes, she is indeed different."

Rong Zhen nodded again, word by word:

"Judging from the last time your child bride taught your personal maid Ye Weilai the sword move 'Virgin Splitting the View,' she should be a Yue woman of the Great Lady level. How could she be the same as an ordinary Yue woman? What's strange is, why is a Yue woman of the Great Lady level so miserable? Is it innate, or did she fall into this state later? Regardless, it's truly pitiful."

Ouyang Rong didn't know if he was tacitly agreeing or just didn't want to talk more about this matter, so he asked:

"Is there anything else you want to ask or see, Official Historian Rong?"

Rong Zhen watched him for a while and asked:

"How do you plan to deal with her?"

Ouyang Rong lowered his eyes:

"After clearing the whole city last time, there are no more eyes and ears of the Yunmeng Sword Swamp around Xiuniang. She is blind and mute and cannot contact the outside world, so she can be considered as having lost contact. I will accompany her well and not let her wade into muddy waters again."

"You have indeed cut off all her connections with that side, but what if she secretly or stubbornly gets involved? Can you stop her?"

Ouyang Rong was silent for a long time, then said softly:

"I promised her that I would take her back to the Huaiye Lane residence to attend my aunt's birthday ceremony. I will never break my word, and Xiuniang also promised that she would try her best."

Rong Zhen squinted at him and said:

"No wonder you didn't let her know your courtesy name and official position."

She suggested by drawing inferences:

"Then don't let her know the date when the Donglin Great Buddha is completed..."

Ouyang Rong didn't speak and walked forward with his hands tucked.

Rong Zhen stopped halfway, turned her head to examine Ouyang Rong's calm and peaceful face, and suddenly laughed at herself:

"I'm actually giving you advice. Hmph, you must have planned this long ago for such things, no need for others to say more. It was me who made a fool of myself."

"No, your suggestion is very useful, Official Historian Rong. I have learned from it."

Rong Zhen was still frowning and thinking. After realizing it, she asked:

"When was your aunt's birthday ceremony originally scheduled?"

Ouyang Rong was quiet for a while before saying: "A day or two after the Donglin Great Buddha is completed."

Rong Zhen's eyes became meaningful:

"Well done, Ouyang Lianghan. So you were prepared long ago. Getting stuck at this juncture, the timing is exquisite. Do you want to use this matter to stabilize her? Drag it out until the Great Buddha is built, then your child bride will have to fulfill the agreement no matter what and go home with you."

Ouyang Rong looked ahead, calm and silent.

He didn't know what he was thinking either.

Rong Zhen withdrew her gaze: "You are presiding over the construction of the Great Buddha, so you should have a count in your heart for the day it is completed."

Ouyang Rong softly reported a tentative date, and Rong Zhen frowned and thought carefully.

Just then, Ouyang Rong suddenly asked:

"Official Historian Rong just said that you sent a team of female officials to lurk and investigate, and discovered that there was a suspected Yue woman in this courtyard of mine. After observing for a while, didn't they tell you that Xiuniang is a blind and mute woman?"

Rong Zhen didn't move her gaze, was quiet for a while, and said:

"They were incompetent. I will punish them when I go back. Does the Magistrate have any other instructions?"

Ouyang Rong shook his head and took an extra look at her.

Rong Zhen had already turned around and walked toward the distance.

Ouyang Rong followed her and left the quiet courtyard.

On the way, Rong Zhen, who had been pondering for a long time, spoke again:

"Actually, there is one thing you have never considered."

"What thing?"

"Your safety. Even if she is your former child bride and has old friendship, you are currently presiding over the Donglin Great Buddha and have issued an order to restrict Yue women. You are a thorn in the side of the Yunmeng Sword Swamp and a traitorous official of the court... Have you not considered your own safety? Keeping such an unstable factor by your side, even if you trust her, a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall. You should understand this principle."

Ouyang Rong smiled:

"I already owe Xiuniang a life. If she wants to take it, let her take it."

Rong Zhen couldn't help but turn her head, looked at the man beside her who was free and easy, and asked:

"But what about your responsibilities? His Majesty entrusted you with a heavy responsibility and sent you to build the statue, and the Prince of Xunyang also relies on you to earn credit. If you are gone, what about your responsibilities?"

This question made Ouyang Rong's expression more serious:

"Actually, these days, delegating power to Caozhi and the others... is also for a reason. I have already taught you how to build the Donglin Great Buddha. The same goes for Xunyang City. Lin Cheng has left, and the Great Buddha at Xingzi Lake has been abandoned, but the hearts of the people in Xunyang City are still there. As long as there is this heart of the people, the court can still erect a Great Buddha in Xunyang City. This is the soil, and it is indispensable."

Rong Zhen couldn't help but look sideways after hearing this.

At some point, she suddenly interrupted Ouyang Rong, who was talking eloquently, and asked:

"Then what about me?"

Ouyang Rong was stunned.

Under his gaze, Rong Zhen said softly:

"You promised to teach me the zither music, and the essence hidden in the zither music by Senior Yu. You promised that you would teach me until I learned it. If you are gone, who will teach me?"

Ouyang Rong slowly frowned, as if he was also seriously thinking about this question.

He first tentatively asked:

"So Official Historian Rong has agreed to this condition, and you are not angry about today's matter?"

Rong Zhen didn't answer, keeping a cold face.

Ouyang Rong felt a sense of relief.

There are two kinds of silence for women: one is anger, and the other is tacit consent.

"Official Historian Rong didn't say that it's best to grasp this essence before the Donglin Great Buddha is completed. I will spend more time and strive to teach you, Official Historian Rong, in these days. Even if I am gone later, at least I won't have broken my promise."

Rong Zhen criticized coldly:

"Why do you like to say such discouraging words so much? Do you know that this is unlucky?"

Ouyang Rong smiled:

"Then why does Official Historian Rong like to keep a bitter face so much? Do you know that this is also unlucky? Come, smile, and you'll be ten years younger."

"I don't need to be younger, I'm already very young."

Ouyang Rong couldn't help but look at her height and nodded in understanding.

She threatened without looking back:

"If you look again, I'll gouge out your eyes."

Ouyang Rong shifted his gaze.

At this time, Rong Zhen's voice came from the front:

"Also, Ouyang Lianghan, confidence is a good thing, but having too big a mouth and speaking too fully is not very good. Do you know how difficult that zither music essence is? You promised so easily? Even Senior Yu wouldn't dare to guarantee that he could definitely teach me."

Ouyang Rong was about to speak when he was interrupted by Rong Zhen's disdainful sneer:

"Don't tell me you're really going to teach for a lifetime? You have time to teach, but I don't have time to learn. However, since you have already promised, you must teach until I learn. You said it yourself. I want to see how you fulfill it. Before that, hmph, you are not allowed to die too early, understand?"

Perhaps because he was used to it, Ouyang Rong suddenly felt that these hot and sarcastic words were surprisingly... not unpleasant or harsh.

The two were silent.

Rong Zhen walked forward for a while, then spoke again:

"I'm a little curious, how did you actually meet her?"

Hearing this, Ouyang Rong showed some smiles and told the story again of how he had attracted Xiuniang by mistake with the special sound of the white jade hairpin at Chengtian Temple that day.

Rong Zhen listened quietly, occasionally glancing at his enthusiastic expression.

After a while, she nodded slowly:

"Chengtian Temple, then it makes sense... Besides, this white jade hairpin turned out to be a token within your mother's clan and has symbolic significance. Looking at it this way, it is indeed only suitable for women of your own clan. It should be given to her. No wonder your little Xiao Shimei didn't mind this matter. Plus, your child bride is blind and mute, which is indeed quite pitiful... Hmph, consider yourself lucky."

Ouyang Rong scratched his head with a sheepish smile.

Hua Xuanji, he heard Rong Zhen beside him ask for no reason:

"Does a child bride count as a childhood sweetheart?"

Ouyang Rong wondered: "I suppose so. Why does Official Historian Rong ask this?"

Rong Zhen immediately showed a mocking expression:

"I'm just envious of Magistrate Ouyang. Today's matter has been resolved peacefully, and you've solved the problem with your Xiao Shimei. Can you start enjoying the blessings of having both?"

Ouyang Rong shook his head speechlessly.

"There's one thing."

Rong Zhen brought up the topic and changed the subject:

"If it weren't for today's matter, I was planning to wait until you went to the Xunyang Grottoes to talk about it."

Ouyang Rong immediately became interested:

"Please speak, Official Historian Rong."

Rong Zhen pondered for a moment and spoke slowly...

By the side of Xingzi Lake, it was very quiet, as long as the wind brushed over the lake surface, blowing out ripples.

After Ouyang Rong finished listening, his eyes lit up slightly, and he couldn't help but look at Rong Zhen:

"Good idea. Did you think of it yourself, Official Historian Rong?"

"More or less. I discussed it with Senior Song yesterday, and we both felt it was feasible, so I came to ask you if it's appropriate and if you can cooperate on your side."

Ouyang Rong didn't hesitate much and said directly:

"Yes, what a good smokescreen..." After a pause, he pondered for a moment and said: "Then we not only have to release false news to confuse them, but also confuse our own people."

Rong Zhen nodded gently: "Yes, it can only be limited to a few of us, and some of the craftsmen at the Xunyang Grottoes construction site will know."

Ouyang Rong said thoughtfully:

"However, what should come may still come. We must be prepared for the worst-case scenario where the smokescreen is useless."

"Agreed."

"Are you sure, Official Historian Rong, that once the Donglin Great Buddha is successfully landed, the Tiannan Jianghu side will have no way to turn the tide? Can we withstand the subsequent sudden counterattack?"

Rong Zhen was quiet for a moment, then nodded forcefully:

"Yes. Let me put it this way: the Donglin Great Buddha itself is an important part of this defensive deployment. It must be built before it can exert its maximum strength.

"So the Astronomical Bureau has always been worried, fearing that the Tiannan Jianghu side would not follow the usual path and break in early."

"No wonder this smokescreen was set up. If the Great Buddha lands early, they will have no way to turn the tide."

Rong Zhen sneered:

"Exactly. If they dare to break in, they will be trapped and unable to escape, with no return, in coordination with the existing targeted defense."

"Good. But we must be careful about Wei Shaoqi's side. They have a strange scroll."

"Don't worry, one by one, everything has been calculated in advance."

"That's fine."

Ouyang Rong echoed, and after seeing Rong Zhen sneer, she tucked her hands and walked forward without saying anything more.

He couldn't help but ask:

"Apart from this matter, is there anything else you want to say, Official Historian Rong?"

Rong Zhen asked back: "What else do you want? Isn't this matter important enough?"

"It's important, but..."

"But what?"

"Official Historian Rong promised me one thing the night before last. I thought you were going to talk about it."

"What thing?"

"The core defense of the Xunyang Grottoes."

Rong Zhen turned her head and asked with a cold face:

"But I also said that you need to pass a confidential investigation."

"Yes."

Rong Zhen asked directly:

"Then that's it. Do you think you can pass the Astronomical Bureau's confidential investigation by forcibly protecting a Yue woman suspected of being a Great Lady?"

"Uh, I suppose not."

"Then that's it."

Ouyang Rong observed her unhappy expression, smiled, and said:

"So that's it. Then I understand. I thought it was because of other things that the confidential investigation didn't pass."

"What are you worried about?"

"Uh, for example, being anonymously reported, which made you hesitate, Official Historian Rong."

"Hmph."

Rong Zhen turned around and walked away.

No longer strolling by the lake.

Ouyang Rong followed closely and said broadly:

"Today's matter was indeed my fault. It's normal not to pass the confidential investigation. This shows that you, Official Historian Rong, are impartial and strictly follow the procedures. This is public spirit."

Rong Zhen said nothing.

The two returned to the carriage, and Ouyang Rong prepared to get on.

Just as they were about to part ways, Rong Zhen called him to stop:

"I didn't say I forgave you for today's matter."

Ouyang Rong was about to speak but stopped.

Rong Zhen said immediately:

"Actually, I can't say I don't understand your selfishness today. A long time ago, I said that everyone has selfishness. I can barely understand what you just said honestly, but..."

"But what?"

Rong Zhen shook her head silently: "Nothing."

Ouyang Rong asked again: "Really nothing?"

Rong Zhen seemed to have figured it out and finally spoke:

"Yes, Ouyang Lianghan. You owe me a favor for this selfish matter. It's a favor other than teaching me the essence of the zither music. I will keep this favor.

"Still the same sentence, everyone has selfishness. I hope that if one day, I mean if, like you, I also happen to discover my selfishness, you must also be considerate of me once. This is called not owing each other."

Ouyang Rong's eyes were curious, and he was a little dizzy from being circled, so he had to nod:

"Okay, but what selfishness do you have, Official Historian Rong?"

Rong Zhen waved her hand and said impatiently:

"Alright, go back. My mouth is dry from talking so much."

"Okay."

"Wait."

"What is it again?"

"One last question, how old is your aunt this birthday?"

"I suppose she is thirty-five..."

"Understood."

Rong Zhen seemed to ask casually, turned around and walked away without any hesitation.

Ouyang Rong rubbed his face.

Finally, he had managed to suppress the situation that almost overturned the table.

He watched the palace girl's back go away, turned around, and boarded the carriage.

"Go to the Xunyang Prince's Mansion first, and call Liulang over." Ouyang Rong ordered softly.

"Yes."

Halfway through the journey, Yan Liulang climbed into the carriage.

Ouyang Rong, who was closing his eyes to rest, said directly:

"Find a way to verify the batch of secret female officials originally left by the Supervisory Court in the city to investigate the Yue woman. See if they really exist, and check if they have had any actions near Xingzi Lake recently."

"Yes, Magistrate."

Yan Liulang took the order and stepped down.

Ouyang Rong opened his eyes, looked at the empty carriage, and murmured to himself:

"Openly repair the plank road, secretly cross the Chen Cang... This smokescreen of Official Historian Rong is interesting. It's good to land early."

Xunyang Grottoes.

In the evening, there were brilliant sunset clouds.

Rong Zhen returned and met Senior Song, who had been waiting for a long time, at the entrance of the construction site.

Senior Song looked at the palace girl who had changed out of her purple dress and asked directly:

"What happened in Xunyang City? Why have you gone there alone for two consecutive days? I heard from the people below that you didn't let everyone get close to Xingzi Lake. What exactly is the matter? Do you need help?"

Rong Zhen's face was calm, and she shook her head seriously:

"It's nothing major, Senior Song, no need to worry, I can handle it."

Senior Song looked at her with some inexplicable eyes:

"Alright, as long as you have a sense of proportion."

At this time, Rong Zhen heard the familiar voice of Princess Anhui coming faintly from the grotto construction site.

A hint of warmth appeared on Senior Song's originally wrinkled and gloomy face:

"Anhui is here again. This girl is truly filial and observant of etiquette, and the people around her are also very sensible. Do you want to go over and take a look, Rong girl, and say hello?"

Rong Zhen's tone was a bit cold: "Forget it today. Senior Song, you go and entertain her. I'm a bit tired, I'll go back and rest first."

"Alright."

Separating from Senior Song, Rong Zhen walked into a bamboo forest beside the grotto construction site, first went to visit Senior Yu. The old man had recently become obsessed with carpentry work and was shaving bamboo all day, saying he wanted to make a zither... Rong Zhen then turned around and returned to her bamboo house.

This was a bamboo hut that was simple to the extreme. The courtyard was open-air and surrounded by a low fence. A purple dress was drying in the courtyard, and the umbrella Ouyang Rong gave her was leaning against the door.

Approaching, Rong Zhen saw a middle-aged female official bowing and waiting at the courtyard gate. At this moment, she bowed respectfully to her:

"Official Historian."

"What is it?" Rong Zhen opened her lips and lazily passed by her trusted subordinate.

The middle-aged female official whispered: "The person who sent the letter yesterday morning came again, followed by a stranger, saying that they have something to ask to see you, Official Historian."

Rong Zhen's back paused, and after a while, she waved her hand lightly:

"I won't see them."

The middle-aged female official was slightly stunned, took the order and stepped down:

"Yes."

The courtyard became quiet, and Rong Zhen walked into the house.

The sky was covered with fire clouds, and the lights of thousands of households in the world gradually rose.

The house was decorated simply, the light was dim, and Rong Zhen also lit a lamp, holding the lonely lamp in her hand, and walked to the inner room.

It is rumored that in the palace, there is a mysterious Buddha hall, which is where Her Majesty the Empress eats vegetarian food and chants Buddha. Neither the two Princes of the Wei clan nor the Prince of Xiang, Li Lun, are qualified to enter. Unless it is a Buddhist holy monk or a national master, they have the honor to enter once to preach the Dharma, but the number of times is very few...

And there are no more than four female officials qualified to enter this Buddha hall to light lamps for the saint, which is the destination that countless palace maids and female officials in the Great Zhou palace dream of.

Senior Song is one of them because she followed the saint very early and has seniority.

And in the younger generation, Rong Zhen, as a female official of the colorful clothes, was almost the undisputed future female official to light lamps in the hall when she was in the Luoyang palace, apart from her own talent, there was also the vast favor of the saint.

Rong Zhen held the lamp and moved forward, stopped by the clothes box beside the bed, and searched in the clothes box.

A moment later.

She turned out a purple bellyband that had been washed white, and her small hand slowly tightened.

If Ouyang Rong were here at this moment, he would definitely be familiar with this piece of personal clothing...

Actually, from the time this little bellyband was returned from the owner of the Butterfly Loves Flowers, Rong Zhen had thought about burning it to ashes with a fire, but in the end, she didn't do it.

This is one of the relics left by her mother, which she sewed with her own hands...

Rong Zhen lowered her head and stared at the small characters inside the purple bellyband.

She didn't speak for a long time.

————

(ps: The monthly vote goal for National Day has been completed, adding 3 chapters.

Plus the previous arrears, a total of 13 chapters are owed.

This chapter is an extra update for monthly votes, seven thousand words, returning one chapter, number of owed chapters: 12)