Chapter 68: Your parents, I have gladly accepted!

Du Shanü was left speechless and choked up on the spot.

After all, she had seen plenty of the world in her two lifetimes......

But she had never really witnessed such an exciting scene of being pursued and asked about their relationship.

If she refused to answer, that would indeed be somewhat rude.

If she were to say she would answer......

Du Shanü truly didn't know what kind of relationship the two could be considered!

Du Shanü calmly scratched her head, trying to adopt a standard phrasing:

"Sorry, you're a good person, but......"

Then before she could finish speaking, she was hit with Chinu's glare.

Chinu spoke word by word, his whole body chilly: "You're being asked about the ruler-subject bond!"

Du Shanü: "∑(O_O；)"

Du Shanü: "Oh oh oh—if you had asked earlier, it wouldn't have been a problem! I've read too many stories and thought you were coming to demand a title from me! But Chinu, how did you know what I was just thinking......"

Chinu turned his face away and remained silent.

Chen Weifang belatedly realized, feeling ashamed and indignant to the point of wanting to die.

This strategist, as pure as a jade pool, lifted his head to the sky, trying to hide the clear tears in his eyes:

"Sometimes, I really want to know what exactly I have chosen......"

Most of the time, Du Shanü clearly bears a posture that makes others submit!

But sometimes, how does she look rather non-human?!

Just thinking about serving under such a wise lord for a lifetime makes him feel the sun and moon dim, his later years ruined......

Even his heartbeat seems to have stopped!

Otherwise, now's the time to regret!

Chen Weifang gritted his teeth, Du Shanü's heart rang alarm bells, and she hurriedly changed the subject:

"I previously went to your residence, which was sealed on all sides; surely your parents were inside then? Why did you go to the trouble of moving your parents to the Xian Xie......"

This comment does sound a bit like hindsight.

But if the coffins are still at the residence today, Afang's parents should indeed be safe.

Indeed, as soon as this was said, Chen Weifang's attention was instantly drawn away:

"...... because the Xian Xie has no magistrate, manpower is already insufficient, and recently it's tax season, duties are quite busy, making it inconvenient to leave people."

In other words, he hasn't been returning home lately, but is instead exhausted day and night with paperwork.

And the reason he brought his parents along is simply because a place with parents is considered home.

Few know that, at his age, he still needs to lean his pillow against his parents' coffins each day to sleep soundly......

The past cannot be chased.

He certainly knows this principle.

But not being indulgent in the past—how easy is that?

In the past, when his parents could not be buried, no matter how he struggled he could not be saved; he could only wrap them in coffins to collect their remains.

Later, when burial became possible, he had already grown accustomed to bringing his parents along, selfishly hoping they would stay by his side a little longer......

There's no way; he truly cannot accept his parents' departure calmly.

Moreover, he clearly toils ceaselessly for the people, yet someone deliberately set fire to the city, causing his parents to suffer another great calamity after death.

After all calculations, the debt he owes his parents keeps growing.

The long night is silent, his lone shadow sparse.

Du Shanü gazed at that figure before her, her expression also somewhat heavy.

The three had previously spent much effort on fundraising, planning, and drafting; this night is already past halfway.

On the horizon a faint fish-belly white had appeared; the fierce fire that had ravaged most of the night finally waned, leaving only vast blue smoke.

After a brief thought, Du Shanü hesitated not, turning her steps toward the ruins still dotted with sporadic embers.

The once majestic Xian Xie now lay as a chaotic ruin, broken walls and remnants standing tall, everywhere black ash and broken charcoal fragments.

Scorching residual heat came through the soles of her shoes, but Du Shanü paid no heed, simply heading straight to locate the two coffins from last night.

She followed her memory, slowly searching among the broken walls, carefully avoiding the tottering walls and unextinguished embers.

Chen Weifang was momentarily stunned, not reacting.

Chinu, however, knew what she intended to do, and stepped forward to go with her:

"I'll come too."

Du Shanü nodded, took off her outer garment, laid it on a relatively flat stone slab, then bent over, carefully sweeping away the scorching ash, trying to gather the already burned bone ash and such.

This is certainly not an easy task.

With no help, it's feared that even an eternity wouldn't finish it.

Thus, Chinu also crouched down, slowly extending his long, handsome fingers into the ash.

He avoided the sharp wood chips and embers, gradually lifting the bone fragments not yet fully burned, together with the grayish bone ash.

Chinu usually has a bad temper, quite gloomy and arrogant.

But at this moment, as seen by Du Shanü, he had lowered brows and eyes, a solemn expression, no pretense whatsoever, his eyes full of reverence, even his breathing extremely light.

Moonlight filtered through the blue smoke onto his fingertips, making his fingers appear even more slender and clean.

His expression was earnest, his brows and eyes gentle.

Even though his fingertips were blackened by ash and scorched by residual heat to the point of pain, he never furrowed his brow.

Du Shanü's heart involuntarily jumped; only later did she realize that this indescribable feeling still clung to her like a shadow.

Then, Du Shanü looked away again, focusing solely on the task at hand.

She also learned Chinu's carefulness, gathering the scattered ashes bit by bit onto her outer garment, her movements steady and resolute.

The two were in perfect sync, without much talk, only occasional faint clinks, especially clear in the silent ruins.

Chen Weifang stood not far away, watching the two in the scorching residual heat, disregarding danger as they gathered their parents' ashes, watching Chinu's seemingly cold but especially earnest demeanor, watching Du Shanü's steadfast, persistent figure, her eye sockets finally could not help but redden.

He clenched his fists, throat tight, the deathly stillness that had lingered for ten thousand years in his eyes gradually replaced by warmth.

After a long while, the two finally finished gathering the ashes, carefully lifting the four corners of their outer garments, gently cradling those grayish ashes, their movements so gentle they dared not shake even a bit.

Du Shanü embraced the ashes she had gathered as best she could, slowly walking toward the new friend whose eyes were already red.

「Afang, I know you cherish your parents; the city is presently not safe. If you truly cannot spare yourself, let me first bring your uncle and aunt back home to be enshrined for a while. 」

Du Shanü finished speaking, then after consideration added:

「You asked me before, what is our relationship? 」

「There's no need to ask further; later generations' records will naturally make it clear for us, and after a hundred years there will be a distinction. 」

「I don't ask you to believe me wholly now; I only hope that, for Chinu's sake, you let me ease your worries for a while...... 」

「Otherwise, the world would be too indebted to you. 」

「Exactly. 」

「Otherwise, the world would be too indebted to Afang. 」

「Afang had no way to bury her parents; though she devoted herself to the people, she could not even retain their remains...... 」

Clearly, this shouldn't be the case.

Chen Weifang pondered for a long time, finally lowered her eyes, and gave another deep bow.

Evidently, this counts as consent.

Du Shanü was very happy, revealing a smile:

「Good! I still have something to tell you: your parents really cannot be separated...... 」

「But don't take it too hard; being able to be buried together as a couple is actually a good thing! 」

「If I die in the future, I also want them to mix my ashes with my husband's in one box, shaking it at set times each day for two hours! 」

「Chinu: "......?"」

「Chen Weifang: "......?"」

Wait, does it seem like something strange got mixed in?

Looking at this gorgeous young lady, how can she also be into this!

?? Shasha: totally addicted.

? Ahhhh, so dirty！！！_(?? w?? 」∠)_