When Song Ru returned, her eyes were red. The woman with her earlier had disappeared. Seeing her red eyes, Tang Ning softly asked, “What happened?”
Song Ru’s voice was a little hoarse as she replied, “Rui Yi doesn’t want to come back with me. She says she’s going to get married.”
Tang Ning wasn’t surprised. She knew about the woman named Rui Yi from Song Ru’s stories and guessed that she would not follow them back to Tang Mansion.
Seeing Song Ru distressed, Tang Ning gently comforted her: “I’ll have someone look into Rui Yi’s husband’s family and send someone to take care of her. If you ever want to visit her, you can go anytime.”
Song Ru leaned against Tang Ning’s shoulder, softly murmuring “Mm,” before asking, “Sister, will you go to the Song family’s ancestral hall?”
Tang Ning nodded.
“Then, after removing our names from the Song family register, I want to change my surname back to Xue.”
Tang Ning paused for a moment. She had planned to discuss with her aunt about having Song Ru join the Rong family. After severing ties with Song Tan, without the protection of the family name, it would be difficult for her to marry. However, if she entered the Rong family, even as an adopted daughter, her status would be different.
But she didn’t expect Song Ru to want to change her surname to Xue.
Tang Ning didn’t ask why, nor did she try to persuade her, but simply asked, “Are you sure about this?”
Song Ru replied softly, “I’m sure.”
She wanted the surname Xue, but Tang Ning would always be her sister.
Tang Ning didn’t immediately agree. After some thought, she said, “Tomorrow we’ll go to the Song family to remove the tomb and register. It will take a day or two. After the Song family’s matters are settled, if you still want to change your surname, I’ll accompany you to the Capital to officially change it to Xue.”
Song Ru snuggled closer to her shoulder. “Thank you, sister.”
On the way back, neither of them spoke. Hua Wu and Xi Chun quietly stayed to the side. Perhaps because of the emotional ups and downs of the day or because her injuries hadn’t healed, Song Ru fell asleep on Tang Ning’s shoulder before they even reached home.
When the carriage stopped, Song Ru was still deeply asleep, showing no sign of waking up.
Tang Ning thought it was just because Song Ru was feeling unwell, so she didn’t disturb her. But soon, she realized something wasn’t right. She quickly reached out to touch Song Ru’s forehead and found that she had developed a fever.
“Ah Ru, Ah Ru?”
Seeing Song Ru’s eyes closed and her eyelashes trembling, yet she didn’t wake up, Tang Ning urgently said, “Quick, help Ah Ru inside!”
Hang Li, standing outside, asked, “Miss, what’s wrong?”
“Ah Ru’s fevered and fainted,” Tang Ning replied.
Hang Li lifted the carriage curtain and saw Song Ru leaning against Tang Ning, pale and unconscious, while Xi Chun and Hua Wu were about to support her.
Hang Li’s face showed concern. “Madam, Ru Niang’s injury from before hasn’t healed. If she’s unconscious, it might hurt her if we try to move her. Miss, perhaps I should carry her in?”
Worried about misunderstandings, he lowered his voice, “There’s no one here, it won’t harm her reputation.”
Tang Ning didn’t hesitate. Since Hang Li had carried her last time when she was injured and had always been respectful, and after feeling the heat on Song Ru’s forehead, she agreed.
“Alright, carry her inside, and be gentle.”
After getting her consent, Hang Li didn’t waste any time. He carefully scooped Song Ru into his arms and quickly exited the carriage.
Back at the mansion, they went straight to Song Ru’s courtyard. Tang Ning instructed Xi Chun to find the physician, and Hua Wu to fetch some water. She entered Song Ru’s room shortly after and found Hang Li kneeling by the bed in an awkward position.
“Hang Li?”
Hang Li quickly moved aside. “Miss.”
Tang Ning saw that his sleeve was gripped tightly by Song Ru’s hand.
Hang Li whispered, “Ru Niang seems to be delirious from the fever…”
Just like last time when she clung to him, now she gripped his sleeve and wouldn’t let go.
Hang Li felt a dull pain in his chest, lightly pinching Song Ru’s delicate wrist. When she finally let go of his sleeve, he gently placed her hand back on the bed.
Not daring to look at her any longer, Hang Li stepped back and quietly asked, “Miss, I heard you say you’re going to the Song family tomorrow?”
Tang Ning didn’t find anything strange about him hearing this. “Yes, prepare yourself. Bring some people, and we’ll go tomorrow…”
She paused, looking at the unconscious Song Ru on the bed. She remembered Song Jin Xiu blocking them earlier and her expression turned cold. “Forget tomorrow. Don’t wait, you go gather people now. We’ll go tonight!”
Hang Li’s eyes flashed with determination. “Understood.”
After Physician Sun examined Song Ru, he explained that it was just a result of emotional stress and her frail health causing the fever. There was no serious problem, and Tang Ning finally breathed a sigh of relief. She instructed Hua Wu and Xi Chun to continue caring for Song Ru while she stepped out to find Hang Li ready.
Gu He Lian and Xiao Yan were both present.
Gu He Lian looked somewhat haggard and spoke when he saw Tang Ning, “I heard you plan to destroy the Song family’s ancestral hall?”
Xiao Yan gave him a sideways glance before turning to Tang Ning and gently asking, “Shall we move the tomb tonight?”
Tang Ning’s face turned cold. “I don’t want any more connections with the Song family.”
Xiao Yan spoke softly, “Since you want to sever all ties, then we should do it tonight. I’ve had people prepare the new coffin and grave site. Although the academy is not finished, we’ve already cleared a spot in the back mountain. We can send Lady Rong and her people there tonight.”
“When did you prepare all this?”
“After you mentioned it that day, thinking we would need it sooner or later, I had it ready.”
Xiao Yan walked up beside her and stood in her shadow, blocking the harsh sunlight on her face.
“Let’s go, I’ll accompany you.”
Tang Ning looked up at him, her heart fluttering as she caught the faint outline of his face against the light.
He hadn’t said any sweet words, yet just that simple sentence, “I’ll accompany you,” made her defenses crumble.
The sunlight in May was particularly harsh, but Xiao Yan seemed to have a kind of glow surrounding him, as if the light itself had merged with him. It hit her like a sharp object, causing a fluttering sensation deep in her chest.
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You can read ahead to chapterr 234 (100+ extra chapters) here
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