The Emperor’s Beloved Ugly Girl

62. Girl, Don’t Cry

Translator: Iris Guo

After making a gesture to show Zhong Mingwei how big the bag was, A’Chou continued to massage his shoulders. “It took me three days to finish that bag of peanuts, haha! Then I decided to take care of the laundry of the Imperial Kitchen. Others said that I was crazy, but they had no idea what perks I could get. From then on, I could have something nicer than steamed buns and pickles. Eunuch Xie was really kind to me. Every time I came by with their clothes, he would give me some food, such as a small plate of stewed meat, several eggs, or something I had never seen, but they were all delicious. Haha!”

A’Chou continued: “I liked marinated ribs best, but they were very rare. Not only did the meat taste nice, but you could eat the bone marrow.” Her voice became softer as if Eunuch Xie was standing in front of her. “However, his rank was low then, so he always gave me food in secret. I remembered that on a Dragon Boat Festival, he saved a chestnut and yolk Zongzi for me, and told me that was supposed to be eaten by royal members, so I should finish immediately. Afterwards, he left me two venison mooncakes on a Mid-Autumn Festival and also asked me to finish in front of him. While I was eating, he kept looking around, extremely nervous, but still promised me dumplings on Lunar New Year’s Eve. Haha! What an interesting old man!”

Zhong Mingwei was looking at the small dimples on A’Chou’s fair face. He supposed they were also tender and warm since they gave so many smiles every day, and really wanted to poke them.

Then, his fingers suddenly moved.

A’Chou didn’t sense the slight movement but still massaged Zhong Mingwei’s shoulders. When she felt something wrong with his eyes, she stopped and asked hurriedly: “What? You don’t feel well?”

Zhong Mingwei didn’t answer. His lips were compressed tightly, and he gritted his teeth. The sweat on his forehead ran down like raindrops to his temples.

“Zhong Mingwei!” A’Chou was frightened and stared at his face. Her thin hands paused in the air. She wanted to touch his face, pat his cheek, and get a handkerchief to wipe his sweat, but she couldn’t move, because his warm and big hands held hers, even though there wasn’t much strength and his fingers were still a bit stiff.

“You…You could move your arms?” said A’Chou in a shaky voice, bewildered. She was so excited that she grabbed Zhong Mingwei’s hand immediately. Then, she touched every inch of that hand, suddenly buried her face into his palm and rubbed against it slowly like a kitten. Then, she choked with sobs: “Zhong Mingwei, it’s so wonderful. Like I said, everything will be fine, but you didn’t buy it…”

Zhong Mingwei’s palm was covered with A’Chou’s warm tears, and he felt warmer inside. He tried to move his fingers to wipe her tears. She liked smiling, and when she cried, he felt really sorry for her.

“Don’t cry.” Zhong Mingwei groped for A’Chou’s eyes for a long time, finally stopped near her wet eyes, and wiped awkwardly and carefully. “Girl, stop.”