A Song For A Summer’s Night - Chapter 131

Bone-tired and aching all around, Xun Zichen sat on the edge of the bed, where Su Xiang聽finished stitching the wound on his arm, bandaging it gently.

“How does it feel?” she questioned as she caressed his arm.

“It feels fine, but you should really be getting rest. I can’t imagine you had any sleep while you were gone.”

Su Xiang shot him a tired, playful grin. She shook her head. “I was in and out of sleep,” she began to say, circling his neck. “But not because I was scared that I’d be a goner. I was more afraid that you would come for me, and then when you did…It was terrifying.”

Xun Zichen didn’t say anything. He just listened.

“Zichen. You are always so self-sacrificial, impulsive, and brave. And you always feel like you have to take care of others before yourself, and though I admire you for that, it’s just I was so scared when I saw you go up against Xun Yaozu.”

Xun Zichen reached out to her, caressing the smooth lines of her jaw.

Su Xiang’s eyes welled with tears. “So many things could have gone wrong,” her voice broke.

Xun Zichen pulled her in for a warm embrace. He cradled her head, murmuring sweet words against her ear, assuring her that they were fine, that it was over, that they would learn to move on, together.

“I was frightened, too,” Xun Zichen lifted her chin to meet her eyes. “I couldn’t handle the thought of waking up with you, not next to me. I once read a fictional story about the origins of humankind. In that story, people desperately searched for their other half, so much so that they were willing to die. It was their impulse to go look, and it very much made me feel that way about you.”

Su Xiang smiled at him bashfully, placing a hand on one side of his face. “Every time you speak, I can’t help but feel like I am falling for you again and again.”

Xun Zichen flashed a wide grin at her.

Su Xiang dropped her gaze to his chest, to his abdomen. From his time at training, he had become stronger, building his stamina. The elegant curves of his body proved it, and so did their rounds underneath the sheets. But, he had cuts and bruises everywhere, and though he looked battered, it made him more handsome too. She circled the spots on his torso that were not bruised.

“I’m glad you’re home,” Xun Zichen told her softly.

“Me, too,” she replied.

Too exhausted to wash, and not caring about anything else besides sleep. Xun Zichen pulled her with him over the sheets of the bed, tumbling over the pillows, and exhaustion pulled them into sleep.

…

Long Jie walked back into the bedroom from his steamy bath, noticing Song Luli was on the phone. She sat with her legs crossed, wrapped with a robe over her body and a head towel over her head.

She hung up the call when he joined her and said,聽”I got off the phone with Zhen from the hospital. My parents are with him and Lan. He will be fine, and so will the others.”

“I’m glad. Is your brother staying overnight?”

“No,” replied Song Luli. “It was minor, so he’s going home soon.”

“And Han Ru?” Long Jie questioned.

“I didn’t ask about him,” Song Luli answered grimly.

Long Jie nodded. “That’s all right,” he said to her.

“…Because I want to visit him and have a proper conversation.” Song Luli turned her head slightly to face him, she winced, afraid Long Jie would be mad at her.

Instead, he looked at her calmly. “If that’s what you want, but I want to come with you,” he replied.

“Of course! I wouldn’t want to go alone, anyway.”

Long Jie smiled.聽”Get some sleep, Luli. We have too much to do tomorrow.”

Song Luli nodded; she turned off the nightstand lamp, lying down, nestling into his embrace, clutching at him tightly. “How do you feel?” she whispered to him.

“I’m actually all right. I’m sore, and my mind is all over the place, but emotionally, I’m all right.”

Song Luli glanced up at him.

“How about you?” he asked her.

“I feel the same way,” she said, her voice growing softer. Sleep then pulled her in quickly, without her noticing.

…

The next day, Long Jie and Song Luli rose out of bed,聽washing up, changing into formal clothing. When they finished getting ready, they both headed to the hospital.

Su Xiang greeted them at the front, and Song Luli was stunned that she was working. “Shouldn’t you be at home?” Song Luli asked her.

Su Xiang shrugged. “I couldn’t help but come in. Work always calls to me,” she said.

Song Luli then stepped closer to her, “Can I speak with you?”

Su Xiang nodded. “Of course.”

Song Luli glanced at Long Jie, and he interpreted her meaning. Song Luli wanted to talk to her cousin alone.

“I will meet you at the main lobby in an hour. I have to meet with my parents and grandmother about funeral arrangements for my grandfather,” he said, kissing her on the forehead lightly.

“I will see you in an hour,” she told him, and he walked away.

Song Luli turned to face her cousin, following her to a private room.

Su Xiang maintained her professionalism when she sat on a stool in front of her. “What can I do for you?”

Song Luli played with her fingers. “I want to take a pregnancy test,” she told her cousin.

“How have you been feeling lately?” she asked her.

“Hmm,” Song Luli tried to remember. “Nauseous, tired; I am late on my cycle.”

Su Xiang listened and jotted it down. “We’ll see,” she said, rising from her seat to give her a cup for a urine test. Song Luli took it, heading to use the washroom and returned.

Su Xiang put a stick in the urine.

Afterwards, she said, “You’re not pregnant.”

Song Luli widened her eyes. “Really?” she asked neutrally.

“Yes,” Su Xiang replied. “The symptoms you described are often related to stress; it can delay periods. Have you been eating and resting well?”

Song Luli shook her head. “Well, not really. Up until yesterday, I’ve been stressed out of my mind, but I didn’t tell Long Jie. I didn’t want to worry him.”

Su Xiang grinned. “I understand how you feel,” she said sympathetically. “Work on improving your health, and you and Long Jie can make babies like rabbits.”

Song Luli smiled. “I suppose I still have to have that conversation with him. When we got married, we agreed to make heirs, but is it something he wants?”

Su Xiang sighed. “Luli. Long Jie loves you; he will want those children knowing it’s with you.”

Song Luli’s smiled broadened. She then rose to hug Su Xiang. “Oh, Xi. I’m so glad you’re okay,” she began to cry.

Su Xiang couldn’t hold back her tears; she thought she could go the day without feeling emotional. She sniffed. “Thank you for coming for me, and helping Zichen,” She said.

Song Luli chuckled. “Of course, I would. How are you and Zichen?” she questioned. Song Luli only found out about their relationship because Xun Zichen admitted it after she was kidnapped.

Su Xiang then dove into the details about their relationship, filling her in on how and why they started to fall in love. Su Xiang informed her that they’ve always known they weren’t related, and that’s what strained their relationship when she found out he was engaged to another woman. She then told Song Luli about how they got together.

Song Luli was fascinated. “Holy,” she said. “That felt like a rollercoaster just hearing about it.”

Su Xiang laughed, and shortly after, they heard a knock on the door.

Su Xiang went to grab it, and Xun Zichen stepped through. He kissed her, not realizing that Song Luli was in the room. But then he remembered that there was nothing to hide.

Song Luli smiled. She stood up, stalking towards him, hugging him.

“I will see you two later,” she said.

Su Xiang and Xun Zichen waved at her, and Song Luli walked back down the hall, finding Long Jie waiting for her.

She took a deep breath, and he hooked an arm around her. “Is everything all right?” He asked her.

“Everything is fine,” she said with a warm smile.