Peaceful Farm Life

Chapter 1391: Chapter 1392: If I could let go, would I be clinging to you?

Regardless of whether Ye Zhi was listening or not, Gong Juechen applied medicine to Ye Zhi’s feet while muttering to himself, ”I’ve thought about knocking you out, just to stop you from going to war. Seeing you like this makes my heart ache.”

”This bottle probably won’t be enough. Spring is still a long way off, and we’ve got a lot of freezing days ahead. I think I’d better get some more herbs and mix another bottle for you.”

”But some of the herbs I need aren’t available in the army. When we pass through a county town, I’ll check and see if they have them, then buy them to mix another bottle for you. Either way, you can’t keep getting frostbite like this.”

”You have to take better care of yourself, not just for me, but for your own sake too. Your hands and feet are so frostbitten—don’t you feel even the slightest discomfort?”

Gong Juechen was genuinely nagging, but Ye Zhi didn’t feel as impatient as she had in the past.

Ye Zhi simply sat there quietly, staring blankly at her own hands, letting Gong Juechen apply medicine to the chilblains on her feet.

After Gong Juechen finished treating both her feet, he looked a bit surprised and asked, ”Zhizhi, why aren’t you saying anything?”—only now realizing she had been silent all along.

Finally, Ye Zhi spoke again. Without looking at him, her gaze still fixed on her swollen hands, she said softly, ”I miss my family.”

She missed her parents, her brothers, and sisters.

Back home, she had been like a little princess, spoiled by her parents, brothers, and sisters. Here, she had no relatives at all.

Gong Juechen was certain Ye Zhi was not someone from his world. When he heard her say she missed her family, he became scared—scared that Ye Zhi, who had suddenly entered his life, might suddenly vanish from it.

He quickly grabbed Ye Zhi’s hand in a rush and said, ”Zhizhi, let’s get married. I’ll be your family!”

Ye Zhi immediately shot him a sideways glance: ”Your father just passed away less than two months ago, and you want to get married?”

Gong Juechen wasn’t upset, and instead, he seemed delighted: ”So, what you’re saying is, you’re agreeing to marry me, but the timing isn’t right, right?”

”When did I ever agree?!” Ye Zhi yanked her hand back abruptly. ”Alright, stop talking nonsense. I’m not going to marry you, so just give up already.”

Gong Juechen’s face was full of disappointment. He mumbled, ”If I could just give up, would I still be clinging to you?”

Ye Zhi had been pulling the quilt over herself, trying to get warmer. Hearing Gong Juechen’s mumbling, her movements paused for a moment. But soon, as though she hadn’t heard him, she continued pulling the quilt over herself, lying down as she covered herself.

Seeing Ye Zhi lying back in bed, Gong Juechen refrained from mentioning marriage anymore and instead said, ”You’ve got a bad habit of sleeping without taking off your clothes. At least take off that leather armor you’re wearing.”

”Not taking it off.”

”Why not? Is it comfortable to sleep like that?”

”No, it just saves me from having to put it back on tomorrow morning.” After all, she couldn’t bathe anyway, so she might as well keep wearing it.

”Pfft.” Gong Juechen burst into laughter, clearly amused. ”Zhizhi, seeing you like this reminds me of something—something similar that happened to me. We’re really alike, aren’t we?”

Ye Zhi didn’t reply.

”Aren’t you going to ask me what it was? Aren’t you curious at all?”

”Not curious.”

Gong Juechen immediately made a mournful sound, ”Zhizhi...” His voice dragged out so long it practically gave Ye Zhi goosebumps.

Ye Zhi tried to endure it but eventually resigned herself: ”Fine, tell me. I’m curious—what is it?”