Chapter 709: Chapter 701: Extra 2: Everyone Loves Tang Zhaozhao (Part 2) (4,000 Words)

After this period of travel, Chu Mu’s somewhat healed wounds have become inflamed again.

At night, Chu Mu developed a fever.

Tang Zhaozhao looked at Chu Mu and sighed involuntarily, "Your body is truly more frail than Lin’s."

Chu Mu laughed, "Who’s Lin?"

Tang Zhaozhao said, "It’s a character from a storybook that my mother told me about."

Chu Mu was fed some food and then some medicine by Tang Zhaozhao, and soon fell asleep.

Tang Zhaozhao looked at Chu Mu, feeling that he looked very familiar.

While traveling and enjoying the scenery, the two also fought bandits and stood up for the people, and in a blink, half a year had passed.

Soon, they arrived at the place called Deserted Mountain.

Though called Deserted Mountain, it was actually a large frontier city surprisingly well-developed given its location.

Trade was frequent and the population large, street scenes were bustling.

There were clinics and schools, and the people here were informal yet knew proper etiquette.

She knew this place; it was where her parents were exiled long ago, and they had established their first base here.

And then developed it.

"When my parents told me about it before, I was very interested and decided to visit this place no matter what. Those people helped by my mother back then must have grown up and become old by now."

She rode on horseback, looking towards the carriage where Chu Mu was.

"Let’s go for a visit."

Chu Mu said, "Okay."

On this journey, they had been through much and had grown accustomed to each other’s companionship.

Tang Zhaozhao rode her horse beside the carriage; Chu Mu knew she had something to say, so he lifted the curtain of the window.

Tang Zhaozhao asked, "Where do you want to settle down? Your wounds are almost healed, and we’re far from Jiangzhou now."

Chu Mu shook his head, gazing intensely at Tang Zhaozhao.

"I could go nowhere and just stay with you, can I?"

The moment these words were spoken, Tang Zhaozhao paused, and then asked, "What do you mean?"

Chu Mu did not speak further; instead, he handed a jade pendant to Tang Zhaozhao.

"You’ve been staring at this jade pendant of mine all along; I know you like it very much. It’s an heirloom of our family, and now I’m giving it to you."

Tang Zhaozhao frowned slightly, unsure of Chu Mu’s intentions.

Yet Chu Mu said no more, merely drawing the curtains as he retreated back into the carriage.

An heirloom jade pendant gifted to her, without any explanation.

Tang Zhaozhao never lacked anything since childhood; she had only found the design of the pendant peculiar, hence her staring at it.

But she hadn’t intended to accept it. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

She immediately dismounted and boarded the carriage, surprising Chu Mu.

"Why have you come up here?"

Tang Zhaozhao looked at him blankly.

"What do you mean by this?"

Chu Mu smiled, "Come a little closer and I’ll tell you."

Tang Zhaozhao sat next to Chu Mu, his hand caressed the jade pendant, his hand more beautiful than the pendant itself.

Then he gradually moved up, finally grasping Tang Zhaozhao’s hand.

His eyes were so beautiful, so deep.

"Zhaozhao, I like you. Are you willing to be with me?"

Tang Zhaozhao froze for a moment; in the summer heat, Chu Mu’s hand was so warm that she momentarily forgot to pull away.

Tang Zhaozhao said, "I... I do not have romantic feelings for you."

Chu Mu replied, "It’s alright. I’ve accompanied you for so long, and you haven’t grown tired of me, which means you don’t dislike me, right?"

Tang Zhaozhao nodded, recalling her time with Chu Mu, who was indeed an easy traveling companion.

During their journey, he was smart and wise, always finding ways to turn a dire situation around.

Several times, he had saved Tang Zhaozhao.

Tang Zhaozhao felt very grateful towards Chu Mu.

She paused for a moment and said, "I’ll think about it."

After all, although Chu Mu matched her aesthetic tastes, she had never considered him as a romantic partner before.

Her family had instilled the belief that her love would be completely free, as her father was strong enough that political marriage was unnecessary.

She only needed to live a happy life.

Choosing a partner, deciding on marriage, was entirely her own affair.

Precisely because there was no requirement, no specific framework, she hadn’t considered what kind of person she wanted as a future husband.

From the day Chu Mu spoke, Tang Zhaozhao couldn’t help but instinctively observe him, wonder whether her Prince Consort would be someone like Chu Mu.

However, thinking of Chu Mu’s disability, Tang Zhaozhao couldn’t help but sigh.

Her father and mother had no prejudice against disabled people, but their love for her was greater, and surely they wouldn’t want her to endure hardship.

As she was pondering this, her room door was knocked open.

Upon opening the door, she saw Chu Mu in a wheelchair outside.

Chu Mu’s mouth bore a faint, barely noticeable smile.

"I noticed you didn’t eat much tonight, so I’ve had the restaurant prepare some of your favorite dishes and sent them over."