Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play-Chapter 932 - 907: Knockout Drug

"Never!" Xie Jue faced away from Fang Chuning, packing his belongings until the procession was out of sight and the mourning music could no longer be heard. Only then did Fang Chuning withdraw his gaze and ask Xie Jue, "Why is it that my father won’t let you go?"

Xie Jue was making the bed; he was somewhat a clean freak, so he had brought his own set of bedding. His hand holding the corner of the blanket paused slightly, but he did not answer Fang Chuning’s question. Seeing this, Fang Chuning didn’t pursue the matter further. The guesthouse was constructed with planks and wasn’t soundproof, allowing the noise from downstairs to reach the second floor directly. This upper room was at the rightmost end, making it relatively quieter. Fang Chuning closed the window, and with it shut, the noise was lessened. Xie Jue had finished making the bed and rang the bell in the room to have the attendant bring up a bucket of hot water.

The layout of the upper room in the guesthouse was spacious, yet there was only one bed. Fang Chuning noticed this belatedly, feeling embarrassed—how would they sleep at night? There was no warm platform in the room, only chairs and a cabinet. Unless he slept on the floor, which, given the hot weather, wouldn’t be too bad for a night. He had never asked Xie Jue about the extent of their relationship. Zhou Buyan had said that back in the Ningzhou Military Camp, they all ate and slept together, and Xie Jue wasn’t uncomfortable. Fang Chuning wouldn’t feel awkward traveling with Zhou Buyan, as it was normal for brothers to share a bed at night. But with Xie Jue, he felt uneasy all over.

Gradually, his ears turned red.

The sun had long since set, and the sky was dim. Soon, lanterns were lit, and the commotion from downstairs gradually quieted. The attendant came up carrying a bucket of hot water, Xie Jue opened the door to let him in. The attendant looked to be around fifteen or sixteen, with coarse clothing and slightly rough hands from years of labor. Fang Chuning asked, "Brother, we entered the town and immediately encountered a mourning procession. Which family has encountered misfortune?"

After putting down the bucket, the attendant scratched his head awkwardly and said truthfully, "It’s the eldest son of the local official’s family. He suddenly fell ill and passed away last night. His reputation in the town wasn’t good, and he died under strange circumstances, so everyone is wary, fearing they’ll get involved in bad luck. I hope the two of you pardon us; they’re carrying the coffin up the mountain and should return in about an hour. If you’re not busy, it’s better not to go out, to avoid bumping into them."

The entire Beining was very wary of mourning matters and disliked encountering funeral processions carrying coffins. Fang Chuning nodded in thanks, and changed the topic, "Tonight, are the only guests at your guesthouse us and the escort team downstairs?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Alright, understood. Please bring the food up early."

"Please, sir, wait a moment."

The attendant exited the room politely. Xie Jue went over to check the water temperature, poured half of it, and washed his hands and face. Fang Chuning listened thoughtfully to the noise downstairs.

Xie Jue said, "Come wash up."

After Xie Jue finished washing, Fang Chuning also cleaned up. They had been traveling all day, and even at a leisurely pace, they were somewhat fatigued. After washing his face, Fang Chuning looked more refreshed. Xie Jue made tea with the guesthouse’s hot water, using the tea leaves he brought along. The tea provided by the guesthouse was coarse new tea, which Xie Jue couldn’t get used to. He was picky about clothing, food, accommodation, and transportation and would compromise only when absolutely necessary. Once he brewed the tea, Fang Chuning also came over and casually drank a cup.

"Let’s eat and rest early."

"What do you think the escort team downstairs is transporting with so many people?" Fang Chuning asked curiously, "It’s quite a lineup."

"I don’t care," Xie Jue said indifferently. Such a large escort team must be transporting something very important, but it had nothing to do with him. With the mourning event, added to Fang Chuning’s question about attending his funeral, Xie Jue felt somewhat downcast and distracted. When news of Fang Chuning’s death came, every day felt like a year. Though he knew it was past, as long as Fang Chuning hadn’t regained his memory, it felt like he couldn’t move on. He knew he should not be greedy or have expectations, yet he couldn’t help but feel overly greedy.

The attendant quickly brought up the food, one meat dish and three vegetables, and asked if they wanted to drink wine. Fang Chuning handed him a wine pot and asked him to fill it. The attendant took the pot and said, "Please enjoy, sir," before leaving the room.

They had been eating dry food along their journey and were finally able to have a hot meal. Fang Chuning and Xie Jue weren’t particularly demanding, so they ate a bit casually. The food wasn’t tasty, so Xie Jue didn’t eat much, and most of it ended up in Fang Chuning’s stomach. A knock came from outside the door. The attendant returned with the wine pot, and Fang Chuning got up to open the door. Suddenly, he felt dizzy, the room spun, and he collapsed to the ground.

The attendant also heard the sound, a smug smile playing on his lips as he opened the door, seeing Fang Chuning on the ground and Xie Jue slumped over the table. He turned back and shouted downstairs, "They’re down, come on up!"