The Princess’ Shadow Guard – Chapter 79

Senior Sister Chapter 9

The one you’re holding, is it my robe? (Confronting feelings)

After being busy for a while, Song Shuqing closed the shop. She stood at the staircase leading from the second floor to the third floor, arms crossed hesitantly.

Hmm…

Should I go upstairs to take a look or not?

But getting involved in so many things doesn’t really fit my style…

Yet thinking about the unpleasant incident that happened in the shop today… I’m still a little worried, after all, Zi Yan is the type who keeps everything to herself.

Forget it, I’ll just confirm from outside the door.

Song Shuqing went upstairs to Zi Yan’s room door, cleared her throat, knocked on the door, “Dear Zi Yan, are you okay?”

No one answered, she said again, pretending, “Dear Zi Yan, the shop is closed. Let’s go out for a big meal tonight. You can choose what to eat.”

After a while, still no response. Song Shuqing suddenly felt nervous, “Hey, Zi Yan, answer me.” Her voice was stern and serious.

She pressed her ear against the door panel, but still heard no sound. She frowned, pushed the door and found it was unlocked. “Zi Yan, I’m coming in, okay.”

As she spoke, Song Shuqing pushed the door completely open, and upon entering the room, she found the woman curled up on the bed. She let out a sigh of relief, “Oh, you startled me. Turns out you were just asleep.”

About to leave, she felt that something was not quite right.

Zi Yan, lying on the bed, had irregular movements in her chest, her breathing short and rapid. Her eyes were tightly shut and her face was pale. Concerned, the shadow guard took a few steps forward and touched Zi Yan’s forehead, feeling abnormal warmth. Song Shuqing realized that something was wrong.

She had a fever.

It seems that there were some early signs, but she had been enduring it all along.

Damn it, I should have noticed sooner. I clearly knew Zi Yan has a personality of enduring everything on her own…

Because she always had a calm expression, looking like nothing was wrong, I mistakenly assumed that everything was fine.

Perhaps, even having her work at the teahouse in the first place was not the best for her…

Filled with self-blame and regret, Song Shuqing turned around, about to go downstairs to get her bag containing silver needles and herbs, when she heard the woman on the bed mumbling unconsciously.

“Master Song… don’t leave me…”

“Master Song…”

“I’m not going to leave you.” Turning back, Song Shuqing comforted softly, “I’ll be back soon, very soon.”

Eyes filled with compassion, she lifted the messy blankets with the intention of covering the woman curled up in bed again, but noticed that Zi Yan was tightly holding onto a large robe in her hands.

It was black.

It belonged to Song Shuqing, the oversized robe.

“Master Song… Shuqing…, don’t leave me.” The feverish woman curled up, clutching the cotton outer garment between her legs, gently mouthing something as she grazed her lips against the item in her hand, murmuring softly, “Let me stay by your side, I don’t ask for much… I don’t ask for much…”

“Don’t abandon me.”

Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes.

Song Shuqing naturally recognized the garment in the woman’s hand as one that had once belonged to herself.

Looking at the frail woman before her, hearing her humble plea, the shadow guard, holding the blanket, felt her eyelashes tremble slightly, unsure how to respond for a moment.

Zi Yan held a special place for Song Shuqing.

There was no doubt about it.

After all, she was lazy and indifferent, usually disliking getting involved in troublesome matters, yet she couldn’t help but intervene when she saw Zi Yan alone time and time again.

Even if Song Shuqing was unwilling to admit it, this abnormal behavior still represented something.

She did not expect Zi Yan to be grateful for her efforts, nor did she seek any form of repayment, because she simply did what she did out of her own volition.

Even though she could feel Zi Yan occasionally discreetly following her gaze in everyday life, and knew that despite Zi Yan’s occasional sighs, she still obediently tolerated her laziness and waywardness, Song Shuqing didn’t want to dwell on it, attributing it to the gratitude and reliance of a woman towards her benefactor.

However, the overwhelming emotions displayed by the semi-conscious Zi Yan now far exceeded her expectations.

Song Shuqing was not as dull-witted as her junior sister.

Looking at the person before her, she easily recognized Zi Yan’s unrestrained affection and admiration towards her.

Even the most tightly restrained emotions, when faced with vulnerability during illness, inevitably burst forth uncontrollably along with the relaxed consciousness.

Tucking in the person under the blanket, Song Shuqing looked at the woman’s restless sleeping face, deep in thought.

Indeed, she did have some feelings for Zi Yan.

Oh… alright, it’s more than just 『some』 feelings.

After all, she was the woman who perfectly matched her ideal type, it would be unbelievable if anyone said they were not moved.

Facing this kind of heart-pounding feeling emerging from the depths of her heart, it really felt unfamiliar…

The last time she felt this way was back in her college days, in a previous life.

Never did she expect that after more than twenty years, in an era where even air conditioning and cola were luxuries, she would rediscover that youthful feeling.

Hmm… wait a minute.

As if suddenly remembering something, Song Shuqing widened her eyes and couldn’t help but hold her head in her hands.

Although this 『Song Shuqing』 is indeed only five years older than Zi Yan, considering the past life…

So, does this count as robbing the cradle?

No way! This doesn’t sound okay at all, I’m still young and full of vitality, how could I be considered robbing the cradle…

With both hands extended, the overwhelmed shadow guard tried to calculate by pinching her fingers, and suddenly felt like giving up.

“Master Song… Shuqing…”

“Don’t leave me.”

A bout of sleep talk interrupted her thoughts, and Song Shuqing looked at the restless woman sleeping beneath her, sighed helplessly, “Forget it, if it’s robbing the cradle, then so be it.”

Gently smoothing out Zi Yan’s unconsciously furrowed brows with her thumb, she comforted herself, “To have someone like me, mature, stable, and considerate, as an older partner, Dear Zi Yan is truly fortunate.”

When the high fever subsided, Zi Yan awoke from her stupor to see Song Shuqing sitting on a stool beside the bed, flipping through a book.

“Oh, you’re awake.” Sensing movement on the bed, the shadow guard used a pair of pliers to adjust the wick of the oil lamp higher, illuminating the dim room, “Feeling better?”

“I…” Touching the wet cloth on her forehead, Zi Yan struggled to sit up, “I’m sorry for troubling you to take care of me.”

“What’s this about, don’t apologize to me.” Bending down, Song Shuqing half embraced the weak woman and helped her sit up, tidying her disheveled hair, she spoke earnestly, “Instead of apologizing, I hope you remember not to force yourself like this next time.”

Zi Yan didn’t know how to respond, she just let the person sitting on the edge of the bed check her pulse. Feeling the intertwined breaths between them, in the quiet space with only the two of them, her ears were filled with her heartbeats that seemed deafening to her.

Anxiously watching the person in front of her, fearing that she would discover thoughts she shouldn’t have, Zi Yan slightly leaned back, discreetly adjusting her breath in hopes of controlling the uncontrollable palpitations in her chest.

“It’s probably due to the sudden drop in temperature and stress that triggered the cold symptoms, you should be fine now.” Song Shuqing released Zi Yan’s slender arm and her solemn expression finally revealed a familiar smile, “Rest more these days, there’s no need to help out in the shop, although the medicine I boiled for you after meals is a bit bitter, you still need to take it…”

While admonishing, she picked up a bowl of congee next to the stove.

“It’s okay, I feel fine, I can go down and help out…” Before Zi Yan could finish her sentence, she was startled by Song Shuqing feeding the spoon to her mouth.

“Be a good girl, Zi Yan, open your mouth.”

With the bowl of congee in her hand, the shadow guard coaxed the bedridden patient, watching as Zi Yan hesitated to make a move. Song Shuqing raised an eyebrow, “Don’t worry, this meat congee was bought by Cao Yun, not cooked by us. It won’t poison you, you can eat it with confidence.”

“No, it’s not about the congee. I can do it myself.” Zi Yan attempted to take the spoon from Song Shuqing’s hand, explaining.

“You’re sick.” Easily dodging the woman’s hand, Song Shuqing looked pitiful, “Let me contribute, just open your mouth, or my hand will get sore. Open up.”

Seeing the look on the person in front of her, Zi Yan softened and no longer insisted, patiently eating the congee that was fed to her one spoonful at a time.

When the bowl was finally empty, Song Shuqing nodded in satisfaction, then brought over another dark medicine broth for the night. With a reluctant expression, she said, “I’ve tried to make this medicine less bitter, but it’s still a little bitter. However, for your health, Dear Zi Yan, you still have to drink it.”

Seeing Song Shuqing’s exaggerated expression, Zi Yan couldn’t help but hold her forehead in silence. Without wrinkling her brow, she slowly drank the extremely bitter medicine broth. As she swallowed the last sip, her lips immediately sensed the sweetness of the sugar fed to her.

“Zi Yan, well done, well done.” Gently stroking the woman’s hair, Song Shuqing’s eyes were full of love, “You’ve worked hard.”

For some reason, even though she wasn’t a young child and even though the taste in her mouth was sweet and sticky, Zi Yan, being treated with such care and tenderness, felt her heart tremble and her nose tingle with sourness.

“You don’t have to do this, I’m not afraid of hardship, and I don’t need someone to take care of me…”

Bowing her head, hiding the lovesick reluctance in her eyes, Zi Yan forced herself to speak words of rejection that went against her true feelings.

“I don’t need you to treat me like this, it’s already enough… You really don’t have to.”

A heavy silence suddenly filled the room, and the woman sitting on the bed nervously bit her lower lip.

She was unsure if her seemingly unappreciative words would upset the person next to her, and the flickering candlelight on the wall cast shadows of the two figures in the room.

“I meant…” after a short pause, Song Shuqing broke the silence.

“The one you’re holding, is it my robe?”

The author has something to say:

In the next chapter, senior sister is going to make a breakthrough (laughs).

LP: Re-translated on May 06, 2024