Poison Genius Consort

g fell silent.

Cheng'er was thrilled and quickly added, “You don't have to say it for a lifetime, either.
But if that's the case, you have to stay here for a lifetime.”

Ning Cheng really had it with this woman.
“Why bother?”

“Because I like you!” Cheng'er was direct.
She subconsciously tightened her grip, only to find out something was wrong with Ning Cheng's hand.
She quickly let go and took a closer look before exclaiming in alarm, “Your hand…”

At first she thought he was stiff because he was resisting her, but after holding him tightly, she realized that wasn't the case.
His fingers were stiff originally. 

“What happened to your hand?” Cheng'er cried.
“Did Han Xiang hurt you?”

Ning Cheng didn't answer.
This hand…this whole arm had been wasted for the sake of reviving West Qin.
Inside it was hidden the West Qin princess's item.[1] Now there was no West Qin, only Great Qin; no West Qin princess, only the Great Qin empress, but his hand had become a force of habit.
If Cheng'er hadn't reminded him, he…would have forgotten by now.

Remembering it was intentional. 

Turning it into a habit was forgetting it instead. 

Ning Cheng was lost in his own world while Cheng'er was almost mad with anxiety.
She tugged at Ning Cheng and asked, “Say something, was it Han Xiang who did this to you? Where else does it hurt? Say it!”

She dragged at him and inspected him from head to toe.
“Will you tell me or now? Where else are you hurt? I won't force you anymore, can you speak?”

Since Ning Cheng wouldn't give her any answers, Cheng'er released him and walked towards the door.
“Big brother…big brother…help me kill Han Xiang!”

“Cheng'er!” Ning Cheng called out quickly.

Cheng'er turned back and Ning Cheng's whole heart seized.
Because he saw this cheery, careless, sharp-tongued girl wear a face full of tears…

“I…I'm all right.
It's not Han Xiang who hurt me.” He didn't notice how gentler he sounded.

Cheng'er quickly strode back and asked, “Then what's going on with your hand?”

Ning Cheng looked at her and turned serious.
He said, “Cheng'er, I'm not only blind in one eye, but crippled in one arm.
What do you like about me?”

“I liked that you won over me,” Cheng'er blurted out.
Perhaps that wasn't the real reason, perhaps she didn't know why either. 

Ning Cheng broke into a bitter smile.
“Many people can win against you.”

“But I just happened to run into you!” Cheng'er replied stubbornly back.

“You don't even know what kind of person I am, yet you still dare to like me?” Ning Cheng asked.

“It's not like I like you because of who you are,” Cheng'er answered. 

Ning Cheng usually argued with her.
After all these years, he'd never lost, but today he was rendered mute.

“Tell me who you are!” Cheng'er asked.

Ning Cheng didn't hesitated but told her his origins.
She was shocked.

“So you're that Great General of Northern Li! The head of the Ning Clan!”

Seeing her reaction, Ning Cheng couldn't help smiling.
“It's not too late to regret now.”

Cheng'er only slapped his hand.
“Ning Cheng, I worship you most out of all the other Great Generals of Great Qin! You didn't have a single losing battle in Northern Li, how did you do it? And why did you leave after you won? I was hoping you'd be the Northern Li King and fight your way to Wintercrow to destroy Le Zheng.”

Ning Cheng arched his brow at her, not expecting her to pay attention to the battlefront. 

“Was your hand injured on the battlefield?” Cheng'er asked.

“You could say that,” Ning Cheng replied simply.

Cheng'er took his hand again.
Ning Cheng wanted to avoid her, but she wouldn't let go.
She didn't understand.
“How was it hurt? Why can't you move your hand anymore?”

A complex look flitted past Ning Cheng's eyes.
“If you let go, I'll tell you.”

Cheng'er did and Ning Cheng took out a dagger before cutting open his palm to take out a tiny acupuncture needle.
She couldn't help covering her mouth in fright.
“This needle…how did it get there?”

“It belongs to my master,” Ning Cheng replied honestly.

“The Great Qin Empress Han Yunxi?” Cheng'er was again surprised.
“Why did you hide it in your hand? You shouldn't ruin your arm just because it's crippled, ah.
Is this a very precious needle?”

“This needle is…” As Ning Cheng spoke, Cheng'er came to wrap up his injuries with her handkerchief while testing his fingers and palm. 

Before he could finish, she was already interrupting.
“With the needle out, it seems you can move your hand again!”

“Mm, it can move.
It just has no strength,” Ning Cheng answered.

Cheng'er quickly took his hand and wound their fingers together.
“That's fine.
As long as it can hold my hand, it's enough.”

She tightened her grip and asked, “What were you saying about this needle's origins?”

Ning Cheng looked at their entwined hands and fell silent for a while without saying a thing.
Cheng'er was quite alert and worried, frightened that he'd shake her off again to leave.
So she stayed silent too.

It wasn't clear what Ning Cheng thought, but he slowly lifted their hands and rested it against his lips, kissing the back of Cheng'er's hand. 

He said, “Cheng'er, I'll stay.
I only have one condition.”

Cheng'er's heart bloomed as she stared at her kissed hand as if drunk.
She didn't ask for the terms but said, “I agree!”

Ning Cheng couldn't resist rolling his eyes before he said, “Forget about my identity.
I'm only Ah-Cheng.”

Cheng'er happily agreed.
“I wasn't part of your past, so of course I can forget it!”

1.
As a reminder: Han Yunxi's acupuncture needle, which he stuck inside himself and kept there.
Yeah.