Meng Zhuqing became because she walked ahead to protect someone, and Tobanya very much wanted to take care of Meng Zhuqing personally, but it was difficult for her to voice this wish.
After all, with the entire Meng family around, it wasn’t her place as an outsider to take care of her.
At first, she used to visit Meng Zhuqing every day, but later, she stopped going altogether, just because she happened to overhear a conversation between Old Lady Meng and the maidservants.
At that time, Old Lady Meng said, "Lan Qing has already told me, Wild Goose Jade is her milk name, her true identity is Princess Yao, daughter of the King of Beicheng. The Emperor has already learned that the King of Beicheng was falsely accused, and he will soon make the truth known to the world. She should also have her status as Commandery Princess restored. It’s just, Jue Chen calls her his wife..."
The maidservant said, "Old Lady Meng, hasn’t the eldest young master already explained? It’s just the eldest young master’s brother who recklessly calls her that, she’s not really the eldest young master’s brother’s wife."
Old Lady Meng said, "But I asked Jue Chen, and he told me that he had seen all of her body and even touched..."
The maidservant’s face instantly flushed with embarrassment.
Old Lady Meng’s face also turned slightly red, but she continued, "Her body is unclean, and now she keeps coming to see my son. I’m worried that her visits are not just out of gratitude for my son’s kindness, but that she has feelings for my son..."
The maidservant said, "Old Lady Meng, there’s no need to worry. The eldest young madam speaks plainly and the second young master has an extremely good relationship with her brother. It’s certain that the second young master is aware her body is unclean, and I believe that even if she has feelings for the second young master, he has no such intentions for her. The second young master would absolutely not do anything to bring shame to the Meng family."
Old Lady Meng felt a little comforted by the explanation, but then sighed sorrowfully, "It’s too soon to speak of these things; Zhuqing hasn’t woken yet. I don’t know if she will."
The maidservant said, "The second young master has a fortunate fate; he will surely awake!"
At the time, Tobanya didn’t know how she left the General’s residence. All she knew was that her whole body felt cold, as if she was submerged in an icy cave, chilled from head to toe, without a hint of warmth.
Indeed, her body was unclean.
In the past, her mind was fixed solely on vengeance, so much that even when Gong Juechen touched her, she could disregard it and pay no attention to her body.
And she hadn’t killed Gong Juechen because he had saved her. She had been touched, but she considered it repayment for Gong Juechen’s life-saving grace; she and Gong Juechen were thus square.
Even if she liked Meng Zhuqing, even if she could regain her status as Commandery Princess, she was still unworthy of Meng Zhuqing.
Therefore, since hearing the conversation between Old Lady Meng and the maidservant, Tobanya never visited Meng Zhuqing during the day again, and even at night, when she went to see Meng Zhuqing, she didn’t want anyone to know. She snuck into the General’s residence secretly.
That night, Tobanya once again snuck into the General’s residence and slipped into Meng Zhuqing’s room.
Meng Zhuqing had now been unconscious for ten days with no sign of waking.
As soon as Tobanya entered Meng Zhuqing’s room, she sat by Meng Zhuqing’s bedside, looking at her lying unconscious on the bed.
After watching for a long time, Tobanya finally murmured, "Aren’t you going to wake up?"
With just that murmur, Tobanya fell into reminiscence.
In her memory, aside from the one time Meng Zhuqing had grabbed her, at all other times, Meng Zhuqing had been extremely good to her.
Perhaps it was the numbness from waiting too long, but Tobanya no longer felt the same urgency as before; her mind was utterly calm, as if Meng Zhuqing had been sleep for a thousand years. She was completely composed.