Lin Chong's Women's Cuju Team

Du Rushuang blinked, then relayed to Zhang Ruowen that she planned to return to Zixiang Pavilion to train in Cuju (ancient Chinese football) in a few days, but she wouldn't stay there. She would still return to the escort agency every day to take care of him and let him focus on recovering. Zhang Ruowen didn't say anything more, because as long as Du Rushuang's heart was with him and she promised not to be alone with Wu Song again, he believed her. He had no reason to object to her returning to Zixiang Pavilion to train in Cuju.

As night deepened, Zhang Ruowen watched in the quiet garden as Baihe pinned a note to the leg of a carrier pigeon and released it. He then turned to return to his room. The letter was for the Wolf King; Zhang Ruowen had immediately informed the Wolf King about Du Shiniang's reorganization of the Song Dynasty's women's Cuju (ancient Chinese football) team, as this matter concerned the current relationship between the Jin and Song dynasties. Although he didn't want a direct war between the two countries, he knew that his adoptive father had been planning for so many years, and some things were beyond his control alone.

Zhang Ruowen had only taken a few steps when he saw a white object thrown at his feet. Looking down, he saw it was the carrier pigeon that had been released earlier. He immediately looked around alertly, but couldn't see who had assassinated the pigeon. So he coughed lightly and called out to a rockery near the garden, "You dared to assassinate my carrier pigeon, but why don't you dare show yourself to me? Are you afraid?"

"What a joke! What's there to be afraid of? I'm here!" Wu Song slowly emerged from behind the artificial hill. Zhang Ruowen wore a thin black cloak, his face somewhat pale. In the moonlight, he looked like a frail scholar, completely different from the man in black at Sunset Cliff that day. Could it be that he really became so weak while helping Du Rushuang detoxify?

Wu Song blinked his slightly puzzled eyes, glanced at Zhang Ruowen, and warned him bluntly, "Zhang Ruowen, no! You should be called by your original name, Yelü Wen. You are currently recuperating at the Flying Eagle Escort Agency, and Shuang'er is protecting you. How could you betray her and Du Shiniang by informing the Wolf King about their plan to reorganize the Song Dynasty women's football team?"

"My business with Shuang'er is none of your concern, an outsider!" Zhang Ruowen retorted to Wu Song, his face showing no fear, only a hint of displeasure.

“I didn’t want to get involved in your affairs, but if you insist on aiding and abetting evil, it will only cause Shuang’er to suffer along with you. If what you do endangers the people of Song, then I will definitely not let you go. I will not only kill you with my own hands, but I will also take Shuang’er away!” Wu Song said to Zhang Ruowen in a stiff and firm tone, and then glared at him fiercely, his provocation obvious.

"I won't give you a chance to take Shuang'er away. Besides, the person she loves is me. You were just a mistake she made when she lost her memory!" Zhang Ruowen mocked Wu Song, then squinted at him to see his reaction.

"Wrong? Do you think Shuang'er is such a heartless person? She only chose you out of gratitude for saving her life, not because she truly loves you more than me. There's no order of precedence in matters of the heart. Just because you grew up together doesn't mean she necessarily likes you more." Wu Song was a little annoyed and pointed his finger at Zhang Ruowen's face to refute his words.

"Wu Song, you're just fooling yourself! I'm warning you, don't even think about Shuang'er again, and you'd better never appear in front of her again, or you'll anger me. I'll take my godfather's troops and storm Liangshan Marsh, burn down your lair, and then massacre the entire mountain, leaving you with no place to bury your body!" Zhang Ruowen threatened Wu Song with a sinister look in his eyes.

"Slaughter Liangshan? Yelü Wen, even the Song court didn't dare to send troops to besiege Liangshan. How dare you, a mere bunch of Jin bandits, go to Liangshan? Are you tired of living? Do you think your lives are too long?" Wu Song retorted to Zhang Ruowen in a sarcastic tone, as if he had heard a joke.

Suddenly, Zhang Ruowen coughed twice, seemingly taken aback by Wu Song's tone. Bai He, standing behind him, quickly stepped forward and gently patted his back a few times to help him catch his breath. Seeing how easily Zhang Ruowen was frightened, Wu Song didn't want to argue with him anymore, but simply uttered a harsh statement: "Yelü Wen, I will never give up on Shuang'er! Even if she marries you, I have ways to make her leave you."

"You...you stole her away first...you shameless!" Zhang Ruowen cursed Wu Song, panting heavily. Wu Song, however, didn't want to pay him any more attention. After all, his rival was injured, and arguing with him now would be dishonest. If Du Rushuang found out, she might accuse him of taking advantage of her.

Seeing Wu Song use his light-footed skill to fly onto the roof and disappear into the distance, Zhang Ruowen turned and instructed Bai He to send another message to the Wolf King via carrier pigeon. Bai He helped Zhang Ruowen back to his room and then went to deliver the message to the Wolf King again. Zhang Ruowen leaned against the bed, recalling Wu Song's words to him that evening. He was somewhat annoyed. Could it be that his Shuang'er's feelings for him were more of gratitude than romantic love? He couldn't believe it. After all, they had grown up together since childhood. Could it be that she was less important than Wu Song after only two months together?

Just as Zhang Ruowen was lost in thought, the door creaked open, and he looked up to see Du Rushuang carrying a red brocade quilt with mandarin ducks into the room. Du Rushuang must have just taken a bath, as she was only wearing a moon-white undergarment. She approached the bed with the quilt and said gently, "Awen, it's chilly at night. I was worried your quilt was too thin, so I went to find you a thicker one."

"Shuang'er, thank you!" Zhang Ruowen said gratefully to Du Rushuang. Du Rushuang spread out the quilt and covered the man with it, replying casually, "There's no need for formalities between us."

"Shuang'er, don't leave tonight, sleep with me, okay?" Zhang Ruowen gripped Du Rushuang's hand tightly, looking at the woman with burning eyes and pleading softly. Du Rushuang was silent for a moment, and Zhang Ruowen immediately added, "I won't touch you, I just want to hold you and sleep."

A blush crept across Du Rushuang's face as she softly replied with an "okay." Zhang Ruowen quickly pulled her forcefully, pinning her down on the bed. Du Rushuang shyly burrowed under the covers, and Zhang Ruowen turned to his side, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist. He rested his head on her shoulder and whispered soothingly, "Sweetie, let's go to sleep early!"

Du Rushuang dared not move, afraid that any movement would disturb the man's newly healed wounds, or that it would cause him to misunderstand and think she wanted to do something with him. After a while, she heard a regular and calm breathing sound behind her, and she knew that Zhang Ruowen must have fallen asleep. She carefully turned her face and gently placed the man's head on the pillow, while she stared blankly at the collar above the bed curtains.

The scene of meeting Wu Song during the day flashed through her mind, and a pang of sadness welled up in her heart. How could Wu Song be so annoying? No matter what she did, she couldn't get rid of him. He said that no matter what happened in the future, he would silently stay by her side. He also said that he would wait for her to come back to him. It was all his wishful thinking. But why did she take his words to heart? He was so annoying!

Furthermore, how could her feelings for A-Wen be gratitude? It was clearly love! Wu Song was deliberately spouting nonsense and disturbing her peace of mind; how despicable! Thinking this, Du Rushuang gritted her teeth, suppressing her emotions towards Wu Song. She turned and gently stroked Zhang Ruowen's eyebrows and eyes, saying to herself, "A-Wen, get well soon. I want to help my sister finish the Cuju match against the Jin Kingdom and then leave the capital, never to see Wu Song again."