22 INFAMOUS PORRIDGE

Lady Ding enters her manor with sleeping Lady Mei. She puts Lady Mei away slowly in her bed. Ling followed Lady Ding but walks to Bian, "how is Lady Guo?" she whispered. Bian shook her head as Bian watches Lady Guo still sleeping in. "I bought the sweets," Ling said showing Bian the basket full of sweets. Bian smiled, "that looks good," she said. "Would you like any sweets?" Ling offered buying more than enough. Bian shook her head, "I am fine," she said. Ling gasped surprised that Bian rejected the sweets. Bian loved the sweets more than Ling. "You have grown," Ling said smiling at Bian. "We can give it to her when she wakes up," Bian suggested. Ling nodded.

After Lady Ding put Lady Mei to sleep and ordered the consort to watch her, Lady Ding went to Ling and Bian, who were watching Lady Guo. Ling and Bian seeing Lady Ding come up to her daughter, they moved out of the way to watch Lady Ding check on her. "I wonder how long more Chang is going to take," Ling said looking out the manor being impatient for her Lady Ding. "Chang is a good at what he does," Bian said. Ling nodded, "I know." Bian remember admiring Chang when he was studying to be a doctor and she liked how passionate he is to save people. Ling also knows when Chang found the cure to her sickness without giving up. Both sisters looked at each other entrusting and praying for Chang to return fast for Lady Guo.

"Have Physician Chang returned?" Mother Yan, also impatient for his return, asked the servants. They shook their head. Mother Yan paced the living room and prayed. "Where is Meng De?" she asked. "General Meng De is studying," the servant answered. "Yes, yes," Mother Yan nodded knowing her son's way of expressing his stress is by studying. "He must be worried about his daughter, to forget about his wedding," Mother Yan said and looked at the consorts, "should we move the wedding?" she asked. The consorts bowed their head with no opinions. Mother Yan sighs, she was stressed as well but as a mother, she must stay strong.

While staying with Lady Ding and Ling to watch Lady Guo, Bian offered to make porridge for Lady Guo in case she wakes up. She left Lady Ding's manor to go to the kitchen."What are you doing?" Mother Yan asked Bian seeing her in the hallway. "I am going to make porridge in case Lady Guo wakes up and is hungry," Bian said. "That is good," Mother Yan said, "I will tell one of the consorts to help you." Bian shook her head, "I am fine, they must be tired because of all these situations," she said. Mother Yan smiled at Bian to see how thoughtful she had always been. "Do you know how Meng De is?" Mother Yan asked. Bian shook her head as she hasn't seen him since a while ago. "He stopped by to check on Lady Guo a while ago," Bian said softly. Mother Yan sighs, "I am also worried about him, he has not eaten at all," Mother Yan said. Bian pitied Mother Yan and wanted her to feel better. Mother Yan had treated her nicely the last couple of days and Bian felt like she need to pay back to her. "I can check up on General Cao Cao," Bian said. "You will?" Mother Yan said trying to keep a smile at Bian. "Yes," Bian smiled at Mother Yan to assure her. "Thank you," Mother Yan said, "I will go check on little Lady Guo," and left.

Bian finished making the porridge. It smelled good, since Bian also skipped meals too. It was because of her pregnancy causing her to have no appetite and everything is in a commotion. After promising to check up on Meng De, Bian brought a bowl of the porridge she made and headed towards Meng De's manor.

Bian knocked on the door slightly but no one answered. Bian looked inside to see Meng De concentrating hard on his studies. This time he was reading instead of writing. Bian knocked again but he didn't answer. Bian walked inside, "General Cao Cao," she called. "What is it?" Meng De said snapping out of his concentration. "I have brought porridge for you," Bian said. Meng De waved at her, "take it away, I have no appetite," he said. Bian looked at him and placed it on the tea table. "I say take it away," Meng De ordered. Bian can see how pale he is, "Lady Yan is worried about you and wants you to eat," Bian said. "Tell mother I am fine," Meng De lied. "I only doing what I am told to do," Bian lied. Meng De stood up and walked towards Bian. He scoffed, "so now caring for me is a chore?" Bian looked at him trying not to anger him, "you should care for yourself, at least for Lady Guo," she said. "I can care for myself, so it will not be a chore for anyone," Meng De said. Bian nodded and excuse herself. "Take the food away," Meng De ordered. Bian ignored his order and only looked at him, "you need to eat," she said seeing how pale he is. "You will not?" Meng De dared Bian.

"Servant Bo!" Meng De called, "come take this food away!" "You must eat," Bian raised her voice louder. "Who are you to tell me what to do?" Meng De raised his voice at her. "I...Lady Yan and Lady Ding cares for you, and Lady Guo would not like it if you are..." Bian tried making out her words. "Who are you to care!" Meng De angrily yelled at Bian for using the people he loved to torture his conscious even more. Bian stood quiet in fear of Meng De's voice.

"Yes?" Servant Bo called through the door. "Come take this food away," Meng De said. "Yes," Servant Bo said. "No," Bian said almost grabbing the bowl of porridge but Meng De hits the bowl, "I say take it away." The bowl of porridge fell and spilled onto the ground. Bian gasped at the scene. Servant Bo paused and looked at Bian and Meng De, "I will clean it up," Servant Bo said as he leaves the room quickly to get a towel to wipe the floor.

Bian sniffed. Meng De looked at Bian to see her tearing up looking at the porridge. He scoffed at her reaction that she would tear up for spilled porridge. Bian bent down and grabbed the spoon to scrap the liquid into the bowl to help clean up. "Leave it," Meng De told her seeing her action. Bian ignored him and continue cleaning the porridge. "I say leave it," Meng De raised his voice at her. Seeing Bian ignoring him, Meng De grabbed her wrist and took the spoon away from her hands, dropping it to the ground, "you do not have to clean it up," he said firmly looking at Bian's tearful eyes. "Why do I have to listen to you?" Bian said as her voice cracks, "you do not even listen to me, why do I have to listen to you?" Bian's tears fell down her cheeks. Meng De had no answer for her, he was a leader, everyone listened to him. "You are going to burn yourself," Meng De said shaking Bian to stop crying as he is still holding onto her wrists. "Then I ask you, who are you to care?" Bian said hitting Meng De in the chest with her fists and crying. Meng De dropped his grip and allowed her to hit him as he watch her cry, "I am sorry," he said softly knowing he shouldn't have raised his voice at her and say those words when she brought food for him. Bian covered her eyes to cry. Feeling bad, Meng De hugged her into his chest as he comforts her.

Bian didn't care anymore and cried her heart out. She is already stressed about the wedding and how Meng De betrayed her. She is stressed about Lady Guo's health. She is stressed that no one is not even able to help, not even her sister she had depended on. She is stressed that her life is changing instantly, from a consort to a lady. Meng De waited until Bian was done crying into his chest. He listened and heard her sniff instead of crying. He lets go of the hug, "are you fine?" he asked. Bian, now embarrassed, nodded at him. Meng De caress her hair out of her face and tears out of her cheeks, "I care because I am your soon to be husband," Meng De said, "more like I am already," he shrugged. Bian blushed and turned away. Bian cleared her throat, not being able to face Meng De when she says this, "I do not want to get marry," she said. Then she turned to face Meng De to confess, "not because of anyone else, but it is because I just do not."

Bian looked for a response from Meng De but he just looks into her eyes then he nodded as if he understood something. "That is fine," he said, "even if you do not love me, as long as you are by my side," Meng De walked away. Bian shocked at his response, he wasn't going to dismiss the wedding no matter what. Bian didn't understand Meng De, why wouldn't he dismiss the wedding when he doesn't even love her too. The marriage will be a loveless marriage, how will both of them survive, Bian didn't understand anything. Before Bian can say anything else, Meng De called for Servant Bo, "Servant Bo!"

"What is it?" Servant Bo appeared quickly as if he was outside already waiting for Bian and Meng De to finish their conversation. "Clean the spilled porridge up," Meng De said as he starts taking off his outfit since Bian cried all over it. Bian sees what Meng De was doing and quickly stepped out his manor. Bian wiped the rest of her tears. She had already made an exchange with him with everything she has and he still won't dismiss the wedding. Bian felt powerless, no one was able to help her, even Meng De was not bothered by their loveless marriage.

As Bian left his room and Servant Bo finishes cleaning up the spilled porridge and leaving, Meng De changed into a new outfit. He tried keeping his feelings cool but he was hurt when he saw her real feelings in her eyes. She did not love him. Meng De sighs at his hopeless love, "just as long she is always by my side," he convinced himself knowing he cannot let her go.