YM778.TV Chapter 296: You're a strong girl.
Yang Ning cast a fleeting glance at Hou Wei, who, as always, donned the distinctive blue dress adorned with a white belt—the signature attire of the imperial medicine department. Returning the gaze with a warm smile, she remarked, "Yes, I wanted to spend some time with you."
Hou Wei, taken aback yet pleasantly surprised, responded with a smile, "It is my honor, Princess."
Yang Ning, her demeanor gracious, advised, "You need not be so formal with me. I prefer you address me by my name." She continued with a friendly tone, "Don\'t just stand there. Take a seat and join me for some tea and snacks."
Hou Wei hesitated, expressing, "Your Highness, I don\'t wish to overstep my boundaries." Despite her desire to spend time with the Princess, she couldn\'t muster the courage to do so. After all, she was just a humble nurse in the imperial medicine department.
Thinking back to their first meeting in Xinling City, Hou Wei fondly remembered the joy of arriving in the capital in the hope of seeing the woman who helped her once again.
When she first encountered Yang Ning in Xinling, she felt excited about the prospect of going to the capital to meet her again and hopefully become friends. It was the first time someone had stood up for her, treating her with unexpected kindness.
In a world where people often seem self-centered, finding someone willing to help a stranger, even if it meant trouble for themselves, was a rare gem for Hou Wei. To her, Yang Ning was like a heroine from street plays, breaking societal norms to stand up for the mistreated and vulnerable.
However, upon reaching the capital, Hou Wei was in for a surprise. Discovering that Yang Ning was not a commoner but the Crown Princess shattered her dream of friendship. The stark contrast in their social statuses made it seem impossible for a commoner like Hou Wei to be friends with royalty.
Despite this, she continued to admire Yang Ning as her idol, aspiring to become a strong woman who could protect herself and confidently stand up against injustice, just like her idol, regardless of their differing social positions.
Yang Ning noticed Hou Wei\'s hesitation and promptly took action, seizing her hand and guiding her to a chair. With a warm smile, she reassured, "Stop hesitating and have a seat. I didn\'t invite you here as a nurse but as my friend, Hou Wei. So, relax, enjoy some tea and snacks. I prepared all of this just for you. Here, take some." Yang Ning handed a tea cup to Hou Wei.
Still caught in a daze and confusion, Hou Wei accepted the tea cup from Yang Ning. "But, Princess..." she began, her confusion evident as she hesitantly looked at Yang Ning. As a commoner, the idea of sitting down to share tea with the Crown Princess left her bewildered and uncertain about the situation.
Observing the timid, deer-like expression in Hou Wei\'s eyes, Yang Ning felt a warmth in her heart. She had been concerned that, as the female lead of the novel, she would need to be cautious of Hou Wei, fearing she might develop feelings for Zheng Liang. However, witnessing the admiration in Hou Wei\'s eyes for her, it seemed like she valued her more than Zheng Liang at this point.
Yang Ning let out a low chuckle and said, "Stop hesitating. I called you here because I want to be friends with you. Did you forget about our encounter in Xinling City? I want you to treat me the same way that you did that time and not be so formal with me. Alright?"
"When you\'re with me, you don\'t need to care about the formalities and surely you don\'t need to worry about people talking about it. I will handle everything so for now, just have some tea with me. It\'s boring to have tea alone all the time you see." Yang Ning said casually, trying to ease Hou Wei\'s hesitance.
Upon hearing Yang Ning\'s words, Hou Wei felt reassured, and her tension began to ease. While she had always wanted to be friends with Yang Ning, the Princess\'s explicit mention of their friendship made it much easier for Hou Wei to accept the warm invitation.
"Becoming friends with Your Highness is truly an honor. Thank you for thinking of me," Hou Wei expressed shyly. Despite Yang Ning\'s invitation to address her casually, Hou Wei couldn\'t bring herself to do so. Instead, she continued to use a more formal address while occasionally casting admiring glances in Yang Ning\'s direction.
Yang Ning smiled warmly, observing the girl blush in front of her. Recognizing Hou Wei\'s awkwardness and embarrassment, she refrained from pressuring her to become more at ease. Yang Ning understood that it would take time for Hou Wei to fully open up and feel comfortable around her.
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"I should be the one thanking you instead, Hou Wei. Thank you for preventing that woman from entering the Dragon Pavilion the other day. You didn\'t need to, yet you still got in trouble because of that," Yang Ning expressed with gratitude, her appreciation evident in her words.
"Also, I apologize on that woman\'s behalf. Even though I hate it, Lady Chang Ah still belongs to the Yang Family, and you almost got hurt because of that woman. She said so many hurtful things to you," Yang Ning apologized sincerely.
Despite having already confronted Chang Ah on that day, Yang Ning wanted to formally express her apologies to Hou Wei, aiming to prevent any misunderstandings in their relationship.
From what she had observed, Hou Wei was a kind-hearted girl with a golden heart. While Hou Wei might be perceived as weak in terms of self-protection, she possessed a strong sense of justice and never hesitated to stand up for others—a true embodiment of a female lead character.
Despite any challenges in their relationship within the novel\'s plot since Hou Wei was the female lead and Yang Ning was labeled as the villainess, this time, Yang Ning was determined to befriend Hou Wei because, in reality, she found her to be a genuinely nice person.
Hou Wei shook her head in a state of panic, "Your Highness, please don\'t apologize to me. You didn\'t do anything wrong. In fact, I should be thanking you for saving me the other day and standing up for me. After my father passed away, it was only you who protected me, whether it was in Xinling City or here. Thank you for your unwavering support; I will never forget what you did for me."
Yang Ning smiled warmly and took hold of Hou Wei\'s hand, "Hou Wei, you\'re not only nice but also a strong girl. I want you to know that. Working as a nurse in the imperial medicine department where men hold higher positions, I am sure there will be a day when you achieve great things and take over those higher positions. I believe in you."
"Having a higher status by birth doesn\'t define your worth. You can achieve anything as long as you work hard and refine the talents and skills you possess. I am confident that one day you will not only make a name for yourself but also make your father and country proud," Yang Ning encouraged with genuine belief in Hou Wei\'s potential.
Yang Ning recalled from the novel that Hou Wei was not just a kind girl but also a courageous one. In the epilogue chapters of the novel, it was shown that even after Hou Wei and Zheng Liang got married, she consistently served people with kindness, going on ventures to flood and plague-affected areas to assist physicians in their services.
The masses applauded her for her selfless service and admired her courage. Despite becoming royalty and as the Empress, she never forgot her roots. Hou Wei emerged as a heroine among the people, praised for her courage as a woman who defied social norms and dedicated herself to serving the country and its people.
Even if the story took a different turn and Hou Wei didn\'t become the Empress, Yang Ning still believed that Hou Wei possessed the qualities to make a name for herself.
Touched by Yang Ning\'s words, tears welled up in Hou Wei\'s eyes. Sniffling to hold back the tears, she spoke in a choked voice, "Your Highness, thank you for believing in me. I will make sure to work hard and make you and my father proud. Thank you for trusting me."
Observing Hou Wei sobbing, Yang Ning handed her handkerchief and gently said, "Now, stop crying and eat something. The snacks are all getting cold." With a caring gesture, she placed some snacks on the table for Hou Wei.