“Who says the Ninth Imperial Uncle and Mu Mu are mine? They’re not my people.” Feng Jiu’er shot her a sidelong glance. She had known Qiao Mu for so long and truly had never seen this flustered and ferocious side of her. So one couldn’t even look at Yanu for a moment longer? Could it be…

Feng Jiu’er’s expression cooled. She threw back the quilt and sat up from the bed. “Hey! You haven’t developed some unmentionable feelings for Yanu, have you? Let me tell you — Yanu is my person. Without my permission, you are not allowed to bully him!”

Truly — to think Qiao Mu turned out to be such a woman with an eye for beauty as well! And Yanu, who had no martial arts, who knew whether he had been bullied or not? If anyone was going to bully him, she had to be first! But then — what did she mean by “let her be first”… pei pei pei, she had never had any thought of bullying anyone. Truly not a single such thought! Really!

Qiao Mu was nearly beside herself with rage! She actually harboured such feelings, and now she even wanted to keep Yanu entirely for herself!

“But you—”

“Ow! My hand hurts so much!” Feng Jiu’er furrowed her brow and gave a few small whines. Yanu’s eyes filled with concern and he quickly said, “Xue Gu said that once you wake, drink the medicine first — drinking the medicine will ease the pain.”

“My hand hurts. You feed it to me.” Feng Jiu’er glanced at Qiao Mu, smiling with great self-satisfaction.

Qiao Mu truly wanted to wring her head off — she was deliberately trying to provoke her. But even knowing perfectly well that Feng Jiu’er was doing it on purpose, Qiao Mu still felt the urge to go mad with jealousy. Finally, when she saw Yanu feeding the medicine to Jiu’er, she ran into the outer courtyard and began smashing something loudly.

“Pffft… ha, haha… cough, cough, cough…”

The culprit who had driven her to near-madness, after another burst of laughter, finally reaped what she sowed — she was choked by the medicine.

Yanu was so worried he immediately patted her back and helped ease her breathing. “Slow down. Don’t choke again. Slow down.”

At long last, Feng Jiu’er finished the entire bowl of medicine. She then threw back the quilt and started to get down from the bed.

“You’ve only just woken up — your body hasn’t recovered yet. Where are you going?” Yanu asked anxiously.

Xue Gu, who had been sitting nearby all along, also stood and walked to the bedside. “What do you need?”

“Where is Jian Yi?” When she had fainted, Jian Yi seemed to have been revived — but she was not certain whether the toxin in his body had been fully cleared. What was more, Jian Yi and Jiu Qing did not know each other, and she was unsure whether the cold and proud Jiu Qing would be willing to save him. If Jiu Qing had only saved her and left Jian Yi behind, with Jian Yi’s body as weak as it was at the time, he might not have been able to hold off those men in black.

“He…” Xue Gu paused, and her eyes moved reflexively toward the door outside. Then she let out a soft sigh and said quietly, “He said it was because of him that you were involved. You were unconscious for a full day and night. He has been standing outside for that entire day and night without ever stepping away.”

“That fool!” He had only just been detoxified — the toxin might not even be fully expelled yet — and he dared to stand outside and keep vigil all night? Was he trying to get himself killed?

Jiu’er climbed down from the bed. Yanu tried to hold her back. “You’ve only just woken up — your body is likely still weak.”

“I’m fine.” Jiu’er insisted on getting down from the bed, took the warm towel Xue Gu handed her, casually wiped her face, and headed immediately for the door.

Yanu quickly set down the bowl and followed carefully behind, worried she would go weak at the knees and collapse.

In the courtyard outside the room, Jian Yi stood in the afternoon sunlight, his face expressionless, looking at her. It was already afternoon and the sun was blazing overhead. To simply stand there exposed in the full blaze of the sun looked uncomfortable just to watch. All the more so when he had already been standing there for a full day and night.

Jiu’er let out a breath, walked over, and glared at him. “What are you doing now? Trying to earn my sympathy?”

Jian Yi merely looked steadily at her still somewhat pale face and asked quietly, “Are you well?”

His voice was terribly hoarse — which made it clear enough that for the entirety of that night and most of the day, he had not drunk so much as a mouthful of water.

“Come inside with me.” Feng Jiu’er turned and headed back into the room. Jian Yi was uncertain whether to follow. Seeing that she was safe, he felt relieved — but his own transgressions…

“Let me tell you — my blood is flowing in your veins now. If you don’t listen to me, my blood will have flowed for nothing.”

Jian Yi immediately stepped forward and followed behind her.

Whether from being in the blazing sun too long or something else, the moment he took that first step, his tall frame still swayed slightly.

Jiu’er sat back down in the room. Yanu stood nearby, and the two of them moved together with such ease and naturalness that Jian Yi watched them with a faint envy. She genuinely got along so well with those around her. Comfortable, natural, free and easy, not a trace of false sentiment. Looking at himself by contrast — when he was at Feng Qingyin’s side, he had always felt stifled and reluctant doing many things…

“Sit down.” Feng Jiu’er said lightly.

Jian Yi hesitated for a moment, then finally sat down in the chair beside her. Jiu’er took his hand; Jian Yi tried to pull it back, but she held it firmly, and not daring to resist, he let her do as she wished. Feng Jiu’er pressed her fingertips to the pulse point at his wrist, felt carefully for a moment, and then exhaled with relief. It seemed her blood truly was of great use — such a fierce poison, and yet it had been able to clear him of it. Whether this was because Feng Jiu’er had been subjected to poisoning for so long in her past, or whether it was due to her identity as a Feng woman, Jiu’er herself could not at this moment say.

“Yanu, go with Xue Gu to prepare the new medicinal ingredients — we’ll need them on the road.” Jiu’er turned to glance at Yanu. Yanu understood — she had something to say to Jian Yi — and could only nod and leave together with Xue Gu.

The door closed. Only Feng Jiu’er and Jian Yi remained in the room.

Jiu’er looked at Jian Yi and asked quietly, “The toxin in your body has been expelled. What do you intend to do from now on? Are you going to return to Feng Qingyin’s side?”

At the sound of Feng Qingyin’s name, a flash of resistance crossed Jian Yi’s eyes. But after the resistance came a vast grey emptiness.

“What you mean is… you’re chasing me away?”

“What does this have to do with me? He was not her person in any sense — the question of chasing or not chasing simply did not apply. You have your own freedom. As for me — you should know I have somewhere I need to go, and I’ll be leaving here soon.” So it was not a matter of chasing or not — she would not be staying here long herself.

“I just want to counsel you: Feng Qingyin is truly not a good person.” It was not exactly the behaviour of a principled person to speak ill of others behind their back — but Feng Jiu’er had never considered herself particularly principled.

“You want to repay the debt of gratitude you owe her — wait until I return and I’ll think of a way to help you. But you… don’t go back and work for her anymore. She will not treat you well.” She knew Feng Qingyin better than he did. If he went back, Feng Qingyin would only use him to do her bidding — to harm people, to kill people. He had such ability — was it not a waste to spend it serving Feng Qingyin’s treacherous schemes?

“From now on, don’t be an assassin either. You’re not a ruthless and cold-blooded person. Killing — it would weigh on your conscience.”

Yet Jian Yi kept his gaze fixed on her face, and his answer was still the same single question: “Are you chasing me away?”