???

The fist Feng Jiu’er had raised slowly lowered under his pure, unblemished smile.

She let out a soft sigh and said, “Go on, have someone prepare a bath for you!”

She had finally waited for him to wake up; she couldn’t very well knock him unconscious again with one punch.

“Go, and don’t provoke me again!”

Feng Jiu’er glared fiercely at Jian Yi once more.

Only then did Jian Yi nod obediently and start walking outside.

Before Jian Yi could even open the door, Qiao Mu, who had rushed over after hearing the news, pushed the door open first.

Jian Yi stopped in his tracks and looked at Qiao Mu. “Qiao Mu, could you have someone prepare a bath for me?”

Qiao Mu looked at Jian Yi, stunned for a moment, then furrowed her brow. “Jian Yi, is that really you?”

Since when was the great hero Jian Yi so polite?

This was the first time Qiao Mu had ever encountered this.

The Jian Yi she knew was a man of few words — normally he’d say only two or three words at most.

Today, he had actually called her by name, and even politely said a complete sentence.

“It’s him. What’s the problem?” Feng Jiu’er turned to glance at the tall figure behind her.

Although she also felt that Jian Yi seemed different, Jian Yi was still Jian Yi — she watched over him every day; how could he possibly have been swapped out?

“Tsk, tsk…” Qiao Mu shook her head, took two steps forward, reached out, and patted Jian Yi’s shoulder.

“Did the sun rise from the west? Great hero Jian Yi, what did you just say? Say it again.”

She deliberately cupped a hand to her ear and tilted her body slightly, putting on an expression of eager listening.

“Qiao Mu, could you have someone prepare a bath for me? I’ve been rejected by Jiu’er.” Jian Yi said softly, the corners of his mouth curving up slightly.

Qiao Mu’s brows knit together, even more disbelieving.

She shifted a few steps to the right and looked at Feng Jiu’er.

“Jiu’er, are you sure this is Jian Yi? I touched him, and not only did he not kick me away, he actually seemed to be in a good mood.”

Qiao Mu looked down at her own hand, rubbing two or three fingers together.

“What’s going on? I’m starting to doubt my whole life.”

“Just go have someone prepare his bath first — he’s about to start doubting his life too,” Feng Jiu’er waved her hand.

Jian Yi waking up and becoming more down-to-earth wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

He’d been a great hero for long enough; it was fine for him to be an ordinary person for a while.

Feng Jiu’er couldn’t explain Jian Yi’s change, so she could only comfort herself this way.

“All right.” Qiao Mu patted Jian Yi’s shoulder once more, this time deliberately feeling it.

“Jian Yi, you shouldn’t keep looking at people with that faint smile — it’s the kind of thing that makes women fall for you easily.”

“Is that so?” Jian Yi turned and looked at Feng Jiu’er.

His peerlessly handsome face, carrying a faint smile, looked even better than usual — both dashing and charming.

Feng Jiu’er looked at him, her crescent brows furrowing.

“Jian Yi, you’re not trying to seduce me, are you?”

Feng Jiu’er had to admit, this face really was very good-looking.

Still, her own man was even more handsome.

Ninth Imperial Uncle and Jian Yi were both that type of stunningly beautiful men, evenly matched.

But as the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder — so of course she’d think Ninth Imperial Uncle was far more handsome.

In truth, Ninth Imperial Uncle probably was just a touch more handsome.

“Jiu’er, what if I said yes — would that be all right?” Jian Yi said with a faint smile.

Feng Jiu’er stared at this fake Jian Yi and frowned. “No, it would not! I already have a man, you know.”

“Jiu’er, Jian Yi’s gone mad!” Qiao Mu sighed “tsk tsk” again, turning to head outside.

“I’ll go have things prepared. You rest for a while, and once you’ve rested enough, please give us the normal Jian Yi back!”

The current Jian Yi was quite cute, but Qiao Mu still felt she’d be more used to the old Jian Yi.

The old great hero Jian Yi was cold, spoke little, and anything unimportant could simply be ignored.

If Jian Yi really turned gentle and adorable, how many young maidens would suffer for it?

Tsk, tsk… too beautiful for words!

Soon, the brothers brought in the bathwater. Xiao Yingtao and Yue Qinchun brought in food as well.

Everyone was delighted to hear that Jian Yi had woken up.

These past few days everyone’s mood had been low, the atmosphere heavy and oppressive.

Now it was fine — Jian Yi had woken up.

He had come back to life, and Jiu’er would come back to life too — that was what all the brothers wanted to see.

After breakfast, Feng Jiu’er continued treating Jian Yi.

He’d woken up, yes, but the follow-up treatment still couldn’t be skipped.

At noon, everyone returned and gathered together for lunch.

The manor hadn’t been this lively in a long time.

Di Wu Ya and Feng Jiang had left; Yu Jingfeng and Long Shiyi hadn’t stayed either, and they’d taken Feng Yinan with them. Everyone else remained.

Feng Jiu’er, Jian Yi, Qiao Mu, Xing Zichou, Xiao Yingtao, Zhao Yusheng, Yue Qinchun, Yang Sheng, Duan Liuyang — and one more person besides.

These past few days, Shen Rong’er had been staying in the forest, helping out with whatever she could.

Feng Jiu’er looked at the table full of dishes, feeling relaxed in both body and spirit.

“Let’s start. Don’t be shy, everyone.” She picked up her chopsticks and grabbed a piece of food.

“Especially you, Rong’er.” Feng Jiu’er raised her eyes to look at Shen Rong’er.

“These past few days, Xiao Yingtao, Qinchun, and Liuyang have all been busy. If it weren’t for Rong’er helping take care of the brothers in the forest, their days would have been much harder.”

Licheng had sent over a batch of medicinal herbs, and the first batch of antidote would soon be ready.

Xiao Yingtao, Yue Qinchun, and Duan Liuyang had been running back and forth to Leng Xuepiao’s side every day, with truly no time to spare for anything else.

“Jiu’er, don’t be so formal!” Shen Rong’er glanced at Feng Jiu’er, her small face turning slightly red.

She pressed her lips together and looked around the table. “Being able to sit and eat with everyone is a blessing for me, Rong’er.”

“By the way.” Shen Rong’er’s gaze returned to Feng Jiu’er.

“Jiu’er, I heard today that you wanted me to come out and eat, so I went home and brought back some rouge and fragrances.”

“Whenever you have free time, you can take a look.”

“Your rouge has already won the approval of Qing Qing and the others.” Xiao Yingtao glanced at Shen Rong’er, then turned her gaze to Feng Jiu’er.

“As for whether to bring you into Tianji Hall, that’s up to Jiu’er’s decision.”

Shen Rong’er took a deep breath and looked at Feng Jiu’er without blinking.

“Jiu’er, what you mean is…” she asked carefully.

“I like people with talent,” Feng Jiu’er said, swallowing the meat in her mouth.

“Talented, courageous, and patient enough, united, loving, unafraid of hardship and fatigue.”

“Rong’er, do you think you can handle it?”

Feng Jiu’er didn’t like giving up halfway. She wouldn’t allow herself to do that, nor did she want anyone like that among her people.

“War will break out soon, Rong’er. The time we have left to sit together like this, eating and drinking freely, probably won’t be much.”

Xiao Yingtao also looked at Shen Rong’er.

“This is a serious matter — you must think it through carefully.”

“I’ve thought it through very clearly.” Shen Rong’er looked at Feng Jiu’er, her expression completely serious.

“I long for this kind of life where I give everything I have. I’m not afraid of hardship, not afraid of fatigue — what I fear most, really, is loneliness.”

“Jiu’er, as long as you give me the chance, I’ll work hard at whatever you say, and strive to become someone you approve of.”