A’Ci’s cheek twitched as he watched Yan Shiyao patiently introduce everyone to Qi Qingchen one by one.

When the introductions were complete, Qi Qingchen obediently called out to each of them in turn.

“Hello, Ningning.”

“Hello, Elder Brother Xuan.”

“Hello, Elder Brother Ye.”

“Hello, Elder Brother A’Ci.”

“Yaoyao, I’ve finished!” Qi Qingchen clapped his hands and bounced on the spot. “Yaoyao, I was good. I listened to you.”

Yan Shiyao ruffled his hair gently. She thought Elder Brother Qi was rather sweet like this.

It was just that the Emperor of Qi would be difficult to answer to.

A’Ci stared at Qi Qingchen with an indescribable expression. He hadn’t been like this before, had he?

Of the three of them, Qi Qingchen was the eldest — so why was he calling them Elder Brother?

Qi Qingchen tugged Yan Shiyao’s hand down and pressed it against his own cheek, whimpering with aggrievement. “Yaoyao, rub it, it hurts.”

Yan Shiyao’s heart ached as she gently rubbed his cheek for him.

Xuan Yanyu leaned against the wooden doorframe, expression unsettled. Had A’Ci been like this before?

“What happened to his face?” Yan Yunning leaned in to take a closer look.

“Lady Physician Nuo said it was a side effect of the medicine.” Yan Shiyao stood on tiptoe and blew gently on Qi Qingchen’s cheek.

Swollen to this degree — it must hurt terribly. At the thought, Yan Shiyao could not help but feel her eyes grow red.

Yan Yunning fell silent. She had a feeling someone had slapped him.

Qi Qingchen’s eyes curved into happy crescents and he tilted his head. “Ningning,” he called.

Yan Yunning clicked her tongue. She still could not understand how the male lead had become simpleminded.

“Ningning.” Qi Qingchen pouted.

Yan Shiyao looked at Yan Yunning helplessly. “Ningning, say something back, or Elder Brother Qi will cry.”

“…” Yan Yunning felt the top of her head nearly explode.

Qi Qingchen cry???

“Ningning.” Tears gathered at the corners of Qi Qingchen’s eyes.

Yan Yunning gave a wooden nod.

Receiving a response, Qi Qingchen broke into a blissful grin and looked at Yan Shiyao. “Yaoyao, I’m hungry.”

Yan Shiyao smiled and took his hand, speaking to him gently. “All right, I’ll take you to eat.”

“Mm.” Qi Qingchen beamed.

Staring at their retreating figures, Yan Yunning blinked slowly. Could this be what Fafa had described as the turning point when the male and female leads’ feelings for each other deepened?

So no matter what happened, the male and female leads would end up together in the end?

Xuan Yanyu cast A’Ci a cool glance. “Were you like this before?”

A’Ci gave a startled shudder. “I was not like this.”

He absolutely refused to admit he had once been that dimwitted.

Xuan Yanyu’s expression eased somewhat.

The dining hall.

Qi Qingchen sat obediently in his chair. Yan Shiyao placed a soup spoon in his palm, and Qi Qingchen bent his head cheerfully over his meal.

Yan Shiyao watched with a pang in her heart. “Elder Brother Qi, eat slowly.”

Qi Qingchen tilted his head and looked at her, a grain of rice stuck to his cheek, bewildered and endearingly oblivious.

Yan Shiyao couldn’t help but smile. She picked up her handkerchief and wiped the grain of rice from his cheek.

“Miss Yan, Young Master Qi.” Shen Ruoyi walked into the dining hall carrying a bowl of medicinal broth.

“Mistress of the Manor, why did Elder Brother Qi become like this after taking the medicine?” Yan Shiyao’s brow was furrowed with deep concern.

Lady Physician Nuo had told her that the mistress of Yuan Jin Manor could heal Elder Brother Qi. She had not delayed a single moment, and brought Elder Brother Qi here to seek the medicine — yet somehow, after taking it, he had woken up, but become simpleminded in the process. How?

Shen Ruoyi bit her lip. This shouldn’t have happened. According to the formula, taking the medicine should have caused no problems at all.

She had prepared the medicine following her elder sister’s medical text — could it be that she had misremembered the prescription?

“Mistress of the Manor.”

Shen Ruoyi looked at Yan Shiyao with an apologetic expression. “Miss Yan, first have Young Master Qi take this medicine, and I will go write out a few more prescriptions.”

Yan Shiyao took the medicinal broth from her hands. “All right.”

Right now she couldn’t go and look for Brother Yanyu — if she did, and asked Brother Yanyu to find Imperial Physician Wen, he would tell her again to keep her distance from Elder Brother Qi. But right now, Elder Brother Qi could not be left without someone at his side.

Shen Ruoyi pressed her palm to her forehead in self-reproach, then turned and left the dining hall.

She walked all the way back to the side room in low spirits.

“What’s the matter? Why is my Yiyi making such a long face?” Jiang Zhibai smiled, his lips curving, and drew her into his arms.

Shen Ruoyi hooked her arms around his neck and muttered in a low voice, “A’Bai, I’ve treated Young Master Qi into simplemindedness.”

Jiang Zhibai gave a quiet laugh. “Treated him simpleminded, so be it. I am the lord of this Yuan Jin Manor — they would not dare do anything to you. Don’t be afraid.”

Shen Ruoyi thumped him lightly on the chest. “I’m not afraid of them making trouble for me.”

What she felt was guilt — a perfectly fine young man had taken her medicine and become simpleminded.

Jiang Zhibai wrapped both arms around her waist and coaxed her gently. “Let me think of something. Stop worrying, all right?”

“You’re busy enough managing the manor. I’ll go and ask Elder Sister.” Shen Ruoyi leaned her head on his shoulder, her voice subdued.

“Yiyi.” Jiang Zhibai pressed a kiss to her hair. “Seeing you like this, how am I supposed to have any mind left to manage the manor?”

When she was low-spirited, he worried about her and had no heart for anything else.

“A’Bai.” Shen Ruoyi gave a small smile. “Look — I’m perfectly fine now. Don’t fret over me.”

Jiang Zhibai looked down at the girl in his arms forcing a smile, and lowered his head to kiss her.

Foolish girl. She was obviously racked with guilt, yet afraid of making him worry, she put on that strained smile.

“Ahem.” A soft cough sounded out of nowhere.

Shen Ruoyi hurriedly pushed Jiang Zhibai away. She saw a maidservant pushing Shen Ruochu in through the door, and her cheeks blazed hotly. Her elder sister had seen them — she felt terribly embarrassed.

“Yiyi, A’Bai — did Elder Sister come at the wrong moment and interrupt you?” Shen Ruochu teased with a laugh.

“Elder Sister.” Shen Ruoyi said with a shy pout, her cheeks burning red.

Jiang Zhibai pinched her cheek.

Shen Ruoyi shot him a glare. Elder Sister is right there!

Shen Ruochu curved the corners of her lips. “A’Bai, Yiyi — Elder Sister won’t interrupt any further.”

She signaled the maidservant to wheel her away.

Jiang Zhibai gave a lazy tilt of his brow.

“Elder Sister, don’t go.” Shen Ruoyi called out to stop her. She walked over and crouched down beside the wooden wheelchair. “Elder Sister, the young master who arrived yesterday was poisoned. I followed the prescription in your medical text to prepare the medicine — yet after he took it and woke up, he became simpleminded. How did that happen?”

Shen Ruochu was visibly taken aback. “Simpleminded?”

“Yes.” Shen Ruoyi lowered her head, dispirited.

Shen Ruochu’s brow creased. “Did you get the dosage wrong?”

“No. I followed your medical text precisely.”

Shen Ruochu’s long lashes swept downward. That shouldn’t have been a problem at all — so how did he become simpleminded?

“Elder Sister, is there any way to make him recover?” Shen Ruoyi smoothed the fur blanket draped across Shen Ruochu’s lap.

Elder Sister loved to study antidotes and medicinal pills, and was extremely skilled in that regard, yet her general medical knowledge was not particularly accomplished — not even enough to heal her own body.

The weather was not cold, yet Elder Sister still had to go out covered in thick blankets.

Shen Ruochu raised her brow. “Wheel me over to see him.”

She would need to examine him before she could know whether or not he could be healed.

Jiang Zhibai drew Shen Ruoyi close and leaned in near her ear, speaking quietly. “Don’t blame yourself even if he can’t be healed. You prepared the medicine using Elder Sister’s prescription — it has nothing to do with you. Don’t hold yourself responsible.”

Shen Ruoyi reached up and gave his face a light pinch, dropping her voice to a laugh. “Are you saying it’s Elder Sister’s fault?”

Jiang Zhibai looked at the girl’s smiling face and nodded.

No matter who she blamed, as long as she wasn’t the one suffering — that was all he cared about. It hurt him to see her in pain.