“I…” Qi Yue slowly began to speak, her voice hoarse.

As soon as she opened her mouth, Chang Yuncheng’s expression eased slightly.

“I… I want to rest for a while,” Qi Yue said slowly.

These words somewhat surprised Chang Yuncheng. He scrutinized the woman before him—mentally haggard, with a dazed expression…

This woman’s gaze fell on his face, yet she seemed not to be looking at him at all. Gone completely was the complex mixture of curiosity, disdain, ease, and unbridled freedom that used to flow from her eyes when looking at him. Instead, there was strangeness and avoidance…

Avoidance? This woman would avoid him?

Chang Yuncheng secretly mocked himself and dismissed the thought.

She must be too exhausted from these past few days…

“Then go rest quickly. What are you wandering around for?” He darkened his face and scolded, though his hand didn’t let go.

A’Ru carefully supported Qi Yue’s other arm and gently shook it, calling out softly.

“Oh, alright.” Qi Yue nodded, a smile appearing at the corner of her mouth as she looked at Chang Yuncheng. “Thank you.”

Chang Yuncheng frowned even deeper but said nothing and released his grip.

Qi Yue indeed lifted her foot to step forward, though her gait was somewhat stiff.

A’Ru carefully supported her, but Qi Yue walked faster and faster. A’Ru could only keep up by jogging, and no longer needed to help support her.

Chang Yuncheng stood in place, watching Qi Yue’s retreating figure the entire time. What was this woman doing? Why did she seem so strange…

Then he pressed his lips together again.

This woman had always seemed strange, completely different from all the women he knew and had encountered…

“Lord, that person won’t survive. We can’t find out who ordered this,” someone hurriedly approached and said in a low voice.

Chang Yuncheng withdrew his gaze and looked at the courtyard that had been burned to charred earth.

“Destroying evidence?” He smiled coldly. “Do they think destroying evidence will let them sleep peacefully and remain unharmed?”

The afternoon sunlight shone through the window lattice into the room. Hu San stepped forward and closed the half-open window.

Turning around, he saw A’Ru taking out a thermometer.

This tiny thing was truly miraculous. Hu San had thought more than once about examining it properly, wondering what it was made of. However, A’Ru guarded Qi Yue’s belongings very strictly—even Liu Pucheng couldn’t easily get a look at them.

“How is it? Has the fever gone down?” Hu San walked over and asked in a low voice.

A’Ru shook her head.

“But it’s fine. The young madam said as long as it doesn’t exceed thirty-nine degrees, it’s normal spleen fever,” she said.

“I want water,” the prefect’s son called out from the bed.

Hu San quickly responded and went to pour water.

“You stinking man, stay away from me,” the prefect’s son glared at him. Though his strength was still weak, his attitude had recovered. He pointed at A’Ru, “Let this woman come. I won’t eat anything fed by a man.”

Hu San was scolded and pursed his lips. The words “When you were unconscious, this young master helped you rinse your mouth and catheterize you” naturally didn’t dare leave his mouth.

A’Ru took the water and sat beside the bed.

“The young madam is here. Why don’t you rest more? I’m fine here,” Liu Pucheng’s voice came from the outer room.

Qi Yue had been pulled away from Qiu Tong’s courtyard and went straight to her room to sleep, not even eating lunch. A’Ru was very worried, so hearing that she had come out on her own, she felt very excited.

In her excitement, she suddenly stood up, and the prefect’s son who was waiting with his mouth open to drink water got a noseful of water.

“You stinking little wench…” he cursed loudly.

Only then did A’Ru realize what happened and hurriedly knelt down to wipe him clean, but was pushed away by the prefect’s son.

Qi Yue walked in and pulled A’Ru to her feet.

The prefect’s son was still cursing loudly.

Qi Yue looked at him without speaking. When she didn’t speak, everyone else in the room also fell silent. Under this eerie quiet, the prefect’s son’s cursing gradually diminished.

“What are you looking at?” The prefect’s son looked at Qi Yue, feeling somewhat unnerved by this woman’s gaze, and shouted with feigned ferocity.

“To save you, we have barely slept these past few days…” Qi Yue said. “Though this is a doctor’s duty, it truly hasn’t been easy.”

The prefect’s son glared. Though young, he understood this woman was standing up for her maid.

“Why are you telling me this!” He snorted. “Besides, being able to serve this young master is that slave’s good fortune…”

“That you have the life to be served by her is your good fortune,” Qi Yue said. “She may be a slave, but she’s not your slave—she’s my slave. Young Master Huang, are you saying that my saving you is my good fortune?”

Just a slave—the prefect’s son was getting angry. In his daily life, not to mention beating and scolding, gifting slaves to each other was common. Besides, he hadn’t done anything excessive, just cursed a few times. And it was the slave who made the mistake first.

“Have you taken the wrong medicine?” Young Master Huang said angrily. “Just a servant…”

“What about servants?” Qi Yue interrupted him, raising her voice. “She’s served you day and night for so long—would it kill you to show a little respect? Is it so hard for you people to show others a little respect?”

Everyone in the room, including the prefect’s son, was startled by her sudden agitation and stared at her blankly.

“Young madam, young madam, it’s fine, it’s fine. It was this slave’s oversight first. It’s really not Young Master Huang’s fault…” A’Ru quickly reached out to grab her arm and said.

Liu Pucheng coughed and looked at Qi Yue, whose chest was heaving, face flushed with excitement, and forehead covered in a fine layer of sweat. He reached out to check her pulse.

After her outburst, Qi Yue also came to her senses and slowly lowered her gaze.

“The young madam is too tired. Go sit for a while. I’ll have Zhang Tong brew some lotus seed heart tea for you,” Liu Pucheng said, releasing her wrist.

Hearing the commotion, the prefect and his wife also hurried over.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” The prefect’s wife asked in a rush.

“Mother, this woman is sick…” the prefect’s son shouted angrily, pointing at Qi Yue.

The prefect’s wife was startled and quickly reached out to knock down her son’s hand.

“How dare you speak like that?” She darkened her face and scolded. “Apologize to the young madam.”

The prefect’s son snorted and turned his head away without speaking.

“It’s nothing. I was too agitated,” Qi Yue took a deep breath and said with a smile. “I’ve disturbed you, madam.”

Hearing her say this, the prefect’s wife felt even more uneasy.

“It’s all for our sake. The young madam has worked so hard…” She took Qi Yue’s hand and said earnestly, “Our Ziqiao has been spoiled and is unruly. Please forgive any offenses, young madam.”

Qi Yue smiled and shook her head.

“I’ll step out for a moment. Please have him drink some water,” she said.

The prefect and his wife nodded.

Qi Yue sat on the stone bench outside the courtyard, gazing into the distance in a slight daze.

“Young madam, the lotus seed heart tea is ready,” A’Ru came over carrying a soup bowl.

“A’Ru, I’m going to spend my whole life here…” Qi Yue sighed and murmured. “Actually, I should have known long ago…”

“Young madam, it’s all this slave’s fault. I shouldn’t have called out to stop you then,” A’Ru said in a low, choking voice.

Qi Yue shook her head and smiled.

“Even if you hadn’t called out to stop me, I still couldn’t have gone back,” she laughed with some self-mockery. “How could there be such lucky coincidences? Time travel isn’t like taking a train—being lucky enough to experience it once is already cause for burning incense in gratitude. I was just deceiving myself all along, unwilling to admit it.”

A’Ru looked at her, not knowing what to say.

Having one’s hopes shattered must be very painful. Though she had never had hope herself…

“This is good too. It’s time to sober up and face reality,” Qi Yue waved her arms and stretched her back.

Her face wore a forced lightness that made it even more heartbreaking to see.

“Young madam, please don’t be sad…” A’Ru felt her heart ache and said with a choked voice, “Don’t be afraid…”

Qi Yue took a deep breath.

“I’m not afraid,” she nodded. “I’m just a little unaccustomed to it.”

She said this while showing A’Ru a smile.

“But I’ll definitely get used to it quickly,” she said, taking the soup bowl from A’Ru’s hands, gently blowing on it, and drinking it in large gulps.

“Master…”

Seeing Qi Yue walk in, Hu San quickly greeted her.

Qi Yue had already put on her outer robe and nodded at him with a smile in greeting.

“I’m taking over the shift. I’ve already told Doctor Liu to rest, and you should rest too. A’Ru and I will handle this,” she said.

“I’m not tired. I want to follow Master to learn more,” Hu San said with a grin.

“There’s no rush to learn everything at once. When there’s time, I’ll teach you properly,” Qi Yue smiled. “When it’s time to rest, you must rest. Only then can you have the energy to treat patients properly.”

Hu San was overjoyed by these words. This was the first time Qi Yue had said she would teach him properly, which meant she acknowledged him as a disciple. His thick-skinned persistence these past days had finally paid off.

“Yes, yes,” he quickly bowed respectfully and withdrew.

The prefect’s wife was personally keeping watch here. After they finished talking, she walked over and carefully studied Qi Yue’s expression.

“Young madam, Ziqiao is alright now, isn’t he?” she asked softly.

Qi Yue glanced at the inner room and saw the prefect’s son was asleep.

“He’s fine for now,” she answered with a smile.

“But he’s still running a fever,” the prefect’s wife said with concern.

“It’s fine. That’s because…” Qi Yue began to speak, nearly blurting out “spleen removal surgery” before catching herself at the last moment, “…his vitality was injured. It’s self-limiting fever…”

The prefect’s wife couldn’t understand and looked at her in confusion.

“In any case, Doctor Liu is preparing medicine. It will resolve on its own in ten days to two weeks,” Qi Yue explained simply.

Liu Pucheng had told her this before, but the prefect’s wife trusted it more coming from Qi Yue’s mouth. She breathed a sigh of relief, nodded, and thanked her again.

Soon the prefect’s son woke up, and A’Ru brought the herbal medicine.

“Let me do it,” the prefect’s wife said quickly.

“This slave will do it,” A’Ru said with a bow.

“No need, no need. You’re with the young madam doing important work. Don’t trouble yourself with these small, trivial matters,” the prefect’s wife said with a smile.

A’Ru was made to feel anxious and fearful by these words, but Qi Yue understood that the prefect’s wife was apologizing on behalf of her son.

“Thank you for your consideration, madam. She’s currently my only assistant. Though it’s not any great matter, nursing care is very important for a patient’s recovery. Moreover, this feeding, drinking, wiping, and washing also serves to observe the patient’s condition,” she said with a smile.

She calmly accepted the prefect’s wife’s courtesy.

This maid is indeed special in the young madam’s eyes, the prefect’s wife confirmed her thoughts again. Her husband was right—it was like the imperial court. You might offend a high official beside the emperor temporarily without much consequence, but if you offended the emperor’s personal attendants, that would be trouble.

“You’re treating an illness here. She saved your life,” she took advantage of when no one was around to thoroughly scold her son again.

“I didn’t do anything to her…” the prefect’s son protested angrily.

“Regardless, you must treat her with respect,” the prefect’s wife said, darkening her face. “This young madam is a divine physician. Who can go through life without needing a doctor? Making friends with a good doctor is a blessing that extends one’s life. Son, you scared your mother to death this time. If anything had happened to you, mother wouldn’t have been able to live either…”

The prefect’s son was, after all, still a half-grown child. From initially experiencing that life-and-death agony to now having his belly cut open, thinking back on it all made his face turn pale with fright. He was just putting on a brave face, but was actually terrified inside. Hearing his mother speak this way, he couldn’t help but want to cry.

“Mother, your son is unfilial for frightening you,” he said in a muffled voice.

Mother and son sighed and lamented together.

“Young madam, you didn’t need to do that for this slave,” A’Ru said softly as she followed Qi Yue outside.

Qi Yue looked back at her and smiled.

“I told you, I’m protective of my own,” she laughed.

“How can a person not suffer some grievances?” A’Ru said with a pursed smile.

Qi Yue waved her hands and stretched her back.

“I can’t control what happens to others, but…” she turned to A’Ru again with a bright smile, “let’s try not to suffer them ourselves. However we live, it’s still a lifetime—we might as well make ourselves comfortable.”