Li Huaiyu held onto the prescription and navigated through twists and turns until she found the medicine boy.
“This medicine needs to simmer for half an hour,” the medicine boy said, grabbing the herbs and handing her the pot. “I’m quite busy here. Could you help keep an eye on it?”
“No problem,” Huaiyu nodded with a smile. She took the fan from him and brought over a stool to sit by the small stove.
The medicine boy hurried off to another task in the vast backyard where various herbs were being prepared, too occupied to pay attention to her.
Huaiyu glanced at the simmering pot, narrowing her eyes slightly.
Half an hour later, the medicine was ready, poured into a bowl, and placed in front of Jiang Xuanjin.
Jiang Xuanjin leaned back against the bed, alternating his gaze between the medicine and her, remaining silent.
Huaiyu hesitated for a moment, then plopped down beside him on the bed, picking up the bowl and blowing on it. “I understand. Here, let me feed you!”
His eyebrow twitched, Jiang Xuanjin spoke in a deep voice, “I don’t want to drink it.”
“You can’t recover if you don’t take your medicine when you’re sick,” she retorted, then coaxed like she was calming a child. “Look, I simmered this medicine for half an hour. The ingredients are all top-notch. Even if you don’t care about me, you should care about these precious herbs.”
Lowering his gaze to the brownish herbal concoction, Jiang Xuanjin’s eyes flickered with a subtle gleam.
“You drink a sip first,” he said.
“Huh?” Huaiyu paused for a moment, then quickly suppressed her smile. “You suspect me?”
Coughing lightly, Jiang Xuanjin replied, “Anything that enters my mouth, someone tastes first. It’s a rule.”
“Oh come on, you just think I might poison you.” She scoffed, her expression cooling as she looked at him. “I spent half an hour simmering this medicine, burnt my hand keeping watch over it, and you think I’d feed you donkey liver and lungs?”
Her tone sounded genuinely hurt.
However, Jiang Xuanjin wasn’t swayed by this. He calmly said, “You chose to brew the medicine yourself.”
In other words, she had brought this upon herself, seeking trouble and ruining her enjoyment.
“If you’re unwilling, you can leave now.”
Listening, Huaiyu chuckled and tossed the spoon from the medicine bowl onto a nearby stool. She then picked up the bowl and quickly gulped down all the medicine.
Indeed, she didn’t just take a sip; she finished the whole bowl in one go.
Jiang Xuanjin initially maintained his composure, but seeing her actions, his expression finally shifted. “What are you doing?”
Setting down the empty bowl, Huaiyu wiped her mouth. “You suspected me, didn’t you? So, you shouldn’t drink this medicine. Let Cheng Xu brew another batch.”
After saying that, she got up and started to leave.
Jiang Xuanjin was somewhat surprised. Judging by his understanding, this girl should have been planning to stick around, though he wasn’t sure of her motives. However, unexpectedly, she was now leaving after he hadn’t said a word.
Huaiyu didn’t walk quickly. She subtly slowed her pace, her back filled with anger and a sense of grievance, her shoulders shrugging slightly.
As she was about to step over the threshold, finally, the long-awaited voice came from behind: “Wait.”
Her heart leaped with joy. Maintaining her expression of grievance, she turned back with a touch of resentment. “What?”
Jiang Xuanjin sighed softly. “Thank you.”
He was someone who appreciated gentleness over force. If someone truly meant well to him, he should express gratitude; it was a matter of manners. Although this girl’s eyes didn’t seem comforting, her actions had shown no intention to harm him. She had endured half an hour to brew the medicine, and drinking it in one go must have been scalding.
Thinking of this, he glanced at her, pursed his lips, and softened his expression.
This was exactly the outcome she had aimed for!
Huaiyu felt inwardly pleased with her cunning. This was what they called strategic retreat leading to a greater advance, and to capture prey, one must sometimes release it temporarily. Look, she had succeeded again!
She knew how guarded Jiang Xuanjin was. Until his guard was lowered, no trickery would work on him. So, even when hesitating in the courtyard for half an hour earlier, she had refrained from tampering with the medicine pot.
She did understand him well!
Grinning mischievously, she leaned back towards the bed, cocking her head to look at him. “You actually couldn’t bear to see me leave!”
His face, which had just softened slightly, darkened again at her words. “What nonsense are you talking about?”
He had just said thank you, nothing more!
“Alright, alright, I know you’re shy. I get it!” Huaiyu generously patted his shoulder. “We have an unspoken understanding.”
What unspoken understanding?! Jiang Xuanjin was so frustrated he couldn’t find words, and he coughed twice. Huaiyu exclaimed, patting her head, “Oh no, I drank your medicine today, so there’s none left for you. Your condition might worsen.”
“…Who told you to gulp down the entire medicine in one go.”
“I did it because I was angry,” Huaiyu pouted. “I treated you with all my heart, and what did I get? Suspected! Who wouldn’t be mad?”
Jiang Xuanjin snorted lightly and lay back on the bed, closing his eyes.
It was past midnight now. Seeing that he showed no intention of settling her in, Huaiyu simply sat by the bed, one hand supporting her chin, the other feeling his forehead.
Silently lurking in the corner, Cheng Xu noticed her lack of aggressive movement and remained quiet.
The next day, as dawn approached, Jiang Xuanjin opened his eyes and immediately sensed another person in his embrace.
Her legs sprawled casually over his, her arm draped across his waist. Glancing sideways, he found a delicate, slightly sickly pale face just inches away. Her faint pink lips were slightly parted, a glistening drool trickling down the corner of her mouth…
Momentarily stunned, Jiang Xuanjin squinted his eyes.
Outside, Cheng Xu was about to push open the door when a muffled thud echoed from inside the room.
“Ah!” Huaiyu woke up startled, tumbling clumsily on the floor before finally settling down. She sat up, bewildered, and looked at the person in bed. “What are you doing!”
Propping himself against the bedpost, Jiang Xuanjin retorted coldly, “Have you no shame!”
Could a man’s bed be casually invaded like this?
Incensed, Huaiyu pointed accusingly at Cheng Xu as he entered. “Ask him! Ask him what you did last night!”
Jiang Xuanjin paused, turning to the doorway where Cheng Xu stood, his face awkward. Cheng Xu placed the washbasin on the nearby shelf and bowed respectfully. “Master.”
“What’s going on?” Jiang Xuanjin was somewhat bewildered.
Cheng Xu scratched the back of his head and approached Jiang Xuanjin quietly. “Last night, you had a high fever that suddenly broke, and you were shivering with cold. You grabbed onto this young lady’s arm and refused to let go… so…”
Jiang Xuanjin’s face turned pale, his gaze piercingly sharp as he stared at Cheng Xu.
Cheng Xu hurriedly shook his head. “I’m not lying, Master!”
Huaiyu, sitting on the floor, scoffed. “You were the one acting indecently first, and now you’re falsely accusing me. Tell me, how do you plan to compensate me!”
After a moment’s thought, she added, “Except for marrying me, I won’t accept any other form of compensation.”
“You’re dreaming.” Jiang Xuanjin cleared his throat twice, turning his head away, his face still flushed.
“Master,” Cheng Xu intervened tactfully, sensing his embarrassment. “Someone just sent word that Chief Minister’s Chief Clerk Li wishes to see you.”
Li, the Chief Clerk? Li Fengxing?
Upon hearing this, Huaiyu immediately stood up.