Zhào Yùshēng gave Zhào Xiǎo’s shoulder a gentle pat and said softly, “Xiǎo — Jian Yi is very important to Jiu’er as well.”

“Even without your urging, she would give everything she has to save him.”

Looking at Zhào Yùshēng, Zhào Xiǎo’s brow furrowed even more deeply all of a sudden.

“Elder Brother — are you saying… Jian Yi is Jiu’er’s man?”

She shot Zhào Yùshēng a sideways glance and continued, “In any case — no matter how one looks at it, Jiu’er is not your woman either.”

Being told the plain truth by Zhào Xiǎo did not make Zhào Yùshēng the least bit angry.

He was not entirely sure what his own feelings were, and so, as a rule, he never willingly turned the question over in his mind.

“No.” He gave Zhào Xiǎo a reassuring look and shook his head. “Jiu’er cares deeply for each and every one of our brothers. Jian Yi is no more special than the rest.”

Zhào Xiǎo had never had any fondness for reading or studying — so who would have thought that for a single young man’s sake, she could commit nearly ten different medicinal herbs to memory all at once?

What had caught people off guard in that room — when Zhào Xiǎo answered Feng Jiu’er so readily — was not just Zhào Yùshēng. The old chieftain and Madam Zhao had also been taken aback.

Hearing Zhào Yùshēng’s words, Zhào Xiǎo drew a long breath and pressed her hand over her heart.

“Xiǎo — do you really have so little confidence in yourself?” Madam Zhao looked at her precious daughter and asked in a gentle voice.

Jian Yi had the unmistakable bearing of someone extraordinary the moment one laid eyes on him — and her own son had spoken of him in such high terms. If he truly turned out to be a good match for Xiǎo, Madam Zhao would have no objections.

“I—” Zhào Xiǎo turned to meet Madam Zhao’s gaze. “How can you say I have no confidence in myself? Mother — what are you talking about? I have no idea what you mean.”

Only then did Zhào Xiǎo realize — she truly had been frightened a moment ago.

If the person Jian Yi cared for was Jiu’er, she felt there was simply no room for her at all.

Why was it that before Jiu’er, her confidence crumbled so completely? She herself could not say.

She pressed her brow together and let her gaze drift to Zhào Yùshēng.

“Elder Brother — has Jian Yi… ever married?”

“I believe not.” Zhào Yùshēng shook his head. “When I first came to know him, he was always at Jiu’er’s side. There was never any other young woman.”

Zhào Xiǎo’s eyes went wide. She bit her lip and tried her best to tuck away the joy that was rising in her.

“I — I was just… asking. As long as he can recover, that is what matters most. Everything else is beside the point.”

Saying something so rattled and incoherent, her mother and brother could surely see through her completely.

Zhào Yùshēng steadied himself and called out quietly, “Xiǎo.”

“Hmm?” Zhào Xiǎo turned her head to look at him.

Zhào Yùshēng glanced past her and met Madam Zhao’s eyes for a brief moment, gave a small lift of his brow, then drew his gaze back.

“Jian Yi will definitely need to leave with us, and as for you—”

Zhào Yùshēng had no wish to douse Zhào Xiǎo’s spirits — but the reality of things was the reality of things.

Zhào Xiǎo met his gaze, blinking.

“If Elder Brother is leaving, I am leaving too.”

She dropped the words and turned to take Madam Zhao’s hand.

“Mother — Elder Brother is leaving. I am leaving too. I refuse to spend my whole life in these mountains.”

“And besides—” Zhào Xiǎo’s brow creased. She pressed her lips together and lowered her voice. “Besides — Mother hopes I will find a good husband, does she not?”

“There are only brothers in the stronghold. I have no intention of marrying one of them. Mother — please. Please help me persuade Father to allow me and Elder Brother to leave together.”

“Xiǎo.” There was a faint note of warning in Zhào Yùshēng’s voice. “Elder Brother is leaving for serious business. Do not make a scene.”

“Elder Brother.” Zhào Xiǎo turned back to him, her brow knit tight. “Why is it that when you leave, it is serious business — but when I want to leave, it is making a scene? This is far too unfair.”

“Xiǎo.” Zhào Yùshēng cut her off again. “Jiu’er said Mother must not be agitated. Your matter can wait until later.”

“I refuse to wait!” Zhào Xiǎo pushed on, her voice rising without her realizing it.

Zhào Yùshēng fixed her with a sharp look, his eyes full of warning.

“If you want Jian Yi to get well — then right now, you had better keep quiet.”

Zhào Xiǎo pursed her lips, drew a slow breath, and pulled her gaze away from Zhào Yùshēng.

“Fine. Either leave Jian Yi here with me, or take me with you when you go.”

She dropped the words, then turned back to lean forward, her gaze fixed on the door to the inner chamber, her pink lips still set in a pout.

Zhào Yùshēng looked at Madam Zhao, satisfied that she was all right, then let out a quiet sigh and shook his head.

He himself wanted nothing more than to leave — yet here he was, about to insist that his younger sister stay behind. He did not know how to say it.

A stillness settled over the side chamber — the same stillness as the inner room behind that door.

Inside, Jian Yi’s robe had been pulled half open, and silver needles were bristling from his chest — covering even his head and shoulders.

His tall frame was seated upright in a cross-legged position, towering a full head above the young woman seated behind him.

Jian Yi had no strength left to resist. All he could do was submit, as Feng Jiu’er transferred her inner energy into him.

Not long after her vital energy began flowing into his body, he lapsed entirely into unconsciousness.

Xiao Yingtao kept watch at the bedside — anxious, and yet not even daring to breathe too loudly.

One quarter-hour. Two quarter-hours. Half an hour. One full hour… Time trickled past, drop by drop. The three people inside the room barely shifted at all.

With Zhào Yùshēng holding watch outside, nothing disturbed those within.

It was not until the first light of dawn was beginning to break — when Zhào Xiǎo was about to storm her way through the door for the tenth time, perhaps the twentieth — that the door to the inner chamber finally opened and Xiao Yingtao stepped out.

Madam Zhao’s health had not allowed her to remain, and she had been escorted back to rest. At this hour, only Zhào Yùshēng and Zhào Xiǎo remained in the side chamber.

The moment they saw Xiao Yingtao emerge, both of them, who had been unable to sit still, immediately rushed forward to meet her.

“How is he? Has Jian Yi pulled through?” Zhào Xiǎo, overcome with emotion, seized Xiao Yingtao’s hand.

Zhào Yùshēng was even more desperate to ask about Jiu’er. Four full hours had gone by — could she still hold on?

But seeing Xiao Yingtao’s expression, he swallowed the question before it left his lips and did not interrupt.

“Jian Yi’s life has stabilized. Here are two prescriptions. Would you be so kind as to go and prepare them?”

Xiao Yingtao held out the prescriptions to Zhào Yùshēng.

Zhào Yùshēng took them, but his gaze remained on Xiao Yingtao.

“Is one of them for Jiu’er? How is she holding up?”

“Yes.” Xiao Yingtao gave a nod. “The first one is one I have prepared for Jiu’er. She has expended far too much vital energy, and her condition is not good.”

“But at least Jian Yi’s condition has stabilized for now. Please prepare the medicines — and also arrange some nourishing food for Jiu’er. Thank you.”

The words had scarcely left her mouth before Xiao Yingtao turned and went back inside.

“If there is anything needed, please knock softly. For the time being, I would ask that no one disturb the people resting inside.”

Zhào Xiǎo had barely taken a step forward before Zhào Yùshēng pulled her back.

“Xiǎo — you heard Xiao Yingtao. Jian Yi will recover. But we must do our part to support them.”

He met Zhào Xiǎo’s eyes with a quietly firm expression and gave a solemn nod.

“Just as we did last night — we need only cooperate with what they ask of us. And Jian Yi will be fine. Do you understand?”