Yue Jianfei seemed lost in thought and did not respond to Yang Hong right away.

Yang Hong frowned slightly, glanced up at the fierce sunlight, closed her eyes, and nearly lost her footing.

“My lady.” Yang Hong’s maid, seeing this, rushed forward to support her. “My lady, are you all right? Is something wrong?”

“Miss Yang.” Yue Jianfei finally came to his senses and caught hold of her arm.

Yang Hong steadied herself, rubbing her forehead, and finally found her footing again.

She smiled faintly at Yue Jianfei and shook her head. “My lord, I’m fine.”

Yang Hong withdrew her hand from Yue Jianfei’s grasp, and her body swayed once more.

“Miss, are you all right?” The maid, worried, held onto her tightly. “Miss, I told you, your health isn’t good — you shouldn’t be staying up all night like this.”

“You’ve drained your own blood, and you haven’t slept for days — how can that be allowed?”

“I’m fine.” Yang Hong shook her head again.

But the moment she pulled her hand free from the maid’s grip, she lost her footing once more.

“Miss Yang.” Yue Jianfei caught her quickly, his reflexes sharp. “Have you not rested at all these past few days?”

“My lord, during the days the young lady was out, she didn’t rest at all. Her complexion has been growing paler and paler.” the maid said in a low voice.

“This girl is too foolish — this matter has nothing to do with her in the first place. Just look at Madam Yue — she was laughing so happily just a moment ago, and yet you, miss…”

“Xiaotao.” Yang Hong cut off the maid’s words.

“Miss Yang, let me take you to rest first.” Yue Jianfei’s brow furrowed, and he scooped Yang Hong up into his arms.

“My lord, I’m fine, please put me down.” Yang Hong looked at the man before her and did not struggle in the slightest.

“My lord, this isn’t proper. You should still put me down first — I’m a physician myself, don’t I understand my own body?”

Yue Jianfei made no response to her words, carrying her as he turned down another path.

“Miss, please stop talking. I’ll go boil some medicine for you in a moment. You really must rest properly these next few days.” the maid said, hurrying alongside Yue Jianfei.

“I think that business about blood from over the heart must have been nonsense made up by that Miss Long. If you really took blood from over your heart, how could you possibly withstand it, miss?”

“Miss, don’t be foolish. Don’t take that woman’s words to heart. I know you want the old master to recover quickly, but you mustn’t lose your life over it.”

“You aren’t the old master’s daughter, nor his granddaughter — you’re only a physician. Don’t do anything foolish!”

“The half-year deadline is almost up. If it truly comes down to it, what does it matter if I take a bit of blood from over my heart?” Yang Hong stared unblinkingly at Yue Jianfei.

Her gaze was deeply affectionate, and though her face was pale, her expression was strangely pleased.

“You mustn’t. If you really did that, the Madam in heaven would be displeased as well.” the maid shook her head fiercely.

“Miss, taking blood from over your heart at a time like this would be nothing short of suicide — absolutely not.”

“Xiaotao is right.” Yue Jianfei lowered his eyes to look at Yang Hong. “This is absolutely out of the question.”

“I know you’ve done your best. Even if you can’t save my father, I won’t blame you.”

As he finished speaking, Yue Jianfei looked up, his gaze still distant, fixed ahead.

These past six months, his expression had remained this way the entire time — his face had grown stiff, as if he’d forgotten how to laugh, and forgotten how to cry as well.

“My lord, I will definitely cure the old master. Please — please believe in me.” Yang Hong said weakly.

No sooner had she finished speaking than she began coughing without stop.

“Miss, miss, are you all right? Miss, don’t frighten me, miss.” The maid stepped in front of Yue Jianfei, patting Yang Hong’s back continuously.

But Yang Hong’s coughing only seemed to grow worse, unable to stop.

“Miss, what’s wrong? Miss, don’t scare me.” Seeing how badly Yang Hong was coughing, the maid pressed a white handkerchief to her lips.

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“Cough…” Yang Hong coughed heavily.

“Miss.” When the maid pulled the white handkerchief away, her eyes went wide. “Miss, you’re coughing up blood, miss, you’re actually coughing up blood.”

“My lord, quickly! Take my lady inside to rest, my lord, hurry!”

“Go fetch a physician.” Yue Jianfei left those few words behind and strode into a separate courtyard.

The maid didn’t turn back to find a physician — instead, she ran along after them.

“I… I’m fine.” Yang Hong shook her head, her breath so weak her voice was barely audible.

Yue Jianfei kicked open the door of the chamber and carried Yang Hong inside to the inner room.

When the maid followed in, Yue Jianfei laid Yang Hong down on the bed.

“Go find a physician, quickly!” Yue Jianfei called out loudly.

“But, my lord, my young lady is the finest physician there is.” the maid said, pressing her lips together, stopping behind Yue Jianfei.

“She’s simply weak from blood loss and lack of rest. I’ll go boil some medicine for her, that’s all.”

“My lord, please stay and keep my lady company for a while. I’ll be back soon.”

The maid left those words behind, turned, and hurried off.

On the bed, Yang Hong lay with a faint trace of blood still at the corner of her mouth.

“My lord.” Just as Yue Jianfei was about to straighten up, Yang Hong reached out with a pale, slender hand and grabbed hold of his sleeve.

Yue Jianfei lowered his eyes and looked at her, then sat down at the bedside.

“It’s all right, just rest well. As for my father, I’ll think of something else.”

“I won’t give up.” Yang Hong tightened her grip on his sleeve and shook her head. “I’m sorry! I was too overconfident.”

“If it truly comes to it, what does it matter if I sacrifice blood from over my heart?”

“My lord, don’t worry! I will cure the old master, even if it costs me my life.”

Yang Hong blinked her tear-filled eyes, let go of Yue Jianfei, turned, and presented her back to him.

“My lord, please go back. I will keep my promise to you, I swear it.”

Yue Jianfei looked at Yang Hong’s thin, frail back, and after a moment, finally stood up.

“From now on, you don’t need to involve yourself in my father’s matter anymore. I don’t blame you. You may stay here and recover your health before you leave — there’s no rush.”

With those words left behind, Yue Jianfei shook his head, turned, and walked out.

Yang Hong said nothing more, nor did she turn around.

As Yue Jianfei stepped out of the inner room, the maid from before came hurrying back from outside.

“My lord.” Seeing him stop, she bowed her head low.

Yue Jianfei paid her no mind and kept walking.

“My lord.” The maid looked up and called out again.

“What is it?” Yue Jianfei stopped in his tracks.

“My lord.” The maid stepped forward, came before Yue Jianfei, and knelt down. “This matter truly has nothing to do with my young lady.”

“It’s… it’s that the old master drank again. Otherwise…”

“My lord, the young lady didn’t want me to mention the old master’s drinking, but… seeing my lady like this, I couldn’t bear it. I couldn’t hold back any longer.”

“What?” Yue Jianfei looked at the maid, his brow furrowing tightly. “Grandfather drank again? When did this happen?”

“Didn’t we explicitly say no drinking, again and again?”