Hearing Jian Yi’s words, Feng Jiu’er still couldn’t stop her tears.

But after only a moment, her sobbing gradually turned into laughter.

Jian Yi had truly woken up — she had succeeded! She had pulled him back from death’s grasp.

When Xiao Yingtao entered the room, Jian Yi was sitting up, gently rubbing Feng Jiu’er’s head.

With a “clang,” the tray in Xiao Yingtao’s hands dropped to the floor.

“Jian Yi… Jiu’er, Jian Yi… he’s awake?”

The night before, Feng Jiu’er had told her that if Jian Yi still hadn’t woken by now, he might never wake again for the rest of his life.

Xiao Yingtao had been so distraught she hadn’t slept a wink all night, and had gotten up early that morning to personally cook Feng Jiu’er a pot of soup.

“Jian Yi is really awake.” After a moment of stunned silence, Xiao Yingtao finally came to her senses.

She didn’t even bother with the shattered bowl and rushed over.

“Jian Yi, you’re finally awake — do you know that? You scared us to death.”

“Jiu’er lay draped over you like this for days on end because of you — she was afraid that if she took her eyes off you for even a moment, you wouldn’t want us anymore.”

“Jian Yi, tell me — aren’t you terrible? Making Jiu’er worry for so long!”

Xiao Yingtao went over and looped her arm through Feng Jiu’er’s.

Feng Jiu’er lay there crying so sorrowfully that her whole body trembled slightly.

Xiao Yingtao felt both joyful and heartbroken at once.

Yet unexpectedly, the one sitting up, tears still on her face, was smiling.

Kneeling at the bedside, Feng Jiu’er embraced the approaching Xiao Yingtao tightly.

“Xiao Yingtao, we did it! I told you, Jian Yi wouldn’t abandon us.”

Feng Jiu’er was truly overjoyed — she was so, so happy.

Xiao Yingtao embraced her back tenderly, gently patting her on the back.

She knew better than anyone how Feng Jiu’er had gotten through these past days.

Xiao Yingtao also understood Feng Jiu’er’s feelings for Jian Yi.

So she knew exactly how their Jiu’er must be feeling right now, and she felt it too.

“Jiu’er, congratulations! You did it!” she said hoarsely.

Jian Yi sat on the bed, watching the two women embracing, without saying a word.

The murky haze that had once clouded his eyes had vanished completely.

At this moment, the eyes of Great Hero Jian Yi had returned to their former purity.

Xiao Yingtao helped Jiu’er to her feet — after lying draped over him for so long, Feng Jiu’er’s legs had gone completely numb.

The two women, still embracing, looked at each other, smiled, and together turned their heads to look at Jian Yi.

“Jian Yi, how are you feeling now?” Feng Jiu’er let go of Xiao Yingtao and sat down at the bedside.

Jian Yi looked at her and shook his head: “Jiu’er, I’m fine.”

He took hold of both her hands, staring at her without blinking.

Feng Jiu’er glanced down at the large hand holding hers, her crescent brows furrowing, then raised her eyes.

Jian Yi freed one hand to wipe away her tears.

“Jiu’er, I’m sorry! I made you worry.”

Feng Jiu’er pressed her lips together, withdrew her hand, and said softly, “Don’t say things like that.”

She picked up his hand again, her slender fingers landing on his pulse.

“From now on, don’t call me ‘wife’ anymore. If people hear that, just see how you’ll ever find a real wife.”

“Isn’t Jiu’er my wife?” Jian Yi frowned slightly.

Feng Jiu’er raised her eyes and looked straight at him.

“Jian Yi, I’m not your wife. You were pretending, weren’t you?”

Jian Yi met her gaze, the corner of his mouth curving slightly.

At last, he nodded: “You caught me.”

Feng Jiu’er now felt completely at ease. She glanced at him once more, lowered her head, and began taking his pulse.

“They say one who survives great calamity is bound for great fortune, yet you’ve survived great calamity and picked up lying along the way too.”

“Great Hero Jian Yi, don’t go tarnishing your image in our hearts.”

“Jiu’er, if Jian Yi’s alright, I’ll go prepare some food now,” Xiao Yingtao said, standing to the side, beaming with delight.

“You haven’t eaten a proper meal in days — you can finally have a good one.”

“Mm.” Feng Jiu’er nodded.

“Good.” Xiao Yingtao’s face was full of delight.

She glanced at Jian Yi and asked, “What can Jian Yi eat? I’ll bring it along together.”

“Whatever I can eat, he can eat too,” Feng Jiu’er replied.

“Alright.” Xiao Yingtao nodded with a smile and turned to leave.

After Xiao Yingtao left, Feng Jiu’er began examining Jian Yi.

Jian Yi rarely spoke; when Feng Jiu’er told him to lie down, he lay down; when she told him to sit, he sat; when she told him to stand, he stood.

Except for certain moments, Jian Yi was usually quite obedient.

Feng Jiu’er looked this fellow over — aside from a bit of physical weakness, nothing seemed amiss, and she let out a deep breath of relief.

“Get up.” She packed away her needle case and went to fetch Jian Yi’s boots.

“Nothing seriously wrong. Go wash up yourself.”

“You’ve gone hungry for days — you can’t eat too much all at once. Slowly increase your food intake, and your strength will surely catch up.”

Jian Yi sat up, bent over, and pulled on his boots.

Just as Feng Jiu’er stood, he suddenly stretched out a long arm and pulled her into his embrace.

Her head spinning slightly, Feng Jiu’er looked up in stunned surprise at the man holding her.

His scent was pleasant; Feng Jiu’er didn’t dislike it at all.

But — there had to be proper boundaries between men and women; this wasn’t a matter of whether she liked it or not, was it?

For seven full days, Feng Jiu’er had cared for Jian Yi around the clock, unable to eat, unable to sleep.

Jian Yi had grown thin, and she’d lost an entire size too — Feng Jiu’er even felt her low blood sugar had gotten fairly serious.

She’d been thinking of having Qiao Mu prepare her some bird’s nest soup to nourish herself once this was over, never expecting to run into the Great Hero acting like a rogue instead.

“Jian Yi.” She raised a hand to press against his chest.

“Let go of me! Has something really gone wrong in your head?”

The Jian Yi she knew would never do something like this!

“Jiu’er, there really is something wrong in my head,” Jian Yi said, looking down at the woman in his arms.

This girl — no matter how much time passed, she remained just the same as when he’d first met her.

Kind, pure, hardworking!

In Jian Yi’s mind, scene after scene involving her surfaced.

Even the memory of the very first time they’d met, he remembered with perfect clarity.

Back then, he’d been gravely injured; they were strangers who’d crossed paths by chance, yet she’d cared for him the entire night.

These past days too, she’d cared for him around the clock without rest — he had felt it, even though he hadn’t been able to wake.

“Jian Yi!” Feng Jiu’er truly believed something had gone wrong in Jian Yi’s head.

Had this fellow’s fever addled his brain?

She pushed hard, yet couldn’t push him away at all.

“Jian Yi, if you don’t let go, I’m going to get angry!”

She already had a husband — if the Ninth Imperial Uncle saw them like this, wouldn’t he be furious enough to keel over?

The Ninth Imperial Uncle already had his guard up around Jian Yi as it was; this time he’d agreed to respect her wishes and let her stay to care for Jian Yi — she already felt it wasn’t quite fair to him.

“Jian Yi.” Feng Jiu’er clenched her fist and held it up in front of Jian Yi.

“Let go now, or this fist, big as a cooking pot, is going to land on that heaven-blessed handsome face of yours.”

Jian Yi curved his lips slightly, released her waist, but took hold of her small fists with both hands.

“Jiu’er.”

“Jian Yi!” Feng Jiu’er yanked her hands back forcefully.

Jian Yi’s words were cut off, but he wasn’t angry — the corner of his mouth curved up slightly instead.

“Jiu’er, these past few days — you’ve worked so hard! Thank you.”