It seemed the family heirloom truly had some effect. It was only natural for them to set up a few mechanisms; one couldn't simply let anyone use it.
Ye Tiancheng bowed to Madam Jiang, "Thank you. If I was ever impolite before, please forgive me. Thank you again."
Ye Tiancheng was genuinely grateful. To go from a mortal back to having true qi was a kindness akin to rebirth, much like the Nuwa Stone back then.
"Didn't you also cure my grandson? I'm incredibly content now. My life has regained hope. My grandson is like any other normal child. I also feel we have a chance for the Jiang family to make a comeback. It's truly as if our ancestors have blessed us."
Madam Jiang was extremely emotional, her voice almost breaking into tears. It was clear she wasn't faking it; she truly cherished her grandson. After his recovery, she was so moved that tears flowed freely.
In truth, they no longer owed each other. Both had done something incredibly important for the other. With Ye Tiancheng's true qi re-gathered, he was different from before, even more powerful. He could feel his strength had increased.
"Stay here for a few more days. Our Jiang family will host you with the utmost hospitality. Please don't consider yourself an outsider. Stay comfortably. We'll have good wine and delicious food, and I will certainly treat you well."
"Since you're so happy, then stay. Don't look at our Jiang family as having few descendants. A starved camel is still bigger than a horse. Seeing our large estate, you should understand that we are very wealthy and not lacking money. We've hired very expensive chefs, so eat heartily. All expenses during this time are on me."
That evening, Madam Jiang showcased her wealth with a table laden with delicacies, a spread comparable to a royal banquet.
It seemed the Jiang family indeed possessed some influence. The ingredients alone were clearly high-end, far from ordinary. They were undoubtedly generous with their wealth, likely spending a considerable amount.
"Thank you for the hospitality, Madam Jiang. I'll toast you first."
After speaking, Ye Tiancheng happily took a sip of wine. He felt incredibly refreshed today, mainly because his body felt much more comfortable and fluid. He felt as if his life had just begun anew.
"Drink less wine. Your body has just recovered. You must not overexert yourself. Take good care of yourself. When you first arrived, you were weaker than any of our servants. Now, you're much better."
"En, it seems this Jianghuang is indeed very effective. If that's the case, I must have another drink."
After saying this, Ye Tiancheng had another drink. He was so happy today that he had to drink heartily, glass after glass. Although it was a low-alcohol cocktail, it was still potent.
After the meal, Ye Tiancheng realized he hadn't eaten much but had drunk a lot. He went to the Jiang family's dining hall for a bit of air and immediately felt a bit dizzy, quite drunk.
"Brother Ye, you really went for it. It's the first time I've seen you drink so much voluntarily without any clients to entertain. You must be really happy today. You're even floating when you walk. Let me help you to bed."
"Alright, I'm just too happy today, so I had a couple extra drinks. I feel like there are two moons in the sky. I must be drunk."
Ye Tiancheng spoke with evident joy, his face beaming. He walked unsteadily, exuding an air of great contentment.
Before returning to his room, he suddenly heard voices and quickly glanced over, recognizing a familiar figure.
Wearing a little black dress, a coffee-colored coat, a small snow-white hat, and pretty deerskin boots, she was like an unreally beautiful little elf. She was someone who had always resided in Ye Tiancheng's heart. If he had ever felt a stir of affection, it was all the memories of Su Muxian, like a nascent first love. So, upon seeing Su Muxian again, he couldn't control the flood of beautiful memories of her.
"Brother Ye, are you alright? I've been missing you. I'm so glad to finally see you."
Normally, Ye Tiancheng would have been too embarrassed to stare at a girl so directly. But today, Ye Tiancheng felt drunk, and this person must be a hallucination brought on by his intoxication. Otherwise, how could Su Muxian possibly be here? It felt too unbelievable.
"So, getting drunk has this benefit. It's really not easy to see the person you want to see."
Normally, he might have chosen to avoid her, but now he didn't have to. He looked directly at the girl he liked in his heart, feeling immensely satisfied.
"Brother Ye, have you been drinking? Are you telling the truth? Am I the person you wanted to see?"
As Su Muxian spoke these words, her eyes were filled with tears. Never before had she felt such a profound stir of affection for someone.
"Since it's a dream, what does it matter even if I tell you I like you? Su Muxian, I've always liked you, but I don't deserve you, nor do I dare to possess your affection."
This heartfelt confession surprised even Ye Tiancheng, yet it had truly happened. He knew the saying, "Drunk words speak the truth." Su Muxian knew Ye Tiancheng was being sincere, her eyes glistening with faint tears.
"I know you think this is a hallucination, which is why you're saying these things. If you sober up, you won't admit it. But I'm still very happy. Even if it's just these few words, and even if you deny it later, I'm content."
After saying these words, Su Muxian's tears flowed. From then on, she decided not to bring up feelings again. Perhaps their relationship didn't need to be so conventional. The best relationship between them might not necessarily be love. Sometimes, deliberately pursuing love could even complicate things, leading to a complete breakdown. That would truly be foolish.
"Miss Su, Brother Ye seems truly drunk. Shall I help him back to his room? I'm worried there might be more gossip."
"Then please find a room for me. I also want to rest. I followed Ouyang Xinuo, secretly trailing him, which is how I found this place. It seems he has already left, and then I appeared. I haven't slept all night, and I want to rest properly."
"Alright, Miss Su. You've come such a long way to seek out Brother Ye. It's only natural to arrange a place for you. Don't overthink it. Settle down and rest well first."
The胖子 (pangzi - Fatty) was also understanding and didn't press further about their romantic matters, instead arranging for her to rest.
The next day, Ye Tiancheng slept until noon.
Perhaps the wine provided by the Jiang family was of high quality, as he experienced no after-effects. He woke up feeling quite refreshed, which was remarkable.
"Brother Ye, I've come to check on you several times. This wine is like a sleeping pill, truly potent. Your complexion is rosy now, truly excellent."
The 胖子 (pangzi - Fatty) arrived not empty-handed but with a bowl of beef noodles.
His intention was to ensure Ye Tiancheng had something to eat upon waking, a true brotherly gesture beyond mere words.
"Why does it smell so good?"
Now feeling light and refreshed, Ye Tiancheng also craved something delicious. Otherwise, when in a bad mood, even the smell of beef noodles would seem greasy. But today, he had an exceptional appetite and began eating immediately. Halfway through, the 胖子 (pangzi - Fatty) suddenly brought up Su Muxian.
"Brother Ye, I'm telling you this as your brother. You confessed to Miss Su yesterday. I was right beside you. Honestly, I was scared stiff."
"Is that so?" Ye Tiancheng smiled dismissively. "Now that you mention it, I do have some recollection. But wasn't that just a hallucination? You can see my hallucinations too! It's truly strange. It seems strange things happen every year, but this year seems particularly eventful."
However, the 胖子 (pangzi - Fatty) reiterated that it wasn't a hallucination last night, and Miss Su was currently sleeping in an adjacent room. The person was really here, and Ye Tiancheng couldn't deny it even if he wanted to. There was no turning back now.
"Really?"
He had been about to finish the last bit of beef noodles in two bites, but now he couldn't. It was stuck in his throat, impossible to swallow. He felt frozen.
"I remember many things from last night, 胖子 (pangzi - Fatty). You were by my side, weren't you? Can you tell me what unpleasant things I said?"
"That's hard to say. I don't remember everything perfectly. The key thing is, Brother Ye, it's better if you don't know. I feel knowing won't do you any good. It's too embarrassing, and I can't bring myself to say it, let alone for you to want to hear it."
Ye Tiancheng completely put down his chopsticks and smacked his forehead hard with his hand. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became. He was truly doomed. How could he have been so unrestrained in front of Su Muxian?
Ye Tiancheng had intended to stop thinking about it, but the more he tried not to, the more it felt like it was deliberately going against him. Those memories became incredibly clear, making it impossible for Ye Tiancheng to escape the curse-like memories.
As he was in utter turmoil, Su Muxian actually arrived. Ye Tiancheng genuinely wished he could find a hole to crawl into.
"Su Muxian, I'm sorry. I was drunk last night and must have said some unpleasant things. Please don't mind."
"It's alright. I don't remember it either. It's not that important, and I won't take it seriously!"
"You really don't remember!"
"En, that's right. I have a bad memory. Once I wake up, I forget everything. En, I was tracking Ouyang Xinuo and didn't expect to actually find you. I was afraid Ouyang Xinuo would pester me again, so I came to find you. Actually, in my heart, I won't think about anything more. I just want a peaceful life."
It turned out that was Su Muxian's intention. Ye Tiancheng quickly understood and immediately stated his own thoughts. With this, Ouyang Xinuo was essentially finished. Even if he escaped, he likely wouldn't get away. He was already severely injured, so even if he managed to get out, it would be months away. In any case, there was no need to rush; that fellow wouldn't be causing trouble again anytime soon.
"Can you truly protect me, Brother Ye? Before, I enthusiastically wanted to help you, but I never thought you might not be able to bear so much pressure."
At this point, Ye Tiancheng could only apologize sincerely, "I was too naive. It's all my fault. I will protect you well from now on and ensure you are no longer in danger."