"Did you not dream of me? If you had dreamed of me, then someone would have come to save you."
She hugged Xie Jiang tighter, preventing her from seeing the expression on his face. Though he had already convinced himself, he still pretended to be nonchalant as he comforted her.
"Then why weren't you in my dream?" Xie Jiang immediately seized the opportunity to question him.
"I suppose I might have gotten lost."
"Hmph!"
"Jiang Jiang."
"Mm?" Unfortunately, he was seated and could only touch her upper body. Although it accentuated her elasticity, he felt it wasn't enough.
"From now on, no matter what happens, or if you misunderstand me, you can come to me and confront me directly. Don't convict me rashly."
"Alright."
"If you encounter something you can't solve, or something that troubles you, you can come to me. I'd be delighted if you bothered me every day. You don't have to bear it all alone."
"You find me bothersome?"
"That's not what I meant. Weren't you listening to me carefully? You..." Yi Yan Geng belatedly realized something and glared fiercely at Xie Jiang.
"When did you develop this habit! Do you touch everyone like this!" Yi Yan Geng grabbed her mischievous hand and, with a ferocious expression, retracted his strength as he hit her palm.
His heart was about to break, and yet she... ungrateful wretch!
"I'm quite picky, you know. If the shape isn't good or the elasticity isn't enough, I'm not interested. Yours is perfect."
Yi Yan Geng gritted his teeth in anger. If her words could be believed, pigs would be able to climb trees!
"How would you know if the elasticity is good if you don't touch it!"
"I..."
"Forget it, don't say any more! I don't want to discuss this with you. Keep your hands to yourself from now on!" Yi Yan Geng, unable to contain his anger, slapped her palm a few more times.
Xie Jiang wailed, feigning tears, "It hurts, it really hurts..."
Yi Yan Geng sneered, "Don't try that with me. Here... a kiss, and it won't hurt anymore?"
Xie Jiang raised an eyebrow in question, "What do you mean by a kiss?" For this level, censoring it? Was it necessary?
Yi Yan Geng's face was cold, "What do you think?"
Xie Jiang held up her slightly reddened little paw, "Let me try and I'll know if a kiss really makes it stop hurting."
Yi Yan Geng said righteously, "Don't even think about it!"
"Did you grow up studying the 'virtues of men'?"
The 'virtues of men' were the biggest obstacle to her plan of draining Yi Yan Geng dry.
"What are the 'virtues of men'?"
"It's exactly as it sounds."
Yi Yan Geng quickly grasped the essence of it and shot Xie Jiang an exasperated glance. What was she always thinking about?
Qian Qiu made up his mind and gently knocked on the door outside, "The medicine has cooled and is ready to drink."
It had already cooled, been reheated, and cooled again three times.
If she didn't drink it soon, was she expecting Young Master Xie to make up for it at noon and drink two bowls at once?
Yi Yan Geng resumed his upright posture, "Bring it in."
Qian Qiu, without looking left or right, brought in the medicine bowl and handed it to Yi Yan Geng.
He pretended not to see Xie Jiang's death glare.
If Young Master Xie didn't recover, he would be the one held responsible. He had no choice but to offend someone.
"Didn't I already have a medicinal bath? I think the medicinal bath was very effective." She had the energy to flirt with your master, so why drink medicine!
Yi Yan Geng's eyes told her that this theory was invalid.
As long as her hands weren't broken, she would always have the energy for such activities.
"Your head is still very throbbing. Drinking the medicine will help you recover faster."
Yi Yan Geng tested the temperature, found it just right, and brought the spoon to her lips.
Xie Jiang, annoyed, snatched the bowl directly and gulped it down in one go, then threw the bowl into Qian Qiu's arms, nearly breaking Qian Qiu's fingers.
She collapsed onto the soft couch with a look of utter despair, not wanting to bother with Yi Yan Geng at all.
Qian Qiu quickly ran off with the bowl.
He hoped his master would stay at the Duke of Wei's mansion for a longer period, preferably until Ancestor Xie drank the noon dose of medicine as well.
As for the evening dose?
It was unlikely his master would stay overnight at the Duke of Wei's mansion. Young Master Xu San didn't seem very useful either.
There was still Young Master Xu.
Young Master Xu, like his master, was a man of principle.
He might compromise on other matters, but when it came to Young Master Xie's health, he would definitely not compromise.
With this thought, Qian Qiu's heart finally settled.
Yi Yan Geng poured a cup of warm water, "Rinse your mouth to get rid of the bitter taste."
Xie Jiang didn't make things difficult for herself, took it, rinsed her mouth, and then lay back down, still annoyed.
Seeing preserved fruit on the table, she picked one that looked pleasing, "Do you want to have some preserved fruit?"
"Why are you so idle today? Don't you have to do unpaid work for His Majesty the Emperor?"
Leave quickly! Annoying!
"You are the most important thing."
"No, sweet talk is useless."
"I'm telling the truth. His Majesty attaches great importance to the Xie clan's allegiance, and naturally, he values you. Taking care of you is also part of my duty."
Yi Yan Geng put a piece of dried apricot into her mouth.
"It's too sour!"
Yi Yan Geng tasted one himself, "It's not that sour."
He put another piece into Xie Jiang's mouth and then set it aside.
After sitting with Xie Jiang for a while, seeing that she was getting tired, Yi Yan Geng stopped talking and waited silently.
Yi Yan Geng covered her with a thin quilt. Seeing that she was sleeping relatively peacefully, his heart finally felt a little more at ease.
He gently rubbed her cheek with the back of his index finger. The soft touch made him linger, and a warm smile curved Yi Yan Geng's lips.
Reluctantly, he finally left.
...
She slept for an hour in the morning and another hour in the afternoon.
After waking up in the afternoon, she clearly felt that her head was not as hot. Xie Jiang even had the energy to visit the small kitchen.
She was too lazy to cook, so she directed two chefs who had become familiar with her and could cooperate with her to make some delicious food.
Alas.
When traveling, one either brings their own chef or their own seasonings, and then instructs the chefs of others.
To eat something to her liking, she had to put in the effort herself.
If only she could transmigrate to a world where food was everywhere and full of surprises!
Forget it, there was no such good fortune.
It would be good if she could transmigrate back to her original world.
Xie Jiang sighed again.
She had integrated so well with Song Er. Such a wonderful thing as returning would, at most, only be realized in dreams.
Xia Ze Shi saw Xie Jiang walking leisurely, his face beaming with a big smile, "It seems your illness is almost gone? I knew you were blessed with good fortune and would be fine."
"Is that so? Wasn't that what you all said before? Who was afraid that Lu Bao Fang would turn me into jerky? Who prepared the replacement horses for escaping the capital and the ships for sailing overseas? And who ran to the Dali Temple prison crying and weeping, crying so much that my condition worsened?" Xie Jiang teased with a half-smile.
"That was because we were too ignorant and shallow."
How could Xie Jiang, a wolf-like person, not handle a mere Lu Bao Fang, ten Lu Bao Fangs, and ten Marquis Nan Xiong's mansions? Xie the wolf would have them turn to dust with a snap of her fingers.
Xia Ze Shi glanced towards the kitchen behind her, as if he could see something from afar, "What delicious food are you preparing for tonight?"
He said, swallowing his saliva.