Xie Jiang did not expect to see Yi Yan Geng upon waking up.
Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a golden glow upon him, as if he were draped in a veil of gold.
Bathed in the golden light and shadow, he seemed to have maintained this posture, waiting by her bedside for millennia.
Xie Jiang blinked, feeling a sense of daze, unsure if she was still dreaming.
"Yi Yan Geng?"
Hearing her voice, he looked up abruptly. The emotion in his eyes, too deep and profound to gaze upon closely, had not yet been concealed.
"Awake?"
For some inexplicable reason, Xie Jiang felt a pang in her chest. Something bubbled up from the depths of her memory, vanishing as quickly as it appeared before she could grasp it.
Her throat felt dry and itchy. As Xie Jiang opened her mouth, a string of coughs erupted.
Yi Yan Geng rose and went to the table to pour a cup of water. After testing the temperature and finding it suitable, he returned to the bedside, helped her sit up, and fed her more than half a cup.
"When did you arrive? Did I sleep for a long time?"
She had started to run a fever the night Da Chui and the others found her, and had been groggy ever since, vaguely remembering them finding a village to stay in.
Glancing at the simple farmhouse she was currently in, it seemed they were still in that village.
"You were unconscious for two days and two nights. Are you feeling unwell anywhere? Should I call a doctor to take a look?"
Yi Yan Geng's voice was hoarse, almost trembling. The accumulated anger that had burned in his heart for days, when it reached his lips, only turned into this single sentence.
He placed his large palm on her forehead. Her fever had subsided in the latter half of the night, with no signs of recurrence. Yi Yan Geng secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Only then did Xie Jiang notice Yi Yan Geng's somewhat haggard appearance. The deep, serene eyes were bloodshot, and the stubble on his chin had clearly not been tended to for some time.
Yi Yan Geng's appearance was truly unparalleled. Even with a haggard and travel-worn face, it did not diminish his extraordinary handsomeness; instead, it added a touch of resolute sturdiness.
Xie Jiang raised her hand and touched his stubble. "Did you just arrive?"
Yi Yan Geng's throat moved. He grabbed her hand. "Last night. I've been guarding your bedside and haven't had time to tidy up my appearance."
In the small courtyard of the farmhouse, Xu Heng Yan heard the movement and immediately walked to the door. "Has Little Xie woken up?"
Yi Yan Geng narrowed his eyes, looking down at Xie Jiang. His gaze deepened further. She used to be "Young Master Xie," and now it's "Little Xie"?
It was just a form of address. They were already so familiar, so why remain so distant?
How familiar?
Uh…
Xie Jiang cupped Yi Yan Geng's face and planted a firm kiss on his lips as a form of comfort, then turned and called out towards the door.
"Xu Heng Yan."
Yi Yan Geng sneered inwardly. It would be better if she were completely devoted to him, saving her from being torn in two!
Xu Heng Yan pushed the door open and walked in. After exchanging greetings with Yi Yan Geng, his gaze fell upon Xie Jiang, and he couldn't help but smile with relief.
"Finally awake."
As he spoke, he reached out to touch Xie Jiang's forehead, a habitual gesture that came naturally.
Yi Yan Geng found it quite jarring. He raised his hand to block Xu Heng Yan's, his tone faintly tinged with frost. "Her fever has broken and has not recurred."
Xu Heng Yan glanced at him and did not insist, withdrawing his hand.
"That's good."
Xu Heng Yan sensed Yi Yan Geng's hostility towards him but couldn't figure out its source. Was their only connection currently her?
The previously quiet farmhouse courtyard became boisterous as Xie Jiang woke up. Da Chui's uniquely rough voice exclaimed, and then he rushed in from outside.
"Jiang Jiang, you're finally awake! Hurry up and eat the roast lamb. There's lamb chops you like, I saved them for you!"
Da Chui, holding a greasy lamb chop, lunged towards the bedside. Xu Heng Yan and Yi Yan Geng simultaneously reached out to block him.
Their gazes collided, sparks flying, and then they each turned their heads away.
Da Chui glared angrily at the two pretty boys, wanting to snap their necks with one hand each. Why were they stopping him from going to Jiang Jiang?
Aunt He hurried in, grabbing Da Chui's arm and dragging him out. "Young Master has just woken up, how can she eat such greasy food? Hurry outside and don't cause trouble…"
Da Chui said aggrievedly, "I'm not causing trouble."
Xie Jiang rubbed her nearly injured ears. "I do feel like eating roast lamb chops. Da Chui, go save me a couple, don't let them eat them all. I'll wash up and come over."
"Then I'll go make sure they don't sneak any. Jiang Jiang, you must come quickly."
Only then did Da Chui become happy, swaggering out. As he passed Lou Yi An by the door, he didn't forget to urge him, "Hurry inside and take a look at Jiang Jiang. Is Jiang Jiang all better?"
Aunt He also said to Lou Yi An, "Doctor Lou, please come in and examine Young Master."
Lou Yi An, who looked about twenty-six or twenty-seven, was as thin as a bamboo pole. He leaned against the door, glancing into the room, and said with extreme impatience, "There are so many people in here, there's no room to step. Where do you want me to look?"
Aunt He silently glanced at Yi Yan Geng and Xu Heng Yan.
The house they rented was already the best in the village.
With four or five people in one room, it wasn't exactly cramped.
But they were all tall and large, and they exuded an aura of either restraint or imposing presence, truly making the room feel narrower and more confined.
Yi Yan Geng glanced towards the door, then back at Xie Jiang, and silently went out with Xu Heng Yan.
Only Xie Jiang and Aunt He, who was practically negligible, remained in the room. Lou Yi An then entered.
Xie Jiang pushed aside the covers and sat on the edge of the bed, stretching. She felt sore all over.
Lou Yi An glanced at Xie Jiang and rolled his eyes, spitting out two words without politeness, "Seeking death."
Xie Jiang faced him with great casualness. "Can't you say something nice?"
Lou Yi An pressed her wrist to take her pulse, pulled open her eyelids to examine them, and then opened her mouth to look at her tongue.
Xie Jiang wanted to hit him. "It hurts, it hurts… Can't you be gentler? What grudge do you have against me!"
"When you were surrounded by bandits, did you not feel pain? When you jumped off the cliff, did you not feel pain?" Lou Yi An's cold, hard words were filled with anger.
"Yi An, you've changed. Your temper is getting worse. You weren't like this before." Xie Jiang looked at Aunt He, her eyes full of accusation. "Right? Right?"
Aunt He did not side with her young master this time. Looking at how she had tormented herself, she still had the nerve to blame Doctor Lou for having a bad temper?
Aunt He said disapprovingly, "Young Master, you've gone too far this time. We were so scared when we heard the news. Isn't it natural for Doctor Lou to be angry?"
How anxious they were when they heard the news, and how angry they were now that they saw her.
Xie Jiang rubbed her forehead. "That was an accident!"
Can we please not bring this up again? It's in the past, isn't it better to let it be?
She didn't want to talk about it at all; talking about it just brought tears.
If you hadn't caused such a scene, would such an accident have happened?
Aunt He originally wanted to complain about Xu Heng Yan a few times, but then she thought that Young Master Xu was also acting out of good intentions, having risked half his life to protect her young master. The scolding she was about to utter was swallowed back.
Aunt He looked at Lou Yi An. "Doctor Lou, how is Young Master's health?"
Lou Yi An said coldly, "Won't die."
Aunt He: "…"
His temper is indeed quite significant.
Aunt He looked back at her young master, seeing how angry she had made Doctor Lou. Doctor Lou usually had such a good temper!