Pei Yuan's lips twitched, and then Qiu Su said again, "How come the walls of the courtyards in the capital are so sturdy?"
Pei Yuan felt as if crows were flying around in his head, making two "cawing" sounds that made him dizzy.
"How is Lingling?" Qiu Su casually sidled up to a box by the bedside. Seeing that Pei Yuan wasn't paying attention, she opened the box, pulled out the mask, and tossed it inside. Then she turned around and asked, "Did you see a doctor again? Qi Xiu's medical skills might be better. Did Grandma get angry?"
Pei Yuan glanced over and sighed, "Ling'er is fine. That girl is quite resilient."
Pei Yuan walked over and pinched her nose. Qiu Su's eyes immediately welled up with tears from the pain. Pei Yuan pressed it again and withdrew his hand when he saw her expression change. He smiled and said, "Be careful when you walk in the future. The walls of the capital are indeed sturdier than those of Pingcheng. If you walk any faster, your nose will collapse."
"I've remembered what Ziqing said."
Pei Yuan looked at her serious expression and couldn't help but twitch his lips. He couldn't help but say, "We can discuss the issue of the city wall in detail tonight."
"Okay." Qiu Su blinked, then suddenly remembered the excruciating pain and nausea of the previous night, and the unbearable trembling from those intimate moments. She quickly added, "Uh, no need. Ziqing, shall we go see Lingling?"
"Okay, what's wrong with it?" Pei Yuan asked in a strange tone, pulling Qiu Su's hand as they went out the door again.
Lingling's injury wasn't serious, but the location wasn't good. Fortunately, it was high up, so even if it left a scar, it wouldn't be easily noticeable if her hair was tied up loosely.
Madam Pei didn't blame Qiu Su, but asked her where she had gone. Qiu Su said she had forgotten the doctor's prescription and was going back to get it. She was worried that Madam Pei would ask about the prescription, but unexpectedly, Pei Yuan said that they had a new pharmacy and didn't need that one anymore.
Fortunately, fate wasn't always against her, allowing her to easily overcome this obstacle.
Lingling was in good spirits. Although her forehead was bandaged with white gauze, she didn't sit on the bed like a patient. Instead, she sat at the table eating steamed egg custard. When Qiu Su came in, she dignifiedly pressed a handkerchief to the corner of her mouth, swallowed the egg custard in her mouth, and then smiled and said, "Why did you only come back now, sister-in-law?"
Seeing her like this, Qiu Su liked her even more. She peeked out to see Pei's mother and Pei Yuan talking in the outer room, pulled up a stool and sat down next to Lingling, frowned and touched her forehead, and asked, "Does it still hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt anymore, but, hehe, it really hurt me when the old doctor was cleaning the wound. My sister-in-law's nose looks bruised."
"It's nothing, I probably squeezed too hard just now." Qiu Su didn't know how to express her affection, so she just held Lingling's hand tighter and said, "I was wrong today, I won't let Lingling get hurt again."
Lingling shook her head and said, "It's not my fault, sister-in-law. Hehe, I hope you can give me a little nephew soon. Listening to my brother talk about my childhood, I've always been thinking about when I can have a younger brother or sister to play with. Luckily, I have you, sister-in-law, so it's not too late to have one soon."
Uh, aren't my younger brother, sister, and nephew a generation apart? And, is it for playing with? This…
Qiu Su smiled at Lingling, "Go ahead and eat."
Lingling took another bite, her big eyes darting around as she asked, "Sister-in-law, haven't you eaten yet either?"
"Uh, yes. But I'll eat with my mother-in-law later."
Lingling rolled her eyes, scooped up a spoonful of steamed egg custard, held it out with one hand, and looked at Qiu Su with a smile, saying, "Sister-in-law, have a bite too. Mother asked me to steam a lot, saying it's good for replenishing blood. I've already eaten more than half a bowl."
Qiu Su looked at the spoonful of steamed egg custard, then at Lingling, opened her mouth and ate it, feeling even warmer inside.
Lingling was really tired of eating steamed egg custard, but she ate it so quickly because she was afraid of Pei's mother nagging. When she saw Qiu Su take the bowl and eat it, she simply pushed the bowl away and said, "Sister-in-law, you eat it. I don't want to eat anymore."
Normally, Qiu Su would never have touched the half-bowl of steamed egg custard. But this bowl was exceptionally well-steamed; it must have contained fresh milk and some nourishing herbs, for it smelled wonderful and was incredibly smooth. Most importantly, Qiu Su was sitting at the table with the Pei family elders, so she never dared to eat too casually, always only eating until she was half full. Back in her room, she would stuff herself with sweet, cloying snacks, feeling quite aggrieved. And most importantly, she had spent half the day dressed as a fox spirit and running around, so she was genuinely hungry. Seeing that Lingling seemed truly full, and since she didn't mind, she took the spoon and started eating.
It was truly extraordinary; the second bite even revealed a hint of meaty flavor. Qiu Su ate several bites in a row, then turned and asked, "What kind of egg is this?"
"Pigeon eggs."
Qiu Su froze, quickly putting the spoon she was about to eat back into her bowl. She was utterly clueless, and lacking in many ways. Not only had she bumped her sister-in-law's forehead, but she'd also stolen her tonic. And what's more, she'd forgotten about her mother-in-law outside!
"Eat up, everyone," said Madam Pei, watching Qiu Su slowly rise. "Don't be so formal. I heard you met Miss Qing today?"
"yes."
"Sit down." Madam Pei sat down next to Lingling and touched her forehead. "Miss Qing is young and has been spoiled at home. Your father and her father are both officials in the court and have a good relationship. If she behaves inappropriately, Susu should be lenient with her. Of course, you don't have to always tolerate it. If you suffer any grievances, tell me and I will seek justice for you."
“We are fine, Mother-in-law is overthinking it.”
"Hmm." Madam Pei nodded approvingly. "Susu will be accompanying Yuan'er all the way from now on, and there will be many things she will have to endure. But judging from your appearance, you seem to be a mature and magnanimous person, so I'm relieved. Oh? What happened to your nose?"
Qiu Su broke out in a cold sweat, raised her hand to touch her nose, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Mother Pei frowned and looked at it. "It's good that you're alright. I thought it was a bruise."
"Alright, we'll head back now." Pei Yuan patted Lingling's head. "Get some rest. Your sister-in-law and I will come see you again tomorrow."
Pei Yuan nodded to his mother, who waved her hand and said, "Go ahead and find some food for your wife."
Qiu Su was genuinely sweating this time, her ears turning red with embarrassment. Blushing, she followed Pei Yuan out the door amidst giggling laughter. Suddenly, he stopped abruptly, and before Qiu Su could react, she bumped her head against him, nearly flattening her nose, causing tears to stream down her face.
Look at her! Where is the slightest bit of the chieftain's aura? Holding a small porcelain bowl in her hands, tears welling in her eyes, she looks at the person who has turned around with such accusation. She looks exactly like a little follower begging for food with a bowl in her hand.
Pei Yuanhao raised an eyebrow in a good mood, "Silly! Who gets up while holding a bowl? Didn't you see your mother staring at your paws? You look like you've been starving for generations!"
Qiu Su looked down at the bowl in her hand, on the verge of tears. When did she take this out? How come she didn't see her mother-in-law staring at her hands? Sigh, why can't she leave a good impression on her mother-in-law?
What made Qiu Su even more embarrassed was yet to come. Pei Yuan had eaten dinner in the courtyard that evening, which was fine; Qiu Su ate her fill. After rinsing her mouth, before she could even put down her teacup, Yu Hua arrived, carrying a food box. Lifting the lid revealed the steamed egg custard inside, just as smooth and fragrant as ever. But, could she not eat it?
Yu Hua smiled and said, "Madam was worried that the young mistress wouldn't have enough to eat, and seeing that the young mistress liked it, she specially instructed the kitchen to make it."
After saying that, she smiled and looked at Qiu Su with expectant eyes. Well, normally, she should have taken a bite and said happily, "Ah, this is so delicious! Thank you, Grandma."
Qiu Su thought this and did it, though her expression was somewhat strange. When Qiu Su said with a wrinkled face, "It's so delicious, please thank Grandma for me," Pei Yuan finally couldn't hold back and snatched the spoon from her hand, his smile somewhat irritating.
Pei Yuan waved his hand and said, "Go down. If you need anything in the future, Huang Tao will go to the kitchen to give the order. Thank you, Mother."
Qiu Su looked at the bowl full of pigeon egg custard with a bit of regret. Tsk tsk, how many eggs must have been laid to make just one bowl?
"Alright, don't be so regretful. Can you still eat?"
Pei Yuan pressed Qiu Su down to sit, then produced a bottle of medicated oil from somewhere and dipped his index finger in it, applying it to her nose. Why rub it in if you're just applying it?
"Stop rubbing it," Qiu Su said, her eyes brimming with tears. "It hurts terribly."
"Hmm, so you feel pain now?" Pei Yuan's pressure didn't lessen. "If the swelling doesn't go down soon, how are you going to explain this to your relative?"
Uh, another relative! Qiu Suxin rolled her eyes inwardly.