Master grunted, "Ah, no." As he spoke, he quickly stepped aside from Aunt Gu, bent down to rummage through the fabric, and his face turned as red as a boiled shrimp.
I wanted to laugh to myself, but Jiang Chen couldn't hold back anymore and his shoulders were shaking with laughter.
Aunt Gu, ever the persistent one, followed closely: "Master likes blue? Hmm, Master has fair skin, blue looks best on you, making you look even younger and more handsome." As she spoke, she reached out to touch the fabric beneath Master's hand. Her fingers and Master's fingers were so close, I felt a mix of worry and anticipation. Hmm, what if she accidentally touched Master's hand?
Master hurriedly put down the cloth, his face flushed, and fled from "Reluctant to Part with Clothes". I followed behind him, desperately trying to hold back my laughter, until my stomach hurt.
Jiang Chen chuckled and said to Aunt Gu, "Look, you've scared my master away."
Aunt Gu glared at him and said, "Young master, I didn't say anything! I was just recommending fabrics to him."
Jiang Chen smiled as he left the shop and said to his master, "Aunt Gu has been in business for over ten years, and she's always so welcoming to everyone. Master, don't be afraid."
"Who, who said I'm scared?" Master's blush hadn't faded yet, and Jiang Chen's words made it even more pronounced.
Jiang Chen laughed so hard he was shaking: "If you're not afraid, then why are you running away?"
"I...I'm hungry."
"Didn't we already have breakfast?"
The master coughed twice, "I haven't had lunch yet."
I'm so frustrated! My master is so adorable. He's so shy around women. Sigh, when will I ever have a master's wife?
Upon returning to Guiyun Manor, Madam Qi was very surprised to see her master, her bright eyes shining with joy.
"Oh my, Shi Jing, what brings you here?"
"Sister-in-law!" Master bowed politely to Madam Qi. I was taken aback, then realized that Jiang Ruiyang was Master's senior apprentice, so Master should indeed call Madam Qi sister-in-law.
Lady Qi was delighted and said with a smile, "Chen'er is really something, he didn't even give me a heads-up beforehand so I could have had the food prepared properly."
Master smiled and said, “Sister-in-law, you don’t need to be so polite. I came in a hurry mainly because these two children actually ran away to Jinbo Island. Luckily, I found out in time and followed them. I was worried about them, so I escorted them back.”
Lady Qi's expression changed drastically: "What!"
Jiang Chen chuckled and said, "It's my turn to go."
Lady Qi said angrily, "Chen'er, you're really being ridiculous!"
Jiang Chen chuckled and said, "Sigh, Mother, Xiao Mo is about to get married. Shouldn't you go and tell her?"
I was secretly moved; Jiang Chen had taken everything upon himself. If Madam Qi knew that going to Jinbo Palace was my idea, and that Jiang Chen had almost lost his life on Liujin Island, she would probably blame me terribly. I felt secretly ashamed. Fortunately, it seems that Jiang Chen is well-versed in the ways of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships and knows how to mediate and protect me.
"She..." Madam Qi seemed to want to say something, but hesitated and glared at Jiang Chen. Then she said to her master, "Shi Jing, how about setting the wedding date for the Mid-Autumn Festival?"
"Very good." Master seemed a little absent-minded. He had been a bit nervous ever since entering Guiyun Manor, looking around nervously, completely unlike his usual calm and composed self. I couldn't help but find it amusing. Even if Mother was mixed in with the servants, with one in the open and the other in the shadows, Master, how could you possibly find her by staring at her like that?
Lady Qi instructed the servants to prepare tea and food. The hot tea was served quickly, and after drinking half a cup of tea, as planned by my master and me, I suddenly cried out "Ouch!" and clutched my stomach.
Jiang Chen and Madam Qi asked in unison, "What's wrong?"
The master quickly asked, "Where does it hurt?"
"My stomach hurts."
No sooner had I finished speaking than Jiang Chen squatted down in front of me.
This was the first time I had ever faked something and acted in public. I was so nervous and insecure that I was afraid that Madam Qi would see through my act. I kept my head down and wished I could cover my face so that she and Jiang Chen wouldn't see me. But Jiang Chen was holding my cheeks and looking at me nervously, asking repeatedly, "How does it hurt?"
I groaned softly, "My stomach has been hurting a bit these past few days. I thought it was from the sea breeze and catching a chill, but just now, the pain was so intense, it felt like someone was tearing my intestines apart, or like insects were biting me."
Jiang Chen's face turned pale: "This kind of pain doesn't seem like it's from catching a cold."
The master said, "Yes, it started after we left Jinbo Palace?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen's expression changed drastically, and he asked urgently, "You, you didn't eat anything, did you?"
I mumbled, "I... I drank a cup of tea when I went to Protector Zhou's room."
Jiang Chen gasped, his face turning pale: "Xiao Mo, you!" He seemed to want to scold him, yet reluctant to do so, his brows furrowing into a deep frown.
Seeing him like this, I broke out in a cold sweat. Jiang Chen rubbed my forehead and asked anxiously, "Does it hurt a lot?"
I was too ashamed to look at him. The sweat wasn't from the pain, but from my guilty conscience.
Since the play had come to this point, I couldn't give up halfway, so I had no choice but to continue making things up with a guilty conscience. "I thought that since he knew who I was and you had already been poisoned, he probably wouldn't try to harm me again. I saw that he had also drunk it, so I wasn't on guard."
The master said, "Jinbo Palace's poisoning methods are always unpredictable." Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Chen said anxiously, "Master, I'm afraid I've been poisoned."
Master said, "The poisons in Jinbo Palace were always devised by the previous palace master himself, and only Jinbo Palace possesses the antidote. If Xiao Mo is truly poisoned, we'll have to go back to Liujin Island to find Qing Yao, but that will take many days, Xiao Mo..."
Jiang Chen said to Madam Qi, "I think it's best if Xiao Mo doesn't travel back and forth anymore. She should stay at home, and my master and I will go and invite Madam Qing over."
The master hesitated for a moment and said, "Well, that's fine, but what if the poison takes effect prematurely?"
Jiang Chen was taken aback: "Then it would be better to let Xiao Mo go with us. We should have Madam Qing examine her to put our minds at ease, to see if she has been poisoned."
Jiang Chen's thoughtfulness and anxiety moved me deeply, yet also made me feel ashamed. I secretly observed Madam Qi; although she looked worried, she remained silent, seemingly lost in thought. I became even more certain that she must be in secret contact with my mother. At this moment, she was probably considering how to bring my mother here.
Sure enough, Lady Qi said, "Xiao Mo, you go back to your room and rest first. I know someone who is highly skilled in medicine. I will go and invite her over first. If she can cure you, we won't have to make the trip back and forth to Jinbo Palace."
I was overjoyed and repeatedly said "good." My master was also delighted and we smiled at each other.
Jiang Chen scooped me up in his arms and carried me outside. I was both ashamed and anxious. "Put me down quickly!" This whole courtyard of servants and maids, parading around in broad daylight, and then carrying me back to my bedroom—what kind of behavior is this?
Jiang Chen frowned and said, "Isn't your stomach hurting? Don't force yourself." With that, he walked straight out without another word.