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Глава 13

The maids exchanged glances, their smiles widening. Several maids stepped forward, pulled Yuchi Mingyue along, and said with a smile:

"Fourth Miss, aren't you afraid that Chief Steward Di will laugh at you looking like this? Let me comb your hair quickly."

"Yes, yes, we need to change Steward Di's dressing and bandages now, so please excuse us for now."

"Miss, didn't you say you wanted to make lotus root starch balls? Go back and make them first, so they'll be delicious after Steward Di finishes his medicine!"

...

After listening to the maids chattering for a while, Yu Chi Mingyue reluctantly let go of her hand. She tidied her hair and said shyly, "I'll come back later, wait for me."

After saying that, she lowered her head, turned around, and left.

The maids were already laughing hysterically, and it took them a while before they started preparing the food.

After the medicine was applied and the bandages were changed, the maids helped him lean against the pillows, then sat on the edge of the bed with the medicine, coaxing him with smiles, "Come on, Ah Xiu, let's take the medicine."

He glanced at the spoon that had come closer, frowned, and remained silent.

Seeing this, the maid who was feeding the medicine felt a little embarrassed. But then she heard one of the maids say jokingly, "Ah Xiu must be waiting for the Fourth Miss. Oh dear, we've made a fool of ourselves."

Upon hearing this, the maidservant began to laugh again.

The maid who was feeding the medicine smiled and put down the medicine bowl, saying to herself with a sigh, "Oh well, it's finally my turn. Oh well."

Another burst of laughter erupted from the maids.

Just then, Yu Chi Mingyue led several maids in. She had finished washing and dressing, and was wearing a pale yellow dress, looking charming and lovely.

Upon seeing her arrive, the maids curtsied and took their leave. The maids who had accompanied her put down what they were carrying and also left. Inside the room, only she and he remained.

Yu Chi Mingyue watched the maids leave with displeasure, but did not reprimand them. She remained silent for a moment, then walked to the bedside and asked, "Have you taken your medicine?"

Di Xiu avoided her gaze and remained silent.

Yu Chi Mingyue was somewhat puzzled, then noticed a full bowl of medicinal soup on the bedside table. She pondered for a moment, then frowned and sat down on the edge of the bed, saying, "Is the medicine too bitter? Or is your wound hurting? Or were the maids too unruly and upset you?"

Di Xiu's thoughts were in complete disarray, and for a moment he didn't know how to respond, so he could only remain silent.

Seeing him like this, Yu Chi Mingyue couldn't help but worry. She moved closer to him, took his hand, and asked, "What's wrong? Why are you ignoring me again?"

Di Xiu was slightly startled. Her hand was warm and soft, and she gripped his fingers tightly with a little force. There was no shyness, no hesitation. He looked up and stared at her, stunned.

Suddenly, Yu Chi Mingyue remembered something. She let go of his hand and picked up the white porcelain bowl beside her. She smiled shyly and asked, "Lotus root starch balls...would you like some?"

In a white porcelain bowl sits five small, pigeon-egg-sized meatballs, glistening and pink, quite adorable. Osmanthus blossoms float on the soup, releasing a delicate sweet fragrance.

A pang stirred within him, and memories of the past gradually came to mind. He clearly remembered her blushing and flustered words to him: "I...I won't cook for you!"

For some reason, he felt fear and confusion, and was at a loss for what to do.

Just then, she smiled, scooped up a meatball, and was about to feed him. But then she remembered something and quickly withdrew the spoon. She smiled, lowered her head, gently blew on the meatball to cool it down, and then brought it to his lips.

Seeing her actions, he was overwhelmed with emotion and could no longer think. He lowered his eyes, glanced at the lotus root starch dumpling, and finally opened his mouth and put it in.

The meatballs were soft, smooth, and cloyingly sweet upon first bite. But as they were swallowed, the sensation grew increasingly strange. Every vein in my body, every thought, seemed to be tinged with that sweetness, washing away all bitterness.

Yu Chi Mingyue smiled at him and asked, "Is it delicious?"

Di Xiu looked up and smiled faintly, "So sweet..."

After several days in a coma, his voice was slightly hoarse. Yu Chi Mingyue felt a renewed pang of pain in her heart. His face was pale, his expression haggard, and he had become much thinner. For the past few days, she had been filled with worry and fear, without a moment of peace. And now, he had finally woken up, smiling at her as he always had…

A surge of warmth welled up in her heart; an impulse she didn't know came from. In that instant, she abandoned her reserve and kissed his lips.

He was utterly astonished and momentarily lost his composure.

Her lips, soft as flower petals, carried a sweet fragrance. Her kiss, so inexperienced yet tender, was slow and gentle, filled with a careful, tender care.

He dared not close his eyes, fearing that what he was seeing was just a dream.

She slowly pulled away from his lips, her cheeks flushed, her eyes brimming with tears, captivatingly beautiful. She gently touched her own lips and whispered with a smile, "It's so sweet..."

He gazed at her and couldn't help but smile. All his previous worries and anxieties vanished. If it was a dream, then he would wake up later…

"Medicine," he said.

Upon hearing this, Yu Chi Mingyue snapped out of her daze. She quickly put down the lotus root starch balls in her hand and picked up the medicinal soup.

"I almost forgot." She scooped up a spoonful of medicine and smiled. "Drink five sips and eat one pill."

He paused for a moment, then laughed.

Yu Chi Mingyue, not knowing why he was laughing, asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

He just smiled and didn't answer.

Yu Chi Mingyue was even more confused. "What's so funny!"

He tried to suppress his smile, looked at her, and said, "Drink it all."

Upon hearing this, Yu Chi Mingyue was initially pleased, but after a moment's thought, she frowned. She glanced at her lotus root starch dumplings and hesitantly asked, "...Don't you like lotus root starch dumplings?"

He smiled, shook his head, and replied, "I like it."

Yu Chi Mingyue was relieved and smiled as she fed him the medicine.

Neither of them spoke, but they would occasionally burst into laughter. In that moment, all their worries were forgotten, leaving only joy and gratitude…

When Mei Ziqi arrived, he saw this scene. He smiled, unsure whether he should disturb him. After thinking it over, he finally coughed lightly a few times.

Upon hearing the voice, Yu Chi Mingyue turned around and greeted him with a smile, "Sir."

Meizi nodded and stepped inside.

When Di Xiu saw him enter, a fleeting look of fear crossed his face.

Mei Ziqi walked to the bedside with a smile and said, "Ah Xiu, you're finally awake. If you hadn't woken up, our Fourth Miss would have razed Plum Valley to the ground."

Upon hearing this, Yu Chi Mingyue retorted with displeasure, "When did I ever intend to raze Plum Valley to the ground? I was merely grumbling a few words..." She frowned and continued, "What do you mean by the Plum Valley Hermit's superior medical skills? They're nothing special..."

"Oh dear..." Mei Ziqi said with a mournful expression, "Little Fourth, if Master hears what you're saying, he'll be heartbroken again."

“I’m telling the truth,” Yu Chi Mingyue said confidently.

Mei Ziqi shook his head helplessly, "How can you blame Master for this?" He then looked at Di Xiu and said, "Healing the injuries and breaking the Heavenly Fox's curse will naturally take some time..."

Upon hearing this, Di Xiu was slightly alarmed.

"Undo the Heavenly Fox Curse?" Yu Chi Mingyue sighed. "But he hasn't recovered."

"Has it not recovered?" Mei Ziqi looked at Di Xiu and examined him closely.

Di Xiu lowered his head and remained silent, not uttering a single word.

Mei Ziqi narrowed her eyes and smiled, "Tsk tsk, this Heavenly Fox is indeed powerful..."

"The Hermit of Plum Valley is indeed a man of undeserved reputation," Yu Chi Mingyue said with a smile, adding another sarcastic remark.

Mei Ziqi's helplessness grew stronger. "Little Si, you... Oh, right, someone from the Prince of Nanling's mansion has arrived. Go and see them first."

Yu Chi Mingyue nodded, then turned to Di Xiu and said, "I'll be right back."

After she left, the room fell silent, and the atmosphere became heavy.

Mei Ziqi sighed softly and said, "My master is the Hermit of Plum Valley, an expert in the Eight Trigrams, the Book of Changes, and Yin-Yang talismans, known throughout the world. How could we possibly stumble over a mere fox... Don't you agree, Ah Xiu?"

Di Xiu remained silent and did not respond.

Mei Ziqi smiled, picked up the medicine bowl, and took out a porcelain bottle from his bosom. As he poured the contents into the bowl, he muttered to himself, "This is a poison that breaks the heart; there is no antidote." He emptied the bottle and handed the bowl to Di Xiu, coldly saying, "Drink it."

Di Xiu suppressed his panic, unsure of what to do. Whether it was a poison that would sever his intestines or not was another matter, but how would "A-Xiu" react after hearing those words? He frowned slightly and could only remain silent.

At this moment, Mei Ziqi laughed, "You're not pretending, are you? Let me tell you."

Mei Ziqi raised her hand and smashed the medicine bowl hard on the ground. The porcelain bowl shattered into several pieces instantly, and the medicine splashed everywhere, staining the ground.

Seeing this, Di Xiu knew he couldn't hide it anymore. He steeled himself and was about to make a move when Mei Ziqi reached out and pinched his cheek.

"You brat! I've helped you so much, and you still dare to lie to me!"

Chapter Sixteen

"You brat! I've helped you so much, and you still dare to lie to me!"

Di Xiu was stunned and didn't know how to respond.

Mei Ziqi let go of her hand and laughed, "Hmm, you've lost weight. You need to eat more to recover."

Di Xiu pondered for a moment, then dropped his pretense, frowned, and asked in a cold voice, "What is your purpose?"

"Hehe, you've really recovered." Mei Ziqi smiled leisurely, remained silent for a while, and then said, "...Guess."

Di Xiu looked at him and said, "Plum Valley and Yuchi Manor have a long-standing feud. As a disciple of Plum Valley Hermit, you took this opportunity to enter the manor to investigate the matter of the Heavenly Fox. The manor lord was already on guard against you, but he did not take action against you because of the Nanling Prince's Mansion."

Upon hearing this, Mei Ziqi laughed heartily. Without any hesitation, he nodded and replied, "That's right."

“You wanted to know the whereabouts of the ‘Suppressing Pot’ from me, so you helped me out…” Di Xiu said.

Mei Ziqi nodded again, "More or less."

Di Xiu said, "I won't tell you."

Mei Ziqi sighed, reached out and pinched Di Xiu's cheek again, saying, "Ah Xiu, you were more lovable before you recovered."

Di Xiu frowned and reached out to grab Mei Ziqi's wrist. Mei Ziqi remained calm and grabbed Di Xiu's shoulder, applying slight pressure with her fingers, forcing him to release his grip.

“Why bother?” Mei Ziqi shook her wrist and sighed. “Actually, Master divined a divination the other day: ‘The seal on the ‘Suppressing Pot’ will be broken, and the Heavenly Fox will be freed.’ It must be related to you.”

Di Xiu spoke up, saying, "Since Meigu Sanren is so powerful, why ask me?"

Mei Ziqi smiled and said, "Let me tell you the truth. Mei Gu has always been indifferent to worldly affairs. Whether it's the 'Heavenly Fox' or the struggles of the Yuchi family, we have no interest in getting involved. We were only entrusted by the Prince of Nanling to protect our fourth young lady from the 'Heavenly Fox.' However, in recent years, the seal of the 'Suppressing Pot' has been weakening, and my master was worried, so he instructed me to go into the manor to investigate. If we can obtain the 'Suppressing Pot' and solidify its seal, that would be the best outcome. If not, it's alright. In total, it will take two months. Once our fourth young lady returns to the Prince of Nanling's manor, she can find a good marriage, and that will be the end of it." He smiled slyly and said, "Don't be fooled by our fourth young lady's arrogant and willful nature at the Yuchi Manor. Once she returns to the Prince of Nanling's manor, she will be as obedient and charming as can be. So many princes and noblemen will be lining up to have her."

Upon hearing this, Di Xiu remained silent.

Mei Ziqi watched his reaction with great interest and said, "So, you should tell me the whole story of how the 'Suppressing Pot' was stolen. Once I seal that 'Heavenly Fox,' you won't have to worry."

"What does it have to do with me?" Di Xiu replied indifferently.

Mei Ziqi was slightly taken aback and was speechless for a moment.

Di Xiu said, "Now that I have recovered, I will return to Yuchi Manor once my injuries have healed. I will not repay the life-saving grace."

Mei Ziqi was silent for a moment, then chuckled, "What a stubborn boy. If you're so determined, why pretend to be stupid just now?"