Chapter 33

Ying Que went to the detached annex to deliver food to Sun Daoping and, upon her return, couldn't help but share with Rong Shu, "It was all thanks to Miss that Doctor Sun's eyes lit up when he saw the red bean cake in the food box. He kept bowing to me, repeatedly expressing his gratitude."

Doctor Sun had a particular fondness for any dessert made with red beans. During his stay at the Gu residence in her previous life, Rong Shu had arranged for him to have plenty of red bean cakes and red bean pastries.

Rong Shu smiled and said, "Did you give him the residue from Mother Zhang's herbal decoction to examine?"

"Yes, I did. Doctor Sun smelled and tasted it, saying that this herb should be effective for coughs. He vaguely recalled seeing a similar combination of herbs in an ancient medical text, but he can't quite place it right now. He'll need to return to the Imperial Medicine Court to confirm."

Upon hearing Ying Que's words, Yingyue looked at Rong Shu with concern, about to speak.

But Rong Shu shook her head at her.

"Don't worry, it's just a matter of being cautious. If she comes again, we'll find a reason to send her away."

She wasn't afraid of Lin Qingyue, but after being given a second chance at life, she simply didn't want to engage with people she disliked.

After finishing their dinner in the courtyard, Rong Shu went to the eastern annex to chat with Mother Zhang.

When Yingyue informed her that Doctor Sun had finished the acupuncture treatment and administered the medicine, and Chang Ji had helped Second Master freshen up, Rong Shu leisurely returned to the main house.

Gu Changjin had changed into a pristine white inner robe, the scent of medicine lingering heavily on him. He had just taken his medicine, and his thin lips had a rare touch of color.

Rong Shu made a cursory greeting, then was led by two maidservants to the bathroom for a bath.

Misty vapor curled around the clean room, and Yingyue carefully wiped her body while whispering, "Miss, why has your waist become even slimmer? Tomorrow, I'll personally make you some steamed milk curd. Eating a bowl each day will help you regain the weight you've lost."

Ying Que chuckled and said, "I think the weight from Miss's waist has shifted elsewhere."

Yingyue glared at Ying Que. She was worried about the young lady here, but this little vixen was making inappropriate jokes.

But after Ying Que mentioned it, she also began to examine Rong Shu's figure and then smiled. "After this busy period, we should have new clothes tailored for Miss."

Her old clothes truly didn't fit anymore.

The bathroom door was firmly shut, and three screens were placed inside. Their soft whispers were muffled by the steam.

Yingyue and Ying Que kept their voices low, unaware that every word they'd just spoken had been heard by the patient outside.

When they emerged, they glanced at the bed and saw Gu Changjin with his eyes closed, seemingly asleep. They moved even more cautiously.

After arranging the bed and folding the blankets, Rong Shu silently waved her hand at the two maidservants, signaling them to extinguish the lamp and leave the room.

Lying on the imperial concubine's couch, she found herself unable to fall asleep.

The moon was slanting to the west, casting a cold and clear light outside her window, illuminating the entire room.

The moonlight tonight was exquisite, yet it disturbed her peace of mind.

Without a canopy and situated near the window, how could this bright moonlight not disrupt her dreams?

Rong Shu shifted her body slightly.

It was actually her own fault. This window had originally been covered with a bamboo blind, but during the day, while she sat there reviewing her dowry list, she found the blind obstructed the light and asked Ying Que to remove it.

Her eyelashes fluttered slightly as her gaze drifted to the four-poster bed against the opposite wall. That bed was equipped with double layers of curtains, both for blocking light and keeping mosquitoes and flies away.

However, for some reason, Gu Changjin hadn't instructed anyone to lower the curtains. Indeed, his side of the room was shrouded in darkness; whether the curtains were up or down made no difference.

Unlike her, even with her back turned and eyes closed, her surroundings remained brightly lit.

Rong Shu tossed and turned on the bed like a pancake for a quarter of an hour, finally unable to endure the bright window light. With a sigh in her heart, she got up and rummaged through a chest to find a thin quilt.

The original bamboo blind had been hung from a long wooden bar fixed to the wall, but now that the blind was removed, the bar remained. She draped the thin quilt over it, barely managing to block out the light.

Her movements were as noisy as a mouse stealing oil at night, rustling incessantly.

Gu Changjin's medicinal soup already had a calming effect to aid sleep. Earlier, he had forced himself to focus his mind, and soon felt a drowsy sensation creeping in.

But with Rong Shu's continuous rustling, and his keen hearing, his peaceful sleepiness was swept away like mist caught in a gale.

Gu Changjin opened his eyes slightly, glancing at the canopied daybed by the window.

There, the young girl was standing on tiptoe on the bed, her slender white arms stretching upward, trying to hang the quilt on the wooden beam on the wall.

The moonlight pouring in through the eaves bathed her in a serene glow, her black hair like ink brushed onto silk, splashing across her delicate waist and back.

From Gu Changjin's perspective, he could see half of her face immersed in moonlight, along with a glimpse of her slim waist as her inner garments shifted upward.

That waist, slender enough to be held in one hand, shimmered under the moonlight with the luster of jade, resembling porcelain skin and bone.

"Thud, thud, thud" –

Her heart, just beginning to calm, plummeted once more into the rhythmic pounding of drums.

Gu Changjin's thin lips pursed, his gaze swiftly averted.

One must not ogle where it is not proper.

Form is emptiness.

Muttering the Heart Sutra twice in silence, the man managed to dispel the image that had just flashed before his eyes.

When Rong Shu woke up the next day, her body ached from head to toe.

She had always been pampered, accustomed to fine foods and meticulous care; when had she ever slept on such a rough bed? Most importantly, the Moon Pillow she usually hugged while sleeping was right there in the four-poster bed.

The night before, after bathing, she had seen Gu Changjin deeply asleep. It wouldn't have been proper for her to ask for her pillow then. He was an ailing patient, and his injuries were the result of his selfless service to the people. To rouse him just for her own pillow would have been unjustifiable.

Seeing Yingyue's sleepy eyes, she whispered, "Miss, would you like to take a nap in the eastern chamber later?"

"No, thank you," Rong Shu stood up, shaking off her aching bones. "Go fetch some water to attend to Second Master's grooming, then ask Ying Que to come in and help me with my hair."