Chapter 35

Gu Changjin still had a slight fever, his skin not burning hot but warmer than an ordinary person's. Rong Shu's slightly cold fingers rested on him, as if holding onto a jade hand warmer.

Both of their breaths were incredibly soft.

Rong Shu kept her gaze lowered, focusing on the small blanket on his lap, which was embroidered with bamboo leaves. She slowly counted them, one, two, three...

Gu Changjin also looked down, his eyes on the green plum blossoms embroidered on the hem of her skirt. The petals were layered, resembling fragrant snow hugging the garment, emitting a subtle aroma that brushed against his face.

Soon, Gu Changjin realized that the cool and subtle fragrance belonged to her soft scent.

The scent wasn't overpowering, yet it felt familiar.

It was as if there had been a similar moment before, with someone else enclosing him within a realm of faint, cold fragrance, leaving him unable to escape, like a caged beast.

Thump, thump, thump—

Almost as the sense of déjà vu swirled in his heart, his heart began to race like a wild stallion unleashed.

This very palpitation had also occurred in his dreams.

Gu Changjin's deep, serene eyes gradually turned cold, and the faster his heart beat, the colder his aura became.

It was as if he was using his strong and icy rationality to suppress the restless, scorching heat within him.

Time seemed to crawl by. By the time Sun Daoping removed each golden needle from Gu Changjin's body, both of them were drenched in sweat.

Rong Shu, on the other hand, wasn't sweating but felt her arms ache.

Glancing at the hourglass, she realized it had been a full quarter of an hour—she had held her arm motionless for a solid fifteen minutes.

Her arm trembled as she lowered it, and her knees had gone numb from kneeling.

She propped herself up, about to step down from the bed, when she heard Sun Daoping say, "I must trouble Madam to wipe the sweat off Lord Gu. This official needs to reapply the medicine."

Rong Shu sighed inwardly and pulled out a handkerchief from her waist, but as soon as she reached out, it was gently blocked. Then came a cold response, "I'll do it myself."

Rong Shu was taken aback.

Gu Changjin usually spoke without revealing any emotions, and others might not be able to discern the feelings behind his words. However, she had been married to him for three years, and she could still detect his impatience from his tone.

Rong Shu couldn't tell whether his impatience stemmed from the discomfort of the needle treatment or because of her presence.

Most likely, it was due to her. Injuries were as common to Gu Changjin as drinking tea or water; he had never shown annoyance over pain from a wound before.

Nonetheless, Rong Shu didn't feel upset. She lowered her gaze and gently handed him the handkerchief in her hand with a smile. "My lord, please use my handkerchief for now. I'll have Yingyue bring in a few more later."

After she finished speaking, she got off the bed and left the room with light steps.

Not long after Rong Shu left, Yingyue entered with a stack of handkerchiefs.

Gu Changjin wiped his sweat and returned Rong Shu's handkerchief to Yingyue, asking, "Where's Lady?"

Yingyue replied, "Lady is having breakfast. Does Second Master have something to say to her? Would you like me to convey the message?"

Gu Changjin looked down and shook his head. "No need, you may withdraw."

He had no words for her, nor did he wish to see her. He didn't even understand why he had asked that question in the first place.

After Yingyue left, Sun Daoping personally prepared Gu Changjin's medicine. Upon arriving at the small kitchen, he found red bean soup and golden fried pastries on the stove. The fillings inside the pastries ranged from sweet bean paste, osmanthus sesame, to chive and shrimp.

Sun Daoping swallowed, trying to hide his evident craving, before reluctantly diverting his gaze.

Moments later, a kitchen maid called out, "Lord Sun, this is a special breakfast prepared by Lady for you. Perhaps you should eat first before preparing the medicine?"

Sun Daoping's face lit up with delight as he returned to the main house, his mouth greasy from the meal.

As Gu Changjin sipped his bitter decoction, Sun Daoping couldn't resist commenting, "Your Lady is the most gentle and intelligent woman I have ever encountered."

After a moment's thought, she added, "She is also the most beautiful."

Gu Changjin swallowed the bitter medicine, casting a casual glance at the crumbs on Sun Daoping's lips.

This young man was the most talented descendant of the Sun family. Perhaps due to his young age, he often put on a serious demeanor to earn the trust of others in his medical skills, though in reality, he still had a childlike nature.

Now, having had his fill, he had momentarily forgotten to guard his words.

Of course—

A teenager around fifteen or sixteen was at an age where they would naturally admire and yearn for affection.

Gu Changjin swayed his bowl slightly and, lowering his head, drank the remaining medicinal soup. Then he said, "Doctor Sun, from today onwards, you'll administer acupuncture in the study. I'll have someone move everything there shortly."

Sun Daoping sensed that Gu Changjin wanted to change his resting place and frowned, contemplating. "Lord Gu, your constitution is strong, and your recovery is swift. However, it's still too hasty for you to be on your feet today. Even if someone carries you, it's not advisable. Why don't we wait a few more days?"

"My wife sleeps lightly, and my presence here might disturb her rest," Gu Changjin replied coolly. "Doctor Sun, there's no need to worry. It's just a short distance; I'll have someone support me as I walk there."

These patients were so self-assured!

Frustrated, Sun Daoping waved his hand dismissively. "Not today. I'll give you an extra session of acupuncture this afternoon, and then you can have someone carry you to the study tomorrow. No sooner than that!" He made it clear that there was no room for negotiation.

Chang Ji bustled off to prepare the study.

Ying Que noticed his numerous trips back and forth and stopped him, asking, "What are you rushing around for? By the way, when will Heng Ping return today?"

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Chang Ji replied, "Heng Ping is with the Ministry of Justice officials in Changping Prefecture. Even if he manages to come back today, it'll probably be late at night."

His dark eyes rolled around as he added, "Why do you suddenly need to find Heng Ping? Did Madam give you any instructions?"

Indeed, it was Rong Shu who instructed Ying Que to inquire, but Ying Que was unaware of the reason behind her lady's quest for Heng Ping. After some thought, she said,

"There's nothing urgent. I just casually asked out of curiosity. Aren't we going to the grand kitchen to fetch ingredients? If Heng Ping returns, I'll fetch a bit more so I can prepare his meal as well."