Chapter 21 Chapter 21

Chapter 21

1

Lin Chenxin's expression stilled, then she looked up at Chen Gujun's face.

Chen Gujun gave an almost imperceptible press of his lips, then raised his eyes, opening his palm to offer her the sugar.

"It's sweet," he said.

It was an utterly ordinary cube of sugar.

No fancy packaging, no crystal-clear appearance.

Lin Chenxin was silent for a moment before picking up the sugar cube and putting it in her mouth.

She looked up at Chen Gujun and offered him a smile.

"Mhm, very sweet."

Meeting Lin Chenxin's bright, clear eyes, Chen Gujun's gentle, jade-like face seemed momentarily dazed.

Soon, he averted his gaze, tucking his withdrawn hand into his sleeve.

The air was quiet.

The sound of rain outside was no longer as noisy as before; instead, it had a crisp, tinkling sense of peace.

Looking at Chen Gujun's face in profile, Lin Chenxin said softly, "Sit here and keep me company for a while."

Chen Gujun turned to look at her. The lightning outside the window illuminated his face, but it didn't seem frightening.

Perhaps it was because his eyes were exceptionally calm.

Chen Gujun didn't speak. He just sat down on the stool.

Lin Chenxin shifted, lay down on the bed, drew the covers over herself, turned on her side, and stared unblinkingly at Chen Gujun.

Her eyes were sparkling.

"When I was sick before, my mom would pat my back by the bedside to coax me to sleep."

Chen Gujun's hands resting on his knees twitched slightly. But upon seeing the slender, sharp nails on his fingers, his raised fingertips quickly fell back down.

Lin Chenxin continued, "My dad would read me storybooks beside them."

Even after she grew up, whenever she got sick, her parents would still coax her to sleep by her bedside.

Chen Gujun's lips moved, but he pressed them together without making a sound.

Lin Chenxin's eyes curved into a smile.

Her clear, bright eyes became even more luminous in the darkness because of her smile.

She shifted her body, moving closer and closer to the edge of the bed. Seeming afraid she might fall, Chen Gujun reached out a hand. Seeing her settle down, his outstretched hand paused mid-air, then instead pulled her blanket up.

"Your hands are really beautiful," Lin Chenxin said softly.

Chen Gujun's movements halted. He curled his fingers, seemingly trying to hide the sharp nails.

But Lin Chenxin reached out from under the blanket and took Chen Gujun's hand.

"Slender and long, they must be perfect for playing the piano."

She wasn't the least bit afraid of those inhumanly terrifying nails, slowly smoothing out Chen Gujun's curled fingertips.

"Do you know about the violin? I've always thought the violin is more elegant than the piano."

Saying this, she gently covered Chen Gujun's cold palm, warmly holding his hand.

Then she smiled contentedly, adjusted her position, and said in a softer voice, "Sorry to trouble you to stay with me until dawn."

As soon as the words were spoken, exhaustion washed over her like a tide. Uncontrollably, she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep with her head tilted to the side.

Just before falling asleep, her mind was still preoccupied with the flowers in the backyard. She murmured uneasily, "The seeds really are going to die... I still wanted you to see them bloom..."

Her face was flushed from the fever, her lowered eyelashes hiding her bright, lively eyes. Now, with her eyes closed in sleep, she carried a serene softness that tugged at the heart.

Chen Gujun sat quietly in the darkness, looking down at their joined hands. The soft touch and warm body temperature suddenly transmitted clearly through his entire body, like flowing blood reaching his cold, withered heart.

He stiffened, not daring to move a muscle, yet couldn't help but curl his fingertips, slowly closing his hand around the one resting in his palm.

The rain outside had stopped at some point.

Only the drip-drip-drip of water droplets falling from the eaves remained.

He looked at that sleeping face, and just kept looking for a long time.

——

"Sick?"

Mr. Chen turned around to look at Ms. Liang.

"Yes, I heard she's gravely ill," Ms. Liang said softly, lowering her eyes.

Mr. Chen sat in his chair, his eyes dark and deep. "Send a doctor over, and also send her the best medicinal herbs."

"Yes," Ms. Liang replied, bowing her head.

"And Xiaozhi?" Mr. Chen suddenly asked.

Ms. Liang's expression faltered. Keeping her eyes downcast, she said, "He's already awake, but still very weak."

"Utterly useless!"

Mr. Chen slammed his hand on the table. "Bring him to me."

Ms. Liang pressed her lips together.

"Yes."

The young master's face was pale, beads of cold sweat on his forehead. His eyes were listless, devoid of spirit, and his speech was weak and feeble.

"Father."

He stood in the middle of the hall, glancing uneasily at Mr. Chen.

"How are things progressing with the young ladies I asked you to get acquainted with?"

Hearing this, the young master involuntarily frowned.

But seeing Mr. Chen's stern gaze, he immediately cowered, stammering, "We... we haven't been in contact."

"Bastard!"

Mr. Chen's furious roar thundered in the young master's ears.

The young master's face went so pale he could barely stand.

Seeing him like that, Mr. Chen was even more enraged.

He said with bitter disappointment, "I give you one month. No matter who it is, you must pick one."

The young master pressed his pale lips tightly together, feeling both shocked and afraid, along with a nauseating sense of rejection.

Ever since returning from his sister's birthday banquet, he had been barred from returning to school.

Now it seemed he probably couldn't even take the college entrance exam.

This was a devastating blow for him as a student.

Yet he couldn't get a single word of protest out.

And the "future wives" his father had chosen were all girls from modest backgrounds. It wasn't that he looked down on those from less prominent families, but they simply had no common topics. Those girls were taught to flatter and cater to him in every way, and interacting with them only made him feel annoyed.

"Master, Xiaozhi's health hasn't fully recovered. Give him a couple of days of quiet rest before discussing this."

Mr. Chen's sharp gaze turned toward the unexpectedly interjecting Ms. Liang. However, Ms. Liang's gaunt face remained as cold as ever, as if she didn't notice the frost in Mr. Chen's gaze.

But the young master saw Ms. Liang's fingers silently tightening on her shawl.

The atmosphere in the hall was oppressive and stagnant.

After a long while, Mr. Chen withdrew his gaze and said condescendingly, "Dismissed."

The young master felt as if he'd been granted a pardon, suddenly realizing his back was drenched in cold sweat.

—

The Chen family's private doctor was an elderly gentleman, getting on in years, carrying a medicine chest over his shoulder and holding a box of traditional Chinese medicine.

A middle-aged woman accompanied the old doctor, walking purposefully, eyes fixed ahead as they entered the front courtyard and proceeded to the master bedroom.

The doctor was elderly and a man of few words, absolutely not looking where he shouldn't. After taking Lin Chenxin's pulse, he let out a soft 'huh', as if struck by a thought, and quickly withdrew his hand.

"Young Mistress only has a mild fever. With good rest, she will be right as rain in three days."

Hesitating, the old doctor added with downcast eyes, "Just adjust the dosage of the previous medicine slightly."

The middle-aged woman beside him frowned.

Wasn't it said she was seriously ill? Where would she have the strength to brew medicine...

Her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately pressed her lips tight.

A faint, elusive scent of traditional medicine drifted in the air, as if someone was silently watching her from the shadows.

A chill ran down her spine, but she maintained her composure. "The Master specifically sent many precious medicinal ingredients. Young Mistress, rest well and strive for a speedy recovery."

As soon as she finished, several servants with bowed heads entered carrying trays.

Bird's nest, ginseng, and all kinds of medicines for replenishing qi and blood were there in abundance.

Lin Chenxin was dazzled by the sight, thinking the Chen family truly generous.

After speaking, the old doctor didn't linger and left the room accompanied by the middle-aged woman.

Just as they stepped over the threshold, a creak suddenly came from the side. The middle-aged woman instinctively turned.

She saw a window in the recently renovated kitchen was open, a wisp of smoke drifting out.

The middle-aged woman's heart nearly stopped, and she immediately hurried out.

The old doctor followed behind, constantly calling, "Wait up!"

The servants who had put down the things were about to leave when Lin Chenxin said, "The weather looks nice today. Help me take the quilt and clothes from the wardrobe outside to sun them."

A few people, heads bowed, silently went to tidy the bed, while others walked toward the wardrobe.

Lin Chenxin, sitting in a chair, said, "You, come pour me a cup of tea."

A young woman walked over with lowered eyes and head. Into her palm, Lin Chenxin placed a pair of pure gold earrings. The young woman immediately closed her hand around them and whispered, "I heard a serious incident happened at the ancestral hall. The young master was carried out, and the Master was furious. People in the mansion haven't even dared to breathe heavily these past two days."

After quickly saying this, the young woman put down the teapot, turned, picked up clothes, and followed the others out.

Sitting in the chair, Lin Chenxin sipped her tea without changing her expression.

—

As noon approached, the sun peeked out from the clouds again.

Lin Chenxin, sitting on a lounge chair sunbathing, glanced at the open study door, got up, and dragged the lounge chair toward the corridor.

Chen Gujun, reading in the study, listened to the rustling outside. His expression remained unchanged, but he hadn't taken in a single word.

Finally, he put down his book, looked toward the window, and saw Lin Chenxin leaning on the windowsill, smiling at him.

His expression faltered slightly. He turned away, but after a moment, looked back.

"Young Master is widely read and dedicated. No wonder even treating illnesses and saving people is no challenge for you."

Her clear voice was more melodious than a silver bell.

He pressed his lips together, maintaining the demeanor of a proper gentleman, but his fingertips on the table tightened slightly.

The girl's constitution was indeed robust. After just three doses of medicine, she had regained her vitality and was talking more.

"You must be a genius."

The girl continued, unknowingly saying words that stirred the heart.

Chen Gujun raised his hand, wanting to cover Lin Chenxin's mouth.

But Lin Chenxin grabbed his hand, her eyes curved into crescents as she looked at him. "Let's make lanterns together."

Chen Gujun met those eyes, no less bright than the stars, as if their light would pierce through his own.

Two lounge chairs were placed side by side in the shaded corridor, positioned just out of the bright sunlight yet still able to catch the cool, fresh air after the rain.

In front of the lounge chairs stood a rectangular table, on which prepared red silk and bamboo strips were laid out.

Lin Chenxin, taking good care of herself, had a thin blanket draped over her belly.

While fumbling with the bamboo strips, she said, "There are eight moon gates in total, and two red lanterns should be hung on each gate..."

She had no experience making lanterns and spent quite a while working on it before a rough shape began to form.

She still felt she had quite a talent for it—until she turned her head and saw that Chen Gujun had already finished making a small lantern in his hands.

Lin Chenxin was speechless.