The medicine doesn’t matter, don’t get the wrong idea~
At night, the poison flared up again. Xi Fuhong lay curled up in pain on the bed, while Shi Cuiyan fed her the Xue Tian Pill and busied herself taking care of her. Shi Cuiyan was also worn out, not only having to wipe Xi Fuhong’s body and check her pulse but also staying alert in case the pain returned. Shi Cuiyan had become Xi Fuhong’s servant, tending to her every need.
The next day, Xi Fuhong groggily opened her eyes but didn’t see Shi Cuiyan. She was dazed for a while, noticing something seemed different. She got out of bed barefoot and realized the boat wasn’t moving. She put on her coat and walked out of the cabin, seeing the boatman napping on the shore and the boat tied to a simple dock like a fishing village.
“Weren’t we going to Lumei City? Why are we stopped here?”
“You’re awake. I’ve been waiting for hours.” Shi Cuiyan was leading a horse over from the shore, wearing a disguise mask that hid any signs of fatigue, though her voice sounded weak.
“Not taking the water route?” Xi Fuhong asked, puzzled as she got off the boat.
“I brought a horse, so of course, we’re not taking the boat. Don’t worry, we’ll still reach Wu Xun Peak.” Shi Cuiyan deftly mounted the horse and pulled Xi Fuhong up behind her. As Xi Fuhong pressed against Shi Cuiyan’s soft chest and caught a whiff of her scent, she instinctively pushed away, but Shi Cuiyan held her tight.
“You’re weak right now. I’m afraid you’ll fall and get trampled. Be good and don’t make a fuss.” Shi Cuiyan, having stayed up all night, wasn’t in the mood to coax Xi Fuhong. She held her firmly, not allowing any more movement.
“I’m much better now… I don’t need…”
“I said my life is in your hands. If you don’t take care of yourself, I still want to live a few more years.” Shi Cuiyan interrupted Xi Fuhong, speaking sternly for once. Seeing Xi Fuhong stop struggling but looking worried, she softened and comforted her, “Alright, don’t be like this… It’s for both our sakes.”
“Okay,” Xi Fuhong replied softly, lowering her head.
Shi Cuiyan made sure she was seated securely, then urged the horse forward. As they galloped along, neither spoke, creating a tense and awkward atmosphere. Shi Cuiyan furrowed her brow, tightening her grip around Xi Fuhong’s waist. She felt the heat radiating from Xi Fuhong and bit her lip in frustration. She had given Xi Fuhong all the Xue Tian Pills last night, but the poison kept recurring, with shorter intervals.
Shi Cuiyan pulled the reins to slow the horse, then helped Xi Fuhong down to rest by a tree. “Let’s take a break.”
Sure enough, Xi Fuhong’s face was flushed, sweat beading on her forehead, and her chest heaving. Shi Cuiyan frowned, handing her a gourd from her waist to drink and cool down. Xi Fuhong, already dazed from the heat, took the gourd and drank, water spilling down her chin.
“Feeling better?” Shi Cuiyan asked, wiping the remaining water from Xi Fuhong’s chin with her thumb.
“Yeah,” Xi Fuhong nodded, squinting and tugging at her collar to let the breeze cool her down.
Seeing this, Shi Cuiyan suddenly smirked. Looking at her like this, someone might think she had drugged Xi Fuhong to take advantage of her. She gently swatted Xi Fuhong’s hands away from her clothes, pulling them back in place. “Silly girl, even if you’re hot, you can’t just undress anywhere. You’re sweating so much, you’ll catch a cold in the wind.”
“But I’m hot… so hot…” Xi Fuhong mumbled, uncomfortably pushing Shi Cuiyan’s hand away.
“I know you’re hot. Be good, just hold on a bit longer, and I’ll take you to a doctor.” Shi Cuiyan suddenly felt like Xi Fuhong had become a child. Could the poison have affected her mind? Just as she thought this, Xi Fuhong suddenly burrowed into Shi Cuiyan’s arms, nuzzling her chest and murmuring, “I… don’t have a sister… liar… liar…”
Has she really become a fool? Looking at the person in her arms, Shi Cuiyan remembered how wary Xi Fuhong had been of her just days ago. Now, she was willingly seeking comfort, stirring Shi Cuiyan’s emotions. After all, if someone offers themselves, there’s no reason to refuse. She wrapped her arms around Xi Fuhong, whispering with a low laugh in her ear, “What if I am a liar? I’m going to trick you badly.”
“Liar… bad person…” Xi Fuhong suddenly grabbed Shi Cuiyan’s arm and bit down, though she was too weak to do more than gnaw. Seeing this, Shi Cuiyan felt a flutter in her heart, smiling as she lifted Xi Fuhong’s face.
“Daring to bite me? You’re quite bold.” On a whim, Shi Cuiyan leaned down and gently bit Xi Fuhong’s chin.
The softness of her lips, the warmth of her breath, she lightly grazed the delicate skin, then teasingly licked it with her tongue. Suddenly, she flipped Xi Fuhong beneath her, losing herself in the moment, nibbling at her neck. Her heart pounded wildly, the intimacy of the act something she had never experienced, yet she didn’t dislike the feeling of losing control.
“No… let me go… liar… bad person…” Xi Fuhong weakly protested, eyes shut tight.
Shi Cuiyan ignored her, immersed in the unfamiliar tenderness. She had once thought Xi Fuhong was ugly and foolish, but now, even her ordinary face and the red marks on it stirred her emotions. Kissing her neck and moving upward, Shi Cuiyan’s hands roamed over Xi Fuhong’s body, pulling most of her clothes aside. When her lips reached Xi Fuhong’s ear, gently nibbling, she heard a faint sob.
“No… hate… hate… Divine Doctor Xue… it hurts… Luo Qingcheng… grandma save me… save me…”
The sudden cry snapped Shi Cuiyan back to reality. She propped herself up, looking at the disheveled person beneath her, as if doused with a bucket of cold water. She had never been so clear-headed. Biting her lip, Shi Cuiyan’s eyes filled with complex emotions, a mix of guilt and jealousy.
Hate? Hurt?
“What did they do to you, hmm?” She bent down, pressing her cheek to Xi Fuhong’s, asking softly.
She received no answer, only repeated refusals and tears at the corners of Xi Fuhong’s eyes. Shi Cuiyan collected herself, tidying Xi Fuhong’s clothes, then lifted her onto the horse to continue their journey. During this time, Xi Fuhong was very obedient, not resisting Shi Cuiyan’s embrace, even snuggling into her arms. Perhaps exhausted, Xi Fuhong fell into a deep sleep as they rode.
By evening, Shi Cuiyan arrived in Pan Hengcheng. After entering the city, she headed straight for an inn, seeing a luxurious carriage parked outside. She knew Divine Doctor Xue was indeed here. That morning, she had received a reply from Yu Xiang, saying the doctor was staying in Pan Hengcheng for a few days. Since Shi Cuiyan’s water route was in the same direction, she rode with Xi Fuhong to the city.
She woke Xi Fuhong, who was still groggy, and led her into the inn with a smile. There weren’t many diners at the time, and Shi Cuiyan scanned the room but didn’t see Xue Baihua, so she headed upstairs, only to be stopped by a waiter.
“Miss, are you staying here?” The waiter looked Shi Cuiyan over, thinking she wasn’t one of the guests.
“I’m looking for Xue Baihua,” Shi Cuiyan said directly, taking a step forward, but the waiter blocked her again.
“You can’t! You can’t! This guest, Miss Xue has instructed us to turn away anyone looking for her,” the waiter said apologetically. In the past few days, dozens had come seeking Miss Xue, and several wealthy locals had brought boxes of silver just to see her, only to be turned away by her servant.
“Why don’t you go up and tell her Shi Cuiyan is looking for her?” Shi Cuiyan saw the waiter looking troubled, so she quickly took out a tael of silver from her purse and stuffed it into his hand, saying, “Go quickly, this silver is yours once you deliver the message, okay?”
The waiter was surprised at the weighty silver in his hand, and of course, he agreed.
He hurriedly ran upstairs and soon came rushing back down. Shi Cuiyan raised her eyebrows at him, and the waiter smiled obsequiously, “Miss, please go upstairs! Miss Xue said you can go up.”
