Xi Fuhong felt a bit reluctant in her heart.
She knew that Divine Doctor Xue was frail and often needed the Cao Sisters to take care of her.
Now that both of them were gone, she should be the one to look after the Divine Doctor.
However, thinking about what Xue Baihua had done to her before, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
The sudden change in circumstances on this journey caught her off guard.
“Ah… cough… cough…” A series of muffled coughs made Xi Fuhong bite her lip in hesitation.
She slowly sat down beside Xue Baihua and poured a cup of water.
“Divine… Hua’er, have some water?” Xue Baihua opened her beautiful eyes and drank the water from Xi Fuhong’s hand.
“In the cabinet… there’s a blue medicine bottle… bring it to me…” She weakly pointed to the low cabinet in the corner.
Xi Fuhong immediately fetched the medicine.
Xue Baihua opened the bottle, and a bitter scent filled the carriage.
Without a frown, Xue Baihua drank it in a few gulps.
Xi Fuhong fed her water twice more before Xue Baihua lay back on the couch comfortably.
“Hua’er, are you very ill?” Xi Fuhong looked at the empty bottle in her hand, thinking about how Xue Baihua drank the bitter medicine without even frowning.
Was she already used to it? What kind of poison or illness did Divine Doctor Xue have that even she couldn’t cure herself…
Seeing her worried expression, Xue Baihua weakly smiled and said, “I studied medicine under Songchi Old Man since I was young.
Back then, I was just one of the many medicine boys under my master.
During my studies, all the medicine boys had to test the medicine for the master.
Only those who survived were qualified to become disciples…”
“The poison in my body is a root left from childhood.
It’s not impossible to remove, but there are as many as sixty-five kinds.
Now, only Phoenix Remnant, Tanlu Powder, and cold poison remain unresolved… These three poisons require rare herbs.
Thanks to Shi Cuiyan, there’s still hope…”
Xi Fuhong frowned after hearing this.
She recalled her own experience as a medicine person and felt sympathy for Xue Baihua’s plight.
She remembered what Cao Er said when she begged the Divine Doctor to save the child.
Cao Er asked why the Divine Doctor bothered to treat the common people.
It was because Xue Baihua’s medical skills were gained through pain and tears…
Indeed, Xue Baihua had no obligation to help the world…
Xi Fuhong lowered her head in silence.
“That day… when the cold poison acted up, I forced myself on you,” Xue Baihua closed her eyes.
“I feel no guilt.”
Ah Fu was her medicine person, yet she dared to escape.
Punishing her was only right.
In the silence, Xue Baihua tightly held Xi Fuhong’s hand.
“Ah Fu… after everything is over, how about I take you far away from Zhongyuan?” Not as a medicine person, but in a more intimate relationship.
She hoped to keep Xi Fuhong by her side, so she would only have eyes for her, not thinking about Shi Cuiyan, not worrying about Xiao Qiyu, and not being concerned about Luo Qingcheng.
Forever, just with her.
Xi Fuhong shook her head slightly, causing Xue Baihua to look up.
“Ah Fu… you know you can’t defy me,” Xue Baihua smiled charmingly.
Xi Fuhong replied seriously, “No matter what, I will escape.”
Author’s note: The word count has exceeded 100,000! This is the longest piece I’ve ever written (sigh).
Writing ancient texts is really brain-draining (it’s hard because I insist on NP!), but today I found an old yuri novel I wrote about traveling to another world, and I was so charmed by it that I wished I could write more! What is this subtle feeling xddd? I must share that otherworldly yuri novel with you all someday!! (kicks away)
☆ Chapter 33: All Kinds of Teasing
Due to Xi Fuhong’s insistence, Shi Cuiyan had to slow down the horse, so they couldn’t reach the city before nightfall.
By the campfire, Xi Fuhong squatted in front, adding wood, while Shi Cuiyan settled the carriage and came over with some dry food.
Xi Fuhong saw her and moved aside, unwilling to sit next to her.
Shi Cuiyan didn’t mind, roasting the dry cake over the fire before eating it.
It tasted good.
“Isn’t Divine Doctor Xue having dinner?” Shi Cuiyan asked, glancing at the carriage after swallowing her food.
“She’s not feeling well and should be asleep,” Xi Fuhong replied, taking the cake Shi Cuiyan handed her and eating a few bites.
In the autumn night, the evening breeze carried a chill.
Xi Fuhong squinted her eyes and pulled her clothes tighter.
The coarse cloth clothes given by the old woman were thin and couldn’t keep out the cold wind.
Shi Cuiyan didn’t notice Xi Fuhong’s shivering body.
After finishing her cake, she suddenly pulled out a gray iron dagger from her sleeve.
Skillfully flipping it, Shi Cuiyan handed it to Xi Fuhong.
“Take it.”
Frowning, she shook her head.
“I don’t know martial arts, so I better not…”
“Hehe, even without martial arts, you can still kill pigs,” Shi Cuiyan said, forcefully placing the dagger in Xi Fuhong’s hand.
“Just keep it.
If you can’t kill enemies, at least you can protect yourself.”
Xi Fuhong thought it made sense and carefully tucked the dagger into her clothes.
She looked up to thank Shi Cuiyan, but Shi Cuiyan suddenly picked her up horizontally.
Her body lifted off the ground, and Xi Fuhong instinctively wrapped her arms around Shi Cuiyan’s neck.
With a light step, Shi Cuiyan leaped a few times, taking them both onto the tree branches.
“What are you doing?!” Xi Fuhong looked down at the ground, feeling dizzy from the height.
“Sleeping,” Shi Cuiyan said matter-of-factly, even yawning.
“Why sleep in a tree? It’s so high…” She frowned at Shi Cuiyan, who leaned against the tree trunk with her in her arms. The position was awkward.
“Silly, there are wild animals and bandits on the ground.
What if they attack us while we’re asleep? It’s safer to sleep in a tree.
It’s high, and the branches and leaves provide cover.” Although her words made sense, Shi Cuiyan had a mischievous smile on her face.
“What about Divine Doctor Xue?” Xi Fuhong asked worriedly, looking at the carriage below.
“Divine Doctor is Miao Shou Yan Luo, no need to worry,” Shi Cuiyan said, adjusting her position and closing her eyes to sleep.
Xi Fuhong was quiet for a while, finding it impossible to sleep.
Under the bright moonlight, Shi Cuiyan sat with her arms crossed, silent, while she sat in front of her.
Looking up, she saw the rare full moon, her feet dangling.
She shifted her body, unable to find a comfortable position to sleep.
“I… I should go down.
I’m afraid I’ll fall because of my bad sleeping posture.”
“You’re so troublesome,” Shi Cuiyan said, opening her eyes and pulling Xi Fuhong into her arms.
Falling into the warm embrace, Xi Fuhong smelled the fresh scent on Shi Cuiyan and felt the softness against her cheek, making her ears turn red.
Seeing that she didn’t resist, Shi Cuiyan tightened her hold.
She leaned back slightly, allowing Xi Fuhong to lie comfortably on her.
“Alright, just stay like this and don’t move.
Otherwise, it won’t be good if we both fall,” Shi Cuiyan whispered ambiguously in her ear.
Xi Fuhong bit her lip to avoid the warmth, trying to sit up but was held tightly by Shi Cuiyan.
After a few futile attempts, she heard the even breathing beside her and stopped struggling.
In the quiet night, in the warm embrace, Xi Fuhong was surprised by her gradually calming heart, feeling both secure and familiar.
It was the feeling of complete reliance and trust in Shi Cuiyan when she first left the valley…
When did she stop trusting others?
Closing her eyes, she clutched the fabric of the person beneath her, falling into a deep sleep with frustration.
She didn’t know that Shi Cuiyan was still awake.
When she felt Xi Fuhong holding onto her clothes, a smile appeared on her lips, both indulgent and a bit sad.
Unconsciously, she tightened her hold on the person in her arms, even though she couldn’t understand her own feelings.
Without dreams, Xi Fuhong opened her eyes to the sunlight stinging her eyes.
She wanted to raise her hand to shield them but found herself curled up in Shi Cuiyan’s arms. Still groggy, she was startled and tried to move away.
