After seeing Xu Hengyan off, Xie Jiang returned to her room to rest, her body too weak.
Aunt He brought over a teacup. Xie Jiang took a sip and spat it out. Seeing the brown liquid in the cup, she felt terrible. "What is this ghastly stuff?"
It was so bitter her tongue felt like it was splitting!
Aunt He said, "It's the medicinal tea newly prescribed by Doctor Lou. Doctor Lou said that from now on, if Young Master wants tea, he should drink this medicinal tea."
Xie Jiang shoved the teacup back into Aunt He's arms. "I've already taken medicine, why do I need medicinal tea!"
Aunt He stood by with the teacup. "Doctor Lou is doing this for your own good. Surely you don't want to be sickly all the time, Young Master?"
Seeing Lou Yi'an pass by the window, Xie Jiang straightened up from the lounge chair. "When will my illness get better?"
Lou Yi'an naturally knew she wasn't asking about the superficial wounds. For those who wield blades, superficial wounds were commonplace. "It depends on when you find a good remedy yourself."
Xie Jiang retorted, "Am I the doctor or are you? Do I have to treat myself!"
Lou Yi'an replied, "Even doctors can't stop patients from self-destructing."
Xie Jiang argued, "If this illness hadn't been lingering and debilitating my combat effectiveness, would I have ended up so injured?"
It's not my fault in a thousand mistakes!
What fault is mine!
If I were still at my peak, jumping off a cliff would have been fine, I could have jumped ten times and been unharmed!
Lou Yi'an said, "If I can't cure you, find someone else!"
The adobe courtyard wall of the farmhouse was not high, and one could see the green mountains and clear waters outside.
Xie Jiang suddenly remembered seeing Yi Yan Geng sitting in the courtyard when she had gone out earlier.
"Why hasn't Yi Yan Geng returned yet? What happened just now? Yi Yan Geng seemed a bit unhappy?"
Aunt He thought, *Finally, you remember Young Master Yi. Young Master Yi must have waited for you to chase after him, his heart probably overgrown with weeds.*
"Young Master Yi is indeed a bit unhappy. You were so engrossed talking to Young Master Xu, how could Young Master Yi be happy?"
Xie Jiang was shocked. "He's unhappy because of that? I clearly spoke to him first."
Aunt He said, "That can't be counted that way."
Xie Jiang was bewildered. "Then how should it be counted?"
Aunt He could see Yi Yan Geng's little thoughts without even looking. "Young Master Yi naturally hopes that you have eyes only for him."
Xie Jiang replied, "When Xu Hengyan isn't around, don't I only look at Yi Yan Geng?"
Aunt He countered, "But when Xu Hengyan was here, you didn't only look at Young Master Yi, you didn't even look at him."
Xie Jiang explained, "Xu Hengyan was leaving, I had to ask about the situation!"
Aunt He summarized, "Young Master Yi is jealous."
Xie Jiang didn't understand. "It was just a normal conversation!" He's jealous of that? Isn't his jealousy a bit excessive?
Usually, when she was with Yi Yan Geng, she said plenty of sweet words. How could he not feel her sincerity?
Aunt He spoke with the tone of someone experienced. "When it comes to matters of love between men and women, once one dives in, no matter who they are, they become petty and can't tolerate a third person. In Young Master Yi's eyes, Young Master Xu is that third person."
Xie Jiang felt she was quite broad-minded. "If Yi Yan Geng and Xu Hengyan want to find girlfriends, I wouldn't mind."
Aunt He replied, "You aren't head over heels, so of course you don't mind. If you still want to win the heart of your beloved, you need to pay more attention to everything."
For example, when talking to Young Master Xu, glance back at Young Master Yi from time to time.
Xie Jiang sighed. Love is invisible and intangible, but it's truly terrifying.
If Yi Yan Geng focused on his career and took the Xie family's imperial throne, it wouldn't be too difficult.
A fine young man falling into love, becoming petty and clingy.
Aunt He pushed the medicinal tea closer to Xie Jiang. "Go and appease Young Master Yi later. It's clear that Young Master Yi wants to hang himself on your tree."
"Why bother? Wouldn't it be better to hang on a few more trees? Everyone would be more relaxed."
"Not everyone is as benevolent as you."
...
"Geng Geng—"
Yi Yan Geng had been sitting by the river for a long time, a layer of frost seemingly enveloping him.
Wen Feng kept a distance, not daring to disturb him.
Hearing the voice of the unfaithful, Yi Yan Geng's spine stiffened.
*She finally remembered I exist?!*
Yi Yan Geng sneered inwardly and had no intention of acknowledging her.
"Geng Geng! Geng Geng? Geng Geng..."
Xie Jiang ran directly to his side, bent down, and shouted into his ear.
"I'm not deaf."
Yi Yan Geng couldn't pretend not to hear. If he didn't respond, she would keep shouting in his ear until she lost patience.
If she exhausted her patience, she would turn and leave.
Yi Yan Geng pursed his lips, unwilling to speak to her, yet afraid she would actually leave.
"Xu Hengyan left?" Otherwise, why would she have time to come find him!
Xie Jiang casually hummed in response, as if she didn't care about Xu Hengyan's departure. She offered him a string of candied hawthorns.
"Want to try some?"
"Where did you get them?" Yi Yan Geng glanced at her and took them.
*Did she come to find me after so long because she realized I was unhappy and specifically made candied hawthorns to appease me?*
Although he never liked eating such things, for her sake, he could force himself to try.
"There's an old man in the village who specializes in making candied hawthorns. Da Chui bought a whole string, and I picked the best-looking one for you."
The piles of rocks by the river had too many sharp edges, making it impossible to sit next to Yi Yan Geng. Xie Jiang chose a rock opposite him and sat facing him.
The river water at their feet was clear enough to see the fish swimming.
Xie Jiang kicked a pebble into the water. The school of fish, startled by her long fingers, instantly disappeared into the depths of the river.
Yi Yan Geng's lips, which had just softened, stiffened. He almost threw the candied hawthorns away.
*So she just casually took them from her subordinate! I was foolishly dreaming she would try to appease me...*
Yi Yan Geng no longer wanted to taste them.
However, looking at her pale and gaunt face, he finally tightened his grip on the candied hawthorns.
It was indeed inconvenient for her to cook in her injured state.
Suddenly, a rustling sound came from nearby.
Yi Yan Geng and Xie Jiang looked up together. On a tree nearby, several monkeys were staring at them.
More precisely, they were staring at the candied hawthorns in Yi Yan Geng's hand.
One of the monkeys chattered at Yi Yan Geng, waving its hands and gesturing at him.
Xie Jiang said to the impudent monkey, "If you want candied hawthorns, go ask Da Chui!"
Da Chui was currently carrying a string of candied hawthorns around the village, followed by a group of children crying from envy.
*She's actually talking to a monkey?* Yi Yan Geng asked in surprise, "Do you understand what it's saying?"
Does this need understanding? "Otherwise, what do you think it's gesturing at you for? It's not asking for candied hawthorns, could it be asking you to be its bandit king husband?"
Yi Yan Geng raised his hand to shove the candied hawthorns into her mouth! Who would be whose bandit king husband!
Whether the monkey didn't understand or understood but didn't want to listen, it suddenly leaped down from the branch and darted straight towards Yi Yan Geng.
Wen Feng instantly drew his sword.