Chapter 20: Living in the old house, mental suppression

Entering the house late at night, a few people quietly opened the gate of Wen Ranqi's courtyard. The small peach tree from four years ago has grown up and spread out its branches, and its tangled roots in the soil have occupied a corner of its own.

The former vegetable garden is now planted with colorful flowers along the stone path. It is pruned and cleaned every day by servants, keeping everything in the courtyard neat and comfortable.

The doctor took the patient's pulse, frowned and thought carefully, then picked up a pen and wrote a line of words on a piece of white paper and handed it to Wen Shi.

"Great Patriarch, the young master has an old illness. It's just that due to the fatigue of the journey and excessive worry and anxiety, he caught a mild cold, which caused the loss of Qi and blood, and the symptoms of dizziness and fever. As long as you take the medicine according to my prescription, you will be fine in three to five days."

"Thank you, doctor. Take the doctor downstairs tomorrow and boil the medicine according to the prescription. If there are any herbs missing, go to the warehouse to get them. Doctor, what are you doing tonight..."

"You know, I slept at home all night and never left."

"Well, take care, doctor."

"Goodbye."

Even covered with a thick quilt, Wen Ranqi was shivering unconsciously, talking nonsense, sometimes calling Qiqi, sometimes calling Xiaoyu, and sometimes grabbing Wen Shi's clothes and crying as if she was touching a cat.

After getting the medicine, Wen Shi forcibly pried open Wen Ranqi's mouth. Wen Ranqi, who was in a state of confusion, was fed a stomachful of something so bitter that it made him vomit. After making a fuss for half the night, Wen Ranqi finally lay down obediently and fell into a deep sleep.

The courtyard was guarded by servants all the time. Wen Shi returned to the large hot spring pool in his bedroom and threw away the clothes that Wen Ranqi had vomited medicine on with disgust.

Wan Ming picked it up and threw it into the brazier outside the door. He found clean underwear for Wen Shi and said, "Head Patriarch, Wen Ranqi..." Wen Shi turned around and reminded him, "Young Master, does he not remember anything from the past? Why does he seem so scared of you but doesn't even know anyone else?"

"That's perfect. As long as he's not afraid of me, that's what I want. Didn't you ask me why I didn't just kill him? Why would I kill him so quickly if he's so afraid of me? On the contrary, the more I do nothing in front of him every day, the more he can't figure me out. The influence and fear brought by the unknown are the best torture. Letting him suffer mentally slowly is more perfect than anything else."

Wan Ming sneered, his heart filled with admiration for Wen Shi, yet he also found it mocking that Wen Ranqi was suffering so slowly. He had been with Wen Shi since she fell off the cliff, but he didn't really know the real Wen Ranqi. What he knew of her came from Wen Shi's descriptions. He only saw Wen Shi's methods and cruelty, and was unaware of the entanglement between them.

If he had met the former Wen Ranqi, he would definitely not be able to catch Wen Ranqi with a smile, nor would he be able to smile with even a hint of joy.

Early autumn was approaching, and the courtyard pond began to chirp with crickets all night long, while the cicadas' chirping gradually faded. Wen Shi hadn't been to the courtyard since that night. Aside from the maids who worked the fire, cooked, and boiled medicine, and would exchange a few words with Wen Ranqi as they delivered things, he was the only one in the entire courtyard who kept talking, seemingly mumbling to himself in front of everyone.

The maid applied the medicine. Wen Ranqi dumped it on the table, spilling half a bowl. She said angrily, "Where's Wen Shi? What did he mean by locking me up? What exactly does he want to do?"

After taking the medicine the next day, Wen Ranqi was in much better health, but he was still worried all the time. Wen Shi treated him with delicious food and drinks, and locked him in the yard so that he had no freedom. Everything else was provided for him. This was completely different from what was described, where Wen Shi captured Wen Ranqi and locked him in a cold and damp wooden prison, put iron chains on his limbs, and then cut Wen Ranqi's snow-white arm with a long sword.

Six or seven days passed, but Wen Ranqi didn't see Wen Shi once. He was not a masochist. The quieter he was, the more frightened he felt about the unknown. It is often said that quiet people always have big tricks up their sleeves. Wen Shi would not have a bigger trick up his sleeve to make him live a life worse than death.

The maid brought a bowl of new medicine and said, "Young Master, you should drink it."

Wen Ranqi covered his head and drank it in one gulp, his face bitter. Now, even his food tasted like medicine. He would climb the wall to see if there was a way out. Even the bed, a side effect of reading, was turned upside down by Wen Ranqi to see if there was a secret passage underneath. He spoke sweet words until his mouth dried, but he still couldn't bribe a single servant. Then, under the pretense of fishing, he deliberately fell into the pond and dove in, trying to swim out. But on the other side of the pond was a wall with an archway. Stepping through it led to the courtyard of Wen Shi's study.

Wan Ming stood on the wall holding his sword and laughed, "Young Master, you are in great shape. You actually swam from the yard to here in such cold water. It seems that you are no longer in poor health."

Wen Ranqi sat breathlessly on the shore, his clothes soaked with duckweed, and his hair drenched in weeds, looking disheveled. He said, "Life lies in exercise. I'm stretching my muscles and bones, hoping to prolong my life. If you have nothing to do, go up the wall. The rainy season is coming, be careful not to slip, or you might fall to your death."

Wan Ming pointed his sword at Wen Ranqi, flew in front of Wen Ranqi and said, "Young Master, what's the point of being so arrogant in front of me? If you have the ability, you can also show off in front of the clan leader. I don't know who is so scared that he burst into tears just after returning. He was so worried that he frightened himself into illness."

Wen Ranqi shook off the duckweed and water plants. He looked like he was wearing a sprinkler. "You're just a fox relying on the power of the tiger. You're just like your master. You bully the weak and fear the strong. You have a black heart."

Wen Shi had been standing behind the two of them for a long time. Wen Ranqi's aggrieved look as he argued with Wan Ming was still the same as when they were little. When the two of them were on the verge of a fight, he walked over from behind the door and said, "My people are just as normal as me. Are you going out first? I heard that you were rummaging around in the yard for no reason. I thought you were looking for these things, but it turns out you were looking for an exit."

Qiqi's jade pendant and marble were in Wen Shi's hands. Wen Ranqi remembered putting them in his arms. When he woke up, he thought they had fallen into the woods where he had fallen out a few days ago. He was disappointed for a long time.

"Give it back to me!" Wan Ming stood in front of Wen Shi, as if he was not allowed to get close. "He can do whatever he wants to me, just give it back to me."

A hint of enthusiasm ignited in Wen Shi's eyes. Wen Ranqi should care about the thing in his hand. If he kept it by his side, not only would Wen Ranqi be unable to get it, but he would also be able to listen to him obediently.

He said, "I can give it back to you, but it must be placed in my study. If you want to get it, come and try to defeat me. As long as you win, I will give it back to you."

"Patriarch, how could he go to your study..." Wen Shi's face darkened and he said, "Wan Ming!"

"Yes, Great Patriarch."

How could Wen Ranqi possibly defeat Wen Shi? Not in his lifetime, unless someone could help him win. A light bulb went off in his head. He thought, if he just held on for a year, he would have Qiqi. Master Qiqi would be waiting for him.

"A-choo." Qiqi sneezed, and the wound on his body opened again. Wan'er touched his forehead and said, "No fever? Tell me if you feel any discomfort."

Qiqi nodded. The hairpin in her arms broke into two pieces. He had to get better quickly. He also had to go and save Wen Ranqi.

Wen Ranqi said, "Okay."

Wen Shi's interest was rekindled. Wan Ming felt that he was overestimating his own abilities. Wen Ranqi felt that he was leaving everything to fate. Qiqi felt that he had more than enough energy and decided to work harder.

Wen Shi placed the jade pendant and the marble in a prominent spot in his study. Wen Ranqi, having changed into dry clothes, could only watch from afar. The marble's beauty was incompatible with Wen Shi's study, just as Wen Wen was incompatible with Wen Shi.

Wen Shi was in a good mood today and took Wen Ranqi for a walk in the yard. The thin Wen Ranqi always looked timid and frightened next to the strong Wen Shi.

Wen Ranqi walked beside Wen Shi with a depressed look on his face, saying, "What do you want to do to me?" Wen Shi smiled faintly. Seeing Wen Ranqi's calm mind, he felt more relaxed. He said, "Well, I haven't thought about it yet. Maybe I can grow some poisonous insects in your body. Doctor Liao is in need of living subjects to grow poisonous insects. Or maybe we can try the water dungeon. Wan Ming seemed to have added a lot of poisonous snakes in it. It's very cool in there. Oh, I remembered. I just saw a method of healing in an ancient book. But I think torture is also okay. Cutting open the skin one by one and sewing it up one stitch at a time. How about these methods? They're pretty good, right?"

Wen Ranqi's legs went limp. Wen Shi's method was just like what he had read in his book. It seemed like he was holding back a big move and wanted to torture himself slowly. "Is it okay if I die now? Maybe I can get my clothes back if I die."

You can't die again, there will be no chance if you die! Wen Ranqi's eyes flashed with a light from marble, and at the same time, a voice rang in his head. He asked: What chance? Have I died before? But no one answered him.

Wen Shi stopped and looked down at Wen Ranqi, who was motionless and expressionless, with curiosity, and thought to himself: Are you so scared?

Wen Ranqi came back to his senses, his legs and feet went limp and he almost fell to the ground. He propped up his legs and said with a silly smile: "Haha, good idea, good idea, it's really a good idea, hahaha."

"From now on, except for the front yard, you can come and go freely in your yard and my yard. As long as you don't have any bad ideas, I can consider letting me carry out my idea later."

"Ah? Oh?" ​​Wen Ranqi smiled bitterly in his heart, "Would it be different if it was earlier or later? Wu~~"