Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Looking for Shoes / V Announcement...

Except for the serious illness she suffered when she suddenly came here, two years later, Lan Nongnong once again experienced the feeling of illness coming like a mountain and going away like a thread.

When I woke up, it was already bright outside. Before I could think, I was distracted by the aches all over my body. My head was splitting, my legs felt heavy as if they were filled with lead, and even my fingertips were sore.

She just frowned and hissed softly, and her raised hand was held down by someone. After opening her eyes and seeing who it was, she was stunned for a moment, and then her eyes lit up instantly: "Yao Jing! You really didn't leave?!"

“Cough cough cough…”

"Since I promised you yesterday, I must keep my word and go slow."

Qin Jingyao smiled, leaned over, stroked her back with one hand, and felt the temperature of her forehead with the other. Then he took the teacup and gently brought it to her lips: "Moisten your throat first, and drink slowly."

Lan Nongnong suppressed the itching in her throat and opened her lips to drink, but suddenly remembered something and abruptly moved aside, covering her lips with one hand. She looked at him with embarrassment in her eyes, her voice muffled in her palm, unclear and anxious: "I can do it myself, you, you go out first, I haven't washed up yet..."

She tried to raise her hand to take it, but she didn't know that she had been tossing and turning with a high fever all night, and she hadn't eaten or drunk anything for nearly a day, so she had no strength left. Her fingers were shaking like branches in a rainstorm, and the harder she tried, the more violently they shook, and she was completely out of control.

Lan Nongnong blushed with embarrassment, and her evasive gaze accidentally met his smiling eyes. She suddenly felt her face burning as if it was about to smoke, and even her body became hot.

Lying on the couch with nowhere to hide, he simply closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes again, his watery eyes showed a sense of despair.

Anyway, she had cried, pestered, and vomited in front of him, and all her dignity had been completely lost. What was there to be afraid of? She raised her trembling hands, opened her eyes wide, her cheeks flushed, and said fiercely, "I want to get up!"

Qin Jingyao watched her regain her spirits, but smiled without saying anything. He took her hand as he had said, and easily helped her sit up. Even when she was sitting firmly, he stretched out his long arm and easily pulled the pink and white stuffed bear from the inside of the bed to cushion her back.

He held the water cup steadily in his left hand but didn't hand it over. He just raised his eyebrows and looked at her with a smile. Sure enough, she puffed up her cheeks and said in a hoarse voice, obviously pretending to be angry, but her voice was full of coquettishness: "Feed me!"

The smile in his eyes deepened. He leaned over and held her soft neck with one hand, carefully feeding her water. After she finished sipping with a blushing face, he slowly said, "Our Nong Nong is naturally beautiful. She looks very pretty even when she is sick."

Seeing the man suddenly open his eyes wide and shout his name in anger, Fang Lang smiled and stood up to leave.

After being disturbed by him, Lan Nong felt much better and the pain in her body was relieved. Just as she was about to get up, she saw the two maids she had vaguely seen last night come in with a copper basin and clothes.

The two men called out "Miss" in unison, knelt down to greet her, and then went forward to serve her without saying anything.

Before Lan Nongnong could react, she was being served and seated on the edge of the bed. Her plain white nightgown had been replaced with a white, green-patterned, cross-collared skirt. Her long, flowing black hair was braided into two playful, long braids, each tied into a small bun on either side of her head, and pinned with matching jade beads.

The mercury mirror suddenly caught her eye, and she paused for breath. Though lightly made up, the figure in the mirror had bright eyes, white teeth, and a lively demeanor. Her thin figure, fresh from a serious illness, had given her a more delicate, graceful demeanor, a vibrant energy.

She opened her mouth, but was speechless for a moment.

She had dressed like this in the past, but today she looked particularly beautiful. The girl in the mirror had an indescribable charm in her eyes.

Lan Nongnong stared at the person in the mirror in a trance for a moment, then suddenly came to her senses and hurriedly thanked the two of them. Just as she was about to get up from the bed, her legs went weak as soon as her toes touched the ground, and she couldn't help but gasp, "Ah,"

"Girl, be careful!"

"Your foot injury has not healed yet, so feel free to send me if you need anything."

Lan Nongnong sat back on the edge of the bed and waited for the sharp pain to pass. Then she vaguely remembered that she seemed to have broken a teacup and scratched her foot when she was unconscious yesterday.

Just as she was about to lift her feet to take a closer look, the two maids understood and knelt down, carefully taking off her stockings.

Lan Nongnong had never been treated like this before. She was so shocked that she shrank back onto the bed. She hurriedly stretched out her hands to stop him, her voice distorted with anxiety: "No! Please get up, sisters. Thank you very much. I, I can do it myself..."

The two maids were immediately terrified when they heard her address them, repeatedly saying, "You are embarrassing me." Seeing her resolute attitude, they exchanged glances, bowed respectfully, and quietly left the inner room.

Lan Nongnong breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing this, only then realizing she was sweating profusely. She knew full well that in this era, slavery was not only legal but also commonplace.

Not to mention the rich and powerful, anyone with a wealthy family would have servants. With her financial resources, she could certainly afford to keep servants, but she had her own inner convictions.

She has been here for more than two years, and she has never thought about finding someone to serve her, nor does she want to be assimilated into the privileged class who are high and mighty, treat living people like furniture, take it for granted, and do not engage in production.

Of course, she also had a workaround. Since she was not good at cooking, she would pay Aunt Liu from her neighbor a monthly fee to help her with cooking. She would wash small clothes herself, and when she was unable to wash large clothes, she would also hire Aunt Liu to wash them.

But this is employment with a clearly marked price, an equal payment of money and goods, which is fundamentally different from ordering slaves around.

She really couldn't accept being made to kneel down and take off her socks and put on her shoes, no matter in the past or now.

The weather is getting hotter now. To prevent the wound from festering, I only wrapped it loosely with two layers of gauze. I can vaguely see a few tender red marks on the sole of my foot.

Lan Nongnong supported herself with her hands in front of her body, looking back with her upper body supported like a stranded mermaid. She arched her instep slightly, and the wound was squeezed and immediately screamed with burning pain. She frowned and took a breath, frowned and relaxed, then slowly pulled up her silk stockings.

His brows furrowed slightly but quickly relaxed. The injury was not serious and he could walk without any problem, just a little slower and inconveniently. Anyway, he didn't have anything important to do outside these days, so it was no big deal.

As soon as Qin Jingyao came in, he saw her sitting there with a graceful figure, one hand gently supporting her chin, her watery eyes looking at something and shaking slightly, her expression focused, as if she was thinking about something.

She had a youthful face and plump cheeks, and her bright clothes made her look even more lively. At this moment, with her chin in her hand and deep in thought, she looked not only mature but rather adorable and innocent. Compared to her sickly appearance yesterday, she looked even more radiant and beautiful.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his expression relaxed, a smile on his lips, and he looked at her leisurely. Until she pursed her lips and suddenly nodded vigorously, as if she had made some kind of resolution, her eyelashes drooping as she glanced at the bedside, as if she was about to get off, he then slowly stepped forward.

"The fever has just subsided, and the wound on your foot hasn't healed yet, so you should just lie down and rest. If there's anything, tell the maid to do it. You haven't eaten in a while, are you hungry?"

Lan Nongnong had packed up and was no longer uncomfortable when she saw him. She smiled at him and put her palm to her stomach. She hadn't felt anything just now, but when he said that, she immediately felt hungry.

"I'm so hungry. Do you have any food prepared? Is it something I like?"

As she spoke, she supported herself on the edge of the bed and was about to get up, but her eyes had already impatiently looked over his shoulder at the maid who came in with the food box.

Qin Jingyao walked a few steps to the bed, put his hand gently on her shoulder to stop her from getting up, turned and walked to the new armchair at the foot of the bed, lifted the corner of his robe and sat down steadily, signaling the maid to put the food tray on the small table beside the bed.

"Use it here."

After the others left, he raised his chin slightly and answered her question, "I've prepared scallop and glutinous rice porridge, steamed seasonal vegetables, peach and pear sweet soup, and salty bean rolls. They're all your favorites. But you're not eating well while you're sick, so you need to eat light food. Just be patient for a few days."

Seeing her eager look, he couldn't help but smile, "I know you're craving sweet and sour crispy meat. When you recover, I'll let you enjoy it to your heart's content, okay?"

Lan Nongnong is from the south and prefers sweet food, and cannot tolerate salty and spicy food. The dim sum in front of her is as exquisite as a picture, and the soup is fragrant. Everything is exquisite and to her liking, and just looking at it makes her mouth water.

Her eyes were filled with sweetness as she smiled at him, then picked up her chopsticks and ate heartily. Her cheeks rose and fell as she chewed, and her cherry lips opened and closed, with the faint twitching of her small jaw.

This kind of hearty eating scene is even more pleasing to the eye than the delicacies themselves.

Qin Jingyao didn't know why, but just watching her devour her meal was a source of endless amusement. Occasionally, she stole a glance at him, and he caught her red-handed. She immediately turned away in panic, her cheeks flushing. She first lowered her head in embarrassment, then forced herself to look up, glaring at him with her cheeks puffed out with porridge.

It looked like a docile little beast, chewing the prey fed by the hunter. When it realized it was being watched, it bared its tender teeth in a bluffing manner. Its appearance was not intimidating at all, but made people feel soft-hearted.

Lan Nongnong was so hungry that she unknowingly cleared away all the snacks on the table. She took the warm towel and washed her hands carefully. Suddenly she saw him beside her and had to hold on to her little bit of dignity so as not to collapse.

After all, I am young and healthy, with strong immunity. After a good meal, I feel refreshed. When I wake up in the morning, most of the aches and pains in my body have dissipated, leaving only a slight tingling in the soles of my feet.

But this little pain obviously couldn't restrain her. As soon as the maid took the food tray away, Lan Nongnong thanked her and she couldn't wait to get up. Just as her toes were about to touch the ground, she suddenly stopped. Her eyes rolled around and she turned her head to look at the elegantly seated man. She bit her lip and revealed a sly smile: "Yao Jing, can you help me get something?"

Qin Jingyao raised his eyebrows and nodded: "Of course,"

"These shoes are too uncomfortable for me to wear now. I need you to get me another pair. They are on the clog rack facing the sun on the right side of the main hall. They are made of pink satin and have a golden cat and chrysanthemum embroidered on the upper."

Customs in ancient and modern times are very different. In later times, getting a pair of shoes for your lover is considered common and considerate, but here it is a taboo.

Men are respected and admired by the world. They would rather break their heads than bend their knees. If they were asked to bend down to hold a woman's shoes, it would not only undermine their dignity, but also be humiliated.

Lan Nongnong naturally had no such thoughts. The reason why she made such a request was because in the past, he always complied with any request she made, no matter whether it was reasonable or not.

If you look closely, it was his excessive indulgence that gave her such a fearless confidence. In addition, because of his life-saving grace yesterday and the love he had shared all night, his weight in her heart had unconsciously become comparable to that of her aunts.

Moreover, because of some indescribable girlish feelings, her dependence on him became even more intimate.

Her delicate finger pointed carelessly at him, completely unaware of the shocking words she had spoken. A sly smile played at the corner of her lips, and her eyes flickered, as if she was trying to order him away.

It is common for people who live alone to keep a dog as a guardhouse. Lan Nongnong is no exception and she longs to have one. Just look at the lifelike animal dolls she sews by hand, and you will know her love for furry creatures.

Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned. Even though I have changed my life to a new one, my allergy to animal hair has always been with me.

She slept so deeply and for so long that she didn't realize that new things had been quietly added to her home, nor did she know that someone had made plans for her.

The sun was nearing its zenith, the sky clear and azure, not even the summer cicadas had yet to awaken. Inside the courtyard, a strange silence had descended since her startling words.

Tongze, who stood by in the courtyard, and the maidservant in the main hall, who bowed her head, all stood frozen like clay statues or wooden carvings. Shock and astonishment intertwined on their faces, and even an unconcealed panic, as if they had just heard some outrageous and heartbreaking words.

In his bedroom, in the court confrontation, Qin Jingyao, who remained calm even on the battlefield, now showed a rare look of surprise. The smile in his eyes receded like a tide, leaving only an increasingly dark darkness.

Seeing that she was still innocent and unconscious, he glanced at the wound and said in a deep and slow voice, "Your foot injury hasn't healed yet, and it's inconvenient for you to walk. What's the point of having shoes?"

The expression on his face hadn't changed at all, and Lan Nongnong had been blinded by his gentle treatment over the past few days. In her eyes, this situation looked like he was trying to be caring while also trying to maintain his dignity.

She stretched out her hands to him, and when he hesitated for a few breaths and finally offered her hands, she immediately grasped his fingertips and gently rocked him left and right, with an innocent look on her upturned face.

"It's just a minor injury. I'll be careful and walk slowly. I've been lying in bed for so long that my bones are rusty. Besides, you're back at my house, and I haven't shown you around yet."

Her ending tone was long and drawn out, like a silk thread dipped in honey, light and airy as if nothing, yet it could wrap people tightly from head to toe.

"Help me get it, please, please, please? Hmm? Hmm? Hmm?"

Qin Jingyao looked down at her as she acted coquettishly and clingy, her eyes full of longing looking up at him, her fingers restlessly entwined with his fingertips while she spoke softly.

Even though she was mischievous, weird, and pretentious, and she tried to follow his lead, for just this moment, he was softened by her and was willing to indulge her.

He was so blinded by lust that he left a message saying "wait" and went out to find shoes for her.

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