After the sugar dissolves, it becomes sticky and clings to the tongue, so sweet that it numbs the sense of taste.
He moved his hand and found that he was holding Zhao Xiheng's hand.
"It's good you're awake. Have some porridge and take your medicine." Zhao Xiheng was startled awake by his movements. She rubbed her eyes and asked someone to bring her some white porridge and pickled vegetables.
Wei Li quickly released Zhao Xiheng's hand, glanced at her, and saw that her eyes were red, indicating that she had stayed up all night and looked somewhat haggard.
His heart was beating very fast, even intensely.
Did Zhao Xiheng stay by her side all night?
Why did she stay by her side all night?
With a clang, the porcelain fell onto the table.
Zhao Xiheng gave him another push, "Get up and drink your porridge."
Wei Li slowly crawled out of the bedding. He was rarely sick, and his whole body felt sore and weak like never before.
After lying in bed all day, her hair was a mess, her cheeks were sallow, and her usually bright red lips had become pale and chapped, making her look quite pitiful.
The thin, watery porridge placed in front of him did not appeal to him. He stared at the bowl of porridge, lost in thought for once.
Seeing his somewhat dazed look, Zhao Xiheng couldn't help but want to slap him. He was around twenty years old, yet he acted like a brat.
But considering that he was already awake and different from when he was unconscious, she couldn't hit or scold him, so she could only stop and urge him, "It'll get cold soon."
Sick people don't have much of an appetite to begin with, and they're also prone to being pampered. Wei Li pushed the bowl away, lay down, and said in a hoarse voice, "You eat, I'm going to sleep a little longer."
"I've already eaten," Zhao Xiheng said quietly, pushing the bowl back, clearly indicating that he had to finish it.
Wei Li brought it over, then dramatically let go, shattering the bowl and porridge all over the floor. He then looked at Zhao Xiheng with an innocent expression and said, "It's broken."
Then he lay back down with a clear conscience.
Zhao Xiheng was so angry that she couldn't speak. She flung her sleeves and walked out, saying, "Eat it or don't, I don't care anymore."
As she reached the door, she heard Wei Li say, "Eat."
The maid brought over more porridge, which Wei Li drank like water, without any reluctance.
The medicine was left to dry. Zhao Xiheng asked him, "I heard you demolished the temple in the east of the city. How did that bother you?"
Wei Li looked at the medicine on the table, wondering how to push it away.
Zhao Xiheng asked him again, and he awkwardly turned his head away. "What's the point of believing in those things? They're all just fooling people. Only they would believe them. So what if I smashed them? Pray for divine protection? How many people does a god have to look at? How could he possibly notice them? And if he did, how could he let them suffer? Foolish."
The key point is that the old monk in the temple told him to cultivate his character, avoid arrogance and impetuosity, and to get rid of his mother!
He watched as the incense burned brightly in the east of the city, and everyone emerging from the temple was filled with joy and contentment. Why was it that everyone else in the world, except him, who was constantly suffering and struggling, could find satisfaction and solace? Since he was not doing well, then no one else should be either. So he smashed the Buddha statue and watched those who came to burn incense and worship weep in despair, as if their faith had collapsed.
They cried out, looking at him with terrified eyes, "This will bring divine retribution."
What is divine retribution? The very fact that he is alive is already divine retribution to them.
“That’s true, but you have to consider whether the people are happy or not.” Zhao Xiheng nags like a monk, trying to persuade Wei Li, but he turns his head away and refuses to listen, clearly impervious to reason.
"Then drink your medicine." She didn't try to persuade him anymore, and simply pushed the bowl of medicine in front of him. "The temple you demolished, I rebuilt with your money."
Wei Li glared at her. Sick Wei Li was weak and limp, so she wasn't afraid. Zhao Xiheng continued, "There's still half a month of porridge distribution left."
Wei Li continued to glare at her, veins popping on his forehead, looking furious. "You spendthrift brat."
He demolished the temple, then rebuilt it in his own name, contradicting himself and ultimately slapping his own face.
"If you're going to demolish it, of course you should use your own money; if anyone's going to squander money, it's you."
"Don't glare at me, it won't do any good. I've already spent the money. Don't be angry, take your medicine." She pushed the medicine towards me.
The medicine contains Coptis chinensis, which is used to reduce internal heat.
He didn't even want to drink porridge, let alone this bitter herbal medicine.
"Hurry up, there's sugar, the medicine won't be too bitter." Zhao Xiheng urged him two or three times, but he remained unmoved.
The two faced off in silence. Zhao Xiheng thought that Wei Li was easier to fool when he was unconscious; a piece of candy would suffice.
The medicine was getting cold quickly. Zhao Xiheng lifted her skirt and walked out without looking back. Wei Li watched her walk resolutely, one step at a time, without telling him where she was going. After waiting for a while, he finally couldn't stand it anymore and called out to her, "Where are you going?"
"It's too boring staying with you. I'm going to go next door to talk to Xie Qingyu."
She took two more steps, and Wei Li slammed his fist on the table behind her, shouting, "Get back here!"
Then came the sound of pottery scraping across the table, the sound of drinking water, and finally the sound of gagging.
Turning around, Wei Li was leaning on the table, vomiting violently. He had thrown up almost half of the medicine he had just drunk. His face was turning blue from vomiting, and his eyes were full of tears. Zhao Xiheng gave him a piece of candy.
"No." He wiped his mouth and stubbornly turned his head away.
"Great job!" Zhao Xiheng nodded and praised him.
Since he was so strong, I won't force him. So I ate the candy myself. "Another bowl, please. My lord vomited most of it just now, so the medicine he drank wasn't effective enough."
Wei Li's face visibly turned even bluer, almost the same color as the medicine, and his body was even shaking uncontrollably.
"I won't drink it."
"Our lord is so brave, he didn't utter a sound even when he was injured, how could he be afraid of drinking a bowl of medicine?" Zhao Xiheng wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and encouraged him, "I believe our lord is definitely not afraid, right!"
With such high praise on him, Wei Li, a man who valued his reputation, could no longer utter a single word of "no."
He glanced at the candy in the small plate a few more times, his mouth feeling bitter. The thought of having to come back for it again made him regret not taking the candy earlier.
If he's already been rejected, it would be very embarrassing for him to go back to his ex.
"Have a piece." Zhao Xiheng gave him a slap and then a sweet treat, coaxing him by giving him a piece of candy. "My lord is the bravest, but the medicine is very bitter. Have some candy to sweeten it up."
Wei Li still couldn't bring himself to say no.
Zhao Xiheng offered him a way out, saying, "My lord, please give me some face and have a piece."
Once he was appeased, he lowered his head slightly, opened his mouth to take the candy, and his dry lips brushed against her soft fingertips, sending a shiver down his spine.
When Coptis chinensis was not added to the medicine, he would vomit one bowl after drinking two bowls. After Coptis chinensis was added, he would vomit three bowls after drinking four bowls.
Drinking the medicine felt like a battle; he collapsed into the blankets, utterly exhausted, staring at Zhao Xiheng.
You get used to bitter medicine after a while. Wei Li recovered from an illness and went from vomiting every time he drank medicine to being able to drink it down like water without changing his expression.
Zhao Xiheng popped a piece of candy into her mouth, watched him drink his medicine, and asked indistinctly while the candy was still dissolving, "Is it still bitter?"
Wei Li picked up the bowl and glanced at her; the schadenfreude in her eyes was almost impossible to hide.
He forced down a mouthful of medicine, then held Zhao Xiheng's head and passed the medicine to her, while also taking the piece of candy from her mouth.
Although Zhao Xiheng wasn't afraid of taking medicine, no one wanted to suffer, especially since the medicine contained Coptis chinensis. She clutched her chest, her features contorted in pain.
"Do you think it's bitter or not?" Wei Li asked her in return.
They're really eager for revenge!
The wedding is scheduled for August, when the weather is neither too hot nor too cold.
Wei Li was fully recovered in June, two months before the wedding.
The maid told her that the lotus flowers in the pond in the mansion had already bloomed. It had rained last night, and the air was fresh. Zhao Xiheng gradually became restless in her room, especially when faced with Wei Li's deadpan face. She felt even more uncomfortable, so she decided to go see the lotus flowers. The newly cultivated ginseng seedlings were being carefully nurtured in the side room and were already two or three inches taller than the previous batch.
"Where are you going?" Wei Li called out to her.
Zhao Xiheng draped a thin cloak over herself, her smile radiant, but Wei Li subtly sensed a provocation in her voice. "Would you like to go see the lotus flowers?"
Last month, she vowed to walk out openly and honestly in front of Wei Li.
Wei Li clenched her fists, her heart skipped a beat, "With whom? With that pretty boy?"
"Why would I need him to appreciate the lotus flowers? Can't I just stroll around by myself?" Zhao Xiheng retorted.
"Then why are you calling me when you're done shopping?"
"Fine, then don't go." Since reasoning with him was futile, Zhao Xiheng simply gave up and prepared to leave with her entourage.
The maids behind them carried several small baskets filled with snacks, fans, incense burners, and other odds and ends, as well as umbrellas for rain and sun protection. They kept their heads down, not daring to get involved in the argument.
"Stop." Wei Li blocked her way. "Did I tell you to leave?"
"Why did you ask so many questions earlier if you wouldn't let me go out?" Zhao Xiheng ignored him and walked straight ahead.
The two of them dawdled and eventually made their way to the gate of the courtyard.
Wei Li steadied himself against the doorframe. "Go back. If you dare take a single step outside, I'll break your legs."
Without hesitation, Zhao Xiheng took a step forward, landing squarely on the threshold. She then jumped off, turned back to look at Wei Li, and asked with her eyes, "Go ahead and hit me!"
He just said that if he dared to step out of this courtyard, he would break her legs.
"You really think I wouldn't dare hit you?" Wei Li's eyes widened as he slapped her arm. "Go back, and don't make me say it a second time."
"My lord is reluctant to part with me, isn't he?" Zhao Xiheng hugged Wei Li's arm and shook it, acting coquettishly. "I haven't been out for so long, I'll get sick if I stay cooped up any longer."
Wei Li, “…”
He pursed his lips, lifted Zhao Xiheng by the waist, and then said to the group of stunned maids behind him, "Go back! Don't follow us."
Zhao Xiheng grabbed his shoulder, "I forgot my snacks and umbrella."
Wei Li patted her on the back and continued walking towards the lotus pond, saying, "If you're not going, then go back."
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