Although it was early summer, the temperature was still a bit chilly at night. Shu Yao breathed on her hands, and a gust of wind blew through them, soaking her thin clothes. The muddy ground beneath her feet became even colder, and only a large tree nearby offered her some shelter from the wind. Across the street, several servants from the Huo family had already come out to hang lanterns, but there was still no sign of Doctor Lang appearing.
“My lord…” Inside the room, Chunlu came to Huo Jingsha.
"Is Xiaobao asleep?" he asked wearily.
Chunlu nodded, her expression much more relaxed than before. "He's already asleep. Doctor Lang is really good at treating children's illnesses. After just one dose of medicine, the young master is better right away."
"What caused this?" This was the question he was truly concerned about. His precious son was doing well at the villa, but this morning he was suddenly brought back by four maids who said that the child had been vomiting and having diarrhea all night. He was terrified. If anything happened to Xiao Bao, Yao'er would really fight him to the death.
"Dr. Lang said that the young master has just started teething and likes to put anything he can grab into his mouth. He may have eaten something unclean, which is why he has diarrhea. A few doses of medicine will cure him."
"Okay, I understand. We'll go back to the villa after Xiaobao recovers. You can go and rest now." Huo Jingsha leaned back in his chair. He had been working like a slave at Shu Yao's place for the past few days, and today he had taken care of his son all day. He was really feeling the strain. But when he opened his eyes again, he found Chunlu still standing there, looking like she wanted to say something but couldn't.
"Just say what you have to say, there's no need to beat around the bush."
“Yes,” Chunlu bowed slightly before saying with a wandering expression, “Young Madam… I mean Madam Shuyao, she has been standing at the gate of the mansion for three hours.”
Huo Jingsha froze upon hearing this, and jumped up from her chair. "What did you say?"
Why is she here? And she's been standing here for three hours already? Didn't she say yesterday that she hoped he would never appear in front of her again? Why is she coming to the Huo residence on her own initiative today?
"I only found out when the gatekeeper came to report it when I came in. My lord, perhaps it is a mother's heart that is connected with her son. The madam knew that the young master was sick, so she came to the gate of the mansion to wait for him..."
Huo Jingsha's tense expression darkened further, his entire being caught in a dilemma and struggle. If he let her in, would she insist on taking Xiaobao away? When her stubbornness flared, she would rather break than surrender; if she did something outrageous, he might have to compromise. But what if she took Xiaobao away? Judging from her attitude yesterday, she would never have anything to do with him again, and might even take the child and leave, forever abandoning him…
No! He can't let her in, and he can't let her take his son away!
"Wait a little longer and see. Maybe if we find nothing's wrong, we'll go back," Huo Jingsha ordered stiffly, staring out the now-dark window.
Chunlu bit her lip and replied, "Yes."
As soon as Chunlu left, Huo Jingsha couldn't hold back his emotions any longer. He paced back and forth in the room like a trapped beast. His fatigue and exhaustion from before vanished. A cold breeze blew in from the window, and all he could think about was Shu Yao. She was already thin and frail. What if she caught a cold and became seriously ill? Moreover, she lived alone in that courtyard. Even if she got sick, there would be no one to take care of her.
Half an hour had barely passed when the gatekeeper came to report that Madam Shuyao still hadn't left, and the lanterns at the gate were about to go out.
Huo Jingsha was startled and shouted, "Don't turn off the lanterns! They must stay lit all night!"
Yao'er is afraid of the dark. If the lights in the Huo mansion go out, the entire alley will be plunged into darkness. If she insists on staying all night, isn't she afraid of dying? This stubborn girl, does she think her son will suffer at her hands? He would rather risk his own life than let Xiao Bao be harmed. She's so worried about him that she has to stay at the door all night. It's so cold outside! Sigh! She's deliberately making things difficult for him! Deliberately making things difficult for him!
"Go and call Chunlu here." He called out to the servant outside, but no sooner had he finished speaking than Chunlu walked in from outside. So she hadn't left at all? Humph! She was sure he wouldn't have the heart to do it.
"My lord, I think the lady doesn't plan to go back tonight," Chunlu said sadly.
As a woman herself, setting aside her past relationship with the young mistress, the deep bond of serving her for so many years made her unable to hold back her tears and feel deeply sorry for the mistress after witnessing her misfortune.
But this concerned the young mistress's life, and it was a matter of great importance. The master had already made a decision, and none of them could disobey him or interfere. They could only watch helplessly as the young mistress suffered. It was because of this that the four maids, after some discussion, proposed to go to the villa to take care of the young master, so that they could avoid seeing him.
"You... take a bowl of ginger soup out, remember to do it in your own name, and don't put too much ginger in it, Yao'er doesn't like that kind of pungent flavor. Also, go and get a thicker cloak and take it with you." Huo Jingsha saw that the sky was damp and cold, and he was afraid that it would rain again in the middle of the night. He was silent for a while, and finally gave the order in a dry voice.
"Yes." Upon hearing this, Chunlu was immediately overjoyed. He ordered the servant to start a fire in the kitchen while rushing back to Biyue Residence to get his cloak. He disappeared into his main courtyard in a flash.
Seeing her leave happily, Huo Jingsha's stern and cold expression softened slightly.
In just two short years, the straightforward and gentle Yao'er won over the hearts of everyone around him. These four maids had collectively helped her escape, and without any prior collusion, each of them had secretly done something to assist her in her escape. This made him both furious and helpless, because for Yao'er, having such loyal servants was a rare privilege, especially since he had given her their indentures when they got married, with the aim of ensuring their unwavering loyalty to their mistress.
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