Chapter 30: Meeting on a Narrow Road
With his eyes slightly closed, Aman lay motionless on the bed.
The dignified prime minister actually took the wrong medicine because he was hungry... Looking at his calm face, I was speechless.
"It's almost dawn. Have someone prepare some water and go take a shower," Guo Jia's voice sounded behind me, clear and gentle, indescribably comforting.
Cao Cao just threw up all over me. I looked down at myself and realized I really needed to wash myself properly, but here in this camp...
"It's alright, that's the Prime Minister's private tent, no one will trespass," Guo Jia explained, his pale lips curving slightly.
Upon hearing this, I looked up at him and stared into his eyes for a long time.
His clear eyes met my gaze, and he smiled slightly, his eyes crinkling. "What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"So gentle and considerate," I nodded, stroking my chin, with a sigh, "What a good man."
Guo Jia laughed, then gently bent over and coughed.
"Stop laughing, stop laughing..." Seeing his pale face gradually coughing up blood, I frowned slightly and quickly jumped out.
"I had Tuanzi bring the clothes into the tent." Guo Jia said loudly from behind, followed by a series of coughs.
As I walked into the tent with my back to him, I frowned slightly; his illness seemed to be getting worse.
Inside the tent, a faint candlelight flickered, and a wooden tub, almost half a person's height, filled with water and hung with a cloth nearby—the preparations were truly thorough.
After looking around to make sure it was safe, I quickly stripped off my clothes, tied my hair up high, and sat down in the wooden tub.
The water was lukewarm, just enough to cover my shoulders, which felt very comfortable. The sweat I had just broken out in was washed away, and I felt refreshed. I soaked for a long time, but Tuanzi still hadn't brought me any clothes. I couldn't help but complain to myself, "That guy must be drooling over Guo Jia right now..."
Just then, I heard footsteps behind me.
"Tuanzi, why did it take so long?"
No one answered me.
"Honestly, it made my skin all wrinkled from soaking!" I frowned.
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A hand gently stroked the skin on the back of my neck, lightly touching it.
"Hehe..." It tickled a little, so I couldn't help but flinch and chuckle. "Fine, I'll let you off this time. Give me a shoulder massage."
Those hands hesitated slightly for a moment, then gently began to knead.
"Not bad, not bad... You're a quick learner..." I closed my eyes comfortably, slowly savoring the moment. "I didn't expect you to be so strong... I never would have guessed..."
I murmured contentedly, feeling the slightly rough calluses on the palms of those hands gently brush against my shoulders, it was so pleasant... Wait! Calluses? Rough?
Aren't dumplings supposed to have delicate skin and tender flesh?
I suddenly opened my eyes, and in a moment of shock, I reflexively stood up from the water, turned around, and looked at the uninvited guest...
"Ah...Aman?" Seeing the man standing behind me, I breathed a slight sigh of relief. "Are you alright?"
With a hint of interest in his narrow eyes, he stared at me with an honest and unreserved admiration.
Noticing his strange gaze, I widened my eyes slightly, then realized, a beat later... that I was completely exposed...
I sank into the water with a "plop," and I was furious and embarrassed. "What are you looking at! Get out!"
"Hmm?" He raised his eyebrows slightly, still standing in the same spot.
"Get out!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.
"You don't want the clothes anymore?" He waved the clean clothes in his hand and slightly curled his lips.
“Um… put it down! Get out!” I hesitated for a moment, then said decisively.
"Be careful not to catch a cold," he said with a slight smile, and then reached out and scooped me out of the wooden tub.
"You...you...you..." I was furious to be naked in his arms. I grabbed my clothes and quickly put them on. "Get out of here!"
“It is said that…this is my camp.” He looked at me, his narrow eyes slightly narrowed.
I paused for a moment, cursed the cumbersome clothes for the eight hundredth time, tied the last sash, and then walked up to him, staring at him intently.
"Ah... Man?" I called out softly, a little uncertainly, looking into his bright, almost blinding eyes.
He looked at me, the blinding brightness gradually disappearing, then he looked at me again and smiled sheepishly, "Smile..."
Involuntarily, I let out a sigh of relief, then slapped Aman hard on the chest. "You scared me to death! I thought you weren't Aman!"
Cao Cao still squinted, smiling憨憨地.
"Let's go back to the manor, I'm hungry," Aman said with a smile.
When I stepped out of the tent, I realized it was already daylight.
The lazy little dumpling was sitting casually outside the camp, holding a large piece of beef high in her hand. The hairless little furry boy stood opposite her, his round eyes fixed on the meat in the little dumpling's hand.
"I secretly took this from the kitchen last night..." Tuanzi whispered mysteriously as she leaned closer to Xiao Mao.
Xiao Mao stared innocently at the beef in her hand.
"Come on, have some meat," Tuanzi said with a big smile, tearing off a piece and handing it to Xiao Mao. "Xiao Mao, we're friends now, remember to tell your little master how great Tuanzi is..."
Little Mao swallowed the meat from Tuanzi's hand in one gulp, making smacking noises as he ate.
Watching Tuanzi having a heart-to-heart talk with Xiao Mao, I raised my eyebrows slightly. I had heard of meat-eating donkeys before, but... it turns out that Tuanzi is also well-versed in this, and practices it in real life.
After bidding farewell to the generals in the camp, Cao Cao was escorted back to his residence by Dian Wei and Xu Chu.
Just as they arrived at the gate of the mansion, they saw a group of three people coming from the opposite direction.
Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei?
I stared wide-eyed at the three people.
"Pei Xiao!" Zhang Fei saw me and, full of enthusiasm, shouted my name from afar.
Seeing the strange looks on Dian Wei and Xu Chu's faces, I was speechless. It was truly a case of meeting on a narrow path...
"Prime Minister Cao." From afar, Liu Bei clasped his hands in a salute.
Cao Cao sat on his horse, stunned, without uttering a sound.
"Having heard that Your Excellency the Prime Minister is unwell, Xuande and the others have come to visit you," Liu Bei said gently.
"Thank you for your trouble, Lord Liu." Guo Jia coughed lightly and smiled. "Why don't we go inside and have a chat?"
Liu Bei nodded, "The Prime Minister is unwell, and Xuande is very worried. I couldn't ask for this."
The group dismounted and entered the mansion. Liu Bei glanced at me and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.
I grinned and nodded hastily, my eyelids starting to twitch.
Sigh, what's going on here now?
After being served tea, Liu Bei sat down in the garden, looking as if he wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk with Cao Cao.
Ah Man, however, seemed somewhat anxious, and kept glancing at me.
"Prime Minister, I apologize for disturbing you," Liu Bei said with a smile.
Ah Man lowered his head and started playing with his fingers.
I was secretly alarmed and quietly reached under the table to pinch him. Liu Bei looked like a fox, very cunning, but Cao Cao looked completely bewildered. Last time he met the Emperor, Cao Cao was quite cooperative, so why was he acting strangely today?
"I still remember the last time I discussed heroes with the Prime Minister over wine. We had green plums on a plate, a pot of wine, and drank heartily. It was so pleasant. Today, Xuande has taken the liberty of visiting again because he really wanted to have another wine-drinking conversation with you, my lord," Liu Bei said with a smile.
"Wine? Xiaoxiao said I can't drink!" Aman smiled at Liu Bei, his smile still innocent.
I started sweating. Was this guy deliberately trying to sabotage me?
"Prime Minister, you've had too much to drink." Taking the teacup from Aman's hand, Guo Jia lied through his teeth, subtly taking the teacup from Aman's hand.
"I didn't drink!" Aman protested.
"Pei'er, take the Prime Minister's residence to rest," Guo Jia said softly.
I nodded, took Aman's hand with one hand, and led him out of the garden.
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