Chapter 29 Jealousy
The chill of late autumn seeped into the inner courtyard of the Chen residence. The intertwining of dreams and reality over the past few days caused even the strongest body to collapse.
The brocade curtains hung low, blocking out most of the outside light. The person on the bed had a sallow complexion, and his cheeks had sunken rapidly due to the onset of this fierce illness. Even his usually upright shoulders and back looked much thinner.
"Third Master, it's time to take your medicine."
The maidservant, carrying a dark brown medicine bowl, carefully helped him up, intending to bring the spoon to his lips. But Chen Yanyun simply turned his head away, his eyelids too heavy to open, his breathing weak and feeble. The medicine had barely touched his lips when he unconsciously avoided it, spilling a few drops onto the brocade quilt, leaving dark stains.
Seeing this, the servant rushed forward to help, trying to feed him in a different position, but the result was the same.
Chen Yanyun seemed to have lost the strength to swallow. No matter who tried to persuade or feed him, he refused to take another drop of medicine.
Old Madam Chen sat by her son's bedside, watching him grow weaker day by day. Tears streamed down her face as she paced anxiously, saying, "What can we do? He can't even take his medicine. How can his body hold on like this..."
Just as the room was filled with anxiety, Gu Jinzhao slowly walked in, carrying a bowl of medicine that had been warmed up again.
She changed out of her usual ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) and put on a simple blue cloth dress, rolling up the cuffs to reveal her slender yet steady wrists.
Seeing that the maids and servants were at a loss, she said softly, "Grandmother, let me try."
Madam Chen hesitated for a moment, knowing it was unreasonable, but she still nodded and made way for her.
Gu Jinchao walked to the edge of the couch, sat down gently, placed the medicine bowl on the small table beside her, first reached out and used the back of her hand to test Chen Yanyun's forehead—the burning temperature made her heart tighten, then she gently supported the back of his neck and lifted his head slightly, her movements as light as if she were afraid of breaking fragile porcelain.
She picked up the medicine spoon, scooped up a spoonful of medicine, blew on it to warm it to a suitable temperature, and then slowly brought it to Chen Yanyun's lips.
Perhaps it was the warmth of her palms, perhaps it was the gentleness of her movements, or perhaps it was the pleasant scent of her body, but the person on the bed did not avoid her as before, but instead slightly parted her lips.
Gu Jinchao quickly fed him the medicine, then wiped his lips with a clean handkerchief, speaking softly and clearly: "Father, you will get better after drinking the medicine."
After being fed a bowl of medicine, Gu Jinchao's forehead was already covered in a thin layer of sweat, but Chen Yanyun actually drank all the medicine.
Seeing this, Madam Chen was both surprised and delighted. She took Jinzhao's hand and said, "Jinzhao, you've really been wronged. Only you can make him drink the medicine."
Gu Jinchao shook her head, handed the empty medicine bowl to the maid, and tucked the blanket around Chen Yanyun: "Grandmother, what are you saying? Taking care of Father is what I should do."
She gazed at the person who had fallen asleep again on the bed, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
These days, although she didn't know why Chen Yanyun suddenly fell seriously ill, nor why he only drank the medicine she fed him, seeing his weak appearance and thinking of how he had helped her many times in Jiangnan, she couldn't feel any resentment. She only hoped that he could get better soon.
In the following days, Gu Jinchao stayed in Chen Yanyun's bedroom every day, personally feeding him medicine, wiping his body, and changing his clothes.
Sometimes, when Chen Yanyun was lucid for a moment, he would look at her busy figure and a complicated light would flash in his eyes, but he would not say anything and would just obediently drink the medicine she handed him.
The corridor outside Chen Yanyun's bedroom.
The maids carried bowls of medicine and hot water, moving about quietly, and the whispers among them drifted into Chen Xuanqing's ears on the wind.
“Look at the Seventh Young Mistress, she personally feeds the Third Master medicine and wipes his body every day, and she hasn’t even had a good night’s sleep. She’s so kind-hearted.”
"That's right! So many maids and servants couldn't get the medicine to go before, but it worked as soon as the young mistress went. Third Master really knows who to rely on!"
Chen Xuanqing stood behind the moon gate, watching Gu Jinchao walk out of the bedroom with an empty medicine bowl. Fine beads of sweat clung to his temples, and his eyes showed unconcealed exhaustion. His face grew paler day by day. His heart felt like it was being squeezed by something, both suffocating and painful, and his face darkened with each passing day.
As soon as Gu Jinchao stepped out of the corridor, he saw Chen Xuanqing standing not far away. He quickly walked over and said in a light tone, "Xuanqing, you're back? Father drank half a bowl of porridge today. The doctor said that with a few more days of treatment, he will gradually get better."
She thought he would be happy about his father's improvement, but she didn't see the complex emotions surging in Chen Xuanqing's eyes.
Looking at the lingering weariness in Gu Jinchao's eyes, Chen Xuanqing felt a pang of sadness mixed with heartache and worry, a feeling that arose in his heart from her caring for her father, which gradually coalesced into a single thought.
He reached out and gently brushed away the stray hairs that had been ruffled by the wind from her temples, his fingertips carrying a hint of tentative tenderness: "Jinzhao, now that Father can start eating porridge, will you come with me to Suzhou?"
"To Suzhou?"
Gu Jinchao suddenly raised his head, his eyes instantly brightening, like the moon that had been covered by dark clouds suddenly shining through.
The exhaustion from days of feeding medicine and bathing the patient at the bedside seemed to vanish instantly at those three words, and even her voice trembled with a hint of excitement, "Really? Shall we go together?"
She had heard people say how good Suzhou was.
The waterside pavilions along Pingjiang Road reflect the weeping willows on both banks, painted boats glide slowly on the river, the stalls along the shore emit the sweet aroma of sweet rice porridge, and there are Suzhou embroidery shops hidden in the alleys, each piece as exquisite as a work of art.
Seeing the joy in her eyes, Chen Xuanqing's tense lips finally softened. He held her hand, his fingertips gently caressing her slightly cool palm, and said with a hint of certainty, "Yes, the Emperor has given me an assignment to go to Suzhou to check the canal transport accounts. I will set off tomorrow. I will tell my grandmother later and put her mind at ease."
This was half true and half false—the Emperor did send him on a mission, but did not require him to bring his family along; he invited Gu Jinchao to come along partly so that she could take a break and get away from the fatigue of taking care of patients for days, but the other part was a selfish motive hidden in his heart.
These days, seeing his father's unusual dependence on Jinchao, and seeing her stay by his bedside every day, he felt a constant unease, like a stone hanging in the air. Especially that day when his father overstepped his bounds in a daze, he dared not relax.
Taking Jinzhao away under the guise of a business trip would allow her to have a change of scenery and relax, and also temporarily escape from her father, lest things get complicated.
Gu Jinchao gently tugged at his sleeve with her fingertips, her tone carrying a hint of thoughtful consideration: "Should we inform Father? After all, he's still ill. If we suddenly go out without telling him, won't he worry?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she noticed that the person next to her paused slightly and tightened their grip on her hand.
The warmth that had just risen in Chen Xuanqing's eyes due to his longing faded slightly. His lips moved, but he remained silent for a long time, only gazing at the falling sycamore leaves in the courtyard, as if he was pondering some words that were difficult to say.
Seeing that he remained silent, Gu Jinchao had a vague idea of what was going on.
The Chen family has strict rules, and all matters must be reported to the elders, especially when male members of the family travel far away.
But Chen Xuanqing's silence at this moment clearly indicated that he did not want Chen Yanyun to know.
She didn't press him further, but simply waited quietly for his answer.
Chen Xuanqing lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on the two people's clasped hands. The scenes of the past few days kept replaying in his mind—his father's unusual dependence on Jinzhao during his illness, the almost inappropriate actions in the corridor, and the worries that had been weighing on his heart for days.
According to custom, he should personally go to his father's bedside to inform him, but when he thought that his father might use the excuse of "needing someone to take care of him while he is ill" to make Jinzhao stay, or even use his illness to hold her back, he dared not take the risk.
The regrets of his past life were like a thorn, constantly pricking his heart. He feared that the happiness he had finally obtained in this life would be shattered by his father's interference.
He took a deep breath, his voice low and deliberately calm, yet unable to hide a hint of tension: "There's no need to tell him specifically. Just have the maid inform him before we set off tomorrow. Father is ill and can't withstand any more trouble. If we tell him, he'll inevitably ask more questions, which will only distract him."
This sounded reasonable, but Gu Jinchao could detect the evasiveness in his tone.
Looking at the complex emotions in Chen Xuanqing's eyes, she had her doubts, but she didn't want to upset him at this moment.
She knew he had been particularly stressed these days because of his father's situation, and she understood his desire to take her to Suzhou to relax. She nodded gently, her voice softening, "Okay, whatever you say. But... what should we say if Father asks?"
“Just say I’m on a business trip ordered by the authorities, and you’re worried I’ll be alone on the road, so you’re coming along to help.” Chen Xuanqing quickly replied, as if he had already prepared his explanation. He reached out and ruffled her hair, trying to dispel the worry in her eyes. “Don’t worry, I’m here. I won’t let you suffer any injustice. By the time we get back from Suzhou, Father’s illness will probably be mostly cured. We can explain it to him then, and he’ll understand.”
Gu Jinzhao hummed in agreement and didn't ask any further questions.
The two returned to the bedroom, and Gu Jinzhao couldn't wait to go to the dressing table. She gently moved the jewelry box aside to make room to pack her luggage. The joy in her eyes had not yet faded, and even her movements were light and quick.
"I need to bring that moon-white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress); it should look good by the waterside pavilions in Suzhou." She muttered to herself as she opened the wardrobe, her fingertips brushing against the hanging clothes as she carefully selected them. She took out a light autumn shirt, a windproof cloak, and her favorite nightgown embroidered with light pink peach blossoms, folding them neatly and placing them at the foot of the bed.
Chen Xuanqing leaned against the door frame, watching her busy figure, and a smile unconsciously appeared on his lips.
As she tiptoed to reach the top of the wardrobe, the hem of her skirt swayed gently.
When she was carefully folding clothes, her brows furrowed slightly, making her look cute and focused.
He stepped forward, took the half-folded cloak from her hands, skillfully folded it up, and placed it aside: "Don't rush, take your time. We don't set off until tomorrow, so there's plenty of time to pack tonight."
Gu Jinchao looked up at him, her eyes sparkling: "I'm just too happy. The thought of going to Suzhou makes me want to pack quickly. By the way, do you want to bring a thicker official robe? In case it rains in Suzhou, it will get cold."
As she spoke, she turned around to rummage through his wardrobe, but Chen Xuanqing gently pulled her back.
"I'll have the servant pack my luggage. You just need to take care of your own things." Chen Xuanqing held her hand and helped her sit in front of the dressing table. He then picked up the jade hairpin she had placed on the table and gently inserted it into her hair. "You always think about others, but you don't think about how tired you've been these past few days. When you get to Suzhou, you should rest well and not worry about anything."
Gu Jinchao's cheeks flushed slightly as she leaned against him, gazing at their reflection in the mirror, her heart filled with warmth: "With you by my side, I don't feel tired at all."
Chen Xuanqing lowered his head and whispered in her ear, his warm breath brushing against her ear, his voice slightly hoarse and deliberately lowered, gentle yet with an irresistible tenderness: "Since you're not tired, let's do something to tire you out..."
Before he finished speaking, he grabbed Gu Jinchao by the back of her neck, leaned down slightly, and kissed her red lips.
The moment their lips touched, she instinctively tried to pull away, but Chen Xuanqing held her tightly in his arms, even her breath carrying the faint scent of ink and warmth from his body.
"Hey...aren't you going to Grandma's?" Gu Jinchao protested softly, unable to dodge in time.
Chen Xuanqing gently pulled her towards the bed, and with a light tug of his other hand, the red curtain hanging overhead fell with a "whoosh," acting as a barrier to completely isolate the light and shadow in the bedroom from the outside world, and also to conceal the intense passion that was about to spread on the bed.
He whispered in her ear, his voice full of laughter: "There's no rush with Grandmother, we can go later. Right now... I'd rather spend time with you."
Inside the red curtain, the candlelight shone through the gauze curtain, casting two overlapping figures.
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