Chapter 9 Chapter 9 I am sick, not dead. ...
After dinner, Yun Wu boiled some medicine again.
Doctor Hua said to boil the medicine three times a day, so she followed the doctor's instructions and boiled the medicine for Xie Yi three times a day.
Of course, Xie Yi didn't drink it the first two times, and the third time, he still said, "No."
Yun Wu responded softly and stopped trying to persuade him. She went to the bathroom to take a shower, dried her wet black hair, and lay down to rest early.
She was going back home tomorrow, so she had to conserve her energy and at least get a good night's sleep, lest she become listless and make people think she was not having a good time in the Duke's Mansion.
Naturally, no one in the Yun family was worried about how she was doing in the Duke's Mansion. If she went back home alone, she was bound to be laughed at, but at least she couldn't be laughed at too badly.
Xie Yi looked at her several times in confusion.
He was still sitting by the window, reading the book he hadn't finished reading that day. He had read it several times and knew it by heart, but he knew his new wife was a bit stubborn and would definitely chase him and ask him to take his medicine. As he read, he thought over and over again how to refuse.
But she stopped urging me.
She lay down earlier than him, leaving only her back to him.
Thinking of her back as she pursed her lips, clutched the corner of her clothes, and walked away with her head down before dinner, Xie Yina was puzzled: Is she angry?
Are you so irritable?
His eyes fell on the new medicine, and Xie Yi shook his head: Impossible.
Although they had only been in contact for one day, he could see it.
This wife who came in to get married was actually a softie. Although she was a little tough, she was still soft and didn't dare to speak loudly. She had to lower her head after saying a few more words. She didn't even dare to look him in the eye. Even if she was yelled at, it would just poke her soft skin, and after a while, it would bounce back without leaving any trace.
With her personality, she couldn't offend anyone, and no one in the Xie family would take the initiative to cause trouble for her. Second sister-in-law had a hot temper and might be a bit blunt in her words, but she wouldn't be so heartbreaking.
Xie Yi put down the book and stared at her back for a long time.
He raised his hand, then lowered it, clenched it into a fist, and placed it against his lips: "...Ahem."
“…”
"Cough, cough, cough, cough."
Yun Wu, who was lying in bed and about to fall asleep, was awakened by a sudden cough, and the accumulated sleepiness also dissipated.
Xie Yi was the only one in the room besides her. She knew without hesitation that the cough must have come from her sick husband. She quickly opened her eyes and stood up, moving closer to him with concern: "Husband, are you okay?"
"No problem." Xie Yi covered his lips and said palely, "It's just that the wind is a bit strong at night."
"wind?"
Yun Wu looked out the window. The moonlight was quiet and the shadows of the trees were swaying gently. There was indeed wind in the night.
She walked to the window and closed it. Turning back, she saw Xie Yi still reading a book. She couldn't help but say, "It's getting late. You can read it tomorrow."
Xie Yi glanced at her.
Yun Wu tentatively took his book, saying, "You're not in good health. You need to get more rest. Reading at night hurts your eyes. You were blown by the wind just now. Be careful not to catch a cold..."
"That's enough." Xie Yi wordlessly placed the book in her hand and gently tapped her palm: "If you tell me to, I won't be able to live for many days."
Yun Wu held the book and thought: Isn’t it?
You don't have much time left, and if you don't take your medicine honestly, your life may be even shorter.
But she wisely didn't say it. Seeing Xie Yi lying down obediently, she blew out the lights and lay down beside him again.
But with this interruption, the sleepiness she had worked so hard to build up disappeared completely. Yun Wu stared at the dark bed curtains for a long time, her mind clear and not a trace of sleepiness at all.
Thinking that she might have to meet Ye Huaiqing when she returned home tomorrow, she began to want to escape, as if as long as she didn't fall asleep, time would stop at night, the day would not come to tomorrow, and she would not meet someone she didn't want to see.
Ever since the engagement was changed, Yun Wu has never seen Ye Huaiqing again.
She was locked up in the house by Madam Yun and couldn't go anywhere. She didn't know if Ye Huaiqing had come to see her. Even if he had, she couldn't see him because of her stepmother and stepsister.
At first, Yun Wu also wanted to ask him in person why he agreed to change the marriage partner.
She had thought that she and Ye Huaiqing were in love, otherwise, they wouldn't have exchanged tokens of love, right? If there was no love in their hearts, why would they exchange tokens? But if there was love, why did he agree so decisively?
Ever since she could remember, she knew she was engaged to Ye Huaiqing. She was young and naive, but later, as she grew more worldly-wise, she decided that Ye Huaiqing was the man to spend her life with. He had always been an outstanding person, not only handsome but also talented and well-educated, with a brilliant literary talent. A man with both talent and beauty was always the favorite of young girls.
So Yun Wu was secretly delighted by her engagement to him, and felt proud when she heard others praise him. She would inquire about everything related to him, buy books containing his writings, and sometimes go out with him, feeling happy for days after returning. Hearing others' envy made her feel like she had possessed an inestimable treasure. She loved him so much, and she thought he was the same way.
Until the engagement changed.
She regarded the engagement as an opportunity to escape from the quagmire, and hoped that Ye Huaiqing would be the one who would reach out to her for salvation. She valued Ye Huaiqing so much, but in fact, she was not worth mentioning in Ye Huaiqing's heart.
Anyone could replace her, it could be Yunhui or someone else.
What she thought was mutual affection might just be the other party's politeness and her wishful thinking.
So much time has passed, and they have both gotten married. There is no need to ask those questions that were not asked out loud anymore.
But Yun Wu simply didn't want to feel embarrassed in front of him. She had married into the Duke's mansion to bring good luck, and tomorrow she had to return home alone. No matter how hard she tried to act calm, she would still look awkward in the eyes of outsiders. The thought of seeing Ye Huaiqing tomorrow and the possibility of him showing pity or sympathy for her made Yun Wu feel a little sad.
Xie Yi: “…”
Xie Yi opened his eyes in the darkness.
The darkness made his perception sharper, not to mention the person next to him, even the sound of him turning over sounded like the rumbling of a drum.
He tilted his head and looked at the slightly trembling shoulders and neck of the person next to him in disbelief.
Why are you crying again?
After a long while, he finally asked, "What did your second sister-in-law say to you?"
He spoke out of the blue, like a thunderclap out of nowhere, which frightened Yun Wu so much that she even stopped breathing.
"Husband?" Yun Wu blinked her moist eyes, and with the hazy moonlight coming in from the window, she could see his bright eyes. "You're not asleep?"
Xie Yi said with a sour face: "How can I sleep when you make so much noise?"
Yun Wu's cheeks flushed red. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to disturb your rest. I won't make a sound again."
Xie Yi snorted noncommittally.
Yun Wu wiped her eyes with the corner of the quilt and lay there obediently, afraid that her movements would disturb him again. Even before moving her fingers, she tensed them cautiously for fear of making any noise.
She was completely focused on the person next to her, and completely forgot about the sad things that happened just now.
But maintaining the same posture for too long inevitably made her uncomfortable. She lay there stiffly for a long time, listening to the person next to her breathing slowly, as if he had fallen asleep. Only then did she slowly move her stiff legs...
"What's wrong again?" Xie Yi asked.
Yun Wu: “…”
Yun Wu hid her face in the quilt: "No."
Xie Yi ignored her and turned over, propping his head to the side. He saw that her eyes were tightly closed, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, her brows furrowed, and she looked pitiful. He said unhappily, "If it wasn't Second Sister-in-law, who else in the Xie family would disrespect you?"
Yun Wu opened her eyes in confusion: "What happened to the Second Young Madam?"
Xie Yi: “…”
Xie Yi patiently asked, "What did she say to you today?"
Yun Wu thought for a moment and told the truth, "The Second Young Madam asked me if I knew how to play Pai Gow, and said if I had nothing to do at home, I could go play with her. I said I didn't know, and she said she would teach me another day. But I was afraid of losing money, so I didn't dare to agree."
Xie Yi was speechless: "Just go ahead and lose, how much money can you get?"
Yun Wu responded obediently, not daring to agree in her heart.
Although she had seen the courtyard's account books and knew her husband was quite wealthy, she was used to a frugal lifestyle and would inevitably feel heartbroken if she wasted money on such things. Besides, she was tongue-tied and afraid to deal with someone as forthright as the Second Young Lady, preferring instead to hide away in the courtyard in peace and quiet.
Xie Yi waited and waited, but she didn't say the second half of the sentence: "What else?"
Yun Wu was puzzled: "What else?"
Xie Yi frowned, a little regretful for being lazy and not going to dinner. "What else did they talk about at dinner?"
"I also mentioned going back home tomorrow." Without waiting for his reply, Yun Wu quickly explained, "I can go back alone tomorrow."
Xie Yi's frown deepened: "You're going back alone? What about me?"
"You?" Yun Wu blinked. "You're not feeling well. Just rest at home. Father and Mother know your situation and will understand."
Her words were both considerate and matter-of-fact. Just as she had told the Duke's Mansion at dinner, she hadn't counted Xie Yi among the people returning home tomorrow. But she had barely uttered the words when someone pinched her face.
Yun Wu did not dare to resist and let his fingers pinch her mouth. She hummed a few times in confusion. The soft flesh on her cheeks was pinched and kneaded like dough. The places that were touched became hot and a little painful, and her eyes became wet.
Xie Yi's hands were also burning, and his eyes were blazing with fire. "Who gave you this idea?"
Yun Wu looked at him timidly. Although it hurt, she didn't dare to struggle: "I...I thought of it myself."
Xie Yi pinched her face hard again and said through gritted teeth, "I'm sick, not dead. Why don't you just invite everyone in the capital to attend my funeral?"
“…”
Yun Wu blinked.
Xie Yi felt her lips move beneath his palm, as if she whispered something, but he couldn't hear clearly. Seeing the innocent, pitiful, tearful look on her face, he didn't want to listen.
I expected some irritating words.
It’s better to shut up, at least it’s pleasing to the eye.
But Yun Wu didn't shut up, and continued boldly: "Tomorrow is not an important day. It would be bad if it makes your health worse. Anyway, it's not a big deal for me to go back by myself... Hmm."
Her mouth was pinched again.
Xie Yi no longer wanted to hear a single word.
Although he scoffed at Master Huizhen's marriage divination and had no interest in this wife who came here to celebrate, he was not a truly cold-blooded person. Since the woman in front of him was already his wife, no matter how they got along behind closed doors, at least he would give her the proper respect on the surface.
Asking his newlywed wife to go back home alone? She really had the guts to do that!
I'm afraid that after tomorrow, she will become the laughing stock of the entire capital.
Is he really that bad a person?
"I'll go back with you." Xie Yi let go of his hand and made the decision coldly.
Yun Wu hurriedly said: "But your body..."
Xie Yi narrowed his eyes: "How is my health?"
Yun Wu's voice lowered: "You don't even take your medicine..."
“…”
"Doctor Hua said you were tired from your wedding yesterday."
"So what?"
Yun Wu looked at him hesitantly, wanting to say something.
But yesterday, people came in sideways.
Xie Yi's appearance was so shocking that Yun Wu could never forget it. She had known for a long time that he had a reputation for being frail, but she still married him for good fortune. Last night further deepened the impression, and he even refused to take his medicine properly. In her mind, Xie Yi's frailty was already deeply ingrained, as if he would die in the next second.
Although she didn't say it out loud, Xie Yi could read her unfinished words from her face.
He couldn't help but pinch her cheek again: "Am I really that useless in your eyes?"
……Um?
Yun Wu blinked in confusion.
At this moment, the two of them were lying on the same bed, so close that she could almost feel each other's warm breath brushing against her cheek. She seemed to be able to hear the strong heartbeat coming from Xie Yi's chest.
Although there were no candles in the room, there was moonlight shining in from outside, and her eyes had long since adjusted to the darkness. Yun Wu suddenly realized that he was actually very tall, with very long arms and legs.
Indeed, he was actually quite tall. Even though he lay down all day, when Yun Wu stood up, she had to tilt her head back to look him in the eye. Although he was thin, Yun Wu had seen seriously ill people who were reduced to nothing but bones, like empty skeletons covered in a layer of flesh. But Xie Yi was not like that. His body was well-proportioned, just a little thinner.
Apart from his pale face and thin figure, his heartbeat was so strong and his fingers pinching her cheek were so hot, unlike a seriously ill person with a weak heart and cold hands and feet.
It is far from the impression of having one foot halfway into a coffin.
only……
Yun Wu tucked her head into the quilt and complained softly, "You don't want to take the medicine."
Xie Yi: “…”
Xie Yi closed his eyes tightly.
In the eyes of the newly married young lady, it was an unforgivable sin for him, a patient, to not take his medicine obediently, and he deserved to be struck by lightning.
Xie Yi let go of his hand and turned over to sit up.
He lowered his head and asked, "Can you cook?"
Although Yun Wu was puzzled, she still answered obediently, "A little bit."
"I'm hungry." He said, "Make me a midnight snack and I'll go back with you tomorrow."
He had clearly just agreed to go back home.
But Yun Wu did not refuse. She couldn't sleep anyway, so she sat up and put on her coat.
As soon as the candles were lit in the room, the little maid who was on night watch asked outside the door: "Sanlangjun, San Shaomai, do you have any instructions?"
The Duke's Mansion was full of servants, so Yun Wu wasn't even responsible for making the midnight snack. With a single command from the master, the small kitchen lit up and served two bowls of midnight snacks: one for Xie Yi and one for Yun Wu.
Yun Wu had finished her dinner and wasn't hungry to begin with. She lightly moved her chopsticks twice before stopping to look at her husband. He gracefully devoured the large bowl of midnight snack in a flash.
I have a very good appetite.
Yun Wu breathed a sigh of relief.
It’s good to be able to eat.
She saw that Xie Yi had only eaten a little at noon and skipped dinner, and she was worried that he was too sick to eat. If it came to that, she was afraid his days would be numbered. Now, it seemed that he could eat, but he just didn't feel like it and didn't want to.
When she blew out the lights and lay down again, she wondered in her heart: What could have happened that could make him lose his appetite?
I have only heard of the reputation of Third Young Master Xie being sickly and weak, but I have never heard of anything else. Only today I heard from a frightened man that he had fallen into the water to save someone.
But even the servants who lived with him day and night could not explain it, and Yun Wu had no idea at all.
"sleep."
Xie Yi's cold voice came from the side.
Yun Wu quickly closed her eyes and grabbed the quilt. She felt sleepy very quickly and fell asleep immediately.
…
Early the next morning.
The little maid came to wake her up, and Yun Wu got up immediately. As soon as she sat up, Xie Yi also got up.
Having the servants help him dress, Xie Yi noticed Yun Wu's stealthy gaze and glanced at her: "What's wrong?"
"nothing."
Yun Wu withdrew her gaze and gestured with her eyes, and found that he was indeed very tall, half a head taller than the servant who was also a man.
When he stood up straight, dressed in splendid clothes, he had an extraordinarily handsome face. Although his posture was lazy, he had a certain romantic and uninhibited charm. No wonder the little maid Chun'er praised her, saying that Xie Yi looked so heroic when he rode on the wedding day.
It’s a pity that she didn’t see it in person.
The two of them had breakfast together. This time, Yun Wu noticed that he only finished half a bowl and then put down his chopsticks.
The servants brought the carriage to the gate of the mansion and loaded it with gifts that had been prepared in advance. Meng Qingtong came out to see them off. Seeing Xie Yi standing beside him, dressed neatly in brocade and a jade crown, as if he was about to go out, she couldn't help but be surprised, but then she quickly smiled. "Sanlang looks in good spirits today, that's great. Yesterday I was worried that Ah Wu would go back home alone. How can a bride go back home alone? But Ah Wu said she could do it herself."
Xie Yi snorted and squinted at Yun Wu.
Yun Wu knew she was in the wrong, so she obediently lowered her head to look at the tip of her shoes.
She was also wearing new clothes today, with a pearl hairpin and jade ring on her head. The clothes were new clothes brought from the Yun family, but the jewelry was given by Madam Xie. The mansion was so prominent that even the jewelry was exceptionally exquisite, far more magnificent than anything you could buy in an ordinary jewelry store. And the gifts prepared for the return visit were each more solemn than the last.
At least, from the outside, this trip back to the parents' home was grand and respectable, something to be envied.
The driver whipped the horse whip and the carriage started moving. Yun Wu lifted the curtain of the small window and watched the scenery outside the window recede. Thinking that she was about to return to the Yun family, her heart became heavy again.
The things I forgot last night now come back to my mind.
If she was lucky, she might see Ye Huaiqing, who was returning home with Yun Hui. If they did meet, she didn't know how to greet him. If possible, Yun Wu didn't want to see him.
But she had no say in this.
She was thinking with deep worry, when suddenly a slender hand reached out from the side and gently poked her between the eyebrows.
Yun Wu covered her forehead and turned around to see Xie Yi leaning on a small table, his chin propped up, looking at her lazily: "Are you so reluctant to accompany you back home?"
Yun Wu was surprised: "I didn't."
"Then why are you looking so scowling?" Xie Yi snorted, "Your face is wrinkled like this, will your parents think I bullied you?"
Did she show a displeased look?
Yun Wu didn't look in the mirror and couldn't see clearly, but since Xie Yi said there was, then it might be there.
She quickly relaxed her expression, straightened her back, and put on a dignified and reserved look, watching the carriage drive to the Yun family's door.
Another carriage was already waiting at the door.
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