Ordinary morning
The next morning, when Pei Qingwu woke up groggily, he found himself occupying Gu Heng's small couch, with the quilt covering him completely.
Meanwhile, the patient, Gu Heng, huddled on a chair to the side, covered only by a cloak, and had to wrap his arms around himself to keep warm.
He was immediately startled and quickly got up to go over.
"Aheng? Aheng!"
Gu Heng felt extremely uneasy in his dream.
He dreamt that he still had a high fever, his whole body burning hot, while Pei Qingwu's hand, with a coolness he craved, gently stroked his forehead.
The sensation was so real, it seemed to truly dispel the burning pain deep within his bones.
He couldn't help but let out a satisfied sigh, and in his dream, he boldly grabbed that hand and pressed it against his burning cheek.
"Sister..." he murmured incoherently, his voice hoarse with illness and filled with dependence.
In the dream, Pei Qingwu did not pull her hand away; instead, she leaned down following his force.
The woman's loose hair, like the softest gauze, brushed against his neck, bringing a slight shiver and tickle.
He smelled her familiar scent, a scent that made him feel incredibly at ease, yet also inexplicably thirsty.
Her fingertips lightly traced his brow bone, then slowly moved down his straight nose, finally resting on his lips.
That slightly cool touch, like a spark falling into dry grass, instantly ignited all the restlessness hidden in his blood.
He unconsciously opened his lips and gently tasted the coolness, along with the traces of her, into his mouth.
His teeth brushed against Pei Qingwu's fingertips, but he dared not make any further moves, and could only gently kiss him like this.
Are you still feeling unwell?
In his dream, her voice was softer than usual, like warm water soaked in moonlight, flowing over his burning ears.
He shook his head, then nodded, unable to explain whether it was discomfort or something else.
All he knew was that he didn't want her to leave, not even an inch.
Thinking this, he stretched out his weak arms and wrapped them around her waist, burying his burning cheeks in the soft fabric of her clothes.
In his dream, the clothes she wore seemed very thin, allowing him to clearly feel the warmth of her body and her slender waistline.
"Don't go..."
Like a child begging for candy, he stubbornly tightened his arms and pleaded in a muffled voice.
She seemed to chuckle softly, the sound carrying a subtle vibration in her chest, which traveled through their bodies and sent shivers down his spine.
Instead of pushing him away, she gently combed his sweaty temples with her hands.
This silent indulgence, like tacit approval, encouraged him to push his luck even further in his dreams.
He looked up and saw her lowered face. The moonlight outlined a hazy halo behind her, indistinct yet breathtakingly beautiful.
Instinctively, Gu Heng raised his head, wanting to get closer to the light source, wanting to touch that soft, warm breath so close at hand.
Their breaths mingled, drawing ever closer. He could even feel the slight movement of her breath, carrying a dizzying allure.
Just as he was about to touch that longed-for tenderness—
"Aheng? Aheng!"
The voice of reality, like a sharp blade, suddenly cleaved this overly beautiful illusion.
Gu Heng shuddered and woke up from his beautiful dream.
The blinding morning light made him squint instantly. The burning sensation throughout his body had not completely subsided, and the aches and pains from the high fever still lingered in his bones.
Pei Qingwu, whom he had been holding in his dream, was now half-squatting in front of him, bending over, with obvious anxiety on her face.
Her hand rested on his forehead, the real, slightly cool touch just like in his dream.
The stark contrast and the unspeakable images from the dream instantly flooded my mind.
Gu Heng felt a "boom" as all the blood in his body rushed to his head, and his cheeks, ears, and even neck quickly turned crimson, even redder than when he had a high fever the night before.
He recoiled as if electrocuted, avoiding her touch, his eyes darting away in a panic, unable to meet her gaze.
His heart was pounding wildly in his chest, making his eardrums buzz.
"I...I'm fine!" His voice was dry and hoarse from just waking up. He hurriedly denied it, "It's still early, why is the boss up so early..."
He spoke incoherently, trying to mask the turmoil within him with hurried words.
As he spoke, he frantically tried to stand up to prove that he was alright.
However, her body was weak and powerless after the high fever subsided. In addition, her legs and feet had been numb from maintaining one position for too long. As soon as she stood up, she was dizzy and unsteady on her feet, and she was about to fall forward.
Pei Qingwu was taken aback by his sudden dodge and his flushed face. Seeing him stagger, she instinctively reached out to help him.
Her arm was firmly supported, and the distance between the two instantly closed.
The faint scent of medicine lingered in the morning air from last night, now mixed with the boy's unique aura and the scent from Pei Qingwu that had appeared in his dream.
Gu Heng's body froze completely, and even his breathing stopped for a moment.
He could clearly feel the warmth of her palm through the thin fabric of her clothes, more real and more scorching than in his dreams.
Pei Qingwu steadied him, looked at his earlobes that were almost bleeding, and his evasive and panicked eyes, and sighed.
She wasn't an naive young girl; after raising an eyebrow slightly, a knowing glint flashed in her eyes, but she didn't point it out.
After helping him steady, she naturally let go, her tone as usual, with a hint of teasing.
"It seems the medicine worked. The fever has gone down, and he's regained his strength. He can even struggle against a chair now."
As she spoke, she turned and walked towards the small couch, beginning to tidy the bedding, adding seemingly casually, "However, if this happens again next time, the patient should be given priority. I don't want people to say that I'm mistreating a patient."
Gu Heng stood there, watching her busy figure, and pressed his hand hard against his still wildly beating heart. The soft touch and scent he was about to experience in his dream were as deeply imprinted as a brand.
He took a deep breath, the cool morning air filling his lungs, but it did nothing to cool the heat on his face and in his heart.
"Alright." Pei Qingwu handed him the folded quilt. "Go back to your room first, don't catch a cold again. I'll call you when breakfast is ready. After you eat, take another dose of medicine, and you should feel better."
"Okay, I got it."
For breakfast today, Yinlan made sesame sugar cakes, steamed a basket of small steamed buns, sliced a plate of boiled mutton, and cooked fish porridge.
The food on the table was steaming hot and fragrant, making one's mouth water.
With business slow for several days, people weren't as busy as before and were able to sit down and enjoy a proper meal.
"By the way, Master, I made the jade floss cake you taught me last night. I'll let everyone try it later and see if I can graduate from my apprenticeship."
Fifth Sister bit into a piece of sugar cake and said happily.
These past few days, Pei Qingwu has been having her and Yu Yi focus on practicing making various desserts.
Their skills are good enough, but if they want to open their own shops, they still need to practice until they are proficient.
"Sure, let me try it out and see how good I am at training apprentices."
Time flies when you eat and chat.
Gu Heng finished eating first. As he was clearing away the dishes and getting up, Pei Qingwu called out to him, "Aheng, go check on the medicine on the stove. If it's better, drink it quickly."
"I……"
Gu Heng's face immediately fell: "Boss, I'm fine now, I don't need to drink anymore."
“You have to drink it, you have to get rid of the root of the disease completely.” Pei Qingwu said, “Why are you such a man, so afraid of drinking bitter medicine? Nianci doesn’t even need to be coaxed to drink medicine.”
Nianci, who was called out, couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"I, I..." Gu Heng blushed, but finally agreed: "I'll listen to the boss, I'll drink it."
After breakfast, Nianci followed Zheng Youning to read aloud, while Jinniang washed the dishes and chopsticks. Shi Dayong helped her, and Xiaomingyi slept soundly on his back.
Pei Qingwu looked at her, then turned to Yin Lan with a smile and asked, "When do you think our shop will have some good news?"
Yin Lan pursed her lips: "Then let's see which one, Brother Shi or Sister Jinniang, will break the ice first."
"In any case, I'll probably have to prepare a dowry for Jinniang." Pei Qingwu thought for a moment and then asked, "Yinlan, did your previous family ever marry off a daughter? What was the ceremony like?"
She didn't know much about the wedding customs of this era, but wanted to have a high-standard wedding.
Yin Lan carefully folded the dishcloth in her hand and placed it aside. After a moment's thought, she said, "Since the master has asked, I will tell you. When the second daughter of the former master, Lin Mingfu, got married, I helped in the kitchen and saw some of it."
“When an official’s daughter gets married, there are many rules and the scale is grand. The dowry alone is not just gold and silver. First of all, there is furniture and woodenware. Beds, chests, dressing tables, and screens are all made of the best wood and crafted by skilled artisans. Everything is provided and there is enough to fill the whole room.”
"Secondly, there were farmland and shops. Master Lin gave her fifty acres of fertile land in the west of the city as part of her dowry, as well as a share in a silk shop in the east market. Then there were jewelry and headdresses, gold and silver bracelets, hairpins, hair ornaments, pearls and gemstones. The quantity varied depending on the family's wealth, but there had to be at least one set of pure gold and one set of jade to make an impression. Clothes for all four seasons, bedding and curtains, antiques and ornaments, and the Four Treasures of the Study were also indispensable. He even specially made a set of exquisite gold and silver tableware for the girl, symbolizing that she would have no worries about food and clothing."
Pei Qingwu listened attentively and nodded slightly; these things were indeed much more complicated than she had imagined.
Yinlan observed her expression and changed the subject: "However, Master, that's the style of an official family, spending hundreds or even thousands of strings of cash at a time. We ordinary people don't need to completely imitate that. In my opinion, if Sister Jinniang is to get married, the most important thing is that her intentions are genuine."
She carefully suggested: "Make a few essential pieces of furniture, such as a bed and chests. Choose sturdy and durable wood; there's no need to pursue expensive items. For jewelry, make a set of pure silver, and add one or two jade or gold hairpins. This will be both respectable and not excessive for everyday wear."
"As for clothes and bedding, our shop can provide the best materials and have them tailored, which is both affordable and thoughtful. Add a few more bolts of fine silk and some silver for the dowry, so that Sister Jinniang will have plenty of money, which will make for a very generous dowry."
"Most importantly, our shop is like the bride's family, so we can't skimp on the wedding celebrations and blessings. When the time comes, we'll work together to make the wedding a grand and lively affair, which is much better than any amount of empty pomp and circumstance."
After listening, Pei Qingwu suddenly understood and smiled, "What you said makes sense. Showing off is for others to see, but real benefits and sincerity are what truly matter."
After finishing this matter, she went to check on the practice results of Wu Niang and Yu Yi.
The two of them had been studying under her for so long, and they were both eager to learn and improve, so naturally they couldn't be too bad.
It has all three: shape, aroma, and taste.
Although upon closer examination, it is indeed different from what she did, it is still quite remarkable to have achieved this level.
"Not bad, with a little more practice, you'll be ready to graduate."
Meeting the expectant gazes of the two girls, Pei Qingwu praised them with delight: "I reckon that once the flood is over, you'll be able to start anew and open a branch of Sushan Market in Qinzhou."
"Really?"
The two were both surprised and delighted.
Pei Qingwu nodded: "Of course it's true. I've already chosen the land, now it's up to you to see how you perform."
Wu Niang and Yu Yi exchanged a glance and said firmly, "Master, rest assured, we two will never let you down!"
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