The wind from beyond the Great Wall carried the harsh scent of sand and dust, sweeping over the towering walls of the General's Mansion, but it could not dispel the sweet fragrance and faint...sour smell lingering in the warm pavilion of the inner courtyard.
Shen Zhao leaned against a chaise longue covered with thick cushions, a thin brocade blanket draped over her. Her black hair was loosely tied up, a few strands falling beside her cheeks, making her originally bright face appear somewhat languidly pale. She frowned slightly, her fingertips unconsciously twirling the tassels at the edge of the blanket. Her gaze fell on a plate of freshly washed, glistening, purplish-red mulberries on a small table, but she quickly looked away, as if looking at them for even a second longer would cause her discomfort.
"Mmm..." A barely audible groan escaped from her lips.
Almost simultaneously, the heavy curtain was deftly lifted by a large, well-defined hand, bringing in a gust of cool air from outside. Lu Qi's tall figure, clad in a dark, close-fitting outfit, walked in, his shoulders still dusty. His brows held the sharp edge of someone who had just come from the training ground, but the moment his gaze fell upon the person on the bed, his icy demeanor melted away, transforming into a warm spring.
"What's wrong, Zhao Zhao?" He strode to the bedside, knelt down on one knee, and naturally reached out to touch Shen Zhao's forehead. His movements were so gentle that they were completely different from the imposing manner he had when he lifted the curtain earlier. "Are you feeling unwell? Or is this little thing bothering you again?" His gaze fell on Shen Zhao's slightly protruding belly, and his tone was full of undisguised concern, even carrying a hint of "dissatisfaction" with the little one who had "troubled" his beloved wife even before being born.
Shen Zhao pouted, her voice thick with a nasal tone, and complained coquettishly, "It's all your fault! You insisted on having mulberries delivered... Just looking at them makes my teeth ache and my heart race." She pointed at the innocent plate of mulberries as if it were a terrible sin.
Lu Qi was taken aback, then chuckled softly, his chest vibrating with a pleasant, magnetic quality. He casually picked up a plump mulberry and deliberately held it to Shen Zhao's lips: "Try it? It's a rare treat from the North, very sweet."
"No!" Shen Zhao immediately turned her head away, like a cat with its fur standing on end, and reached out to push away his strong arm. "Take it away! I can't stand the smell!"
Her force was like a tickle to Lu Qi. Lu Qi took advantage of the situation to grab her hand that was pushing him away, and wrapped it in his warm and broad palm. His other hand was even faster. Taking advantage of her unpreparedness, he dipped his fingertip in the deep purple juice of a mulberry and quickly wiped it lightly on her slightly pouting lips.
"Ah!" Shen Zhao exclaimed, feeling a cool sensation on her lips, followed by a sweet and slightly sour taste that melted on her tongue. She subconsciously licked it, and the taste... didn't seem as unbearable as she had imagined; instead, it strangely whetted her appetite.
"Lu Qi! You...you bastard!" Shen Zhao reacted instantly, her cheeks flushing red with shame and anger. She raised her hand to hit him. Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes were glistening with tears, and her puffed-up face was lively and vivid, showing no trace of her previous listless and sickly appearance.
Lu Qi easily caught her outstretched wrist, leaned closer, and gently wiped away the lingering purplish-red from her lips with his calloused fingertips. His deep eyes were filled with a mischievous smile and an overwhelming doting affection: "Yes, you're a jerk. A jerk who bullies my little bunny." His deep voice brushed against her ear, carrying a burning heat, "But, considering you look a bit better, this jerk's worth it."
Held in her arms, Shen Zhao listened to the steady, powerful heartbeat of his chest and felt the familiar warmth emanating from him. The annoyance she felt at being teased dissipated like a burst bubble. She gave his firm chest a light, feather-light punch, and scolded, "Who's your little bunny! Go away, I want dried apricots, the kind that's just been pickled in the kitchen, the really sour kind!"
"Yes, madam," Lu Qi replied with a smile, releasing her and standing up briskly. He strode out, his voice loud and clear as he gave orders to the servants. Watching his figure disappear through the doorway, Shen Zhao touched her lips, which still seemed to retain the warmth of his fingertips and the sweetness of mulberries. The corners of her mouth unconsciously curved into a smile.
Every time he makes such a shameless fuss, the inexplicable irritability and depression in my heart seems to be blown away with his laughter.
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away.
Spring in Jiangnan was already so abundant it seemed to melt away. Life in Liuxi Village was like the babbling brook at the village entrance—clear, slow-paced, and brimming with vitality. After several days of rest, the scabs and scrapes on Xiao Chengkang and A Yuan's bodies had long since scabbed over and fallen off, leaving only faint pink marks. The deeper cut on A Yuan's arm, thanks to Xiao Chengkang's daily careful dressing and care, had completely subsided, leaving only a shallow mark that would take time to heal.
The threshold of that mud-brick courtyard at the end of the village has been worn down by countless footsteps in the past few days. The villagers know that "Young Master Kang" has returned, along with a beautiful "A-Yuan Girl." All their chronic aches and pains, spring coughs and shortness of breath, and restless nights with their children have come to seek him out.
In the small main room, an old wooden table was temporarily set up, which served as Xiao Chengkang's medical record. He sat upright behind it, his well-defined fingers resting on the wrist of an old man with gray hair. His expression was focused and gentle, and sunlight streamed through the wooden lattice window, casting soft shadows on his serene profile.
A-Yuan quietly helped out. She skillfully and deftly sorted the dried herbs into wicker boxes; or, following Xiao Chengkang's whispered instructions, she accurately retrieved the required packets of herbs from the medicine box and carefully weighed them on a small scale. Occasionally, a woman carrying a crying baby would come in, and A-Yuan would gently soothe her with kind words. Her gentle and patient demeanor quickly won the hearts of the village women.
"Young Master Kang, my old leg pain flares up every spring..." Uncle Zhang pounded his knee, his brows furrowed.
Xiao Chengkang withdrew his hand and said gently, "Uncle Zhang, it's nothing serious. It's just dampness blocking your meridians. I'll give you a couple of acupuncture treatments later to improve your blood circulation. I'll also have A Yuan wrap some moxa wool for you to take home. Wrap it in a cloth and place it on your lap to fumigate it every night before bed." He turned his head and said, "A Yuan, get the moxa wool packet from compartment number three."
"Yes, Brother Kang Kang." A Yuan responded naturally, turned around and took out a small blue cloth bag from the medicine box, handed it to Uncle Zhang, and carefully instructed him on the time and heat of the fumigation. That "Brother Kang Kang" was clear and crisp, with the soft and sweet tone unique to the water towns of Jiangnan. When she called out it, there was not a trace of awkwardness in her voice, as if she had called it a thousand times.
Xiao Chengkang's hand, which was holding the pen, paused almost imperceptibly, and the ink smudged into a tiny dot on the rough paper. His expression remained unchanged, and he continued to gently instruct Uncle Zhang on dietary restrictions, but a faint blush crept up his ears.
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