As I watched my mother stumble and run away, my heart ached terribly.
"Don't worry, young madam. Only Madam Ji can handle this matter herself. There's nothing you can do to help."
The wandering doctor smiled in a particularly harmless way, but then she lured the little snake onto my blanket.
I'm terrified of these things. "Doctor, please take the snake away, I, I..."
“The young lady does not want to see the Marquis anymore. He left the city overnight for you, risking his life.”
But what does that have to do with putting the snake on my blanket? I saw it crawling towards me and quickly closed my eyes.
I can almost smell the fishy odor on it. Back in Linyang, I had Xie Yuancheng to rely on, but now all that's left is the soft bed behind me.
"Hey, you're a mother now, and you're still so afraid of these little things. They may be cold-blooded, but they're still much better than people."
I was so scared that I broke out in a sweat. The traveling doctor patted my face and said, "Young lady, wake up. Your son is here."
Yu'er arrived, and I hurriedly opened my eyes, only to see the little snake with its mouth wide open at me. I screamed in fright.
"Young master."
The maids and servants who had been running outside rushed in, and the traveling doctor scolded them from the side: "Who let you in? Hurry up and prepare what Madam Ji has arranged."
"Doctor, don't be annoyed. The things are already being prepared. Now all that's missing is boiling water and the small bottle that Madam mentioned."
"That's good. Why don't you all go outside and wait?"
I coughed, leaning against the pillow behind me, and waved to them. Even if they were here, they couldn't help me.
"Young master, we'll be guarding the door. Please let us know if you need anything."
I nodded. What it looked like just now really scared me to death. Luckily, it had already climbed back.
"Doctor, why are you scaring me like this?"
"I'm not trying to scare you. It's a spirit snake, and ordinary people can't even get its medicinal ingredients."
"What kind of medicinal ingredient?"
“You wouldn’t understand even if I told you, but your lord does. Once he arrives, you can tell him and he’ll know.”
"Yuancheng's injuries... the doctor and the shopkeeper know each other, can you help save him?"
The wandering doctor shook his head. "Tsk tsk, you're already terminally ill, and you're still thinking about your husband. He's been taken care of by my old man for a long time. This time, he was betrayed by the people around him, which is why his old illness flared up. You two are really something, two grown people, and you don't even know whether the people around you are good or bad."
"Thank you both for saving me. If you need any help, just let me know."
The wandering doctor let the little snake lie on her arm. Although she looked disdainful, she was a very kind person.
"You were kind enough to help my old man back then, consider this your good fortune."
"The shopkeeper said that he was the one who brought Yuancheng and me together. Thank you."
"Don't listen to his bragging. You two were destined to be together, but there was a jinx in your fate. Later, you helped him, and he secretly helped you matchmake."
"Is what the doctor said true?"
The wandering doctor put my hand down. "It's because you're not afraid of snakes anymore that you dare to tug at my sleeve."
As soon as I thought about what had just happened, I quickly leaned back.
"But what happens next depends on your fate. It's all a mix of reality and illusion. You have to let go when the time comes."
I sensed something was off about her words and was about to ask her when I saw my mother run in and hand a small bottle to the wandering doctor.
"Doctor, this is blood from the heart."
"Madam Ji is indeed very fond of her daughter. Then let's move Miss Ji to the dark room."
"But the hot water isn't hot enough yet."
"It's alright, a little heat is fine."
I was carried to the darkroom again. There was only one oil lamp lit inside. Even though it was broad daylight, it felt like nighttime when I went in.
The mother wanted to stay by her side, but the traveling doctor chased her away.
Her face appeared even more obscure in the darkness.
"Young lady, after you take a nap, your whole body feels like it's broken. But if you lie in bed for three days, you'll recover every day after that, and you'll be able to get out of bed and run around in a month."
Listening to her voice made me feel incredibly sleepy. All I remember is the light casting the small snake's silhouette on the wall, making it look like a large python.
I don't know how long I slept, but I suddenly heard Yu'er's voice. He was complaining that I never hugged him. Just as I reached out to him, Yu'er disappeared.
"Yu'er!"
I woke up with a start, looking at the bed curtains. Was I dreaming or having a nightmare? Shouldn't I be in a darkroom?
"Ying'er".
It was Xie Yuancheng's voice. I quickly turned my head to look at the edge of the bed, and it really was him.
"Yuancheng, you've arrived."
"I'm here." He gripped my hand tightly, staring at me intently, as if I would disappear at any moment.
"The wounds on your body."
"Everything is ready."
"Stop trying to fool me. When we broke up, I saw you had a lot of new and old injuries."
Xie Yuancheng actually took off all his clothes, leaving only a thin shirt, and tore it open to show me what was underneath.
It really is healed, except for some scars and marks.
"Great, you're all right now, so I'm all right too."
"Ying'er, you are not allowed to go to the East Palace again next time, and you should not confront the Crown Prince directly."
I saw the bloodshot eyes and the heavy dark circles under his eyes. I gently reached out and touched his face, as if touching them would make them disappear.
"Okay, I will stay far away from him from now on."
Xie Yuancheng held my hand, and tears started welling up in his eyes. I tried to wipe them away, but as soon as I raised my hand, I fainted.
Since returning to the Ji residence, he has become extremely sleepy, and he is awake for no more than three hours each day.
I can always hear Yu'er's voice in my ear. Maybe it's because I miss him so much. Counting the time, it's been four months since I last saw him. In ordinary families, parents would hold their children all the time. How could they bear to not see him when he was just born?
The smell of milk is wonderful, and the more I smell it, the better it smells, just like the milk on Yu'er.
I don't know who slapped my face; it was so light, like a gentle breeze.
When I opened my eyes, I saw Yu'er standing in front of me.
"Yu'er".
"Eee-yah-yah".
Yu'er was talking to me, tugging at my hair with her little hands, patting my face, and laughing very happily.
Am I dreaming?
“Ying’er, if you’re dreaming, I’ll drag you out of your dream.” I looked to the side and saw Xie Yuancheng pick up Yu’er: “When you were unconscious, you only knew to call Yu’er’s name, but you never even called me once.”
It really was my son! I woke up feeling great and immediately reached out to hug him.
Xie Yuancheng actually dodged it, and his mother came in too.
"Ying'er, you're finally awake. You've been asleep for almost five days. Yu'er has been bothering you every day, and no matter how much you call his name, he won't wake up."
It really was Yu'er talking to me in my dream. I don't even want to know how Xie Yuancheng brought him here anymore; I just want to hug him.
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