Chapter 70 Doubts and Crutch
Nanny Xia stayed in the palace, adding another touch of smoke and fire to the palace. She took over Qingwu's cooking job and pushed Qingwu out of the kitchen.
"You two little girls, how can you ask the master to cook?"
Baozhu and Yuzhu lowered their heads in shame. Fortunately, Qingwu explained for them, "I made it. My craftsmanship is better than theirs."
This made Nanny Xia's eyes flash with heartache again. After a pause, she said, "This old servant's craftsmanship is good. From now on, this old servant will do it."
Nanny Xia took over Qingwu's work. The houses in the palace were repaired and the yard was taken care of. Qingwu then concentrated on massaging Xiao Ji. In fact, if acupuncture was performed, his leg should have healed faster, but Xi Qingtong could understand some pharmacology, but she would never know acupuncture.
Qingwu could only use the most inconspicuous method, which was to soak his feet in water boiled with mugwort, ginger and motherwort twice a day to promote blood circulation, and then supplemented with massage. After a few days, the purple color spreading from the gauze really faded faster.
Today was the same. She squatted on the ground, her white skirt spread out on the ground. She soaked Xiao Ji's feet in hot water. She ran her thumbs along the curve of the arch of the foot, slowly pressing from the heel to the toes. After a moment, she kneaded the sole of the foot in a circular motion, gradually increasing the pressure...
Amid the sound of dripping water, the boy's eyes gradually softened and became hazy. At this time, Xiao Ji felt that the lake in his heart was like this basin of water being stirred and swayed by her, and the tenderness seemed to be transmitted into his heart along with the sound of water.
The scene of wearing flowers in his hair yesterday appeared in his mind again. The beauty and brightness were intertwined with the gentleness and virtue of today. Xiao Ji could no longer deny that his heart was moved. This time the heartbeat was much stronger than the last time.
The lady is so nice, how could he let such a girl down?
The candlelight flickered in Xiao Ji's eyes. He looked at Qing Wu and suddenly realized that he hadn't thought of the Xi family's second wife in a long time. The bright smile in his memory, along with the fragrance that lingered in his nose when she rescued him, had quietly faded in his interactions with the lady before him.
However, at this moment, a familiar scent filled his nostrils without warning, like a fine needle gently plucking open a veil, revealing his dusty memories.
His eyes fell on the lady in front of him. He paused for a moment, then suddenly leaned closer to her. From the bitter herbal scent, he accurately caught a smell that was extremely similar to that day. Xiao Ji's breathing suddenly stopped.
He recalled the similar scent he had noticed on the first night they slept together. At that time, he had simply thought that the two sisters were used to using the same perfume, and that they were only four or five percent similar. However, during the past few days together, he had not found any perfume or anything like that in the house.
The young man's brows frowned slightly. He stared at Qingwu with a hint of inquiry in his eyes.
"Qingqing, what kind of perfume do you like to use on a daily basis?" He asked calmly, but his heart was beating half a beat faster than before.
Qing Wu was already startled by Xiao Ji's sudden approach, and when he suddenly asked, he subconsciously answered, "No, I didn't use the ointment. I don't like it very much."
No ointment was used.
The boy got his answer, but his doubts only grew. He wanted to express his doubts directly, but he felt guilty even for mistaking her for Xi Er Niang before. How could he have the nerve to mention her twin sister now? Not to mention something as intimate as smell.
The girl was very sensitive. How could Xiao Ji dare to let his wife find out that he had ever had feelings for her twin sister?
But no matter how he asked, Xiao Ji always felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't say what was wrong. It was as if he was immersed in a thin fog, and he could see clearly but also couldn't see clearly.
"What's wrong? Mukuro likes me using ointment?"
"No, I just think you have a nice fragrance, I'm curious."
Xiao Ji's expression remained unchanged, as if he was just asking casually.
Faced with his praise, Qingwu did not doubt it, but just smiled shyly, wiped his feet, and then brought out some water.
The two of them still slept together at night. In the quiet of the night, Xiao Ji smelled the increasingly familiar smell beside him, and the doubts in his heart once again surfaced in his mind.
He remembered that when his wife was still in the Eastern Palace, she loved to use perfume. In the few times they had come into contact, he could smell her strong fragrance...
Why don’t you like using it now?
*
Qingwu didn't know that the man beside her had become a little suspicious of her. She was thinking about discussing with Nanny Xia how to cultivate the land in the backyard.
Xiao Ji was tidied up early in the morning and pushed to the wooden table in the corridor. The sun was strong recently and he didn't like to go out much. Qingwu asked Zhao Tong and prepared a pot of tea and a book for him according to Xiao Ji's preferences.
Just as she was about to go to the kitchen to find Nanny Xia, she saw someone coming at the door from afar. After a closer look, a look of joy immediately appeared on her face.
Xiao Ji's fingertips hovered between the pages of the book. Following Qing Wu's surprised gaze, he saw the dark-skinned boy striding towards him carrying the wooden product. Each step he took was firm and powerful, which made his movement of turning the pages of the book freeze in mid-air.
Looking at the young man of the same age as him walking briskly, Xiao Ji was stunned for two breaths and lowered his eyes unconsciously.
He fixed his eyes on the book, trying to focus his mind on it, but a voice from not far away kept coming to his ears, "Madam Xi, what you want is ready!"
When Qingwu came to him, Ah Zhu grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth, "My father made this cane himself, it's very sturdy!"
Xiao Ji froze. Was it a crutch made for him? The book in his hand suddenly loosened.
Just as Qing Wu's fingertips touched the polished handle of the cane, she heard the sound of a teacup colliding with the table behind her. When she turned around, she saw Xiao Jichui hurriedly cleaning the table, having obviously spilled the tea.
"Thank you for the trip." Qing Wu quickly stuffed the silver into the boy's palm, then returned to the corridor with his crutches, setting one aside. After helping Xiao Ji wipe the water off the table, Qing Wu smiled and pointed at the crutch, saying, "Liu Lang, try this?"
The time she had spent washing and massaging his feet these days was not in vain. She had carefully observed his legs and they were recovering quite well. Now that he was over twenty years old, he should be able to try using a cane.
Ultimately, Qingwu felt sorry for his daily travel difficulties. How could she not catch a glimpse of his dejected look? It was truly frustrating to need help with everything.
After hearing Qing Wu's frank words, Xiao Ji's eyes had to fall on the pair of crutches. Although the crutches were made of ordinary elm wood and had a simple style, it could be seen that they were carefully polished and well-made. They should be a good crutch.
Looking at the pair of crutches, Xiao Ji felt bitter in his throat. He used all his strength to calmly utter two words, "No need."
Although Xiao Ji was in a normal mood on weekdays, he would think of the words of the head of the Imperial Hospital many late nights.
Even though his wife massaged him every day and Zhao Tong prepared medicine for him, the pain in his legs was getting less and less day by day, but all this careful care only made the piercing pain gradually turn into a dull ache hidden in his heart.
Xiao Ji knew clearly that his leg was not fully healed and he would be lame in the future.
So this crutch did not make the boy happy at all, but only made him want to escape more.
Xiao Ji turned away with a stiff face, his expression of rejection too obvious.
But Qing Wu was not angry at all. Instead, he sat down beside him and said softly, "But I want to see Liu Lang try to take a few steps."
Warm breath brushed past his ears, and the ice that had just built up in his heart showed signs of melting. Xiao Ji's Adam's apple rolled twice with difficulty, but finally he hardened his heart and turned his face away and said, "No, take it away."
What was the use of this crutch? To see in advance that I was really lame?
He thought Qingwu would continue to persuade him, but unexpectedly she gave up. "Okay, then I'll go chop this crutch and make a fire for Madam to cook..."
This made Xiao Ji turn his head sharply, and when he looked up, he met her smiling eyes. There was cunning in those eyes, as if she had anticipated his move.
The young man's body suddenly froze, and the two looked at each other for a few seconds, and he was the first to be defeated.
Xiao Ji turned his head away and looked into the distance, but he saw the small sycamore tree in the yard. At this moment, it was stretching its branches and swaying in the wind.
After staring at the tree for a few breaths, the young man suddenly said, "...Just leave it there."
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