Chapter 9
"I want to take it with me."
Ye Jiao's words surprised Manager Dong somewhat. After all, although this little thing bloomed out of season, it only lived for one year. Besides being decorative, it had no great use, couldn't be eaten or worn, and the flowers were pitifully small, far less brilliant than other flowers.
But Manager Dong agreed without the slightest hesitation. Being able to make Ye Jiao happy with one Stone Sprout Grass seemed extremely worthwhile to him.
He called over a nearby apprentice to dig up the Stone Sprout Grass. Ye Jiao said: "Since it grows in stones, put a stone in the flowerpot."
Ye Jiao remembered clearly that it grew on stones. If it was just buried in soil, this little thing would feel stifled and die soon.
Obviously it didn't like eating dirt either.
Manager Dong immediately smiled and said: "Young Mistress is right," then turned to the apprentice and said, "Hurry up and find a stone."
The apprentice found a stone to put in the flowerpot, fixing it with field mud around the sides. After the Stone Sprout Grass was moved in, it still swayed its little red flowers, but looked much more spirited than before.
Ye Jiao originally wanted to carry the flowerpot herself, but Little Su quickly took it and held it in her arms, saying: "Let me do it, Young Mistress, be careful not to dirty your hands."
This was something Little Su had heard Qi Yun say to Ye Jiao before. That person didn't even want Ye Jiao to touch chicken feed, let alone this.
Thinking of her Little Black with its bald tail, Little Su's nose wrinkled.
Ye Jiao didn't insist and took Little Su into the front hall, asking as they walked: "Manager Dong, is Stone Sprout Grass easy to find?"
Manager Dong immediately replied: "Not much. It grows small and delicate, and only lives for one year. Ordinary people don't really recognize it, so finding more would be difficult."
Ye Jiao felt somewhat regretful, but she wasn't greedy.
Being able to encounter one plant was already good fortune. She couldn't demand more.
When they reached the front hall, Nanny Liu had already brought up the egg custard, along with two additional small dishes.
Ye Jiao washed her hands and sat down. Seeing Little Su looking at her eagerly, she couldn't help but laugh and said to Nanny Liu: "Give her a bowl too, Nanny Liu, you should eat some as well. You must be hungry after the journey."
Little Su immediately smiled, and Nanny Liu didn't decline. After thanking Ye Jiao, she took a portion of the food aside to eat. Ye Jiao also portioned out some egg custard for Little Su.
Ye Jiao stared at the Stone Sprout Grass's little flowers, her mind full of thoughts about how to raise this little thing, somewhat absentmindedly scooping a spoonful of egg custard into her mouth.
She didn't know what egg custard was. She had just remembered it after hearing Ye Bao constantly mention it earlier.
When the egg custard entered her mouth, Ye Jiao felt it was especially smooth and soft, and she could chew the minced chicken mixed in, seasoned with sesame oil, leaving a lingering fragrance in her mouth.
Originally Ye Jiao had just mentioned it casually, but after tasting one bite she couldn't stop, and finally the whole bowl went into her stomach.
Patting her belly, Ye Jiao exhaled.
Being human was wonderful.
After finishing the meal, Ye Jiao took the Stone Sprout Grass flowerpot and rode the ox cart back home.
As soon as she arrived home, she immediately returned to her own courtyard, walking extremely quickly. Little Su had to run to keep up.
When Ye Jiao pushed open the room door, she immediately saw Qi Yun wearing an outer garment and sitting behind the table, looking at her with some surprise, as if he hadn't expected Ye Jiao to return so quickly.
Ye Jiao's bright eyes widened somewhat, and her soft lips pressed together slightly.
Qi Yun was somewhat puzzled. Usually Ye Jiao was always cheerful and talkative. This was the first time he had seen Ye Jiao like this, and he couldn't help wondering if his wife was angry.
Afraid of letting in cold air, Ye Jiao beckoned Little Su holding the flowerpot to follow her inside, then quickly closed the door.
When she turned around, her brow furrowed: "Husband, you promised me you would rest quietly. What if you catch cold again?"
Resting quietly meant lying properly in bed. How could he get up?
Only then did Qi Yun understand that Ye Jiao was worried about him. He couldn't help but smile, put down the brush in his hand, and said gently: "I slept for half the day and my body felt stiff, so I just got up to eat and thought I'd look at the accounts since it was still early."
"It's better to go back and lie down. You mustn't catch cold again." Ye Jiao stepped forward wanting to help him, but seeing that Qi Yun was wearing sleeping clothes while she hadn't changed her clothes, afraid that the cold air on her body would affect him, Ye Jiao stopped. "Go lie down yourself. I'll watch from here."
After waking up, Qi Yun no longer felt dizzy, but rather had a rare sense of comfort. However, hearing the concern in Ye Jiao's words made Qi Yun feel warmth in his heart. He didn't refuse and immediately stood up to go to the bed, covering himself tightly with the blanket.
After wrapping himself up properly, Qi Yun looked at Ye Jiao with peaceful eyes: "Why did you come back so early today?"
Seeing him being obedient, Ye Jiao's brow relaxed, her face showing a smile as she said: "I was worried about you, so I came back."
These words were direct and honest. The little ginseng had always been one to say whatever was in her heart, but hearing it in Qi Yun's ears made him feel warmly comforted.
Warm and cozy, heating him to his very core.
Ye Jiao didn't notice the scattered emotion showing on Qi Yun's face. She continued: "On the way back I went to the medicine garden and brought back one of these."
Little Su had been standing obediently to one side. Hearing Ye Jiao's words, she immediately lifted the flowerpot in her arms.
Qi Yun glanced at it once and said: "Stone Sprout Grass is indeed rare, not easy to encounter."
Ye Jiao was somewhat surprised: "Husband, you know it too?" Manager Dong had clearly said it wasn't very common.
Qi Yun didn't think this was anything unusual, saying slowly: "I usually have nothing else to do, so I've read many miscellaneous books. I remembered it after reading about it in books."
"Husband is so capable!"
"What's so capable about that." Although he said this, Qi Yun's face still showed a smile.
Ye Jiao was very insistent. Being able to remember everything he read in books, her husband was much more capable than others.
But soon, Qi Yun seemed to think of something and looked up to ask: "Haven't you gone to see Mother since you returned?"
Ye Jiao honestly shook her head: "No."
Qi Yun smiled and said: "You should still go see her. We brothers always go let Mother see us when we return from anywhere. Since you married me, you're like half a daughter to Mother. It's good to tell Mother when you come home."
Ye Jiao always listened to his words and immediately nodded: "I'll remember."
"When you go, you don't need to say much, just say that everything went well on this return home visit."
Ye Jiao categorized this as one of the things she needed to learn after becoming human, obediently replying: "Good."
But before going out, Ye Jiao instructed Little Su: "Put this pot of Stone Sprout Grass in a sunny place inside the room, don't move it outside."
Seeing Little Su nod, she went out to Liu Shi's courtyard.
Little Su immediately went to arrange the flowerpot, but her face showed undisguised surprise.
She had been a helper at the Qi family for nearly two years, and from the first time she saw Qi Yun, she had never seen this Second Young Master in any good mood.
Always silent, with a stiff face, like a living dead person.
Never mind smiling, she had barely heard him speak a few times.
But just now Qi Yun had smiled so gently at Ye Jiao, his voice warm too. Although his face remained pale, he had much more liveliness.
Little Su suddenly wondered if she had misunderstood Second Young Master before. Maybe he just looked unwell, but was gentle at heart?
But when Little Su finished arranging the flowerpot and turned to look at Qi Yun, she was met with a cold, indifferent face.
Pale face, dark eyes, gloomy expression, exactly the same frightening appearance as always!
Little Su's back turned cold, her body stiffening. She just wanted to slap herself.
What was she thinking randomly!
The gentle Second Young Master just now was definitely an illusion!
Qi Yun sat up halfway in bed, leaning against the pillow, his eyes looking at Little Su.
Little Su jumped up like a rabbit, standing straight and stiff.
But Qi Yun had no intention of making things difficult for her, asking flatly: "Why did Jiao Niang really come back so early?"
The same question, Ye Jiao could say she was worried about Qi Yun, and her heart truly thought so, but Qi Yun didn't really believe it.
Little Su didn't hide anything at all, recounting everything that had just happened like pouring beans from a bamboo tube, clearly and completely.
When he heard that the Ye family hadn't prepared a return home feast, Qi Yun frowned slightly.
When he heard that Ye Jiao had avoided Second Sister-in-law Ye, Qi Yun coughed lightly.
And when he heard Ye Bao's shouting, Qi Yun said: "Enough."
This word, though without any emotional fluctuation, made Little Su immediately fall silent.
Qi Yun really hadn't expected the Ye family to be so lacking in sense, unable to handle even basic appearances properly.
Behind closed doors they couldn't manage their family affairs, and with doors open they didn't know how to maintain face.
This trip Liu Shi had Ye Jiao go back also to give her a chance to see clearly, so that in the future she wouldn't need to have any contact with those people.
Now it seemed the Ye family was even more unreliable than imagined.
It would be best if they behaved themselves in the future. If they didn't behave...
Thinking this, Qi Yun remained expressionless, waving his hand for Little Su to leave. The little girl immediately went out the door, carefully closing it, then ran away without looking back.
Qi Yun lifted the blanket, put on his shoes and got out of bed, walked to the table, and picked up the account book.
Opening it, he took out Second Brother Ye's IOU from inside.
Unfolding it to look, Qi Yun calmly placed this slip of paper that should have been destroyed into a wooden box, locked it, opened the cabinet door and put it inside.
Taking the account book from the table back to bed, Qi Yun put on his outer garment, covered himself with the blanket, leaned against the headboard, and calmly opened the account book.
Just then, Ye Jiao returned.
Seeing his wife, Qi Yun's face immediately thawed like ice and snow, his expression becoming gentle.
Seeing that Qi Yun was still properly in bed, she also smiled, placing the food box she carried on the table: "You slept late this morning and missed the time for taking medicine. Taking it now is the same. Let me change clothes and then I'll bring it to you."
Qi Yun softly said "mm," his face especially calm.
These medicines were the same whenever he took them. He had been taking medicine since birth, drinking bowl after bowl of bitter medicinal soup, but his health hadn't improved much.
Over the years, medicine that others found frighteningly bitter, Qi Yun could drink twice daily without changing expression.
It seemed that drinking too much bitter medicine had made his tongue insensitive.
If he had missed a dose before, Qi Yun wouldn't have cared. Now it was different, he wanted to live, so medicine that should be taken had to be taken, not delayed even a bit.
Ye Jiao took her usual clothes and skirt and walked toward the screen not far from the bed.
Qi Yun had the account book spread in his hands. He glanced at the screen once and withdrew his gaze.
The screen in his room wasn't the fine stone screens of official households, but a simple wooden screen carved with plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum. Although there were some openwork parts, it wasn't transparent when looked at directly.
This screen was usually used to block the bathtub, and was also used when changing clothes normally.
Qi Yun hadn't intended to look at anything. He had fondness and tenderness for his wife, but the upright Second Master Qi, accustomed to propriety, still focused mainly on the account book in his hands.
He had also figured it out. Before he was waiting to die, so naturally he didn't care about business, but now even if just for his little wife he had to work hard.
What Qi Yun held were the family's wine shop and medicine shop. No matter what happened in the future, for now he had to earn enough assets for Jiao Niang.
At this time, Qi Yun heard Ye Jiao's voice from behind the screen: "Husband, Mother said we don't need to go eat dinner with her these days either. Your health is important, so don't move around."
"Good." Qi Yun responded, unexpectedly looking up, and saw the woman's garments hanging on top of the screen.
The outer robe was refined, the skirt elegant, and there was a plain-colored undergarment with thin straps hanging down, swaying slightly.
Qi Yun inexplicably thought of that morning after their wedding, when the woman squatted beside his soft couch, with the undergarment straps behind her neck, revealing shoulders white as jade and a long, beautiful neck...
When Ye Jiao, having changed clothes, came out from behind the screen, she saw Qi Yun leaning against the pillow looking at the account book.
He appeared exceptionally focused, but Ye Jiao noticed this person's ears were bright red.
Blinking, the woman reached out to touch them, feeling the heat of his ears.
Ye Jiao was somewhat surprised, thinking he was unwell again, and hurriedly reached out to grasp his wrist.
Because Ye Jiao's pulse-taking method was different from others, Qi Yun thought she was just worried about him.
After feeling for a while, she found nothing unusual.
Ye Jiao looked at him somewhat puzzled, tilting her head, her voice still soft and gentle: "Husband, what's wrong?"
Qi Yun stared at the account book, his lips moving: "Nothing, maybe it's too warm in the room."
Ye Jiao didn't suspect anything, thinking it might be yesterday's supplementing taking effect and dispersing now, so she smiled and released his hand, getting up to fetch the medicine bowl from the table.
Qi Yun took a deep breath the moment she turned around, thinking in his heart that the doctor was right.
His internal heat was too excessive!