"Is this truly the case?" Qi Huan found herself surrounded, facing a sea of eager gazes. She nodded, "Yes, it is."
No sooner had she spoken than Elder Madam Song grasped her hand. Warm tears fell one after another onto the back of Qi Huan's hand, each drop heavy with a mother's love for her child.
Elder Madam Song, overcome with emotion and misty-eyed, said, "It's been a full seven years since I last saw Che'er. I wonder if he's grown taller? Has he put on weight?"
"Ever since he fell ill, the servants who attended to him became infected one after another. The doctor suggested sending him to the countryside to recuperate, but how could we bear to part with him?"
"Although he remained in the manor, he lived in isolation in Qingfeng Court. Fearing he might infect the family, he never left his quarters. His meals and medicine were delivered through a small opening in the door. His only companions were a resilient servant boy and the books his elder brother Cheng'er sent him."
"Cheng'er doted on him, sharing the assignments from their tutor. He always excelled in his answers. If not for this cursed consumption, my Che'er would have shone brilliantly..."
Elder Madam Song's tears flowed like a broken dam, endlessly recounting the heartache of these past years.
Qi Huan handed her a handkerchief, her heart heavy with emotion.
Song Jingche was both unfortunate and fortunate. Everyone in the Song family truly cared for him and never gave up on him. He had the warmest family love.
Elder Madam Song's sobbing was giving Old Lady Song a splitting headache.
What sin had she committed to have such a crybaby for a son and daughter-in-law?
Her little Huan'er was so much better, with her gentle smile, a pleasure to behold, growing more endearing by the moment.
Old Lady Song stood up, pushing Elder Madam Song aside, and said to Qi Huan, "Come, let's go see your second cousin!"
The group set off en masse towards Qingfeng Court.
In the courtyard, Ximen Ye skillfully poured the medicinal soup into a flower pot. The flowers in the pot had long since died, roots and all, leaving only moist soil.
Having finished, he lazily straightened up and casually tossed the medicine bowl to Zhu Yan.
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps drew near.
Ximen Ye began to cough violently.
Hearing the cough from outside, Elder Madam Song burst into tears again, soaking Young Madam Song's shoulder.
Old Lady Song pressed her temples and signaled Nanny Wu to throw a mask into Qingfeng Court.
She called out, "Che'er, it's Grandmother. Your cousin has brought something good for you from Yunzhou City."
"They say it's from an immortal, surely not an ordinary item."
"Your cousin says if you wear it, you won't infect us anymore! Put it on quickly and come out, let Grandmother see you. My dear grandson, Grandmother has been thinking of you day and night, longing to see your face every day..."
Perhaps Elder Madam Song's crying was too contagious, causing even Old Lady Song to start weeping uncontrollably.
Young Madam Song was taken aback, wondering if she should shed a few tears too in this situation.
Amidst the surrounding sobs, Qi Huan shook her head helplessly.
Even more exasperated than her was Ximen Ye.
His slender fingers took the mask Zhu Yan handed him, and he let out a cold snort.
"I shouldn't have been soft-hearted last night. I should have just killed her. What a troublemaker."
"Master, it's not too late to kill her tonight. Would you like me to sharpen the blade for you in advance?"
"Get lost."
"As you wish." Zhu Yan took a few steps, then paused, "What about the crowd outside?"
"Why don't you put on the mask and go out to meet them, Master? After all, you're not really sick, you won't infect them."
"Is that really the issue?" Ximen Ye cast a disdainful glance at him, pointing to his own devastatingly handsome face, "I'm far too good-looking. I don't resemble the Song family at all."
"..."
Zhu Yan fumbled to put on his own mask, fawning, "Master, don't worry. Look, the mask will hide your beauty!"
"..."
Ximen Ye gave him a lazy glance and slowly put on the mask.
After changing into a loose cyan robe, he let his hair down, trying his best to cover the sides of his face.
Ximen Ye stood on the porch, holding a book, feigning weakness, and ordered Zhu Yan to open the door.
The courtyard gate creaked open, accompanied by violent coughing that sounded as if his lungs were about to come out.
Old Lady Song and the others were heartbroken. Each wearing a matching mask, they gathered around him with concern.
After a flurry of solicitous inquiries, Ximen Ye thought to himself: Women are so noisy.
Yet he obediently responded with constant nods and affirmations to their words.
At the bottom of the steps, Qi Huan looked up at the man's tall figure, feeling something was amiss.
Despite the loose robes, she sensed that his body wasn't frail at all. On the contrary, he seemed quite robust, cutting a fine figure in his clothes.
She couldn't understand how Elder Madam Song could lie so blatantly, saying to such a person: "You've lost weight, you've lost weight. My son has suffered so much..."
Old Lady Song chimed in: "My dear grandson, have you not been eating properly? How did you become so thin?"
Young Madam Song rubbed her eyes. If her mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law both said he was thin, then he must be thin.
Sensing Qi Huan's scrutinizing gaze, Ximen Ye deliberately avoided looking at her. He was so dashing and handsome that even his eyes alone were breathtakingly beautiful. If this troublemaker recognized him, it would only cause more problems.
Upon learning from Elder Madam Song that Qi Huan planned to invite another famous doctor to check his pulse, Ximen Ye spoke words of gratitude in a suppressed voice while inwardly cursing non-stop.
Troublemaker! Troublemaker! Troublemaker!
Ever since she arrived at the Song manor, there had been nothing but trouble!
Ximen Ye narrowed his phoenix eyes, planning to frighten this troublesome cousin at night.
As night fell.
Yan Qing volunteered to keep watch for the night.
If those two rats dared to come again tonight, she was determined to fight them to the bitter end.
Before going to bed, Qi Huan closed the doors and windows, dismissed the other maids, hid her necklace, and went to sleep in her space.
It wasn't until the next day that she learned real rats had entered Qinghuan Court last night, along with a large snake that had its fangs removed.
Xu Nanny recounted fearfully, "So there really were rats in the courtyard. But I clearly put out several packets of rat poison. How come it didn't work?"
"And Miss, please talk to Tao Su. She says her mother told her that dragon and phoenix soup is nourishing, and she insists on making soup with the snake to strengthen you. Goodness, how creepy..."
Qi Huan maintained a stern expression, almost certain that these childish acts were from the same group as the men in black from two days ago.
They had no intention of taking her life, but merely wanted to frighten her.
How immature!
Recalling the familiar-looking eyes she saw yesterday, Qi Huan asked Tao Su, "Has the snake been stewed yet?"
"Not yet. Xu Nanny won't allow it."
"We shouldn't waste such good ingredients. Let's stew it. I'll take it to my second cousin to help nourish his health."
Yesterday, when she sent face masks to Song Jingche, not only did she not gain any points, but she also wasted dozens of repurchase points for the masks.
The system complained painfully all night.
This also indirectly proved that Song Jingche wasn't ill.
When parting in Yunzhou City, Shen Jueming had mentioned his plan to open a medical hall called Xinglin Tang in the capital, to treat illnesses and save lives. He also welcomed Qi Huan to come and exchange medical knowledge anytime.
However, Qi Huan didn't know where his clinic was located yet, so she had to send Yan Qing out under the pretext of buying candy to inquire about it.
While waiting, Qi Huan had nothing else to do, so she ordered Tao Su to bring some dragon and phoenix soup, intending to pay a friendly visit to her frail second cousin.
