During the two days that Qin Chuyuan was nursing his injuries, the two had swapped sleeping locations.
People from prestigious families enjoyed attaching themselves to the elegant, so in their daily lives they were used to burning incense. However, Gong Xiaohua possibly had professional reasons in her past life for not being used to any kind of distinctive smells.
Therefore, she had instructed that none of her personal belongings or clothes be scented with incense. Even if they had been, she would have ChunYun take them out to air until the smell had completely dispersed.
ChunYun was the personal maid that Lady Qin had picked out for her on the first day. Usually, she just kept ChunYun by her side as an assistant.
For ChunYun, this was her first time encountering such an easy-to-serve mistress.
The mistress took care of most of her own daily living needs, rarely needing any help.
The mistress also kept very regular hours.
She woke up at the same time every day. Her clothes for the next day would be prepared ahead of time, and she would fold her own quilts and beddings.
ChunYun had never seen anyone able to fold clothes and beddings so squarely without a single crease before.
There was also a fixed time every day for exercise. Sometimes this was practicing a set of fist forms, sometimes practicing a set of sword or saber techniques, and sometimes tying sandbags to both feet and hands while running - the mistress said this was to train speed.
The remaining time was spent concocting medicines and reading books.
The only thing she had to do was to help the mistress prepare washing up items for the morning and evening. Then, when the mistress was busy with tasks, she would pour tea and fetch water. Finally, she would follow along with the mistress and help out where she could, like right now as she ground up medicines.
On the third day of nursing his injuries, Qin Chuyuan was lying stomach-down on the bed, secretly smelling the quilts beneath him. Mm, the air was full of a scent like sunshine, just like her - it made people feel at ease and happy.
That saying was indeed true, that in a lover's eyes, everything smells fragrant. Compared to the expensive incense burnt in prestigious households, even the fresh air was more attractive now.
"Go take a look at what the young mistress is doing," Qin Chuyuan called out towards the outside.
Not long later, Qin Yi responded, "Young master, the young mistress is concocting medicines."
"Oh."
Not long after, the young master's voice rang out again, "Go take a look at what the young mistress is doing?"
"Young master, this is the tenth time you've asked me. It hasn't even been a quarter hour since last time. If you're really so bored, this subordinate can find a book for you to read?" Qin Yi said, rendered speechless.
Qin Chuyuan - how could he have such stupid subordinates?
It was then that Qin Shi'er, unable to bear watching any longer, cleverly said, "Young master, this subordinate will go invite the young mistress over right away to change your medicines."
"Mm." At least there was one who had some brains.
"Big bro, I gotta say, what good are you besides swaggering over our heads? The young master wants the young mistress to come over and see him - anyone can understand that. Yet here you are like a block of wood," Qin Shi'er murmured.
"Is your skin itching to be whipped?"
"Big bro, just joking around. Don't get mad."
These past two days, aside from changing Qin Chuyuan's medicines, Gong Xiaohua had been in her room working on her own concoctions.
Yesterday, Manager Qin had arranged a remote, quiet room for her temporary use as a medicine-making workspace at her request.
Knowing the master favored the young mistress, Manager Qin had immediately reported this to Qin Chuyuan.
Young Master Qin was extravagant with his wealth. With a wave of his hand, he immediately had Manager Qin clear out the eastern wing and separately furnished a study, medicine-making room, and martial arts training room for Gong Xiaohua by the afternoon.
He had also gone into the stores and selected high-quality furniture made of old sandalwood for each room. For example, the desk, shelves, and couch in the study room were all made of the same fine sandalwood.
When Gong Xiaohua saw this extravagant generosity, she had no choice but to admire Young Master Qin's profligacy.
If this had happened in her past life, she might have been able to stake her entire net worth on competing. But in this life? She'd have to give up. Her own wages plus the imperial reward likely could not even buy the land deed to a single room here.
At the time, Manager Qin had also come to invite her to see the redecorated rooms and ask if she was satisfied, saying they could remodel further if she was not.
Seeing such great expense, would she have to pay this back in the future? So she immediately went to find Qin Chuyuan and asked, "What are you doing?"
"You mean the eastern wing? Oh, it's nothing. The manor has too many unused things, so I took some out for you to use."
Gong Xiaohua - such a perfunctory excuse, does he think I'd believe him? She asked directly, "You aren't hoping to take advantage of me, are you?"
"You're overthinking things. I only want to express my thanks for you standing up for sister," Qin Chuyuan's ears instantly turned red as the other party guessed his inner thoughts. Somewhat guiltily, he said, "It's not what you think."
"But your face is red?"
"Nothing of the sort. You must have seen incorrectly. It's not as you imagined." He truly hadn't expected Gong Xiaohua to ask so bluntly.
"If you say so. But don't do this again in the future," Gong Xiaohua said.
"Why not?" Qin Chuyuan asked.
"Can't afford to pay you back," Gong Xiaohua replied. The world of poverty is one you do not understand.
On the third day, the golden sore ointment and hemp oil powder were finished with ChunYun's assistance. Next would be producing antibiotics, which would be more troublesome and time-consuming.
Fortunately, the most difficult to produce, the syringes, she had brought several back from Nandong County.
Now she just had to finish making the antibiotics, then she could start Xiao Nan's bone grafting surgery.
Knock knock knock. There was a knocking sound from outside.
"Come in."
"Young mistress, it's time to change the young master's bandages. Do you have time to come over for a bit?" Qin Shi'er said.
"Aren't you guys around?" Gong Xiaohua asked.
"Young mistress, we men are only good for rough tasks. Delicate work like changing dressings is beyond our abilities. We still have to trouble the young mistress to make a trip," Qin Shi'er said.
Seeing that the young mistress was still busy and showed no intention of going over...
Qin Shi'er started lamenting, "Our young master has been tenderly raised on silks and satins since he was little. His skin is fair and delicate. But here recently, he's been poisoned and beaten black and blue several times over, without anyone to change his dressings. His body and mind must be suffering so! It wrenches my heart to see it!"
Gong Xiaohua - Could he be any more dramatic? But on second thought, Qin Chuyuan was injured partly because of her. Since his subordinates specially came to invite her, it would be insincere not to go.
Looking at the things on hand... She had already finished the most important steps for making antibiotics. She could leave the next steps for ChunYun to observe for now.
She returned to the rear courtyard. Beside Qin Chuyuan, all medicines and cloths had been neatly laid out, everything ready and just waiting for her.
After three days of medicine and rest, most of Qin Chuyuan's injuries had started to scar over. In about another week, they would likely completely heal.
When she was just about finished changing bandages, Qin Yi's voice came from outside. "Young master, message from the secret guards."
"Bring it in."
"Yes."
Qin Yi came in pushing the door. Eyes front, he delivered the letter to Qin Chuyuan's hands, then immediately exited again.
Qin Chuyuan opened and speedily read through the letter. Then he said to Gong Xiaohua, "Little Hua, looks like you judged correctly. Those three mistresses of Zhou Wenxuan do seem questionable - not one of the three children is his."
"He's wearing quite the big green hat. What are your plans going forward?" Gong Xiaohua asked.
"This matter should be hidden for now. Mother's side will require you to come up with an excuse," Qin Chuyuan said.
"Mm."
"You're not going to ask why?"
"If you want me to know, you'll tell me yourself."
"Mm, you'll understand in the future," Qin Chuyuan said as he fell silent in thought.
The first person he thought of upon reading the letter was Li Zichen. He wanted his sister to achieve her desires, so Zhou Wenxuan's infertility had to be concealed. The urgent matter now was resolving his sister's divorce.
As long as Zhou Wenxuan gave him what he wanted, there would be no issues. Yet the letter of divorce still had not been delivered to this day - the grandfather must have been held back by Lord Zhou's interference. After little Hua's actions, the grandfather surely would not obstruct anymore. Now it depended on the Zhou household. Looked like he had to create more temptations for the Zhou family.
"Tomorrow I'll resume my official duties. You can have ChunYun come for the future bandage changes," Gong Xiaohua said, successfully disrupting his train of thought.
Qin Chuyuan - how had time passed so quickly? "No need. I'll have Qin Yi and the rest handle the changes," he said.
Gong Xiaohua - What happened to big strong men being unsuitable and delicate skin?
