After Saving The Disabled Villain, I Was Attacked In Return! - Chapter 43

The maid looked somewhat troubled, but unable to refuse her mistress’s command, she curtsied and walked over to instruct Jiang Yu on how to prepare the medicine.

The process took a full hour. Inside Shaoyue Pavilion, Qi An and the little girl locked eyes, while Lu Wu stood nearby, adding firewood and glancing up at Qi An from time to time, fearing that if her mistress grew displeased, she might rush forward and snap the girl’s neck.

Though Qi An now sat in a wheelchair, appearing harmless, Lu Wu couldn’t shake the feeling that this woman possessed the aura of someone capable of taking a life.

After the hour passed, Qi An frowned, glancing repeatedly toward the door. As the bitter smell of the medicine began to seep through the cracks, she swiftly maneuvered her wheelchair to the entrance and opened the door herself.

“Why are you so late?” Qi An asked, her voice tinged with anxiety, her concern plain. Lu Wu hurried forward to take the medicine bowl from Jiang Yu, while Qi An gripped her hand, scrutinizing her from head to toe.

After the examination, Jiang Yu grinned. “What’s wrong?”

Qi An frowned. “Are you injured anywhere? Why did it take so long?”

Qi An had been worried that Jiang Yu might have tripped on her way to fetch the medicine, which would explain her delay. Thankfully, after examining her thoroughly, she found no injuries. However, Jiang Yu’s cheeks were smudged with ash, as if she had just been scooping ashes from the bottom of a pot.

Qi An couldn’t help but chuckle. She gently pulled Jiang Yu closer, straightening her own posture. The elegant curve of her waist remained visible beneath her winter robes, faintly visible like something delicate and fragile.

Jiang Yu felt a cool hand gently stroke her cheek. In Qi An’s beautiful eyes, she saw only her own reflection. Staring at herself within Qi An’s gaze, a strange sensation welled up inside her.

So this is what it feels like to be truly valued by someone? Jiang Yu’s heart swelled with warmth as she instinctively leaned closer into Qi An’s embrace. But unexpectedly, Qi An released her hold. Without the support, Jiang Yu tumbled forward, landing against Qi An’s chest.

The impact sent Qi An’s unique scent into Jiang Yu’s nostrils, lingering in her heart. Though she knew she should pull away, Qi An’s embrace felt like a bewitching spell, trapping her in its warmth.

“Jiang… Jiang Yu…” Qi An’s deep, soothing voice drifted down from above, slowly bringing Jiang Yu back to her senses.

“I-I-I didn’t mean it! Really!” Jiang Yu scrambled to her feet, flustered. When she finally looked up, she saw Qi An’s cheeks flushed crimson.

Jiang Yu’s ears tinged pink. She stood frozen in place, too afraid to move. Lu Wu was still arranging the medicine bowl and dessert plates for the children, too busy to notice them.

Terrified that Qi An would think she was a lewd woman, Jiang Yu frantically repeated her explanations until Qi An finally nodded.

“It’s fine,” Qi An said. “We’re both women. There’s nothing improper about it.” But her flushed cheeks betrayed her.

Jiang Yu didn’t dare say more. Having clearly overstepped, she awkwardly guided Qi An to the small table where the medicine bowl already waited.

Beside it lay a freshly arranged bouquet of red plum blossoms.

When Jiang Yu saw the red plum blossom, she instinctively felt that its crimson hue paled in comparison to the rosy blush on Qi An’s cheeks.

Qi An finally composed herself and noticed the bowl of thick medicinal soup on the table. The sight immediately brought to mind how urgently Jiang Yu had searched for the ingredients.

Qi An wasn’t particularly averse to bitterness; in fact, she couldn’t handle overly sweet foods. As a child, her elder sister had once made pastries as a hobby, adding too much sugar. Qi An ended up eating all of them.

Ever since then, Qi An hadn’t cared much for sweets. She didn’t even glance at the pastries beside the bowl as she picked up the medicinal soup and began drinking. The bitter taste instantly flooded her mouth.

Jiang Yu blinked in surprise, completely taken aback by Qi An’s boldness.

Could someone truly ignore the bitterness of herbal medicine?

Though skeptical, Jiang Yu did notice that Qi An didn’t seem particularly fond of sweets. On their journey, Qi An had eaten only a few of the candied hawthorn berries, while Jiang Yu had consumed most of the pastries.

After some thought, Jiang Yu figured that if Qi An didn’t like sweets, she should drink more water to wash away the bitter taste.

Just as Qi An moved the medicine bowl away from her lips, Jiang Yu quickly offered her a cup of tea. She watched anxiously until Qi An finished drinking before finally relaxing.

Qi An couldn’t help but find it amusing. “Why are you so worried? I’m the one taking the medicine.”

Jiang Yu hesitated, unwilling to admit that she was concerned Qi An might find the medicine bitter. After all, admitting her own distaste for bitter tastes was embarrassing enough.

Seeing Jiang Yu’s head lowered, unwilling to speak, Qi An already guessed most of it. With a mischievous smile, she said, “It’s alright. Good medicine is naturally bitter. There’s nothing embarrassing about finding it bitter.”

At that moment, Qi An seemed like a kind, older sister next door, her words comforting and reassuring. Jiang Yu stared at her blankly for a moment before smiling.

“Thank you, Qi An!” Jiang Yu exclaimed, her sweet voice soft and delicate. The sound stirred something in Qi An’s heart. Composing herself, she excused herself, saying she felt drowsy and needed to return to the Side Hall.

Jiang Yu wondered if the medicine had a sedative effect. But remembering her earlier faux pas, she didn’t dare ask. Instead, she remained rooted in place, watching Qi An maneuver her wheelchair back to the Side Hall.

The little girl sensed it was time to make her presence known. She scampered over on her short legs, cradling the Red Plum she had just picked from the table. It was a scene straight out of a fairy tale: a child offering fresh flowers to a beauty. Jiang Yu saw the girl’s innate grace and was about to accept the gift with a smile when Qi An suddenly returned and snatched the Red Plum right out of the child’s hands.

Qi An brought the flower to her nose, inhaled deeply, then lifted her mischievous face to gaze at Jiang Yu with puppy-dog eyes. “I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately. I want to put this Red Plum by my bedside. Jiang Yu… you wouldn’t refuse, would you?”

Qi An had never made unreasonable demands before, and the Red Plum had been meant to cheer her up in the first place. Jiang Yu nodded eagerly. “Take it.”

Watching Jiang Yu nod blankly behind the Red Plum, Qi An felt a playful urge. She reached out and gently tugged at Jiang Yu’s lustrous, most fortunate earlobe, her movements intimate and her voice lowered to a husky whisper. “I adore this Red Plum. From now on, all the Red Plums will be mine, okay?”

Qi An’s voice was like the most bewitching Heart-Capturing Gu from the Miao region, each word like a seductive gu maiden planting her venom in Jiang Yu’s heart. How could Jiang Yu possibly refuse?

Who could have imagined that such a cool and aloof beauty could be so bewitching? Jiang Yu kept exclaiming in admiration. Even after Qi An had left, carrying the Red Plum, Jiang Yu remained lost in thought.

“Miss, why are you still daydreaming?” Lu Wu asked with a hint of resentment in her voice. Qi An was certainly handsome, but their own Miss was no less beautiful. No wonder some people had called Qi An a “fox enchantress” before—her looks truly deserved that title.

If Qi An wanted to, her beauty could have helped her achieve great things. But Qi An never used her appearance to her advantage, content to let things take their course.

Lu Wu suddenly understood why her Miss held Qi An in such high regard.

Jiang Yu snapped out of her daze at Lu Wu’s question, shooting her a reproachful glance. Remembering her duties, she instructed, “Go to the Central Wing and inquire when the estate’s banquet will be held.”

Jiang Yu didn’t want to bother Qi An with such matters. While Qi An was resting, she gave the order with a serious expression. Though Lu Wu appeared simple-minded, she was astute in social matters. Sending her to inquire should be trouble-free.

Lu Wu, having received her instructions, seemed to sense the gravity of the situation. She immediately bowed and hurried out to gather information, leaving only the little girl and Jiang Yu in the room.

The little girl’s Red Plum had been stolen, and seeing that Jiang Yu hadn’t scolded the thief, her small face scrunched up in frustration. She twisted her body away, stubbornly refusing to look at Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu, who had been bored, watched the sulky little girl and remembered her own childhood. Her eyes curved with amusement. “Well, sweetie, the Red Plum actually belongs to that beautiful sister. If you want one, I’ll take you to the courtyard to see if there are any other flowers you like.”

Jiang Yu had misread the situation. The little girl’s expression didn’t improve much, but perhaps realizing she was now under someone else’s roof, she suddenly smiled and asked to be picked up.

Jiang Yu carried the little girl outside. The courtyard was filled with rare and precious plants that Jiang Shengrong had transplanted for her. Even in winter, the place had its own charm, and small flowers were easy to find.

Though, keeping them alive was another matter entirely.

The little girl, lively as she was, wriggled free as soon as they stepped outside, running around the courtyard with abandon. The maids, who hadn’t seen such a young child in ages, came out to play with her. For a moment, Jiang Yu found herself unexpectedly relieved.

Sitting in the colonnade wasn’t too cold. The warm sunlight streaming down made Jiang Yu feel drowsy. Lian’er noticed her fatigue and suggested she go back and rest.

In a daze, Jiang Yu slowly rose, still half-asleep, and walked… walked right to the door of Qi An’s side hall!

By the time Jiang Yu realized what she was doing, she had already pushed the door open. She instantly sobered. Hearing no sound inside, she tried to quietly close the door and pretend nothing had happened.

But just as Jiang Yu began to relax, a familiar voice drifted out from the side hall: “Would you like to rest here with me?”

Clearly, Qi An had heard everything.

Jiang Yu felt she hadn’t been this mortified since… well, ever. With a crestfallen expression, she shuffled inside and stood frozen before Qi An’s bed, too embarrassed to move forward.

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