The Favorite of the Sick and Weak Lady - Chapter 4

Did she really go out just to buy bedding?

Seeing that she was staring silently, Xiao Yu pulled out an oil-paper package from her coat. Inside were six buns. She picked one up and handed it over. “Let’s make do with these for dinner tonight.”

The rich aroma of meat instantly filled the room.

Song Luo’s eyes flickered slightly, her tightly furrowed brows relaxed a little. She looked up at Xiao Yu.

Had she really misunderstood her?

After a moment, Song Luo nodded, lowered her gaze, and reached out to take the warm bun.

“Eat quickly, it won’t taste good once it’s cold.” Xiao Yu took one for herself and began eating.

Just then, a line of text appeared in her mind: “Congratulations, Host, for completing the shopping task. System reward: One bottle of cough syrup.”

“…”

System?

Shopping task?

So her cheat wasn’t a survival guide it was a system?

She tried calling out to the system in her mind, but there was no response. Thinking back, all the system prompts had been in text. Maybe her system wasn’t like the intelligent AI brains she’d read about in novels.

But cough syrup? Seriously?

Xiao Yu curled her lips. What a strange reward.

Still, better than nothing.

If she caught a cold, it might come in handy. In this ancient era where even a chill could be fatal, having medicine was a good thing.

She silently took another bite of the bun, glancing at Song Luo. The girl was nibbling delicately, graceful in every movement just watching her was pleasing. Xiao Yu looked down at her own empty hand, having already devoured one bun in two bites. The contrast was stark.

She slowed down, and when Song Luo finished her bun, Xiao Yu offered another. Song Luo shook her head. “I’m full. You eat.”

“…”

Seriously?

Just one bun?

Xiao Yu looked her over.

“Tsk tsk,” she clicked her tongue. No wonder she was so thin—eating like that, how could she gain weight?

She glanced at her own belly, having eaten two buns and still feeling nothing.

Xiao Yu shook her head, a bit envious. Her gaze landed on Song Luo’s slender waist, and a strange flutter stirred in her chest. She quickly looked away and finished the remaining buns in a few bites.

“I’m full,” she said, standing up, unsure where to look.

Song Luo’s fingers curled slightly, her eyes flashing with embarrassment. She had caught Xiao Yu’s not-so-subtle gaze.

She had thought being with a woman would spare her some trouble. But clearly, this one was a scoundrel. She should’ve known from the moment they met by the carriage. And yet, she’d dared to hope.

She gave a bitter smile. She should’ve known better.

Someone like Xiao Yu, idle and carefree how good could her character be?

Just now, seeing her return with new bedding had moved her a little. But now it seemed Xiao Yu had ulterior motives.

Song Luo’s gaze darkened.

If she couldn’t protect her chastity tonight, what then?

Xiao Yu stood awkwardly, noticing Song Luo’s intense stare. Her heart skipped a beat, ears turning red.

Why was she staring like that?

Sure, she was attractive, but Xiao Yu had principles. She wouldn’t sell herself for a thousand taels.

How should she reject her?

Xiao Yu rubbed her nose and cleared her throat. “Um… I’ll go make the bed. You stand aside.”

Make the bed?

She couldn’t wait?

Song Luo’s breath caught. She clenched her fists, then slowly relaxed. She stepped aside, watching Xiao Yu remove the old bedding. When she returned, Song Luo said, “You sleep on the floor tonight.”

?!

Xiao Yu froze, confused.

Wasn’t she just trying to seduce her? Why the sudden change?

Not that she minded, but… the bed could fit two. Even if nothing happened, was it necessary to make her sleep on the floor?

It was cold at night. She’d catch a cold for sure.

She didn’t want to use that cough syrup so soon.

Though she felt guilty for taking the thousand taels, she didn’t want to suffer either.

Besides, they were both women. What was the big deal?

Whoever wanted to sleep on the floor could do it. She wasn’t going to.

Song Luo saw she wasn’t budging and tried again. “We’re not married. It’s improper to share a bed.”

Ha

Xiao Yu had gone all the way to town to buy new bedding for her comfort, and this was the thanks she got?

Xiao Yu glared. “If I’m not mistaken, this house is mine.”

If anyone was sleeping on the floor, it was her.

She didn’t mind giving Song Luo the new bedding for the floor. She’d use the old one.

She was tough. She could handle it.

Song Luo stared at her. Seeing no change, she bit her lip. “What will it take for you to sleep on the floor?”

?!

Xiao Yu was baffled. She wasn’t going to sleep on the floor.

Song Luo, desperate, pulled out two silver ingots. “Ten taels. You sleep on the floor.”

Xiao Yu paused, eyes on the silver. She hesitated. She really needed money. This girl was easy to earn from. Maybe sleeping on the floor wasn’t so bad.

Her guilt vanished.

“Deal.” She snatched the silver and tucked it away.

Song Luo watched her cheerfully lay out the old bedding on the floor and lie down with her back turned. She finally relaxed.

She liked money. That was good.

As night fell, Xiao Yu’s breathing grew steady. Song Luo, exhausted from a month of travel and illness, couldn’t resist sleep and drifted off.

In the middle of the night, Xiao Yu was awakened by coughing. She opened her eyes and saw a shadow curled up, trembling, clearly trying not to disturb her.

She sat up, stared for a moment, then silently pulled out her reward—a bottle of cough syrup.

It was a thoughtful gift, especially now.

Xiao Yu lit the lamp, the scent of pine oil filling the air.

“You okay?”

Song Luo sat up, pale-faced. “Sorry for waking you. I’m fine. Go back to sleep.”

Fine? She looked terrible.

Xiao Yu didn’t reply. She went to the kitchen, boiled water, and mixed the syrup into a bowl. It was too thick to drink directly, so she diluted it and let it cool before returning.

“Drink this.”

Song Luo eyed the brown liquid warily. Was it some shady medicine meant to make her submit?

She couldn’t drink it.

Xiao Yu saw her hesitation and defensive look, and laughed bitterly.

She was trying to help, and this was the response?

Fine. She drank it herself.

Sweet, fragrant far better than modern cough syrup.

She set the empty bowl on the table and lay back down, ignoring the coughing.

Song Luo covered her mouth, coughing softly. She looked at the bowl, then at Xiao Yu’s back, and sighed. Maybe she had misunderstood her.

They’d be living together. She didn’t know how to ease the tension.

She opened her mouth, but coughed again.

Xiao Yu sat up, annoyed, and left the room. Soon she returned with another bowl of medicine and placed it on the bed.

Drink it or don’t.

Song Luo stared at her retreating figure, dazed. After a moment, she picked up the bowl. The scent was pleasant. She took a sip sweet and soothing, unlike the bitter decoctions she was used to. Her throat felt miraculously better.

She looked at Xiao Yu, conflicted, then finished the medicine. “Thank you.”

Hmph.

Xiao Yu opened her eyes, resisting the urge to turn around. She snorted coldly. A simple thank you wasn’t enough to appease her. She was hard to please.

Song Luo placed the bowl on the table and lay down. Maybe the medicine worked—she didn’t cough again and soon fell asleep.

Xiao Yu waited, but no more words came. She finally heard soft breathing.

“…”

Xiao Yu turned around and saw Song Luo’s delicate face nestled in the pillow, her pretty features half-hidden by messy hair, looking especially gentle in the dim light.

She was asleep?

Xiao Yu chuckled bitterly. She’d waited all this time, and all she got was a thank you.

This woman…

Xiao Yu closed her eyes, muttering to herself not to get angry.

The next morning, spring was in full bloom.

Xiao Yu was awakened by birdsong. She rubbed her eyes, sat up from the floor, and stretched—then froze.

“Ow!” Her back hurt.

Wait… she’d strained her waist?

Xiao Yu: “…”

What was this?

She was still young how did she hurt her back?

After a long moment, she accepted reality. The floor was cold and hard. She was too old to be this reckless.

She turned painfully to look at the culprit on the bed. The woman seemed to sense her gaze and slowly opened her eyes. Their eyes met.

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