"Thank you for your generous love, Mada," Sang Wan said gratefully.
Mrs. Zhao nodded, smiling, "Then you should rise and have your al, I won’t disturb you any further! Oh, I haven’t ntioned this to Zhao Qi, so there’s no need for you to feel awkward in front of him. Miss Wan, if he seeks you out for a conversation, please entertain him with so idle talk for my sake!"
Mrs. Zhao looked at her with so anxiety after speaking.
A chill passed through Sang Wan’s heart; if Mrs. Zhao truly regarded her as a virtuous woman, she probably wouldn’t express such sentints. Seeking her out for conversation, she’d just have to go along with it. In Mrs. Zhao’s eyes, that’s all she, Sang Wan, amounted to.
"Mada, rest assured! The Young Master is kind and courteous, treating Miss Wan very well, just like you. How could I be so ungrateful?" Sang Wan replied with a smile while internally becoming more determined to find an opportunity to escape this place.
"Indeed, you are absolutely right!" Mrs. Zhao was overjoyed to hear her son being praised, her smile broadened and her eyes sparkled. After giving Sang Wan a few words of advice to rest well, she stood and left.
Under the Erald Pavilion, Mrs. Zhao turned and looked back, sighing softly, "Mrs. Ding, am I being too anxious?"
Mrs. Ding, with a demure gesture, replied, "Mada, it is the heart of a parent that you have. You worry too much for the Young Master! Mada, not everyone’s heart is made of iron. With the Young Master’s deanor and appearance, you saw how he was with Miss Wan in the garden today. Which girl would not be moved? Just let him spend ti with Miss Wan! Perhaps in the future, when you try to send her away, she will be the one unwilling to leave!"
"What you say is true. I might have lost my composure a bit!" Mrs. Zhao chuckled and gave a little sigh.
No sooner had Mrs. Zhao left than Sang Wan was caught off guard trying to sort out her scrambled thoughts when Yuanyang entered with a smile, saying, "Miss, let help you get dressed. The Young Master will be coming by to see you in a bit!"
Sang Wan suddenly felt a headache coming on and said, "At this ti? What does the Young Master want?" Seeing Yuanyang’s expression go blank, as if she had said sothing wrong, she coughed and quickly added with a smile, "I an, it’s a trouble for the Young Master to co at this hour; I’d feel bad!"
Yuanyang, catching on, ca forward to help her dress while smiling, "The Young Master is worried about Miss and has ordered a al to be brought to you personally! Miss, you are truly fortunate; tonight’s al was personally directed by the Young Master from the kitchen!"
Sang Wan managed a faint smile, growing increasingly uneasy.
"Miss Wan, Miss Wan! May I co in?" Just as everything was set, Zhao Qi’s gentle voice ca from the door.
Sang Wan glanced at Yuanyang, who quickly kneeled to offer a bow, then busied herself opening the door, cheerily saying, "Young Master, Miss has just risen, please co in!"
Zhao Qi glanced at her before entering, followed by six maids carrying food boxes and two servant won.
"Miss Wan, I’ve brought your evening al. I had them prepare Hangzhou cuisine especially, I hope you like it!" Zhao Qi’s tone and look softened as he saw her, his lips curving into a smile that could captivate anyone.
The two servant won apologized before stepping forward to move a table to the center, and then they opened the food boxes held by the six maids, placing about thirteen or fourteen steaming hot dishes onto the table in order before bowing and retreating.
"Miss Wan, please enjoy it while it’s hot! The doctor said you should have sothing light to replenish your vitality. I specially had soone make a pot of old ginseng goji berry black chicken soup for you. Here, let serve you," Zhao Qi said as he lifted the lid of the soup pot, unhesitantly ladling the soup himself.
Sang Wan couldn’t allow him to wait on her and quickly stepped forward, "Young Master, please set it down, I can serve myself, I can do it myself!"
"It’s no trouble!" Zhao Qi didn’t mind at all, insisting on caring for her as if it was his duty, deftly moving her hand aside and filling up a bowl before gently placing it before her, "Have it while it’s hot! And rember, you still have dicine to take later!"
Seeing his earnest gaze upon her, Sang Wan forced a smile and took up the soup spoon. Zhao Qi watched her tenderly, unblinking and unwilling to look away.
The Marquis’ chefs were undoubtedly skilled; the soup was savory and rich, with black chicken at that nearly lted upon touch, its essence blended in the broth, filling the air with an enticing aroma. However, Sang Wan couldn’t taste a thing, absently consuming more than half the bowl in short order.
Zhao Qi, happy to see her enjoynt, took the bowl from her with a gentle smile, "Have so rice and dishes too. There’s more soup in the kitchen; I’ll have soone bring another portion over before bed! If you like it, I’ll have them prepare it again for you tomorrow. Miss Wan, you really don’t look well, you’ve been through a lot recently, haven’t you?"
He glanced at the dishes on the table, saying with a smile, "Longjing shrimp, braised ham with honey sauce, crab sauce Chinese perch, Fairy Duck, vegetarian ham, straw duck; which one would you like to pass to you?"
Facing him, Sang Wan truly had no appetite, yet she didn’t want to reject his kindness and casually said, "The shrimp looks light."
Zhao Qi eagerly brought the shrimp closer to her, "The shrimp is good, the shrimp is good, have a taste!"
Sang Wan picked up the chopsticks and tried a few bites, but with Zhao Qi sitting there just watching her, it beca unbearable, so she said, "I don’t know if the Young Master has eaten yet, if not then—"
"If you don’t mind, Miss Wan, I’d be happy to join you. It can be quite dull dining alone, from now on shall I keep you company?" Zhao Qi, thrilled that she was addressing him, eagerly agreed with a smile, and there happened to be clean bowl and chopsticks ready on the side—it seed he had co prepared.
"..." Sang Wan opened her mouth but couldn’t get the words out. Clearly that was not what she ant, she was suggesting that he should go back and eat if he hadn’t yet done so, not stay and keep her company.
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