The soft light enveloped the entire bedroom, and the person on the bed remained in a heavy, unrousable sleep. A pale face showed an abnormal flush, and their lips, pale as water, were slightly chapped, evoking an inexplicable sourness in the heart of the onlooker.
Ye Jiuliang took out her cellphone, her fingertips rapidly typing a ssage before sending it off.
"Xiaojiu, how is Asheng doing?" Old Madam Jiang was restless, her gaze filled with concern as she looked at the still unconscious Jiang Yisheng.
Ye Jiuliang said, "Grandma, don’t worry, Asheng will be alright soon."
"Mom, Xiaojiu said so, let’s trust her. You haven’t slept all night, why don’t you go rest?" Jiang Hai said gently as he supported her.
Old Madam Jiang shook her head, "How can I rest when Asheng hasn’t woken up?"
At that mont, a ringtone sounded.
Ye Jiuliang glanced at the caller ID before stepping outside.
"Yes, the dicine box is on the table in my pharmacy, and also, in the dicine cabinet, the fifth drawer on the left, please take out those herbs and put them in the dicine box for , find soone to send it over as soon as possible, I need it urgently," Ye Jiuliang instructed.
On the other side of the phone, Ji Mingqian pushed the door and entered the pharmacy, casually asking, "Are you hurt?"
Ye Jiuliang responded, "No, it’s Asheng."
Jiang Yisheng?
Ji Mingqian’s eyes flickered with a ripple of stars, his hand stiffening as he opened the drawer.
His indifferent tone betrayed no emotion, "What’s wrong with him?"
"He’s got a high fever that won’t co down. The situation is a bit tricky."
Ji Mingqian humd nonchalantly, asking no further.
"It’s fine. I will hang up now and have soone send you the dicine box right away."
Ye Jiuliang humd in response, hung up the phone, and turned to walk back into the bedroom.
Soon enough, Li Mochan had soone bring over the brewed dicine.
The pitch-black dicinal liquid carried a bitter scent that perated the air as soon as it entered the bedroom.
Jiang Hai sat by the bed, one hand lifting Jiang Yisheng to lean against him, while the other hand held a bowl and was about to pour the dicine down his throat.
Seeing this, Veya hurriedly called out to stop him, taking the bowl from his hands, "Ahai, let do it, or the dicine will all be spilled."
Their son was still muddled and hadn’t awakened; if he attempted to administer the dicine like this, it was unlikely that even a single mouthful would go in.
"Asheng, wake up. Drink this dicine and you’ll be alright," Veya said softly, gently patting his cheek to rouse him.
"Asheng."
In his sleep, Jiang Yisheng felt as though soone was speaking by his ear. He tried to open his eyes but simply couldn’t lift his eyelids.
"I’ll do it," Ye Jiuliang stepped forward and pressed on a spot just below Jiang Yisheng’s shoulder with two fingers.
To the uninitiated Veya and the others, her actions were a complete enigma.
"Mom."
A voice as hoarse and faint as that of a mosquito or fly spoke softly.
Jiang Yisheng struggled to open his eyelids, barely mustering the energy to speak.
"Asheng, you’ve finally woken up," Veya exclaid excitedly at the sight of her son awakening.
"Asheng, quickly drink the dicine," she said, taking a straw and placing it into the bowl to make it easier for him to drink.
With the straw clamped between his teeth, the bitter taste of the dicine spread in his mouth, causing him to involuntarily furrow his brow.
After finishing the dicine, Jiang Hai helped him lie down and pulled up the covers over him.
Perhaps it was the effect of the dicine, but Jiang Yisheng soon fell asleep again.
"Grandma, you all go rest. Mohan and I will watch over Asheng," Ye Jiuliang said softly, looking at Old Madam Jiang and the others.
"We’re jet-lagged, so it’s no issue for us to sleep later."
"Uncle, you go rest first," Li Mochan cut in before Jiang Hai could speak, thwarting his intentions.
Jiang Hai nodded and, along with Veya, helped the old lady to go rest first.
After they left, the bedroom suddenly seed a bit more desolate.
Li Mochan extended his hand to envelop her in his arms, a teasing glint in his eyes, "Tired or not?"
"Not too bad." Ye Jiuliang leaned into his embrace, her voice soft and gentle.
Li Mochan’s lips curled into a smile, "Keep you company playing video gas?"
"Sure." Ye Jiuliang’s spirit perked up instantly.
Anyway, they might as well kill ti this way. They couldn’t rest until Asheng’s fever went down.
**
In the dead of night, when all was quiet, Gu Xinuo finished up at headquarters and returned, only to see the kitchen light on. Curiosity led her that way.
The aroma of alcohol and at filled the entire dining hall and reached her nose as she approached the entrance.
Gu Xinuo saw the bottles of liquor on the table and her lips curved up in a schadenfreude smile.
"Aqian, staying up late and not sleeping, sneaking drinks of Ajiu’s alcohol again."
"Go on, don’t call it sneaking, I’m doing it openly and honestly," Ji Mingqian gave her a cold glance, "If you’re going to eat, then sit down and stop nagging ."
Gu Xinuo chuckled, grabbed a bowl and chopsticks, and sat down across from him.
"Why didn’t Achen co back with you?" Ji Mingchong poured her a full cup of liquor in a new cup.
Picking up her chopsticks, Gu Xinuo replied, "He still has so paperwork left to finish. By the way, did you figure out a way to open that iron box?"
Ji Mingqian frowned, "It’s not that easy."
The damn box was made of Ten-thousand-year Mysterious Iron; it couldn’t just be lted forcibly. Opening it would definitely require effort.
"What kind of wind blew today that you’re not out at the bars but sitting here drinking and eating at late at night? Sothing’s up," Gu Xinuo said while nibbling on lamb chops, her eyes, adept at reading people, scrutinizing him.
"Could it be you’ve set your sights on so girl and haven’t managed to chase her down?"
As another glass of liquor was drained, Ji Mingqian scoffed, bragging unabashedly about himself, "With my looks, do you think there’s any girl I can’t catch?"
"Heh, talk about thick-skinned." Gu Xinuo teased.
Ignoring her joke, Ji Mingqian kept pouring liquor down his throat, one cup after another.
The more "absent-minded" his expression beca, the more Gu Xinuo sensed sothing fishy.
"Sothing’s off, Ji Mingqian, you’re definitely hiding sothing from us. Do you have a girlfriend or what?"
After finishing the last sip of his drink, Ji Mingqian set down the cup, "You know I’m committed to being single since birth."
"As if I’d believe that," Gu Xinuo snorted.
"Enough talk. I’m going to check out who owns that old mansion," Ji Mingqian stood up and pushed the plate of lamb chops towards her.
"Enjoy your al, may it make you fat to death."
"..."
The smile on Gu Xinuo’s lips froze, and she almost hurled the cleanly gnawed bone in her hand at his forehead.
"Ji Mingqian, get lost," she retorted.
As if she had eaten the rice he bought to dare to call her fat, she must be asking for a scolding.
Ji Mingqian waved his hand dismissively and dragged his feet back to his room.
...
The sun was already high in the sky when Jiang Yisheng’s fever finally subsided.
But his face was still frightfully pale, without a hint of color.
"Drink the dicine while it’s hot," Ye Jiuliang entered the room, a faint smile curving her lips as she looked at the person on the bed who had woken up.
On the bedside table, a bowl radiated weakening tendrils of steam.
Jiang Yisheng glanced at the black herbal concoction with a suddenly ashen face.
He raised his eyes towards Ye Jiuliang, giving a sycophantic smile, "Jiuliang, is there any way to make this dicine less bitter?"
It was even more bitter than goldthread, far more than any dicine he’d taken before.
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