Chapter 290: Chapter 290: When We Return, I’ll Have Mama Arrange the Proposal
The night grew deep, and Ji Ge, carrying the prescription, left the tent. Wei Yingying stayed by the bed, occasionally reaching out to check Ji Teng’s breathing.
Wei Yingying, rarely gentle, used a handkerchief dipped in water to softly wipe his face.
"Ji Teng, fight for your life."
"I’ve thought about it, if it weren’t for you, my Daddy would surely have married me off to someone else as if I were an object. Although he’s not as cruel-hearted as Lord Governor towards Sister Yan, he’s hardly a good father."
"Although you’re poor, you are still a decent final resting place."
"I’ve also... only set my heart on you."
At this point, she couldn’t help but fall to the bed crying.
"What am I going to do if you’re gone?"
"The fifty taels of silver you left behind are not enough for me to spend."
As she cried, she felt a sharp pain at the back of her neck, and soon, her body went limp.
Xie Xun withdrew his hand.
He looked sternly at the person lying on the bed with a pale face. Just then, he saw Ji Teng open his eyes.
His gaze slowly drifted downwards, landing on Wei Yingying.
"You hit her too hard."
"It’s not your person, no wonder you didn’t care."
Ji Teng, enduring discomfort, propped himself up and with effort, lifted Wei Yingying onto the bed.
Xie Xun frowned deeply: "You should take it easy."
Saying so, he went to get the medicine pills.
"I’ve already taken it." Ji Teng shamelessly covered both himself and Wei Yingying with the quilt.
"Did Cui Yun come by?"
Ji Teng’s mouth still contained the fragrance of the medicine.
"It’s the Soul Reviving Pill. It’s several times stronger than the pills you had prepared."
Ji Teng: "Woke up too early."
The look in his eyes was difficult to discern: "The Second Young Master of the Cui family is indeed quite generous to me."
Xie Xun got angry: "At this rate, you really have a death wish."
"My dear Father is extremely wary, looks at everyone as if they hide deep secrets, using this opportunity to completely let his guard down with me."
He had been outstanding since he was a child, which is why he attracted one disaster after another.
This time, anyone with martial skills could have easily avoided it, he clumsily dodged left and right, and just so happened to let the horse step on him, which was quite a strain. But only he himself understood that in fact, under the guise of the smoke screen, his injuries were not fatal.
He was only feigning unconsciousness.
Suddenly, Ji Teng narrowed his eyes: "It’s just that the girl with the Second Young Master Cui, she speaks quite unpleasantly. She cursed me, which I really didn’t like."
Xie Xun: ???
"Third Prince, I will loyally serve you in whatever you ask of me, but if you intend to blame or harm Miss Shen, I will never stand by idly."
His defense was too urgent. It inevitably made Ji Teng take notice.
"Heir Xie, let me also warn you. She’s close with Yingying and also someone from Second Young Master Cui’s side, it’s best you don’t get involved with her."
Those words were quite unpleasant to hear.
"You worry too much, she is just Marquis Cui’s cousin, their relations are pure and clear."
Ji Teng seemed to understand.
"Alright then, just don’t compete with him for his cousin."
Xie Xun: ...
Just gave you two medicine pills, now you’re hypocritically taking her side?
————
Meanwhile, Cui Yun brought Shen Hua over.
On the way, Shen Hua realized she had been part of a humorous misunderstanding.
Shen Hua: ...
Having not eaten for a long time, Cui Yun also developed a stomachache, pressing his hand against his abdomen.
He had intended to clarify things to Shen Hua, but was unfortunately interrupted by Ji Ge.
"Won’t you invite me in for a cup of hot tea?"
Shen Hua saw this and out of concern made a suggestion.
"You could take a few elixir pills, and you would be fine."
"I’ve given them all away."
Shen Hua glanced at him. She felt Cui Yun was acting strangely. But after all, she was a kind girl, and she shifted to the side, making way for him.
Cui Yun lifted the curtain and entered. As soon as he entered, there was a pleasant sweet scent.
Without Yicui to organize things, and with Yingwu being a coarse fellow, the interior was somewhat untidy. Yet, there was an order within the chaos.
Cui Yun didn’t look around much; he sat down. His hands, distinct in their knuckles, lifted the teapot and poured a cup of hot water.
Seeing that his service was not needed, Yingwu tactfully excused himself from the tent.
"If you’re not feeling well, it’s not good to eat roasted chicken as it’s greasy. I still have plenty of pastries here, why not eat some to fill your stomach?"
"That works."
Shen Hua fetched the pastries.
The two people inside the tent, sat facing each other.
After drinking some hot water, Cui Yun felt somewhat relieved. He then took the pastries Shen Hua offered to him.
He chewed slowly, displaying real elegance.
"Are they tasty?"
"Not bad."
Shen Hua was somewhat surprised.
These pastries were gifts from Wei Yingying not long ago. After tasting a few bites and finding them overwhelmingly sweet, she didn’t keep eating. Unexpectedly, Cui Yun didn’t even frown, his eyebrows relaxed, seemingly enjoying them very much.
Right, he had a sweet tooth.
"Usually during meals, you don’t seem to take extra portions of the sweet and sour dishes or desserts, do you, cousin?"
Cui Yun honestly replied, "In earlier years, having never tasted bitterness, I thought everything in the world should be sweet. After experiencing the taste of worry, I’ve become hesitant to indulge."
"Over time, I’ve become accustomed to it."
"A man who fancies sweets more than a girl, it’s not something one brags about."
What he said made sense.
The impartial and stern Minister of Ministry of Justice, who has a fondness for sweets, might be laughed at if people knew. It could cut his imposing reputation in half and turn it into a joke.
"When life is harsh, all the more reason to eat something sweet."
"Now that cousin is thriving and difficult days are behind you."
Shen Hua: "In the future, if you want to eat something sweet, just tell me. When I’m in a good mood, I’ll secretly stash some away for you, making sure it’s well concealed."
Cui Yun looked at her. His eyes warm, his voice cool yet gentle: "I didn’t originally intend to be so hasty."
"I always thought we should take things slowly between us, especially since you are still in mourning. There’s no need to rush."
Shen Hua listened, puzzled.
"But then I thought, with the mourning period being so long, you would always feel uneasy. And it’s wrong of me to abuse your vulnerable position like this. You are not lacking in gold and silver jewelry or beautiful dresses, they are mere external things, so what’s left is to give you a proper status."
Shen Hua had never imagined that Cui Yun still intended to host a grand ceremony to acknowledge his kinship, to solidify the status of cousins.
She was deeply moved.
"Status or no status, those are all empty formalities. As long as you have me in your heart, cousin, I don’t care. There’s no need to go through such trouble."
Cui Yun knew Shen Hua’s concerns well.
"Indeed, it’s not advisable to make a big show of it, so as not to compromise your filial piety, but proper rites that ought to be observed cannot be neglected."
"Give me your hand."
Shen Hua, deeply touched, extended her hand.
"I heard that you’ve given the Blood Jade to Rong."
Cui Yun produced a jade bracelet, free of cotton and impurities, full of luster and richness, with a pure texture that gleamed with a faint sheen.
He slipped it onto Shen Hua’s wrist.
Shen Hua fixated her gaze on it. A touch of surprise crossed her face.
"My sister-in-law has a similar piece of Dragon Stone, said to be warm in winter and cool in summer."
Cui Yun hummed affirmatively through his nose.
"Yes, it’s something my grandmother had prepared early on, reserved for the daughters-in-law of the Cui family."
Shen Hua’s smile was full of appreciation, as she let out an impressed ’wow’.
"Grandmother is really generous. This is worth even more than the Blood Jade."
Cui Yun’s Adam’s apple moved.
"When we return this time, I will have Mama arrange the proposal."
Shen Hua: "Mhm, mhm, I will naturally cooperate."
As she was about to say something else, her entire body went rigid, the smile at the corners of her mouth slowly freezing.
She looked distraught: "A proposal?"
Seeing her like this, Cui Yun narrowed his eyes, seeming surprised: "You don’t wish to?"
Shen Hua almost couldn’t catch her breath.
Something is wrong, definitely wrong.
Under Cui Yun’s gaze, she tremblingly raised her hand, tightly pinching her philtrum.