Ji Yan’an managed to steady his emotions, though his face remained unnaturally pale.
Uncle Li fumed beside him. “That Wang Hu grows more arrogant by the day! Does he truly think the Ji family is easy to push around? Young Master, are we just going to let this slide?”
Ji Yan’an sipped his tea, his eyes narrowing with a sharp, dangerous glint. “Of course not. This was merely a test on their part.”
Rising to the rank of City Guard Commander in just five years, and gaining full control over the Yaoguang Battalion someone powerful must be backing him, and that someone was no ordinary figure.
In truth, Ji Yan’an knew full well that Wang Hu was not the only one. There were others waiting for him to die. The moment he was gone, the various factions would carve up the Ji Army among themselves.
“For now, at least, I must stay alive.”
Uncle Li felt frustrated and helpless. “But if we do nothing, it will only embolden him further.”
Ji Yan’an’s lips curved into a cold smile. “Staying alive does not mean I cannot still teach him a lesson.”
“Besides, Commander Wang came here today specifically to provoke me which means he knows about the poison in my body.” He twirled his teacup casually between his fingers. “And very few people are aware that I must avoid strong emotions.”
“Uncle Li, go and find out if there has been any movement from those in the capital after I left.”
“At once.”
Uncle Li accepted the order, but did not leave immediately. “Young Master, if I go, who will look after you?”
“There is still…”
“I will! I can do it!”
A soft, childish voice rang out. Both Ji Yan’an and Uncle Li looked down to see the little girl clutching the edge of the table, gazing up at him with eager, hopeful eyes.
Jiang Yun Sui was determined to make a good impression.
Ji Yan’an chuckled and poked her soft cheek lightly with one finger. “And what exactly can you do?”
Jiang Yun Sui thought hard. “I can eat with you!”
Uncle Li’s face lit up. “That is a very good thing! Young Master, for the sake of your health, let her stay and accompany you from now on.”
Jiang Yun Sui nodded vigorously like a little pecking bird, her cheeks dimpling into two sweet little smiles.
She had no reason to hold back the food was simply too delicious to miss.
Her eyes drifted toward the tea cups on the table. This smells nice too… I wonder if it tastes good?
Ji Yan’an let out a quiet laugh. “Eating with me is that serving me, or just enjoying yourself? You ate even more than I did.”
Jiang Yun Sui, still too innocent to feel embarrassment, stared at his stomach for two seconds.
“Your tummy is bigger than mine. You ate too little that’s not good.” Her expression was earnest. “You’re the one who didn’t eat enough.”
It wasn’t her fault she ate heartily; there was still food left, and he simply couldn’t finish it himself.
Ji Yan’an found himself laughing despite his exasperation.
He reached out and pinched her cheeks firmly. “That doesn’t count.”
“Wuhy not?” she mumbled, her words muffled and slurred while her face was squeezed.
“No reason. When I say it doesn’t count, it doesn’t count.”
How unfair! So bossy!
But the little mushroom dared not protest. When he looked stern, he was truly intimidating even that huge, burly man had been sent away in a hurry.
“Then… then I can pour tea and bring water for you.” Jiang Yun Sui wracked her brain, recalling the words Auntie Chen had taught her.
“And… and I can scold people for you too,” she added, though with much less confidence.
She sniffled softly. “But you have to make sure someone protects me, okay? I’m so tiny, and that man just now was enormous one punch from him could flatten several of me.”
Her big eyes glistened as if she were about to cry, looking utterly pitiful. “And it would hurt so much…”
Uncle Li and Granny Zhou stood watching, their hearts melting completely.
Oh dear, how can this little one be so utterly endearing?
Having lived for so many years, they had seen countless children in their time not least the Young Master himself, whom they had watched grow up from infancy.
The Ji family also had other children, including two young girls.
But as a child, Young Master Ji had been a little tyrant, full of mischief and trouble. The two young ladies of the house had been raised from an early age to be proper, dignified, and well-mannered. Neither had ever had such a soft, sweet, and endearing nature as Jiang Yun Sui, nor such an amusing way of speaking.
Ji Yan’an found himself thoroughly entertained.
“You’re so timid, yet you still want to help me scold people?”
Jiang Yun Sui drooped her head, looking dejected. “Well… besides eating, there isn’t much else I can do, is there?”
It had taken her quite a while just to think of those few things.
“At least you know your own limits,” Ji Yan’an remarked dryly.
His mood, which had been ruined by Wang Hu earlier, lifted once more. Truly, teasing this little girl did wonders for his spirits.
In that case, he thought with a mischievous glint in his eye, I shall just have to keep her close so I can tease her as often as I like.
“Uncle Li, wait until Nan Shu arrives before you leave.”
Ji Yan’an did not try to act tough. Uncle Li was the one who usually oversaw his daily needs. Ji Yan’an disliked having maids hovering around him constantly, so only Uncle Li and his personal attendant Nan Shu, who knew his habits well, could attend to him properly.
If his health were not so frail, he could manage everything himself. But as things stood…
After finishing his walk to aid digestion, Ji Yan’an returned to his study in the front courtyard. He set to work sorting through official documents and dealing with a mountain of small but pressing matters work that demanded great focus and energy.
He told Jiang Yun Sui to stay nearby and attend to him.
At first, she stood straight and proper, holding a small hand fan and fanning him diligently.
But after only a few minutes, her wrist began to ache. She glanced at Ji Yan’an, then started to slack off. Her gaze drifted into a daydream, and she fanned him only half-heartedly. Before long, the direction of the fan shifted, and she began wafting the cool air toward herself instead.
Ji Yan’an was too absorbed in his work to notice, and in any case, he had never really expected such a tiny creature to keep him cool.
Ten minutes later, her legs began to tire. She shifted her weight from foot to foot, and her small shoulders slumped forward.
A little while longer, and she yawned widely, then sank down to the floor, wrapping her arms around her knees.
When Ji Yan’an finally finished a batch of papers and felt his eyes growing heavy, he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
At that moment, Granny Zhou entered carrying a bowl of medicine.
“Young Master, it is time for your medicine.”
The strong, bitter scent of herbs filled the air. Ji Yan’an hated it he had always hated it but he had no choice.
Wincing slightly, he tilted his head back and drank the entire bowl in one go.
Granny Zhou quickly handed him a candied fruit to take away the taste.
He popped it into his mouth. His body was already weak, and sitting so long had left him feeling drained. He stood up, intending to stretch his legs, only to bump into something soft and warm.
He looked down. There was the little girl who had so boldly promised to serve him, now curled up on the floor, leaning against the leg of his chair, fast asleep and breathing softly.
Even when he accidentally nudged her, she showed no sign of waking.
Here I am, slaving away over all these tedious matters, while she sleeps like a log…
A faint, displeased smile touched his lips. Hmph.
Being petty by nature, Ji Yan’an felt the balance of things was unfairly tipped.
He crouched down, reached out, and gently pinched her nose shut.
A moment later, her mouth fell open, and she continued breathing through it without even stirring.
Ji Yan’an stared: ……………
If only I could sleep this soundly… I doubt I would be so irritable while dealing with all these annoying affairs.
Determined, he used his other hand to press her mouth closed as well.
This time, Jiang Yun Sui jolted awake. Her eyes flew open, and the first thing she saw was Ji Yan’an’s face right in front of her a familiar, unwelcome sight.
“Awake now?”
Her nose and mouth still held shut, Jiang Yun Sui’s face turned bright red from holding her breath.