Ji Yu climbed down from the carriage, holding ribs and a basket of vegetables in one hand, and carrying the goose in the other.
By the time she got home, night had completely fallen.
She pushed open the courtyard gate, put her things in the kitchen first, and then walked towards the room where Nan Xing was staying.
She pushed the door open gently. Even the slightest sound was enough to wake Nan Xing from his sleep. He opened his eyes alertly, but seeing it was Ji Yu in the moonlight, the wariness in his eyes faded, replaced by the look of someone just waking up.
“I came to see how you are. Sorry if I woke you up.” Ji Yu lit the candle. The warm yellow light chased away the darkness. She smiled apologetically at him, looking sleepy-eyed.
“It’s fine. I am a light sleeper anyway.” Nan Xing looked away and said calmly.
“Then you go back to sleep? I’m going to make dinner. I’ll tell you what! We have pork rib soup tonight!” Ji Yu’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she shared the good news.
The chicken soup at noon had really awakened her craving for meat, which she hadn’t indulged in for half a month to save money. That was why she had bought the ribs she had been longing for. Besides, rib soup was light and perfect for a patient recovering from injuries.
Nan Xing nodded slightly. “Okay. Thank you for the trouble, Miss Ji.”
“No trouble at all!” Ji Yu grinned. Suddenly she felt a cool breeze. Looking over, she saw the window was still open. She quickly walked over and closed it tightly.
Even though it was early spring, nights were still chilly. She could open the windows for ventilation during the day, but not at night. She had to remember strictly: Master Qi could not catch a cold.
***
Since they were having soup, Ji Yu kept dinner simple. She cooked the rice noodles she had bought at the market.
She carried a bowl into the room and smiled. “The soup is still simmering. Eat this first.”
“Thank you for your hard work, Miss Ji.”
“It’s nothing.”
Ji Yu served a bowl for him and one for herself.
After resting for a day, Nan Xing’s left arm was still stiff, but his right hand was fine. So Ji Yu let him eat by himself this time, not insisting on feeding him anymore.
She observed him secretly while eating. Hmm, this Prince didn’t eat as slowly or elegantly as she had imagined.
Conclusion: He was actually just like a normal person.
Ji Yu’s eyes darted around. Seeing him finish one bowl, she quickly refilled it for him.
“Master Qi, I’m sorry I came back so late. You must be starving. Eat more! There’s plenty more in the pot.”
“Please don’t say that, Miss Ji. You saved my life and you care for me so well. I am extremely grateful. How could I possibly blame you?” Nan Xing smiled gently, looking at her sincerely.
Ji Yu was moved. Look at this Male Lead! So handsome, so well-spoken! She just wondered if his actions matched his words and looks.
She swallowed a mouthful of noodles, looked at him, hesitated for a moment, and let out a long sigh.
Nan Xing paused with his chopsticks. His eyes darkened slightly. *Could it be my wound…?*
He hid his complex emotions and looked at her with concern. “Why are you sighing, Miss Ji? Is it because the poison in my body is difficult to cure?”
Ji Yu was startled, then quickly said, “The poison is indeed tricky. I can only suppress it for now to stop it from spreading. But don’t worry! My father left behind many medical books. I will definitely find a way to cure you completely.”
Nan Xing nodded. But seeing her still frowning deeply, he realized she wasn’t worried about *him*.
As the person being saved, it was only polite to ask if his savior was in trouble.
“Then what is troubling you, Miss Ji?”
“Oh, it’s just… something really infuriating happened today. Let me tell you…”
Since he asked, Ji Yu told him the whole story, carefully watching his expression. The more serious his face got, the happier she felt inside.
He was the benevolent Third Prince, known for caring about the people. If he heard about Old Man Liu’s tragedy, he definitely wouldn’t stand by and do nothing.
To make it more touching, she added more details.
“Master Qi, ordinary people can’t fight against powerful families. Especially someone as poor as Grandpa Liu.”
“His son and daughter-in-law died early, leaving only a granddaughter. The old couple raised her up with difficulty, only for her to be beaten like that by Du Cong…”
“You should have seen the wounds on her body…” Ji Yu sighed, looking pained. “It was… absolutely horrific.”
“She was so traumatized that last night, while the elders were asleep, she tried to hang herself. Luckily, Grandpa Liu and Grandma Liu were worried about her and checked on her in time, otherwise…”
“Hey, why aren’t you eating? The noodles are getting cold!” Ji Yu noticed he had stopped eating completely, just listening intently. “Eat while you listen!”
*So silly!* she thought. *If he went to a storyteller, would he just sit there and starve? You’re supposed to enjoy the snacks AND the story! That’s the right way!*
Hearing her words, Nan Xing obediently picked up his chopsticks and ate slowly, but his eyes never left her, waiting for her to continue.
Ji Yu blinked and went on. “Grandpa Liu wanted to go to the Yamen to report him. But he didn’t know… Prefect Chen’s favorite concubine is Du Cong’s aunt!”
“With that connection, if he reports it, nothing will happen. They will just sweep it under the rug. That’s why I stopped him. Just thinking about it makes me so angry that Du Cong is still free!”
Ji Yu stuffed a big mouthful of noodles into her mouth, chewing furiously as if it were Du Cong’s flesh.
“I really want to help them, but what can I do? I’m just a weak woman with no power or influence. Even if I have evidence, it won’t be enough to bring him to justice.”
These were her true feelings. Over the past half month, she hadn’t just been idling by. Using her identity as a painter, she had secretly collected a lot of evidence of Du Cong’s crimes. She was just waiting for someone with enough authority to help her put that beast behind bars forever.
People like Du Cong didn’t deserve to live. And interestingly, he was a bully who feared the strong. He only picked on powerless girls, never daring to touch families with real influence.
Nan Xing put down his bowl and looked at her seriously.
“Miss Ji, actually… I know someone who fits your description perfectly. Someone powerful and influential.”