Chapter 8: A Fine FigureJi Shuhuai sat on the bed, his coarse cloth garment half-slipped off.His skin was pale and cool.Broad shoulders tapered to a narrow waist.Even, firm muscles rose and fell in gentle contours.A strip of white gauze was wrapped from his shoulder to his chest, circling several times around his abdomen.Far from detracting from his fine figure, it added a certain tension and forbidden allure that made one want to pounce.Jiang Yiyue couldn’t help but swallow.Sensing something, Ji Shuhuai looked up and met Jiang Yiyue’s less-than-innocent gaze.He wanted to immediately put his clothes back on, but his hands wouldn’t move, leaving him flushed with embarrassment and annoyance.Jiang Yiyue enjoyed looking at handsome men—their faces, their figures, their words and actions.But that was always done in private.Now, however, the handsome man had noticed and seemed a little angry.Her face flushed red, and she hurriedly turned to leave.Just then, Auntie Qi came over carrying a medicine box. “Madam Jiang.”“Ah, Auntie Qi,” Jiang Yiyue responded.Auntie Qi asked with concern, “Why is your face so red? Are you feeling unwell?”“No, no,” Jiang Yiyue shook her head repeatedly.“Then…”“It suddenly got a bit hot. I’ll be fine in a moment.” Jiang Yiyue fanned herself with her hand.Auntie Qi looked up at the sun.It was indeed rather warm.She said, “The sun’s out. Come inside and sit.”Having nowhere else to go, Jiang Yiyue followed Auntie Qi into the room.Ji Shuhuai had already put his clothes back on and was leaning calmly against the wall.Though still dressed in coarse cloth, his strikingly handsome presence was impossible to conceal.Seeing the discarded bandages, Auntie Qi asked, “Old man, did you change Young Master Ji’s dressing?”“Since I had nothing else to do, I went ahead and changed it,” Uncle Qi replied.“Good, that saves me the trouble,” Auntie Qi said, then asked, “How is his injury?”Uncle Qi chuckled cheerfully. “Young people have strong constitutions. His wound improves day by day.”Auntie Qi cautioned, “Still, he must rest and recover properly.”“Right,” Uncle Qi nodded.Auntie Qi looked at Jiang Yiyue and Ji Shuhuai. “You two young ones should both take good care of yourselves.”Hearing the words “you two young ones,” Ji Shuhuai couldn’t help but glance at Jiang Yiyue.Jiang Yiyue smiled and said, “Yes, we’ll follow Uncle and Auntie’s advice in everything.”Uncle Qi beamed. “Then we’ll leave you to it.”After seeing Auntie Qi and Uncle Qi off,Jiang Yiyue didn’t sit on the bed but instead took a seat at the table.She picked up a teacup and poured some tea, stealing a glance at Ji Shuhuai.Ji Shuhuai remained calm and indifferent.Jiang Yiyue spoke up, “Young Master Ji, would you like some water?”“No,” Ji Shuhuai replied politely. “Could you please open the window?”“Oh.” Jiang Yiyue opened both windows in the room.Ji Shuhuai continued to gaze outside.He seemed not to mind having been seen undressed earlier.Jiang Yiyue’s words and actions relaxed as well.As she had done the day before, she fed Ji Shuhuai his meal and medicine, then lay down beside him to sleep.Ji Shuhuai said, “Behave yourself when sleeping at night.”“Alright,” Jiang Yiyue sat up abruptly.Ji Shuhuai asked in surprise, “What are you doing?”Jiang Yiyue hugged her pillow to her chest.Then lay back down.Turning her head toward Ji Shuhuai, she said, “If I hug the pillow while sleeping, I’ll behave.”What a strange habit.After silently judging her, Ji Shuhuai continued looking out the window.Jiang Yiyue, meanwhile, fell fast asleep.Early the next morning, after getting up, she helped Auntie Qi dry herbs together with Xiaohua and Xiaoshu.When Uncle Qi finished preparing breakfast, she carried tea and the morning meal back to the room.Ji Shuhuai had just woken up and, seeing her beaming face, was quite puzzled. "Did you find money?"Jiang Yiyue set down the tea and looked at Ji Shuhuai in confusion."Why are you so happy?" Ji Shuhuai asked.Jiang Yiyue smiled and said, "Xiaohua and Xiaoshu came to see me again.""That's it?" Ji Shuhuai asked indifferently.Jiang Yiyue replied, "They brought me two pieces of winter melon candy.""That's it?" Ji Shuhuai remained unimpressed."Why do you look so dismissive? This is someone's heartfelt gesture. No matter how small, it's worth being happy about! No matter how trivial, it's worth treasuring! Don't you understand?" Jiang Yiyue retorted unhappily.Upon hearing this, Ji Shuhuai was momentarily taken aback."Well, I understand! Drinking medicine won't be so bitter later!" Jiang Yiyue picked up the tea.Turning her head, she saw Ji Shuhuai supporting himself on the bed with his left hand and slowly getting up.Jiang Yiyue exclaimed in surprise, "Your left hand can move now?""Yes," Ji Shuhuai replied."Wow, Young Master Ji, you're amazing," Jiang Yiyue said with delight.Ji Shuhuai asked, "What's so amazing?""With such severe injuries, you can move in just two or three days. That's incredible."After spending two or three days together, Ji Shuhuai had grown accustomed to Jiang Yiyue's simple and limited praise.He walked to the table and took the tea from Jiang Yiyue's hand to rinse his mouth.Jiang Yiyue asked, "Can you eat by yourself now?"Ji Shuhuai nodded. "Yes.""With your left hand too?""Yes."Jiang Yiyue quickly pulled out a chair for him, set out a bowl, and placed chopsticks.Watching him skillfully use the chopsticks with his left hand, she couldn't help but ask, "Are you left-handed?""No.""Then you're so clever, using both hands!"Ji Shuhuai turned to her and asked, "Have you had breakfast?""Not yet.""Will you still eat?""Yes, yes! I'm injured too, so I need to eat more." Jiang Yiyue picked up her chopsticks and began eating.However, she kept glancing at Ji Shuhuai from time to time.After finishing the meal, Auntie Qi brought the medicine.This time, Jiang Yiyue didn't have to feed him spoonful by spoonful—Ji Shuhuai drank it all in one gulp.Jiang Yiyue also drank hers in one go and quickly popped a piece of winter melon candy into her mouth, her sweet smile blooming instantly.She opened her palm toward Ji Shuhuai. "This one's for you.""I don't want it," Ji Shuhuai said, turning and walking to the back window to look outside.Jiang Yiyue rolled her eyes at him and muttered, "Ungrateful.""What did you say?" Ji Shuhuai turned back.A flattering smile instantly appeared on Jiang Yiyue's face. "I said, you're amazing, not afraid of bitterness at all."Ji Shuhuai ignored her and continued looking out the window.Jiang Yiyue returned the medicine bowls to Auntie Qi and helped her with some chores.When she returned to the room, Ji Shuhuai was still standing by the back window, watching.Curious, she walked over to Ji Shuhuai and followed his gaze.Auntie Qi and Uncle Qi's small courtyard was nestled at the foot of the mountain, with a small grove of trees behind it.What was so interesting about that?Ji Shuhuai had been staring out the window for days now, not even allowing the window to be closed at night.Unable to hold back, she asked, "What are you looking at?"Ji Shuhuai replied, "Watching birds.""What kind of birds? Are they pretty?"As soon as she finished speaking, a few "cooing" sounds of pigeons echoed.Ji Shuhuai placed his left index finger to his lips and blew a sharp whistle.A gray pigeon flapped its wings and landed on the windowsill.Jiang Yiyue asked in surprise, "Is this your carrier pigeon?""Yes," Ji Shuhuai replied, removing the message scroll from its leg and opening it for a glance."How is it so obedient?""Trained.""How did it know you were here?""It didn't. It was on its way to deliver a letter elsewhere and passed by here. I called out to stop it.""Heavens, what a clever pigeon." Jiang Yiyue stared at the gray pigeon on the windowsill and praised, "Gugu, you're really pretty."The gray pigeon cooed twice."Oh, you're just too adorable.""Coo.""Call out one more time.""Coo."Ji Shuhuai watched as the gray pigeon responded to Jiang Yiyue every time.He gave it a disdainful glance."Are you hungry?" Jiang Yiyue asked again."Coo," the pigeon replied."If you're hungry, coo once.""Coo."Jiang Yiyue turned to look at Ji Shuhuai. "Can I feed it?""Feed it what?" Ji Shuhuai asked.Jiang Yiyue pulled out some sunflower seeds from her pocket."Where did you get those?""Granny Fan gave them to me. I've already eaten a handful, they're not poisonous."Who is Granny Fan again?In just two or three days, Jiang Yiyue had gotten to know almost all the villagers of Shanxi Village.Ji Shuhuai twitched slightly."Then I'll feed it now." Seeing that Ji Shuhuai didn't object, Jiang Yiyue took out a handful of sunflower seeds.She shelled them one by one and placed them on the windowsill.The gray pigeon ate them one by one."Little Gugu, you're just too amazing." Jiang Yiyue praised in a high-pitched voice.Ji Shuhuai gave a disdainful look at the girl and the bird, then stepped out of the room.When he returned, he slipped a rolled-up note into the pigeon's leg and said, "Stop eating, go back."The pigeon ignored him, burying its head to continue eating.Ji Shuhuai had no choice but to look at Jiang Yiyue. "Stop feeding it, let it go back.""Alright." Jiang Yiyue stopped shelling the seeds and said to the pigeon, "Gugu, goodbye."The pigeon searched around on the windowsill.Finding no more sunflower seed kernels, it suddenly flew away.Jiang Yiyue withdrew her reluctant gaze and looked at Ji Shuhuai, asking, "Do you want some sunflower seeds?""No.""I'll shell them for you.""No.""Alright then." Jiang Yiyue was about to say something else when Xiaohua and Xiaoshu came looking for her again.She went out to play with them and helped Auntie Qi and Uncle Qi brew medicine along the way.Free from her boss's exploitation, she spent the whole day in high spirits.At night, she hugged her pillow and slept in front of Ji Shuhuai.As she slept, she suddenly felt something was off.She abruptly opened her eyes to see Ji Shuhuai's handsome face right in front of her.Just as she was about to speak, he suddenly covered her mouth.What is he doing?Is he trying to take advantage of her?

The Aloof Grand Minister Doted on Her Until She Cried