When Song Bo opened his eyes again, the sky had already darkened. He stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, trying to piece together where he was.
He remembered the wall at home collapsing, and then he had lost consciousness. Given the surroundings, he figured he must be at Song Chazai’s house.
As Song Bo tried to tilt his head, a dull, throbbing pain shot through the upper back of his skull with the slightest movement, forcing a groan from his lips. Those wall tiles were something else. Even though they had not fallen from a great height, they were incredibly lethal.
The sound of Song Bo’s voice woke Jiang Jinxi, who had been dozing fitfully nearby. Jiang Jinxi asked, “What do you need? I will help you.”
“I want some water,” Song Bo said.
Song Chazai had anticipated that the first thing Song Bo would want upon waking was water. She had specifically instructed Jiang Jinxi that water was fine, but only in small sips using a spoon to moisten his mouth.
Jiang Jinxi rose to fetch the bowl of water, but as soon as his hand touched the rim, he realized the water had turned stone cold.
“I will go warm it up. Wait for me,” Jiang Jinxi said.
Song Bo tried to say, “No need, cold water is fine,” but he was so weak that his voice was barely a whisper. Jiang Jinxi did not hear him at all and hurried out of the room with the bowl.
Fine, warming it up is better anyway, Song Bo thought. It would save his stomach from the chill and prevent any potential complications.
Perhaps because water was kept on the stove, Jiang Jinxi went and returned quickly. Upon his return, he first used a spoon to drop a bit of water onto the back of his hand to test the temperature, a method Song Chazai had taught him. Once certain the temperature was just right, Jiang Jinxi scooped a shallow bit of water and touched it to Song Bo’s lips. He then tilted the spoon slightly, letting the water glide from the tip into Song Bo’s mouth.
Song Bo felt like a plant in the desert finally meeting a long awaited rain. The burning sensation in his throat eased considerably.
However, after just a few shallow spoonfuls, Jiang Jinxi pulled back. Song Bo had not had nearly enough and asked in confusion, “Only that much?”
“Eldest Aunt said that you cannot drink too much water right after waking up, or you might lose consciousness again.” Jiang Jinxi kept Song Chazai’s instructions firmly in mind, refusing to give a single extra drop. This was for Song Bo’s own good.
Song Bo knew nothing of medicine, but since Eldest Aunt had said it, there must be a reason for it.
Jiang Jinxi set the bowl down, returned to the bedside, and asked, “How do you feel now? Is there pain anywhere?”
Song Bo was about to shake his head, but Jiang Jinxi was faster, placing a hand on either side of Song Bo’s head to steady him. “You must not shake your head.”
Twenty-four hours had not yet passed, and some complications had not yet surfaced. Song Bo’s injury was to the head, and the head was precious; it could not be moved haphazardly.
Cool fingertips touched his cheeks. Song Bo looked up at Jiang Jinxi. Because of his urgency, Jiang Jinxi was very close. His light brown pupils searched Song Bo’s face with clear, visible worry. Song Bo suddenly smiled and said, “I will follow Doctor Jiang’s orders and not move an inch.”
Jiang Jinxi abruptly withdrew his hands and grabbed his own earlobes. “It seems you are perfectly fine if you still have the mind to make jokes.”
“I am not joking,” Song Bo said, watching Jiang Jinxi’s flustered back. “I am just using your future title a bit early.”
In the morning, the sun rose as it did every day. Song Bo woke up again, feeling much better.
Jiang Jinxi, worried about him, had refused to stay too far away and had fallen asleep slumped by the bedside.
Song Bo slowly tilted his head. Jiang Jinxi was sleeping facing him, his fair face pressed into a pattern of creases by his sleeve. It was quite adorable. His squished cheeks looked as round and soft as cotton, tempting to the touch. Song Bo could not resist reaching out, but just as he was about to make contact, his fingertips curled slightly and he paused.
He curled his index finger, straightened it, curled it, and straightened it again. After several cycles, with his fingertip less than a centimeter from Jiang Jinxi’s cheek, Song Bo ultimately withdrew his hand.
What am I doing? I have truly gone mad.
After pulling back, in an attempt to shake off the lingering sense of intimacy in his mind, Song Bo closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.
Once Song Bo’s breathing became steady, Jiang Jinxi’s long eyelashes fluttered, and he opened his eyes. He had been awakened by the movement when Song Bo first reached out. He could feel Song Bo’s fingertip gradually approaching him. His neck had felt numb with a sensation he could not name, a mix of anticipation and nervousness. Song Bo clearly intended to touch him, but for some unknown reason, he had retracted his hand. The expected touch never came, replaced only by the sound of Song Bo’s steady breathing. Jiang Jinxi propped up his head, resting his pointed chin on his arm. He looked at Song Bo, feeling a trace of disappointment.
When Song Bo woke up again, he was gently shaken awake. Song Chazai was sitting by his bed, with a bowl of warm porridge on the nightstand.
“How can you go so long without eating?” Song Chazai supported Song Bo’s shoulders and carefully shifted him into a sitting position against the headboard.
“Where is Jinxi?” Song Bo asked.
Song Chazai picked up the white porridge, scooped a spoonful from the edge of the bowl, and blew on it. “He is eating breakfast. He will be back in a moment.”
Song Bo ate the porridge spoonful by spoonful, unknowingly finishing half the bowl. Song Chazai had not served too much; small, frequent meals were the appropriate frequency for Song Bo’s current state.
“Oh, right.” Song Bo suddenly remembered the ingredients in the kitchen at home. In his current state, he definitely could not cook, and it would be a waste to let those ingredients sit. “Eldest Aunt, there are ingredients in my kitchen. Go ahead and take them to use.”
At the mention of the ingredients, Song Chazai teased, “It seems that meal of yours is not so easily earned.”
It was an accident. A wall collapsing was not something he could have predicted. However, regardless of the cause, he had ultimately broken his promise. Song Bo said, “I will definitely cook for you all once I am better.”
“Then you had better get well quickly.” Song Chazai packed up her things, preparing to go out and fetch some medicine.
“Eldest Aunt,” Song Bo called out.
“What else is there?” Song Chazai paused and leaned in to listen.
“Are you free today?”
Song Chazai thought for a moment. There were no current plans for the day. “What is it?”
“I was supposed to go to work today, but as you can see, I am in no condition to do so. I would like to ask you to go to the docks in Chuanfu Town to ask the boat owner for leave and explain the situation.” Song Bo said. Missing work without a reason was not his style.
“I can do that,” Song Chazai agreed readily. A trip to Chuanfu Town was only an hour’s round trip by ox cart; it would not interfere with much.
“Can you take Jinxi with you?” Song Bo asked further.
In the original story, Jiang Jinxi had left clues in Chuanfu Town. Having Song Chazai take him into town early would help him become familiar with the urban environment.
Originally, Song Bo had wanted to go to Chuanfu Town himself to get away from Jiang Jinxi for a bit, but he feared Jiang Jinxi might be kidnapped by ruffians if he ran off, or that he might encounter trouble on the road if he stayed. It was better to have Song Chazai, a local elder, accompany him.
“You are not afraid he will run away?” Song Chazai asked.
Jiang Jinxi had been forced upon Song Bo by thugs, after all. He surely thought of returning home. If she took him out today and he ran, she would not be the one to chase after him.
“That would be his choice,” Song Bo said. “The town is so lively. It would be good to take him out to see it while the opportunity is there.”
Seeing that Song Bo truly did not mind if Jiang Jinxi fled, Song Chazai accepted the task. She was currently at a crossroads. Part of her wanted Jiang Jinxi to stay and remain Song Bo’s husband, but another part felt this was unfair and that Jiang Jinxi should not be forced to stay in the village. Taking him out solved the problem. Whether he stayed or left was entirely up to him, and she would not interfere.
“By the way, if he likes anything, go ahead and buy it for him,” Song Bo added. “Put the cost on my tab. I will pay you back once I go home.”
Song Chazai gave him a sidelong glance. “I need you to pay for such small expenses? Do you look down on your Eldest Aunt?” It was not a boast, but because of her medical practice, she was considered relatively wealthy in the village. Spending a bit of pocket change was no problem. If others heard that she made her junior pay while out with an elder, she would be laughed at. She could not afford to lose face like that.
Jiang Jinxi stood at the door holding the medicine, listening to their conversation. His grip on the bowl tightened slightly. Song Bo was so seriously injured, yet he was still thinking of him.
If he were to go off into town and enjoy fine food and drink at a time like this, he truly would not be human.
Timing his entrance, Jiang Jinxi walked into the room with the medicine just as their conversation reached a pause.
Previously, he had thought the smell of Jiang Jinxi’s herbal medicine was bitter. Now, the tables had turned, and it was his turn to drink the bitter brew.
Because Song Bo’s injury was severe, he not only had to drink the decoction but also swallow medicinal pills. Roughly speaking, he had to take four pills and a bowl of herbal medicine, double the bitterness.
“You feed him the medicine. I will go prepare some things,” Song Chazai said.
Jiang Jinxi pretended he had not been eavesdropping and asked, “Prepare what?”
“Oh, we are going to Chuanfu Town in a bit. It is a good chance to sell the extra herbs,” Song Chazai said.
“I am going too?” Jiang Jinxi asked.
“You are going too,” Song Chazai answered.
After Song Chazai left the room, Jiang Jinxi sat on the edge of the bed, his brow slightly furrowed.
“Why do you look unhappy?” Having learned from the previous misunderstanding, Song Bo had become wiser. He asked directly to save time and effort.
Jiang Jinxi used the spoon to scoop the medicine up and down to cool it. He replied, “You were injured like this because of me. How could I be in the mood to go to town?”
So that was the reason. Song Bo smiled. Now that they were communicating, those misunderstandings could be cleared up instantly.
“What are you laughing at?” Jiang Jinxi asked.
“I am laughing at your foolishness,” Song Bo said.
Jiang Jinxi was displeased. In his seventeen years, this was the first time anyone had called him foolish. However, he did not storm out in a huff. Instead, he scooped up a spoonful of medicine and brought it to Song Bo’s mouth, albeit with slightly rougher movements.
“I protected you of my own free will. You do not need to feel guilty,” Song Bo explained quickly, noticing the irritation in Jiang Jinxi’s actions.
“How could I not feel guilty?” Jiang Jinxi asked back. He was a normal person. If he caused someone to be injured and bedridden, how could he not feel guilt?
Knowing that further words would be useless, Song Bo decided on a different approach. “Fine, then go ahead and feel guilty. Just be a bit nicer to me while I am sick.”
This sounded more reasonable. Jiang Jinxi’s displeasure dissipated, and his movements in feeding the medicine became much gentler.