Lu Huaijin arrived at the tranquil courtyard through the wind and snow, the sky already dark.
“Where is your mistress?” he asked Chun Tao impatiently as soon as he stepped over the threshold.
“Master… the mistress… is asleep,” Chun Tao replied with her head lowered.
“Asleep so early?” Lu Huaijin’s brows furrowed slightly at this response, seeming somewhat surprised.
Just as Chun Tao was about to explain, she saw Lu Huaijin turn and stride purposefully toward the rear courtyard without another word.
He pushed the door open abruptly, a gust of cold wind rushing in and making the candle flame flicker unsteadily.
His gaze fell upon the figure on the bed, whose face was unusually flushed with an abnormal feverishness.
Lu Huaijin’s heart tightened. He strode forward and gently placed his broad palm on Su Yao’s forehead.
So hot!
“Fetch a physician immediately!” he commanded without hesitation, his sharp gaze turning to Chun Tao who stood frozen nearby.
“Yes… yes, I’ll go right away,” Chun Tao stammered, intimidated by Lu Huaijin’s imposing presence. She turned and hurried out.
Fortunately, after emergency treatment, the physician diagnosed Su Yao with nothing more than a severe chill. The physician skillfully applied acupuncture and prescribed several doses of medicine, instructing Chun Tao to prepare them quickly.
Soon, the medicine was brewed. Chun Tao carefully carried the bowl back to Su Yao’s room.
“I’ll do it,” the man said, taking the bowl.
In her dazed state, Su Yao felt someone forcing medicine down her throat. She had always hated bitter tastes, but this person showed no mercy. When she spat it out, they forcefully poured the liquid into her mouth again.
She couldn’t even see who it was, only feeling utterly exhausted. Why wouldn’t this person let her sleep peacefully, constantly tormenting her?
Her eyelids felt as heavy as lead, impossible to open no matter how hard she tried. Waves of dizziness assaulted her mind, leaving her without even the strength to speak.
“How did she fall so ill so suddenly?” Lu Huaijin questioned Chun Tao who stood nearby.
Chun Tao felt uneasy. Having developed affection for Su Yao during their time together, she hesitated before Lu Huaijin’s interrogation. Finally, she said softly, “The snow was falling heavily today. The mistress was watching the snowscape when she slipped… and fell.”
She deliberately concealed Lu Chuyao’s earlier visit, fearing it might bring more trouble for Su Yao.
Hearing this, Lu Huaijin waved his hand lightly, signaling Chun Tao to withdraw. He walked slowly to the window, his gaze lowering to rest on Su Yao lying weak and vulnerable on the bed.
“How can someone your age still not know how to take proper care of yourself?” Lu Huaijin’s brows knitted together tightly. “It’s only been five days since I last saw you. How did you manage to get yourself into this state? Are you tormenting yourself or tormenting me?”
Outside the window, snowflakes swirled, while inside the room, silence prevailed.
Su Yao’s eyes remained tightly shut, her cheeks flushed crimson with fever. She murmured about feeling cold.
Lu Huaijin quickly added another quilt over her, but Su Yao continued to shiver uncontrollably, her body curling into a tight ball.
Without hesitation, he removed his outer robe and boots, leaving only his thin inner garments. Then he gently lifted a corner of the quilt, climbed into bed, and pulled her tightly into his embrace.
His chest was broad and warm, and Su Yao seemed to instinctively sense this warmth. She leaned closer to Lu Huaijin, burying her head in the crook of his neck, her arms tightly encircling his waist.
Lu Huaijin had always found it difficult to restrain himself when she took the initiative.
His body gradually grew feverish, and he poured all his warmth into her.
Their bodies pressed tightly together, their breaths growing rapid and heavy.
The temperature in the room gradually rose, filling the air with an intimate atmosphere.
After an hour of exertion, Su Yao finally broke into a sweat. Her once-burning forehead slowly returned to a normal temperature, as if the high fever had subsided just like that.
Lu Huaijin’s anxious heart finally settled. Drenched in sweat, he caressed Su Yao’s silky hair with lingering tenderness.
Su Yao collapsed into a deep sleep, already dazed and now utterly exhausted, unable to even lift a finger.
Lu Huaijin held her tightly in his arms, as if afraid she might suddenly vanish. He lowered his head and whispered softly into her ear, “Happy birthday, Yao’er.”
This was the third birthday he had spent with her. He had temporarily set aside the heavy affairs of state, settled the Little Emperor in the imperial study, and made the arduous journey back just to celebrate with her. At dawn, he would have to return to the palace.
When Su Yao awoke again, she found that her clothes had been changed, and even the bed and bedding had been replaced with clean ones.
Her entire body ached. Chun Tao told her that she had developed a fever the previous day. Su Yao was astonished—how had she become so ill that she lost all awareness?
“Chun Tao, was it you who fetched the physician for me?”
“Miss, the snow was falling heavily last night. Fortunately, Changfeng drove me to the clinic. Otherwise, in such a fierce snowstorm, I truly wouldn’t have known what to do alone.”
“Changfeng?” Su Yao found the name somewhat familiar but couldn’t recall exactly who it was at the moment.
Only after Chun Tao reminded her did she remember such a person. She had seen him around over the years, knowing only that he was the son of the steward of the Shoufu Mansion, assisting Manager Lin with household affairs. So that person was called Changfeng.
“Why was he here?”
Chun Tao explained, “He and a few maids from the mansion were sent here a few days ago, likely arranged by the master himself. It’s normal that you don’t remember him—he’s usually quiet and keeps to himself.”
Su Yao thought her recovery was thanks to Chun Tao and Changfeng. After a moment’s thought, she said to Chun Tao, “Fetch some silver for me. I want to thank him.”
“Miss, that was his duty. There’s no need for such courtesy.”
“Even so, I’m not exactly a proper mistress. If I don’t thank him, I’ll feel uneasy. This is also a gesture of my gratitude.”
Unable to dissuade her, Chun Tao retrieved some silver from the cabinet and followed Su Yao into the courtyard.
Su Yao approached slowly, tightening her grip on the silver in her hand. She cleared her throat and said, “Brother Changfeng, I’m truly grateful for your help yesterday. I will remember this kindness.” With that, she extended the silver toward Changfeng.
Hearing Su Yao’s voice, Changfeng looked up, a surprised expression on his face. This was the first time Su Yao had initiated a conversation with him, and he was naturally pleased.
However, when he noticed the faint red marks left on Su Yao’s fair palm from clutching the silver, the smile on his lips gradually froze.
“Miss, what do you mean by this?”
Su Yao smiled, “Brother Changfeng, how could I not know your kind intentions? This is just a small token of my gratitude. I hope you won’t find it unworthy.”
Changfeng’s expression instantly turned serious, his brows furrowed with displeasure. “Miss, you truly belittle me by saying that. I volunteered to come here to serve you, not for a few pieces of silver.”
Upon hearing this, Su Yao was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t expected Changfeng to so firmly reject her gesture of thanks.
For a moment, she felt at a loss, and the silver in her hand suddenly felt scorching hot.
“Miss, I helped you because I wanted to. In the future, if you ever need me, just say the word, and I, Changfeng, will go through fire and water without hesitation. But this silver, I absolutely cannot accept.”
After saying this, he glanced at Su Yao, then lowered his head to continue chopping wood, as if nothing had just happened.
Su Yao was puzzled and turned to look at Chun Tao.
Chun Tao was equally confused, unable to understand why Changfeng, usually so honest and straightforward, was acting so “uncharacteristically” today.