Jiang Lingzhi had eaten two extra bowls of rice, and now she felt re-energized.
The servants, seeing this, tactfully withdrew.
Jiang Lingzhi sighed. She really wanted to as well, but unfortunately, she had overexerted herself last time and hadn’t fully recovered yet… Oh well, she’d just talk to him instead.
Even though he couldn’t hear her, the more she spoke, the more familiar she felt with him, which would make things easier later.
She instructed Yunrou to prepare hot water.
After her bath, much of her fatigue had dissipated. She changed into her Qin Yi and walked over to Xiao Jingyi’s bedside.
Softly, she called out, “Husband, I’ve come to keep you company for a while.”
Xiao Jingyi pricked up his ears. What was she going to say? He’d listen.
She climbed onto the bed, kneeling beside him, and began massaging his arm while imagining the kind of deeply affectionate scenes between couples from storybooks. She started role-playing and talking to him:
“This afternoon, I went out to see the shop that Second Young Master Jiang gave me… Well, he insisted on giving it to me, so I had no choice but to reluctantly accept it. But I’ve never run a business before. When I have time later, I’ll learn how to manage it properly.”
“On our Dongfang Huazhu night, the Duke said that if I could give you Yansi, he would allocate some farmland and shops to provide for me and our child.”
“Husband, I was thinking… even if you never wake up, I’ll still raise our child well and live a good life.”
Xiao Jingyi: “…”
Bah! Who was she cursing?
But hearing this country girl plan so far ahead and work so hard for a child that didn’t even exist yet struck him as somewhat ridiculous.
She was really worrying unnecessarily.
After massaging his arms, Jiang Lingzhi moved up to knead his shoulders and discussed with him: “I’ve been thinking… from now on, let’s share a room once every three days? Because I really can’t handle more than that.”
As she massaged, she found the position uncomfortable, so she simply lifted his head and placed it on her lap:
“Hmm, or maybe once every two days would be better, since Yansi is important after all… Hey, husband, why is your face turning red?”
Xiao Jingyi didn’t want it to happen either.
But he couldn’t move at all, forced to lie halfway against her soft body.
When one couldn’t see, their sense of smell and hearing became exceptionally sharp.
His nose was filled with the scent of Rose Soap Beans from her recent bath, combined with her shocking words—it was really hard not to blush.
Jiang Lingzhi touched his face and noticed it was slightly warm. Thinking he might be getting hot leaning against her, she quickly apologized:
“Sorry, husband, I shouldn’t be holding you like this. I’ll put you back on the pillow right away.”
She lifted his head with both hands to move him back to the pillow while slowly kneeling up to slide her legs out from under him.
Perhaps she had used too much strength massaging him earlier—her arms suddenly felt weak, and she couldn’t support his weight. “Oh no!” she thought.
She ended up collapsing on top of him, her lips bumping squarely against his.
Jiang Lingzhi hurriedly sat up.
Then it occurred to her: well, he couldn’t move anyway, so what did it matter if she kissed him?
Thinking this, she leaned down and kissed him again.
She even justified it to herself: “…Um, husband, you’re just too handsome. I suddenly felt like kissing you.”
“But don’t think you’re at a disadvantage—I’m quite pretty too. When you wake up, I’ll let you kiss me back.”
Xiao Jingyi: “…”
He really wanted to seal this little country girl’s mouth shut!
At the same moment, Jiang Lingzhi suddenly felt her finger being lightly touched.
She widened her eyes in astonishment: “Husband, just now, your finger moved!”
Overjoyed, she reached for his hand again.
But whether she pinched his fingers, tickled his palm, or even flicked his nails, there was no further response.
It was as if the earlier moment had been an illusion.
Xiao Jingyi hadn’t realized his finger had moved. Being held, kissed, and having his fingers caressed like this only made him feel hotter.
After testing for a long while with no reaction, Jiang Lingzhi could only sigh.
Noticing he was sweating from the heat, she rose to wet a cloth and carefully wiped his face and neck.
Worried he might feel disheartened, she comforted him while tending to him:
“I truly saw your finger move earlier, even if it was just a slight twitch. I believe you must be willing to wake up.
Doctor Mu said that perhaps you’ve suffered some shock, and your mind is too tense, which is why you remain unconscious.
A great General like you must be facing enormous challenges. Think of this as a time to gather strength—when you wake, you’ll crush them with one blow!”
Xiao Jingyi found it increasingly amusing how, in her eyes, even the most monumental problems seemed easily surmountable.
He wondered where this blind confidence came from.
But the thought of laughing at her inevitably led him back to gloom.
His heart was heavy with thoughts of the wronged soldiers who had died and his desire to secure justice for them, yet he couldn’t open his eyes or control his own body.
Jiang Lingzhi felt relieved once the sweat on his forehead had dried and his face felt cooler to the touch.
Just then, the night watchman’s drum sounded outside—it was already Er Geng Tian.
She bid him farewell: “Husband, it’s late. Rest well. I’m rather tired today, so I’ll come back tomorrow to… make babies with you.”
Xiao Jingyi: “…”
Couldn’t she be a bit more reserved and not so brazen?
Not that it was bad—just too wild, stirring an itch in his heart.
…
Early the next morning, Doctor Mu came again to check the Ping An Mai.
“Doctor Mu, how is the General’s pulse today?”
Doctor Mu stroked his beard, fingers tapping rhythmically on Xiao Jingyi’s wrist, nodding occasionally. “It’s better than before.”
Jiang Lingzhi was delighted to hear this—may he recover quickly!
Once he was well, her heart could finally settle.
She grinned. “Then… could you check my pulse as well?”
Doctor Mu naturally understood—Fourth Madam was hoping for a child.
He sympathized deeply; given the General’s condition, as a woman, she would naturally want a child for security.
“Of course, Madam!” Doctor Mu reached out to feel Jiang Lingzhi’s pulse.
But his expression shifted—now frowning, now sighing.
Jiang Lingzhi grew uneasy. “D-Doctor… what’s wrong?”
Doctor Mu looked at her with pity. “Madam, you should avoid cold foods recently.”
Jiang Lingzhi touched her chin, sensing deeper meaning in his words.
Lately, as the weather grew warmer, the manor’s meals had included an extra serving of Bing Lao, which she had indeed finished every time.
But what was the issue?
By nearly noon, she finally understood what Doctor Mu meant.
Jiang Lingzhi felt like crying but had no tears left.
Just yesterday she was brazenly declaring to Xiao Jingyi that once she regained her strength, she would bear his children, but today her period arrived!
How frustrating—no more mischief for now.