Perhaps he was bewitched by the smile at the corners of the youth’s lips, or perhaps he was still in the lingering aftermath of embarrassment and entanglement and had not completely recovered.
By the time he came to his senses, the ginger soup was already being held in his hands.
He had drunk ginger soup before, but that was a very, very long time ago. The taste of the ginger soup he drank back then was not very good either, as it was merely a simple ginger soup made by boiling ginger slices in water, making it difficult to swallow.
Yet his past self from many years ago had still drunk the entire bowl of unpleasant ginger soup. As a result, that kind of pungent, choking, and throat-scraping terrible texture had rooted itself deeply within his memory, resurfacing in its entirety the moment he saw ginger soup.
It was probably ginger soup PTSD.
Ji Yunzhao delayed lowering his head to taste the ginger soup for a long time, his delicate brows furrowing slightly, looking very put out.
He had already raised Yan Fulang as his own biological child for such a long time, so the brat probably would not be so insanely depraved as to poison his old father, right?
Although in his eyes, whether the ginger soup was poisoned or not, it looked toxic either way.
Ji Yunzhao hesitated for too long, so Yan Fulang leaned forward, touching the edge of the bowl.
“Do you find it hot?”
“It is not hot,” Ji Yunzhao said in a low voice, his long eyelashes trembling gently like butterfly wings. He took a deep breath before lowering his head cautiously and carefully.
The temperature of the ginger soup was just right, neither too hot nor making one feel cold.
His pale pink lips pressed against the edge of the bowl, taking a small sip.
A lot of things had been added into the ginger soup. The brown sugar flavor was not very heavy, and there were apples and goji berries, making it taste sweet and not spicy at all.
Without realizing it, he had actually finished drinking the entire bowl of ginger soup.
“Eh?” Ji Yunzhao raised his head in surprise and doubt, looking at Yan Fulang, then looking at the empty soup bowl in his hand. “This is very delicious.”
“It is good that Senior likes it.”
Yan Fulang took away the empty bowl and placed it back onto the tray. Ji Yunzhao’s gaze unconsciously fell upon the youth’s long and powerful hand.
At the tiger’s mouth area of his hand, there was a very small, reddened blister.
His body seemed to no longer listen to commands. Ji Yunzhao watched helplessly as his left leg and right leg broke away from the brain’s direction, leaving home and climbing up from the bed with a swift whoosh to walk quickly to Yan Fulang’s side.
Afterward, his hand also seemed to be uncontrolled, gripping the youth’s wrist.
His entire person seemed to be split into two halves, one half being the body, which was honestly expressing worry, and one half being the soul, which was grabbing the system in his mind and screaming frantically.
$$Ah, ah, ah, what is going on?! Falling into the cold spring even carries side effects?!$$
The system said,
$$Sumimasen, Host-chan, I did not detect any side effects on you.$$
The string of actions was smooth and flowing without the slightest hesitation or lag, truly not looking like he had any side effects.
Ji Yunzhao stiffened very slightly, unnoticed by Yan Fulang.
In just a flash, he adjusted the messy emotions in his heart.
He did not release the youth’s hand, merely pulling the person over a bit closer.
“How did this happen? Does it hurt?”
The wounds from falling off the cliff had left no scars, so a burn naturally could not leave a scar either!
“It was likely when putting the apples in, I was scalded by the ginger soup splashing up from the pot,” Yan Fulang did not care about this small blister, glancing at it before paying it no more mind.
The attitude was too casual, and Ji Yunzhao instantly became displeased, pressing the person down into the chair beside the table.
“Sit properly. I will go get the medicine.”
A mortal’s body was indeed much more fragile. Ji Yunzhao had not expected that from just boiling a ginger soup, the cheap disciple could still injure himself.
He found a tube of burn ointment from his space and dug out an empty syringe. Blisters from burns were best not punctured blindly, so he could only use the needle to draw out the fluid inside first.
A long time ago, he had also been burned to the point of blistering, only at that time he lacked experience and handled it casually. The fluid inside the blister was not cleaned out thoroughly, so the burn took a very long time to heal and even left a scar.
However, that scar, with the passing of time, had already become so faint as to be nearly invisible.
“If I am not by your side, what are you going to do?” Ji Yunzhao’s voice was very light, speaking as if talking to himself.
Yet he had not expected that even spoken so softly, it would still be heard by Yan Fulang.
“Yes, indeed, if Senior is not here, what am I to do,” the youth let out a light laugh, nodding his head with an air of gravity. “So it is best for Senior to stay at home more and go out less for strolls and hunting in the mountains. Processing ingredients is also very dangerous.”
Ji Yunzhao: “…”
This topic shifted too quickly, and he almost failed to react.
The cheap disciple was reminding him in a roundabout way that the ingredients he brought back were too numerous, which also increased the probability of being scalded.
Ji Yunzhao replied with a fake smile, “Finding it troublesome? Then starting from tomorrow, I will do the cooking?”
“How could that be,” Yan Fulang said calmly. “I am merely worried that Senior will get tired.”
Ji Yunzhao gave a noncommittal snort, disinfected the blister, and jabbed the needle into the blister without giving any greeting, beginning to draw out the fluid inside.
The burned area was much more sensitive than ordinary wounds, yet Yan Fulang did not even crease his brow, merely looking at the needle in Ji Yunzhao’s hand with deep thought.
“Curious? Once this blister is taken care of, I will give it to you to play with,” Ji Yunzhao said casually, the movements of his hands becoming slower and slower, and also more and more careful. After treating the blister and applying a layer of ointment to the injured area, he also cut a length of bandage to wrap Yan Fulang’s right hand tightly.
Once wrapped, it somewhat hindered activity, and it was also best not to touch water.
Speaking of which… did this not mean Yan Fulang could not cook for him tonight?
A bolt from the blue!
It was all the apple’s fault!
Ji Yunzhao kept a stiff face, only snorting out a line after a long while: “…Why did you suddenly think of putting apples in? This is my first time seeing ginger soup boiled this way.”
“This is my mother’s method,” Yan Fulang’s voice was very light. “In the past, she used to boil ginger soup for me just like this.”
“Ah, I see,” Ji Yunzhao was dazed. “Do you miss her very much?”
Yan Fulang lowered his eyes, letting out an “mm.” “Naturally, I miss her.”
The room fell into silence for a time.
Ji Yunzhao hesitated again and again, but still raised his hand, patting Yan Fulang’s shoulder very lightly.
Should he pat his head too?
Hmm or would the effect of a hug be better?
Ji Yunzhao was somewhat unable to make up his mind, as he was not very good at comforting people.
Yan Fulang touched the bandage at the tiger’s mouth area, suddenly opening his mouth to speak: “Why does Senior not ask me if I want to go home to see her.”
“What is the use of asking about something that cannot yield a result?” Ji Yunzhao asked back.
Yan Fulang’s parents had already turned to ashes along with a sweeping fire ten years ago, their divine souls completely annihilated, leaving nothing behind.
“Senior indeed knows everything.”
The youth suddenly stood up, like a large, clingy dog that stood in great need of its master, hanging himself upon Ji Yunzhao’s body.
The pitch-black clothes were like thick ink, enveloping him tightly without letting any air through.
“Yet I know absolutely nothing about Senior,” Yan Fulang rested quietly against Ji Yunzhao’s lap. “However, if Senior does not wish to speak of it, then I shall not ask.”
“There is nothing that cannot be spoken of,” Ji Yunzhao smiled carelessly. “What do you wish to know?”
“Why save me?”
“I have told you, I want someone to provide for my old age and see me off at my death.”
“Senior is joking again.”
“I am not, what I say is all the truth.”
Ji Yunzhao was puzzled, as what he said really was all the truth.
If it were not for Yan Fulang being his retirement insurance and his pension plan, how could he possibly follow him in such a sticky manner?
“Alright, stop acting spoiled, hurry up and get up.”
Ji Yunzhao patted the youth’s head.
“Yan Fulang, are you not in a hurry to cultivate?”
“Once you become a cultivator, many things you wish to do can be done with a free hand.”