“Doctor Zhao, how is Qi You doing?” Qiao Rongjin hurriedly asked.
Upon hearing this, Doctor Zhao replied, “The Fifth Young Master is still running a fever. Whether he improves or worsens depends on tonight. If the high fever continues through the night, the outcome may not be optimistic. But if he can make it through tonight, he will be fine.”
Hearing this, Qiao Rongjin nodded and thanked him. At that moment, she deeply missed modern cooling patches and fever-reducing medicine.
Right now, there was nothing else she could really do—only what was within her ability: staying by Qi You’s side.
Soon after, she noticed that Qi You had started sweating again. He was sleeping very uneasily, so she felt a pang of distress. She picked up a damp cloth nearby and wiped the sweat from his forehead, then instructed a maid to bring a basin of cold water. She soaked the cloth, folded it, and placed it on Qi You’s forehead to physically reduce his fever.
Thinking of this, Qiao Rongjin suddenly remembered that alcohol could be used to wipe a child’s body, using its evaporation to dissipate heat. At this rate, Qi You’s condition couldn’t continue like this. A child was naturally fragile—if the fever dragged on too long, what if it damaged his brain?
“Is there any white liquor in the residence?” she turned to ask a maid.
The maid quickly nodded, though she was puzzled—why would Miss Qiao need alcohol at a time like this?
“Go bring some low-alcohol liquor. More of it. Hurry!” Qiao Rongjin ordered seriously.
Although the maid did not understand the purpose, she still went to fetch it.
Doctor Zhao frowned slightly. What was this Miss Qiao doing? Her own son was sick with a fever, yet she still had the mind to ask for alcohol.
Unable to hold back, he asked, “Miss Qiao, what do you need the alcohol for?”
Another doctor also looked over in curiosity.
“Wiping the body with white liquor can help reduce fever. I’ve seen it used before—it works. I want to try and see if it can help bring Qi You’s temperature down,” Qiao Rongjin explained patiently.
However, she did not mention that some people might be allergic to alcohol and could develop skin irritation. That was rare, and she feared that if she mentioned it, they might refuse its use. With low concentration, it should be fine.
Just then, before anyone noticed, the Prince Rui, who had apparently entered and overheard the conversation, said, “Then let’s try it.”
If there was even a sliver of hope, it could not be missed.
Doctor Zhao’s eyes lit up. Could that really work? He wanted to see the effect for himself.
The other doctor wanted to say it was nonsense, but since even the prince had agreed, he swallowed his words.
Qiao Rongjin was startled to realize the Prince Rui was behind her and quickly turned to pay her respects.
Soon, the alcohol was brought in. A maid was about to start, but Qiao Rongjin said, “I’ll do it.”
The maid respectfully handed her the cloth and stepped aside.
At that moment, the Princess and others also came in. The not-so-small room quickly became crowded, making the air less breathable and not good for the patient. Qiao Rongjin couldn’t help but say to Prince Rui, “My Lord, it’s enough to have me and Doctor Zhao here. You and the Princess should rest outside for now.”
Hearing this, Prince Rui glanced at her but said nothing. He turned and left. The Princess and the others were even less willing to stay, worried about catching illness, so they all followed.
Qiao Rongjin personally began wiping Qi You’s body with gentle, careful movements. Looking at the thin, frail child, she thought that once he recovered, she would have to take him back and raise him properly—fat and healthy. Right now, he looked far too gaunt, almost malnourished. But she knew it wasn’t neglect; it was likely his condition that made it difficult for him to gain weight. After all, he was a prince’s son—who would dare not feed him properly?
She had never raised a child before, but she felt a strong sense of curiosity and anticipation.
Unknowingly, it was already deep into the night. Prince Rui and the others had long gone back to rest, leaving only Qiao Rongjin, her maid Qinglian, and the two doctors. The doctors dozed in the outer room while the two women stayed inside.
The candlelight burned brightly. On the bed, the child’s brows had already relaxed. Qiao Rongjin touched his forehead and felt that the temperature had finally gone down a little. She immediately broke into a joyful smile.
“You little one, you’ve finally cooled down.”
Qinglian, relieved as well, said, “My lady, you should rest. I’ll keep watch over the Fifth Young Master.”
She looked at her mistress with concern. She had barely eaten anything all day, only a few pastries, and it was already past midnight. She hadn’t slept at all—she herself had even napped earlier.
“I’m not tired. You go sleep,” Qiao Rongjin replied.
Qinglian sighed helplessly. “I’m not tired either. I’ll go make some porridge for you and the Fifth Young Master.”
“Alright, go ahead.”
Half an hour earlier, he had taken medicine. The next dose would only be given after dawn.
Qiao Rongjin tucked Qi You in, watching his complexion improve. Smiling, she gently held his small hand and whispered, “From now on, I’ll be your closest person. Although it’s also my first time being a mother—no, I should say a ‘mother’—I will take good care of you. You must wake up soon.”
“When you wake up, I’ll take you back to Haitang Courtyard. You’ll live with me and Qinglian, and we’ll never be separated again. You won’t be alone anymore—you’ll have me…”
As she spoke of the future, her voice gradually softened, and she fell asleep by the bedside.
When her steady breathing filled the room, the child on the bed slowly opened his eyes. A tear slipped from the corner of his eye and vanished into the bedding.
Qi You turned slightly to look at the woman sleeping beside the bed. His gaze was nothing like a child’s—deep, complex, and unsettlingly mature.
He knew this was his birth mother, the woman who had despised him since birth. The one he had longed for as a child but stopped expecting as he grew older. The one others described as foolish and depraved—an embarrassment. She had always been a thorn in his heart across both lifetimes.
Yes, he was Qi You—but not the four-and-a-half-year-old Qi You.
He was the future Qi You, the man who would become the cold, ruthless, and brutal Emperor Chengde in the eyes of his ministers.
In truth, during his unconsciousness, he had heard everything she said. But he couldn’t wake up. He also knew she had stayed by his side all night, caring for him. Yet… hadn’t she always hated him? Why would she treat him so tenderly now?
Even his rebirth could not compare to the shock of this.
Was heaven giving him a second chance to make up for the maternal love he had never had?
Qi You did not know.