Xie Yanlai looked at the girl standing by the bedside.
Her attire was not extravagant, but finely made. Her dark hair cascaded like clouds, her complexion was as fair as jade, and her bright, large eyes sparkled with a faint smile at the corners of her lips.
She seemed somewhat unfamiliar.
Truth be told, he could no longer recall what Chu Zhao actually looked like.
They were essentially strangers, having spent only a brief time together on the road, during which Chu Zhao had deliberately concealed her appearance.
Yet she felt deeply familiar.
At the sight of the girl’s smile, Xie Yanlai’s mind conjured the image of A Fu—disheveled, clad in tattered clothes, and covered in a layer of grime—exuding an aura of eerie cunning from within.
“What do I have to gloat about?” he said. “With my third brother around, who in this world would dare laugh at our Xie family?”
Chu Zhao sat down on a round stool. “It’s not a laughing matter to begin with, and I don’t mind anyway.” She glanced around the room. “You live in a nice place.” Her gaze then shifted to the maids retreating by the door.
Unable to attend to her, the maids turned their attention to A Le, serving her tea and pastries, inviting her to sit by the window and admire the carved gourds hanging there.
“You have more attendants than a pampered young lady.”
She truly didn’t seem to mind, instead curiously examining her surroundings. Xie Yanlai frowned and suddenly remarked, “Do you think it’s easy to sit back and watch others fight, Miss A Fu? Your courage and ambition are growing by the day. Do you really believe Xie Yanfang can’t see through your little schemes?”
Chu Zhao looked at him and asked, “What little schemes are you referring to?”
His bedroom was dimly lit, as he disliked bright light. The girl sat upright on the stool, enveloped in the gloom, yet her eyes held an inexplicable gleam.
She was smiling!
Xie Yanlai sneered.
Chu Zhao’s voice carried a laugh. “Even Xie Yanfang hasn’t said anything. Why don’t you tell me?”
She knew everything!
If she was willing to take risks, why should he meddle? Why did he even bother!
Xie Yanlai averted his gaze and turned inward, his voice cold. “I have nothing to say. It’s none of my concern. Miss Chu is all-powerful, astonishing everyone and sweeping all before her.”
The girl’s voice fell silent, but the soft rustle of footsteps approached. Xie Yanlai turned his head sharply.
“What are you doing?” he snapped.
The girl’s hand was already gripping the blanket, about to pull it aside.
“Checking your injuries,” Chu Zhao said. “Did you use the medicine I gave you? I’ve prepared a new batch this time. Let me see how you’re healing and whether we need to adjust the treatment.”
Xie Yanlai found it almost amusing and pressed down on the blanket, staring at her.
“Chu Zhao,” he said in a low voice, “just focus on pleasing Xie Yanfang. There’s no need to play the good Samaritan here.”
“Of course there is,” Chu Zhao replied, also lowering her voice as she met his gaze. “You need to recover quickly so you can help me deliver a letter to my father.”
Xie Yanlai had anticipated many things she might say, but this was not one of them.
The young man’s phoenix-like eyes widened in surprise.
Astonishment, confusion, irritation, and amusement warred within him.
“Chu Zhao!” he gritted his teeth, barely suppressing a curse. “What are you talking about?”
Chu Zhao gestured for him to keep his voice down. “I’m not asking for free. I’m treating your injuries, aren’t I?”
Xie Yanlai let out a dry laugh. “Without your treatment, I’d be dead.”
Well, that was true. Chu Zhao whispered, “I’m helping you recover faster and suffer less. Of course, it still counts as you helping me. But if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been captured and brought back.”
Xie Yanlai nearly leaped out of bed, but a sharp pain from his wounds forced him back down."Chu Zhao, are you out of your mind?" he said, then thought to himself that he must be crazy too—why bother arguing about who was helping whom? Suppressing his anger, his expression turned calm as he spoke deliberately, "Since you and Xie Yanfang share everything, why come to me to deliver a letter to your father? Are you mocking me?"
"Why would I mock you? I'm serious." Chu Zhao also maintained a calm demeanor, looking at the young man. "Xie Yanfang is different from you."
Different? Xie Yanlai fell silent for a moment, staring at her.
"He wouldn't stoop to such menial tasks as delivering letters," Chu Zhao said.
Xie Yanlai took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and the next moment threw off the covers and leaped from the bed—
The young man was bare-chested, wrapped in layers of bandages that looked gruesome and terrifying.
He looked ready to seize her and tear her apart.
Chu Zhao swiftly stepped back, raising her voice, "Xie Yanlai, I am Young Master Xie the Third's honored guest! You'd better treat me with respect!"
The maids by the door were startled.
A Le shot up from her stool, still clutching the gourd cricket cage in her hand, and rushed over.
Xie Yanlai's maids also surged forward, separating the two.
"What's going on?" "Why are you fighting all of a sudden?" "Young master, you mustn't move with your injuries." "Miss Chu is a guest." "Miss Chu, please don't be angry. Our young master has a quick temper."
The room filled with the gentle, coaxing voices of the maids.
Chu Zhao stood behind A Le, hiding a smile at the corner of her lips, and took the small pouch hanging from A Le's waist.
"These are medicinal pills for your wounds. Same as before—take one at a time," she said, handing them to the nearest maid.
The maid happily accepted them and bowed. "Thank you, Miss Chu."
Xie Yanlai snapped, "Who told you to take them?"
The maid lowered her head, hunched her shoulders, and stepped back, but she didn't discard the medicine.
Chu Zhao looked at Xie Yanlai. "I meant what I said. Only you can help me with this."
Xie Yanlai stood by the bed, his expression cold.
The maids between them didn't retreat further or interrupt, falling silent.
"Others could help me with this," Chu Zhao said, "but this isn't like other matters. It's just between my father and me."
With that, she said no more, curtsied, turned, and left. Though reluctant, A Le followed suit, bowing before hurrying after her mistress.
The master and servant quickly disappeared into the dimly lit room.
Silence fell.
"They're gone. Do you still not see me as your master?" Xie Yanlai said.
The young man stood by the bed, trembling slightly, clearly unable to hold on any longer.
The maids rushed over, calling out "Young master!" as they helped him lie face down on the bed. Some brought water, others tea; some rewrapped his bandages, while one tried to feed him the medicine—
"Pfft—" Xie Yanlai clenched the pill between his teeth, pressing it against his tongue.
A maid coaxed, "Miss Chu's medicine arrived just as we ran out. She brought more. Young master, open your mouth, come on—"
Xie Yanlai bit down on the pill and sneered, "Aren't you afraid she's trying to poison me? Don't you know she's in trouble, framed by someone, with rumors spreading that we're involved? Poisoning me would solve everything—"
"Young master," a maid said with a smile, "there's the Third Young Master. Miss Chu said she's his honored guest—how could she harm you?"
Xie Yanlai's phoenix eyes darkened as he looked at the maid. "So, even beating a dog depends on its owner, is that it?"
The maid looked sorrowful. "Young master, that's not what I meant—"Xie Yanlai turned his head inward, his voice faint: "Leave."
Young Master Yan Lai was indeed kind and indulgent toward them, but that was because he didn't bother with them. If they truly angered him, he would never use that person again.
In this household, the ease they enjoyed in Young Master Yan Lai's presence was because they couldn't do without him, not because he couldn't do without them.
Young Master Yan Lai could live perfectly content on his own.
The maids stifled their laughter, holding their breath as they retreated backward.
But one young maid couldn't resist whispering, "Young Master, Miss Chu is truly good—she genuinely cares about you."
The other maids hurriedly pulled her out.
Xie Yanlai faced inward, a trace of mockery curling at the corner of his lips.
Truly good—Miss Chu was good, indeed. So remarkably shrewd.
Knowing full well that Xie Yanfang could see through her intentions, she still dared to borrow his influence.
Having borrowed Xie Yanfang's power, she remained wary of him, preventing him from getting close to her father.
Of course, Xie Yanfang could deliver the letter, but if he did, it would no longer be a matter between Chu Zhao and her father Chu Ling—it would become an affair between Xie Yanfang and Chu Ling.
So she came running to him.
What an impressive Miss Chu—not only did she pry into the discord between their brothers, but she also dared to exploit it.
Where did she get the confidence that he would let himself be used by her?
A few medicinal pills for healing?
Xie Yanlai rolled his tongue, gathering the pill. Compared to the last time, this one was perfectly round, just the right size to swallow in one gulp.
He didn't swallow it directly but bit down hard, the bitter taste spreading through his mouth.
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