Chapter 125

Chapter 125

Ji Yan’an woke up.

He had been woken by the smell of food.

After all, he had spent so long surviving on nothing but a little thin rice porridge to maintain his vital signs. Now that Jiang Yunsui’s condition had improved, his sense of taste and smell had returned, and naturally, his stomach was starting to suffer.

He slowly opened his eyes and felt one of his hands being held.

But he still had no strength and couldn’t move.

Nanshu’s voice drifted over by his ear.

“Want more? There’s still roasted chicken here. Look at that color, smell, and flavor. Heh, I’m taking a drumstick too.”

Jiang Yunsui said, “I want one! I want a big drumstick.”

“You got it. The biggest one is yours.”

“Shen Qingzhu, Song Jin, do you two want some?”

The two of them were playing chess at a tea table not far away.

At that, they shook their heads. “No.”

Song Jin said, “It’s all greasy. Not elegant at all.”

Nanshu stared at him with dead-fish eyes. “What do you need elegance for? You still care about face? You barely have any left.”

Jiang Yunsui nodded hard in agreement.

Ji Yan’an: “…”

So even now, couldn’t one of you come over and check on me?!

He mustered his strength and moved his fingers.

But Jiang Yunsui was big-hearted, and all her attention was on her drumstick, so… she didn’t notice.

Ji Yan’an: “…Forget it. Let me starve to death.”

He had never seen a master more pitiful than himself. A whole room of people was supposed to be taking care of him, yet none of them even noticed when he woke up.

After starving for so long, the aroma of chicken was still drifting right under his nose.

“Grrrr…”

“What was that?”

Nanshu stared at Jiang Yunsui. “Aren’t you already eating? Why is your stomach still growling?”

Jiang Yunsui hurriedly shook her head. “It wasn’t me. Not me. I thought it was you.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the big one and the little one turned in unison to look toward the bed.

“Oh my dear heavens! Young Master, when did you wake up?!”

Nanshu scrambled to his feet, practically rolling and crawling, wanting to help Ji Yan’an up. But when he glanced at his greasy hands, he drew them back again.

Expressionless, Ji Yan’an stared at the canopy above the bed, his eyes hollow.

Jiang Yunsui poked her head over to look at him.

“Ji Yan’an, you’re awake?”

Shen Qingzhu and Song Jin also came over.

“Young Master, Young Master, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Nanshu was flustered and frantic, like a dog spinning in circles on the spot.

Shen Qingzhu took one look and said, “He’s weak. No strength.”

Holding up the drumstick she had already taken several bites from, Jiang Yunsui said, “So that growling just now… was Ji Yan’an’s stomach?”

Ji Yan’an closed his eyes, unwilling to open them and face this world.

Everyone: “…”

Nanshu hunched his neck and quickly retreated. “I’ll go tell the kitchen to bring up food!”

Song Jin chuckled. “So the Young Master is too hungry to have any strength?”

“How pitiful. We don’t even know when he woke up. Little girl, aren’t you the Young Master’s personal maid? Is this how you serve as a maid, hmm?”

Jiang Yunsui answered with perfect confidence, “I was sitting on the floor. I’m short. I couldn’t see.”

“Then can Ji Yan’an eat chicken? There’s still some here.”

Shen Qingzhu shook his head. “No. He needs easily digestible food first, to let his stomach and intestines recover.”

Jiang Yunsui let out an “oh” and looked at the person on the bed with eyes full of pity.

He couldn’t even eat something this delicious.

Nanshu soon returned carrying a bowl of porridge gently warmed in chicken broth.

The kitchen had prepared it in advance, and the temperature was just right.

“Come, Young Master. I’ll feed you.”

Once Ji Yan’an was helped into a sitting position, he looked so weak. Truly pitiful.

Good-looking people were still good-looking, even when sick.

Jiang Yunsui crouched by the bedside, propping her little chin in both hands as she stared at Ji Yan’an.

After Ji Yan’an slowly drank a few mouthfuls of porridge, he finally had a bit of strength.

“Tea…”

Shen Qingzhu said, “Don’t drink tea right now. Have some sugar water instead.”
Ji Yan’an said nothing, which counted as silent agreement.

Jiang Yunsui said, “I’ll go bring some water.”

Then she bustled off on her short little legs, running as fast as she could.

When she came back, she was hugging a plump teapot filled entirely with sugar water.

She had even snuck a little on the way back. Hehe.

After finishing a bowl of porridge and resting for a while, Ji Yan’an could finally move again.

He leaned against the headboard, his long black hair spilling down, his calm gaze settling on Song Jin.

“How are things outside?”

Song Jin said, “You can rest easy. We have so many people, after all. We can hold the line.”

“Beizhen City also sent plenty of support. But this time, we really have Old General Tang to thank. Otherwise, I’m afraid our military provisions never would have made it here.”

Ji Yan’an nodded.

“What about Ouyang Can? Has he been caught?”

Nanshu hurriedly said, “We’ve already found where he’s hiding. Nanmo took men to arrest him.”

Jiang Yunsui poked Ji Yan’an’s hand.

The young man lowered his eyes to look at her.

The little girl’s chubby face was very serious.

“Ji Yan’an, you can’t start worrying about so many things the moment you wake up. You’ll get sick.”

Her clear, bright eyes were full of concern.

Ji Yan’an paused.

“All right.”

A very faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. “I’ll leave the outside matters to Mr. Song. I want to rest a while longer.”

Song Jin said, “I will not fail the Young Master’s trust.”

Ji Yan’an lay back down. Shen Qingzhu and the others all left, and for a moment, only two people remained in the room.

“Jiang Yunsui.”

Suddenly, Ji Yan’an spoke with his eyes closed.

Jiang Yunsui made an “ah” sound and poked her fluffy little head over.

“What is it?”

“Come up here. Sleep with me.”

Jiang Yunsui gave an obedient “oh,” kicked off her shoes, and burrowed under the quilt. She rushed in too fast and rammed her head straight into Ji Yan’an.

He let out a muffled groan, feeling like his ribs had nearly snapped.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

She quickly stuffed him with a little more Imperial Flowing Essence.

“Does it still hurt?”

Ji Yan’an shook his head. Without even opening his eyes, he reached out and pinched her little cheek.

“Behave. Sleep.”

Jiang Yunsui lay beside him guiltily.

After a while, he said faintly, “You’re pressing on my hair.”

Jiang Yunsui mumbled as she carefully tugged his hair free bit by bit.

“Your hair is too long.”

Then she patted Ji Yan’an on the head. “Be good. Go to sleep and build your strength back up.”

Ji Yan’an opened his eyes and looked at her.

Jiang Yunsui gave him a silly grin, two shallow dimples appearing beside her cheeks.

“Hehe. I won’t bother you anymore.”

Then she lay down beside Ji Yan’an.

Even though she had looked full of energy just a minute ago, she soon fell asleep.

Her soft, steady little breaths reached Ji Yan’an’s ears.

His own consciousness gradually blurred as well.

This time, Ji Yan’an slept very well, and for a long time too. He did not wake until dinner.

The first thing he felt upon regaining consciousness was… heaviness!

He frowned, feeling the hand and foot pressing down on him.

No wonder it felt like sleep paralysis.

With a sigh, he pushed the person away a little.

Jiang Yunsui rolled right along with the motion.

Luckily, the quilt blocked her. Otherwise, she would have rolled straight onto the floor.

“Young Master, you’re awake? How do you feel?”

Nanshu asked in delight when he saw Ji Yan’an walk out of the room.

Ji Yan’an gave a hum. “Much better.”

“The kitchen has already prepared dinner. Shall I have it served?”

Seeing Ji Yan’an nod, Nanshu immediately hurried off cheerfully to prepare the meal.

Sigh… The little bit of flesh their Young Master had finally managed to put on had all been worn away again.

Now that Jiang Yunsui was here, they had to hurry and fatten the Young Master back up.