Yu Shu lay in bed for a whole day. With He Fangzhi, who was an expert in the apricot forest, keeping an eye on her, she didn't suffer much. After three bowls of medicine, her fever subsided and she was able to get out of bed.
However, her hand joints had grown three or four frostbites overnight. They were red and swollen and looked terrible. There were signs of cracking. Even after applying medicine, they didn't get better in a short time, which made Zhao Hui very distressed.
Dinner was eaten by a big family. The dishes on the table were light. Yu Shu and Yu Xiaoxiu each had a bowl of wonton in chicken soup in front of them. They tasted two and recognized the taste. When they stayed at Zhao Hui's house that day, they ate a lot of wontons made by her.
It turned out that Zhao Hui was afraid that Yu Shu would lose her appetite after drinking the bitter medicine for the whole day. Thus, she personally cooked, mixed the stuffing, and made wontons for her. Of course, Yu Xiaoxiu's share was not left out.
Yu Shu knew her intention and felt warm in her heart. She couldn't help complaining that she shouldn't cook because she was pregnant. Seeing that she could eat, Zhao Hui was satisfied and said, "The skin was cut by the chef. I didn't use the knife. I only made a plate of the stuffing. Eat it while it's hot. There's more in the kitchen if it's not enough."
Holding a bowl of porridge, He Fangzhi gently knocked on the spoon to attract Zhao Hui's attention. She coughed lightly and said, "Madam, since there's more in the kitchen, why don't you give me a bowl as well?"
Zhao Hui said, "I didn't make it for you."
He Fangzhi's face fell. Yu Xiaoxiu couldn't help laughing. Yu Shu knew that they were trying to make her happy. She smiled and lowered her head to eat the bowl of wonton, but there was not much taste in her mouth.
After dinner, Yu Shu mentioned to Zhao Hui that she had to go out tomorrow. Before she finished, Zhao Hui rejected her and said, "You just recovered and you want to go out. No, you stay at home and don't go anywhere."
Yu Shu patiently explained, "There are still two days left. The day after tomorrow, I will have to hand in this exam paper. Tomorrow, I must go to the prince's residence to find out more, so that my hard work these days will not be in vain. Aunt Huei, don't worry. Brother Cao said he would pick me up tomorrow. He will send me there. I won't run away. I will go home after I finish my business. "
As soon as Zhao Hui heard Cao Zixin's name, her attitude softened. She knew that Shopkeeper Cao was reliable and wasn't afraid of letting him take care of Yu Shu for a day. After hearing Yu Shu's promise, she took the opportunity to relax. "Then you must come back before dark. If you're outside at noon, remember to eat. Tomorrow, when you go out, you must wear thick clothes so that the wind doesn't blow."
Yu Shu agreed one by one. Seeing that it was late, she asked Zhao Hui to return to her room. Yun Dou brought hot water for her to wash up. Yu Shu had just taken off her clothes and was sitting on the bed to soak her feet in hot water when Yu Xiaoxiu came in from outside.
"Older sister."
Yu Shu patted the side of her body for him to come and sit. Last night, she was frozen stiff. It must have scared this child.
Yu Shu held Yu Xiaoxiu's hand. When she looked down, she saw the sore on the back of her hand. She quickly let go of him but was caught by Yu Xiaoxiu.
"Older sister, does it hurt?" Yu Xiaoxiu carefully touched the frostbite on her hand. He felt uncomfortable and couldn't help but feel resentful towards Jing Chen for leaving without telling him.
Yu Shu shook her head and changed the topic, "You haven't been to school for the past two days. Are you alright?"
Yu Xiaoxiu said, "I don't know. Tomorrow, I will go to the school and apologize to the Headmaster. If he wants to punish me by copying books, I will accept the punishment."
Yu Shu said, "Then don't go tomorrow. Sleep at home for a day and go to the academy the day after tomorrow. Remember to ask when the holidays will be. It's almost the end of the year and there will probably be a snowfall. It's best not to go out."
Yu Xiaoxiu lowered his head and said, "Then why are you going out?"
Yu Shu touched his head, "I'm going out to do something important. You don't want to see me fail and not make it on the list, right?"
The siblings sat and chatted for a while. The water used to wash the feet was cold. Yun Dou took it out and poured it away. She passed on Zhao Hui's message to them to sleep early. Yu Xiaoxiu dawdled and didn't want to leave.
"Older sister, can I sleep with you tonight? I, I can't sleep alone. "
Yu Shu wanted to refuse but when she saw his little face and the hope in his eyes, she couldn't help but soften. She tapped his head and said, "Go to your room and bring the quilt over. I don't want to fight with you for the quilt at night."
"Okay!" Yu Xiaoxiu happily ran out. After a while, he came back with the quilt. Yu Shu wanted him to lie inside, but the child didn't want to. He wanted to sleep outside to shelter her from the wind. Yu Shu was helpless and could only let him go. The two of them climbed into the quilt and covered their heads with another quilt. Only then did she let Yun Dou blow out the lamp and closed the door.
The siblings laid on the bed with their heads together. They casually chatted for a while. After a while, Yu Xiaoxiu didn't make a sound. Yu Shu thought that he was asleep. But when she closed her eyes, she heard a small voice beside the pillow. The voice had a trace of fear and uneasiness. It also sounded like a crying voice, "Older sister, don't let anything happen to you. If something happens to you, I'll be the only one left. I … I'm scared."
Yesterday, the weather was so cold and it was snowing. Her hands and feet were frozen and her body was trembling. Yu Shu didn't think of crying. But at this moment, when she heard the child's words, she wanted to cry.
Her hand reached out from under the quilt and reached for the other cup. Then, she felt Yu Xiaoxiu's hand and held it.
"Don't be afraid. Older sister will always be with you."
In the morning, when breakfast was just ready at Zhao Hui's house, Xue Rui came to the door. Yu Shu was still combing her hair when she heard Yu Xiaoxiu shouting outside the door, "Brother Cao is here." This was what she told him last night. Although Xue Rui didn't say it, she thought that he didn't intend to reveal his identity to Zhao Hui. So, for the time being, he was still Shopkeeper Cao.
She tied her hair up and put on her hat. The person in the mirror had a yellowish complexion. Originally, it was just a pretty face, but now, it looked even more ordinary. Fortunately, it didn't look sickly, so it wouldn't be annoying.
Yu Shu put the small bag of talismans that was exposed around her neck into her lapel. Yesterday, she asked Zhao Hui for it because the Yellowfrost Stone inside made her feel slightly at ease.
As soon as she left the room, she was pulled by Yu Xiaoxiu. When she came to the living room door, the curtain was lifted and she saw three people sitting in the living room, talking. He Fangzhi, Zhao Hui, and Xue Rui.
Xue Rui, who was wearing a smoky green soft robe and a silver sand dune on his head, deliberately wore simple clothes. He didn't have the usual exquisite, rich, and reserved look. Sitting in this simple and crude living room, he didn't feel out of place at all.
When Yu Shu saw him, he seemed to sense it and turned his head. The two of them looked at each other, both of them were a little slow. However, the first one to speak was Yu Shu. She smiled and pulled Yu Xiaoxiu forward as if nothing happened, "Brother Cao, you came really early. Just in time for breakfast."
Xue Rui probably didn't expect her to be like this. His eyes flashed and he was willing to accompany her and pretend that nothing happened. He smiled and said, "You've seen through me. I purposely came to freeload for breakfast."
As he spoke, he looked at her complexion. Knowing that something was wrong, the smile on his face faded. He pointed to the seat next to him and said, "Sit."
Yu Shu didn't hesitate and sat next to him. Yu Xiaoxiu sat next to her on the other side. Zhao Hui ordered the kitchen to serve breakfast: egg drop porridge, stir-fried tofu, stir-fried red and white radish, a basket of sesame steamed cakes, and a plate of pickled mustard greens.
Yesterday, Zhao Hui heard from Lang Zhong He that Cao Zixin's family should be one of the wealthiest in the capital. She forgot to specially prepare breakfast. Now that a table of vegetarian dishes had been served, she was embarrassed and said to Xue Rui, "We haven't moved here for long and don't often know what to eat in the capital. Please don't dislike it." "What dislike? Didn't we eat like this in Yiyang?" Xue Rui's words made Zhao Hui feel better. He first picked up a steamed cake from a bamboo basket that was placed a little far away and placed it in Yu Xiaoxiu's bowl across Yu Shu's. He said, "Are you going to school today?"
Because Yu Xiaoxiu was familiar with Xue Rui, he didn't thank him and spoke as usual, "Not today, I'll go tomorrow."
Xue Rui said, "Go today and tidy up the things you left behind in the Academy. I'll send you there later. I've asked Academician Song, today is the last day. Tomorrow you'll be on leave. "
Yu Xiaoxiu made an "ah" sound and hurriedly asked, "Did they say when are we going to rest?"
"After the New Year, after the Lantern Festival in February next year." Xue Rui also helped him ask.
As the two talked, Yu Shu sat in the middle and ate quietly. She didn't interrupt or interrupt. Other than occasionally putting food into Yu Xiaoxiu's bowl with her chopsticks to prevent him from talking and not getting enough to eat, Zhao Hui and He Langzhong would occasionally interrupt and ask a few questions. Breakfast could be said to be a happy meal for both the host and the guest. During the meal, Xue Rui actually didn't say a word to Yu Shu, and no one at the table noticed that something was wrong.
After the meal, Yu Xiaoxiu went back to his room to change his clothes. The courtyard was icy, so Zhao Hui didn't come out to see him off. He Fangzhi walked the siblings to the main door and bowed to Xue Rui, saying, "I've troubled Shopkeeper Cao."
Xue Rui nodded and led the siblings to the carriage parked on the side of the street.
The sun was up in the sky and the ice and snow on the road showed signs of melting, but it was still very slippery. Xue Rui first let Yu Xiaoxiu into the carriage, then turned his head and extended his hand to Yu Shu, indicating that he wanted to help her into the carriage.
Yu Shu couldn't pretend that she didn't see it, so after a moment of hesitation, she borrowed his arm and stepped into the carriage. Her hand rested on the crook of his arm, and the back of her hand was red and swollen against the smooth silk. It was very unbearable. When Xue Rui was eating breakfast, he saw the frostbite on her hand. Now that he saw it more carefully, he frowned slightly, but didn't say anything.
"Let's go to Baichuan Academy in the north of the city first."
After sending Yu Xiaoxiu to the academy and arranging to pick him up in the afternoon, the carriage turned around and took Ma Yingrui and Yu Shu to take care of business.
"Dingbo Hall."
The atmosphere inside the carriage was a little strange. The two of them were sitting very casually, with tea and warm beds. There wasn't the slightest bit of awkwardness in their expressions, and each was more natural than the other, but they didn't say anything.
Probably sensing that the atmosphere was not right, Yu Shu cleared her throat and spoke first, "Thank you for sending me back the night before yesterday."
Xue Rui poured tea in his hand, and without raising his eyelids, he said, "If you want to thank me, then strive to pass the examination this time."
"Of course," Not to mention other things, Yu Shu was very confident in this subject of magic. After calculating for two days and two nights, as long as she met Prince Xiang today, and asked all kinds of inside information, she would be able to confirm where the painting was lost.
She didn't know whether it was because Xue Rui's attitude was normal, or because the carriage was warm, but Yu Shu gradually felt uneasy in her heart. She took the initiative to ask, "It's just that, Prince Xiang is currently sick, is it inappropriate for us to go and ask to see him so rashly?"
Xue Rui handed a cup of hot tea to Yu Shu, and said, "Prince Xiang is not sick, he just used the excuse that he doesn't want to see outsiders to hide in Dingbo Hall."
Yu Shu was stunned for a moment, and her expression suddenly changed — Prince Xiang is not sick!?
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