Chapter 30: Ask Me to Go Back
“That’s how it is!” Back in the alley where he had agreed to meet with Xiao Xian, Ling Ye told Xiao Xian everything he had seen.
Feng D*ng was astonished after hearing this.
“So, you did nothing, and they dealt with those dozen assassins themselves, and even tied them up in a fishing net? A young lady and a little boy…” Feng D*ng shook his head repeatedly, unable to believe it. “When did they prepare the fishing net? And how did they manage to net those assassins?”
“I don’t know, it has nothing to do with me!” Ling Ye replied.
“Hey, you…” Feng D*ng was a little angry at his indifferent tone.
Xiao Xian interrupted, “Feng D*ng, Shadow is our friend, not a servant. You should show him basic respect!”
“Yes, Young Master!”
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving!”
Ling Ye didn’t say much. After handing the silk Xiao Jinyu had given him to Xiao Xian, he left without another word, his steps swift.
“Young Master, why is he so ill-tempered…” Feng D*ng couldn’t help but complain.
Xiao Xian shook his head and said, “He’s a pitiful person too!”
“Him? Pitiful?”
“Yes, he serves only one master in his life, but his master has already passed away. I’m afraid he will live in darkness for the rest of his life!”
That’s why when asked his name, he only answered with the word “Shadow.”
“But, Young Master, I never thought that the little lady would not only be able to cure illnesses but also have such skills!”
Indeed! To be able to evade Princess Yunyin’s assassins for nearly a month, and finally turn from a fish to a fisherman, capturing the enemy in a fishing net, such skill… It’s really hard to imagine that it came from a fifteen-year-old girl. And she must have anticipated all of this!
That’s why she dared to say those words when he first went to meet her…
Xiao Xian couldn’t help but chuckle to himself.
“Let’s go! To the Early Spring Courtyard!”
✿✿✿
The Early Spring Courtyard was where Xiao Xian had first met Xiao Jinyu, and it was also the first place Xiao Jinyu found to live in Jiankang City. It wasn’t far from the Xiao Residence, just across the street. The courtyard was built on the banks of a lake, with a stilt house nestled among the willows and pear blossoms.
As the wind blew, the bells under the eaves tinkled.
“Quite vigilant!”
Xiao Xian smiled and sighed softly. Suddenly, a rich fragrance wafted in the wind, so strong that even Feng D*ng couldn’t help but exclaim, “What is that smell? It smells so good!”
As he spoke, he eagerly pushed Xiao Xian through the courtyard gate. They saw a round iron p*t set up in a pavilion, with a roaring fire underneath and steam rising from the p*t.
Xiao Jinyu was eating with Fenghuang, while a young maid bustled about, scooping food from the p*t and arranging several small white jade plates on the table, each filled with fragrant dishes.
“This is so delicious! It’s amazing!” Fenghuang exclaimed, taking large bites.
“A’xiu, come and have some too!”
“No, Young Lady is the master, and A’xiu is a servant. A’xiu cannot eat with the master!”
“My Qing Gege asked you to come, so come. If you don’t want to eat at the same table with us, take a plate and eat over there!”
With Fenghuang’s slightly impatient rebuke, the little maid named A’xiu finally blushed and mustered up her courage, taking a plate and going to eat on a stone bench nearby.
“Young Master, that fragrance we smelled must have come from this p*t, right? It smells so good!” Looking at this scene, Feng D*ng couldn’t help but want to go closer and look, but then he remembered that he was a servant of a prestigious clan’s young master, and he shouldn’t lose face for his master, so he held back.
“Oh, it’s Young Master Xiao!”
It seemed that everyone had just noticed Xiao Xian’s arrival!
Xiao Xian nodded politely and looked at Xiao Jinyu, taking out a piece of silk.
There was nothing written on the silk, only a single embroidered character “Spring.” Xiao Xian knew that the message Xiao Jinyu had asked Ling Ye to bring was simply an invitation for him to come again.
“Are you… alright?” Upon seeing Xiao Jinyu, Xiao Xian couldn’t help but feel his eyes welling up, and he asked softly.
“Does Xiao Lang think I look unwell now?” Xiao Jinyu asked playfully.
Seeing her smile, Xiao Xian couldn’t help but curve his lips into a very slight smile as well.
“Isn’t Xiao Lang curious why I invited you here today?” Seeing that Xiao Xian hadn’t spoken for a long time, Xiao Jinyu couldn’t help but ask first.
“Even if I don’t ask, you would tell me, wouldn’t you?” Xiao Xian replied in a playful tone as well.
Xiao Jinyu nodded with a smile and suddenly said, “Indeed. Please open your mouth!”
Xiao Xian was slightly stunned. Just as he opened his lips, he saw a tiny black object flicked into his mouth, which then melted instantly like a mouthful of sweet, cool spring water.
“Young Master!” Feng D*ng didn’t have time to react in that split second. Seeing Xiao Xian swallow the pill, he anxiously asked Xiao Jinyu, “Young Lady, what did you give my master to eat?”
“Your master has had a poor appetite for many years and has difficulty swallowing. I just gave him an appetizer pill.”
Feng D*ng was overjoyed and exclaimed in surprise, “Really? Young Lady, how did you even know that my master has had a poor appetite for years? You truly are a divine physician!”
“So, the reason I invited Xiao Lang here today is to share a meal with him,” Xiao Jinyu said, looking at Xiao Xian.
“Just to share a meal?” Feng D*ng was a little skeptical.
Xiao Jinyu smiled again and said, “Of course. Would a noble young master like Xiao Xian be unwilling to share a meal with me?”
“Of course not!” Xiao Xian interrupted. “I just didn’t expect…”
He didn’t expect that Xiao Jinyu would show him such kindness when the Xiao family treated her and her mother like tigers and wolves.
✿✿✿
As if guessing his thoughts, Xiao Jinyu chuckled softly. “The Xiao family is the Xiao family, and Xiao Xian is Xiao Xian. I’ve said before, I’m not someone who likes to take advantage of others. You were willing to lend a hand today, and even if I didn’t need it, I wouldn’t take your kindness for granted.”
“Please—”
“Alright, Young Lady is truly a kind person!”
At Xiao Jinyu’s gesture, Feng D*ng pushed Xiao Xian to the table. Seeing that the table was full of fish and some other kind of meat he couldn’t recognize, he couldn’t help but say, “But, Young Lady, my master never eats fish. He feels like throwing up whenever he eats fish…”
“Just because he couldn’t before doesn’t mean he can’t now!” Xiao Jinyu interrupted. “A’xiu, serve a bowl to Young Master Xiao and attend to him.”
A’xiu was still a little dazed, but she quickly replied, “Yes,” and took a plate of fish that had just been scooped from the p*t and placed it in front of Xiao Xian.
It was Xiao Lang!
The very same Xiao Lang who captivated countless young ladies in Jiankang City, the one who was named the most handsome and talented man in Jiankang at the age of fifteen during an imperial examination!
A’xiu’s face flushed instantly.
Seeing A’xiu staring in a daze, Feng D*ng hurriedly took the bowl from her and asked, “Young Master, do you want to eat this? Or should I take it away? I’m afraid you’ll…”
As he spoke, he was about to take the bowl away, but at that moment, he heard Xiao Xian say, “No need. Give me a pair of chopsticks.”
“Young Master, what did you say?” Feng D*ng was incredulous.
“Give me a pair of chopsticks!”
“Yes!”
As if finally realizing what was happening, he tremblingly took a pair of chopsticks and handed them to Xiao Xian. He watched as Xiao Xian picked up a piece of white fish and slowly put it into his mouth.
For a long while, Xiao Xian’s expression remained frozen. Feng D*ng thought to himself: It’s over, it’s over, Young Master must be about to throw up again!
As he thought this, he called out, “Quick, quick, bring the washbasin for Young Master!”
But at that moment, Xiao Xian said, “No need—” and then picked up another piece of fish and put it into his mouth. After finishing it, he looked at Xiao Jinyu and said, “Not bad, a true delicacy!”
Feng D*ng’s eyes widened in astonishment, staring at Xiao Xian without blinking.
“Young Master, are you serious? You can eat fish now?”
Xiao Xian looked at Xiao Jinyu and nodded with a smile.
“Could I have another bowl?”
Another bowl?
Heavens! Feng D*ng was ecstatic. “That’s great! Young Master usually only eats a mouthful or two of anything, even just plain porridge. Now that he has an appetite, does it mean his illness is almost cured?”
“Yes,” Xiao Jinyu replied.
“Young Lady, you are a true divine physician, a true divine physician!” Feng D*ng exclaimed gratefully once again.
Xiao Jinyu smiled without saying anything and gestured for A’xiu to bring another bowl of meat to Xiao Xian. “This is sparrow meat, Xiao Lang, try it too!”
“Sparrow meat, can you eat that too?” Feng D*ng couldn’t help but ask.
“Why not? Just because you haven’t eaten it doesn’t mean it can’t be eaten!” Fenghuang chimed in.
Xiao Xian didn’t say anything but picked up his chopsticks and started tasting the sparrow meat.
At first, he chewed slowly and carefully, but then he actually ate more than half of the bowl of sparrow meat.
Feng D*ng’s mouth hung open, unable to look away. Smelling the enticing aroma, he couldn’t help but swallow.
It wasn’t until Xiao Jinyu said, “A’xiu, bring a bowl for Feng D*ng too!” that he snapped out of it.
He hurriedly waved his hands and said, “No need, Young Lady, I’m just a servant, I don’t need to eat!”
“There are no such rules here!” Xiao Jinyu interrupted.
“Feng D*ng, go and eat.”
Only after Xiao Xian’s gentle command did Feng D*ng take a bowl of sparrow meat and start eating with gusto.
“Delicious, so delicious! Young Lady, I never thought you would not only be so skilled in medicine but also so talented in cooking…” Feng D*ng exclaimed as he devoured the food. “I’ve never had such delicious food even in the Xiao Residence!”
“Eat more if you like it!”
For a while, laughter filled the courtyard. Xiao Xian watched as Feng D*ng gradually became friends with Fenghuang and A’xiu, and a smile couldn’t help but appear on his lips.
But the smile was very faint, tinged with a hint of sadness.
“Xiao Lang seems to have never truly laughed wholeheartedly?” Xiao Jinyu suddenly asked. As Xiao Xian looked at her in surprise, she continued, “It seems that the root of Xiao Lang’s illness lies not in the body but in the heart!”
“Yes, Young Lady, you’re right again! Ever since I started serving my master, I’ve never seen him laugh wholeheartedly!” Feng D*ng said, then asked innocently, “Young Lady, can you cure this too?”
It was meant to be a joke, but Xiao Jinyu unexpectedly replied, “Of course, I can cure it!”
As Feng D*ng stared at her with his mouth agape, she looked at Xiao Xian and added, “Starting tomorrow, I will make Xiao Lang truly laugh, laugh wholeheartedly!”
Xiao Xian abruptly looked up at her, and then he heard her say, “But I also ask Xiao Lang to refrain from interfering in my current affairs for the time being. Just protect yourself. I will need your help in the future.
Also, please rest assured, I will make the mistress of your Xiao family respectfully… ask me to go back!”
