“Hey,” Jixia’s face was full of smiles, but her tone was sharp and high-pitched, “Yunyue, why are you slacking off here? The courtyard has accumulated dust everywhere over the past month. If you had put in a bit more effort, even just waving a cloth around a few times, it wouldn’t be like this.”
Ye Yunyue was startled and turned her head to look toward the door.
Ji Xinglan also twisted her small head to look over. When she saw Gu Jianli, her eyes lit up instantly. However, in the next moment, they quietly dimmed, and she pouted.
Ye Yunyue immediately put on a smile and said, “While sweeping is important, is it more important than Lan’er? Madam has been away for so long; she doesn’t know how seriously Lan’er has been ill. How could I dare to leave her side even for a moment? I wish I could be by her side taking care of her all the time.”
Jixia raised her eyebrows and questioned, “Are you saying Lan’er has been sick for half a month? Or are you just using Lan’er as an excuse to slack off and curse her with a long illness?”
Ye Yunyue was choked by her words and glared angrily at Jixia. She struggled to control her anger, and the smile on her face finally disappeared. She said coldly, “Jixia, you were brought here by Madam, so your status is naturally different from the other servants in the house. But don’t be so aggressive. Do you think the young master only needs care when she’s ill? Her daily needs also require attentive care. Moreover, both Lan’er and Sixth brother have just started their education and need adults to oversee them even more.”
“So, it turns out I wronged your careful attentiveness,” Jixia snorted coldly. “But Madam is standing here, and you sit there without any regard for manners? Oh, you are so attentive and thorough in your work, yet you don’t understand manners? That must mean… you’re doing it on purpose?”
“You!” Ye Yunyue quickly glanced at Gu Jianli, hoping she would step in to stop her aggressive maid. However, Gu Jianli kept a graceful smile on her face and didn’t show any intention of stopping Jixia.
Ye Yunyue said, “I was just feeding Lan’er her medicine.”
She waited for a while, but neither Gu Jianli nor Jixia spoke, so she had to stand up reluctantly.
Only then did Gu Jianli place her cane against the door frame and help Jixia step over the threshold.
Ji Xinglan widened her eyes in surprise, staring at Gu Jianli’s cane. Her slender neck stretched long, and she stared unblinkingly as Gu Jianli slowly approached.
Gu Jianli walked slowly to the bedside, handed the cane to Jixia, and sat down on the bed, speaking softly, “Lan’er, are you feeling better?”
Ji Xinglan tilted her small head and looked at Gu Jianli. She nodded slowly and asked in a childish voice, “What happened to your leg?”
“I accidentally fell from upstairs.”
Ji Xinglan’s eyes widened in shock. She patted her small chest with her little hand and asked in surprise, “Doesn’t that hurt a lot?”
“Yes, at first it hurt so much I couldn’t sleep at night. It’s only recently gotten better.” Gu Jianli frowned at Ji Xinglan, speaking with a childish innocence.
Ji Xinglan thought for a moment, pouting. The skin on a child’s face is very tender; she gently sniffed, and her eyes turned red.
“Does that mean you have to drink a lot of bitter medicine?”
“Of course, I have to drink it two or three times a day. And I have to eat a lot of unappetizing tonics, which are oily and greasy,” Gu Jianli complained.
Ji Xinglan blinked and suddenly felt that her own cold medicine wasn’t so bad. She pushed the blanket off herself, climbed out of bed, stretched out her small arms, and hugged Gu Jianli. Like a little adult, she patted Gu Jianli’s back with her small hand and earnestly advised, “You must drink your medicine obediently to get completely better. Missing one dose means getting better one day later!”
Gu Jianli couldn’t help but laugh, hugging the milky-scented little girl tightly in her arms.
“Alright, Lanlan and I will take our medicine together, and we’ll both be good.”
“Mm!” Ji Xinglan nodded vigorously. “Lanlan is always very good!”
Gu Jianli gently smiled and touched her forehead; Ji Xinglan still had a slight fever. She asked, “Lanlan, are you cold? Quickly, get back under the covers.”
“Not cold, not cold!” Ji Xinglan shook her head repeatedly. “Aunt Yunyue put a warmer in my blanket and made me a warm little cotton jacket, so I’m not cold at all.”
She proudly pulled at the corner of her jacket to show Gu Jianli her little cotton jacket.
Gu Jianli touched it; the light red cotton jacket had fine stitching and was stuffed with ample cotton, showing it was made with care. Gu Jianli nodded, “It’s good that you’re not cold. If you feel cold or uncomfortable, you must say so, okay?”
While talking to Ji Xinglan, Gu Jianli’s voice became involuntarily gentle, even tinged with a bit of childlike softness.
Ji Xinglan blinked and tilted her head, looking at Gu Jianli curiously for a long while.
She wanted to say something but hesitated, her little face turning red. She waited for Gu Jianli to ask, but after a long while without a question, she had to stammer, “I’m mad at you! That’s why I didn’t get out of bed to greet you.”
“Mm.” Gu Jianli nodded, looking gently into her clear, bright eyes.
Ji Xinglan pouted, glanced at Gu Jianli, then shyly lowered her head and whispered, “But seeing you limping like that made my heart ache…”
She bowed her head and sighed heavily, probably blaming herself for being too soft-hearted.
Gu Jianli smiled and reached out to Jixia, who handed her a prepared candy box. Gu Jianli placed the box on her lap and opened the lid, revealing candies shaped like little rabbits.
Ji Xinglan’s face lit up, and she happily threw herself into Gu Jianli’s arms, shouting joyfully, “You didn’t forget!”
Gu Jianli fed a rabbit-shaped candy to Ji Xinglan. Ji Xinglan ate the candy, her eyes bending into happy crescents as she smiled at Gu Jianli. Gu Jianli let Ji Xinglan sit on her lap, untied her loose bun, and deftly re-tied her hair with her slender fingers.
Watching the intimate scene between Gu Jianli and Ji Xinglan, Ye Yunyue felt uncomfortable. Aren’t children supposed to be forgetful? Gu Jianli had been gone for a month and a half, and Ji Xinglan had cried in disappointment several times. Yet, the moment she returned, Ji Xinglan ran straight into her arms.
Ji Xinglan finished one piece of candy and reached for a second.
Ye Yunyue suddenly smiled and said, “Lan’er, didn’t I tell you that eating too much candy will make your teeth hurt?”
Ji Xinglan furrowed her brow, looking at the lifelike little white rabbit in her hand, then at Ye Yunyue, and finally turning her head to look at Gu Jianli.
Jixia chimed in sarcastically, “Eating two pieces of candy will make your teeth hurt? Yunyue, are you a doctor, or do your teeth hurt after just two pieces? Your teeth must be really bad.”
Ye Yunyue had been enduring Jixia’s taunts for a long time and couldn’t take it anymore. She snapped, “Jixia, do you think you’re the master here just because you’re a servant? How dare you speak so much when the master hasn’t even spoken!”
“Yes, I’m a servant. But I’m not the only talkative servant in this house.” Jixia rolled her eyes.
“I’m doing it for Lan’er’s good! Good medicine tastes bitter, and honest advice sounds harsh. Prioritizing Lan’er’s happiness over her health is wrong. I don’t think I’ve said anything wrong; anyone would agree with me on this matter!”
Ji Xinglan looked frightened, innocently gazing at the three adults.
“Miss Ye,” Gu Jianli finally looked at Ye Yunyue.
Ye Yunyue steeled herself, bracing to respond with utmost vigilance.
“Leave.” Gu Jianli uttered these one light word and then turned her head back to continue tying Ji Xinglan’s hair.
Ji Xinglan secretly stuffed the candy she was holding into her mouth, her little cheeks puffing up.
Ye Yunyue deflated all at once. It would have been better if she had scolded her a bit. At least scolding meant she cared and was angry. What was this? This was utter disdain, not even wanting to say a word to her, truly looking down on her.
Gritting her teeth, Ye Yunyue walked out angrily. She told herself to endure a bit longer. Anyway, it wouldn’t be long before Ji Xuanhe returned. Gu Jianli and Ji Xuanhe already had an ambiguous relationship. This time, if she pushed things further, the temperamental Ji Wujing would definitely not keep Gu Jianli around. He might even kill her himself! At that time, it would be her golden opportunity…
Ji Xinglan asked softly, “Is she angry?”
“No, she has her own things to do,” Gu Jianli said casually.
“Oh!” Ji Xinglan, being young, didn’t think much and soon forgot about it.
On the way back, Jixia grumbled angrily about Ye Yunyue. She sighed and said, “I don’t know what it is, but I just can’t stand her. Seeing her makes me annoyed!”
Gu Jianli said, “I see that she does care for Xinglan and takes good care of her.”
After a while, Gu Jianli thought for a moment and added, “But her intentions are not pure. If Xinglan knew, the little girl would be heartbroken.”
“Exactly! She’s just using Sister Lan! You mustn’t be too kind-hearted!” Jixia quickly said.
Gu Jianli laughed at Jixia’s eagerness and asked, “What did Ye Yunyue do to make my Jixia so angry?”
“I’m afraid you might be too kind-hearted and get deceived by her! She obviously has an unhappy marriage and now turns to Fifth Master. We can’t let her succeed in stepping over you.”
“Let her cause a fuss. It doesn’t matter,” Gu Jianli said nonchalantly.
Jixia carefully pondered Gu Jianli’s words. Was she implying that someone like Ye Yunyue wasn’t worth her master’s time? Indeed, her master was someone who even dared to defy the emperor. How could a mere Ye Yunyue be worth her master’s attention? Therefore, this was something for her to handle. Jixia secretly resolved to deal with Ye Yunyue properly and not disgrace her master!
With the return of Gu Jianli and Ji Wujing, people from the Guangping Marquis Residence continuously sent gifts. If Ji Wujing didn’t dislike others entering his residence, these opportunists would have broken down the door.
Before it was even dark, Ji Wujing fell asleep. Gu Jianli stood at the door of the inner room, frowning as she looked at Ji Wujing on the bed. She calculated the days and understood that the effect of the child gu inside Ji Wujing’s body was starting to weaken.
She waved her hand, signaling Jixia to leave. Leaning on her cane, she slowly walked towards the bed. She tried to put weight on her left leg, but it hurt too much, so she gave up. Struggling to the bed, she sat down and leaned over, resting her chin in her hand, staring at Ji Wujing.
After a long while, Ji Wujing, still with his eyes closed, lazily spoke, “Gu Jianli, have you been enchanted by uncle’s beauty again?”
Gu Jianli silently mouthed, “Shameless.”
Then she spoke aloud, “I don’t want to see Ye Yunyue again.”
Ji Wujing lifted his eyelids, half-squinting at Gu Jianli, his voice carrying a lazy, deep tiredness, “Who?”
“Ye Yunyue.”
Ji Wujing frowned, impatiently, “What thing?”
