CHAPTER 550: CHAPTER 550: LEAVING THE RESIDENCE

Agarwood Pavilion, inner room.

Returning from Qihao Hall, Su Jin had broken into a sweat.

Feeling uncomfortable all over, she took a bath.

After getting out of the tub, she sat in front of the dressing table, looking at the injury on her neck.

It was a wound slashed by the Heir of Uncle Yongcheng. The scar had already disappeared, and the new skin was pale pink, making it quite conspicuous against her fair skin.

Su Jin applied some ointment to it.

Xie Jingchen walked in and said, "Is the injury not healed yet?"

"It’s almost healed," Su Jin replied casually.

"Are you sure it’s healed?" Xie Jingchen’s gaze intensified.

"...."

The copper mirror reflected Su Jin’s slightly blushing face.

Although Xie Jingchen’s words were quite ordinary, she caught the implied meaning.

Ever since falling off the cliff, he had been restless.

Although he had never been particularly well-behaved...

His behavior had become much more exaggerated.

Only because her body was covered in bruises, he was especially restrained.

He had gotten up for a cold bath twice these nights, making her feel somewhat sympathetic.

Su Jin didn’t finish speaking, and Xie Jingchen walked over, looking at her neck and then at her wrist.

Her wrist still had bruises, and when his fingers gently rubbed them, Su Jin frowned in pain.

"Your wrist hasn’t healed, and you’re still making so much medicine," Xie Jingchen stared at her and said.

Not all medicine needs to be made into pills.

That’s Su Jin’s habit.

She found the medicine bitter, and besides, boiling the medicine couldn’t fully extract its efficacy; after all, there would be residue.

Lady Chi having disturbed fetus energy requires fetus-preserving medicine, that’s something else, Old Madam Li’s knee pain only acts up on rainy days, so what’s the harm in delaying a couple of days?

Su Jin wanted to say it was fine but couldn’t.

She withdrew her hand, preparing to apply the medicine, but Xie Jingchen didn’t let her.

He chose the ointment, gently rubbing it in, his movements as tender as handling a block of soft tofu, fearing even a little force would break it apart.

Outside, Xingxing came in with a tray.

On the tray was a bowl.

As she approached, a faint medicinal smell wafted in.

Su Jin frowned disdainfully.

Xingxing brought the medicine over.

Xie Jingchen picked up the medicine bowl.

Su Jin reached to take it, but Xie Jingchen brought the medicine bowl to his own lips.

Seeing this, Xingxing hurriedly said, "Young Master, this medicine is not for you."

"Your medicine, I’ll prepare it and bring it over later."

Xie Jingchen, "...."

Su Jin stifled a laugh.

She’d never seen someone so unconcerned about taking medicine.

Thinking about Xie Jingchen being ill for six years, Su Jin couldn’t laugh anymore.

Even though drinking this medicine wouldn’t harm him, she quickly took the medicine in her own hands.

Xie Jingchen looked at her, "This medicine, is it for you to drink?"

Su Jin nodded lightly.

"I didn’t see you taking medicine the past two days, why suddenly now?" Xie Jingchen asked.

"Is your body unwell somewhere?" There was a hint of eagerness in his eyes.

He pulled Su Jin for a look.

Su Jin seriously doubted whether he’d developed x-ray vision.

"I’m fine," Su Jin said.

"If you’re fine, why are you taking medicine?" Xie Jingchen didn’t believe it.

Indeed, you wouldn’t take medicine if you weren’t sick.

But Su Jin really didn’t know how to explain it to Xie Jingchen.

Was she supposed to discuss with him that the medicine was for preventing abdominal pain during her period?

Su Jin didn’t want to say, but Xingxing, being quick-mouthed, said, "Miss takes the medicine, and after two days, she won’t have tummy pains. Otherwise, it will hurt terribly."

Xie Jingchen frowned.

Quickly, he understood.

Then said, "Treating the symptoms but not the root cause."

After speaking, he gave Su Jin a sidelong glance.

This illness only I can cure.

Su Jin, "...."

She really wanted to kick him!

Kicking him out of the window!

Kicking him so hard he sticks to the wall and can’t be pulled off!

Knowing she was skilled in medicine, yet still pretending to be an expert, and doing so quite smoothly.

Su Jin glared at Xie Jingchen with both eyes.

Xingxing was completely puzzled.

The young master cared so much about the lady, how could she take his good intentions as bovine liver and lungs?

Besides, the medicine was getting cold.

"Miss, you should take the medicine first," Xingxing urged.

Su Jin looked at the medicine bowl in her hand, swallowed it in two or three gulps, then rinsed her mouth with tea and ate a candied fruit.

Xie Jingchen was both amused and exasperated, never having seen a doctor so afraid of bitter medicine.

He wondered how the first time he had seen her in pain, she was miserable, and then after that, never again, and now he knew it was because she secretly took medicine.

Thinking about Su Jin’s stomach pain, Xie Jingchen’s initial irritation slowly crept back onto his face.

He had been planning to consummate once her bruises healed, but now...

Seeing Xie Jingchen’s sulking expression, a slight smile appeared at the corner of Su Jin’s mouth.

Xie Jingchen noticed, and his face turned even darker.

He pinched Su Jin’s nose tightly, "Enjoy yourself for now; there will come a time when you’ll beg for mercy."

...

Having slept an extra half-hour during the day, she was wide awake at night.

It was only late at night when she dozed off.

Sleeping late means waking up late.

Xingxing came into the room several times, but Su Jin was still asleep, so she didn’t disturb her.

She sat outside the door, leaning against a pillar, making thread knots.

Two little maids gathered to watch.

Focused and intent, they didn’t even notice when Caiju approached.

Caiju waved a hand in front of her, and Xingxing looked up, delighted, "Why did you come?"

Caiju said, "I want to leave the mansion, can you lend me a token to exit?"

"What’s the big deal? I’ll lend you two," Xingxing said generously.

"...."

Xingxing handed the thread knot to one of the little maids and stepped back into the house.

The tokens were hanging inside her room.

They lined up in a neat row, exquisite and delicate.

Xingxing said generously, "Which one do you want?"

Caiju was hit hard.

Lady Chi didn’t sleep well last night, had no appetite in the morning, and barely ate.

She remembered that pregnant women liked sour food.

But she didn’t dare buy from the large kitchen, considering Lady Chi never used to be picky about food.

Also, buying too often might arouse suspicion.

Caiju wanted to leave the mansion, but being one of Manager Li’s people, she thought she had some face outside.

Except—

Upon reaching the outer courtyard, she realized how little her influence mattered.

The gatekeeping maid wouldn’t let her leave, insisting on a token before granting exit, or she needed to bribe them with silver.

Doing this once or twice was fine, but having to bribe every time cost thirty or forty silver coins, Lady Chi couldn’t afford this.

Caiju went to Peony Garden to get a token but came back empty-handed and even got scolded.

"Pardon me, but if anyone could come to Peony Garden for an exit token, the streets would be full of maids and servants from Prince Zhenbei’s Mansion!" The maid from Peony Garden scolded her.

Caiju returned disheartened.

On the way back, she thought of Xingxing and made her way there.

The head maid of Agarwood Pavilion would definitely have tokens.

But Caiju never expected there to be so many, freely choosing one made her feel so inferior.

It would be wonderful if someday she could also become a head maid.

The housekeeper from the small kitchen at Agarwood Pavilion also had three tokens.

Manager Li had them handed over to Xingxing.

The maids and servants in Agarwood Pavilion didn’t dare ask for them from Xingxing, so they went to complain to Manager Li.

Manager Li then had to reissue three more tokens.

Caiju did take two tokens, even though using two at once was unlikely since Qingqiu Garden only had three maids total. It wouldn’t be feasible to send two out together, but it’s always better to be prepared.

Afraid that Su Jin would wake up, Xingxing returned indoors to attend her while Caiju went out of the mansion.

Holding the token, she headed to the side gate, and the gatekeeping maid looked at the token, frowning tightly, "This is Agarwood Pavilion’s exit token."

"A maid from Qingqiu Garden using Agarwood Pavilion’s token to exit, do you think I’m blind?!" the gatekeeping maid said coldly.

Caiju’s temper flared at this.

Being pestered repeatedly on such a hot day may cause even a little maid to be bothered.

Caiju looked at the gatekeeping maid, "You wanted a token, and I brought one. Do you want me to ask Manager Li or the Princely Heir’s Wife whether the token from Agarwood Pavilion is valid?"

The gatekeeping maid was stifled.

When Caiju tried to leave again, the gatekeeping maid didn’t dare stop her.

But it didn’t stop her from going to Princess Nanzhang to complain.

The mansion was still under the authority of Princess Nanzhang, so seizing the opportunity to show loyalty wasn’t a bad idea.