CHAPTER 549: CHAPTER 281: RESPONDING TO FORCE, NOT SOFTNESS (PART 2)

Shi Fengming felt that his previous words were baseless and couldn’t stand scrutiny, but still he wasn’t ready to concede, "Who knows what she’s thinking? Women’s minds are always mysterious, who can tell what they really want! I don’t believe it, if I fake my death, and our parents still insist on letting her leave, she won’t leave!"

"Nonsense!" Shi Fengju’s face grew cold as he spoke, "Fake your death? Then come back to life? Wouldn’t that tell everyone that you did it on purpose? Put away these unreliable thoughts! Either continue to feign your illness and fulfill your promise, or just divorce her already! All this fuss over such a trivial matter, I’m getting annoyed even if you’re not!"

Shi Fengming, reprimanded into silence, sneaked a glance at him but couldn’t help muttering inwardly: You’re one to talk, aren’t you just as troublesome over such a trifle? I heard from mother that Cousin Gu and Great-aunt are still challenging you, I’ll be convinced only if you can withstand that...

"Are you done eating? If you’re done, pack it up quickly so I can take it away! Miss Wan is still waiting for me to have dinner!" Shi Fengju said when he saw Shi Fengming remained silent.

Shi Fengming felt a wave of dizziness and almost passed out. He cast a resentful glance at Shi Fengju and reluctantly packed the food into the food box. Shi Fengju got up, carrying it away, "Rest well, I will come to see you again tomorrow!"

"Brother, take care!" Shi Fengming said dispiritedly, thinking about the medicine he would have to take later and feeling nauseous at the thought.

"Brother!" He hurriedly called out to Shi Fengju again, his eyes darting toward the door, and said with a forced smile, "About that medicine, could we change it? This one—it’s too disgusting!"

"No way!" Shi Fengju turned back with a smile, gently uttering three words, "The medicine must appear convincingly real, how else to deceive others? Should this get out, does our family’s reputation mean nothing?"

The whole Shi family, cooperating in this farce with Lord Idiot pretending to be sick—a laughingstock, that’s what the Shi family will become in Qingzhou!

"But that medicine—"

"Endure it!" Shi Fengju said calmly, "If you can’t swallow this bit of bitterness, how are you to enjoy the fruits of your labor later?"

With nothing left to say, Shi Fengming could only silently lie back on the bed.

The medicine was ready, and Zhou Jingyi was waiting to bring it in. Seeing that Shi Fengju had finally come out, she hurried over to greet him, "Thank you for your efforts, Brother!"

"We are family, no need for such formalities! Bring him the medicine now that it’s ready," Shi Fengju said.

Zhou Jingyi nodded in agreement and watched Shi Fengju leave. She then strained the medicine and carried it into the room.

As soon as Shi Fengming caught the familiar and nauseating smell of the medicine, he felt a wave of disgust and frowned, "Why are you here again! Leave it there and go away!"

Zhou Jingyi’s face stiffened slightly, but she still spoke gently, "Husband—"

"Stop calling me husband!" Shi Fengming frowned, "Can’t you stop with this act of virtuosity? It makes me uncomfortable! I am not a good husband, and you don’t have to be like this, just put it down and go away!"

Hearing these words, Zhou Jingyi felt a secret thrill of pleasure, softly saying, "I’ve never blamed you. You are a good husband, who says you’re not? After all, it’s not for me to say!"

Shi Fengming couldn’t help but laugh out of frustration at her response and rolled his eyes, "You are truly bizarre! Your parents didn’t raise you with so much care for you to belittle yourself like this! What good does clinging to me do for you? Tell me, what do you want for you to leave? Just name it, and I’ll agree!"

"Really?" Zhou Jingyi sighed softly and said, "Then don’t waste your energy, husband, for I will not leave! The medicine will cool down, hurry and drink it first!"

Zhou Jingyi held the medicine bowl and blew on it, then leaned forward to bring it to his lips, "Drink this quickly! You’ll only get better after taking the medicine! Whatever you want to say, we can talk after you’re better."

Better? Can he really recover? Shi Fengming deeply sensed what it meant to shoot oneself in the foot, thinking if you don’t leave how can I ever get better!

He slightly turned his head to avoid it, "And if I don’t get better? Wouldn’t that be a waste? You might as well not bother!"

"No, that won’t happen!" Zhou Jingyi became anxious when she heard this, hurriedly comforting him, "You will get better, you must just take the medicine! Husband, nothing will happen to you!"

Shi Fengming felt that he was really defeated by her, growing irritable in his heart, his face cold and silent.

Understanding that a patient may be irritable, Zhou Jingyi did not get angry at his attitude and continued to persuade him gently. Shi Fengming, growing impatient, simply shut his eyes and pretended to be deaf and mute.

Zhou Jingyi, seeing her persuasion was futile, became slightly annoyed herself and placed the medicine bowl gently on the table, calling out, "Xiaocui!"

Shi Fengming opened his eyes in alarm and watched her without a word.

"Does the Second Mistress need something?" Xiaocui hurried in.

Zhou Jingyi then said, "Come here and help me hold down the Second Master so he doesn’t move, it’s time for him to take his medicine!" As she spoke, Zhou Jingyi stood up and pressed down on Shi Fengming across the brocade quilt.

"This—"

"What are you doing! Let go!" Shi Fengming began to struggle angrily.

"Come quickly!" Zhou Jingyi called out to Xiaocui with a stern face.

"Ah! Yes, yes!" Xiaocui, slightly frightened, hastily stepped forward, and pressed down on Shi Fengming as instructed by Zhou Jingyi.

"Outrageous! You’re quite bold!" Shi Fengming fumed with rage.

"Hold him tighter!" Zhou Jingyi commanded coldly, "The Second Master is being capricious; are you going to indulge his nonsense? If he doesn’t take his medicine, how will his illness improve? Do you want to be punished?"

Upon hearing this, Xiaocui decisively made up her mind and applied more force.

"Insolent! Wretched girl, have you grown tired of living!" Shi Fengming was far from willing to yield and erupted in anger.

"I am here, you won’t be blamed for this, what are you afraid of!" Zhou Jingyi said again.

Xiaocui, disregarding Shi Fengming’s shouting and screaming, held him down firmly.