CHAPTER 45: CHAPTER 45: COINCIDENCE

In a daze, when he looked at her again, he saw that she was still focused on Tong Minzhi, with nothing on her face but concern for him.

He couldn’t help but smile bitterly. How could he be thinking about such things at this moment!

Xu Tianqing looked embarrassed, standing up uneasily, and showed a guilty expression, "Then... I’ll go sit with my brother for a while. If you need anything, call for me."

Xiqiu nodded casually without paying special attention to him. Xu Tianqing gave her a deep look and hurriedly left the room.

"Sister! Aunt! Wuwu..." In his sleep, Tong Minzhi cried heart-rendingly, tears rolling down onto the pillow. Xiqiu half-embraced him, "Sister is here, sister is here..." gently stroking his back, "Minzhi, don’t be afraid..."

As if feeling her presence, Tong Minzhi raised his hand, waving it aimlessly in the air. Xiqiu held his hand, and he clung tightly to her arm, resting his head on it. His eyelashes trembled, and he drowsily fell back asleep.

Xiqiu didn’t withdraw her hand. Instead, she gently touched his forehead. Indeed, the massage had a good effect, the high fever was finally starting to recede, and the most dangerous moment had passed. She let out a breath of relief and relaxed, half-reclining at the bedside, hugging Tong Minzhi.

Liufu knelt by Tong Minzhi’s bedside, crying softly. She felt as though she had lived a lifetime in this short day.

Xiqiu patted her shoulder, showing a comforting smile, "Silly girl, the Seventh Young Master is fine now, why are you crying again!"

Liufu wiped her eyes chaotically with her sleeves, forcing a smile, "I’m happy, my lady." Her ordinary features appeared exceptionally bright at this moment.

"Get up quickly!" She then told Sixing, "Help Liufu up. You’ve been busy all night, go rest now, I’ll keep watch here!" Sixing poured a cup of tea for Xiqiu, looking at her with concern, "Miss should rest too, we’ll keep watch."

Liufu also nodded vigorously.

Xiqiu reluctantly hugged Tong Minzhi, "I can’t rest assured about him. Even if I sleep, I won’t sleep well." Seeing Sixing and Siliu stubbornly standing there not willing to leave, she thought for a moment and said, "If I get tired later, I’ll call you."

Sixing and Siliu exchanged a glance, hesitated, and said, "Then we’ll stay in the outer room, and Miss can call us if needed." They replaced the teapot with fresh tea, brought in a heater to warm the water, draped a velvet blanket over Xiqiu, and the three of them finally closed the door and left.

Xiqiu leaned against the headboard, looking at Tong Minzhi’s sleeping little face, feeling a painful stab in her heart. She had been treading carefully, just to ensure that their mother and son’s threesome could live with dignity in the Tong Mansion even without the First Master’s favor. However, seeing Tong Minzhi like this now made her unwavering belief start to falter. She refused to compete because she understood the Lady’s temperament, believing that being gentle was stronger than being aggressive, and not competing was safer than competing. But this time, she felt that her concessions had harmed Tong Minzhi.

If she hadn’t been able to come and care for him this time, would Tong Minzhi have ended up like the Second Young Master?!

She dared not think!

Suddenly, there was a voice from Siliu outside, which made her frown again.

"Autumn Cloud Lady, is there something you need this late?" Siliu stood guard at the door with an arm akimbo, looking vigilant.

Qiuyun had long heard of Siliu’s temper. Even ten Autumn Clouds might not match her in a scuffle, so she stretched her face into a smile, "Sister Siliu, you’re being too formal, I’m from the Seventh Young Master’s room, and now that the master is ill, it’s only natural for me to come and serve." With that, she tried to bypass her to push the door open, "Today the Lady even asked me about the Seventh Young Master’s illness. Sister, if you do this... the younger sister won’t be able to explain to the Lady."

Trying to intimidate her with the Lady?!

Siliu curled her lips with a faint smile, "Thinking of being diligent at this time? We wouldn’t dare trouble Autumn Cloud Lady, you should rest well, lest you get hurt or weary, we’d have trouble explaining to the Lady." She blocked the door, giving Qiuyun a provocative look, as if to say ’go ahead and try to push the door, and see if I can’t tear your lips into a trumpet!’

Unwilling to give up, Qiuyun tiptoed to see what was happening inside the room, but seeing Siliu’s stance, she could only retreat, eyeing both women while smiling, "I’ll trouble you two sisters with this." She swayed out of the room.

Siliu pouted, drank a cup of tea in one gulp, and Sixing pulled her over to the kang, "Don’t bother with people like that." She covered her with a quilt, "Hurry and take a nap, then switch with Miss later."

"I just can’t stand her arrogant attitude!" Siliu struggled to get up again, "What about you then?" Sixing, sitting at the table, was using needle and thread to mend the little jacket Tong Minzhi had torn when he fell into the water today, "I’ll guard the door. When you wake up, I’ll rest."

"Then call me in an hour." Siliu said no more, turned over, and fell asleep.

After doing needlework for a while, Sixing rubbed her sore neck and suddenly saw a shadow outside the door, with a maid stealthily peering in.

At this time, the inner courtyard had long been locked, could it be from the young master’s house?

"Moju?" Sixing squinted for a while, finally recognizing it was Moju, dropped the needle and thread, and went out, "Is there something?"

"Sister Sixing." Moju curtsied, "Has the Seventh Young Master gotten better?"

Sixing nodded, "The fever just subsided, and he took some medicine, so he’s sleeping better." She took Moju’s hand, "It’s cold at night, why don’t you come in and sit for a while? Your master and the Eldest Young Master are in the side room."

Moju looked around, lowered her voice, "I’m not here to see our young master." She lowered her head, appearing somewhat nervous, "I have something I’d like to ask Sister Sixing for help with."

"What matter couldn’t a little maid relay to me? Why come personally so late?"

Moju twisted the handkerchief in her hand, her voice low, hesitantly, "I know Sister Sixing’s embroidery skills are top-notch. I wanted to come find you but you were always busy. Just so happens you’re in the outer courtyard today, so I mustered the courage to come ask for your advice. Summer is approaching, and I want to make a long robe for the young master, but I’m afraid of it being too plain. I wanted to embroider some floral motifs, but having been with the young master since childhood, my embroidery skills are not as good as my literacy, so I must come to ask for your sisterly guidance."

She was really afraid Moju would request something difficult for her, so Sixing secretly sighed in relief, "This is easy enough. If you’re in a hurry, just bring the fabric, and I’ll see a suitable pattern. If you don’t have a suitable design, I’ll find a few little maids to send you some samples tomorrow."

Moju’s eyes shone with gratitude, grasped Sixing’s hand back, looking very happy, "Thank you, sister." She turned her head and added, "Why don’t you come over to my place, help me pick some fabric."

Sixing looked conflicted, glanced back at the main room, where Liufu was dozing at the threshold, Siliu was resting inside, and there were nurses and servants waiting outside the door. After hesitating for a moment, she nodded, "Alright, but I can’t leave for too long, I’ll go and return quickly."