Cui Huan stammered, "Then, what are you going to do about Young Master Yu? How about we give him a chance based on his performance?"
Wei Dongling was taken aback for a moment. Pinching Cui Huan's waist, she said with a smile, "So, you little girl have been beating around the bush to help your young master, haven't you?"
Cui Huan dodged continuously and explained, "It's impossible for me to have no other thoughts. After all, it was the young master who took me in when I was a lonely and helpless child wandering on the street. I should always be grateful for his kindness. But if he really intends to wrong you, I won't agree! I don't want to see you sad. I just hope that everything will go as you wish."
Wei Dongling put her arm around Cui Huan's waist and said nothing.
Cui Huan tightly held her hand and continued, "Do you know? I've never had a family since I was a child. That day, when Young Master Yu the Second insulted and slandered me in the teahouse, it was you who fearlessly stood in front of me and protected me. From that day on, I realized how wonderful it feels to have a family to protect you! I thought that our young master really had good taste! I just wanted to stay by your side all my life and never be separated from you!"
Wei Dongling felt warm in her heart. Teasingly, she said, "So you don't plan to go back to the frontier with Uncle Luo?"
Cui Huan was extremely embarrassed. Covering her face, she said coyly, "You're so annoying! I'm ignoring you!"
Wei Dongling's eyebrows curved with laughter.
Early the next morning, Wei Dongling was sitting on the bed drinking bitter medicine when He Yao came in with her maid.
He Yao glanced at Wei Dongling on the bed and casually found a chair to sit down.
Wei Dongling looked up at her and then continued to drink the medicine without saying a word.
He Yao sat upright for a long time. Seeing that Wei Dongling was drinking the medicine slowly and ignoring her, she couldn't hold back her temper. She snorted and said, "Sister Dongling, are you planning to provoke me on purpose by relying on your injury? You know that Brother Zixi is soft - hearted and can't bear to see a woman acting weak and pitiful. So you use such tricks to make him feel sorry for you?"
Wei Dongling almost choked on the medicine. She patted her chest for a long time and coughed continuously, saying, "What does Sister County Mistress mean? What did that scumbag tell you?"
Scumbag? He Yao was a little confused, but still darkened her face and angrily said, "Wasn't it you who asked Brother Zixi to break up with me? Now you're pretending to be innocent?"
Pretending to be innocent?
Wei Dongling widened her eyes in astonishment and said, "Did he tell you like this?"
The anger on He Yao's face became even more intense. Coldly, she said, "I don't even need to guess. I know you're behind this! Why do you need to act so hypocritically here?"
Wei Dongling sighed and said, "Sister County Mistress has wronged me."
He Yao's eyes were red with grief and indignation. She said, "It's all because of your sinister words that Brother Zixi insists on drawing a clear line with me! He said that he doesn't want the woman he likes to be sad and asked me not to pester him anymore! Do you know that since I was a child, I've only wanted to marry Brother Zixi. No matter how many noble families came to propose marriage, I never wavered. But now, he said such hurtful words to me..." Tears streamed down her face one by one.
Seeing He Yao sitting there crying with red eyes, Wei Dongling felt a bit helpless. She was holding the medicine bowl in her hand, not knowing whether to drink it or not.
He Yao continued to shed tears and sobbed, "I can tolerate you, Sister. Why can't you tolerate me at all?"
Wei Dongling said in a deep voice, "It's not a matter of tolerance. When two people are in love, shouldn't they be faithful to each other?"
He Yao was stunned for a moment. Looking up at Wei Dongling in surprise, she said in a flurry, "You're daydreaming! Brother Zixi has so many things to do. How is it possible?"
Wei Dongling lowered her eyes and said nothing for a long time. When she looked up again, her eyes were sharp as she stared directly at He Yao. Smiling with pursed lips, she said, "Sister County Mistress, are you here today to thank me for saving you two out of justice? When are you going to give me the five - thousand - tael red envelope you promised me last time?"
"You..." He Yao's face instantly turned black with anger. What Yu Zixi said last night made her hate Wei Dongling extremely. But that woman didn't even bother to care and was still talking about silver with her? He Yao was so angry that she almost spat out blood. Flinging her sleeves, she got up and left.
Wei Dongling quickly handed the medicine bowl in her hand to Cui Huan, lifted the thin quilt and pretended to get up. Shouting, she said, "Sister County Mistress, wait for me! Otherwise, I can go to your room to get it."
Hearing this, He Yao ran away as if seeing a ghost. Judging from her appearance, the blood blisters on her feet from a few days ago should have healed completely.
Wei Dongling still shouted behind her, "Sister is running so fast. Could it be that you don't want to give me the five - thousand taels? After all, you're a noble county mistress. How can you go back on your word?"
This made Cui Huan beside her laugh until her waist bent.
At night, Wei Dongling suddenly had a fever and started coughing. Frightened, Cui Huan quickly invited Ruan Niang.
Ruan Niang frowned and carefully felt her pulse. Then she took out the Nine Needles for Restoring Yang and inserted them into Wei Dongling's body. After drinking the Chinese medicine and falling asleep the next day, her fever got even worse.
Cui Huan asked Ruan Niang in panic, "Is Miss infected with the epidemic?"
Ruan Niang shook her head and sighed, "The symptoms are similar, but it's not. Miss's fever is very strange." She had even cured Yu Zixi's fever, but Wei Dongling's fever kept recurring, which worried Ruan Niang a lot.
She didn't know how long she had been lying there in a daze.
Wei Dongling felt extremely hot all over her body. Suddenly, she felt a cold palm on her forehead. The coolness made her feel comfortable, so she couldn't help but tightly hold that hand and rub her face against it.
"Water..." Wei Dongling's lips trembled. Her throat was so dry.
The person beside her immediately handed over a teacup, picked her up and fed her the water little by little.
Wei Dongling opened her eyes with difficulty and saw that she was lying in Yu Zixi's arms. His once - handsome face was so haggard that she almost didn't recognize him.
Yu Zixi's eyes instantly turned red when he saw the weak appearance of the person in his arms. His voice trembled as he said, "Dongling, don't scare me..."
Wei Dongling originally wanted to struggle to push him away, but she had no strength at all. Her head was also dizzy, so she had no choice but to lean weakly in Yu Zixi's arms.
Ruan Niang had just finished acupuncture on her. Seeing Wei Dongling waking up slowly, she felt a little relieved.
Cui Huan brought the Chinese medicine over. Seeing Wei Dongling's eyes red from the fever, she felt sad but forced a smile. Softly persuading, she said, "Miss Wei is awake? It's time to drink the medicine. After drinking it, you'll get better."
Wei Dongling couldn't help shivering. The medicine was so bitter that she wanted to vomit.
Cui Huan saw her slight resistance and gently advised, "Be good. The medicine is a bit bitter. Please bear with it."
Ruan Niang looked at Cui Huan in confusion. The medicine she prescribed wasn't that bitter. Why was the girl so resistant?
Ruan Niang got up, took the medicine and smelled it carefully. Suddenly, her face changed greatly. She asked anxiously, "Something's wrong! Where is the dregs of the medicine?"
Seeing Ruan Niang's reaction, Cui Huan couldn't help but panic and said, "I just poured it at the back - yard gate."
Saying that, the two of them rushed out one after another.
Yu Zixi was in a state of panic. Wei Dongling in his arms was so feverish that she was a bit delirious. She turned her head and fell asleep again.