"Luoning, you... I..."
Zhao Luoning hadn't realized that the makeup on her face had been washed off. She stood on tiptoe and reached out to feel Ji Shisu's forehead.
"You don't have a fever, do you? Why are you so incoherent?"
The moment Zhao Luoning's cold little hand touched Ji Shisu's skin, he seemed to be electrocuted and stood there stupidly.
It was Yu Chi who knew what was bothering the Second Master. He quickly stepped forward and reminded him.
"Second Master, it's raining heavily. Let's talk in the carriage."
Actually, Yu Chi was also stunned when he saw Zhao Luoning's natural face.
The Second Young Mistress was really beautiful without makeup, and she looked much gentler. Her big eyes blinked, just like an innocent little white rabbit.
No wonder the Second Master had been so obsessed with the Second Young Mistress.
Yu Chi had arranged two carriages, originally planning for the Second Master and the Second Young Mistress to each take one. But now, since Caixue was seriously injured, one carriage had to be reserved for her.
This time, Zhao Luoning didn't throw a tantrum. She was even afraid that Ji Shisu wouldn't let Caixue use the carriage, so she actively invited Ji Shisu to get into her carriage.
Both of them were soaking wet. There was no light in the carriage, so Ji Shisu could stare at Zhao Luoning without restraint.
The shock that Zhao Luoning's natural face had brought to his heart hadn't subsided yet.
He never would have dreamed.
The woman he had been longing for was actually his wife!
Thinking about how he had sneaked into Zhao Luoning's room the night before last, and all the stupid things he had done and said before.
He felt both ashamed and amused, and couldn't help laughing out loud.
Zhao Luoning was confused by him.
"Second Master, is it so funny to see me make a fool of myself?"
Ji Shisu replied softly in his heart:
If everyone looked as good as you when making a fool of themselves, probably everyone in the world would want to make a fool of themselves.
When Zhao Luoning said this, she had a heavy nasal voice.
Actually, she had been running a fever. Because of the accident and Caixue's injury, she had been holding on.
Now that she saw Ji Shisu, she felt like she had found her backbone and immediately relaxed.
Once she relaxed, she felt even more uncomfortable.
Her nose was blocked, her head was dizzy, and the wet clothes clung to her body like moss, making her feel sticky and extremely uncomfortable.
She couldn't think clearly anymore. Leaning against the carriage wall, she was half asleep and half awake.
Ji Shisu called Zhao Luoning a few times, but she didn't respond. Suddenly, there was a loud noise, as if her head had hit the wooden board.
"Ouch."
Zhao Luoning let out a soft moan but didn't wake up.
The carriage was bumping on the mountain road. Ji Shisu felt both heartache and amusement.
He sat next to her and protected her head with his hand, feeling her little head swaying in his palm.
She was as soft as a kitten.
Without the heavy makeup, Zhao Luoning seemed to have shed her coldness and defensiveness that kept people at a distance.
She was extremely cute.
With Ji Shisu's protection, Zhao Luoning soon fell into a deep sleep.
Nuan Yu Zhai was soon reached.
Chen Chuliu was still waiting at the door for Ji Shisu to come back. When she saw the carriage approaching from afar, her eyes immediately lit up.
The first carriage stopped. Chen Chuliu stepped forward, but what was carried out of the carriage was neither Ji Shisu nor Zhao Luoning.
It seemed to be Zhao Luoning's maid.
Chen Chuliu then turned her attention to the second carriage.
This time, it was Ji Shisu who got out.
Chen Chuliu recognized him from his back and stepped forward to hold an umbrella for him.
When Ji Shisu turned around, Chen Chuliu found that he was still holding a woman in his arms.
A strange woman.
A strange woman who was so beautiful that Chen Chuliu felt ashamed of herself.
Chen Chuliu stood there stupidly.
She watched Ji Shisu looking at the woman in his arms affectionately. He didn't even care that he was completely soaked. He told Yu Chi to quickly hold an umbrella for the woman in his arms.
Ji Shisu strode into Nuan Yu Zhai with the woman in his arms.
From beginning to end, he didn't even look at Chen Chuliu.
Chen Chuliu grabbed a soaked servant and asked.
"Who is the woman in the Second Master's arms?"
The servant looked at her as if to say 'How could you not know this'.
"Who else could it be? It's the Second Young Mistress."
A thunderbolt seemed to strike over Chen Chuliu's head.
Zhao Luoning?
Was this the plain - looking and dowdy - dressed Zhao Luoning?!
By the time everyone had entered Nuan Yu Zhai and the shopkeeper had put down the curtain, everyone had forgotten about Chen Chuliu still standing outside.
Chen Chuliu stood outside alone with an umbrella. The winter rain hit her umbrella hard, making a loud noise and chilling her heart.
Chen Chuliu thought of her grandfather.
Before the old man passed away, he had held her hand and advised her, "Chuliu, don't listen to your mother. Beauty fades and love wanes. Relying on others is never as good as relying on yourself. Girls should also have their own skills and stand on their own feet."
But at that time, Chen Chuliu didn't understand her grandfather's words. She was only dreaming of marrying into the Ji family and living with Ji Shisu.
It was not until this moment that she understood that every word her grandfather had said came from the bottom of his heart.
It was a pity that it was all too late.
When her grandfather was alive, she had been absent - minded.
Now, even if she wanted to pick up the jade - making technique again, there was no one to teach her.
After seeing Zhao Luoning, Chen Chuliu had completely lost her fighting spirit.
Zhao Luoning was more capable than her, had a better family background, and was even much more beautiful than her.
If she were Ji Shisu, she would also choose Zhao Luoning over herself.
Chen Chuliu suddenly felt scared.
Was she going to spend her whole life in an empty boudoir, waiting for a man who would never come back?!
Chen Chuliu was complaining about herself outside alone.
Inside the door, everyone was extremely busy.
Caixue was injured and Zhao Luoning had a fever. Both the mistress and the maid had fallen ill.
A doctor had examined the wound on Caixue's arm. Although the wound was deep, fortunately, the bones and tendons were not damaged. She just needed to rest.
Ji Shisu found two maids to change Zhao Luoning and Caixue into clean clothes.
He knew the significance of Caixue to Zhao Luoning, and for the first time, he let this maid stay in the side room where only guests were allowed to stay.
As for himself, he carried Zhao Luoning into his bedroom.
By now, Zhao Luoning was so feverish that she was a bit delirious. She held onto Ji Shisu's hand and mumbled something.
Ji Shisu felt heartache for her fever and carefully dried her wet hair with a dry towel. At the same time, he adored the kitten - like clingy Zhao Luoning.
Because he had to dry Zhao Luoning's hair, Ji Shisu's hand was constantly moving. Zhao Luoning mumbled unhappily and let go, then her little hand reached forward to find other sources of heat.
At this time, Ji Shisu was only wearing an undergarment. He was lying on his side, drying Zhao Luoning's hair, which just made it convenient for Zhao Luoning to "attack".
Her little hand reached into the undergarment and wandered on his smooth skin.
Ji Shisu grabbed that naughty little hand.
"Zhao Luoning! I'm a normal man! Don't test me easily!"