Zhao Luoyu's illness required long - term medication. After all, she was a girl, and Ji Shijun didn't want scars to form on her body. So he bought a great deal of wound medicine. In the end, most of the money Ji Shijun earned was spent on Zhao Luoyu.
Life was a tight squeeze.
What's more, Zhao Luoyu had a weak constitution and often fell ill. This time, she had a high fever due to a wound infection. There was really no money left at home. Ji Shijun made a prompt decision.
Sell the house.
Hearing this, the pageboy quickly tried to dissuade him.
"My lord, it's not advisable. Please think twice."
If the house was sold, they would all end up on the streets.
But Ji Shijun had always been stubborn. If he could listen to the pageboy's advice, he wouldn't have kept Zhao Luoyu with him until now.
"It doesn't matter if the house is sold. As long as the people are still here."
The pageboy was truly anxious this time. The house was Ji Shijun's last line of defense. If Ji Shijun sold the house, he would have nothing left.
It was all that woman's fault. It was she who had driven the lord to this desperate situation.
The pageboy's eyes were blood - shot from staying up. He took a look at Ji Shijun, who seemed to be in a trance, and didn't try to persuade him any more.
The lord had been bewitched by that woman. He hadn't been able to make the lord give her up before, and it was even more impossible now.
The pageboy made up his mind. He bowed to Ji Shijun and said, "My lord, since you've made up your mind, I won't try to persuade you anymore. No matter how you view me in the future, I just want to tell you that I have no intention of harming you. Everything I do is for your own good."
Ji Shijun didn't notice the fierceness in the pageboy's eyes. He thought the pageboy still wanted to persuade him to give up Zhao Luoyu. Ji Shijun sighed and said, "Don't be so hostile towards Nian'er. It's not easy for a young girl like her."
The pageboy asked, "My lord, do you want to marry her?"
Marry her? Ji Shijun had never thought about this question.
They had just been living like a couple, and he had gotten used to it. But both of them were people who had abandoned their identities. If they were to hold a grand wedding, it might cause unnecessary trouble.
Ji Shijun's hesitation showed disappointment to the pageboy and a sense of crisis to Zhao Luoyu, who had been eavesdropping nearby.
She knew she had to do something.
At dinner, there was an unusually sumptuous feast on the table.
Zhao Luoyu put on the new clothes Ji Shijun had bought for her and even applied rouge. She rarely dressed up on normal days, but now she looked quite charming.
Ji Shijun couldn't take his eyes off her.
A flash of surprise also crossed the pageboy's eyes, but it was only for a moment. Soon, his disgust overtook his thoughts.
A beautiful woman is a curse.
"Nian'er, why did you cook so many dishes? Is it a special day?"
"Brother Ji, I've been ill these days and caused you a lot of trouble. I feel better today, so I cooked a whole table of dishes to thank you, Brother Ji."
"What a waste! All these dishes must have cost a lot of silver!" the pageboy snarled rudely.
Zhao Luoyu lowered her head and face without saying a word.
Ji Shijun stepped in to smooth things over.
"Come on, stop it. It's a rare happy occasion. Why talk about such things?"
Ji Shijun invited Zhao Luoyu to sit down and eat together. He picked up a piece of meat and put it in her bowl. "Nian'er, you've just recovered. Come, have some to replenish your strength."
Zhao Luoyu didn't pick up the bowl. Instead, she first raised her wine cup.
"Brother Ji, this cup of wine is to toast you. For all these years, thank you for not despising me. My life belongs to you, Brother Ji."
Zhao Luoyu's serious words of thanks made Ji Shijun uncomfortable. Just as he was about to raise his cup, Zhao Luoyu stopped him.
"Brother Ji, don't drink yet. Can you wait until I finish speaking?"
Ji Shijun put down his cup. Zhao Luoyu poured another cup of wine for herself.
"Brother Ji, Luoyu has indeed done a lot of wrong things before. You didn't despise me and were willing to give me a chance. Luoyu is very grateful."
"Brother Ji, Luoyu will control her temper from now on and won't cause you any more trouble."
Only then did Ji Shijun notice that her mood seemed a bit off. Every word she said sounded like a farewell.
He advised, "Nian'er, don't think too much. You've just recovered from illness. It's not suitable for you to drink. Come, put down the cup."
Tears welled up in Zhao Luoyu's eyes, and blood oozed from the corner of her mouth.
This state of hers scared Ji Shijun. He dropped his chopsticks and rushed to Zhao Luoyu's side, shouting anxiously, "Nian'er, Nian'er, what's wrong with you? Don't scare me!"
Zhao Luoyu's eyes glanced at the pageboy behind Ji Shijun.
Then she withdrew her gaze and said, "Brother Ji... don't blame him. He did it for your own good. I understand."
Zhao Luoyu's words just confirmed the pageboy's crime.
Ji Shijun turned around and glared at the pageboy fiercely.
The pageboy was speechless.
At this moment, Ji Shijun felt Zhao Luoyu tugging at his sleeve. He quickly lowered his head to look at her.
"Brother Ji, I didn't mean to cause trouble. I originally wanted to leave, but just thinking about leaving you made me feel worse than death, so I never had the heart to go."
"Brother Ji, there's poison in the wine. Don't drink it."
Hearing this, Ji Shijun was furious. He scolded the pageboy, "You poisoned the wine? How dare you!"
The pageboy was so scared that he immediately knelt down.
Zhao Luoyu added fuel to the fire. "I knew there was poison in the wine, but I'm just an outsider to you, Brother Ji. I was afraid you wouldn't believe me, so I had to drink it to show you. Anyway, I can't live without you, Brother Ji. It's okay like this. I can die for you once, and I have no regrets."
"You say you're an outsider, but you're willing to die for me, while the person who has been by my side for so many years only wants to harm me. Don't say another word. I'll take you to see a doctor right away."
Ji Shijun picked up Zhao Luoyu in his arms and stood up. Only then did the pageboy remember to explain.
"My lord, I really didn't put poison in the wine. I... how could I harm you?"
Ji Shijun kicked the pageboy in the chest.
"For the sake of our many years of master - servant relationship, I won't send you to the authorities. Just get out. I never want to see you again."
Leaving these words behind, Ji Shijun rushed out of the door with Zhao Luoyu in his arms.
The pageboy was left sitting there limply.
How could he harm the lord? He had indeed put poison, but it was in Zhao Luoyu's cup.
He just hated this woman so much. He wished she was dead.
But he really didn't mean to harm the lord.
No, something was wrong. There must be no poison in the wine.
The pageboy realized this too late. When he wanted to grab the wine jug, someone was quicker - eyed and quicker - handed and took the wine jug away first.
"Don't touch it. This is evidence."
"I didn't put poison in the wine. I'll test the wine right away. I want to prove my innocence."
"You can prove your innocence, but you're not allowed to touch this jug of wine. What if you try to switch it?"
"Fine!"
What the maid didn't know was that while they were talking, the pageboy had secretly taken the cup from which Zhao Luoyu had drunk and replaced it with a non - poisoned cup he had prepared in advance.