Right as the sky was turning dark, Jun Xin returned.
âBai gongzi, sorry to keep you waiting!â He rushed in energetically. His voice was a little hoarse, probably due to practicing mimicry.
Bai Feiyun was currently holding a bowl of porridge that a servant had brought. He had tried for a while, but couldnât get Tang Doudou to open her mouth. When he saw that Jun Xin had returned, he loosened a breath in relief. âYoung Master Jun.â
Jun Xin noticed the untouched bowl of porridge Bai Feiyun was holding and asked, âThis isâ¦â
Bai Feiyun shook his head. âI donât know why, but Alliance Head refuses to eat.â
âLet me try.â Jun Xin took the bowl from his hand and smiled towards Tang Doudou, who was currently propped up into a sitting position. His handsome face filled with gentleness as he said, âStinkinâ woman, Iâm back.â
Bai Feiyun lowered his eyes and turned to leave.
âYou ah, even like this you still cause trouble and insist on waiting until this young master comes back to eat. Iâm telling you! Iâll be charging you for this service!
âOf course, I know that youâre poor.
âSo Iâve thought up a plan. Right now, this young master is working like a horse to look after you. So once you wake up, cook for me everyday in order to pay me back, got it?â
Jun Xinâs voice was hoarse but he still continued to chatter nonstop. After a while, Tang Doudou, who had been refusing to eat, opened her eyes slightly.
Jun Xin was so stirred up that he almost dropped the bowl. His hands trembled, and his voice did so as well. âDoudou? A-are, are you awake?â
However, it was false hope. Tang Doudou only opened her eyes briefly before closing them again. After a few moments, there was the sound of even breathing.
She had fallen asleep.
Jun Xin heaved a sigh and placed the bowl to the side before helping her lie down and tucking the blanket in around her.
âBai gongzi, what exactly is the method you were talking about? Can you tell me now?â Jun Xin strode out with large steps and impatiently grabbed Bai Feiyun to press him for answers. âSheâs not willing to open her mouth. Is her condition already starting to get worse?â
âFrom the looks of it, she is getting worse.â When Bai Feiyun heard that he hadnât been able to convince Tang Doudou to eat the porridge, a trace of relief actually appeared in his eyes. He casually avoided Jun Xinâs grasp and said, âYoung Master Jun has probably guessed the method I was about to propose, havenât you?â
Jun Xin was silent for a few moments. âAre we really going to do this? Wake her up with Baili Yuâs voice?â
âDoes Young Master Jun have a better idea?â
âNo, but after she wakes up, if she canât find Baili Yu, wouldnât she fall into the same state again?â This was something Jun Xin was really worried about, but he was even more worried that Tang Doudou would hold a grudge against him.
She had once said that she hated being deceived the most.
Bai Feiyun said, âThereâs no need for Young Master Jun to worry, a semi-comatose state isnât something you can end up in at will. As long as she wakes up, Feiyun is ninety percent confident in helping her recover completely. Howeverâ¦â
âHowever what?â
âIâll have to count on you for the events that follow.â
âWhat do you mean by that?â Jun Xin furrowed his brows. He then glanced up at the sky. The moon was currently covered by dense clouds. It was probably going to storm tomorrow.
Bai Feiyun said, âOnce Alliance Head wakes up, someone must stay by her side at all times to watch over her just in case she falls into depression again.â
âThatâs it?â Jun Xin smiled. âFrom now on, I wonât ever let her out of my sight again. Thereâs no need for Bai gongzi to worry about this.â
âFeiyun is relieved to hear that. We canât rush in the process of waking her up, so starting now, Young Master Jun, you should do your best to mimic several voices. Itâs best if theyâre all good friends of the Alliance Head. Then gradually make it so that Alliance Head is convinced that Baili gongzi has come back and is waiting for her to wake up.â
âAlright!â
âThen I will take my leave.â
After Bai Feiyun left, Jun Xin stood in the courtyard by himself for a good while.
Ye Chuan came out from the shadows. âYoung Master Jun, Eldest Miss and Feng Long have yet to return.â
âThey went out?â
âFeng Long invited Eldest Miss to the lake.â
âTo the lake? En, I got it. Itâs fine, with Feng Long there, nothing will happen to Baili Yiling.â Jun Xin made to head back into the room but discovered that Ye Chuan wasnât moving. âIs there something else?â
âYoung Master Jun.â Ye Chuan cupped his fist respectfully. âWhere exactly did Master go? Why were Alliance Head Li and Eldest Miss the only ones to come back?â
âHeâ¦â Jun Xin smiled and clapped Ye Chuanâs shoulder firmly. âIsnât your master always this way? Is it our place to stick our noses into his business? Donât worry, heâll be back after a few days.â
Ye Chuan lowered his eyes. âUnderstood!â
âAlright, go back to doing whatever you were working on. Iâve never seen you this nervous in the past when Baili Yu was gone for months! Donât overthink things and just head back.â
âUnderstood!â
With a creak, the door closed.
Ye Chuanâs eyes darkened as he took a long look at the room. Young Master Jun, you told me not to overthink things, but how am I supposed to not worry when youâre going out of your way to console me like this?
Since Young Master Jun wouldnât tell him, heâll try looking for Feng Long.
âHaaa, Ye Chuan has probably noticed.â Jun Xin sighed after closing the door. Then his Adamâs apple shifted and when he spoke again, his voice had already changed.
However, it hurted a lot as if his throat had been grated by an iron file. âWife.â
The hand on the bed abruptly jolted.
âWife, Iâm backâ¦â
Time passed quickly, and by the time Baili Yiling noticed, she had already been in Plum Garden for over two weeks.
After the news spread that Baili Yiling, Baili Yuâs younger sister, had come back, countless people came to pay visits. There were people from famous families of the Jianghu and nobles from the imperial court. Baili Yiling was so busy that she barely had a moment to stand still, so she hadnât had a chance to go see Tang Doudou.
Feng Long, who had been staying with her this entire tim,e watched as she skillfully met with these people. Her eyes darkened as she took this sight in. Hadnât Baili Yiling grown up in Cerulean Mountain?
How did she become so skilled in dealing with people?
âFeng Long? What are you spacing out for?â After finally getting those sons of the emperor to leave, Baili Yiling glanced over at Feng Long and saw that he was spacing out. She walked up and flicked the chinaware that Feng Long was holding. âThey came all this way just to gift a crappy jug like this? Donât these people have way too much free time on their hands?â
Whenever there were no outsiders around though, she would reveal her more mischievous and naive temperament.
Feng Long looked towards her with a smile. âEldest Miss, if the seventh prince found out that you called this priceless Clear Water China a crappy jug, heâd probably die from anger.â
âTch, no matter how beautiful it looks, a jugâs still a jug. Itâs not like it can grow a flower. Isnât it just something some bored and rich hedonistic son made to get attention? This lady has no interest in things that donât have solid value.â Baili Yiling walked back to Rain Building and sat down for a while before standing up again. âFeng Long, Iâm going to go visit Sister-in-Law. Youâd better not stop me again today.â
Feng Long hastily lowered her head. âWhat is Eldest Miss saying? How could Feng Long dare to stop Eldest Miss? Itâs just that Young Master Jun has given orders that no one is to bother him for the time being. This subordinate must obey commands.â
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