Chapter 572 - 574: Fingers Entwined
Bai Ruozhu looked at him sternly, and said unhappily, "Just focus on healing your injuries!"
Jiang Yichun chuckled softly, thinking to himself, wasn’t it you who started flirting first? Are you afraid I’ll say something now?
But his laughter triggered a bout of coughing, his chest felt heavy. Bai Ruozhu helped him gently pat his back, trying to make him feel better.
Jiang Yichun took Bai Ruozhu’s hand and playfully started toying with her fingers, ultimately interlocking their fingers together.
"My injuries are severe and I wasn’t able to meet your parents. Once I’m better, I’ll pay them a visit to apologize, and then..." He paused, seemingly seeking Bai Ruozhu’s opinion.
"Then ask them for your hand in marriage." Jiang Yichun finished his thought aloud.
Bai Ruozhu smiled and nodded, not persisting as before that he needed to regain his lost memory first. After experiencing near-death and almost losing him, her state of mind had changed greatly.
Seeing Bai Ruozhu nod, Jiang Yichun immediately showed a look of ecstasy. She had finally agreed!
Her laughing eyes were shiny, white teeth exposed, and he suddenly felt a warmth in his body. He couldn’t resist the urge to nibble those cute little teeth. Why was she so beautiful when she laughed?
With that thought, he pulled her closer and leaned in to kiss her slightly pale lips.
Bai Ruozhu let out a soft moan, unable to resist responding to his passion. Their lips interlocked, and for a moment everything felt a little dizzy.
Suddenly, Jiang Yichun let go of her, turned his head aside, and started coughing again. He was gasping heavily for breath. Bai Ruozhu was also slightly out of breath, but she wasn’t as severe as him. Which only made it obvious how grave his internal injuries were.
"Stop messing around, your health is important." Bai Ruozhu spoke worriedly.
Jiang Yichun felt a surge of Qi blood, and it took him a while before his breathing stabilized. He looked frustrated, if he knew this would happen, he wouldn’t have kissed her. But he still regretted not doing so despite his desire to kiss Ruozhu. His performance had been so disappointing as if he was an ill ghost. Which woman would like a man with poor health?
Seeing his frustration, Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but laugh. She remembered how she often got breathless from his kisses initially, and he used to tease her about it too.
"Lie down and rest for a while. I’m going to see Xiaosi later. When my parents come, I’ll go home with them." Bai Ruozhu said.
Jiang Yichun was still reluctant to let her go. He held on to her hand and said, "Can you sit in my arms? Letting me hold you should be alright, right?"
Bai Ruozhu began to blush and said with a hint of complaint, "Your body is still weak. How can you hold me? I can’t even carry Dengdeng now, you definitely can’t carry me."
Jiang Yichun felt terribly defeated. When will his health fully recover? His body was still infected with a poisonous insect poison. The thought was suffocating.
In the end, he couldn’t help but attempt to touch Bai Ruozhu, implying that even if he couldn’t kiss or hold her, touching her should be fine, right?
Bai Ruozhu didn’t know how many times she had glared at him, but when she saw his passionate eyes, she didn’t have the heart to reject him.
His hand slipped inside her collar and quickly made contact with the thin string of the bellyband around her neck. After tugging the string a bit, he didn’t rush to reach downwards, but moved towards her collarbone and used his slightly rough fingertips to rub her there.
"Hmm..." Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but moan. She couldn’t withstand his teasing. He was just too bad.
Jiang Yichun chuckled softly, and suddenly his hand moved down grabbing the area he had been longing to touch, causing them both to gasp abruptly.
She felt uneasy under his touch, and couldn’t help but grab his hand, as he too became somewhat excited, his breathing grew rapid.
But once again, all their actions were interrupted due to Jiang Yichun’s coughing fit. He tasted a coppery sweetness at the back of his throat and dared not continue.
Bai Ruozhu hurriedly eased his breath and worriedly asked, "Are you okay? If this continues, I need to leave immediately, so I don’t obstruct your recovery process."
Jiang Yichun gave a bitter smile. He was in such a dilemma, unable to do anything. He couldn’t kiss, hug, or touch her without risking his life!
Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help but laugh at his expression and said, "Go to sleep now. I need to go check on Xiaosi. That kid wants to give up on studying and learn martial arts, he even wants to be the apprentice of someone from your Bureau of Communication. I need to clarify things."
This time, Jiang Yichun obediently lied down and said, "My senior brother wants to take him as a student, saying he has decent talent and he’s quite determined, a fine seed."
Bai Ruozhu was a bit upset, "Did your Senior Fox ask for my opinion? He meant well, but I don’t want Xiaosi to live a life like you, always risking danger. Your tasks at the Bureau are too dangerous. Xiaosi is smart, writes well, and is willing to work hard. He can make a good place for himself in the Imperial Examination."
Compared to joining the bureau, it would be much better! Bai Ruozhu restrained herself from saying it, to not upset Jiang Yichun. He had to join the bureau out of necessity, but Xiaosi still had other options.
"Don’t get angry, it’s Xiaosi’s own decision to take him as a master. It’s good for you to speak with him about it. Martial arts training is really hard, if he doesn’t genuinely love it and it’s just a whim, he might not be able to continue."
Bai Ruozhu felt Xiaosi wasn’t the type to give up. He was very likely to stubbornly see it through, but she didn’t want to see Xiaosi living in the shadows, risking danger in the future. She adjusted his blanket and said, "I’m leaving now. I’ll come to see you again once I’m better. You need to recover soon."
"Kiss me before you leave." Jiang Yichun had a mischievous look on his face.
Bai Ruozhu sighed, leaned down and gave him a peck on the cheek, to which Jiang Yichun replied with a smirk, "That didn’t count, I meant | a kiss on the lips."
"Stop messing around, you almost suffocated just now." Bai Ruozhu was somewhat angry. He was not taking care of himself.
"Do you want me to stay up all night? My internal injuries are not healed and now I might get lovelorn?" Jiang Yichun deserved a slap for his comments.
Bai Ruozhu pouted and finally leaned over to quickly peck his lips, then stood up from beside the bed.
"Rest well. Or else, I won’t come to see you the day after tomorrow." Bai Ruozhu threatened.
Jang Yichun smirked, "If you don’t come, I’ll come to find you myself."
"..."
Darn, has he figured out that she cares for him and would worry about his condition worsening? He’s so shameless!
When Bai Ruozhu left Jiang Yichun’s yard, her palanquin and guards were waiting outside. She got into the palanquin and asked them to take her to where Xiaosi was healing. Only then did she find out from her guards that Xiaosi was recuperating in Xu Huilin’s Courtyard.
Upon arriving at the room where Xiaosi was temporarily staying, she saw Xiaosi sitting cross-legged on the bed meditating, looking like a true martial artist.