That maid happily accepted it and bowed: “Thank you, Miss Chu.”
Xie Yanlai shouted: “Who told you to accept it?”
That maid lowered her head and shrank back, but the medicine in her hand wasn’t thrown down.
Chu Zhao looked at Xie Yanlai: “What I said is serious. Only you can help me with this matter.”
Xie Yanlai stood by the bed, his expression cold.
The maids blocking between them didn’t retreat further, nor did they disturb their conversation. All fell quiet.
“Others could help me accomplish it,” Chu Zhao said. “But this is different from other matters. It’s just between my father and me.”
Having said this, she said no more, curtsied in respect, turned and left. Although A’Le was reluctant, she followed her young lady in bowing, then hurriedly followed.
The master and servant quickly disappeared from the dim room.
The room was quiet and silent.
“Everyone’s left, and I’m still not the master in your eyes?” Xie Yanlai said.
The youth stood by the bed, his form trembling slightly. Clearly he could no longer hold on.
The maids surged forward, calling out to their young master, supporting him as he lay face-down on the bed. Some poured water, some brought tea, some wrapped bandages, some stuffed medicine into the young master’s mouth—
“Ptui—” Xie Yanlai bit down on the pill and held it against his tongue.
The maid coaxed: “The medicine Miss Chu gave—we just finished it, and she’s brought more. Young Master, open up, ah—”
Xie Yanlai bit the pill and sneered coldly: “You’re really not afraid she’ll poison me to death. Don’t you know she’s in trouble, framed by others? Everywhere rumors say she and I had illicit relations. If she poisons me to death, it would solve everything—”
“Young Master,” a maid said with a smile. “There’s Third Master. Miss Chu said she’s Third Master’s honored guest. How could she harm you?”
Xie Yanlai’s phoenix eyes looked at that maid darkly: “Even beating a dog requires looking at its master, is that it?”
The maid’s expression turned sorrowful: “Young Master, that’s not what this servant meant—”
Xie Yanlai turned his head inward, his voice flat: “Withdraw.”
Young Master Yanlai was very good and indulgent to them, but that was because he didn’t bother arguing with them. If they truly angered him, he would never use that person again.
In this household, they lived comfortably with Young Master Yanlai because they couldn’t leave him, not because Young Master Yanlai couldn’t do without them.
Young Master Yanlai could be comfortable all by himself.
The maids put away their playful smiles, holding their breath and retreating silently.
But one young maid couldn’t help herself and said quietly: “Young Master, Miss Chu is quite nice. She truly cares about you.”
The other maids quickly pulled her out.
Xie Yanlai faced inward, a trace of mockery at the corner of his mouth.
Quite nice—Miss Chu was good, good and formidable.
Knowing full well that Xie Yanfang could see through her schemes, she still dared to come borrow his power.
Having borrowed Xie Yanfang’s strength, she was still wary of Xie Yanfang, not letting him get close to her father.
The letter—of course Xie Yanfang could deliver it, but if Xie Yanfang went to deliver it, it wouldn’t be a matter between Chu Zhao and her father Chu Ling anymore. It would become a matter between Xie Yanfang and Chu Ling.
So she came running to find him instead.
What a Miss Chu—not only prying into the discord between him and his brother, but also daring to exploit it.
Where did she get the confidence that he would be driven by her?
A few healing medicine pills?
Xie Yanlai rolled his tongue and swept up the pill. Compared to last time, this pill was round and smooth, the right size to swallow in one gulp.
He didn’t swallow it directly. He bit down hard, and bitter taste spread through his mouth.