He came back shortly after.
“They said you can eat a little,” Chu Dingjiang said, his tone lighter.
An Jiu’s mood improved significantly. She then remembered to ask about Mosi Gui, “You didn’t bring sweet potatoes earlier. Did you beat him again?”
“…”
“You hit him again?” An Jiu frowned. “You can’t keep hitting him for every little thing.”
“I was going to let it go after getting the sweet potatoes,” Chu Dingjiang explained. “But he tried to poison them to play a trick on you. We can’t let that behavior slide. He needed to be taught a lesson!”
“He wasn’t like this before,” An Jiu said.
Chu Dingjiang asked curiously, “Isn’t Mosi Gui your cousin? You haven’t been back with the Mei family for long. Why are you so close to him in particular?”
“I’m not sure,” An Jiu thought carefully. “At first, I was interested because he looked decent. Then when I found out he was a doctor, I started to dislike him. Later, I realized his personality didn’t match his appearance at all. He was like a persistent fly I couldn’t swat away. As I got to know him better, I found him to be a decent person.”
“Do you like handsome men?” Chu Dingjiang suddenly felt the scar on his face burning.
“I’ll tell you a secret,” An Jiu leaned in and whispered, “I used to like destroying beautiful things. I thought little flowers were pretty and I liked them, but sometimes I couldn’t help wanting to crush them. The doctor said it was an illness.”
An Jiu was aware of her mental issues when she was calm.
Chu Dingjiang had long suspected An Jiu had a mental disorder. Before seeing her pure side, he hadn’t been deeply affected, thinking of her as just a fierce, formidable woman. However, the more time he spent with her, the more he realized that the innocence hidden beneath her ferocity was her true self.
“I have these urges less and less now. Does that mean I’m getting better?” An Jiu looked at him hopefully.
Chu Dingjiang, having grown up in the Warring States period, had seen countless corpses and treated human life as worthless. He had taken innumerable lives and wasn’t a particularly sympathetic person. Even if someone died of illness or starvation before him, he could hardly feel much pity. But now, looking at An Jiu’s hopeful eyes, he felt an inexplicable ache in his heart.
Perhaps it was because he saw in her the tenacity and indomitability of life.
“Yes!” Chu Dingjiang assured her firmly. “You’ll get better soon! Besides, isn’t Mosi Gui here? If he can’t cure you, I’ll beat him to death.”
An Jiu cheered up. Although she was still an assassin, she felt more relaxed more often now. Even while killing, she no longer went berserk at the sight of blood. All these changes were because of Chu Dingjiang, Mosi Gui, and everyone around her. And more importantly, because of… Mei Jiu.
“Does everyone get a next life? Or a chance to be reborn?” An Jiu asked.
Chu Dingjiang didn’t need to think deeply to know An Jiu was thinking about the girl who had let the sheep go. He said, “Yes, kind people will be reborn into wealthy families and live peaceful, happy lives.”
“Someone silly like Mei Jiu should have it even better,” An Jiu said, the corners of her lips turning up slightly.
This smile wasn’t her usual manic grin or her cruel, bloodthirsty smirk. It was a quiet blossoming in the winter night, like a pure, fragrant epiphyllum flower in full bloom. It reflected in Chu Dingjiang’s deep eyes and imprinted itself in his heart.
He was genuinely happy for her.
Smelling the savory aroma of the lamb leg, Chu Dingjiang hurried to turn it. He suddenly paused, “Mei Jiu?”
“Yes!” An Jiu didn’t hide it from him. “Mei Fourteen.”
Chu Dingjiang had his suspicions but didn’t probe further. He only knew that the woman before him was the person he knew, unrelated to anyone else.
“It’s ready to eat!” Chu Dingjiang used his dagger to cut off a tender piece of meat and handed it to An Jiu.
An Jiu hurriedly put it in her mouth, puffing out hot air as it burned her tongue.
“Haha!” Chu Dingjiang laughed heartily. He carved a circle on the lamb leg with his dagger. “There’s no rush. This is all you can eat today!”
An Jiu, chewing on the lamb, had no time to respond. She finished one piece and reached for another.
Chu Dingjiang slowly cut the meat, occasionally handing her chestnuts, sweet potatoes, and peanuts. Before long, she was full.
An Jiu looked regretfully at the large piece of lamb leg remaining and told him, “Wrap it up. We’ll eat it tomorrow.”
“I’ve been busy all night and haven’t eaten my fill yet,” Chu Dingjiang said, taking large bites of meat. “If only we had some wine to go with it.”
After they finished eating, they huddled by the fire to warm up. The warm, flickering firelight made them both think of the kiss.
An Jiu tensed up nervously.
Chu Dingjiang considered testing the waters again, but when he saw An Jiu’s expression, he hesitated. This was rejection, wasn’t it?