Chu Dingjiang remained calm. “I would have become an uncle sooner or later. What difference does it make if it’s a bit earlier?”
Mo Sigui returned to his room to find Wei Yuzhi leaning against a pile of medicines, reading. The soft light in the room made him appear as serene as a quiet pool.
“The divine physician Mo has returned,” Wei Yuzhi said, looking up with a faint smile.
“Seeing them so happy together, don’t you feel it wasn’t worth it?” Mo Sigui asked.
Wei Yuzhi couldn’t see, but his spiritual power was extraordinary, and his senses were keen. He must have heard every word of the conversation between Chu Dingjiang and An Jiu.
“I feel sad, but I don’t think it was worth it,” Wei Yuzhi replied.
Mo Sigui raised an eyebrow, feeling that his words were insincere. Wei Yuzhi wasn’t someone who would sacrifice himself for love.
Wei Yuzhi saw through his thoughts but only smiled without speaking.
A drop of his heart’s blood had bought him two years of life from the divine physician. It had also earned him An Jiu’s heart’s blood in return. The reward was not small, so there was nothing to regret. However, the sadness was real. He realized that An Jiu would ultimately have no connection with him, except for that drop of blood that had nourished her. He no longer even had the excuse of seeking her out to retrieve the medicine.
Wei Yuzhi felt conflicted. Sometimes he wanted everything to be well for her, other times he wished to hurt her just to have some connection with her, to leave a mark on her heart.
…
Waking from a deep sleep, An Jiu felt much better and had a good appetite. However, she could still only consume liquid foods for now.
Chu Dingjiang promised to make her many delicious dishes in the future.
“Ah Jiu, someone saved you. Go thank him,” Chu Dingjiang decided to tell An Jiu the truth. He didn’t believe this would cause him to lose An Jiu, nor did he want to conceal it.
An Jiu, rubbing her half-full stomach, paused for a moment. “Wei Yuzhi?” she asked.
“You know?” Chu Dingjiang was surprised.
“He’s been in Mo Sigui’s room. I’ve known all along,” An Jiu replied. For some reason, since waking up, she had been particularly sensitive to Wei Yuzhi’s presence. She didn’t need to consciously use her spiritual power to sense him nearby. At first, An Jiu hadn’t thought much of it, assuming Wei Yuzhi had come for medical treatment and that sensing him at such a close distance was normal. Now that Chu Dingjiang mentioned it, she immediately guessed the truth.
An Jiu remained silent for a moment, then stood up. “I’ll go see him.”
“Mm,” Chu Dingjiang nodded, helping her put on a cloak before watching her leave.
The wind was strong outside. An Jiu pulled her cloak tighter and quickened her pace.
Before she reached the door, Mo Sigui’s room door opened.
An Jiu entered directly. A warm air mixed with the scent of medicine enveloped her.
“Why are you running around in such cold weather?” Mo Sigui glared at her.
An Jiu ignored him, removed her cloak, and looked towards the bed.
Wei Yuzhi was indeed there. His hair was frost-white, his complexion so pale it was almost transparent, his lips nearly the same color as his skin. He looked like a blank sheet of paper, or something transparent.
Their eyes met, and neither spoke. It was as if all they wanted to ask was already known, with no need for words.
The only sound in the room was Mo Sigui grinding medicines.
After a while, Wei Yuzhi smiled and said, “Sit down.”
An Jiu sat down not far from him. “Are you alright?” she asked.
“I’m fine,” Wei Yuzhi replied, his gaze resting on her face. Due to her long illness, her face was no longer the stunning beauty that had once made his heart skip a beat. Yet when their eyes met again, it still stirred his heart.
Wei Yuzhi frowned slightly, feeling a sharp pain from his wound.
“Calm your mind,” Mo Sigui reminded him.
Wei Yuzhi felt his secret had been exposed, and a hint of color suddenly appeared on his pale cheeks.
“You’ve saved me twice,” An Jiu said.
“You mean at Baohua Gate?” Wei Yuzhi quickly regained his composure. “Even if I hadn’t intervened, you would have escaped unharmed.”
An Jiu nodded, but even so, the fact that Wei Yuzhi had risked himself to save her was a kindness she couldn’t ignore completely.