CH 34

Chapter 34: Fever

“He Niang!” Gu Ningxi called more urgently, his voice breaking, his throat tearing, as if he wanted to use these two words to confirm something, to keep something.

At the same time, he shook his head again, and then stepped firmly towards the woman on the steps where the voice is familiar, one step, two steps, three steps…..

He’s getting closer and closer!

Just now, due to the position of the two of them and the direct sunlight, the other party was just a red figure in his eyes, but now, he can see the pattern of golden lotus embroidered on the lady’s skirt clearly, and his eyes swept all over her immediately. This is the woman who is with him day and night. She has a soft and beautiful figure, up to the neck, and then when he looked up… He still can not distinguish her appearance. 

Tao Xinhe greeted Gu Ningxi, and smiled wryly. She then shook her head, just like a teacher in a private school treating an incompetent and naughty student.

The matter involved the privacy of the couple, and the other party does not look like they are serious about the separation, so Tao Xinhe knows that spending time in front of the house will make for an ugly scene, so she turns around and says with a sigh, with her back facing the other, “Gu Sicheng, I am serious. I don’t know if you’re so busy with your own affairs that you forgot the last thing I said yesterday?”

‘Divorce or Annulment, I let you choose!’

‘I already left the letter of separation!’

Gu Ningxi was in a trance for a while, the two heartfelt words echoing in his ears, which one was his lady referring to?

He went to Tao Xinhe’s side and raised his hand to take his wife’s hand, just like the couple used to do. Unexpectedly, as soon as he touched the soft pomegranate red sleeve, the man’s jade porcelain-like thin hand hit the back of his hand.

Tao Muxian “snapped” and knocked down Gu Ningxi’s half-empty hand, followed by a puffy reprimand, “Surnamed Gu, don’t move your hands on my sister!”   

Tao Xinhe was unmoved, and stepped across Passing the threshold, she dropped the words in a cold voice, “Gu Sicheng, if you are serious about the separation, then please come to the Manor. If you’re just stirring up trouble, I’m sorry. I will not accompany you.”

Gu Ningxi felt that his temples were on fire, and he was dizzy. He fought hard, clenched his hands into fists and made a strong internal clasp to gain a moment of clarity.

He clattered his upper and lower teeth, gritted them, and called “Madam” in the gap. He then saw Tao Xinhe in front of him impatiently waving her hand at him or Tao Mu Xian, picked up the hem of her skirt, and quickened her pace.

With Gu Ningxi’s “I’ve torn the letter of separation!” sent behind her neck, Tao Xinhe walked around the screen wall and disappeared.

As for him, he was held by Tao Muxian with his arms outstretched, and was not allowed to chase after her.

If we talk about the usual, Gu Ningxi, although thin and elegant, would often practice five Animal-Play daily in the Gu mansion to cherish the blessings and nourish his body. With inner strength, it should be easy to break free from the hairy boy Tao Muxian.

But Today is different, the unbearable discomfort of being touched by others, combined with the strong desire to follow the lady into the room, cannot make Gu Ningxi use enough strength.

“Ugh, your temperature is so hot!” Tao Mu Xian exclaimed, in a moment of forgetfulness he released a hand, and raised it to probe the temperature of Gu Ningxi’s forehead.

Gu Ningxi took the opportunity to push his other hand away, and staggered two steps forward, but he was grabbed by the robe belt around his waist again, and was unable to move forward.

“Brother-in-law… ah bah bah, Gu Sicheng, you have a fever and are sick, how do you not know about it?” Tao Muxian didn’t expect that the person in front of him with a gray and pale complexion had such a hot forehead. He casually called out the old title, but after quickly changing his words, his tone softened a lot.

“I don’t know, but I haven’t told my wife anything yet.” Gu Ningxi turned his head and told his brother-in-law, who was pulling his back, in a daze.

A big man who is still face-blind, his eyes are also just for decoration, how can he make his eyes look up and watery? If someone who didn’t know saw it, he would think he was bullying him!

Tao Muxian looked back at Gu Ningxi’s eyes, knowing that he was out of focus, and knew that he was feverish and urged to tears, but still he could not help but wonder. His sister wanted to divorce, but he seemed not as hateful as his sister said, but he was actually showing true sadness?

Letting go of his hands, Tao Muxian said a little pretentiously, “Hey, Gu Sicheng, you have heard my sister’s words, you can only enter the mansion if you are serious about talking about separation. If you have not made up your mind, hurry up, and go back, so that you can rest and recuperate.”

Gu Ningxi couldn’t hold it any longer, and his body fell limp. After shaking twice, he fell to the ground, his eyes turned into darkness, and he insisted in a weak voice, “I don’t want to be separated, and I don’t want to be annulled, I just want my wife.” Then he totally fainted.

“Sister, sister! He fainted!” Tao Muxian was at a loss, jumped two steps away, and then shouted towards the large screen wall carved with five blessings and longevity.

The next moment, Tao Xinhe really appeared, looked at the situation, and beckoned Shihua who had been hiding in the corner for a long time to come over.

Scratching his head, he saluted and called “Madam“, then bowed his head and waited for the mistress’ instructions like in the Gu Mansion.

“Your master is sick, so you shouldn’t let him wander around and cause trouble to other people’s homes. As a subordinate, you must persuade or convince him, I don’t have the position to speak.” Tao Xinhe leaned over to look at Gu Ningxi carefully, and sneered at Shihua.

“Yes, yes.” Just as Shihua wanted to show his loyalty, he was interrupted by Tao Xinhe waving him away.

When Gu Ningxi fell down, he naturally curled up, his long arms and legs hindered Tao Xinhe’s eyes. She ordered two servants of the Tao Mansion who were working not far away, “You help the servants of Gu Sicheng’s family, and carry him back to the carriage. You must move quickly.”

The Gu family carriage driver came along with the order and looked at the Tao family servants for a moment. Feeling their scalps suddenly tingling, they hurriedly held Gu Ningxi’s head, waist and feet respectively, and worked together to lift the master up

The sturdy men have rough hands and feet, but they tried their best to be quick like the wind was under their feet. During the process of sending Gu Ningxi into the carriage, it was inevitable that he would bump his head, ankle, and wrist. He unconsciously trembled a few times, and Tao Xinhe didn’t even glance over.

She locked her gaze on Shihua, “I thought I was clear enough, but I didn’t expect him to come out this morning. Shihua, when he wakes up, you will repeat what I said verbatim.”     

“I can send the separation letter again. If you tear it up again, my tolerance will come to an end. The Tao family is not afraid of annulment, then we’ll have to meet at the court. When the time comes, the government will see you and divide the assets according to the law. The two families will be forever enemies as well, and I will not hesitate. If you want to leave the last point of decency, Gu Ningxi, you weigh it down.”

‘Madam’s aura is really scary, every word she says is also serious!’

The more Shihua listened, the more frightened he became. He stumbled and stammered, and repeated the words again to Tao Xinhe. He then received a general instruction of pardon, “All right, you go with it.”

He hurriedly kowtowed, and when he got up, he heard Tao Xinhe thoughtfully add, “Oh, but also to prevent him from delaying because of illness. Shihua, remember to tell him about it. I will wait for him in two days. On the tenth day of the Lunar New Year’s Day, when all departments are finally open for printing and office, I’ll see him at the Libucheng Yamen.”

Like being chased by a vicious dog, Shihua hurriedly answered yes, and then pissed back to the carriage, urging the driver to hurry up and go, and even forgot to pay Tao Xinhe a salute and leave as a servant.

Tao Xinhe didn’t care, smiled calmly, and greeted the stunned younger brother, “Come, Let’s go back to the Manor.”

Tao Muxian said in shock, “My sister is so cool, who can afford to offend her and put her down? Her words are sonorous and powerful, anyone would make a fool of himself.”

“Is this a joke about drinking?” Tao Xinhe shook her head, annoyed and amused at her younger brother. But after finishing the harsh words, the feeling of relief and pain can only be chewed by herself.

The two siblings slowly entered the Manor, the sound of small talk faintly drifting to the ears of Lady Hong who was looking at them at the front door.   

“Sister, don’t you worry about Gu Sicheng’s body at all? He is burning hot. And what you said just now… Is every sentence true?” 

“I don’t need to worry about his health, as it will be taken care of by others. As long as the separation is completed, his life or death is no longer any of my business. Don’t look at me like that, a woman’s heart is as ruthless as a scorpion’s tail needle, haven’t you heard of it?”

“Elder sister is a hero in the eyes of admirers, this younger brother can’t wait to admire her as well.” 

“Remember, treat your wife well, don’t break her heart.”

“Mm-hmm, your younger brother made a note of it so that he won’t follow in Gu Sicheng’s footsteps.”    

“By the way, when you saw Qiangniang last night, did she cry in pain?” 

“She said she didn’t cry.”

“I’m still worried, there’s nothing to do this afternoon, so I’ll go see her.”

❖

The main room in the inner courtyard of the new Gu Mansion.

Dr. Cao withdrew his hand after taking Gu Ningxi’s pulse and looked at the nearest person in front of the bed. It was a young woman dressed in plain white linen with red and swollen eyes, she didn’t seem to be able to take charge.

‘I don’t know where the wise and virtuous Mrs. Gu has gone?’

He shook his head, pointed at the half-baked housekeeper of the Gu’s mansion, and explained, “Gu Sicheng was caught in the rain yesterday and attracted evil spirits. He suffered from great grief and heartburn, and also had irregular eating and resting schedules. Which stimulated the wind chill, but it was not a major symptom. The current fainting is just the body adjusting itself, no need to force him to wake up. After that, make him take three pills, lightly use some porridge and water, rest for three to five days, and he should be cured.”

The housekeeper Nuo immediately promised and thanked the divine doctor, offered the consultation money, sent him away properly, and went about arranging for the care of the master.

Mo Qiqi kept crying “Woo hoo”, she twisted her body and sat on the footsteps in front of the unconscious man’s bed. She first tucked up the quilt all over Gu Ningxi’s body carefully, then lifted the quilt around his waist a little bit for him. The man leaned on the hand beside the bed and exposed his fingertips. She then wrapped his fingertips together to form a bulge interlocking hers, then felt his hot body temperature.

“Brother Xi, my brother just died, I don’t want you to die, like that… Qiniang is really… helpless.” She kept talking to the ignorant man, while watching Gu Ningxi frown his thick eyebrows. She hastily leaned forward and used the other hand to help him smooth the burning brow.

In this way, Mo Qiqi is half over Gu Ningxi, just in time for her to hear his vague and low repetition, “He Niang”, “Lady”.

She froze for a moment and maintained her position.

Presumably, Brother Xi is concerned about his wife, the wife whose whereabouts is unknown at this time, Lady Tao.

It turned out that Lady Tao, the kind person in her previous life, had a boudoir name called “He“, which sounds really nice. Is it like the word “Lotus” that she thought of?

She had seen a lotus flower before. It usually blooms in the water around summer, with distinct pink and white petals. It was extremely beautiful. Brother Xi seems to have chanted a sentence praising the lotus? It’s a pity that she didn’t understand it at all. After all, who in the country’s family can read?

They only made up the name “Qiqi” from the harmony of her brother’s name “Qi“, which was supposed to be used as a boudoir name, so it was obvious that her parents did not care.

What happened to the couple? Why is Lady Tao not in the mansion? Brother Xi left her this morning, did he go to meet with Lady Tao?

Lady Tao’s image was like a dream looking back at her past life, and Mo Qiqi couldn’t remember it clearly, but Brother Xi usually mentioned “My wife and I“, now that he is sick like this, he still misses her.

Is it because I want to take Brother Xi away from Sister Tao, even if it’s just a small piece, is it too overpowering?

Mo Qiqi traced Gu Ningxi’s eyebrows with her eyes, what a handsome man, he actually agreed to accept her as a concubine!

God knows how overjoyed she was at that moment, she forgot the pain in her body, and wished she could get into his arms and never come out, even though he obviously retreated.

Since the system had said that she is the only person he can see clearly, that is fate, she will never let go!

As soon as the housekeeper entered the room, he saw this inappropriate picture of a man and a woman, his old face immediately blushed, he coughed hard, and couldn’t help but sigh in his heart, Madam, are you really not coming back to take care of the master?

The author has something to say:

Today is the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth lunar month, and I wish the readers and friends good luck and good life~

It is interesting that the northern and southern New Years are not on the same day. Do any readers know the reason?