Cuddling with the Cold Female Protagonist – Chapter 11

A Sprain

“Daxiaojie [大小姐 | dà xiǎo jiě | Young Miss, term of respect for the eldest daughter]…”

“Daxiaojie, Zhujun [主君 | zhǔ jūn | Master, term for a superior/ruler]…”

            

“Daxiaojie, Zhujun, where are you?”

The sky had completely darkened. Ji Qinchi carried the unconscious Su Yi on her back. After walking for about a shichen [or time it takes to drink a cup of tea, approximately 15 minutes], she saw torches ahead and heard people calling for them.

Ji Qinchi walked over and saw the guards and servant girls who had accompanied them searching with torches.

            

Yanshen spotted them first and hurriedly approached with a torch, calling to the others, “Daxiaojie! Come quickly! Daxiaojie and Zhujun are here!”

The Su family’s servant girls and guards immediately surrounded them. Seeing Su Yi unconscious on Ji Qinchi’s back, they were greatly alarmed—if anything happened to the young miss, the family head would have them killed.

Seeing the pale faces of the servants who came to receive them, Ji Qinchi explained, “Qizhu [妻主 | qī zhǔ | wife-master] merely fainted. A skilled person just examined her—there’s nothing serious, though we should still find a physician.”

            

The disappearance of both the young miss and the master couldn’t be kept secret.

Shortly after they had left, Yanshen had someone contact the Su family head. By the time Ji Qinchi carried Su Yi back, the family head had already arrived in haste with others.

“Yi’er… Yi’er…”

            

The Su family head was nearly scared out of her wits. She hurriedly took Su Yi from Ji Qinchi’s back. The physician, pushed forward by Steward Ge [changed from Housekeeper Ge], examined Su Yi for a while before clicking their tongue and saying, “Strange…”

The Su family head anxiously grabbed her collar and demanded, “What’s wrong with my Yi’er?”

Her grip was so strong that the elderly physician nearly lost her breath.

            

Heaven have mercy, she had been enjoying some wine at home when the Su family head’s people seized her and threw her onto a horse, galloping all the way here—she hadn’t even caught her breath yet.

Seeing this, Ji Qinchi gently grasped the Su family head’s wrist, “Niang [娘 | niáng | mother, respectful term for mother-in-law], please calm down and listen to the physician.”

The Su family head felt a weight on her hand, as if her strength had been dispelled, and unconsciously loosened her grip.

            

The physician sighed in relief, “The young miss’s condition has improved compared to before. Her pulse is much more stable, and she’s not as weak as she used to be.”

The Su family head brightened, “Really?”

“Indeed.”

            

“Good, good! As long as Yi’er is safe!”

The Su family head was overjoyed. After rewarding the physician generously, she remembered to ask Ji Qinchi, “What happened?”

Ji Qinchi explained everything about their journey with Su Yi, including their encounter with the mysterious woman.

            

As for the poison in Su Yi’s body, after some thought, she kept that information hidden.

The Su family head had sought so many physicians for Su Yi, she must have known about the poisoning, but since she never mentioned it, there must be some untold story.

Hearing all this, the Su family head’s joy increased further. Steward Ge, understanding her master’s mood, quickly said, “Family Head, this is Heaven’s blessing!”

            

“Indeed.” The Su family head was extremely pleased, looking at Ji Qinchi as if she were a deity of salvation, “Our worthy son-in-law is truly the Su family’s lucky star.”

The Daoist was right—this fortune was properly aligned.

Ji Qinchi timidly responded with proper timing, “Niang exaggerates, this is merely my duty.”

            

The Su family head was very satisfied, no longer pursuing the matter of her encouraging Su Yi to come here, and even granted her request to bring Ye Shui back to the mansion and settle her in.

Su Yi didn’t wake up until nearly lunchtime the next day.

She blinked her eyes repeatedly, having forgotten about being scared to tears by Ji Qinchi yesterday, only vaguely remembering being carried back by someone.

            

Before she could recall who it was, her mother rushed into her room with tears streaming down her face, examining her up and down, “Yi’er, my heart and liver [心肝 | xīn gān | term of endearment], are you feeling unwell anywhere?”

Su Yi assessed herself and felt nothing wrong except for thirst, so she shook her head. “No, Niang, I’m just thirsty.”

After she said this, Ji Qinchi approached, carefully holding a cup of water, “Qizhu, please drink carefully.”

            

Su Yi tried to reach for the cup herself, but Ji Qinchi refused to loosen her grip on the bowl. Su Yi looked up to see her gentle and careful smile. “Qizhu, it’s all nu’s [奴 | nú | self-deprecating term used by servants or subordinates] fault. Nu shouldn’t have let Qizhu go to the village, causing Qizhu to end up in danger.”

Here it comes, here it comes, the female protagonist is about to show off her acting skills again.

Su Yi knew she was saying these things to prevent her mother from blaming her.

            

Seeing tears welling up in her eyes, Su Yi was terrified and hurriedly played along, “Don’t blame Fulang [夫郎 | fū láng | respectful term for spouse]… I insisted on going. Niang, please don’t blame Fulang *cough cough*…”

Speaking too hastily, she started coughing and wheezing. Ji Qinchi quickly helped her drink water, while the Su family head grew anxious and grabbed her hand, saying, “Yi’er, don’t worry. Xianxi [贤媳 | xián xí | virtuous son-in-law] has your best interests at heart, how could I blame him?”

Although she had indeed thought of blaming Ji Qinchi earlier, Ji Qinchi had made up for his mistake. Not only had he kept Su Yi safe, but they had also met a skilled person who had improved her health significantly. Moreover, her daughter seemed to value Ji Qinchi so much—how could she be the one to separate this pair of mandarin ducks?

            

“It’s good that Niang doesn’t blame Fulang.” After catching her breath, Su Yi softly continued, “Niang, do you know that the Su family in Jingcheng has sent a letter?”

“Niang heard about it from the steward when I returned. Let Niang handle such matters. Your health is delicate, so don’t trouble yourself.”

“But Niang, your daughter has grown up and has never traveled far. I want to see Jingcheng.”

            

“The journey would be exhausting, how could you endure it?”

“But daughter feels much healthier now. If I don’t go now, I might never have the chance in this lifetime.”

She tugged at the Su family head’s sleeve and said softly, “Niang, please.”

            

Her daughter leaned against her softly, her entire body as soft as cotton, just like when she had first held her as a newborn.

The Su family head’s eyes grew moist. Although she was from a concubine’s branch family, in her youth she had drunk wine and competed in poetry on Jingcheng’s streets, where jade carriages and fragrant coaches crossed paths. She had seen Jingcheng’s prosperity in her youth. Now her daughter was already sixteen, yet had never left this small Fengcheng.

The more she thought about it, the more her heart ached. Considering her own advancing age, Su Yi’s weak health, lack of official rank, and their family shop—afraid she might not be able to support it all later—after much deliberation, she felt her daughter was right. While her daughter’s health was good, they should go to Jingcheng to pay respects for grandmother’s birthday.

            

Perhaps if her grandmother, with her aging eyes, found Su Yi clever and beautiful, she might speak well of Su Yi to Her Majesty. Then wouldn’t Su Yi be able to live comfortably for the rest of her life, earning silver while lying down?

After consideration, the Su family head agreed, “Alright, Niang will take you. Yi’er, if you can’t handle the journey, you must tell Niang.”

“I understand, Niang.” Su Yi nestled in the Su family head’s embrace, acting cute, facing Ji Qinchi’s direction.

            

She smiled slightly at her, like flowers reflected in water.

Ji Qinchi’s heart stirred. The Su family’s Daxiaojie was truly good to her, fulfilling her promise so quickly to take her to Jingcheng.

But why was she so good to her? Was it because she was someone who kept her word, always fulfilling her promises, or was she actually someone who deeply cherished her Fulang?

            

If she truly was someone who loved her spouse like life itself, if it wasn’t her but someone else standing here today, would she treat them the same way?

The more she thought about it, the more agitated she became, but she couldn’t let it show on her face, so she could only return a fake smile.

Su Yi didn’t know what she was thinking, just looked at Ji Qinchi’s smile and thought delightedly, haha, she was finally about to rid herself of this troublesome female protagonist. Once she delivered the female protagonist to Jingcheng, she would go find the divine physician! After being cured, she could live freely and happily!

            

That person who treated her illness last time, even if not a divine physician, must be someone connected to one. Once she got rid of this crazy female protagonist, she would go find her! She must know clues about the divine physician!

Hahaha! Good life, here I come!

Su Yi’s abacus [算盘 | suàn pán | metaphor for planning] were very well made.

            

Fearing her mother might change her mind about her health, during the days when the entire household was preparing birthday gifts, she visited physicians daily and specially sought out masters from bone-setting halls and escort agencies to learn methods of strengthening her body.

Early morning, in the Su family garden.

In a small pavilion, Ji Qinchi reclined on a beauty couch, with two servants fanning her from behind as she leisurely drank tea and ate pastries, slowly enjoying the entertaining scene in the garden’s center.

            

Several hired escort masters were practicing basic skills there, and Su Yi, with her thin arms and legs, was following their movements.

But she hadn’t expected that although her health had improved slightly—adequate for daily life—serious exercise was absolutely impossible.

She stretched an arm, stumbled, and frightened Yanshen rushed to support her, “Xiaojie!”

            

Then she kicked a leg, her abdomen hurt, and Gancao quickly held her stomach, “Xiaojie!”

When she tried to do a horse stance [马步 | mǎ bù | martial arts stance], she collapsed before even squatting down, causing all her surrounding servant girls to shout in unison, “Xiaojie!”

The shouts shook the heavens, and the innocent victim Ji Qinchi rubbed her ears, thinking how these Su family girls’ voices seemed to compete with each other in volume.

            

The physician waiting nearby stepped forward, looked at Su Yi whose face was like golden paper, and skillfully administered acupuncture.

Su Yi slowly regained consciousness and, seeing the sun at the horizon, pulled at Yanshen and asked with difficulty, “How… how long did I last?”

Yanshen swallowed and held up one finger.

            

Su Yi exclaimed joyfully, “One incense stick [30 minutes]?”

Yanshen shook her head. Su Yi also felt that was unlikely, “Then… one cup of tea [15 minutes]?”

Yanshen carefully said, “It was… one breath.”

            

Indeed, in the time it took them to exhale one breath, Su Yi had already lost her balance.

Su Yi’s smile fell. She struggled to her feet, waved her hand, “Again.”

Yanshen hesitated, “Xiaojie, this morning, you’ve fainted twenty-three times already.”

            

What do you mean fainted twenty-three times? When a sickly person faints, how can you call that fainting?

Su Yi was angry and said, “When a sickly person faints, it’s not called fainting. For sickly people, it’s called… it’s called on-site rest. Yes, that’s it, on-site rest. I just rested a bit more than usual…”

Whatever she said went, but the others looked at each other, blinking, how could they not know these were just Xiaojie’s words of bravado?

            

“So… Xiaojie, should we continue practicing?”

“Practice! Of course we must practice!” Fire sparked in Su Yi’s eyes, “Unless I can’t move anymore, I must keep practicing!”

The next second after making such bold declarations, she straightened her back and stretched her arms. With a “crack”, she felt she might have sprained her waist.

            

Su Yi’s face darkened. No way, was her mouth really that effective?

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