Cuddling with the Cold Female Protagonist – Chapter 96
by Little PandaVolume 4: The Perils of the Jianghu
Gathering herbs in the mountain forest
If she were to say to Su Yi, “I’ll take responsibility for you,” given Su Yi’s personality, she might just break up with her.
But if, on the other hand, she herself eagerly clung to Su Yi, Su Yi definitely wouldn’t be able to shake her off.
With this in mind, Ji Qingchi, in a flash, transformed into an innocent little white flower, pressing against Su Yi and sobbing pitifully.
Su Yi raised an eyebrow. Never mind that others wouldn’t believe these words if spoken aloud, even she herself didn’t believe them. She, a person who lacked the strength to even truss a chicken, could actually be the one on top? She’d be exhausted halfway through, okay?
As a self-aware pillow princess1, Su Yi couldn’t be bothered to argue about these things with the crybaby2. In short, from Ji Qingchi’s words, she had come to understand one fact.
That she and Ji Qingchi had slept together.
She had no memory of it. She secretly lifted her clothes for a look and found it was true. Ji Qingchi, this damned dog3, who knew if she was born in the year of the dog or something, had left marks all over her body. Two particular places were so red they almost glowed.
Ji Qingchi, her Carslan-big eyes4 wide, sidled up to her. “Will you take responsibility for me?”
Her hands were anxiously wringing together, terrified that Su Yi would abandon her.
Su Yi clapped a hand over Ji Qingchi’s face. “In broad daylight, don’t say such shameful things! Can’t you see the Senior is still here in front of us?”
Seeing no signs of anger from her, Ji Qingchi was delighted. She had been an imperial princess for over a dozen years; if she had nothing else, she had thick skin, never caring about others’ opinions. She threw her arms around Su Yi and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll go stew a soft-shelled turtle for you!”
After finding out from Feng Qing where the soft-shelled turtle she had caught was, Ji Qingchi dashed off in a puff of smoke to get busy.
Su Yi touched the spot on her cheek where she’d been kissed, watching the fleeing person, utterly speechless. Her gaze met Feng Qing’s teasing one from across. Instantly, she felt as if she’d been seen right through. Heat steamed from her face, and she said embarrassedly, “Senior… Ahem… She’s just like that…”
“Young people, I understand.” Feng Qing chuckled and waved her hand. “Little girl, you’re weak. That other little girl has lost a lot of blood. I’ll go find some herbs that can replenish blood and qi5, and brew some for the two of you. You just sit here for a while.”
Su Yi blushed and nodded. “Thank you very much, Senior.”
Under Feng Qing’s guidance, Ji Qingchi made soft-shelled turtle stew with Chinese yam and goji berries6. She then ran out into the mountain forest and hunted two wild pheasants, one for roasting and one for stewing into soup. Feng Qing brewed freshly dried medicinal herbs. The aroma of turtle and chicken, mingled with the slightly bitter scent of herbs, filled the cave, whetting everyone’s appetite.
While the food was cooking, Ji Qingchi told Su Yi what she had discussed with Feng Qing earlier, and also mentioned to Feng Qing that they were currently being hunted.
Su Yi held a bowl of turtle soup. “Senior, how can we get out of here?”
“Aren’t there people outside hunting you? This place is where my junior martial sister’s lover died. She’s afraid of being reminded of painful memories by the scene, so she never comes here. Nor does she allow anyone else from the valley or her son to come here. This place is relatively safe. You can stay here without worry, no need to be afraid.”
Su Yi shook her head. “We are not people of Changcheng Valley. I’m afraid we can’t stay here indefinitely like you, Senior.”
“Oh right, Senior, didn’t you say earlier that there’s Mandarin Duck Gu in this water?” Ji Qingchi suddenly realized, and was about to knock the soup out of Su Yi’s hands. “This water I fetched from the stream outside might have Gu in it too!”
Su Yi, with quick eyes and nimble hands, dodged her hand. “Since Senior lives here, the water here must be fine.”
Ji Qingchi was panicking out of concern, and had forgotten this point. When she looked towards Feng Qing as if seeking confirmation, Feng Qing chuckled, nodded, and said rather proudly, “That’s right. I’ve developed a powder that is exceptionally effective at repelling Gu. All the Gu in this valley cannot survive in an environment where it’s present. It’s also harmless to the human body. After I developed it, I sprinkled it into the stream at the cave entrance. So, at least the water around this cave is fine. Just in case, I add it again every time I boil water. The pots and bowls are probably thoroughly steeped in that powder by now. Don’t be afraid, eat and drink without worry.”
Su Yi’s eyes lit up. “So, does that mean using what you’ve developed, Senior, can keep all Gu away?”
Feng Qing smiled and said, “Yes. If you little girls want some, I do have a bit left. But not much, I’ll need to gather more herbs to make it.”
“No problem, it’s just gathering herbs.” Su Yi patted Ji Qingchi beside her. “Tomorrow, we’ll go into the forest, have a look around, and gather some.”
Ji Qingchi agreed unconditionally. “Okay.”
“The people hunting you outside probably haven’t left, have they? That little girl’s hand injury hasn’t healed yet. Going out now is too risky,” Feng Qing said disapprovingly. “You should at least recover fully first.”
With their sudden disappearance, Yan Can, Yue Ling, and the others must be worried sick. They would definitely come looking for them. Those assassins might still be out there trying to catch them. If they rashly went out, it would indeed be dangerous.
After understanding this point, Su Yi nodded. “You’re right, Senior. I wasn’t thinking things through. We’ll focus on recovering first.”
“Health is the most important thing.” Feng Qing kindly ladled another bowl of chicken soup for her. “Little girl, you’re too thin, you need to nourish yourself more. By the way, you said you know my disciple. Where has she gone now?”
Ji Qingchi shook her head. “She was with the young mistress of Xuanji Tower. It seems they also entered this forest. But we haven’t encountered them. We don’t know where they went.”
“Someone from Xuanji Tower is with her?” Feng Qing breathed a sigh of relief. “The people from Xuanji Tower are highly skilled in martial arts. And her own medical skills, which she researched herself, are not bad either. Then she should be fine.”
Knowing that these two little girls in front of her were on good terms with her disciple, Feng Qing was even more pleased. She treated them as she would her own disciple, with extra kindness and affection.
Eating and chatting, the two pots of soup they had cooked were soon empty. Su Yi had a small appetite. She only managed to drink one and a half bowls of the turtle soup. The rest she pushed onto Ji Qingchi.
Ji Qingchi accepted all that was offered. She practiced martial arts, so her appetite wasn’t small to begin with. Plus, she had expended a lot of energy earlier. She quickly finished the soup like a whirlwind devouring clouds7.
Feng Qing was old and enjoyed watching the younger generation eat. Seeing the turtle soup finished to the last drop, she said happily, “There are many things in this mountain forest that nourish yin and tonify the kidneys. It’s perfect for you two to build up your bodies.”
After hearing this, Ji Qingchi’s eyes lit up. “Great! Thank you, Senior.”
They weren’t men, why did they need to nourish yin and tonify kidneys all day? Looking at Ji Qingchi’s excited expression, Su Yi had an ominous premonition.
As it turned out, her premonition was correct.
Feng Qing believed both of them were in poor health. For the next few days, she insisted on not letting them go out. She persisted in going out daily to gather herbs and, along the way, get them nourishing food. The two of them were like baby birds in a nest waiting for their mother to return, spending their days in utter boredom, either eating or sleeping.
Ever since that one experience, Ji Qingchi seemed to have gotten addicted and always wanted to do that. When only the two of them were left in the cave, Ji Qingchi would deliberately come sit next to her. After a few words, she would want to kiss her. She wasn’t well-behaved at night either. She would hug her, wanting kisses, and then, as they kissed, she would become unsatisfied.
Feng Qing did have them eating nourishing foods every day. But the more nourishing this stuff was, the more Su Yi felt her kidneys were ‘deficient’8. Before she died of x-exhaustion9, she quickly volunteered to take the x-frustrated10 Ji Qingchi into the mountain forest to find herbs for the Gu-repelling powder.
Ji Qingchi’s injuries were mostly healed. Apart from her steps being a bit unsteady, Su Yi had no other major issues. So Feng Qing agreed to their request.
So, early the next morning, the two of them set out with medicine baskets on their backs.
Once deep in the forest, Su Yi took out the drawings Feng Qing had given them and handed one to Ji Qingchi. “Let’s split up to search, it’ll be faster.”
Ji Qingchi took the drawing but didn’t move. Her eyes were fixed on her. She put on a pitiful act. “I haven’t hugged you in so long.”
Su Yi looked up at her speechlessly. Some people tell barefaced lies without fearing sleep paralysis11. “Then was it a ghost hugging me last night?”
“I haven’t hugged you today.” Ji Qingchi, though lacking in reason, was full of confidence12. “This Palace’s ‘so long’ starts from this morning.”
She even used ‘This Palace’. It seemed she was determined to get her way[.
Su Yi clutched her clothes tightly and said helplessly, “Only for a little while.”
“Okay.” Ji Qingchi tucked the drawing away. Her eyes shining, she hugged her tightly. A moment later, she looked up, not giving up13. “Kissing you is also okay, right?”
What does it mean to give an inch and take a yard14? This was it.
Su Yi looked up. Ji Qingchi immediately met her gaze with fiery intensity. The flames in her eyes almost seemed to burn her.
“…Not for too long.”
“Mmhmm…” Almost the instant her voice faded, her breath was completely stolen by the person before her. The scalding affection seemed capable of engulfing her. Like a butterfly whose wings were soaked by a torrential downpour, unable to withstand the baptism of the storm, she could only cling, panting, to the patch of grass where she rested.
“Good girl… don’t move…”
Two and a half shichen15 later, everything returned to calm.
“Ji Qingchi, you… you… bastard…”
They had come out before the sun had risen. Now, the sun was already high in the center of the sky.
Su Yi lay sprawled on top of her, drowsy, but it didn’t stop her from cursing. “You… take a look at yourself, aren’t you worse than a beast…”
Ji Qingchi kissed away the glistening teardrops on her face and agreed, reflecting on herself with deep self-criticism. “Yes, I am worse than a beast. I was wrong.”
Knowing Su Yi was delicate, she also wanted to control herself. But Su Yi was soft and tender, and also liked to cry. The moment she saw Su Yi’s tear-streaked, beautiful face, like pear blossoms in the rain, the string of reason in her mind snapped. Apart from pressing closer, she had no other thoughts.
“You… Hmph… So you do know…”
“Shhh…” Before she could finish cursing, Ji Qingchi heard a rustling sound in the nearby bushes. She immediately wrapped Su Yi in her clothes, pulled her into her embrace, and sat up, looking warily towards the edge of the bushes. A hidden weapon appeared in her hand. “Who’s there!”
“Wait, it’s us! Your Highness the Ninth Princess, please show mercy!”
A weak plea for mercy came from the bushes. Feng Ruoqing and Hua Wuying stood up and waved at them awkwardly. “Haha… Hahahaha… Ninth Princess… Miss Su…”
Ji Qingchi put away her hidden weapon. “What a coincidence, why are you two here as well?”
“Yes, hahaha…” Feng Ruoqing’s face was about to wrinkle from forced smiling. Coincidence? What coincidence? If we hadn’t heard those sounds of yours and Miss Su’s that echoed through the forest from afar, how would we have found our way here?!
Ji Qingchi showed no awareness or embarrassment at having been overheard for the entire duration. Seeing the two who had been lost suddenly appear before her, she said happily, “This is great, help has arrived.”
She took out Feng Qing’s drawings and gave them to the two. “Let’s search together. Many hands make light work, it’ll be much faster now!”
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Footnotes
- 枕头公主 | zhěntou gōngzhǔ | Slang: A “pillow princess” is a person, typically a woman in a same-sex relationship, who prefers to be a receptive partner during sexual activity and doesn’t actively reciprocate or initiate. It implies a more passive role.
- 嘤嘤怪 | yīngyīng guài | Lit: whimpering monster/strange creature. Slang: A playful or slightly derogatory term for someone who often whimpers, cries, or acts pitifully.
- 狗东西 | gǒu dōngxi | Lit: dog thing. A common insult meaning “damned thing,” “bastard,” or “cur.”
- 卡姿兰大眼睛 | Kǎzīlán dà yǎnjing | Carslan (卡姿兰) is a Chinese cosmetics brand. The phrase “Carslan big eyes” is slang referring to large, expressive, doll-like eyes, often implying they are enhanced by makeup or are naturally very striking like those in makeup advertisements.
- 补血补气 | bǔ xuè bǔ qì | To replenish blood and nourish qi. A traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) concept for restoring vitality and bodily substances. Qi (气) is vital life energy.
- 枸杞 | gǒuqǐ | Goji berries (wolfberries), used in Chinese cuisine and traditional medicine for their health benefits.
- 风卷残云 | fēng juǎn cán yún | Lit: wind rolls away scattered clouds. Meaning: to make a clean sweep of something, especially food; to devour voraciously.
- 肾虚 | shènxū | Kidney deficiency. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this doesn’t necessarily mean a kidney disease in the Western medical sense. It refers to a deficiency in kidney ‘qi’ or ‘essence,’ which can manifest as fatigue, low back pain, low libido, and other symptoms. Here, Su Yi humorously links it to being overexerted by Ji Qingchi’s advances, which are ironically fueled by the ‘nourishing’ food.
- x尽人亡 | x jìn rén wáng | A censored phrase, likely originally something like 精尽人亡 (jīng jìn rén wáng), meaning “to die from seminal depletion” or “die from sexual exhaustion.” The ‘x’ is used as a placeholder for the censored character.
- x求不满 | x qiú bùmǎn | A censored phrase, likely originally 欲求不满 (yù qiú bùmǎn), meaning “sexually frustrated” or “unsatisfied desires.” The ‘x’ is used as a placeholder for the censored character.
- 鬼压床 | guǐ yā chuáng | Lit: ghost pressing on the bed. The common Chinese term for sleep paralysis, a phenomenon where a person is temporarily unable to move or speak while falling asleep or waking up, often accompanied by a feeling of pressure on the chest or a sense of a presence.
- 理不直气也壮 | lǐ bù zhí qì yě zhuàng | Lit: reason not straight, but qi is robust. Meaning: to be bold and confident despite being in the wrong or lacking a sound argument.
- 不死心 | bù sǐxīn | Lit: not dead heart. Meaning: unwilling to give up, still hoping against hope, not reconciled to failure.
- 得寸进尺 | dé cùn jìn chǐ | Lit: get an inch, advance a foot. Meaning: to be insatiably greedy; to take a mile if given an inch.
- 时辰 | shíchen | A traditional Chinese unit of time, equal to two hours. Two and a half shichen is five hours.
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