So I Had No Choice But to Stop Being the White Moonlight – Chapter 25

“You Open Your Mouth for Anything Anyone Gives You?”

The spring scenery was bright and beautiful; a vigorous life force, brimming with sunlight, filled the mountain gorge.

An expanse of green stretched to the heavens. When a warm breeze pushed past, waves surged across it, like a sea on land.

The grass in Chi Qian’s hand was eaten clean by Emergency Rations¹. She looked up at the scenery, a little lost in thought.

Thinking that such a beautiful view ought to be shared with someone, Chi Qian turned to look at Shi Jinlan.

But before she could speak, she noticed the fire on Shi Jinlan’s body burning vigorously again, a pitch-black mass that suppressed the golden inner flame to the point of near disappearance.

Why is she angry again?

Chi Qian stroked Emergency Rations, who was still eating grass, and thought that she had to quickly find a way to appease Shi Jinlan.

Chi Qingyan had once said that the poison in Shi Jinlan’s body would attack her when her mood was low. In the cave, they were lacking clothes and short on food, to say nothing of medicine.

This was no place for her illness to flare up. Once it did, Shi Jinlan would lose her life!

The signal in the mountain gorge was intermittent. Shi Jinlan seized the time to communicate with her subordinates.

No sooner had she sent the message than the signal was cut off again. Her eyes were dark as she glanced at her phone’s current battery level, skillfully switched on airplane mode, and put it in her pocket.

Shi Jinlan hadn’t even raised her head when a shadow suddenly fell over her.

The green scent of broken branches drifted in the air, and she felt something heavy on her head.

What is this?

Shi Jinlan frowned, raising a hand to take the thing off her head.

But then she saw Chi Qian standing in front of her.

A few verdant green shadows floated above Shi Jinlan’s line of sight. Vaguely visible between them was Chi Qian’s small face, her smiling eyes curved into crescents.

Those two almond-shaped eyes were like cashews, sparkling and partially obscured by a few long green leaves. Small blue and yellow flowers were dotted among them, their shadows intertwining, softening her spirited brows with a natural innocence that made one let down their guard.

Indeed, upon seeing Chi Qian’s appearance, the vigilance in Shi Jinlan’s eyes unconsciously dissipated for the most part.

The floral wreath faintly gave off a delicate fragrance, its shade covering the pitch-black flames, allowing the gold to slowly gain the upper hand.

Her crow-feather-like lashes concealed the sharp edge in her eyes. She watched Chi Qian like this, listening to her explain, “Miss Shen, I saw some willow trees over there, so I wove one for each of us. The sun is so strong at noon, this can shield us from it.”

“Thank you,” Shi Jinlan said faintly.

“Miss Shen, you’re too polite.” Chi Qian smiled and waved her hand, bringing over the fish she had roasted. “The fish is ready too. This one is yours, and this one is mine.”

The fragrant aroma of the meat drifted out faintly. The fire had roasted the fish skin to a golden brown.

Shi Jinlan didn’t know how Chi Qian had managed it, but she noticed that the one placed before her was of excellent quality, while the one Chi Qian was going to eat herself was of poor quality.

The two fish must not have been roasted at the same time. Chi Qian’s was probably the first one, so her roasting was unskilled. It was charred black, the flesh split into four and cracked into five², barely hanging onto the fish bones.

Shi Jinlan paused, her brow furrowing slightly.

Just as Chi Qian was about to take a bite, she saw a flame leap before her eyes. “Wh-what’s wrong?”

“Let me handle it. It would be bad if you got a bone stuck in your throat,” Shi Jinlan said, taking the fish from Chi Qian’s hand as well.

Chi Qian followed good advice like a flowing stream³, finding a clean packaging bag and spreading it out in front of Shi Jinlan.

Actually, Chi Qian had originally wanted to do this, but Shi Jinlan’s movements were more deft. Her slender fingers, stained with grease, glistened with golden light. In just a few moves, she had picked out the fish bones and separated the meat into pieces.

It was just that Shi Jinlan didn’t seem to have paid attention to distinguishing between the two fish and had mixed them together.

“Um—”

“I won’t take advantage of you.”

Chi Qian had spoken up to remind Shi Jinlan, but was reminded by Shi Jinlan instead.

The woman’s words were plain and exceptionally frank, not one thread loose⁴, giving off a sense of impartial handling.

So, she saw through it.

Chi Qian complained silently in her heart. Watching Shi Jinlan exchange her half for Chi Qian’s own, she felt an inexplicable sense of comfort in her heart.

The warm fish meat pressed against her fingers, the warmth like white smoke, drifting into her body.

【Shi Jinlan is so nice.】 Chi Qian said secretly in her heart.

Thirteen heard this and asked, a bit greedily, 【Will Host roast fish for me when we go back?】

【If you say something nice to me now, I might consider it.】 Chi Qian raised her head slightly, wanting to hear the never-cracking-a-smile⁵ Thirteen learn to flatter.

Thirteen paused when it heard this, then said to Chi Qian, 【Host and Miss Shi are a pair made by heaven and arranged by earth⁶. Nothing can change the future of Host and Miss Shi falling in love. Miss Shi will definitely be moved by Host’s actions and fall in love with you!】

The mechanical voice, in stereo surround, rambled on in Chi Qian’s mind, making her cheeks flush bright red.

Her hand holding the fish meat clenched tightly. She shouted in her head: 【…Wh-what are you talking about!!】

【Are these not words that would make Host happy?】 Thirteen was perplexed.

【Happy my—】

“Your face is very red.”

Before she could get the word “ass” out, Chi Qian was interrupted by Shi Jinlan’s voice.

The two of them were sitting face to face. The sunlight shone from behind Chi Qian, and the shadows cast by the willow-branch wreath couldn’t hide her reddened cheeks.

“Huh?” Chi Qian was slightly startled, raising her head with a guilty conscience.

It was at this moment that a cool sensation landed on her forehead.

Shi Jinlan leaned over, reaching a hand toward her.

The sun outlined her well-defined knuckles. Smoke from nearby drifted over, twining around her fair fingers, lingering for a moment.

The grass wreath on her head shaded her from the spring coolness, yet Chi Qian felt her face growing hotter and hotter, as if it were about to catch fire.

But Shi Jinlan, feeling the temperature radiating from Chi Qian’s forehead, frowned. “You have a fever.”

“No way.” Chi Qian touched her own face, her heart beating like a drum. “I probably just stayed by the fire for too long.”

Shi Jinlan, looking at Chi Qian, didn’t think so. “You’d better not go to the river this afternoon. If the fever gets worse, it’ll be serious.”

“I’m fine, don’t worry.” Chi Qian waved her hand at Shi Jinlan dismissively.

Thirteen’s health monitor hadn’t even sent her an alert. She definitely didn’t have a fever.

Besides, her blush was clearly because of those words that didn’t touch the margin⁷ that Thirteen had just said!

But that was not the case.

Shi Jinlan’s mouth was also far more astute than Thirteen’s health monitor.

Just as the sun withdrew its last ray of light, Chi Qian’s fever spiked.

She felt she should have realized it at noon when she felt cold while taking care of Emergency Rations, but she had dragged it out until now. Her limbs heavy and her steps dragging, she walked into the cave. “Shi… Miss Shen.”

Hearing Chi Qian’s somewhat weak voice, Shi Jinlan interrupted her. “You don’t look well. You have a fever, don’t you?”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to go catch fish tomorrow.” Chi Qian didn’t answer directly, still thinking about her promise to Shi Jinlan. “I’ll make up your fish the day after tomorrow. Is it okay if you don’t eat it tomorrow?”

Shi Jinlan frowned. “Stop thinking about your rabbit.”

“But it’s so pitiful.” Chi Qian couldn’t stop worrying.

“And you aren’t pitiful right now?” Shi Jinlan retorted, grabbing a nearby bag and searching for something.

Chi Qian’s hands were heavy, her feet were heavy, and her head was even heavier.

Her mind couldn’t work properly. She just latched onto the word “pitiful” and said, “Then can you pity me a little?”

Shi Jinlan glanced up at Chi Qian, ignoring her “pitiful argument.” She took out her medicine bottle and poured a pill into her palm. “Your anti-inflammatory medicine can also be taken orally, right?”

Chi Qian’s mind operated slowly. She gave a sluggish nod. “Uh-huh, theoretically, yes.”

“Take it,” Shi Jinlan commanded.

The dark brown pill lay in Shi Jinlan’s palm. Her coldly pale skin had little color, making the pill appear even darker by contrast.

Chi Qian had a psychological resistance to taking medicine. Besides, she knew that because this pill could be used both internally and externally, it was made to dissolve on contact with water. Before she could even swallow, the bitter taste would spread throughout her mouth.

This is torture.

Chi Qian looked up from the pill to see Shi Jinlan watching her calmly.

Her pitch-black pupils held no emotion, which conversely made her seem all the more resolute—a presence that would not allow for a beak to be inserted⁸.

Chi Qian gave up on mentally preparing herself. Steeling her heart, she took the pill and swallowed it in one go.

Just as expected, the moment the pill touched the tip of her tongue, it dissolved.

She forcefully tilted her head back to swallow. The pill left a trail as it rolled down, and a dry, withered taste mixed with the scent of earth instantly filled her mouth.

Bitter, so incredibly bitter!

Chi Qian had never been able to handle bitter tastes, even as a child. Right now, her brows were completely furrowed.

Then, she heard Shi Jinlan say to her, “Open your mouth.”

Almost subconsciously, the second she heard those words, Chi Qian obediently opened her mouth.

Fingers brushed against her lips, leaving behind a trace devoid of warmth.

Chi Qian didn’t know what Shi Jinlan had fed her. It was sour and sweet, and a fine white powder on it carried a hint of coolness. The moment it landed on her tongue, it swept away the bitterness.

The sweetness seeped out, carrying the fragrance of the fruit. When she bit down, the flesh was plump.

Chi Qian belatedly realized. “The dried salted plums⁹ from my house?”

“Mhm.” Shi Jinlan nodded with a placid expression.

Chi Qian hadn’t expected Shi Jinlan to have these. Her heavy eyes brightened a little. “You carry them with you?”

“I just grabbed a few on my way out,” Shi Jinlan said, taking out a few more dried salted plums from her pocket, which were wrapped in a sealed bag.

She was a person of restraint, and treated others the same way.

She only showed them to Chi Qian for a moment before putting them away.

The sun was still barely hanging on the horizon, its light withdrawn, looking as if it would sink in the next second.

Shi Jinlan gently rubbed the fingers that had just held the dried plum. The warm softness she had just touched seemed to linger on them.

Just like that, Shi Jinlan looked at Chi Qian by the last few rays of sunlight.

She watched her, with a face flushed red from the fever, still chewing on the dried plum she had given her. Her expression was complicated. Did this person have any sense of vigilance at all? “You open your mouth for anything anyone gives you?”

“Of course not,” Chi Qian blurted out naturally. “Isn’t this from you?”

Shi Jinlan’s gaze suddenly froze, in time with her own heartbeat.

What does she mean, ‘it’s from me’?

How on earth has this person survived until now?

The phone in Shi Jinlan’s pocket jabbed her.

Shi Cheng’s knife was already pressed against Chi Qian’s neck; a short life was imminent.

Shi Jinlan’s caressing fingers suddenly tightened. “In the future, don’t listen to my words so readily either.”

Her tone had suddenly turned heavy, carrying a cold indifference and a sense of lecturing someone.

The pitch-black flames devoured the already scarce light in the surroundings. Chi Qian saw the color on Shi Jinlan’s body and was utterly baffled: Why is Shi Jinlan still angry even after I said that?

She was dazed from the fever now and didn’t know how to smooth Shi Jinlan’s fur¹⁰. She could only follow her words and nod quickly. “I understand. Please don’t be angry.”

A sick person’s voice doesn’t sound as normal as it usually does; hers was weak and carried a layer of timidity.

Shi Jinlan looked at Chi Qian. Her voice was like it was being heated over a slow fire—warm, soft, and charmingly naive. Her eyes, which had been so unrestrained at noon, were now half-lidded, tinged with a blush, making her look pitiful and moving.

The sternness on Shi Jinlan’s face relaxed for a second.

She had no time to appreciate Chi Qian’s pitiable state. She stated, “I’m not angry.”

As she said this, she shifted to make room beside her and said to Chi Qian, “You sleep on the inside today.”

Compared to her own fever, Chi Qian felt it would be much more serious if Shi Jinlan were to catch a chill and have an onset of her illness.

She had just opened her mouth to refuse when she couldn’t help but sneeze. “N—ACHOO!”

The cave was a good haven from the wind. The leaves were still, and no breeze blew through, yet Chi Qian suddenly felt a chill spread over her body.

She shivered subconsciously after sneezing, hugging her arms and shrinking into herself.

Anyway, I took the medicine.

Grandpa’s medicine should be effective. I should be fine after getting through tonight.

Thinking this, Chi Qian curled up even tighter.

But just as another wave of cold washed over her, she felt a patch of warmth fall upon her.

Shi Jinlan had taken off her jacket and covered the person who had curled herself into a ball. “If you’re not willing to sleep on the inside, then wear my clothes.”

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The author has something to say:

Lanlan’s reason for being angry today: Wifey is too obedient.

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