Xiqiu pressed a few points, and this ti Xiao Yanzheng’s illness lasted longer than the last. As Xiqiu was about to withdraw her hand, Xiao Yanzheng’s body suddenly jerked, and she unexpectedly lifted her head and bit into Xiqiu’s hand through the cloth in her mouth. The sudden change caught even Xiqiu off guard, and she only felt a sharp pain quickly spreading from her hand.
"Sixth Sister."
"Miss."
Xiao Yanyi and Fourth Master Xiao moved together, one to support Xiqiu and the other to try to pry open Xiao Yanzheng’s mouth. Xiqiu endured the pain and stopped Fourth Master Xiao, saying, "Don’t force it open. You might hurt her."
Fourth Master Xiao saw her pale face, yet she remained calm and composed. He raised his eyebrows slightly, glanced at Xiao Yanzheng biting into Xiqiu’s arm with her body twitching, and then turned his face aside and nodded, saying, "I’ll go check if the doctor has arrived." With that, he turned and left.
In a mansion like the Xiao Mansion, with a sick family mber, they usually keep one or two household doctors for preparing or decocting dicines. The servants also go to these doctors when they’re ill.
Xiqiu’s hand hurt badly, and she could feel cold sweat seeping from her forehead. She had no strength to respond to Fourth Master Xiao’s words and ignored the glance he gave her earlier, not knowing what it ant.
Xiao Yanyi handed Xiqiu over to Sixing and Chunyan, and Xiqiu leaned against Sixing. The room’s atmosphere was odd, so Xiqiu said to Chunyan, "Go call in her maid. Since she often falls ill, surely the doctor must have given so instructions."
Chunyan went out to call in Xiao Yanzheng’s maid, and as they saw Xiqiu’s hand still being bitten by Xiao Yanzheng, they exclaid, "Fourth Miss..." Their faces paled, and they were in a panic, trying to pry open Xiao Yanzheng’s mouth like Fourth Master Xiao. Seeing this, Xiqiu realized that people’s understanding of epilepsy was still lacking. Even for those as experienced as them, their knowledge might not surpass hers.
"Forget it, we can only wait for her to wake up. You all should go about your tasks." A few maids nodded and went to massage Xiao Yanzheng’s stiff limbs.
Xiao Yanyi was full of guilt, but couldn’t help feeling startled. He rembered her deanor a few days ago at the Tong Mansion’s outer courtyard when she wasn’t angry or reckless despite being in an awkward situation. Now, though visibly scared, she was still calm and composed, which aroused his curiosity as his gaze fell on Xiqiu’s face.
Xiqiu couldn’t be bothered with what Xiao Yanyi was thinking. She just felt if Xiao Yanzheng didn’t co to her senses soon, the piece of flesh on her hand might truly be eaten as a snack. Fortunately, Xiao Yanzheng slowly loosened her bite, and Xiqiu quickly withdrew her hand, signaling to the maid, "Quickly, give her the dicine."
The maid imdiately brought so tea, put the dicine into Xiao Yanzheng’s mouth, and shortly after, Xiao Yanzheng gradually cald down.
When Fourth Master Xiao and the doctor arrived, Xiao Yanzheng was already asleep. He checked on Xiao Yanzheng and, seeing she was fine, turned to look at Xiqiu. Xiqiu was sitting in a chair, the bite marks on her hand were shocking, the skin was broken, and blood was oozing out. Fourth Master Xiao dragged the doctor over to Xiqiu and instructed, "Stop his bleeding."
The household doctor, never having seen such a scene, nervously opened the dical box. Xiqiu glanced at the dicine box and said to the doctor, "I can handle it myself." As she spoke, Sixing had already brought in hot water. Xiqiu washed her hand and, in the silent presence of Xiao Yanyi and Fourth Master Xiao, applied dicine to herself, then found a clean piece of cotton cloth from the dical box and had Sixing bandage it.
Once she finished everything, she looked up at Xiao Yanyi and Fourth Master Xiao and said, "Second Miss probably won’t wake up anyti soon. Let her sleep for a while longer."
"Sixth Sister, you should rest here too. I will explain to Mother-in-law." After all, her injury was because of Xiao Yanzheng. Xiao Yanyi was worried Xiqiu might be misunderstood by Lady.
Xiqiu checked the hour and said, "I fear the Grand Dowager’s banquet is about to start." Today she ca to celebrate but hadn’t expected things to turn so chaotic. If she went out injured, it might lead to unwarranted speculation. So, she nodded and said, "I trouble you, brother-in-law."
Xiao Yanyi, smiling, said, "It’s I who should thank you. You saved her twice, and I thank you on behalf of Yanzheng." He was about to salute Xiqiu, but Xiqiu imdiately stood and sidestepped his gesture, saying, "No need for courtesy, brother-in-law. Yanzheng and I are kindred spirits, as long as she’s fine. This is just a minor injury, a few days of rest will fix it."
Xiao Yanyi didn’t speak but pondered for a mont and said, "Then I’ll go to the mother-in-law’s side and tell her you’re staying here. I’ll co back for you later." Xiqiu nodded in agreent.
Xiao Yanyi then looked back at Fourth Master Xiao, "Are you staying here, or coming with to see Mother?"
Fourth Master Xiao sat steadily on a chair opposite Xiqiu without hesitation and replied, "I’ll leave when she wakes."
Xiao Yanyi hesitated, then shook his head and left the room.
The room fell into a long silence. No one dared to speak loudly. Everyone quietly went about their tasks, walking carefully not to make any noise.
The maids moved in and out silently, demonstrating a perfect mutual understanding without making a sound. Xiao Yanzheng lay quietly in bed, her face calm, and her breathing gradually beca steady. Xiqiu sighed in relief and leaned back in her chair. Sixing had the young maid in Xiao Yanzheng’s room change the tea for Xiqiu. She handed it to Xiqiu, glanced warily at Fourth Master Xiao sitting opposite, and worriedly asked, "Miss, does your hand... hurt?"
How odd it was that in just two or three months, Miss had been injured twice. She had vowed last ti to never let Miss suffer such harm again, yet so little ti had passed...
Taking the tea, Xiqiu smiled reassuringly at her, "It’s just a minor wound, a few days and it’ll heal." But in truth, it hurt a lot. Without vaccines and with poor hygiene, it made her, a dical graduate, feel quite uneasy.
Chunyan also frowned, her eyes red, murmuring quietly, "If only we’d left with Fourth Miss back then."
Xiqiu glanced at her, her face calm but her voice carried a hint of displeasure, "What are you talking about!" Chunyan closed her mouth but, like Sixing, quickly glanced at Fourth Master Xiao, finding him sipping tea slowly as if unaware of their conversation. She breathed a sigh of relief.
In the long silence, Fourth Master Xiao suddenly lifted his eyes, his slightly arched phoenix eyes looking at Xiqiu and inexplicably said, "You aren’t angry?"
Xiqiu was taken aback. Angry? Angry about what?
She looked at Fourth Master Xiao and asked, "Where is Fourth Master coming from with this question?"
Fourth Master Xiao raised his eyebrows slightly and replied, "Ren Jun!" No prelude, no follow-up.
Ren Jun? The surna Ren, was it Third Young Master Ren from the Wujin Bo Mansion? She had just heard Xiao Yanzheng ntion it too. Xiqiu finally understood what Fourth Master Xiao was asking and calmly replied with a question, "Why would I be angry with soone irrelevant?"
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