bookrebus Chapter 168: Persuasion
Chapter 168: Persuasion
Chapter 168: Persuasion
Looking at the silver, Li hurriedly declined, saying, "You've already helped our family so much, consider these dishes a gift. Besides, this is all the quality we have."
"Thank you, you must accept this money no matter what. I'll take the dishes now." Ji Meiqing placed the money on the table, took the dishes, and left without saying another word.
She went back and made a bowl of vegetarian noodles with some greens. Returning to her room, she saw Lu Yu was still awake. He knew she was there just by the smell of his cooking.
"Eat quickly, then go to sleep. We'll go back to see the doctor tomorrow."
The noodles were placed in his hands, and Ji Meiqing was about to go back to the kitchen to resolve the matter when he grabbed her wrist.
"What's wrong?" she asked, somewhat puzzled.
Lu Yu placed the bowl on the table and said slowly, "Sit down and talk to me."
"We can talk tomorrow. It's getting late. Hurry up and eat so I can take it to the kitchen to wash."
She left after speaking, leaving Lu Yu alone to watch the noodles. As time passed, the broth in the noodles dried up. When Ji Meiqing returned to clean up, the noodles in the bowl had turned into a dry, mushy mess. Looking at Lu Yu on the bed, he was already asleep.
Ji Meiqing could only take it out and put it in the pot, then came back, quickly washed up, and went back to her room to sleep. In the dead of winter, the two of them huddled together, which was warmer than having a stove underneath.
She slept until noon, and when she woke up, she saw Lu Yu looking at her. Ji Meiqing blinked before she came to her senses. "Are you feeling any better?"
Feeling that asking me wouldn't work, she simply got up and started rummaging through his clothes, lifting up the back of his shirt to reveal a white strip of cloth wrapped around his entire chest.
His six-pack abs and V-line looked quite alluring. Ji Meiqing turned him over expressionlessly to check the injuries on his back.
"What happened to you? Your back is all torn open." Although the wound wasn't big, the edges were already turned inside out, which Ji Meiqing found terrifying.
"I probably tore it open by accident last night," he replied after a moment's hesitation. Ji Meiqing frowned, her mood somewhat sour.
"If it weren't for me, you probably wouldn't have gotten hurt."
She withdrew her hand, blaming herself, and said, "You should rest well these next few days. I'll go back to bed after my injury has healed."
Lu Yu was puzzled and looked at her, "Why? Why did you want to break up with me?"
“Your injury hasn’t healed yet, and I’m afraid it will get worse if you continue like this.”
Lu Yu sighed, "This has nothing to do with you, it's my own fault. I... couldn't control myself."
The girl he liked was right beside him; how could he possibly resist? Ji Meiqing looked at him, utterly astonished. Lu Yu simply pulled her close, saying, "This isn't your problem; it's my own."
He was injured, Ji Meiqing reminded herself. Then, without pushing Lu Yu away, she asked, timing her words perfectly, "Have you hugged enough? Aren't you cold?"
His entire back was exposed to the air, his long, dark hair cascading down his back. He no longer looked as frail as he had appeared before. The aloof and carefree scholar she had once known was now clinging to her like a child, reluctant to part.
She took a blanket from the side and covered him with it. When she touched his back, she felt it was burning hot. Her heart clenched immediately, and she quickly pushed him away to check the temperature on his forehead.
Except for her forehead, which had a normal temperature, the temperature of the rest of her body was abnormal. Ji Meiqing hadn't noticed anything wrong when she was pushed into the clothes.
She understood, and asked with a serious expression, "Are you feeling very unwell?"
"Hmm..." His gaze was intense, and Ji Meiqing could actually sense the change in him without even asking.
Ji Meiqing was trying her best to look very serious, but she was panicking inside. It wasn't the first time, but it was early in the morning.
"Is it alright?" He was still respectful enough to ask, after all. But the die was cast, so asking or not asking made little difference. He had calculated that Ji Meiqing wouldn't refuse, but he still waited for her to nod before taking any action.
It was already afternoon when the two of them finally got up. Ji Meiqing lay on the bed, unwilling to move even a single toe.
Lu Yu, who was full, was kicked off the table to prepare for his meal. Ji Meiqing watched him get dressed and then watched him walk over. He stroked her face and let her rest her head on his lap. He said gently, "There might be robbers coming to retaliate in the next few days. We should still pick them up when they return tomorrow."
"Mmm." Her eyes were closed, the flush on her cheeks still lingering, making her look exceptionally alluring. Lu Yu couldn't resist kissing her brows and eyes.
She let out a soft moan, climbed off his lap, found a comfortable spot on the bed, and fell asleep. Lu Yu chuckled twice, covered her with the blanket, and then slowly left.
She opened her eyes only after the room was empty. Although her body was extremely tired, she was not sleepy at all.
She tossed and turned, but finally got up dressed. Her legs couldn't take it; as she got out of bed, she felt waves of swelling. She gasped and took a few steps before she felt comfortable.
However, it was just past noon, and the sky looked like it was about to get dark. Ji Meiqing leaned against the door frame and looked at the sky.
Black smoke was rising from the kitchen not far away. She slowly walked over and stood at the doorway. She could see his tall figure standing in front of the stove, wielding a spatula. It was a truly pleasing sight to behold.
Lu Yu noticed her too, but instead of going over, he just smiled and said, "We'll be able to eat soon."
"Hmm." She tilted her head to look at Lu Yu, leaning her whole body against the door frame to make herself more comfortable.
Lu Yu continued working, while Ji Meiqing watched. A moment later, someone knocked on the door, and Ji Meiqing slowly went to open it.
"The Li family?" She was somewhat surprised, but still made way for her.
Li smiled somewhat awkwardly, "I came over this morning, but I didn't come in because you had something to do."
Ji Meiqing blushed and stammered, unable to say anything.
Li added, "I prepared some dishes and brought them over, thinking that you wouldn't have had time to prepare since you've been staying here. So I brought them to you."
"Oh, thank you." She kept her head down, glancing at her food box every now and then.
"You two seem to be a loving couple."
When Li said this, her eyes were full of envy. Ji Meiqing glanced at her and said calmly, "Why don't you remarry?"
"Remarry?" Madam Li looked at her, somewhat surprised that she would say such a thing.