How could Jing Li not know what dual cultivation meant? He opened his mouth and met Ayi's gaze. Both of them felt a little embarrassed.
Ayi is shy by nature, and he... thought of something embarrassing.
"Let's change it," Ah Yi put the book back as if it was too hot, looking a little flustered, "Look for it again, there should be another one."
But they didn't find it.
Most of the supernatural books that can be found in bookstores were written by scholars, and they all depict the love between monsters and mortals. It is difficult to find stories written from the perspective of monsters.
That book "Monster Records"... seems to be the only one that meets Jing Li's requirements.
Jing Li hesitated for a long time, but finally bought the book.
There is more than one way to practice, maybe you can find something else from it.
"Keep it a secret for me and don't tell Qin Zhao about this." Jing Li said to Ayi, looking unusually serious.
Ayi blushed and nodded.
The two drove the ox cart back to Linxi Village. When they opened the gate, they saw Qin Zhao sitting on a bamboo chair in the yard reading.
Hearing the door open, Qin Zhao put down his book and looked over: "You're back, are you tired?"
"No, not tired." Jing Li grinned at him, holding a small basket of vegetables in his hand.
The vegetables sold in the town are rarely sold out. There are always some left that are damaged during transportation. As long as they do not affect the edibleness, Jingli will take them back and share half with Ayi and take them home.
Jing Li walked into the yard and subconsciously hid the basket full of vegetables behind him as he walked.
Qin Zhao raised his eyebrows slightly.
His little fish will never hide his inner feelings.
What bad thing had she done behind his back
Qin Zhao remained calm and lowered his eyes.
Jing Li walked quickly across the stone bridge in the courtyard. When he was passing by Qin Zhao, he heard the latter say leisurely: "It seems that there are a lot of vegetables left today. What are they? Let me see?"
Jing Li: “!!!”
Jing Li took a half step back, holding the basket behind him: "No, nothing, these are not leftovers, I just picked them from the vegetable garden."
Qin Zhao stretched out his hand to him and said gently, "Then let me see, what do you want to eat today?"
Jing Li didn't move.
He stared at Qin Zhao for a moment. The latter's eyes were gentle, but he couldn't disobey. Jing Li had no choice but to give in. He pursed his lips and reluctantly handed over the basket under the other's gaze.
Qin Zhao took in all of Jing Li's reactions. He suppressed the smile in his eyes and reached out to fiddle with the vegetable basket casually.
Jing Li was so nervous that his breathing almost stopped.
"Eat radishes again?" Qin Zhao seemed not to notice Jing Li's reaction and said slowly, "There are still a lot of radishes left over from the last two days. They are all piled up in the kitchen. Have you forgotten?"
"Ah?" Jing Li was a little dazed and whispered, "I, I don't know..."
Jing Li's cooking skills were really poor. After Qin Zhao tried once, he never allowed him to enter the kitchen easily again, so he had no idea what dishes were left at home.
Qin Zhao said, "It's okay. I heard that the village head's wife is very good at pickling vegetables. I'll go to her tomorrow to learn how to make some pickled radishes."
Jing Li was absent-minded: "Okay..."
Qin Zhao smiled softly, stopped teasing him, and threw the radish back into the basket: "Go change your clothes and rest for a while before lunch."
Jing Li felt as if he had been pardoned and quickly turned around and ran away.
He first put the vegetable basket in the back kitchen, then pulled out the thin book "Monster Records" from the bottom of the basket, hid it in his arms, and quickly returned to the house.
Jing Li walked around the room several times, and finally stuffed the book into the middle of the bed and hid it carefully.
In the yard, Qin Zhao withdrew his gaze with a smile and picked up the book again.
The next day, Xue Ren officially started making medicine.
Not only were the herbs in his prescription hard to come by, but even the process of making the antidote was extremely complicated. From boiling the herbs to making them into pills, the entire process lasted three days.
Qin Zhao and Ayi understand medical knowledge and can help a little, so Jing Li can only help out and do odd jobs.
The courtyard was filled with a strong aroma of herbs. Jing Li pushed open the door and saw Qin Zhao sitting in the courtyard with a unhappy look on his face.
He walked over quickly: "Qin Zhao, are you feeling unwell?"
The medicine pot in front of Qin Zhao was simmering medicine over a low fire. He looked pale and shook his head.
"Are you having a fever again?"
Jing Li raised his hand to test the temperature of his forehead, but was stopped by Qin Zhao: "It's okay, I just-"
His palm was extremely hot, causing Jing Li to shiver.
"He's starting to have a fever?" Xue Ren poked his head out from the back kitchen. "He hasn't taken any medicine since last night, so it's normal for him to have a fever. Xiao Yu'er, take him back to the room and lie down for a while. The new medicine will cure him in the afternoon."
Ayi came out from the kitchen and took the palm-leaf fan: "I'll take care of the medicine. Jingli, you take Master Qin back to the house."
Jing Li nodded: "Okay."
Jing Li helped Qin Zhao back to the house.
Qin Zhao's body was terribly hot, and soon a layer of sweat appeared on his forehead. Jing Li closed the doors and windows, took off his outer robe for him, wrung out the towel and wiped him.
"Don't worry." Qin Zhao's voice was low and hoarse, and he said soothingly, "Mr. Xue said that if he wants to take the new medicine, he must wait until the effect of the previous medicine has completely dissipated, which is why he has a fever."
"I... I know, don't talk anymore." Jing Li whispered.
Qin Zhao soon lost the energy to speak. After the original effect of the medicine wore off, his whole body became hotter and hotter, and it seemed that even lying in bed was unbearable.
A low moan escaped from between his tightly closed lips and his trembling hands unconsciously tugged at his clothes.
"Qin Zhao!" Jing Li quickly held down his hands to prevent him from hurting himself.
He had seen Qin Zhao like this.
On the night when he first completely turned into a human, Qin Zhao almost had an attack of the Shen Huan Powder in his body because he did not take his medicine.
If that's the case...
Jing Li turned around and looked outside.
The door of the main house was closed. There was a wooden screen blocking the way from the main house to the bedroom, and curtains hung high on the walls on both sides. He walked over and pulled the curtains on both sides tight, completely blocking the view inside the bedroom.
Then, Jing Li took off his outer robe, untied the belt of his inner garment, climbed onto the bed, and snuggled into Qin Zhao's arms.
Feeling something cold approaching, Qin Zhao wrapped his arms around him and hugged him tightly.
Jing Li shuddered slightly, closed his eyes, and raised his head to kiss the corner of Qin Zhao's lips. The soft touch seemed to awaken Qin Zhao's consciousness a little. He turned over and pressed Jing Li under him, kissing him even harder.
This kiss felt even hotter than before. Jing Li trembled all over, and some bright red scales gradually appeared on his exposed skin.
The crystal clear fish scales seem transparent, revealing a hint of coolness.
Qin Zhao gradually calmed down and let go of Jing Li.
Jing Li leaned his head on Qin Zhao's shoulder, enduring the tingling discomfort, and whispered: "It's okay... It will be okay soon..."
The room returned to silence. Jing Li felt that Qin Zhao's breathing had become steady. He finally felt relieved and fell asleep in that warm embrace without realizing it.
When he woke up, Qin Zhao was no longer in bed.
Jing Li felt nothing and turned over to sit up, only to see Qin Zhao standing aside with his back to him, washing his face with water.
"Are you awake?" Qin Zhao turned around and wiped his face with the handkerchief hanging next to him.
Jing Li asked anxiously: "Why did you get up? Let me do what you want to do, come here and lie down-"
"No need." Qin Zhao looked away and said softly, "I don't have a fever anymore."
Jing Li blinked, then pulled his loose collar tighter. The scales on his body had already faded, and his thin undershirt barely covered him, unable to hide anything.
Jing Li's ears felt a little hot, and he stammered, "Don't get me wrong, I didn't mean to take advantage of you, I was just afraid that you had a high fever, so I wanted to help you cool down!"
“…” Who is taking advantage of whom
Qin Zhao coughed lightly and changed the subject: "Last time, you did the same thing?"
"Last time?" Jing Li remembered that Qin Zhao was talking about the time when he rescued him from the woods, and nodded, "Yes, yes..."
"Don't do this again next time." Qin Zhao hung the handkerchief back and closed his eyes. He felt it was too horrible to watch.
God knows how he felt when he woke up and found the little guy lying in his arms without clothes.
It almost caused the anger that had been suppressed with great difficulty to come back again.
Jing Li was also a little embarrassed and whispered, "Then why don't you just not get sick in the future?"
Qin Zhao smiled helplessly and was about to say something when there was a knock on the door: "Xiao Yu'er, the medicine is ready, hurry up and get your husband to drink it."
Jing Li responded: "Coming soon!"
He was hurriedly putting on his clothes, and Qin Zhao walked over to open the door.
Xue Ren was standing at the door holding a bowl of medicine. When he saw Qin Zhao coming to open the door, he was stunned for a moment.
Qin Zhao took the medicine and said, "Please help me, sir."
When he led Xue Ren into the house, Jing Li got off the bed with a red face and a little swelling at the corners of her lips.
Xue Ren looked at the messy bed, then at Qin Zhao, who was obviously much more energetic than at noon, as if he understood something: "..."
Qin Zhao said: "Sir, please take a seat."
"Ah, okay..." Xue Ren suddenly came back to his senses, looked at him with a complicated expression, and said, "This medicine should be taken while it is hot. After you drink it, I will check your pulse."
Qin Zhao: "Okay."
The two sat down at the table. Qin Zhao quickly finished the medicine. Jing Li stuffed two candied fruits into his mouth and rushed to help him carry the medicine bowl back to the kitchen.
Qin Zhao tilted his head to look at the boy's departing back and couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips.
Xue Ren: “…”
Toothache.
Xue Ren cleared his throat and said, "Stretch out your hand."
He felt Qin Zhao's pulse for a while, frowned slightly, then relaxed his brows, and did not speak for a long time.
Qin Zhao asked: "Sir, did you see anything?"
"Your pulse is now much calmer. The toxicity has been controlled." Xue Ren said leisurely, stroking his beard.
Qin Zhao understood.
Just like last time, he did not take medicine that night when Jing Li rescued him from the mountains. However, his condition did not worsen but improved instead.
Perhaps there really is something in that little fish that has the effect of inhibiting the effects of the medicine.
Qin Zhao thought for a moment and asked, "Sir, do you know why the pulse has calmed down?"
"Of course I know!" Xue Ren was inexplicably annoyed, "How can you not see this?"
Qin Zhao: “?”
Xue Ren looked at him with a look of disappointment, and then said earnestly: "But I have to advise you that this method is only a temporary solution, not a permanent one. Besides, your body is badly injured now, so don't do this in the future."
Qin Zhao frowned, not understanding what Xue Ren meant.
He asked, "What do you mean, sir?"
Xue Ren was a little embarrassed, and said in a rough voice: "Chen Huan Powder is a medicine that makes people energetic and blood-boosting. You are young, so it is understandable that you can't control yourself at times. But you have been taking the withdrawal decoction for so long, your body is not as strong as before, and your essence cannot be lost. Remember to restrain yourself a little in some things, and don't do things that you shouldn't do!"
Qin Zhao: “…”
Jing Li who just walked in: "???"