Jing Li sent Mr. Xue and Ayi back to the cabin to pack their luggage.
They didn't have much luggage. Apart from a few changes of clothes and medical books, most of it was herbs dug from the nearby mountains.
—and a big bag of Astragalus.
I don't know if it was because Jing Li's desire for Astragalus membranaceus was too strong those days, but this originally rare herb grew wildly in his yard. After one crop was cut, another crop came back. Even a knowledgeable doctor like Xue Ren was amazed.
Qin Zhao knew that Mr. Xue wanted to use this herb to make medicine, so he generously gave him a dozen of them as payment for the consultation.
The carriage was waiting at the entrance of the village early. Jing Li helped Ayi load the luggage onto the carriage and couldn't help looking back.
"Jingli, what are you looking at?" Ayi asked.
"No, it's okay..."
I don't know where Chen Yan'an is. Today is a day off. Isn't he in the village? It's a pity that Jing Li went to his house to find him last night and told him that Ayi was leaving today.
Jing Li withdrew his gaze and thought puzzledly.
After all the luggage was loaded onto the carriage, Ayi said goodbye to Jingli: "I'm sorry to have troubled you these days. When you come to the county town another day, remember to come and play with me and Grandpa Xue."
Jing Li said: "Yes, I will!"
"Also... please help me thank Master Chen for letting Grandpa Xue and I live in his house."
"I know." Jing Li was a little unhappy when he heard Ayi say that, "He didn't even come to see you off, and you're still thinking about him..."
The fat guy deserves to be single.
"He... maybe he's mad at me." Ayi hesitated, "He came to see me last night, but..."
Jing Li blinked: "What did he say to you?"
Ayi said: "He said he wanted to go to the county town with me and help me look after the shop."
Jing Li: “…”
It's something the fat boy can do.
It is said that he is looking after the shop, but in fact it is more like looking after this person.
Jing Li was somewhat helpless and asked again: "Then how did you answer?"
"I asked him if he knew pharmacology, if he could identify medicinal materials, and if he knew how to purchase and sell them." Ayi paused and whispered, "He doesn't know anything..."
Jing Li: “…”
"I told him that my pharmacy is too small and I don't know enough about pharmacology to hire an apprentice yet. Even if I hire an assistant, I have to hire someone who knows the business. He... he hasn't met this requirement yet."
"After I said all this to him, he ran away. I couldn't catch up with him." Ah Yi said this with some worry, "Did I say something too harsh?"
Jing Li: “… … …”
After hearing this, Jing Li's anger suddenly subsided, and he even felt a little distressed.
Poor little fat boy, he is so sad that he has to hide somewhere. What's worse is that the other party still doesn't know why he is sad.
It's so miserable.
Jing Li didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Ayi was still asking, "Should I apologize to him in person? But he doesn't meet my criteria for hiring a clerk. What should I do?"
"It's okay." Jing Li comforted, "I'll explain it for you, he won't misunderstand you, don't worry."
Ayi: “Yes—”
"How long do you two want to say goodbye to each other?" Xue Ren leaned out of the carriage window and said with a smile, "If you don't leave now, you won't be able to reach the county before curfew."
"Coming soon!" Ah Yi responded, and before getting in the car, he told Jing Li, "You must remember to help me explain to Master Chen. I really didn't mean to offend him last night."
Jing Li agreed.
After watching the carriage leave Linxi Village, Jing Li turned around and walked back. Just as he entered the village, he saw a familiar figure running in the opposite direction not far away.
He shouted loudly: "Chen Yan'an, stop right there!"
The plump figure stopped, turned his head as if nothing had happened, and forced a smile: "It's sister-in-law, what's the matter?"
Jing Li walked up to him and asked, "Why are you here?"
"Me? I'm just passing by... passing by..."
Jing Li was silent for a moment, then curled his lips: "So you were just passing by. Since you don't care about Ayi, I'm afraid you don't want to know what he left for you. Well, I'll leave first."
"Wait." Chen Yan'an stopped him, his eyes shining, "He left a message for me? What did he say?"
Jing Li raised his eyebrows slightly and told him what Ayi had just said.
Chen Yanan's eyes, which had just brightened, dimmed again, and he said dejectedly, "I know."
Jing Li had a protective feeling towards Ayi, and instinctively didn't want anyone to take advantage of his Ayi. But seeing the fat boy like this, he couldn't help but feel a little sympathy.
Jing Li said: "Ayi has a simple personality. Of course he won't understand your hints. Why don't you be more direct?"
"I'm afraid of scaring him..." Chen Yan'an whispered, "Ayi said that many people in the county town went to his shop, all wanting to get close to him and plot against him. He has encountered too many such things, and I don't want him to think that I am that kind of person."
Jing Li pointed it out: "But you just want to do something bad to him."
Chen Yanan: “…”
"That's different!" The little fat man blushed and said, "I want to pursue him well and marry him!"
Jing Li chuckled: "You've only known him for less than half a month, how come you've already said you'll marry him? Isn't that too hasty?"
"Ah?" Chen Yan'an didn't quite understand. "It's been more than half a month. Are you still in a hurry? Many couples in the village have only met once or twice before getting married, and some have never met. How long have you been with Qin Zhao?"
Jing Li was stunned: "I..."
Jing Li had never thought about this question.
He worked as a fisherman in Qin Zhao's house for more than a month, and pretended to be a husband for several months, and then... they got together in a daze.
Qin Zhao had never even confessed to him seriously.
So how long did it take him to fall in love with Qin Zhao
Jing Li couldn't think of it for a moment, and Chen Yan'an just asked casually, not taking the question to heart: "I can't talk to you anymore, I have to hurry home to study."
Jing Li: "Reading?"
"Yes, I thought it through last night. Ayi is so capable, I can't always be a fool." Chen Yanan said seriously, "I have to study hard from now on, pass the exam to become a scholar, and learn medical skills. I will definitely be able to become an assistant in his pharmacy!"
Jing Li: “…”
The previous ambitions are fine, but what about the last sentence? Working so hard to pass the exam to become a scholar, just to work as a clerk in a pharmacy
Jing Li was silent for a moment. Before he could say anything, Chen Yan'an bowed to him politely, turned around and ran away.
Jing Li looked at his back from afar and sighed.
If he does this... Will Yi really like it
Jing Li returned home alone, pushed open the gate, and found the bamboo courtyard quiet and peaceful.
He walked into the main room with light footsteps, and indeed saw Qin Zhao lying on the bed, sleeping soundly.
Because of the medication, Qin Zhao has been particularly sleepy these days, but he always feels well restored after waking up, so it's not a bad thing.
Jing Li knelt beside the bed, resting his head on his arms, and tilted his head to look at the other person's sleeping face.
During these two days, Jing Li constantly reminded himself not to get too close to Qin Zhao, so he had no chance to observe this person so closely.
Qin Zhao looked completely different from Jing Li when he fell asleep. He slept very well, lying quietly on the bed, with only his chest rising and falling steadily with his breathing. From Jing Li's angle, he could just see his long, curled eyelashes and his handsome eyebrows that were slightly furrowed.
Jing Li still didn't understand when he fell in love with Qin Zhao.
He also couldn't think of anything that was not worthy of his love for this person.
Not only is she good-looking, but she can also cook and understand medicine. She has a calm but not dull personality, and is courteous and polite to others. There is nothing about her that does not fascinate Jing Li.
Jing Li shifted his gaze to the other person's hand hanging by the bed.
What he liked most was Qin Zhao's hand.
Those hands were slender and powerful, with distinct joints, but the fingertips were sickly pale, as if a mixture of strength and fragility, indescribably attractive.
Jing Li reached out and held her hand, interlocking their fingers. The other person's hand was a circle bigger than his, and it was easy to wrap his hand completely in the palm of his hand.
Half a month is actually not that long.
Jing Li gently stroked the small callus on the other person's knuckles, thinking in his heart.
If he had met Qin Zhao as a human, it would only take a few days for him to fall in love with him. No, it probably wouldn't even take a few days.
After all, this person is so good, so good that you will be attracted to him from the first sight, and from then on you will never be able to look at anyone else.
Jing Li put his face on the warm back of the other person's hand and whispered: "I like you so much..."
If only he were a normal person.
That way he wouldn't have any worries, he wouldn't need to worry about his cultivation and spiritual power, and he wouldn't have to be afraid of getting too close to this person.
Thinking of this, Jing Li suddenly felt a little depressed.
He had been a human for most of the day, so it was time for him to go back to the water for a while. This way, when Qin Zhao woke up, he would have more time to accompany him in human form.
Jing Li lowered his eyes and reluctantly let go of his hand, but was held back by someone else.
He was startled, then looked up and met those handsome eyes.
"Are you taking advantage of me again?" Qin Zhao asked, his voice a little hoarse as if he had just woken up.
Jing Li argued softly: "I... I didn't..."
Qin Zhao raised their clasped hands and asked, "What is this?"
Jing Li: “…”
He stood up and wanted to run, but the other person was faster than him.
Qin Zhao hugged his waist tightly, pulled him onto the bed, turned over and held him down firmly.
"Are you hiding from me again?" Qin Zhao held his hands. There was no anger in his eyes, but a smile instead. "Before, Mr. Xue and Ayi were at home, so it was inconvenient for me to ask. What's going on with you these days? Why are you hiding from me?"
Jing Li said stubbornly: "I'm not hiding from you..."
Qin Zhao raised his eyebrows slightly and lowered his head to kiss him.
Jing Li quickly turned his head away.
Qin Zhao's lips brushed against Jing Li's cheek. He raised his head slightly and asked, "Isn't this called hiding? Why don't you let me touch you?"
Jing Li pursed his lips tightly, as if he was afraid that Qin Zhao would kiss him secretly again, and even the words came out from between his teeth: "Just, just no."
Qin Zhao lowered his eyes and looked at him for a moment, then sighed, "Is it because of the book Monster Chronicles?"
Jing Li turned his head suddenly, almost touching Qin Zhao's lips, and then looked away in panic: "How did you know?"
Qin Zhao chuckled: "You have been secretly putting that book between the Analects these days, pretending to learn to read. Sometimes you fall asleep while reading, and you just use the book as a pillow to fall asleep. I think it's hard for you not to know..."
Jing Li felt a little embarrassed and complained: "It's all because the book was too obscure..."
It makes me sleepy just looking at it.
Qin Zhao said: "Don't change the subject, tell me, what's going on?"
Things had come to this point, Jing Li could no longer hide the truth and had to tell Qin Zhao everything.
Qin Zhao played with Jing Li's hair that hung on the bed, listened attentively, and occasionally asked about some details in the book. Jing Li didn't know many words, so when he read the book, he just guessed and answered haltingly.
After finishing speaking, Jing Li added seriously: "The book is written very realistically, maybe it was written by a monster. I'd rather believe it."
Qin Zhao nodded, his voice unmistakable: "... so you believed it."
"… and he refused to approach me for two days because of this."
“… and caused Mr. Xue to misunderstand.”
Jing Li looked at him for a moment and admitted his mistake: "I'm sorry."
"But I'm still worried." Jing Li whispered, "What if what's written in the book is true? What if I really turn back into a fish and can't change back?"
Qin Zhao hesitated for a moment and said, "There is a way."
Jing Li: “What?”
Curiosity made him relax his guard, and as soon as Jing Li turned around, Qin Zhao lowered his head and kissed him.
His hands were pressed at his sides, and his whole body went limp after Qin Zhao's kiss. He couldn't exert any strength at all and could only let the other party suck away his energy at will.
After a while, Qin Zhao let him go.
"You... why are you taking advantage of me again?" Jing Li asked with his lips slightly red.
"This is the solution." Seeing that Jing Li didn't understand, Qin Zhao explained seriously, "You believe that if your spiritual power is exhausted, you will lose the ability to turn into a human, and you also believe that getting close to me will absorb my essence. Then come and try it and see if I can be affected by you."
Jing Li frowned: "How can this be possible? What if something goes wrong—"
"If something goes wrong, it will prove that I was wrong. I shouldn't have disbelieved in the book." Qin Zhao said calmly, "Time will tell us the answer."
"It seems... that's right?" Jing Li was completely confused by him. He vaguely felt that something was wrong, but couldn't put his finger on it. "So I don't have to hide from you?"
Qin Zhao smiled slightly: "Of course not."
Jing Li nodded: "I understand."
But Qin Zhao still didn't let him go.
Jing Li blinked in confusion and looked up at the other person.
"Now that we've talked about this, let's talk about something else." Qin Zhao lifted a strand of hair from Jing Li's ear and whispered, "Can you tell Ayi and Mr. Xue that we're sleeping in separate beds?"
Jing Li instinctively sensed the danger approaching and shrank back: "I... I was just saying it casually."
When they were chatting while boiling medicine yesterday, Jing Li said that he hoped Qin Zhao's illness would get better soon so that they wouldn't have to sleep separately at night anymore.
His original intention was that if Qin Zhao was in better health, he wouldn't have to worry about sucking away his energy and making his condition worse.
But... Ayi and Mr. Xue seemed to have misunderstood something.
Qin Zhao lowered his body slightly and said in a gentle voice: "You have been hiding from me for two days, which has affected your husband's reputation. Xiaoyu, do you know what punishment your husband usually receives when he makes such a mistake?"
Jing Li: “…”
He didn't answer, but his ears suddenly turned red and he turned his head away: "You, you let me go first."
The other person was too close, so close... that he was almost touching me.
Jing Li bit his lips, wishing he could dig a hole and bury himself in it.
Qin Zhao obviously also felt some changes. He was slightly stunned, and then laughed: "It seems that you have answered me."
He stood up, shifted his weight to one arm, and quietly moved his other hand down, saying in a brisk tone, "In fact, I have been curious about one thing for a long time. As long as someone does something that offends you, they will suffer bad luck. If the person who offends you is me, will I also be punished?"
Jing Li didn't understand why he suddenly said this and shook his head: "Of course not, how could I-"
His voice stopped abruptly and his eyes suddenly opened wide.
Qin Zhao lowered his head and kissed Jing Li's eyes tenderly: "Words are not enough, we will know once we try."