Chapter Forty-Two: Both Tender and Amused

The insides of her thighs and the base of her hips—those places rubbed raw by horseback riding—were aching… Compared to that, the soreness in her arms, shoulders, and fingers from drawing the bow was nothing; Wei Ruo was used to gathering herbs and working the fields, so her upper body was well-trained. But the insides of her thighs—there was simply no way to exercise that part with any other activity.

At this moment, Wei Ruo regretted her carelessness last night. She really shouldn’t have been so sloppy! If only she’d prepared her own herbal bath, today’s soreness would be at least half relieved! She wouldn’t be in such a sorry state now!

“Miss… maybe you shouldn’t get out of bed today?” Xiumei, watching Wei Ruo support herself against the wall as she walked, was both worried and amused.

“Meimei, are you secretly laughing at me? Are you? Is there no love for me anymore?”

“No, no, Miss, I’m really not laughing! I’m definitely more concerned for you than I am amused!”

“You slipped up—you just admitted you were laughing at me!”

“Miss, I didn’t mean to laugh, but it’s the first time I’ve seen you walk like this. I couldn’t help it. But trust me, I’m absolutely not mocking you! I just think you look adorable walking this way!”

“Hmph, naughty Meimei!” Wei Ruo muttered. “Go ahead and laugh, I’ll let you. But I can’t let anyone else in this household see me like this, especially that brat.”

Wei Ruo could already imagine how Wei Yilin would mock her if he saw her in this state.

She didn’t mind being laughed at by her own people, but she couldn’t let those who were waiting to see her downfall have their fun.

After thinking it over, Wei Ruo said to Xiumei, “I won’t be eating in the dining hall at noon or tonight. Please go tell Mother that I was injured riding yesterday and it’s inconvenient for me to move.”

Whether Lady Yun believed it or not didn’t matter; she simply wasn’t going to walk to the dining hall.

“Where will Miss eat then? Should we go next door to Second Young Master’s kitchen and cook something ourselves? Madam Xu sent some dried mushrooms you haven’t tried yet, and the sweet potato leaves you brought back last time are still fresh,” Xiumei suggested.

Hearing this, Wei Ruo’s appetite stirred. She wasn’t particularly picky, but the food from the Wei family’s main kitchen was bland compared to what she and Xiumei usually ate.

It wasn’t that the kitchen maids lacked skill; the seasonings they used were just very different.

“We’ll go next door!” Wei Ruo decided. Even if she had to limp, she would get a meal in the neighboring courtyard!

So Xiumei first went to Cangyun Court to report Wei Ruo’s situation to Lady Yun.

Coincidentally, just last night Wei Minting had mentioned that Wei Ruo’s first time riding and archery had kept her busy for half the day, and she’d likely be sore the next day. He told Lady Yun to pay special attention.

Lady Yun not only agreed to let Wei Ruo skip the dining hall, but also instructed the main kitchen to prepare a separate meal to be sent to Tingsong Court for her.

When Xiumei returned to Tingsong Court, she helped Wei Ruo out the door. Before leaving, Wei Ruo had Xiumei take a look around to make sure no one was passing by.

Then, enduring the pain, she hopped and hobbled to the entrance of Yingzhu Court.

Xiaobei had barely opened the door when Xiumei and Wei Ruo slipped inside, leaving him no time to ask a question.

“Miss, what happened to you?” Xiaobei asked.

“I’m crippled,” Wei Ruo replied.

She looked toward the octagonal pavilion in the courtyard. As expected, Wei Jinyi, now recovered from his illness, was sitting there again.

Unless the wind was particularly fierce, he always sat in the pavilion reading or writing.

At that moment, Wei Jinyi was watching Wei Ruo.

He saw her hop toward him in a strange yet endearing manner.

When she reached him, Wei Jinyi asked, “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

His slightly furrowed brow and somber gaze revealed a hint of concern.

“Not hurt, just rode a horse yesterday,” Wei Ruo answered, sighing mournfully. After a pause, she added, “For the first time.”

Upon hearing this, Wei Jinyi seemed to understand. Seeing Wei Ruo’s indignant expression, his usually serious face softened into a slight smile.

Perhaps because he rarely smiled in front of others, Wei Jinyi covered half his face with his hand.

“Wei Jinyi, no matter what, I’m your lifesaver, your sister who’s gone through thick and thin with you. How can you laugh at me at a time like this?” Wei Ruo complained, so upset she called him by his full name.

“I’m not mocking you,” Wei Jinyi replied.

He wasn’t mocking her; his lips had simply curled into a smile.

He truly had no intention of making fun of her; he just couldn’t help but smile at her aggrieved little face.

Perhaps it had been too long since he’d met someone like her.

Wei Ruo looked at Wei Jinyi, whose smile lingered at his lips, and couldn’t help but think how handsome he was when he smiled! Indeed, good-looking people become even more attractive when they smile!

This was the first time Wei Ruo had ever seen Wei Jinyi smile.

Still, why was his first smile prompted by her miserable state?

Wei Ruo sighed helplessly. “If you want to laugh, just laugh. As long as you lend me your kitchen, that’s all I ask. Meimei is going to make something delicious for me.”

“Alright,” Wei Jinyi replied.

He still spoke little, but it was clear he wasn’t as resistant as before.

Wei Jinyi instructed Xiaobei, “Go help them.”

“Yes!” Xiaobei responded eagerly, following Xiumei into the kitchen.

Xiumei stir-fried a plate of sweet potato leaves, another of mushrooms, and used an old hen from the kitchen, together with astragalus and goji berries from Wei Ruo’s herbal stock, to make a nourishing chicken soup.

The old hen had been specially allocated to Wei Jinyi for his recovery.

Xiumei asked Xiaobei, who consulted Wei Jinyi, and once permission was granted, she began to cook.

She didn’t waste the chicken offal and blood either; she ran back to Tingsong Court for spices. The hotpot seasoning was gone, but they still had enough spices to stir-fry the offal and blood just right.

While Xiumei and Xiaobei busied themselves in the kitchen, Wei Ruo sat in the pavilion watching Wei Jinyi write.

Normally, she wouldn’t have had the leisure, but today, once she sat down, she had no intention of moving.

She had often seen Wei Jinyi sit in the pavilion reading and writing, but never had she seen his work up close.

Whether it was coincidence or her own lack of attention, she’d only ever glimpsed the books he was reading, never his calligraphy or painting.

“Your handwriting is beautiful!” Wei Ruo exclaimed.

Though she knew little of calligraphy—her brushwork was barely legible, honed out of necessity for shopkeeping—she could recognize artistry when she saw it.

Wei Jinyi’s writing was just like himself: vigorous and graceful, delicate yet strong, altogether exquisite.

Wei Jinyi didn’t respond—not out of indifference, but simply unsure how to reply.

“You’ve read so many books and write so well—why don’t you try for official rank like Eldest Brother?” Wei Ruo asked curiously.