Chapter 2811 The Substitute Was Forcibly Taken by the Bandit's Wife 16
In the following days, everyone in Black Mountain Village learned that their leader, Gu Fanghe, was injured and needed to rest.
Meanwhile, the young master Jin, who was cherished by the chief, was put in charge of supervision and kept Gu Fanghe in the warm pavilion closest to his courtyard, which was also the quietest place in the village, to recuperate.
This warm pavilion was originally used to store charcoal in winter, but now that spring is warm and it's empty, Jin Chen directed A Yan and the quick-witted bandit to clean it up, move in a reclining chair, and place two pots of wild azaleas that were moved from the back mountain and were in full bloom in the corner, adding a touch of freshness.
Gu Fanghe neither confirmed nor denied this, and even seemed to enjoy it.
He had spent half his life in turmoil, from the blood-soaked borderlands to the bandit strongholds where blood was spilled, but he had never experienced being so meticulously cared for and managed.
Jin Chen's way of disciplining people is truly unique.
At dawn, the first rays of sunlight began to break through the darkness.
The door to the warm pavilion was gently pushed open, and Jin Chen walked in carrying a tea set. Inside, a ceramic teapot sat on the stove, the water just about to boil.
Gu Fanghe had already woken up and was sitting on the headboard, reading a military book by the light coming in through the window.
His right arm was in a sling, and he was only wearing his undergarments. His collar was slightly open, which made him look less like a bandit. When he heard the noise, his gaze softened unconsciously when it fell on Jin Chen.
"woke up?"
Jin Chen placed the tea set on the small table, warmed the cups, and took out the tea. "How are you feeling today? Is your wound still very painful?"
"It's acceptable." Gu Fanghe closed the book, his gaze following Jin Chen's movements.
Jin Chen's hands are fair and slender; when she holds the teapot to pour water, there is a pleasing and elegant touch to them.
As he looked at it, he suddenly said, "Your tea-making skills are not like those of a pampered young master from an ordinary wealthy family."
Jin Chen paused slightly, raised her eyelashes, and smiled, "Oh? What does that resemble?"
“Like…” Gu Fanghe hesitated, unable to find the right word for a moment.
He doesn't seem like a pretentious scholar, nor like a tea connoisseur; rather, he seems to have been deliberately cultivated.
Jin Chen picked up a cup and handed it to Gu Fanghe, "Try it, it's barely drinkable."
Gu Fanghe took a sip from Jin Chen's hand.
He wasn't an expert in tea ceremony; drinking large bowls of alcohol was his usual way of life, but in any case, it was Jin Chen who brewed the tea.
"What you cook is bound to be delicious."
Jin Chen poured another cup, held it to warm his hands, and began to make arrangements in a casual tone, "It's good to eat light breakfast. I've already asked the kitchen to prepare chicken porridge and a few side dishes, which will be delivered in a while. You should drink it and not be picky."
Gu Fanghe raised an eyebrow. "When have I ever been picky about food?"
"How many bites did you take of that stir-fried bamboo shoots from yesterday?" Jin Chen asked, glancing at him.
“…Those bamboo shoots were a bit old,” Gu Fanghe tried to explain.
What's so great about eating grass all day? He just doesn't like vegetarian food.
“The injured person has a weak spleen and stomach, so they should eat light and easily digestible food.”
Jin Chen smiled and said, "If this happens again today, I will personally feed you the whole plate of bamboo shoots."
Gu Fanghe: "..."
He imagined the scene and, for some reason, found it quite nice.
"Understood, young master."
Jin Chen was satisfied and then said, "At the end of Chen Shi (7-9 AM), Yan Qi will come to discuss matters in the stronghold with you. I have instructed him to only speak for half an hour and not to trouble himself."
Gu Fanghe was truly helpless this time.
"Many matters concerning the village..."
"After being away from you for a few days, Black Mountain Stronghold has stopped functioning?" Jin Chen interrupted him, her tone light and airy. "Are the Second Boss, Third Boss, and Fifth Boss just for show? You can rest assured and recover; the sky won't fall."
"If you have to do everything yourself, what's the point of having them?"
This makes sense and points out the crux of the problem that Gu Fanghe had never thought deeply about before.
He remained silent for a moment, then finally conceded, "...As you wish."
Jin Chen smiled and held the warmed tea to his lips, "Good boy."
Gu Fanghe felt a slight warmth in his ears and drank the tea from his hand. He found that the tea, which was usually a little bland, had a unique sweet aftertaste.
[The villain's heart rate is detected +5, totaling 45! 】
-
afternoon.
The warm sunlight streamed in through the open window.
Jin Chen had the cushioned recliner moved to the window and a low table added to it.
Gu Fanghe lay down, while he moved an embroidered stool and sat down beside him, holding a local gazetteer of Nanzhou. He flipped through it idly, occasionally reading it to Gu Fanghe and discussing it with him.
I'm basking in the sun when I have nothing to do.
Gu Fanghe was initially very uncomfortable lying around doing nothing, and felt uneasy all over.
But looking at Jin Chen's profile as he lowered his eyes to read, listening to his clear voice, and smelling the light fragrance of sandalwood, the restlessness dissipated without him realizing it, giving rise to a sense of leisurely enjoyment.
“…West of Nanzhou City there is an ancient temple, and in the temple there is an old plum tree, said to be a remnant of the previous dynasty. When it blooms, its fragrance can be smelled for ten miles, and its color is like rouge…” Jin Chen read this and looked up at Gu Fanghe, “By the time you are fully recovered, spring will have passed, and you will not be able to see the plum blossoms.”
Gu Fanghe's mind stirred slightly, and he replied, "However, the lotus ponds in Nanzhou are very beautiful in summer, and the osmanthus in autumn is also a wonder. If you have time, you can accompany me to see them."
For several years, Gu Fanghe lived as a herdsman in the southern continent. What he saw was mostly dangerous mountains and forests, and bloodshed. He never had the leisure to appreciate flowers and scenery.
But if I really have to go, I must have this person by my side.
No, summer is too long.
Gu Fanghe changed his mind again, "There's no need to wait until summer or autumn. If you want to see it, I can accompany you to the city in a few days. Although Nanzhou City is not as prosperous as the capital, it has its own unique charm."
Jin Chen shook her head, closed the book, and looked at his right arm in a sling, saying meaningfully, "I'm not in a hurry."
He tapped his fingertips lightly on the pages of the book, a hint of slyness in his voice, "Or is the chief afraid I'll get bored and sneak off down the mountain?"
Gu Fanghe's eyes darkened as he grasped Jin Chen's hand, which was resting on his knee.
"It's good that you know. Since you said you'd stay by my side, then stay with me. I'll go wherever you want to go."
Jin Chen let him hold her hand without pulling away, only raising an eyebrow, "What if I want to go to the ends of the earth?"
“Then let’s go to the ends of the earth,” Gu Fanghe replied without the slightest hesitation.
Jin Chen chuckled and gently tickled Gu Fanghe's palm with her other hand.
"Then the chief must get well soon," he said with a smile. "Otherwise, I won't be able to travel far and will need someone to accompany me."
Gu Fanghe's palms tingled from the tickling, and his heart itched intensely. "Okay."
-
What troubled Gu Fanghe the most, yet also what he found most enjoyable, was the twice-daily time to take his medicine.
The herbal decoction prescribed by the old doctor used strong ingredients, which were fast-acting, but also notoriously bitter, pungent, and astringent, making ordinary people frown at the smell.
Gu Fanghe is not afraid of bleeding or pain, but he cannot stand bitterness. In the past, he always endured his injuries.
But now that Jin Chen is supervising, he has no choice but to take the medicine.
That evening, Ah Yan delivered the prepared medicinal broth on time.
The dark brown medicinal soup was served in a rough earthenware bowl, steaming hot, and its strong, bitter aroma filled the entire warm room.
Jin Chen took the medicine bowl, tested the temperature, and found it to be just right, then walked to the recliner.
Gu Fanghe smelled the medicine, frowned slightly, didn't open his eyes, and even turned his head to the side.
"Boss, it's time to take your medicine," Jin Chen said calmly.
Gu Fanghe hummed in agreement, but didn't move, only saying, "Leave it here, let it cool down before drinking."
Jin Chen, however, was not buying it.
He sat down on the embroidered stool, gently stirring the thick, dark medicine in the bowl with a porcelain spoon, and said slowly and deliberately, "Good medicine tastes bitter; it will only be effective if drunk while it's hot."
"If it gets cold, not only will the medicinal properties be reduced, but it will also be even more bitter."
Jin Chen scooped up a spoonful and held it to Gu Fanghe's lips, her tone gentle yet brooking no refusal, "Here."
Gu Fanghe: "..."
what.
He sighed and drank the spoonful of medicine from Jin Chen's hand.
The medicine tasted bitter, and even with his strong will, he couldn't help but swallow hard and furrow his brow.
"Is it really that bitter?" Jin Chen asked, scooping up another spoonful.
"...It's acceptable." Gu Fanghe stubbornly replied.
He steeled himself and prepared to take a second sip.
After feeding him a few spoonfuls, Jin Chen finally let him go, took the spoon back, and let Gu Fanghe gulp down the bowl in one go.
Jin Chen put down the medicine bowl and picked up a candied plum from a small dish on the low table next to him. The plum was covered with a glistening sugar coating, which looked very appetizing.
“I can smell that this medicine is extremely bitter.” Jin Chen brought the plum to Gu Fanghe’s lips, his fingertips brushing against his lower lip. “If you find it difficult to swallow, Chief, I can feed you.”
Gu Fanghe's eyes darkened. "How do I feed him?"
Jin Chen's smile deepened as she put a plum in her mouth, then leaned slightly closer to Gu Fanghe.
The meaning is self-evident.
Gu Fanghe kissed her.
Their lips met, and Jin Chen passed the sweet and sour plum over, her tongue gently sweeping across it, easing the irritating bitterness.
Gu Fanghe was slightly out of breath. Looking at Jin Chen's lips, which had become even redder from the kiss, and her eyes, which were full of smiles, he felt that the bitter medicine he had just taken had become the most wonderful catalyst in the world.
"Is it still bitter?" Jin Chen gently bit his lower lip, her voice slightly hoarse, her smile alluring.
Gu Fanghe's voice was hoarse, "...sweet."
He used to hate being controlled, but now, being controlled and coaxed by this person and forced to drink medicine, he found himself enjoying it immensely.
It was as if a wild beast had been tamed, willingly offering its most vulnerable neck to that person in exchange for a moment of tenderness and sweetness.
Outside the window, dusk was falling, and birds were calling to their return.
Inside the warm pavilion, the lingering fragrance of medicine mingled with a warmth sweeter than honey-soaked plums.
[The villain's darkening value is detected -10, totaling 76! 】
