Chapter 4: Delicateness

She was really afraid of Xiao Yi, trembling all over, and the small bell hanging from her waist jingled crisply, annoying Xiao Yi.

He reached out and mercilessly flattened the expensive silver bell with intricate carvings.

Nan Baoyi shrank her neck, feeling that he would probably crush her just as easily.

The room fell silent, with only the distant sound of the night rain.

Nan Baoyi looked at the flattened and ugly bell for a while, then suddenly choked up, "This was given to me by my big brother..."

"Go report it then."

Nan Baoyi struggled to speak, "No, I won't report it... I will take care of my second brother..."

It's so difficult, she's finding it so difficult!

Taking care of Xiao Yi is really difficult, even more difficult than taking care of Nan Yan!

Xiao Yi couldn't be bothered to talk to her anymore and coldly issued an order, "You may leave."

Nan Baoyi tilted her head.

She hadn't improved their relationship yet, so why should she leave?

She sniffed and suddenly smelled the sweet scent of roasted chestnuts in the room.

Her gaze fell on the corner of the room, where a bright red charcoal fire was burning.

She felt a bit greedy and said, "Second brother, are you roasting chestnuts? I want to eat."

Xiao Heng: "..."

This girl is really too familiar, who asked her to eat roasted chestnuts?

It's proper to leave quickly.

He was about to find the right words to make her leave, but Nan Baoyi had already agilely run to the side of the brazier.

She stared at the roasting chestnuts, rolling up her sleeves as if she was about to try them, "Chestnuts are not easy to come by at this time of year. Second brother, your place looks shabby, but I didn't expect there to be good things... There's a saying, 'to pluck chestnuts from the fire,' Second brother, today I want to pluck chestnuts from the fire."

Xiao Yi: "..."

This little girl is just like a bandit who grabs good things when she sees them.

And the phrase "to pluck chestnuts from the fire" doesn't mean that.

He withdrew his gaze and lazily propped his chin with one hand, "People mock the cat for being foolish, risking burns to fetch chestnuts from the fire for the monkey, but gaining nothing for themselves. Little do they know, most people are like that foolish cat."

Nan Baoyi blinked her eyes.

She hadn't read many books and didn't quite understand.

Eating roasted chestnuts is the main thing.

She picked up a small pair of tongs and took out a chestnut from the brazier.

After waiting for a moment, she eagerly reached out to peel it.

But the chestnut was scalding hot.

She hissed as she was burned, and the round chestnut was thrown into the air and fell straight back into the brazier.

She instinctively reached out to catch it, but was burned by the sudden burst of flames.

Startled, she fell back, accidentally kicking over the brazier, and ashes and sparks flew everywhere, covering her body, even burning several holes in her expensive brocade jacket.

Nan Baoyi was covered in soot, looking dazed.

She looked back at Xiao Yi.

He had already put on his robe, the ink-colored wide sleeves and hem covering the entire wooden couch, contrasting with his pale skin and handsome face, giving off a kind of sinister and stunning allure under the lamplight, his exquisite beauty almost like that of a demon.

She blinked, "S-S-Second brother..."

Xiao Heng had no expression.

This little girl had come to cause trouble on purpose, definitely on purpose.

Maybe she even came with the intention of burning down his bedroom.

He was about to scold her, but then he saw the blister on her burned hand.

He frowned, his gaze probing, "Nan Baoyi, what exactly do you want to do?"

Nan Baoyi's lips were dry and she couldn't answer his question.

Xiao Yi impatiently got off the couch and knelt in front of her, "Nan Baoyi—"

Nan Baoyi swayed.

The fright and pain she had experienced tonight far exceeded the capacity of her small body. She fainted before Xiao Yi could finish speaking.

Xiao Yi looked at the little girl who had collapsed in his arms.

"Frail."

He was very disdainful, but didn't push her away as he had during the day.

Picking up the small white jar, he said with a hint of meaning, "Jiang Suihan is really good at making money."

He threw the small white jar out the window and took out a black jar from the drawer, with the words "Flower Beauty Healing Ointment" written in small gilded characters.

He scooped out a large chunk of ointment and applied it to Nan Baoyi's hand expressionlessly.

...

The sky-blue curtain was embroidered with silver threads and lotus flowers.

Nan Baoyi slowly opened her eyes, still feeling dazed for a long time before her mind returned.

This body was really too delicate, not only unable to bear heavy physical burdens, but even her mind couldn't be as sharp as it was in her previous life after growing up.

Although her previous life couldn't be considered sharp either.

She let out a small breath and the lotus leaf guarding the room quickly opened the canopy, "Miss, you've finally woken up. You injured your hand and caught a cold, and you've been lying down for two days and two nights! The old lady and the second lady were very worried and came to see you several times. By the way, Miss and the fourth Miss also came and brought a lot of pastries and fruits."

Nan Baoyi was helped to sit up, her eyes full of surprise. She had actually slept for two days and two nights...

Noticing her hand wrapped up like a zongzi, she suddenly remembered that she had been in the loquat garden two days ago.

She quickly asked, "Where's Second brother?"

The lotus leaf brought over bird's nest porridge and blew on it to cool it before bringing it to her lips, "Two days ago, he carried you back. The old lady asked him how you injured your hand, but he said you did it yourself. The old lady was very angry and punished him to kneel in the ancestral hall and copy scriptures. Um, he's been kneeling for two days already."

Nan Baoyi felt stifled.

He's the imperial tutor, known for his narrow-mindedness and holding grudges. After kneeling and copying scriptures for two days, the ointment she gave him was basically wasted!

She struggled to climb off the bed, "I want to go see Second brother..."

She was petite, and the lotus leaf easily carried her back to the bed. With a stern face, she said, "Miss, you can't be willful anymore. The second young master is very scary. No one in the mansion likes him. Why do you want to be close to him? Be good, eat this bowl of bird's nest congee first."

Nan Bao Yi pouted her tender cheeks and obediently ate the congee.

Finally finishing the congee, she patted her bulging belly, tugged at the lotus leaf's sleeve, and coquettishly said, "I want to go see my grandmother."

After thinking for a moment and looking at the drizzling rain outside, the lotus leaf brought a crimson cloak to wrap around her. "It's cold outside. I'll accompany you to the Pine Crane Courtyard, Miss."

Nan Bao Yi looked at her.

Lotus leaf was only two years older than her, with a beautiful and tall figure, and was extremely loyal to her mistress.

As if sensing her gaze, lotus leaf lowered her head and smiled gently at her.

Nan Bao Yi's nose tingled.

In her previous life, Nan Yan entered the Cheng family's mansion, took control of the household, and withheld her living expenses. On a bitterly cold snowy day, she didn't even have a warm quilt. It was lotus leaf who willingly married the silly son of the Cheng family's steward, in exchange for the money to buy a quilt.

Later, that silly son pushed lotus leaf into a dry well, and she starved to death.

When she found that dry well, the walls were covered with the blood marks that lotus leaf had desperately scratched out.

Nan Bao Yi gently leaned her cheek against lotus leaf's arm, and tears fell with a soft "plop."

In this life, when she grew up, she would definitely find a good marriage for lotus leaf, so that she could eat well every day...

Ah, a new journey begins!

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