"Mumu, eat a little more," Song Qingchao urged, holding a bowl of congee and looking at the sickly Song Qingmu with concern.
Song Qingmu turned her face away. "It's a waste for me to eat."
"Nonsense," Song Qingchao said. Her arms grew tired, so she lowered them, resting the bowl on her lap. "Ying Zhong said you're fine."
She tapped the spoon against the rim of the bowl and then offered it to Song Qingmu. "Eat properly, and you'll get better faster."
Seeing he still didn't move, Song Qingchao, despite her good temper, felt a flicker of annoyance. "Open your mouth."
Song Qingmu remained still.
Giving up, Song Qingchao put the bowl down again, feeling a bit weary.
The jade bracelet on her wrist glowed with red threads. The diagram no longer had any effect on her body.
Wearing Bai Youan's personal items could restore health, but there was a time limit. When the hourglass ran out, it meant the item's power was depleted. If she wanted to stay healthy, she would have to keep Bai Youan's things with her constantly, and they needed to be preserved.
Thinking of the man who had been gone for two days, Song Qingchao's annoyance grew. She gripped the worn bowl with her fingers, and it was suddenly snatched away. Looking down at the fine sand caught under her fingernails, she looked up to see Song Qingmu drinking all the congee in the bowl.
Song Qingchao: …
Is this kid playing hard to get with me?
With a peculiar expression, she took back the empty bowl and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his mouth. Song Qingmu pushed the steamed bun in his hand into hers. "This is for you."
Song Qingchao looked at the two steamed buns in her hand, a mixture of tears and laughter. So, Mumu wasn't eating because he was worried she didn't have any food… It was also her fault for not telling Mumu about her spatial abilities.
"Mumu, I need to tell you something." Song Qingchao cleared her throat and took Song Qingmu's hand, preparing to reveal everything, but was interrupted by a scream.
They both looked up and saw Bai Youan walking ahead with an air of grace, fanning himself, with Ying Zhong howling behind him.
"Mumu, I'll tell you about this later." Song Qingchao turned back to meet Song Qingmu's confused gaze. "Don't be scared later, I might have to kill someone."
As she was about to get up, she was held back.
"Don't be rash."
She nodded. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."
Five, four, three…
Song Qingchao's fingertip rubbed against the jade bracelet on her wrist, counting Bai Youan's distance from her. The closer he got, the faster her fatigue disappeared, while the speed of the hourglass slowed.
She understood. It seemed that being close to Bai Youan himself also worked. Within ten meters, it would have an effect. As long as she was by his side, the hourglass would continue to flow. Even if it ran out, it could be reset. The flow rate of the hourglass represented the duration of preservation. In simple terms, Bai Youan was like an inexhaustible sea; if she was thirsty, she could go near him and fetch water. Bai Youan's belongings, however, were like a ladle of water; once used up, they needed to be replaced.
"Miss Song, are you waiting for me?" A clear voice sounded from above. Song Qingchao responded with an "Yes."
Then, with a smile, she looked up at him. "Sir, you have kept me waiting for quite some time."
"I apologize, Miss Song. After you left, I discovered that Young Master Song also had a hidden ailment. After stabilizing his poisoning, I left my disciple alone to find another medicinal ingredient." Bai Youan bowed with an expression of guilt. He kept his head very low, and his voice was suppressed, becoming somewhat hoarse, sounding as if he had been traveling for a long time.
As the saying goes, one doesn't strike a smiling face. With Bai Youan's explanation, even if Song Qingchao had a valid reason, it now seemed less so. However, if she let Bai Youan off the hook just like that, she wouldn't be Song Qingchao.
"If that is the case, has the gentleman found it?" Song Qingchao lowered her head and wiped away imaginary tears. "Mumu's condition is getting worse. After drinking your disciple's medicine, he actually got worse. Originally, he was just weak and spitting blood, but after these two days, his skin has developed sores." She lifted Song Qingmu's sleeve, revealing his arm covered in sores. "Look."
On the fair skin were numerous festering sores, a patch of blue-purple, with no healthy flesh visible. Song Qingchao's heartbroken eyes welled up with pain. Unable to bear looking further, she turned her head away, her voice trembling. "I don't know if it was the wrong medicine that caused this, but even if he is cured, the scars will be difficult to fade."
"Let me see." Bai Youan squatted down and took Song Qingmu's arm to examine it. He even pressed it with his finger and said with satisfaction, "Good."
The brother and sister both frowned, looking at him and asking in unison, "Are you really blind?"
The smile on Bai Youan's lips froze. "I am not completely blind yet." He took out a small bottle of powder from his robes, opened it, and shook it onto Song Qingmu's arm.
"What is this?" Song Qingchao asked, holding a handkerchief to wipe Song Qingmu's sweat while observing Bai Youan's actions. Honestly, even though her own examination of Mumu's pulse was fine, she didn't trust Bai Youan at all right now.
"This is a special medicinal powder made by my master; it has miraculous effects," Ying Zhong interjected. After catching his breath, he squatted down and sniffed the powder intently. "It reduces inflammation, promotes muscle growth, calms the nerves, and relieves pain. Just smelling it can calm the mind. This powder is priceless."
Song Qingchao glanced at the white bottle with a plum blossom pattern in Bai Youan's hand and silently took out an identical one from her robes. "Is it this one?"
"How do you have it!" Ying Zhong snatched the bottle and examined it repeatedly, almost drilling his head into it. "Master wouldn't even give it to me!"
"Ying Zhong, be quiet." After applying the medicine, Bai Youan put the bottle back into Song Qingchao's hand. "Three times a day. You'll be fine within seven days. Your face can be treated the same way."
"Two! E-e-e…" Ying Zhong almost let slip, but after several detours, he managed to call out "Master."
"Return the medicine to them."
"Master, you're truly biased." Although Ying Zhong was reluctant, he returned the medicine. Song Qingchao couldn't help but smile, looking at the two identical bottles of medicine in her hand. Azhu and Ayan, those two rivals, were showing such rare coordination.
"Miss Song, since you have the medicine, why didn't you use it?" Song Qingchao didn't refute but instead asked, "Can your medicine also treat old wounds?" Her appearance couldn't be restored yet, and since she was going to put on a show, she had to go all out.
"Yes." Bai Youan opened his fan with a "swish." "But it can't help with injuries older than three years."
Three years… Song Qingchao lowered her eyelids and touched the now scabbed-over wound. This timeframe was definitely enough for her to make her plans.
"Miss Song, you don't need to worry about Young Master Song. The reason he developed sores is because I used poison to fight poison, and the Forget-Worry Grass was the key component. Once the blood is expelled, his life will be saved. When the sores have all burst and festered, he will be fully healed."
"May I ask, sir, what exactly is wrong with Mumu's body?" Bai Youan closed his fan with a "snap," his expression solemn. "Young Master Song's physical condition is due to a chronic poison. If it weren't for this recent acute poisoning, it might not have been discovered for another year or two."
Chronic poison? The bowl in Song Qingchao's hand dropped. "Sir, how long has Mumu been poisoned?"
"Three years." She lowered her head, her voice soft. "In that case, little daughter thanks you, sir."
"It is my duty." Bai Youan stood up and looked around. "However, why are you two so far from the team?"