Ping'an opened her eyes slowly. She felt very painful in her upper left shoulder and couldn't move her left arm at all. The last thing she remembered was when Hu Qingge removed the knife from her chest, and everything after became blurred and foggy. She turned her head to the right and saw Guo Baiyu sitting at the table, calmly reading. She tried to open her mouth, but her voice was croaky.
"Bai...Yu..." Ping'an croaked weakly.
Guo Baiyu put down his book and walked to the bed. He gently helped her up and sat behind her to support her, careful not to jostle her wound.
"How do you feel?" Guo Baiyu asked softly.
Ping'an groaned in pain. "It hurts." Her facial expression indicated the intensity of her agony. "Renshu, how is he?" she asked, concerned about her other husband.
"He is brewing medication," Guo Baiyu replied. "He should be back soon."
"Did he hurt...?" Ping'an began, her voice still weak.
"No, he didn't hurt anyone," Guo Baiyu reassured her, understanding her unasked question.
"Good. Baiyu, how long have I been unconscious?" Ping'an asked.
"Starting from this morning," Guo Baiyu lied gently, sparing her the full truth.
"What time is it? Have you eaten and slept?" Ping'an pressed, looking at his tired face.
"Yes," Guo Baiyu lied again, though his eyes betrayed his exhaustion.
"Renshu?" Ping'an asked, sensing Zhao Renshu's absence.
"No," Guo Baiyu admitted. "He feels guilty about what happened."
The door opened, and Zhao Renshu walked in with a tray, carrying a bowl of freshly brewed medicine. When he saw Ping'an sitting on the bed, his face lit up with immediate relief. He rushed to the bed, then turned to put the tray on the table. He quickly knelt on the floor beside the bed and grabbed Ping'an's right hand.
"How are you feeling?" Zhao Renshu asked, his voice filled with overwhelming concern.
"I feel better," Ping'an replied, offering him a weak but genuine smile.
"Give her medicine. It will relieve pain and help blood flow," Guo Baiyu instructed, his medical knowledge taking over.
Zhao Renshu walked back to the dining table, grabbed the medicine bowl, and walked back to the bed. He took the medicine with a wooden spoon, blew on it to cool it, and then fed the medicine to Ping'an.
Ping'an looked at Zhao Renshu, her brow furrowing slightly. "You look tired." She stretched out her right hand, touching his face. "You look very tired," she repeated, her concern evident.
After Zhao Renshu fed Ping'an the medicine, he returned to the table, grabbed a bowl of rice congee, and started feeding Ping'an. Ping'an stopped his hand on the third spoonful with her right hand. She held his hand and pushed the spoon back into his mouth, insisting he eat. He ate it, and she rolled her eyes at Guo Baiyu afterward, her intention clear: they both needed to eat. From then on, he fed her one spoonful, then Guo Baiyu one, and then himself, ensuring they all nourished themselves.
Downstairs, the Guo and the Wu families were still sitting in the main dining room, stubbornly waiting. Lim Peizhi and the Huang sisters sat at one table, while Lee Dachin and Fang Yaoting sat at another table opposite the Wu and the Guo families.
"How are you feeling, Childe Fang?" Lee Dachin asked, seeing the warrior's improved state.
"I'm back to normal now," Fang Yaoting replied, flexing his shoulder.
"Thank you very much for blocking the needle," Lee Dachin said gratefully.
"Thank you for being with me all day," Fang Yaoting responded, a rare softness in his tone.
"This is the least I could do," Lee Dachin said, a modest smile on his face.
Fang Yaoting waved at the waiter, and the waiter walked to their table. "Bring some food here, and some food on a tray," Fang Yaoting ordered.
"Yes, Childe Fang," the waiter replied.
"You seem very worried about Baiyu," Fang Yaoting observed, looking at Lee Dachin.
"Yes, we are friends," Lee Dachin affirmed.
"Did you like him?" Fang Yaoting asked directly.
"I do. He is the perfect gentleman," Lee Dachin confessed.
"Why change from liking him to being just a friend?" Fang Yaoting pressed, intrigued by the shift.
"What he did three years ago made me realize that he would not pay attention to another man or woman," Lee Dachin explained patiently. "He would rather die than marry a woman he doesn't love." He smiled gently at Fang Yaoting. "Childe Fang, it's best to pull yourself out. It's not embarrassing to admit defeat. Why don't you save your feelings for the person who loves you, just like you feel for him or her?"
"You are a very understanding person," Fang Yaoting said, impressed.
"I try to think positively," Lee Dachin replied. "Things that aren't meant for you, no matter how much you pursue them, will never belong to you. Things that are meant for you, they will come to you naturally." He sipped his tea with a smile. "A good example would be you and Ping'an."
Fang Yaoting smiled, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. "Oh...please enlighten me."
"You have been following Childe Guo all your life," Lee Dachin continued, "but he likes you as a friend. Three years ago, he met Ping'an when he visited us, and he fell in love with her deeply. He loves her so much, he was willing to accept Zhao Renshu."
The waiter brought the food back and put it on the table.
Lee Dachin pushed the food tray to Fang Yaoting. "Here, give this to him."
On another table, Huang Hongse grabbed a plate of food, then she stood up and went up the stairs, a determined look on her face.
Fang Yaoting stopped Huang Hongse. "Miss Huang, since you are going up, if you don't mind, can you take this to Baiyu?"
Huang Hongse nodded. Fang Yaoting then put two plates of food on the tray with the one she already had. Huang Hongse walked up the stairs. Huang Yueliang was worried about her cousin, so she quietly chased after her.
Huang Hongse arrived at the lovers' room; the door was already open. She looked in, and when she saw Guo Baiyu holding Ping'an, supporting her as she sat up, and Zhao Renshu feeding Ping'an (one spoonful for her, one for Baiyu, one for himself), her expression shifted. Zhao Renshu looked happy and alive. In the past two days, she had done a lot for him; she had tried to get him to eat, but failed. Now, Ping'an only opened her eyes, and he seemed cured. She admitted defeat silently.
"Hongse, are you alright?" Huang Yueliang asked softly, arriving behind her.
Huang Hongse handed the food tray to Huang Yueliang. "You can take it to them," she muttered, turning away.
Huang Yueliang refused gently. "Let's do it together. It's not bad to make them friends."
Huang Yueliang knocked lightly on the wall beside the open doorway. The Huang sisters then walked into the room. Huang Hongse put the tray on the table, while Huang Yueliang poured a cup of tea and walked to the bed. She handed the tea to Zhao Renshu.
"How are you doing?" Huang Yueliang asked Ping'an.
"Good," Ping'an replied, her voice stronger.
"Good then," Huang Yueliang smiled at Ping'an. "We brought some food. Three of you eating a small bowl of rice congee is not going to be enough." She looked pointedly at Guo Baiyu then Zhao Renshu. "You two have not eaten or slept for the last two days."
"Baiyu, you told me this only started this morning," Ping'an accused gently, looking at him.
"I'm sorry. I don't want you to worry," Guo Baiyu confessed.
"Baiyu, help me to sit at the table," Ping'an requested.
Guo Baiyu carefully picked her up and placed her on a stool. He sat by her right. Zhao Renshu walked to the table and sat on her left. Huang Hongse took out the plates of food from the tray and put them on the table.
"Some of these dishes are from Childe Fang," Huang Hongse said, her voice now neutral. "Please make sure that when you have the opportunity, both of you thank him."
"Have the others left?" Guo Baiyu asked, referring to the Guo and Wu families.
"The Guo and the Wu are still downstairs and refuse to leave," Huang Hongse replied.
"Renshu, you stay here and eat," Guo Baiyu instructed.
Ping'an grabbed his hand. "Eat first. Let them wait."
"She's right, eat first," Huang Hongse conceded. "We will go downstairs first."
"When Peizhi is still here with his soldiers, they dared not do anything," Huang Yueliang added, reassuring them.
The Huang sisters then excused themselves.
Zhao Renshu smiled at Ping'an, relief washing over him. "I suddenly feel very hungry."
"Let's eat then," Ping'an smiled back.
"I will go down for another bowl of rice," Guo Baiyu offered.
"No. I'm full," Ping'an said, shaking her head.
The men ate, feeding themselves and Ping'an at the same time, a comfortable rhythm established.
By the time the Huang sisters got down to the main dining hall, Guo Longtong and two of his friends were already sitting with Fang Yaoting and Lee Dachin at their table. Guo Longtong walked to the Huang sisters.
"How is Ping'an?" Guo Longtong asked.
"Fine, they are eating," Huang Hongse said coldly, still irritated by her own emotions.
"Good," Guo Longtong smiled. He turned around and saw Guo Baiyu walking down the stairs, looking for something in the kitchen.
Guo Baiyu walked to the place where his brother and father were sitting.
"You can leave," Guo Baiyu stated, his voice calm but firm. "If you stay here, nothing will change." He then walked back towards his friends' table. "It's too late. After eating, everyone should rest." Then he went towards the kitchen.
The innkeeper came back, talked to Lim Peizhi, and then returned to the registration desk.
"Everyone heard," Lim Peizhi announced, his voice carrying through the hall. "It's closing time. After eating, everyone will rest."
"Father, should we go back?" Guo Yingyu asked Master Guo.
"Yes, we are going back," Master Guo conceded, defeat in his voice.
"Uncle, I have told Lao Wen to wait for you," Guo Longtong offered.
"Miss Wu, what about the two of you?" Master Guo asked the Wu sisters.
"Sister, we leave and come back tomorrow," Wu Meirong decided. "He won't go anywhere."
"Your sister is absolutely right," Huang Hongse taunted, unable to resist one last jab. "He doesn't go anywhere."
Guo Baiyu came back from the kitchen with a bowl of medicine. He didn't even once glance at Wu Xiangmei. This made her furious. She stood up and stopped Guo Baiyu on the stairs.
"Guo Baiyu! Do you have nothing to say?" Wu Xiangmei demanded, her voice trembling with barely suppressed emotion.
"Miss Wu, I have nothing to say," Guo Baiyu replied, his voice gentle but final. "I have said enough."
"Guo Baiyu, I didn't remarry because I am still mourning for you," Wu Xiangmei confessed, tears welling in her eyes.
"Miss Wu, you don't need to mourn. You need to move on," Guo Baiyu said, his voice filled with profound sympathy, yet unwavering. "I love my wife. Please forget and forgive me." Guo Baiyu gently walked around her and continued up the stairs, leaving her standing there, heartbroken.