Su Chen sighed for the umpteenth time again as she blankly weaved the basket in her hand.
"Haiiighhhhh."
She flumped down as she held the incomplete rattan basket close to her.
That foolish person is probably fine, right?
A pervert like him usually lives long, right.
Yup, a pervert like him can never be alone on his own... Right?
As she thought about this, she frowned deeper and deeper.
"Gahhhhhhhh!!"
Su Chen rolled to and fro around the floor in frustration.
Finally, she sat up.
"This isn't like me!"
Determination in her eyes, she hurriedly weaved her imperfect basket and quickly headed to the river.
***
With a laddle, Su Chen poured the piping hot cloudy soup into a porcelain bowl.
Bits of the black soft-shell turtle that had been caught by her and stewed in a concoction of herbs now swirled in the golden cloudy soup. Placing the porcelain bowl on the tray, Su Chen slowly made her way to the second floor of the internal courtyard next to Stork Pavillion Restaurant.
Su Chen had made a nourishing soup for Yuan, who was still recovering from her injuries. She had lost a lot of blood and lacked energy. Having nourishing soup would be good for her at this time!! And the collagen in the turtle will definitely help in making Yuan's skin soft and smooth again.
Su Chen had lapsed into a daze since arriving back to Stork Pavillion. And even more honestly, she was down like a dead log in the days she was back.
Really...
Home was the best place to be!
The beds were soft and comfy and being near people she trusted and liked took a huge load off her mind.
She ended up insensitively sleeping through a few days once she had reached Stork Pavillion's door.
When she finally regained her energy, she realised that she had not seen that pervert since waking up...
Su Chen could not help but feel worry in her heart.
***
Knock!
"Yuan, I'm coming in."
Su Chen busily lifted the door latch and pulled the door open, while using her feet to keep the door ajar to enter the room.
"Yuan, your Miss is so kind as to make for you nourishing softshell turtle soup!! And your kind miss has made it in the style you like with tons of sweet rice wine and ginger! Hurry and get u-!!!!"
Su Chen was fumbling with carrying the tray and opening the door at the same time that she had not realised that there was someone in the room.
Feeling regret in her heart at her impatience, Su Chen could only look aghast at the scene of a man kissing Yuan gently.
My good Jun Qiang. This is not the time to take advantage of a poor sickly lady ah!
When Yuan finally saw her Miss standing there at the door, her face exploded with a furious red as she frantically pushed Jun Qiang away.
"Ah Miss! This Yuan is not skiving from resting ah!"
Yuan was deeply regretful that she fell for another beauty trap again.
Miss has been very strict with her lately. She has been forcing Yuan to change her dressing often, take very bitter medicine, put cold cream to heal the wounds. It was... non-stop torture ah!!
Even though Yuan knows that her wounds are bad, but life like this is too painful ah!!
And it was at the time where Yuan was secretly trying to throw the unfinished bitter medicine that Jun Qiang appeared.
He used his beautiful face and smiled evilly.
Then took the bowl of medicine, swallowed and fed her the medicine mouth to mouth.
Then now Miss saw!!!
"Miss! Yuan is just cultivating love with Jun Qiang ah! Not doing anything else!"
Better to blame it all on Jun Qiang. Better than having Miss find out that Yuan was throwing away her medicine ah!
Su Chen caught the sight of a suspicious black droplet on Jun Qiang's mouth and opted to remain ignorant. If anything, Jun Qiang was an even stricter nanny than she was.
Su Chen just smiled knowingly as Yuan blushed further and scooped a bowl of golden soup out before bringing it to Yuan at the bed.
At a sip, Yuan couldn't help but exclaim in delight.
That hot burning texture of the ginger and rice wine fried fragrantly with a hint of sesame and chunks of chicken. When the oozing flavours appeared, the turtle was then added in, stuffed with herbs, and finally the soup was left to stew into a thick milky golden tangy soup after 12 hours.
Yuan could not help but felt tears pricking her eyes.
"Miss treats Yuan so well!"
Su Chen could not help but knock the silly girl's forehead lightly.
"If I don't treat you well, who else would I treat well!"
Yuan covered her forehead and pouted.
"Of course, Master Shen- Ah!"
Yuan covered her mouth hastily.
She berated herself for being foolish. Already her Miss was so worried she had turned skinnier, now she says the taboo word.
Yuan felt angry at herself but before she could console her Miss, a manly hand gently took over the bowl to feed her.
"Yuan'er, be good and eat this properly. Don't let Sect Madam's good will for you be wasted."
At Jun Qiang's words, Yuan blushed deeper and allowed herself to be fed while thinking furiously how this 16 year old boy is acting as if he was older than her. Hhmph!!
When Yuan finally slept, Su Chen quietly moved out with Jun Qiang following.
"Sect Madam..."
Su Chen looked over, her worried eyes and dark circles apparent despite her words saying otherwise.
"Master. He-"
"I know." Su Chen interrupted.
Even Jun Qiang is unaware of where Shen Yi was.
It was an odd quiet few weeks of unprecedented peace.
But Su Chen felt ruffled like something was out of place.
"I know. If he was back, he would have told you."
Wurong Jian had been helming the Sect while Shen Yi was missing while Jun Qiang became her bodyguard while nursing Yuan.
"Then..."
"Jun Qiang, I'll wait here." Su Chen smiled gently.
This time I will wait for him.
He had chased me for so long but this time, I will trust him and wait for him.
------------------
Turtle soup can be yummy!