XH 228 - Call me Papa Ginseng
Long Zhu knew that Xiao Hua was awake when she moved her head in a big movement. She wanted to do her usual stretching, but was restricted by his arms around her waist that he did not move away.
His heart started to beat quickly when she finally became aware of his presence. His warm breath lightly hit her forehead like a gentle caress in a consistent timing.
His heart continued to beat in a fast tempo for a different reason when Xiao Hua hugged him in a lazy manner and rubbed her warm cheeks against his chest. Her eyelids blinked sleepily and he could see she was intending to go back to sleep.
Long Zhu watched on as she closed her eyes and did not move again, her breathing steady. But she suddenly opened her eyes, no longer looking sleepy.
Xiao Hua's adorable face was tense and wary, as she called out timidly, "Third Prince?"
"Xiao Hua." He rubbed her back soothingly, but it did not work well on Xiao Hua.
Her arms were around his waist, so she stretched her palms to touch his back, testing how real he was. After touching and prodding for a while, she confirmed that she was not dreaming.
Long Zhu let her hands roam around him, before they stopped on his shoulder. His eyes widened when she suddenly stretched her mouth wide open and then bit down hard on his shoulder. It was not painful, but the sudden move of hers had him startled and brought his hands up to grab her upper arms.
Xiao Hua thought that he would pull her away, but he did not. He just rested his hands on her arms, letting her continue to bite him.
"Do you have a nightmare, Xiao Hua?" Long Zhu gently rubbed her head.
Xiao Hua released his shoulder and sat up in a clumsy manner, with the blanket thrown to the floor. "You locked me up!"
She does not understand why he would suddenly act so gentle towards her when he was so angry with her before. He even allowed her to bite him!
She could hear him moving and then the familiar arms wrapped around her waist tightened.
His face pressed against her neck as he indulgently offered, "You can bite me again."
Long Zhu was willing to suffer any of her attacks just to have her forgiveness.
Xiao Hua actually wanted to bite him again, but when he said that, she does not want to anymore. She feels a bit embarrassed by her childish act. "You are dirty. Who wants to bite you?"
Hiding his smile, he rubbed her back. "You can bite me again after I bathe."
"Why would I want to bite you! Inedible thing!" Xiao Hua became even more embarrassed and squirmed away, wanting to hide.
Of course, the arms around her does not allow her to do so. "I will tell the kitchen to prepare a nice dinner for you."
"Then why are you still here?" Xiao Hua arrogantly demanded and turned her head away from his direction, not knowing that her tiny tantrums made Long Zhu think she was cute and wanted to spoil her even more.
"I'm going now," Long Zhu submissively agreed with a smile. She wanted him to leave so that she could arrange her messy thoughts, but he passed the order to his guards to do it.
Her body becomes stiffer and stiffer the more he treats her well. He gently washed her face and hands, even helping her to change her outer robe to a clean one. The words to tell him to stop was difficult to escape from her mouth.
When Long Zhu helped her to take a seat, she could smell chicken congee and her stomach growled. She hesitated when she stretched out her hands, looking for a spoon. Usually, it was Duan XiYing that arranged the spoon and chopsticks at the same spot during each meal so that Xiao Hua could pick them up by herself using her memory.
Xiao Hua was also worried where Duan XiYing was, but she was afraid to ask. What if the Third Prince gets angry again when she reminds him of the reason she gets locked up?
To avoid any awkwardness, she placed a hand on the table before slowly touching around for the spoon. But when her hands just touched the hot bowl of congee, Long Zhu quickly pulled her hand away.
"I will feed you." Long Zhu rubbed her warm fingers and it was ticklish, so she pulled her hand away. In his eyes, she was being adorably shy, when she did not protest against his suggestion.
Long Zhu suddenly discovered the truth on why people like feeding their lovers. Xiao Hua eats in a dainty manner, afraid to take a large bite that might accidentally spill the porridge out of her mouth. When the spoon hit the empty bowl, Long Zhu felt regretful that it was not a larger bowl.
With her mouth finally unoccupied, Xiao Hua finally gave in to her desire that brewed all the while she ate and threw out the first question. "How… How many days have you locked me up?" It was truly difficult not knowing anything, especially when she could not use her eyes to pick up any hints.
"I was wrong," Long Zhu apologized instead. "I had not listened to the rest of your explanation and punished you. I truly wronged you."
For the first time towards Long Zhu, Xiao Hua sneered at him, reminding him of the persona she donned when they went out to make trouble for the pawnshop. His heart skipped a beat and he quickly put away the inappropriate thoughts at the wrong moment.
"Don't you feel you did yourself wrong if you listen to my explanation? Since you say you spoil me, won't you be spoiling me by listening to me and let Long Shan remain alive?" Xiao Hua asked scornfully.
"I will listen to you and let him remain alive."
Xiao Hua was taken aback, still in the dark on why he would suddenly change this much. Was this all because she had fallen asleep on the floor? He had misunderstood her because she was too tired to move because the cold floor feels nice?
"Xiao Hua, who is the one that wants you to save Long Shan? Who is this 'World Spirit'?"
It took her a moment to realize it was not a dream. Xiao Hua blushed, remembering that she had embarrassingly cried for Long Zhu and then blurted out everything.
Since she was still alive without injuries, she takes it that the world spirit does not mind another person knowing. So she blurted out everything in more detail, except for Long Zhu being her cheat.
What would she do if her boyfriend feels like he was being used and decisively dumps her?
It's better to keep it a secret.
In return, Long Zhu told her that Long Shan will remain alive, and on their terms, in a calm manner that surprised Xiao Hua.
"Who is Yu Zheng?" Xiao Hua asked. Long Zhu had only said this person will be helping in brainwashing the hero, but she had no idea who he was.
A psychologist?
"That would be me." A deep, masculine voice suddenly answered her.
The new voice shocked Xiao Hua so much that she jumped towards Long Zhu's direction. Even if she was still wary of him, he was still the one she trusted. She would have fallen to the ground had Long Zhu not grabbed her in time.
Long Zhu had seen Yu Zheng entering the room since breakfast, but he was busy feeding Xiao Hua and ended up ignoring him.
"... Hi?" Xiao Hua greeted timidly.
A pleasantly sounded chuckle filled her ears. "I would have introduced myself earlier, but it is amusing to watch your boyfriend swimming in hot water."
The word 'boyfriend' was spoken in English, purposely done to let Xiao Hua catch on faster about his hidden identity.
"He is the spirit ginseng that Doctor Bai had nurtured," Long Zhu introduced.
"You can call me 'Papa ginseng'. Bai Chuan's daughter is my daughter as well." Yu Zheng's tone when he was speaking to Xiao Hua was completely different than those times he spoke to Long Zhu.
Xiao Hua guessed that this 'Yu Zheng' person was either a transmigrated person or a player just like Doctor Bai. She really wanted to ask, but it would not be good with Long Zhu around.
If this person was introduced by Doctor Bai, he can be trusted not to harm her, at least.
"Hello, er…," Xiao Hua does not know what she should call him. Calling a stranger as 'papa' was outright weird. "Lord Yu Zheng. Thank you for your willingness to help me."
Before Doctor Bai left, he had told Xiao Hua he would find a person that might be able to fix her eyesight, and she did not ask much about it. He was the number one doctor in this world. If he could not fix her eyes, only an extraordinary person would have the chance to heal her.
This spirit ginseng in the room fits the bill.
Smiling at the innocent looking Xiao Hua, Yu Zheng thought that he do like a level headed kid. Stupid kids made him ignore them or he will risk smacking their head to see if large amount of water will come out of their ears.
He had originally thought she was a fragile and silly lovesick girl that was overly dependent on a man. Yu Zheng could begrudgingly understand her standing, or else he will not be able to help Long Zhu understand her breakdown in a short time.
Without any steady income or property, she could only depend on Long Zhu in this world like the typical powerless wife in this era.
The Eighth Prince has no power currently, and needed to act mentally ill to keep himself off the radar. He would have a hard time protecting himself if not for his influential uncle keeping an eye on him. Where will he have time to take care of Xiao Hua?
As for Bai Chuan, he had made it known to Xiao Hua that he had only adopted her because of his disciple. It may not be so now, but Xiao Hua does not know that, and afraid to wish for more. This sensitive matter should be cleared up by Bai Chuan himself.
But she was able to realize it quickly that Yu Zheng was someone Doctor Bai had brought back to help cure her eyes, without asking if Bai Chuan had brought more than a person. Perhaps being blind had taught her a life lesson to depend more on herself.
With her speed to adapt, she showed that she does have the ability to be independent, but she preferred to depend on others. Indeed, why work hard when she can laze around?
This time, Yu Zheng's offer was much more sincere. "Call me papa. I would feel uncomfortable if my daughter was distant with me."
Xiao Hua: '...' Why do I have to call you papa? I'm not born from your sperm anyway!
But she restrained her protest for now. It was not a good idea to piss off your doctor before the treatment even started.
Yu Zheng could see Xiao Hua was not comfortable calling him that, so he did not push the matter for now. "Bai Chuan did have some restrictions preventing him from fully healing your eyes. But I don't."
Xiao Hua had a feeling she had met a big boss! Or else why would Doctor Bai have restrictions and Yu Zheng does not?
"He had worked hard to help me gain a human form, just to have me fix your eyes."
Yu Zheng's words held double meaning and Xiao Hua's stomach churned in dread as her mind finished processing his words.
"What had he sacrificed? Where is Doctor Bai?"
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