Volume One, Chapter Six: Slowly

The thought of Chu Yan’s beauty made Xu Damao drool with desire. Humming a light tune in high spirits, he strolled slowly back to his room.

In the courtyard, only the Third Master’s family remained unseen. It was not that the Third Master was timid or afraid of trouble. He turned to his wife and said, "We must be frugal this month; besides, why go out? Look at the Second Master’s place, all lit up—that costs money! The aroma of Su Jianshe’s stir-fried cured meat is intoxicating; what if I get hungry wandering around? My staying in is not laziness, but thrift." His wife sighed, ignored him, and turned over to sleep.

Meanwhile, before Su Jianshe reached the door of his sister’s hospital room, he heard the gentle voice of Dr. Liu Bing: "Rest easy, you are physically fine. You simply ingested a sedative by mistake, which caused you to faint. Your brother has gone out to buy you some food; he should be back any moment. Moreover, you need rest and relaxation—do not put so much pressure on yourself."

Chu Yan looked dejected. Despite Dr. Liu’s constant reassurance, there was no smile on her face. Seeing this, Dr. Liu said no more and, after a brief check-up, prepared to leave. Just then, the door creaked open. Chu Yan, lying in bed, was as alert as a startled rabbit. But upon seeing it was her brother, a smile blossomed on her face.

"Brother Jianshe!" That sweet voice brought a sense of warmth to Su Jianshe, who had been exhausted all day. "You’re awake. Now you must get some good rest." Su Jianshe approached the bedside table and began to unpack his belongings, especially the freshly stir-fried cured meat. "Dr. Liu, would you like to have some?"

Dr. Liu stood by the bed, surprised by the young man’s thoughtfulness. Though she felt a flicker of affection for him, she waved her hand in refusal. "No, thank you. You two enjoy it. It’s best your sister doesn’t eat anything too greasy right now; it might upset her stomach. You should keep the meat for yourself."

After a brief reminder, Dr. Liu left the room, as a nurse had informed her of another patient who had fainted at home and required immediate attention.

Inside the room, only Chu Yan and Su Jianshe remained. A blush crept across Chu Yan’s originally pale face. Before she could speak, Su Jianshe had already brought over the millet porridge he had cooked himself. "Xiao Yan, taste the millet porridge I made. It won’t be as good if it gets cold."

Chu Yan lowered her head shyly, picked up the porcelain bowl, and took small sips. A strange, fluttering feeling welled up in her heart. Su Jianshe followed the doctor’s advice and put the cured meat away; the weather was cold, so it would keep for a few days. "I’ll save the meat for when you’re fully recovered." Chu Yan buried her head even lower, responding with a voice as faint as a mosquito’s hum.

Once she finished the porridge, Chu Yan asked urgently, "Brother Jianshe, what exactly happened? Why am I in the hospital?"

"I remember the Deaf Old Lady asking for my help, then she and Sha Zhu locked me in the room. Sha Zhu looked at me so lecherously, and then I started to feel dizzy..."

A look of recollection crossed Chu Yan’s face. The mere thought of Sha Zhu’s ugly expression sent a chill through her, and she looked at Su Jianshe with eyes full of plea. Seeing this, Su Jianshe frowned; he decided it was time to warn his sister.

"That old woman is no human. To help Sha Zhu get a wife, she actually drugged your water and locked you in with him."

At these words, Chu Yan, who had been deep in thought, fell silent, her face filled with horror and palpitations. Though innocent, she was not stupid. She had never imagined that the seemingly kind and amiable Deaf Old Lady could commit such a vile act.

"I had always treated the Deaf Old Lady like a grandmother! If it weren't for the sake of... I would have reported this to the police!"

As for Sha Zhu, Chu Yan’s face was full of disgust. "Sha Zhu is a scoundrel. His relationship with Qin Huairu is dubious, and he often... people like him are just... the way he looked at me so lecherously..."

Then, as if remembering something, Chu Yan looked at her brother nervously. "Brother, did Sha Zhu do anything to you?" As she spoke, she grabbed Su Jianshe’s arm, wanting to check for injuries. Su Jianshe gently restrained his strength, fearing that his practiced Baji Quan reflexes might accidentally hurt her.

"I’m fine. How could someone with Sha Zhu’s meager skills be a match for your brother?"

Hearing this, Chu Yan couldn't help but laugh. After checking repeatedly to ensure there were no marks on him, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Brother Jianshe, as long as you're safe, I’m relieved. Don't worry, when we return to the courtyard, I will definitely make the First Master get justice for us!"

However, Su Jianshe did not feel happy upon hearing this. Instead, he gently patted his sister’s head. "Xiao Yan, mark my words: there is not a single decent person in that courtyard; they are all wolves in sheep’s clothing. Do you really think the First Master is a good man?"

Su Jianshe then recounted his experiences in the courtyard to Chu Yan. Chu Yan was left stunned, her eyes wide with disbelief. Seeing this, Su Jianshe patted her back to comfort her. "Xiao Yan, from now on, you cannot trust anyone in that courtyard. You can only trust me."

Hearing this, Chu Yan nodded vigorously. The thought of what she had narrowly escaped filled her with lingering fear. Had Sha Zhu succeeded, her despair would have been far worse than death.