Chapter 188: Regaining Consciousness

As Doctor Gu had promised, Su Jiu regained consciousness on the seventh day.

She woke up at sunset when the sky was painted with a hundred hues. The first thing she saw was Ji Yuxian.

The sunlight had filtered through the windows, and the warm gentle light entered the room. The windows were half-open, and the chirping sounds of the birds could be heard.

“You’re awake?” Ji Yuxian asked, his mouth slightly agape.

Su Jiu blinked a few times. “Ji Yuxian, am I still alive?”

The girl sounded weak as she had been in a coma for a few days. Her voice was so hoarse that one could hardly hear her.

Ji Yuxian fed her some water and replied with a smile, “With your husband here, no one would dare to take your life!”

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Su Jiu’s body was wrapped in bandages, and there was a sharp pain in her chest. There was no way she could get up. She did a quick scan across the room and asked,

“Where am I?”

The door creaked open, and Bai Jingrou walked in with a bowl of medicine. When she stepped into the inner room and her gaze met the girl’s, she abruptly dropped the medicine bowl, which shattered into pieces on the floor.

The Eldest Mistress gaped at Su Jiu as tears rolled down her eyes. She walked slowly towards the bed and fell on one knee. “Jiu’er, you’re awake! Does it hurt?”

Su Jiu stared at the woman and frowned in confusion. She subconsciously turned to Ji Yuxian and mouthed the question, “Who is she?”

“Jiu’er!” The Eldest Mistress sobbed as she held Su Jiu’s hand, stroking the back of her hand gently while muttering her name.

The nanny heard the sound of the bowl smashing on the floor and thought something had gone wrong. She immediately came running over.

When she saw that Su Jiu was awake, she could not help but cry tears of joy. “My lady, you’re finally awake!”

The nanny was here too?

Su Jiu had more questions now. Where exactly was she?

The nanny patted the Eldest Mistress’ shoulders, comforting her. She choked back a sob and assured, “Mistress, please don’t cry anymore. You should be happy that my lady is now awake!”

Su Jiu once again turned her gaze towards Ji Yuxian, waiting for his explanation.

Ji Yuxian whispered in a gentle tone, “Let Nanny explain this to you!”

The nanny wiped off a tear and said, “My lady, this person right here is the Eldest Mistress of the Su Family, your mother!”

Dumbfounded and confused, Su Jiu turned her gaze from the crying women to Ji Yuxian and asked, “Ji Yuxian, what does this mean? You want me to be the daughter of the Eldest Mistress of the Su Family?”

Did he think that she would magically turn into Su Yuejiu just by pretending to be one?

“No!” The Eldest Mistress clenched Su Jiu’s hand tightly against her chest, with tears in her eyes. “Jiu’er, I’m your mother. You are the daughter who had gotten separated from me 12 years ago. You are my daughter, Su Yuejiu!”

Su Jiu gawked at her in utter confusion, unable to comprehend what she meant by that. At this moment, the woman’s gentle face began to turn blurry, and Su Jiu’s chest began to throb with excruciating pain. Her head also started to hurt, causing her to cramp up everywhere and curl up in pain.

Ji Yuxian noticed that something was wrong with Su Jiu. He pushed the nanny who was by the bedside and asked frantically, “Su Jiu, are you hurting anywhere?”

“Jiu’er, what’s wrong with you?” the Eldest Mistress looked at Su Jiu up and down in panic.

Frowning in agony, Su Jiu grabbed onto Ji Yuxian’s robe and muttered, “Ji Yuxian, I’m dying from pain. Get them out now.”

“Alright!” Ji Yuxian answered her nervously, wiping the cold sweat on Su Jiu’s forehead with a handkerchief. He turned to the two women and instructed, “Su Jiu has just regained consciousness, so her body is still weak. Nanny, why don’t you take the Eldest Mistress outside first? When Su Jiu’s better, we’ll let them recognize their relationship!”

The Eldest Mistress’s face turned pale. She slowly nodded and bowed to Ji Yuxian. “I would have to trouble you to take care of Jiu’er, Eldest Young Master!”

The nanny wiped off her tears and supported her out of the room.

Doctor Gu soon rushed over. After feeling her pulse, he fed her two pills and prescribed for the kitchen to prepare the medicine.

Su Jiu fell into a deep sleep after taking her medication. Ji Yuxian looked at her pale face and furrowed his brows.

“How is she?”

“Her life is no longer in danger. She’s still a little weak, so she would have to take some time to recover. Also, she has damaged her heart meridian. Even if she recovers, she may have a problem with chest pains.” Doctor Gu sighed.

Ji Yuxian turned with a desolate gaze. “You mean to say that she might be plagued with heart disease in the future?”

“I’ll prescribe some medication to treat her heart and ease her symptoms!” Doctor Gu knew that Ji Yuxian had been worried sick for the past few days, and he did not want to scare him any further. “Don’t worry! As the mighty Doctor Gu, I’ll make sure this girl lives till a hundred!”

Ji Yuxian turned and said in a passive tone, “I’ve heard that some doctors would purposely let their patients’ illness drag on so that their patients would always need them, and they would feel valued as a result!”

Doctor Gu darted a glare at Ji Yuxian. “You ungrateful lad! Have you forgotten how you were like when you brought your wife to me? If it weren’t for me, would you still be sitting here, being petty and sarcastic? You would have already followed her to the afterlife!”

“Shh!” Ji Yuxian looked back at him, with his phoenix eyes narrowed. “My wife hates noise. Can I trouble you to lower your volume?”

Doctor Gu let out an exasperated sigh while glaring at him.

Ji Yuxian’s lips slowly curved into a smile. “I’m not doubting your skills and ethics! I’m just reminding you not to make any mistakes. After all, my wife’s well-being will directly affect the next few generations of your family!”

Doctor Gu packed up his medicine chest and left in a huff.

It was dinner time. The nanny noticed that the tray of food served to Eldest Mistress was again brought out untouched. Her brows furrowed, and she walked in after knocking.

The Eldest Mistress was sitting on a chair, holding on to a silver locket meant for a child.

The nanny knelt next to the Eldest Mistress and cried, “Madame, it’s all my fault! I was the one who had caused both of you to be separated back then, and after coming to Shengjing City, I never brought the Young Lady to meet you!”

The Eldest Mistress sighed and stretched out her arms to help her up. “You’ve been taking care of Jiu’er all this while, and as her mother, I have done nothing. How could I blame you?”

“Madame, the Young Lady has just regained consciousness and is still very weak. She probably won’t be able to think about her real identity for the moment. Once she recovers, she’ll recognize you!”

The Eldest Mistress shook her head. “I’m not upset because of that. I just thought about how much Jiu’er has suffered through these years, and I’m unable to stay calm. It was my rashness that caused her to suffer!

“We can’t change the past, Madame! Don’t blame yourself anymore! The Young Lady is now back, isn’t that something to be happy about?” The nanny could not help but start tearing after she saw tears welling up in the Eldest Mistress’s eyes.

“Yes, my Jiu’er is finally back!” The Eldest Mistress smiled as her tears rolled down her cheeks. “I’ve been pining for her for 12 years, and she’s finally back!”

That hateful Su Wenqian and Madame Su! They had kept it from her for so many years, and they turned out to be the ones who had plotted to send Jiu’er away.

She was certainly going to settle scores with them!

“Madame, you’ll still have a lot of time to accompany the Young Lady in the future. You need to take care of your health,” the nanny pleaded.

“Yes!”

The Eldest Mistress asked about Su Jiu’s experience in the Ji Manor, and the nanny answered her questions in detail.

They could not help but feel amazed by the marriage between Su Jiu and Ji Yuxian. However, the Eldest Mistress had mixed feelings. Back then, the prenatal betrothal was set by the two families on the spur of the moment. Separated from Jiu’er for 12 years, she would never have thought that her daughter would still marry into the Ji Family under a different identity.

Because she had refused to call off the engagement in the past, she was separated from Jiu’er. If only she had compromised, this engagement would be canceled, and Jiu’er would have never married Ji Yuxian.

Come to think of it, this was all predestined!

The next morning, when Su Jiu was awake and Ji Yuxian was feeding her medicine, Jin Feng came in to report that the members of the Dragon Conqueror Gang were here once again.

For the past seven days, the members of the Dragon Conqueror Gang had been coming every day. When they were refused entry, they would simply wait outside the villa throughout the day.

Qiao An took a long leave from going to court. Hu Dapao also refused to go back to the army barracks, and along with Ah Shu, the trio stationed themselves right outside the villa.

The bodyguard agency also continuously sent someone down to visit Su Jiu. The villa had many guests every single day, as though it was a market. The mountain paths were nearly flattened from all the walking done by the visitors.

On the other hand, Chang Huan never appeared.

Xiao Lie came twice, saw that Su Jiu was still unconscious, and stood outside the villa for half a day before heading back.

Now that Su Jiu was awake, Jin Feng came to ask her if she would like to see the members of the Dragon Conqueror Gang.

“Tell them that Su Jiu is now awake, but she’s still very weak. She’ll see them in a few days!” Ji Yuxian rejected on behalf of Su Jiu as he fed her with a spoon.

Su Jiu turned to look at Jin Feng. “Ask them to go back and do whatever they have to do. I’m fine now!”

Jin Feng felt that it might put him in a difficult position and pointed out, “I’m afraid they would refuse to leave if they knew that the Young Mistress has regained consciousness.”

“Just tell them that I said so! They’ll listen!” Su Jiu reassured him.

“Yes!”

Jin Feng walked out to convey Su Jiu’s message to Qiao An and the rest. As expected, the trio was very skeptical of what he said.

“Since Chief is awake now, why wouldn’t she see us?” Qiao An asked with a frown.

“Exactly! Is Chief a member of the Dragon Conqueror Gang, or a member of the Ji Family? Since Eldest Young Master saved Chief, we have been holding back. If we’re still not allowed to see her, I’ll barge in!” Hu Dapao had become extremely anxious, losing his cool as a general.

Ah Shu, who had always respected Ji Yuxian, also had his suspicions. “What does the Eldest Young Master mean by this?”

When they were done, Jin Feng calmly explained, “The Young Mistress is both a part of the Dragon Conqueror Gang and the Ji Family, so you’ll find out more about this soon! She has just regained consciousness and is still feeble, and she has fallen asleep after taking her medication. Doctor Gu has instructed that she needs rest and that she can’t afford to tire herself out. If you guys go inside, can she still rest? Our Eldest Young Master will take good care of our Young Mistress. Please be rest assured!”

After hearing that, they looked slightly relieved, even though they could not see Su Jiu.

Qiao An noticed that Jin Feng had changed the way he addresses Su Jiu; it was now Young Mistress again. Furthermore, he also mentioned that Su Jiu was part of the Ji Family. His gaze deepened.

Could it be that Su Jiu felt hurt by Prince Rui’s actions, and hence decided to go back to the Ji Manor?

“The Young Mistress would like me to convey that she would like all of you to go back to your jobs. She will get well soon!” Jin Feng said.

Qiao An nodded. “Alright, we trust that the Eldest Young Master will take care of our Chief. We’ll head back to the city now. On behalf of the Dragon Conqueror Gang, I would like to thank the Eldest Young Master.”

Jin Feng greeted back, “You’re too kind, Master Qiao!”

Hu Dapao and Ah Shu noticed Qiao An’s actions, and they stopped being stubborn. They merely expressed their concern to Jin Feng, before making their descent down the mountain.

When they were walking down, Ah Shu was completely silent.

Qiao An frowned and said, “Ah Shu, even though it was Prince Rui who harmed Chief, it may not be his intention to kill her. Don’t be rash!”

Ah Shu snapped coldly, “Are we not going to take revenge for Chief? She almost lost her life!”

Hu Dapao looked up at Qiao An. “Master An, just one word from you, and as long as you agree to this, we’ll go avenge our Chief!”

It did not matter if it was Prince Rui or Lord Yun Nan. The Dragon Conqueror Gang was never afraid of anyone!

“Don’t be a fool!” Qiao An hissed, “Do you guys think that you’re still mountain bandits and can do whatever you want? Have you thought about the consequences of killing Prince Rui? Dapao is now a general with a fourth-grade rank, and he will be prosecuted directly for attempting a revolt. When that happens, the Nangong Family will be implicated! The bodyguard agency, commercial house, and restaurant will all be implicated too. Whatever Chief has painstakingly built will vanish because of one wrong move!”

“If Prince Rui dies, Chief’s identity will be exposed. She’s now badly injured, do you want her to be investigated by the court? Also, there’s the Ji Family. Lady Ji was caught committing adultery with Prince Zhao, and His Majesty has sentenced Lady Ji to death. Although the Ji Family was not implicated by the incident because of their status in the country, His Majesty is now wary of them. If Prince Rui dies, His Majesty will undoubtedly do something to them! Without Eldest Young Master Ji, our Chief would be in deeper trouble. Have you all considered these?”

“Princess Yu Long is now the princess consort of Prince Rui, so killing her is akin to killing Prince Rui. Prince Rui may not pursue the matter, but Lord Yun Nan and His Majesty will never let Chief off.”

Ah Shu punched the tree next to him in exasperation. “But I can’t take this lying down!” he said grudgingly.

Chang Huan couldn’t be killed, Prince Rui couldn’t be killed, and they couldn’t do anything to Lord Yun Nan’s family. How did they end up at the mercy of these people?

“We’ll take revenge!” Qiao An said coldly, “Of course we have to, but now is not the time. What’s more important now is Chief’s recovery. Once she has recovered, we’ll make them pay for what they’ve done!”

Hu Dapao nodded. “Revenge is a dish best served cold. It’s more important that we protect our Chief’s safety right now!”

Ah Shu looked at them and harshly said, “Master An and Dapao, you are both serving the court now, and you’ll be Xiao Lie’s officials in the future. But I hope you both remember that you are most importantly members of the Dragon Conqueror Gang!”

Hu Dapao’s face turned red in fury. He gritted his teeth and yelled, “What the f*ck does that mean? What kind of a person do you take me as? If Xiao Lie becomes the Emperor, I, Hu Dapao won’t hesitate to stage a revolt if our Chief has ordered it. Moreover, he’s just a crown prince now!”

“Enough! I know that you both feel indignant about this, but now is not the time for us to have internal conflicts. There’s only the four of us in the Dragon Conqueror Gang now!” Qiao An said.

Ah Shu and Dapao were reminded of Chang Huan, and they could feel the heaviness in their hearts. They all grew up together, with Chang Huan always following Su Jiu around. Who would have known that this would happen?

“Let’s go, there are a lot of things waiting for us to do! We have to get it together!” Qiao An sighed heavily and continued walking down the mountain.

Ah Shu and Hu Dapao both followed him down.

Since Su Jiu first regained consciousness, her condition had been improving. She was no longer falling asleep right after drinking her medicine.

Her wounds were starting to heal, and she no longer looked as pale.

The Eldest Mistress came to accompany Su Jiu every day, helping her to change out of her clothes, wiping her body, and feeding her medicine.

All she did was take care of her with the utmost attention, without ever mentioning Su Jiu’s identity.

She also did everything herself, including minor chores such as serving water. She did not let the servants do it.

They started to become closer. Su Jiu knew that the woman was the Eldest Mistress of the Su Family, and she could still remember what the woman had told her when she woke up.

As the woman never talked about Su Jiu’s identity again, Su Jiu never asked as well.

How could she be Su Yuejiu?

This was just unbelievable.

This afternoon, Su Jiu propped herself against a soft pillow to sit for a while, now able to sit up on her own.

As she gazed at the shimmering sunlight and colorful flowers blooming outside, Su Jiu could no longer sit still and wanted to head outside.

Ji Yuxian was left with no choice but to wrap her tightly in a cloak and let her sit in his embrace by the side of the lake for a short while.

Su Jiu had lost a bit of weight. Her sharp features were now covered by a hood, and one could only notice her large doe eyes.

However, her once beautiful eyes had lost their shine, and they seemed to be shadowed by inner turmoil.

It had been over ten days since she regained consciousness, but she never mentioned Chang Huan and Xiao Lie’s names. She looked so tranquil that no one could tell what she was thinking.

The warm spring wind, the blue lake, the fragrance from the lotuses, and the clouds. Just by taking in the fresh air in the mountains, one could feel completely refreshed.

Su Jiu sat in Ji Yuxian’s embrace, with her head leaning against his chest. She frowned and asked, “Ji Yuxian, it’s getting warm. Can you take my hood off?”

“No!” the man answered in a gentle tone as he tightened his embrace. “We’re in the mountains, so it’s not as warm. The wind is a little cold, and since you’ve just recovered, you have to cover yourself from the wind.”

He almost caved in to her pleading face, but he was already very lenient to have carried her out here!

Su Jiu heard the resolution in his voice, and she could only give up. She called his name again,

“Ji Yuxian…”

“Hmm?” The man’s voice was attractive like a magnet, with a hint of an intention to pamper her.

“Why is the Eldest Mistress of the Su Family taking care of me?” Su Jiu asked.

Ji Yuxian caressed her face with his long fingers as he looked down, and noticed the fluttering shadows of her long lashes cast on her fair skin. He could not help but lower his head to get closer to her, and he asked her gently, “Can I, your husband, tell you a story?”

Su Jiu looked up at him. This man seemed to have become her husband again after she regained consciousness.

The man’s low voice could already be heard above her head as he recounted,

“A long time ago, there were two ladies who were good friends. They lived miles apart from each other, and during one meeting, one of them happened to be pregnant. Both of them decided that if the baby was a girl, she would be betrothed to the other lady’s five-year-old son.”

“That lady eventually did give birth to a girl. She should be extremely adorable and smart!” Ji Yuxian said in all seriousness.

“When she turned five, however, the family of the boy, whom she was betrothed to, found themselves in trouble. The girl’s mother wanted to take her daughter to Shengjing City but was stopped by her family’s Old Master and Second Mistress. They came up with an evil plan, and got a servant to send the girl off somewhere.”

“When the girl was sent off, her boat capsized in the river, and the currents swept her to the river bank. She was then rescued by a woman.”

Su Jiu gripped tightly on Ji Yuxian’s clothes, turning pale.

Ji Yuxian placed his hand over hers and continued the story, “However, the woman was poor, and she was not able to take care of the girl. Hence, she gave her away to another family. At her new home, the girl was abused, and she eventually ran away. An old beggar woman later brought her to Yuhu Mountain.”

“The old lady passed away from illness, and the girl became a part of the Dragon Conqueror Gang. After that, she even became a gang leader.”

“More than ten years have passed and the boy, whom she was betrothed to, was now an adult. The boy’s family had pulled through the crisis, and his family’s status was now much better than before. The girl’s father regretted trying to cancel the betrothal, and wanted to marry his daughter into the family.”

“However, since he had sent the girl away, how were they going to get married? After discussing with his second wife, they decided to get his second wife’s daughter to pose as his eldest daughter to marry the man!”

“Perhaps it was against heaven’s will, but the fake eldest daughter was kidnapped when she reached Yuhu Mountain. The real eldest daughter appeared, took on the bride’s identity, and married the man.”

Ji Yuxian lowered his head, lifted Su Jiu’s chin with his finger, and met her stunned gaze. He continued, “After they were married, the man began to fall in love with his wife, but that was before he knew about the real and fake Miss Su. When the second daughter appeared, the couple was forced to separate. He could only helplessly watch his wife fall in love with someone else. His heart was broken, and he could not sleep every day!”

“But now, the truth has come to light. The person he married was the girl his mother had picked out for him, and he has never let her slip away.”

Su Jiu gaped at him in shock as tears rolled down her pale face.

“Am… am I really Su Yuejiu?”

“Yes, you are Su Yuejiu, the real eldest daughter of the Su Family! My wife!”

Su Jiu was in disbelief. She was the actual daughter of the Su Family. She was set up when she was young and forced to be separated from her mother. She came to Yuhu Mountain, became a mountain bandit for more than a decade, and ended up kidnapping ‘herself’ to fulfill the promise made back then.

Her background turned out to be like this!

She had parents, she had a family, and she had always been connected with them.

“Could there be anything more coincidental than this?” Su Jiu asked with a look of astonishment on her tear-streaked face.

“This is no coincidence, this is all predestined. You’re destined to be my wife!” Ji Yuxian declared in a firm tone.

“So, I wasn’t abandoned by my family, or at least my mother didn’t abandon me. Am I right?” Su Jiu’s lips quivered, and tears started rolling down her cheeks uncontrollably.

“Yes, the Eldest Mistress has been looking for you all these years, but she never expected you to end up here in Shengjing.” Ji Yuxian bent down to gently kiss her tears away, his voice ever so soothing.

Su Jiu turned to look at the mountain range a distance away, and her gaze turned cold.

Ten years of being separated from her mother. Who should she settle scores with?

Su Wenqian, Madame Su, Su Yueqiu…

And those who had betrayed her, lied to her, and wanted to kill her…

She did not die, because she had unfinished business!

Ji Yuxian bent down and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Be good, okay? You’re back, and that’s all that matters. Those who have bullied you, I’ll exact revenge on your behalf!”

Su Jiu’s gaze was listless. She leaned against him and slowly closed her eyes.

Perhaps it was because there were too many things that have happened recently, but everything she knew had completely changed.

Her father had plotted a scheme with his second wife to save himself and had sold her off.

Su Yueqiu was a fake, yet she had dared to kick up a fuss, crying and demanding that Su Jiu return Ji Yuxian to her. She was crying so miserably.

Chang Huan was the closest person to her, but he had plotted a scheme with Princess Yu Long to kill her.

And Xiao Lie, that person who said that he loved her, had gone to marry someone else!

Su Jiu’s mind was in a whirl, and the unbearable sharp pain started pounding in her chest again. She tightened her grip on Ji Yuxian’s clothes and frowned in agony.

“Su Jiu!”

Ji Yuxian was astounded. He immediately scooped her in his arms and rushed into the house. Doctor Gu followed closely behind and asked, “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know, please take a look at her!” Ji Yuxian panicked.

He placed her on the bed. Her eyes were closed, and cold sweat slowly rolled down her forehead.

Ji Yuxian sat by her bedside, wiping off her cold sweat.

“What’s wrong with her?” Ji Yuxian asked anxiously with a hoarse voice.

Doctor Gu placed his hand down after feeling her pulse, and said, “The pain could be because she hit her head when she fell off the cliff, or her heart meridian getting strained. I’ll do something to ease her pain first!”

After speaking, he immediately opened his medicine kit, took out his silver acupuncture needles, and pierced them at pressure points on Su Jiu’s head and chest, quickly and smoothly.

Soon enough, Su Jiu’s tensed up body started to relax. Her frown faded, and she fell asleep.

Ji Yuxian frowned and said, “I told her about her real identity. Could it have something to do with this?”

Doctor Gu started explaining, in a rarely-heard serious tone, “This girl is now weak both physically and emotionally. She is naive and stubborn by nature, and now that something unacceptable has happened to her, it’s up to her to get out of it.”

Ji Yuxian lowered his head and caressed her face. “My Jiu’er is strong. She’ll get well!”

When Su Jiu woke up the next day, it was already bright outside. She opened her eyes and could feel her mind clearing up. She pushed aside her bedside curtain, and the warm sunlight filtered in.

Ji Yuxian was sitting there, reading a book. As he looked up, his face was illuminated by the sunlight behind him. His deep-set phoenix eyes seemed to reflect the light as his lips curved into a smile. He got up and walked over to sit next to her. “Does your head still hurt?” he asked in a soothing voice.

Su Jiu shook her head. She gained a bit of weight recently, especially on her face. Her fair porcelain skin, her untied black hair, and her clear black eyes made her look as pure as a child.

“Did Doctor Gu give an order to not let me out?” The girl pouted in disappointment.

“No, he didn’t! The weather is great today. After you drink your medicine and eat something, I’ll take you out!”

The girl looked up at him, grinning. “Really?”

“Mm!”

The Eldest Mistress came in personally to help Su Jiu take her medicine and wash up.

As Su Jiu had many wounds all over her body, she was unable to take a bath. Hence, the Eldest Mistress used a wet towel to wipe her down.

Despite having already looked at her body countless times, every time she saw the wounds on the girl’s body, she could feel her heart shattering. She raised her hand to gently graze the wounds, wishing that they were all inflicted on her instead.

Su Jiu was sitting on the bed in her undergarments. When she saw the woman turn to wipe off her tears, she could not help but feel a tug in her heart.

After a wipedown and helping Su Jiu with her clothes, the Eldest Mistress sat behind her to comb her hair.

The girl’s smooth waist-length hair cascaded down her shoulders. The Eldest Mistress held a wooden comb and slowly combed her hair, smiling and recalling,

“Jiu’er, when you were younger, I was the only person allowed to comb your hair. You would always complain that when others did it, it hurts.”

Su Jiu turned back slightly and looked at their reflection in the bronze mirror. At this moment, this scene seemed familiar to her. A young girl was lazing in bed and refusing to get off, and a young woman stood behind her combing her hair.

“Mother!” Su Jiu abruptly called out.

The woman behind her stopped combing and hugged Su Jiu from behind, sobbing and quivering as she placed her forehead on Su Jiu’s.

…

When Ji Yuxian brought the porridge in, Su Jiu had already tied her hair up and put on new clothes.

The Eldest Mistress was making her bed, her face ever so gentle. She looked up to see Ji Yuxian in the room, smiled, and said, “Eldest Young Master, you haven’t eaten as well. Both of you should enjoy your meals. I’ll head outside first!”

She turned to give Su Jiu a loving smile, before leaving the room.

Ji Yuxian fed Su Jiu her food. Afterward, he put on a cloak on her and carried her out.

The high sunlit clouds drifted across a clear blue sky, with no gust of wind blowing.

It was cooling in the mountains, making it the perfect location to hide from the sweltering heat.

“Ji Yuxian, my mother has been on the mountain for a long time. Did the Su Family come to look for her?” Su Jiu asked.

Mother?

Ji Yuxian smiled, knowing that Su Jiu had accepted her identity. “I’ve sent someone to the Su Family, to inform them that I need the Eldest Mistress here for a few more days.”

Su Wenqian was probably too busy dealing with the mess created by the Second Mistress, Su Yueqiu and her child, as well as his two sons. As such, he probably had no time for the Eldest Mistress.

Su Jiu nodded and asked, “Ji Yuxian, do you hate me?”

Ji Yuxian’s steady steps slowed down. He looked over and chuckled. “Hate you for what?”

“I didn’t stay with you throughout. I betrayed you!” Su Jiu muttered.

“That’s not true. We had way too many things that got in the way. We’re just starting things now.”

“Ji Yuxian…”

“Hmm?”

“It’s my revenge. Don’t meddle in it, I’ll do it myself!” Su Jiu suddenly said.

Ji Yuxian carried her and sat near the lake. Caressing her black hair, he said, “Your revenge is mine too. Why do we have to keep it separate?”

“No!” Su Jiu shook her head. “You’ve done enough for me. Let me do it myself this time. I prefer to feel the thrill of destroying my enemy with my own hands!”

“What are you planning to do?” Ji Yuxian asked.

The enemy she was talking about, was it the Su Family, Lord Yun Nan’s family, or Xiao Lie?

Su Jiu’s expression darkened. She did not answer his question and asked instead, “Where’s Hu Dapao and the rest?”

“They’ll come every day to ask about your condition, and then head down the mountain!”

“Alright, I want to see them today. I have something to tell them!”

“Alright!”

In the evening, Qiao An, Hu Dapao, and Ah Shu finally met Su Jiu. The four of them had a meeting for two hours, and only left when it was already dark.

Ji Yuxian was standing along the corridors. Jin Feng walked over and asked, “What is the Young Mistress planning to do?”

Ji Yuxian slowly shook his head. Since Su Jiu woke up, she never really said much most of the time. He did not know what she wanted to do either.

“Keep a close watch on the Dragon Conqueror Gang, and report to me if they take any action!”

“Yes!”

Su Jiu stayed on the mountain for a month. She took her medicine, ate regularly, and did nothing else. She was very cooperative.

Ji Yuxian also stayed on the mountain for a month. He would accompany her to the lake to sit, and half a day would then pass. Every day, they would observe the sunrise, sunset, clouds, blooming and falling of the flowers, the flowing waters, and the waterfalls in the forests.

These idle days seemed like a dream, as though they would continue to do this until they become old and frail.

It was the end of June, and the heat could not be felt in the mountains. At night, when Su Jiu was taking a bath, the Eldest Mistress was helping her clean her back.

Su Jiu’s wounds had healed well, and the scabs had fallen off. Doctor Gu’s medicine proved to be effective, and other than several light pink marks, there were no ugly scarrings.

Looking at these marks, she was reminded of the danger Su Jiu had faced at the cliff. The Eldest Mistress would still feel nervous thinking about it.

“Mother!” Su Jiu suddenly clutched the Eldest Mistress’s hand and whispered, “I’m leaving tonight!”

The Eldest Mistress was stunned, and the towel she was holding dropped into the water with a ‘plop.’

“Where are you going?”

“I don’t know, but I have to leave this place!” Su Jiu replied.

Life here was too easy. She could not just stay here, hiding in Ji Yuxian’s embrace. She had to face some of the problems on her own.

“Jiu’er!” The Eldest Mistress squatted down and held onto Su Jiu. “I can tell that the Eldest Young Master loves you so much. You’re his wife, so you should stay by his side,” she earnestly advised.

Su Jiu shook her head. “I can’t stay. There are a lot of things I have to do!”

“Jiu’er, you are a woman. You don’t have to carry this burden!”

“It doesn’t matter if I’m a man or a woman. If I have to do it, I won’t run away from it just because I’m a woman.” Su Jiu plastered a steely and determined expression on her face.

“Then, do you still like the crown prince?” the Eldest Mistress asked carefully.

Su Jiu looked down. “That’s why… I need to think it through.”

“Jiu’er, we’ve just reunited with each other! I can’t bear to be separated from you again!” The Eldest Mistress placed Su Jiu’s hand against her cheek lovingly.

“After I have thought things through, and have done what I need to do, I’ll be back!” Su Jiu’s eyes were full of zeal. “Mother, I’ll be back. I’ve not made them pay for the suffering we’ve gone through for being separated for ten years. How can I face you?”

The Eldest Mistress could not bear to do that, but she nodded in tears. “Alright, I’ll wait for you!”

“Mm!” Su Jiu wiped away the tears on the Eldest Mistress’s face. “Don’t cry. I’ll protect you in the future, and I won’t allow anyone to hurt you!”

The Eldest Mistress was bawling even more. “Jiu’er! As long as we are together, no one can hurt me!”

“I’ll leave a letter for Ji Yuxian. After I leave, stay here and wait for me to bring you back!” Su Jiu said.

“Alright, I’m not going anywhere! I’ll wait for you to come back!”

Su Jiu laid in bed after a bath and saw that the Eldest Mistress was still there. She wriggled to the side and chuckled. “Mother, come and lie with me here!”

“Sure!” The Eldest Mistress nodded, removed the top layer of her clothing, and laid in bed with Su Jiu.

The night sky was clear. The moonlight filtered in through the curtains and illuminated their faces.

Su Jiu leaned against the Eldest Mistress’ arm and smiled. “So this is how it feels to have a mother!”

She felt secure and at ease as if she had found a place where she truly belonged to.

The Eldest Mistress caressed her hair and tapped on her shoulder, a scene reminiscent of when Su Jiu was young.

“Jiu’er, for my sake, you must come back!

Su Jiu closed her eyes and nodded.

When it was almost daybreak, Su Jiu put on her clothes and left the letter for Ji Yuxian on the table. She turned to see the Eldest Mistress looking at her.

“Mother!” Su Jiu knelt in front of her. “Wait for me to be back!”

The Eldest Mistress nodded, covering her mouth to control her sobs.

Su Jiu got up, wiped away her tears, and left decisively.

…

When Ji Yuxian came over the next day, he saw the Eldest Mistress making the bed and asked, “Did Su Jiu go somewhere? Why don’t I see her around?”

The Eldest Mistress got up, and her eyes reddened again. She immediately looked down.

Once Ji Yuxian saw her expression, his heart dropped. His expression darkened in an instant.

“Where did she go?”

The Eldest Mistress walked to the table, picked up the letter, and passed it to Ji Yuxian. “Jiu’er left this for you!”

Ji Yuxian’s face turned slightly pale, he stared at the letter for a while before reaching out to take and open it.

“Ji Yuxian, I’ve left. Don’t look for me, and don’t do anything for me! I just need to leave this place to get my mind sorted out. Take care!”

It was just a few words, yet Ji Yuxian stared at it for a long time, gripping the letter so hard that his knuckles turned white.

She left again!

She left once again without saying anything, and only left him a piece of paper!

Even if she knew that she was his wife, she still chose to leave.

What did she need to think about? Or was it because she could not forget Xiao Lie, so she was running away?

The man’s face darkened, his stifling anger and bitterness pounding in his chest. He wanted to smack some senses into that woman.

The Eldest Mistress said, “Jiu’er is too confused now, so she needs some time alone. Please don’t blame her, she’ll be back for sure!”

Ji Yuxian laughed sardonically, angry beyond words. “Blame her? If I did, it wouldn’t be enough for me if she died ten times!”

Although he sounded harsh and looked furious, his tone still sounded affectionate. The Eldest Mistress felt assured.

“Don’t worry! As long as I’m here, she will be back!”

Ji Yuxian knew that she would eventually return. After all, the members of the Dragon Conqueror Gang were all here. Even if she abandoned him, she would never abandon the folks of the Dragon Conqueror Gang.

The man scoffed and walked out. When he walked to the doorstep, he turned and said, “I’ll be going down from the mountain today. It’s quiet and peaceful here up here, so feel free to stay, Eldest Mistress.”

“Alright.”

The Eldest Mistress agreed without hesitation. Jiu’er asked her to stay here, and so did Ji Yuxian. Jiu’er was afraid that the Eldest Mistress would get bullied in the Su Manor, while Ji Yuxian must have been afraid that Su Jiu would not return then.

Ji Yuxian nodded. He swung his red robe and walked out without turning back.