Warm medicine emits fragrance

The next day, not long after dawn, Fan Liuer woke up.

She didn't sleep very well that night, and had some strange dreams. She was still shaken when she woke up.

Seeing that she had woken up early, Siqing asked curiously, "Madam Fan, why did you wake up so early today?"

Fan Liuer sat up in bed, wrapped in a blanket. "I had a nightmare."

"What nightmare?" Siqing asked curiously.

Fan Liuer recalled her dream, "I dreamt that Second Master hit my head with a hammer."

Upon hearing this, Siqing opened her mouth wide, and after a long while, she finally blurted out, "Why did he hit your head?"

Fan Liuer said blankly, "He said he wanted to see what's in my head."

Siqing: "...Your dream was indeed quite frightening."

Fan Liuer was immersed in that nightmare all morning, and she kept thinking that Li Chenbi might really be capable of doing such a thing.

After breakfast, the sun slowly rose, and it was almost noon.

Fan Liuer took out the medicine from her person, mixed it with Li Chenbi's medicine, and then waited for someone to come and collect it.

Li Chenbi has not returned to the mansion these past few days; the medicine has been fetched and delivered to the mansion by the servants.

She thought today would be the same, but when Li Qiuping arrived, he didn't leave as quickly as usual. Instead, he stood in the room with a hesitant expression on his face.

Fan Liuer couldn't help but ask, "Does Steward Li have something to say?"

Li Qiuping sighed deeply before speaking, "Ah, I've just been feeling a bit down these past few days."

Fan Liuer had known Li Chenbi for just as long as she had known Li Qiuping, and she was quite familiar with Li Qiuping's personality.

Although he looks young and is quite smooth and lively in front of Li Chenbi, he is still quite dignified in front of outsiders and rarely sighs in front of others.

This piqued Fan Liuer's curiosity. "Um... what's troubling Steward Li?"

Li Qiuping sighed again, "It's still the Second Master."

"Second Master has been too irritable lately, and he gets angry at the drop of a hat, making life difficult for those of us who serve him."

"Madam Fan, you used to work as a servant too, so you know that when the master is unhappy, it's us servants who suffer."

"These past two days, I haven't dared to breathe too loudly next to Second Master, for fear that I might say something wrong and offend him."

Fan Liuer could empathize with Li Qiuping's situation very well. She knew Li Chenbi's temper all too well; he would get angry and lose his temper at the drop of a hat, sometimes leaving her completely bewildered.

She sighed, "That's true. Those who serve have to live according to their master's wishes."

Seeing this, Li Qiuping felt more confident and said, "When I came down just now, Second Master lost his temper again. I don't dare to go up now, because I'll definitely run into a bullet if I do."

Fan Liuer nodded, "Very likely."

Given Li Chenbi's unpredictable temper, the probability of this happening is very high.

Having said that enough groundwork, Li Qiuping finally got to the main point.

"Madam Fan, I have a favor to ask of you."

A sense of unease immediately welled up in Fan Liuer's heart, and her eyes involuntarily filled with vigilance. "Uh... what kind of help is it?"

Li Qiuping looked at the jade cup on the table. "Could you please take this medicine up for me?"

"Second Master dotes on you the most. He can't bring himself to lose his temper with anyone but you. If you send this medicine up, he'll definitely be happy."

Li Qiuping originally thought it was a done deal, but as soon as he finished speaking, Fan Liuer shook her head violently.

Shaking it even more vigorously than a rattle-drum, he said, "I'm sorry, Manager Li, I can't help you with this."

Li Qiuping had already prepared his words of thanks, but when he was rejected, he was stunned for a moment before he realized what had happened.

Why?

Fan Liuer: "Second Master is still angry with me. If I go up there now, I'll be walking into a trap."

Li Chenbi was already angry with her, and if she showed up again while he was in a bad mood, she might get thrown out again.

It's possible that throwing it away would be a good thing. She couldn't help but recall her dream from last night and shuddered.

Li Qiuping immediately said, "Second Master is not angry with you anymore."

Fan Liuer didn't believe it. If Li Chenbi wasn't angry with her, he would have already gone into her room.

His absence means he's still angry.

"I'm sorry, Manager Li, I really can't help you with this."

Although she sympathized with Li Qiuping, she knew that her own life was more important than anyone else's.

Li Qiuping panicked and was so anxious that he wanted to kneel down before Fan Liuer.

If he fails to persuade Fan Liuer to go up today, then he will have truly walked into a trap.

"Madam Fan, you're overthinking it. Second Master really isn't angry with you. He's just been too busy these past few days, so busy that he hasn't even been home. That's why he rushed back as soon as he finished last night."

"I originally wanted to stay downstairs, but I was worried about disturbing you, so I went upstairs to sleep."

Fan Liuer still didn't believe it. Li Chenbi had woken her up in the middle of the night more than once or twice, so how could she only be worried this time?

She shook her head again, looking apologetic.

Li Qiuping was at his wit's end. He even thought about kneeling down to Fan Liuer, crying and begging her to come up to him, hoping that she wouldn't refuse him then.

However, before he could act, Fan Liuer spoke first: "Manager Li, it's not that I don't want to help you, it's just that I'm very scared too."

"I had a nightmare yesterday, and I still get chills when I think about it."

After listening to Fan Liuer's dream, Li Qiuping advised, "People say dreams are the opposite of reality, but in truth, Second Master would never have wanted to treat you like that."

"Madam Fan, trust me, Second Master really isn't angry with you anymore. If you go up now, you won't run into trouble, and you'll even get a big reward."

Fan Liuer wasn't fooled; she knew Li Chenbi too well.

He's definitely still angry unless he comes to me in person.

In the past, Fan Liuer wouldn't have been afraid to coax him, but last night's dream was too real, and she was now really afraid to see Li Chenbi.

Li Qiuping tried to persuade her for a long time, but Fan Liuer wouldn't budge even though it was almost time for Li Chenbi to take his medicine. He could only hold his breath and carry the jade cup upstairs.

Li Chenbi, who was upstairs, had been waiting impatiently. When he saw that it was Li Qiuping who came in, and that there was no one behind him, and that the figure he longed for did not appear, his face immediately darkened.

Where are they?

Li Qiuping carefully placed the medicine on the table before speaking softly, "Madam Fan said she dares not come."

Li Chenbi was so angry that he got off the couch without even putting on his shoes.

"She's too scared to come? What? What can I really do to her?"