Chapter 16

Angry

The stairs were wet with droplets that had dripped from Zhao Zhan’s body.

He picked out three new sets of clothes and a change of undergarments for Yue Jiaojiao. Then, he left the things he had bought with the shop owner and went to the other shops in town. The owner of the tailor shop hired a carriage when he saw him coming back, and then asked the coachman to help him load the newly bought items in.

Due to the heavy rain, the carriage did not alarm many people when it arrived at Willow Village.

Zhao Zhan had the coachman wait at the foot of the mountain for a while. He covered his things and ran back and forth a few times to move them into the cave. Then, he paid the fare and immediately went back to the cave.

It was hard to tell if the drenched clothes on him were from the sweat or rain.

Yue Jiaojiao’s body was still weak so she was laying soundly on the hammock. While she was still asleep, Zhao Zhan tidied up the things he had just bought, then rushed to the river not far from the cave to take a bath. He then came back to change into dry clothes and began to cook for the both of them.

Yue Jiaojiao was awoken by the fragrance of rice.

While she lay on the hammock with her white and thin legs hanging outside, she rocked back and forth to sway the hammock. Her voice sounded lazy and sleepy. “Zhao Zhan, what delicious food are you making today?”

Zhao Zhan turned his head to take a look at her and then immediately looked away.

The cave was dark, but her white and tender skin seemed to be reflecting the light.

That same strange feeling surged again. Zhao Zhan closed his eyes and calmed his breathing. When he spoke again, his voice was a little deep and hoarse. “I made a pot of red date porridge to help you get rid of the cold.”

His cooking had been compromised due to the situation that happened, so there was only one pot on the fire until his usual style of cooking in his own kitchen.

Zhao Zhan usually cooked rice, meat, and vegetables. However, he knew that she had a weak stomach. He did not want to live like a dismissive man.

Before cooking the congee, Zhao Zhan also stir-fried a plate of meat in a crock pot. The lid of the crock pot was used to cover the meat so that it could be kept warm.

Yue Jiaojiao’s sleepiness had yet to completely subside. So she closed her eyes and mumbled to herself, but she couldn’t help but open them again to speak louder. “This porridge smells so good, but I’m too comfortable in bed too.”

Zhao Zhan washed his hands and walked over to the hammock. He squatted on the ground and stared at Yue Jiaojiao’s face without blinking.

The two blushes on her tender cheeks made Zhao Zhan subconsciously think of the red clouds on the horizon.

Being stared at with such a burning desire, Yue Jiaojiao deliberately opened her eyes quickly and moved in front of Zhao Zhan. Her fingertips grazed Zhao Zhan’s clothes, and her lips curled up like a little fox. “You woke me up.”

Her heart was beating rapidly and out she almost fell out of balance. However, he, a strong man was able to keep her in her place.

“Zhao Zhan, this face of yours…” Yue Jiaojiao pinched Zhao Zhan’s chin and tilted his face, bringing it closer. “When did your face get scratched? Why didn’t you apply any medicine? It might get infected if it gets soaked in the rain.”

“And your waist, did you apply the medicine for that just now?”

Zhao Zhan avoided Yue Jiaojiao’s gaze.

“Zhao Zhan,” she spoke in a delicate voice, “If you continue to be disobedient, I’m going to be angry!”

“I’m sorry.” Zhao Zhan anxiously ran over to take the medicine and placed it in Yue Jiaojiao’s hands. He eagerly moved his face closer to her and said, “I’ll apply the medicine now.”

He squatted beside the hammock, but he lowered his head carefully, afraid that she would get mad again.

Yue Jiaojiao was both angry and amused. She glared at him fiercely and said, “If you don’t protect yourself, how are you going to take care of me?”

She was so bold and confident in her speech that even Zhao Zhan felt that she was right.