"Alright," Alaric Yun said with surprise, then nodded.
Pearl Su cleaned up the dishes and started brewing medicine. Alaric Yun stayed nearby as she explained every step, from selecting the herbs to the process of brewing. She reminded him several times about important things to watch for and confirmed that he understood before leaving him to handle it on his own.
She left the kitchen and went to the storage room to feed the rabbits and chickens. Then she carried her basket and tools to the grassy slope, cut some fresh grass, and picked some wild bitter chrysanthemum greens before returning home. Today, she didn't plan to go out again and just wanted to rest at home.
Back home, she put everything away and laid out the herbs to dry.
Just as she finished, Alaric Yun's voice sounded next to her. "Miss Su, are you busy? Do you need help?"
Pearl Su turned her head and glanced at him. "Alright, but let's go inside. I'll check your pulse first."
"Thank you, Miss Su," Alaric Yun said with a gentle smile.
Pearl Su didn't look at him again and walked straight into the house. After he sat down, she took his hand and began to check his pulse.
Alaric Yun quietly observed her with focused eyes.
After a while, Pearl Su pulled her hand back and said calmly, "The poison in your body has already been cleared. Only internal injuries remain. They're quite serious, but not dangerous. You just need to rest properly once you're back."
She paused and added, "Since your injuries are better now, it's not suitable for you to stay here any longer."
She looked directly at Alaric Yun, making her meaning clear.
Alaric Yun quickly coughed a few times, clutching his chest and pretending to be in pain. "The journey back is long, and I'm worried I might run into trouble on the road. I won't be able to handle it alone."
"Please allow me to stay a few more days, until I'm fully healed and can return safely to deliver the consultation fee."
Pearl Su looked at him indifferently. After a moment, she said, "Then stay a few more days."
You sly man, are you staying here just to make a move on me? Hmph...
"We still have herbs to sort. Let's go," Pearl Su said calmly. Just wait, I'll make sure you suffer a little. Hmph...
They went to the storage room, and Pearl Su had Alaric Yun help her sort the dried herbs. Then she instructed him to chop some other herbs into small pieces.
While they worked, she occasionally looked up at Alaric Yun and saw that his movements were smooth and graceful, almost elegant. It looked like he had done this a thousand times. She cursed him silently: what a cunning man.
When he picked up a thin, long herb, a small smile appeared on her face.
As expected, he frowned slightly. Pearl Su smiled to herself again with bad intentions.
That herb had tiny invisible spines on the sides. They could easily pierce the skin, causing pain and itching that would last for seven or eight days. If it got wet, the burning pain would be unbearable, like being scalded by fire.
Pearl Su lowered her eyes with a faint smile and kept sorting herbs. Soon, it was noon.
She didn't stop what she was doing and said to Alaric Yun, "Mister, I'll have to trouble you to make lunch today. Use that chicken. Also, feed the rabbits while you're at it. There's fresh grass over there, no need to cut more."
"Alright, Miss Su. I'll take care of it," Alaric Yun replied, his tone warm and willing.
Pearl Su watched him walk away and thought to herself: This cunning man has a ruthless heart and a deep mind.
When she finished her work, she went to wash her hands. Along the way, the smell of cooked chicken filled the air. She swallowed a little. It had been a long time since she had chicken.
After washing her hands, she went into the kitchen and saw Alaric Yun putting the bitter chrysanthemum greens onto a plate. His movements were practiced and neat. His handsome face looked focused and serious.
Letting such a refined and otherworldly man cook for her, Pearl Su's eyes flickered as she walked over, picked up two empty bowls, and filled them with rice.
The two of them sat at the table and began to eat. It was plain steamed chicken—something she hadn't had in a long time. She didn't expect to find this cooking style here. Swallowing her saliva, she picked up a piece and put it into her mouth.
As soon as the chicken entered her mouth, the rich, tender flavor filled it completely. This man really knew how to cook!
She ate several pieces in a row, fully satisfied. Then she picked up some greens. The vegetables were a bit salty, and she frowned slightly with some dislike.
Overall, the meal was pretty good. The rice wasn't burned this time either. She had to give him some credit.
Alaric Yun noticed she looked satisfied after putting down her chopsticks. A deep smile appeared in his eyes. She had eaten more meat today than she did yesterday.
Pearl Su glanced at Alaric Yun. Her bowl still had a few bites of rice left. Her gaze shifted to his long, fair fingers. One of his hands was red and a bit swollen. She smiled slightly.
When she saw him finish eating and reach for the dishes to clean up, Alaric Yun quickly said, "Miss Su, please allow me to handle it."
Pearl Su paused and nodded. "Alright. Thanks for your help."
She rubbed her round belly, got up, and went to the courtyard to turn over the herbs. Then she returned to the room to rest.
During the hot afternoon, Pearl Su rested for about an hour. Then she got up and continued processing the next batch of herbs. Alaric Yun didn't come to disturb her during this time, and she didn't mind at all.
Soon, the sun began to set. The evening glow was still beautiful. Pearl Su carried her tools and basket and went out.
She went to the grassy slope to cut some grass. She also found some wild chives and picked a few. While picking, she came across a cucumber vine with two cucumbers growing on it. That instantly made her happy.
She had found two new kinds of food today. Feeling very cheerful, she carried her basket home.
When she got back, she saw Alaric Yun busy in the courtyard. As she got closer, she saw that he was handling a freshly caught wild boar.
Pearl Su clicked her tongue. Having martial arts skills was definitely an advantage. He could easily catch larger wild animals.
But then she frowned. Wasn't this too much? Could they even finish all this? They didn't have enough ingredients or materials to store and preserve meat. Pearl Su started to think it over.
"Miss Su, you're back. I wanted to ask you how you'd like to cook this wild game," Alaric Yun said.
Pearl Su replied with a calm expression, "Whatever works. Do as you see fit. Sorry to trouble you."
"If Miss Su says so, then I'll decide myself." Alaric Yun gave her a light smile. "If it doesn't turn out well, I hope Miss Su won't mind."
Though he spoke humbly, his tone carried a quiet confidence that surprised Pearl Su. She answered, "I won't mind. Go ahead and cook as you like."
After their conversation, Pearl Su carried her things into the storage room and fed the rabbits.
Looking at the two little white rabbits, she originally planned to cook them today. She didn't want to keep feeding them grass morning and night every day.
After feeding the rabbits, she went to the kitchen and washed the cucumbers and chives she had just picked. She also brought in the herbs she had been drying and then went to rest.
About half an hour later, a delicious aroma drifted into the room. As time passed, the smell became richer and more mouth-watering, making her swallow hard.
Pearl Su felt curious. How did he cook it to make it smell this good?
Not long after, his deep and pleasant voice came from outside, "Miss Su, dinner is ready. Please come eat."
"Okay, I'm coming," Pearl Su responded. She opened the door and just happened to meet Alaric Yun's deep gaze.