I curled my lips and pushed him: “I’m hungry, make me something to eat.”
“Yes, as you command.”
As soon as Jianghu left, I lay down again, listening to the sound of the stone pestle grinding medicine. Then I sat up again, sitting on the edge of the bed looking at Gouhun. I was too lazy to drive him away or scold him. I tugged at the blanket, ready to completely ignore him. But as I was about to lie down, I felt something strange in my sleeve. I shook it, and out dropped… a duck egg?
I stared wide-eyed, poking the shell, with no response. I was speechless and turned to ask: “Gouhun, where did this come from?”
Gouhun walked over, looked for a moment, his eyes slightly narrowing: “I thought the ghost qi on you was because you’d been to the ghost realm, but it seems it was because of this.”
Seeing him about to throw it away, I suddenly remembered that odd duck and snatched it back: “This is mine, I’ll dispose of it myself.”
Gouhun looked at me for a long time, then said: “Fry it while it’s fresh and eat it.”
I bared my teeth: “How about I fry you instead?”
I withdrew my gaze and pushed him: “Go out, I need to change.”
Gouhun responded, pouring the medicinal powder into a bowl, mixing it with water and handing it to me: “Drink.”
I just glanced at it and felt my tongue turn bitter. But if I didn’t drink, he probably wouldn’t leave.
So I took the bowl and drank it in one gulp, almost wanting to chop off my tongue from the bitterness.
“Tea.”
I looked at the cup he handed over, but my eyes were fixed on his hand, steady and powerful, giving a sense of reassurance at first glance. I tilted my head and finished drinking, shoving the bowl and cup back to him: “Okay, now go.”
His fingertip brushing his mouth corner, Gouhun’s voice was flat: “Even drinking medicine gets it on your mouth.”
My face twitched, and I hugged the duck egg and turned away. Only when I heard the door close did I turn back.
