Male superiority and female superiority: forced love

Ji Guang Garden, named after the ancient mythical beast, is another villa of Wei Jiusi in Liangcheng.

This mansion is different from Qinyuan, which is located on the outskirts of Liangcheng. It is located on the bustling Liangyue Street, only two streets away from the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.

Ruan Chuyin followed the address given by Yue Shiba and came here.

The vermilion wide-beamed gate has clear wood grain, the emerald green glazed tiles are shiny, and the beasts on the roof and the two majestic stone lions embody its grandeur and dignity.

Wen Cangnan looked at the graceful masked lady at the door in surprise and asked, "Miss, who are you looking for?"

"Uncle, I'm here to look for Wei Jiusi. This is the address that Shiba gave me." Ruan Chuyin clenched the lunch box in her hand. She suddenly felt nervous when she thought about seeing him soon.

"Are you Miss Ruan?" Wen Cangnan's heart sank, his pupils dilated slightly, and the expression on his face became subtle.

"I am. I knew he was injured, so I made some food to come and see him." Ruan Chuyin quickly raised the food box in her hand and looked behind Wen Cangnan.

There was a large persimmon tree in the yard, laden with bright red fruits. She was quite surprised that it was still so full of fruit in January.

Wen Cangnan didn't expect that Yue Shiba really brought Ruan Chuyin here, but the Pavilion Master might not be willing to see her in his current state. After thinking about it, he welcomed the person in first.

In the central hall, there hangs a huge painting - "Ode to Orchids". With just a few strokes, the shape and charm of the orchid are vividly depicted, as if there is really a sense of tranquility in the air, which reminds Ruan Chuyin of a poem: Don't be surprised that spring does not belong to you, one fragrance is enough to overshadow a thousand reds.

Main courtyard

Wei Jiusi, dressed in a white robe, sat at the desk, staring quietly at the beauty on the white deer paper. Suddenly, he picked up the pen and dropped a little vermilion on her red lips.

After taking the Elephant Ear Pill given by Qi Ruyi, he was able to move his neck the next day. Now, except for his legs, which are still not working properly, the strength of his arms has returned.

"Master, Miss Ruan is here and is in the main hall." Wen Cangnan reported in a low voice.

The slender white fingers suddenly stopped, and a little vermilion appeared at the corner of the "beauty's" lips, slowly spreading on the paper.

"Who did you say is here?" Wei Jiusi seemed unable to believe what he heard. He looked up suddenly, and his eyes as deep as obsidian stared straight at him.

Wen Cangnan glanced at the painting on the table and replied, "The beauty in the painting is here. She also brought a food box, saying she made it herself. How about I bring her over?"

The jade-white fingers tightened little by little, and the scarlet ink under the pen slowly bloomed, like a scattered petal.

Wei Jiusi did not speak. He lowered his head and looked at the blurred corners of the "beauty's" lips. He dipped the brush in an appropriate amount again and followed the dissolved traces to outline a complete rose.

Her beautiful face was like a flawless jade, and the fiery glow at the corner of her lips was the last rose blooming in his barren heart. He had once risked everything to pluck it, but now, even bending his back was a vain hope.

"No, find a reason to ask her to leave." He put down his paintbrush, put his hands on his legs, and waited quietly for the rose to slowly dry up.

"Master, you will be able to walk freely soon. Why don't you go and see him? Besides, this elephant ear pill was asked for by Miss Ruan, so at least thank her." Wen Cangnan wanted to persuade him again.

"Master Wen, I will no longer be the Pavilion Master," Wei Jiusi said calmly. He opened the treasure box beside him, glanced sideways at the exquisite coral and kingfisher bead hairpin, pursed his lips slightly, and then closed them again.

Wen Cangnan sighed deeply and walked back to the main hall with heavy steps. He couldn't bear to say no, so after a moment's deliberation, he decided to accept the food box.

Ruan Chuyin was startled, as if she hadn't expected Wei Jiusi to refuse to see her. She froze there, a bit bewildered. However, she quickly reacted, handed the food box and hairpin to Wen Cangnan, and asked about Wei Jiusi's recent situation. They chatted for a while before leaving Jiguang Garden.

There were three dishes in the food box. Wen Cangnan felt that they were still warm, so he quickly took them to the main courtyard and spread them out on the eight-immortal table.

"Pavilion Master, Miss Ruan left some food here. It's still warm, and you can tell it was freshly cooked. Eat it while it's hot." He set the table and walked over to Wei Jiusi, wanting to help him up. But he didn't move, so he continued, "It's good to move more. Eighteen has already gone to look for the Qingyou fruit and fire lotus seeds, so there's no need to be too pessimistic. Miss Ruan made seafood porridge, orange baked custard, and brown sugar dumpling rice cakes today. I also bought you a gift, so keep it!"

The next second, Wei Jiusi had a red coral hairpin in his hand.

"This is the first time I've seen a woman giving a gift to a man. Look at the old Pavilion Master. He spent half of his fortune on Li Chanjuan, but that woman didn't give him any token of appreciation in return. She didn't show any reluctance when she entered the palace, and she wasted the old Pavilion Master's life in vain. She's a cruel man. This hairpin has a pleasant color and delicate texture. You can tell someone put a lot of thought into choosing it. Remember to wear it!" Wen Cangnan had done all the persuasion he needed to give, and the rest depended on him alone.

Wei Jiusi stroked the hairpin in his hand, and the words he heard that day when he was trapped among the Eight-Star Tigers seemed to ring in his ears again, and his palm slowly tightened.

He slowly stood up, leaning against the edge of the counter, and dragged himself over to the table. The seafood porridge was still steaming, filled with shrimp, mackerel, squid, mushrooms, and celery. It looked bright and tempting.

I scooped up a bowl and it was the perfect temperature. As it entered my mouth, I felt as if I was actually at the sea and could smell the ocean's scent.

The porridge base was unlike any other porridge he had ever tasted, with a particularly rich flavor. As he savored it, he discovered a delicious flavor he couldn't describe, which whetted his appetite and he devoured half the pot in no time.

Ruan Chuyin put a lot of thought into making her seafood porridge today. She used fish bones in the base to make it richer in flavor.

After eating the seafood porridge, Wei Jiusi picked up a piece of dessert he had never seen before - orange baked custard.

The orange was hollow, filled with egg and juice. Judging by the slightly burnt color of the orange skin, it was indeed roasted. He had always loved food and was quite knowledgeable about it. Ruan Chuyin's control of the heat was impeccable.

The last dish, the brown sugar dumpling glutinous rice cake, is a maroon-red with just the right amount of sweetness. Each small dumpling, immersed in the red sugar syrup, is only the size of a thumbnail, round and translucent like pearls. A bite reveals the flavor of taro, smooth and springy.

Ruan Chuyin's cooking skills were beyond Wei Jiusi's expectations. He suddenly recalled the delicious food he had not been able to eat before, and couldn't help feeling regretful.

To this day, he still remembers the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, a dish that even made the Buddha give up his meditation.

Ruan Chuyin had been feeling unhappy since leaving Jiguang Garden. She could sense that Wei Jiusi was avoiding her, and a sense of frustration welled up in her.

Three carriages were parked at the gate. Judging from the official crest, it looked like it belonged to the Three Golden Flowers of Songshan Academy.

Cai Lei, Wang Yumei, and Liu Dongxiang hadn't seen Ruan Chuyin for a while. After hearing from the staff at Zuixianlou that the boss had returned, they took advantage of the ten-day holiday to come look for her. The mansion suddenly became bustling with activity.