cold clothes

You can call me by my name.

She was redeemed by those words on that dark and boundless night.

Upon hearing those words, Leng Yi was instantly overwhelmed by the tenderness contained within. She couldn't even imagine what kind of expression Yin Jiu would have on when he said those words—whether it was gentle or sorrowful… Then she felt an urge to tell him everything, and so she told him her real name.

It was after that night that Yin Jiu and Leng Yi met.

Leng Yi sat in the bathtub, hugging her knees, her chin resting on them, her thoughts completely immersed in a hazy yet tender world of consciousness. In truth, Yin Jiu had changed a lot, but it was difficult to pinpoint exactly what those changes were. Was it the change in her immediately responding to whatever she said? Was it the change in her increasingly sarcastic remarks? Or was it the change in her ability to scold and laugh at will in front of her? What exactly was it, this feeling…

Doesn't this just prove that this guy has revealed his wicked nature?! He used to act aloof and cool when we weren't close, but now that we're friends, he doesn't even bother pretending anymore! Yin Jiu is essentially sarcastic, awkward, and a bit arrogant!

"Tsk—" Leng Yi made a big disgusted face, suddenly feeling that she was so stupid to be bothered by Yin Jiu like this... So she waved her hand and forgot about him, pouting and humming her original little tune, enjoying her bath.

Leng Yi was having a great time playing in the water when a boy called out from outside the door: "Hey, don't play for too long, the water will get cold quickly, and the ginger soup is ready too, come out quickly!"

So he really did go to make ginger soup... Leng Yi felt a surge of emotion... but she didn't really want to pay attention to him, and instead hummed even louder.

"Hum hum--"

"Hmph, get out here right now!" Yin Jiu couldn't help but lash out. Undoubtedly, he was in a bad mood. Anyone would be upset if their bath was delayed and they had to make ginger soup for the person who delayed them... But that wasn't what bothered him.

Leng Yi has bothered him enough in the past two weeks. Although he doesn't want to admit it, he has actually gotten used to Leng Yi's antics.

Leng Yi's condition was clearly off tonight.

After dawdling for a while, Leng Yi finally came out of the bathroom, looking refreshed and beaming with a smile.

"Aunt Fang, I'm done washing up, thank you~" As soon as Leng Yi came out, she sweetly expressed her gratitude to Doctor Xie.

Doctor Xie smiled happily and handed the porcelain cup to Leng Yi: "Then drink the ginger soup quickly."

"Okay, thank you, Aunt Fang~"

Yin Jiu, feeling neglected by the two warm-hearted people: "..."

You did this on purpose, didn't you, Leng Yi?

Leng Yi sat on a bamboo couch covered with a wool blanket, holding a porcelain bowl. She curled up into a small ball and sipped the ginger soup slowly. The steaming heat made her fair cheeks blush.

Dr. Xie sat in front of the medicine cabinet, sorting out medicinal herbs. This was a daily task, and the fragrance of the herbs permeated every corner of the room.

Leng Yi's lips touched the rim of the bowl, testing the line between being burned and not burned. Even so, her lips turned red from the heat, but the fiery warmth also reached her throat and stomach.

"Hmm." Suddenly, a white cloth covered her eyes, as someone disturbed her from drinking soup. Yin Jiu wrapped blindfolds around her eyes and said, "Your eyes haven't fully recovered yet. It's best not to stare at things for too long, as it can easily cause other problems."

At this moment, Yin Jiu became calm and gentle again, and his words of advice to Leng Yi sounded like those of an elder. Although Yin Jiu was irritable and sharp-tongued, he always treated her with great care.

Leng Yi nodded in response.

Yin Jiu raised an eyebrow at her obedient appearance, then sat down next to her and asked in a relaxed tone, "You must have come here in a hurry for something, right?" Her face showed an expression that seemed to indicate that she was about to cause trouble.

Leng Yi nodded and hummed in agreement, then quickly gulped down the ginger soup. Afterward, she solemnly said to Yin Jiu, "Let's go to the room to talk!"

Doctor Xie, who was eavesdropping nearby, almost snatched the herbs from his hand, his gaze flashing intensely.

Yin Jiu's face immediately turned red. "What are you going to do?"

Leng Yi picked up his arm and shook it.

The next second, under Doctor Xie's excited gaze, Yin Jiu lowered her head and led Leng Yi back to her room.

"Tell me what you really want to do?" Yin Jiu asked, her face flushed, after closing the door, turning her head away and not daring to look at Leng Yi.

Leng Yi grasped Yin Jiu's hand and said earnestly, "I need poison!"

"What? Are you going to blind yourself again?" Yin Jiu blurted out.

"Of course not, I want to kill someone, yes, the kind of drug that kills people!"

"..." Yin Jiuyou's dark eyes quickly calmed down after the initial surprise, and he said in a low voice, "Who do you want to die?"

Leng Yi bit her lip. "You don't know him, but I want poison."

"No," Yin Jiu answered decisively.

"Hey, how could there not be? In Fengxiang Tower, there must be that kind of invisible, colorless, odorless poison that kills with a single drop!"

"You've been reading too many martial arts novels..." Yin Jiu said helplessly.

“But,” Leng Yi grabbed Yin Jiu’s collar, leaned closer, and whispered, “You should know, right? If you know of any good poisons, tell me about them. I really need one.” She emphasized the word “really,” hoping Yin Jiu would understand her urgency. All she had done was to kill that bastard Liang Shuyun. When he said he wanted her to massage him tomorrow night, she knew her chance had come. This might be her only chance in her life, so she had to…

"Please, Yin Jiu," Leng Yi pleaded. If Yin Jiu were to kneel before her, she would kneel too!

Seeing Leng Yi's state, Yin Jiu felt a surge of desire. He was thankful he had blindfolded her beforehand, preventing her from surrendering. After clearing his throat a few times, he spoke to Leng Yi gently: "Think about it first. The key isn't the poison itself, but how you'll administer it, when you'll do it, and whether you can guarantee success. And whether you can ensure the poison won't be traced back to you afterward."

“Uh…” Leng Yi looked troubled.

"As expected, you didn't think of anything..." Yin Jiu looked at her speechlessly, "Do you want to poison someone like last time, get caught red-handed, and lose your own eyes too? To be honest, that's incredibly stupid. This time you want the other person to die, and you're planning to die with them?"

"Hmm..." Leng Yi couldn't lift her head after Yin Jiu's words. Yin Jiu was absolutely right, but she really wanted to kill Liang Shuyun, and she was 100% certain that she wouldn't be able to control her murderous intent tomorrow night. She even thought to herself: As long as I kill Liang Shuyun, what does my own life matter?