Chapter 147: Ah Chou

The bedroom door slammed against the wall with a loud bang . Yuanzi was the first to react, leaping off his stool in a flash.

Bao Ning, with half a bite of meat still in her mouth, stared at Pei Yuan in utter disbelief. She had set up two separate lines of defense—how on earth had they both collapsed so quickly?

Pei Yuan looked at her, a wry smile playing on his lips. “Is it really that delicious?”

“Actually,” Bao Ning muttered, chewing slowly, “it’s just so-so… a bit too salty.” She offered him a weak, encouraging smile. “Are you hungry? There’s still half a spoonful of rice left.”

“Out,” Pei Yuan said flatly to the rest of the room, untying his cloak and hanging it over the screen by the door.

“Your Highness…” Nanny Liu frowned slightly, hoping to smooth things over. But the moment Pei Yuan shot her a warning glance, she clamped her mouth shut. Knowing that the more she said, the worse it would be, she hurriedly gestured for the maids to clear the table. Seeing Bao Ning’s dazed expression, she stepped forward, gently snatched the remaining piece of meat right out of Bao Ning’s hand, and whispered, “Don’t panic, Wangfei. Just talk to him nicely, keep your voice soft, and it’ll be fine.”

Terrified of Pei Yuan and too scared to squeeze past him, Yuanzi took the long way around, quietly scrambling out the window to make his escape.

Within moments, the room fell dead silent, leaving just the two of them.

Bao Ning wiped the grease from her lips with a handkerchief and eagerly stepped forward to help Pei Yuan undress. “You’re back so soon? Look, I know you’re furious right now, but please let me explain. I didn’t mean to deceive you. It’s just that the errand boy from the kitchen was in an exceptionally good mood today and bought way too much meat and vegetables. The chef was in high spirits too and made a bit extra. Since it was already cooked, wouldn’t it be a waste not to eat it? They saw how bland my meals have been lately and worried I’d lose my appetite, so they smuggled it in while you were away. If General Wei did anything to upset you, I swear I had absolutely no part in it!”

“When did I say you deceived me? And when did I say Wei Meng upset me?” Pei Yuan glanced down at her. “Your story is full of holes.”

Bao Ning stood there awkwardly, her eyes filled with frustration. Finding herself completely out of excuses, she asked cautiously, “Are you angry?”

“Shouldn’t I be?” Pei Yuan loomed over her, his voice cold. “You’ve grown quite bold, rallying the entire manor to keep me in the dark—even dragging Wei Meng into it—all for a few greasy dishes. Have I been mistreating you? Have I been starving you? If you were unhappy, you could have just told me directly. Did you really need to orchestrate this whole elaborate charade? Do you truly take me for a three-year-old who would fall for such childish tricks?”

His tone sharpened at the end, bordering on a scold. Emotionally fragile as she was, Bao Ning’s eyes welled with tears at his harsh words.

Pei Yuan felt a sharp pang of sympathy, but he was genuinely angry. He truly hadn’t expected Bao Ning to pull a stunt like this. Remembering her parting words before he left— Whether you’re doing this for me or for the baby, you know the truth in your heart —each syllable felt like a knife twisted in his chest.

What a heartless, ungrateful little thing, Pei Yuan thought bitterly. Spoiled rotten and entirely fearless. He resolved to give her a proper lesson this time.

“Do you realize what you did wrong?” he demanded.

Bao Ning wiped her tears with the back of her hand. She desperately wanted him to comfort her, but Pei Yuan refused to back down, pressing her with a stern voice: “Do you have any idea how childish your behavior was today? Incredibly immature!”

“So what if I was wrong?!” Bao Ning shot him a fierce glare. Suddenly, she swept her skirt aside and sat flat on the floor, yelling, “Are you going to beat me or yell at me then? I admit I behaved badly, but what are you going to do about it? I won’t do it again next time, so stop breathing down my neck!”

Stunned by her sudden outburst, Pei Yuan frowned. “The floor is cold. Get up.”

Bao Ning turned her head away and muttered defiantly, “No.”

“What is this supposed to mean?” Pei Yuan reached down to grab her arm. “Are you throwing a tantrum now?”

“You’re the one being completely unreasonable!” Bao Ning’s eyes were crimson as she looked up to reprimand him. “Your judgment is completely skewed, and you’re so fixated on other people’s mistakes that you don’t even realize how insufferable you’re being! Look at how you’ve acted over the past two weeks—forget humans, even the dogs are sick of you! Nagging and whining endlessly, like an eighty-year-old monk who just escaped from a temple. Did you rent your mouth by the hour? Do you have to keep using it non-stop, or will you lose money if you stop talking for a single second?”

Pei Yuan’s expression darkened, his lips pressed into a tight line as he stared down at her. His cold gaze only fueled the fire in Bao Ning’s chest; she was bursting with frustration and desperately needed an outlet.

With her sitting and him standing, the easiest target within reach was his legs. But remembering that his health hadn’t been great lately and that he had suffered terribly from his leg injuries, she couldn’t bring herself to hit them. Instead, she balled her hands into fists and began thumping his feet. “You still have the nerve to glare at me! Shame on you! You need to take a good look at yourself and close those massive eyes of yours! They’re bigger than a cow’s—like a pair of giant bells clanging around a cow’s neck…” As she ranted, the sense of grievance caught up to her, and she felt like crying again.

But remembering that her hands had just touched Pei Yuan’s feet, she realized they were too dirty to wipe her eyes. Forcing the tears back, she grumbled, “You didn’t even wash your feet. They stink.”

Watching her, the anger that had been simmering in Pei Yuan’s chest suddenly evaporated, and he let out a chuckle.

He bent down. As Bao Ning sat cross-legged on the floor, he reached around from behind, scooped her up by her knees, and lifted her into the air. Bao Ning let out a startled shriek as Pei Yuan carried her over and deposited her onto the soft daybed. “If you’re going to throw a tantrum, at least pick a better spot. If you get your clothes filthy, someone else has to go through the trouble of washing them for you.”

He took a step back, dragged a stool over, and sat down directly across from her. “Alright, let’s hear it. Why exactly are you so deeply dissatisfied with me?”

At his question, Bao Ning instantly found her second wind. Sitting up straight, she began listing her grievances against him one by one, counting them off on her fingers. Pei Yuan nodded along quietly until she finished. “Is that all?” he asked.

Bao Ning looked down, idly picking at her fingers. “That’s all I can think of for now.”

Pei Yuan offered a soft hum. “Then why didn’t you just tell me earlier?”

“You’ve been acting like you’re on an absolute frenzy! I dropped so many hints, both obvious and subtle—did you ever actually listen?” Bao Ning scoffed. “If I had spoken up, I would have just triggered another one of your lectures about my ‘poor attitude’ and how I’m ‘not ready to welcome the baby.’ You’re completely overreacting. Why can’t we just let nature take its course? With you making such a massive fuss every single day, you’re going to scare her away.”

Pei Yuan quieted down for a moment before saying, “I was wrong. I’ll change.”

Bao Ning eyed him skeptically. “Really?”

“Really,” Pei Yuan promised.

“I don’t believe you.” Bao Ning pulled down her lower eyelid to show him. “Look, my eyes are all red from crying. You’re the one who made me cry, so what are you going to do about it? I want to punish you.”

And there she goes again, Pei Yuan thought, completely helpless. Yet, looking at her, he suddenly recalled how she had been when they first met—painfully shy, blushing at every word, and never daring to argue with him. Now, she had learned to sit on the floor and throw tantrums, her tongue was incredibly sharp, and she didn’t hesitate to roll her eyes at him. But he realized he far preferred the Bao Ning of today. This Bao Ning was much happier, and her vibrant presence made everyone around her feel like life was worth living.

“Fine,” Pei Yuan said, ruffling her hair with a smile. “How do you want to punish me?”

Bao Ning ordered, “Stand up and turn around.”

A bad premonition flared in Pei Yuan’s mind, but knowing he couldn’t back out now, he hesitantly complied with her instructions.

“Don’t you dare look back,” Bao Ning warned. She quietly blew a breath into her palm, swung her arm back and forth a couple of times to build momentum, and then, with a full, wide arc, brought her hand down squarely across Pei Yuan’s backside.

A sharp smack echoed through the bedroom. Bao Ning burst into a fit of wild laughter, clutching a soft pillow as she rolled around joyfully on the daybed.

Pei Yuan froze in place, utterly dumbfounded.

He whirled around and roared, “Ji Bao Ning!”

Bao Ning couldn’t stop laughing. She reached out and playfully grabbed his hand, using a delicate voice: “I’m carrying your baby in my belly, you know. Don’t go scaring the two of us.”

Pei Yuan stared at her, his face dark as thunder. He couldn’t hit her, and he couldn’t yell at her. Watching her sit there giggling like a fool, a sudden stroke of inspiration hit him.

He said flatly, “Ji Bao Ning, you’re starting to get crow’s feet.”

The laughter cut off instantly.

Bao Ning’s face paled. She bolted upright, threw her slippers on, and practically lunged toward the vanity mirror.

Pei Yuan caught a glimpse of her frantic reflection leaning left and right to inspect her face. Satisfied, he casually stripped off his inner layers, kicked off his shoes, and stretched out comfortably on the bed with a deep sigh. “Ah, absolute bliss. It’s getting late, time for bed. Look at this lovely, soft cotton quilt…”

Bao Ning whirled around from the mirror, thoroughly exasperated. “Pei Yuan, you haven’t washed your feet!”

…

Three days later, Doctor Le Xu returned to the manor for a follow-up consultation. After checking her pulse, a look of pleasant surprise crossed his face. “The pregnancy has stabilized remarkably well.”

Standing right beside Bao Ning, Pei Yuan felt an immense weight lift from his chest. Though he rarely cracked a smile in front of outsiders, his lips curved upward as he offered a nod of appreciation. “This is all thanks to Doctor Le’s exceptional medical skills.”

“You flatter me.” Le Xu packed away his medicine chest. Mid-way through, he glanced up at Pei Yuan and asked, “How is your own health holding up?”

At the question, the old suspicions in Pei Yuan’s mind resurfaced. During their very first meeting, Le Xu had diagnosed his chronic leg injury with just a single glance at his wrist, even though there were no visible signs there. Pei Yuan admitted to himself that he was a naturally cautious and suspicious man, and he couldn’t bring himself to fully trust this Le Xu. The doctor was too young, yet far too mysterious. Pei Yuan had previously dispatched Wei Meng to investigate his background, but Wei Meng had returned with nothing more than a scrap of paper containing a few sparse lines. How could someone with such a seemingly blank background possess such miraculous medical prowess?

Suspecting that Le Xu might be a spy planted by an adversary to keep tabs on him, Pei Yuan deliberately sought to mislead him, replying in a detached tone, “It’s just an old battlefield injury that left some lingering trouble in my legs. I just need to bundle up warmer; it’s nothing serious.”

Le Xu didn’t press the matter, offering a small smile. “That is good to hear.”

Oblivious to the undercurrents swirling between the two men, Bao Ning held a deep admiration for this young, unconstrained doctor. She felt he carried an aura of chivalry—the kind of old-school heroism she had only ever read about in storybooks. More importantly, Le Xu had played a massive role in ensuring her child’s safety.

Bao Ning asked, “Where will your journey take you next, Doctor Le? If you don’t mind, you are more than welcome to stay at our manor for a while longer. You could act as our personal family physician.”

Pei Yuan’s brows knitted together in clear disapproval. Catching his expression, Le Xu chuckled and said, “There are countless suffering patients across the world, Wangfei; it wouldn’t be right for me to settle down in one comfortable place. I have a restless soul, and I thrive on tackling the most difficult and complicated cases. I’ve just caught word of a patient who fits my interests perfectly, and I intend to set out tonight.”

“What a pity,” Bao Ning murmured with a sigh of regret.

Hearing Bao Ning attempt to persuade him to stay left Pei Yuan thoroughly displeased. Whatever gratitude he felt toward Le Xu instantly evaporated. Though he kept his face carefully blank and maintained a polite smile, he turned to Nanny Liu and instructed, “Prepare a generous sum of silver reward for the doctor. You may see our guest out.”

Le Xu didn’t mind the abrupt dismissal. Bidding them farewell, he picked up his medical chest and stroped out the door.

Yuanzi was leaning against the doorway, watching them quietly. As Le Xu passed by, his steps slowed for a brief fraction of a second. He found the young boy incredibly innocent and endearing. He offered Yuanzi a warm smile, and when the boy shyly returned it, Le Xu turned and left without looking back.

Pei Yuan shot a sharp look toward Chen Jia. “Have someone shadow him in secret. Keep me updated on his movements.”

…

Le Xu managed to slip out of the city gates mere moments before they closed for the night, heading due west toward the Qilian Mountains.

The Qilian Mountains bordered Dai County, lying a considerable distance from Feng County. Fortunately, Le Xu was a decent horseman. He rode hard through the night, and by the time he reached the foothills, the third watch had already passed.

A small group was already waiting for him in the darkness—six or seven burly men dressed in coarse clothing, armed with crude blades and clubs. Leading them was a woman. She was small and slender, her complexion weathered, but her eyes shone with an intense, sharp intelligence. In her hands, she gripped a long spear.

Catching sight of his approach, the woman called out in a loud, urgent voice, “Are you Doctor Le?”

Le Xu’s horse slowed as hesitation crept over him. He instantly recognized the hostile aura of the group—they were almost certainly mountain bandits. While he possessed some basic martial arts skills, if he allowed himself to be dragged into a bandits’ den, he would practically be signing his own death warrant. He was dedicated to saving lives, but he had no desire to throw his own away.

Seeing him pull the reins to turn back, the woman panicked. She bolted forward with terrifying speed, and before Le Xu could react, she lunged downward, grabbing his horse’s front leg. With a ferocious shout, she executed a sweeping kick, forcefully tripping the animal. The horse let out a pitiful cry as it collapsed heavily to the ground.

Le Xu went flying, his head spinning as he crashed into the dirt. Before he could even register what had happened, the bandits rushed forward, surrounding him completely.

“My name is Ah Chou,” the woman said, her eyes brimming with tears as she dropped to her knees and slammed her forehead against the ground in a heavy kowtow. Her voice was rough and gravelly. “I mean no offense to you, Doctor, but our young master’s illness has taken a severe turn for the worse lately. If he doesn’t receive proper medical attention soon, I’m afraid he won’t survive this winter… Your grand reputation precedes you, Doctor Le. I beg of you, please save our young master!”

Le Xu closed his eyes with a weary sigh. “I am no immortal, just an ordinary physician. You shouldn’t place all your hopes on me…”

“You had better do your absolute best to cure him,” Ah Chou said, lifting her head to fix him with a piercing, unwavering glare. “If you fail to save him, I will kill you.”

Support Sansukini on Ko-fi

Thanks for visiting. If you like this story, then I’m shamelessly asking you to visit NovelUpdates and give a 5⭐ review. (人❛ᴗ❛)♪тнайк　чоц♪(❛ᴗ❛*人)

You can also check out my other translations Here