Jiangjiang the Skeleton Spirit - Chapter 7

Song Yuhuan remained unconscious after his injury.

We called in every physician we could, but none could find an antidote.

The last physician sighed. “There is no antidote for the north’s Yunfu Powder. You’d better discuss his funeral arrangements.”

“That Wurile! Poisoning his arrow! I’ll kill him!”

I quietly watched Song Yuhuan on the bed.

His face was deathly pale, but his lips had turned an eerie purple.

He’d been poisoned because of me. I ought to be the one to save him.

I pushed the frantic A-Pei out of the room. He looked at me, bewildered.

“Miss Jiangjiang, you…”

“Perhaps I can save him,” I said.

We skeletons had no spiritual power. Apart from bodies that neither aged nor died, the only useful thing we possessed was our pure blood.

Sister Suhe had told me she’d used a great deal of pure blood to save the man she loved.

I ought to be able to cure Song Yuhuan’s poison too.

I brought a dagger to my wrist and sliced smoothly across it. A tingling pain spread through the flesh.

Bright red blood dripped into Song Yuhuan’s mouth.

If he stayed unconscious for a day, I’d feed him for a day.

If it took two days, I’d feed him for two.

If it took more than a month, I’d feed him for more than a month.

Luckily, it didn’t take that long. After three days, his lips gradually returned to their normal color.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

To help restore his strength, I went up the mountain especially to hunt a pheasant for soup.

When I brought the soup inside to feed him myself, Song Yuhuan happened to wake.

Our eyes met. I instinctively tried to draw my hand back, but he caught it in a quick movement.

His fingertip pressed right on the wound. I couldn’t help giving a little moan.

He loosened his grip and hurriedly asked, “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

He reached to inspect my wrist.

It was wrapped in gauze. He understood at once why he’d been able to wake.

His lips parted, about to say something, but I stopped him with the spoon.

“Don’t talk. Drink your soup.”

He drank quietly, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on me.

His staring made me uncomfortable all over. I pushed the bowl toward his chest. “Now you’re awake, you can drink it yourself.”

His eyes suddenly looked aggrieved. He raised the hand cut by the arrow. “I can’t move it.”

It was bundled up like a wrapped rice dumpling.

Helpless, I had to feed him myself, missing the smile that flashed through his eyes.

Song Yuhuan looked at me with the hint of a smile. “Jiangjiang.”

“Hmm?”

His voice suddenly lowered. “You care about me.”

Something tugged at my heart. My spoon stopped.

Seeing my embarrassment, his smile deepened.

When the soup was gone, I said, “Once you’re mostly recovered, go back.”

His smile faded. He looked at me seriously. “You’re coming back with me.”

I shook my head. “I’m quite happy here.”

He was puzzled. “Why? Are you still angry?”

“Between Qin Zhao and me, you only need one of us beside you.”

This time, he truly panicked, stumbling as he tried to climb out of bed.

“I don’t want anyone else. I only want you.”

Watching his stubborn expression, I seemed to remember Qin Zhao leaving his study that day. My mind filled with images of them intimately planning together.

I set down the bowl and simply said it all.

“That day, I accidentally heard you discussing Wurile. Qin Zhao was there too.

“So besides me, you can tell Qin Zhao everything about matters that concern your life.

“Which means that’s all I amount to for you.”

Seeing my jealous expression, Song Yuhuan actually relaxed.

He laughed softly. “So that’s what this is.”

He tilted his head to look at me, the gloom vanishing from his eyes.

“There’s nothing between Qin Zhao and me. I gave you my heart long ago.”

His expression was calm as he walked toward me, one step at a time.

“I only let Qin Zhao into my study to lure the snake out of its hole.”

He suddenly stopped.

“I suspect she works for Wurile.”

I stared at him in surprise.

Thinking of how she’d always come when he wasn’t around, and kept asking about him, I realized she’d been trying to get information out of me.

“How did you find out?” I asked.

“The night before I went into battle, A-Pei and I were making secret plans in the study. We were the only two who knew the city’s defense arrangements.

“During that time, Qin Zhao came to bring food once. The guards outside stopped her.”

“She was listening?” I exclaimed.

“I can’t think of anyone else.” His brow furrowed. “I also suspect Wurile has spies in the army. The assassination attempt at the cottage happened because I was trying to draw them out.”

I took a deep breath.

He had to fight enemies on the battlefield and constantly guard against the people around him.

What an exhausting life.

His expression softened. His callused fingertip stroked my face.

“Still angry?”

I shook my head.

“Will you come with me?”

I nodded.

Song Yuhuan leaned very close. His warm, gentle breath washed over my face.

Gradually, I noticed his breathing grow uneven.

He moved closer still. “Jiangjiang…”

I closed my eyes, ready to respond.

But then—

“General, you’re…

“Awake…”

Startled, I hurriedly pushed Song Yuhuan away.

The unexpected shove made him stagger. He nearly fell to the ground.

“I—where’s my bowl?”

I grabbed the soup bowl haphazardly from the table and ran outside, my face hot with embarrassment and annoyance.

Behind me came Song Yuhuan’s voice, strained with the effort of holding himself back.

“I don’t want to see you right now!”