Chapter 38: The Thoughts of Women

  Looking out the window at the fine rain, Xie Xiuyun was a bit dazed. It had been an entire morning and she still hadn't embroidered more than a few stitches. She didn't know what was wrong with herself either. From the moment she got up in the morning, her mind had been wandering and she couldn't concentrate on anything. Everything seemed meaningless to her, and deep down, she kept feeling that something was going to happen, but no matter how hard she thought about it, she couldn't figure out what her premonition was about.

  "Xiùyún jiě, it's time to take your medicine." The clever Sū Méi brought in the well-cooked medicine into Xiè Xiùyún's room. Ever since Zhào Zhì left for another place, Xiè Xiùyún had been forcing Sū Méi to call her "sister", and she indeed liked this clever little girl very much.

  Looking at the medicine bowl that Su Mei had brought in front of her, Xie Xiuyun's good-looking nose scrunched up into a ball. "Good Su Mei, I'm all better now, look, can't we just not drink this medicine? It's too hard to swallow and too bitter." Xie Xiuyun exaggeratedly demonstrated her flexibility to Su Mei, spinning around in circles several times. Seeing that Su Mei still shook her head in disagreement, she made a pitiful face and begged Su Mei not to make her drink the medicine.

  "Ah" Su Mei, who had been pretending to be serious, was amused by Xie Xiuyun's bitter face and burst out laughing, immediately covering her mouth with her hand. However, Su Mei's narrow shoulders, which were still shaking, betrayed her. After Xie Xiuyun tickled her underarms several times, Su Mei finally managed to hold back her laughter, and her small face returned to its usual expression when she first met Xie Xiuyun. Her rosy lips moved, saying, "Madam, the master instructed me before he left that you must take your medicine on time. If you don't take it on time, I'll have to record it, and when he comes back, he'll settle accounts with you."

  Xie Xiuyun was the most unbearable, and immediately glared with round eyes, stretching out her hand to grab Su Mei's brow, who was trying hard to hold back her smile. "Little girl, you dare to tease me, see if I don't deal with you." In Xie Xiuyun's room, there really wasn't much space to maneuver, so after a few rounds, Su Mei was caught by Xie Xiuyun and pressed onto the bed, where she was thoroughly ravished. Afterwards, both of them collapsed onto Xie Xiuyun's bed, gazing at each other in silence.

  "The Chinese medicine is too bitter, can I change to Western medicine? I heard that Western medicine is more effective and works faster." Xie Xiuyun said with one hand supporting her head, looking at Su Mei who was panting heavily. In fact, Xie Xiuyun wasn't really thinking of changing to Western medicine, she was worried about the comrades in the organization, they had been staying at Zhao Zhi's place for half a month and had lost contact with them, Xie Xiuyun was anxious but didn't dare to go out recklessly, she was afraid of bringing unnecessary trouble to Zhao Zhi, after all he had saved her.

  "The master said that Western medicine is good, but it will bring unnecessary trouble, and traditional Chinese medicine is safer." Su Mei looked up at the ceiling, repeating Shu Xiangyun's words one by one. This Xiangyun sister was born beautiful, could sing and embroider flowers, but always thought about going out. What's better than home? Whatever you want, you have it. Yesterday, Xiangyun said she wanted to eat ham, and I just made a phone call according to the master's instructions. Today, early in the morning, someone braved the rain to deliver a Jinhua ham. With this kind of life, what is Xiangyun not satisfied with?

  Su Mei couldn't understand Xie Xiuyun's thoughts, and Xie Xiuyun couldn't understand Su Mei's thoughts either. The little girl was thinking about when her handsome master would return. It had been half a month since the master left, and since the old lady and several young boys were sent from Beiping a few days ago, Su Mei hadn't received any news about the master. The person who escorted the old lady was named Meng San, who only stayed at home for one night before leaving in a hurry, saying that he had to help the master with something, and if everything went smoothly, the master would be able to return to Shanghai in three to five days.

  Su Mei had placed a ceramic bowl on her desk, and every night before going to bed, she would put one soybean into the bowl. However, there were already 12 soybeans in the bowl, but Mr. still hadn't returned, and it had been three days since Meng San left. Su Mei suddenly started to worry, wondering if something was wrong with Mr.'s trip, or if he had encountered an accident.

  The fine rain outside was still dripping down non-stop, and the two women of different sizes were lying in bed thinking about their own affairs until the room darkened to the point where they needed to turn on the lights. It wasn't until then that Su Mei let out a soft sigh and got out of bed to flip the switch. Xie Xiuyun, who had been lost in thought, was startled awake by Su Mei's movement, and seeing the worry on Su Mei's small face, couldn't help but laugh.

  "Oh dear, my little Su Mei is troubled, tell me what's wrong, what's made you so worried, looking at your furrowed brow." Xie Xiuyun pulled Su Mei into her arms and stroked her tightly furrowed eyebrows. The warmth of Xie Xiuyun's embrace calmed Su Mei down, she wrapped her arms around Xie Xiuyun's slender waist, and hid her face in Xie Xiuyun's chest, inhaling the scent of perfume on her body, Su Mei suddenly felt a sense of tranquility.

  "Xiu Yun, when do you think our master will be back? I've been feeling uneasy and worried that something bad might have happened to him?" Su Mei looked up at Xiu Yun with concern in her dark eyes. Su Mei was bought by Zhao Zhi from a human trafficker specifically to serve Xiu Yun, and since entering the Zhao household, she didn't have to do any chores, just accompany Xiu Yun. She ate well, dressed well, and even received money every month, which was more than what the young ladies in her hometown's wealthy families had. The little girl truly regarded Zhao Zhi as her own family.

  Xie Xiuyun also let out a soft sigh and hugged Su Mei. Ever since her leg injury had basically healed, Xie Xiuyun had been avoiding discussing Zhao Zhi with Su Mei. To be honest, Zhao Zhi's first impression on Xie Xiuyun was not good, especially since he had even forcefully kissed her, which was her first kiss. However, she had indeed been rescued by Zhao Zhi and he had taken great care of her, even buying a maid to take care of her. Xie Xiuyun's heart was not without thoughts of Zhao Zhi, but she didn't know how to interact with him, after all, she was a person with an organization.

  If it was just to cover up her own identity, she wouldn't mind pretending to be Zhao Zhi's wife, but Zhao Zhi wasn't a comrade yet, and he knew all sorts of people from the three teachings and nine streams. Xie Xiuyun was afraid that if she continued to associate with someone like him, she would be tainted by his Jianghu habits, which was something the organization did not allow. But it wouldn't be true to say that Xie Xiuyun didn't have Zhao Zhi on her mind at all - for several nights in a row, she had thought about what Zhao Zhi might do next, even if it was just speculation.

  Su Mei in Xiu Yun's arms didn't know what was wrong with her sister, she only knew that as long as she mentioned Mr. to Xiu Yun, Xiu Yun would become silent like this, and she also didn't know what was going on between Mr. and Xiu Yun. Little Su Mei couldn't think that far, she could only pray to the Buddha to bless her Mr. to return home safely, even if it meant using her own life span in exchange for Mr.'s safety, she would be willing.