Chapter Twelve Madam

  The sky is bright, and Shanghai has already started to bustle. Some storefronts and doors have opened, and people are pouring out in twos and threes, chattering away. There are men, women, old and young, mostly early risers trying to make a living. In the concessions, it's the same scene, with people standing or sitting at early food stalls, chatting with acquaintances while hastily eating their breakfast.

  Xie Xiuyun slept very well, with an unprecedented sense of ease, to the point where when she woke up, her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, but her mind was still a complete blank. As she lifted the quilt, Xie Xiuyun was about to get out of bed, but a sharp pain shot through her calf. Ah yes, she seemed to have been shot yesterday.

  Looking at the white silk pajamas on her body and the gauze wrapped around her calf, Xie Xiuyun suddenly remembered that she was rescued by Zhao Zhi last night, and this was Zhao Zhi's home. In a panic, Xie Xiuyun first found the black satin dress she wore last night at the head of the bed, checked the waistband pocket, and fortunately, the list was still there. This was the list that had cost five lives to obtain, and Xie Xiuyun treasured it more than her own life.

  After checking the secret letter, Xie Xiuyun checked herself to see if Zhao Zhi had taken advantage of her last night. Fortunately, with a red face and ears, Xie Xiuyun was relieved to pull up her pants, it seemed that she hadn't been taken advantage of by Zhao Zhi last night, apparently this bad guy is still a gentleman.

  "Madam, are you awake? I'm coming in." A soft and weak voice sounded from outside the door, followed by a knock. Xie Xiuyun glanced at her white silk pajamas and quickly hid under the covers again. The door opened, and first a small head poked in, big eyes scanning around before landing on Xie Xiuyun who was half-propped up against the headboard.

  This is an eleven or twelve-year-old little girl, with a hint of shyness still on her delicate face, which has not yet fully opened up and already shows some beauty. "Madam, you've been sleeping for two days, wipe your face first" The little girl brought in a basin of hot water, quickly wrung out a hot towel and handed it to Xie Xiuyun.

  "Slept for two days? You call me wife?" Xie Xiuyun was confused by the little girl's address, this seemed to be Zhao Zhi's home, how did she become his wife?

  The little girl was startled by Xie Xiuyun's reaction, but still held back her fear and handed Xie Xiuyun a basin of salt water for rinsing. "Sir instructed me before he left to let you rest well and not get out of bed, I'll go serve your meal." The little servant quietly took the towel and cup from Xie Xiuyun and turned around to leave the room.

  The not-so-skilled kung fu master, the little girl who had just entered the room again, was carrying a wooden red lacquer carved flower tray. On the tray was a bowl of chicken soup and several small dishes, as well as several delicate crab roe buns. The little girl struggled to move a two-legged wooden table from the corner of the wall and placed it on the bed. The legs of the tea table fit perfectly between the two sides of the bed, allowing Xie Xiuyun to lean against the headboard and eat comfortably.

  Xiao Yatou no longer calls herself "wife", so Xie Xiuyun is no longer entangled in this issue. Taking a bite of crab roe bun, drinking a sip of chicken soup, and eating a few more small dishes, Xie Xiuyun feels like she's really become a wealthy wife. "What's your name?" Xie Xiuyun asks while sipping her chicken soup, still chatting with Xiao Yatou.

  "My name is Su Mei, it was given by the master." Perhaps because they were both women, Xiao Yatou had an inexplicable sense of hostility towards Xie Xiuyun.

  "Su Mei? Isn't that a fish's name?" Xie Xiuyun laughed awkwardly, completely unaware of the hostility in Su Mei's eyes.

  "Master said he hopes I can be like a fish in the future, swimming freely in the ocean." Su Mei's mouth corners slightly revealed an arc, her master really understood a lot, and even gave herself a fish name.

  Xie Xiuyun was about to ask Zhao Zhi's whereabouts, but heard the sound of a copper bell outside the door. Su Mei smiled and said, "It's the master returning, he said he went to fetch medicine. If the master knew you were awake, he would definitely be very happy." Su Mei slightly bowed her head towards Xie Xiuyun, not waiting for her response, before turning around and leaving the room.

  Xie Xiuyun fiddled with her fingers, entwined in a knot. Last night, she had been rescued by Zhao Zhi in a daze, but she didn't even know his name; they had only met once at the casino. When she was unconscious, her clothes had also been changed. Looking at that little girl from earlier, it definitely wasn't her - could it be that he had changed her clothes? Ah, how embarrassing, Xie Xiuyun thought to herself, her face already flushing red with shame.

  "You're awake" Unbeknownst to her, Zhao Zhi had entered at some point and was now gazing at Xie Xiuyun's flushed face with an inquiring expression. "Ah, I'm fine, really fine, thank you. When did you come in? I didn't even see you." Lifting her head, Xie Xiuyun met Zhao Zhi's dark eyes and was startled into incoherence, unsure of what to say next. She had originally wanted to ask Zhao Zhi who had changed her into her nightgown, but that thought had already slipped her mind.

  "Looks like your spirit is good, rest for a month and you can get out of bed." Zhao Zhi felt extremely relieved seeing Xie Xiuyun's good spirit, earlier Su Mei also said that Xie Xiuyun had finished all the breakfast she left.

  "What? A month. No way, I can't rest for a month, I have urgent things to attend to, thank you." Xie Xiuyun forgot that she was wearing silk pajamas and lifted the quilt to get out of bed.

  "Ah!" Zhao Zhi suddenly covered his nose, and blood had already seeped out from between his fingers. "What's wrong?" Xie Xiuyun was stunned, completely unaware of the spring scenery revealed by the large collar of her nightgown, and anxiously pulled Zhao Zhi to sit down on the bed. "Lift your head up, first stop the bleeding" Xie Xiuyun held Zhao Zhi's head, using a towel she had just wiped her mouth with to wipe away the blood flowing from his nose.

  "Ah" was stimulated by the spring light exposed by Xie Xiuyun's leading mouth, and Zhao Zhi couldn't help but let out a mournful cry. This woman is very dangerous, must not be touched, Zhao Zhi kept reciting to himself in his heart, but his two hands involuntarily wrapped around Xie Xiuyun's slender waist, and his head also stuck to Xie Xiuyun's chest.

  "You stinky rascal, what are you doing? Xie Xiuyun's body stiffened noticeably when Zhao Zhi suddenly wrapped his arms around her waist. It wasn't until Zhao Zhi's head was pressed against her chest that she came to her senses. She violently pushed Zhao Zhi away, and with a face full of shame, loudly scolded this good-for-nothing."

  "What's so strange about this? Are you anti-Japanese warriors not human beings who live among the smoke and fire of human life?" Zhao Zhi took out the paper ball that Xie Xiuyun had stuffed into his nostrils, and looked at Xie Xiuyun with a playful expression. To be honest, Xie Xiuyun was not a stunning beauty, but there was something about her that could drive Zhao Zhi crazy.