Chapter 46: Fever

Liu Huang was indeed right—she truly had no way to repay the money.

Liu Qiu lowered her head and looked at the fox in the cage munching on the meat bun, sighing inwardly at just how expensive the little creature was.

“Keep up. What are you spacing out for?” Liu Huang’s voice came from ahead.

Liu Qiu looked up and realized Liu Huang had once again walked in front of her.

She hurried forward in a small jog to catch up, but that slight burst of movement had already exhausted her.

“Liu Huang, y-you… slow down,” she said weakly, her breath thin and fragile.

As soon as she finished speaking, her stomach growled loudly, announcing its need for food.

Another bun was tossed toward her.

Startled, Liu Qiu fumbled and barely managed to catch it, then lifted her eyes to look at Liu Huang.

There was no smile on Liu Huang’s face, and her tone was cool.

“Eat.”

Liu Qiu shook her head.

“I don’t want to eat buns.”

The original host’s esophagus had been narrow; without water, eating dry dough like this made choking far too easy.

With this frail body, choking was no small matter.

Liu Huang let out a scoff.

“If you won’t eat, then starve.”

She had to be out of her mind to spend five taels helping Liu Qiu buy some beast, and now this sickly thing was even being picky about buns.

If she wouldn’t eat, then she could go hungry.

After saying that, Liu Huang grabbed the reins and continued leading the horse forward.

Liu Qiu followed behind, still holding the bun.

She could only keep up by jogging lightly.

Because Liu Huang needed to buy things, she stopped and started along the way.

Though Liu Qiu was exhausted, at least she wasn’t left behind this time.

“Ying ying.”

The soft, delicate cry of the little fox drew Liu Qiu’s attention.

She lowered her head and asked gently, “What’s wrong?”

Su Li had regained some strength after eating a bun.

She stretched out a paw toward the other bun in Liu Qiu’s hand and waved insistently.

“Ying ying.”

The fox didn’t speak, but somehow Liu Qiu understood.

She stuffed the bun into the cage as well.

Su Li immediately began gnawing away.

The fox ate quickly, finishing in just a few bites before licking her paws.

[So cute.]

Who could resist something fluffy?

At least Liu Qiu couldn’t.

The little fox was unbelievably adorable.

Her gaze was so ardent that the fox noticed.

It paused mid-lick, leaned its head against the bars of the cage, and gently rubbed against them.

“Ying.”

[Really too cute.]

Liu Qiu felt her heart soften.

She wanted to pet it so badly.

It seemed so intelligent.

[Host, I don’t recommend touching it. Wild animals are aggressive and may bite. They also carry many bacteria in their mouths. It’s dangerous.]

The system subtly smeared mud on the fox.

The host had never once called it cute, yet this little animal was being praised repeatedly.

The system wasn’t wrong.

Liu Qiu only thought about it and didn’t actually reach out.

“Let’s go. Stop dawdling.”

Liu Huang’s voice was low and magnetic, carrying a heroic edge—pleasant to hear but equally fierce.

Liu Qiu’s face was pale as paper.

She frowned slightly and complained, “Do you think everyone is as physically strong as you? I’m very tired.”

Her legs were already trembling.

Liu Huang tugged at the reins, one brow lifting.

“I’m not Mother. If you can’t keep up, then stay here. I’ll go home and say you wandered off yourself.”

Helpless, Liu Qiu could only follow again.

Liu Huang really did seem capable of abandoning her here.

Liu Huang stood ahead while Liu Qiu approached, her small face white as paper, her whole body looking on the verge of collapse.

When she finally reached Liu Huang, Liu Qiu began irritably, “Wh—”

But before she could finish, her throat itched violently, and she broke into uncontrollable coughing.

Passersby glanced curiously at her.

Upon seeing her curled hair, their gazes turned to disdain.

Their own hair was straight.

Only foreigners had curls.

After a long moment, Liu Qiu finally stopped coughing and forced herself upright.

“L-Let’s go.”

As soon as she finished speaking, a pair of hands gripped her waist.

Her body tightened, and her feet suddenly left the ground.

By the time she regained her senses, she was already seated on the horse.

Liu Huang took the cage from her hands and hung it behind the saddle among the food supplies, then mounted as well.

“So useless. If I had a body like yours dragging me down, I would’ve jumped into a river long ago.”

The scent of soapberry drifted over along with the mocking words.

Liu Qiu ignored her.

Her backside hurt terribly.

The flush brought on by coughing faded instantly into pallor.

“I need to change position,” she said hoarsely.

She wore trousers beneath her skirt, so riding astride wasn’t an issue.

Liu Huang clicked her tongue.

“Troublesome.”

Though she complained, she kept the horse still until Liu Qiu shifted from sitting sideways to straddling the saddle.

Only then did she flick the reins, letting the horse walk slowly forward.

This position spared her backside.

Liu Qiu pressed her hands against the horse’s back and looked at the scenery ahead, letting out a slight breath of relief.

It rubbed against her thighs, but at least her rear no longer hurt.

Only after they left town did the horse pick up speed.

Liu Qiu’s figure was thin and fragile.

Liu Huang’s gaze fell on her waist.

It was so slender that she could encircle it entirely with both hands.

“Liu Qiu, you really don’t grow any flesh at all.”

Liu Qiu was too hungry and too tired to respond.

The rest of the journey back was quiet.

The pace was steady, and Liu Qiu no longer felt dizzy.

She was even able to appreciate the scenery along the way.

But halfway through, her thighs began to burn painfully from the friction.

This position wouldn’t work either.

She shifted again, pressing her hips slightly back and leaning forward against the horse’s neck.

It felt marginally more comfortable.

“Liu Qiu, what are you doing?!”

Liu Huang’s voice came from behind, strained.

Who rode like that?

Her backside was pressed against Liu Huang’s groin.

Each jolt of the horse caused friction.

Was Liu Qiu playing tricks again?

“My thighs hurt,” Liu Qiu said softly.

“This position makes it a little better.”

Liu Huang wanted to say the posture was too indecent.

But they were both women—what was indecent about it?

In the army camp, they bathed together without issue.

She must have been kicked in the head by a donkey to feel something was wrong.

Liu Huang fell silent and tried to focus ahead.

Yet the contact between their bodies was impossible to ignore.

Every time Liu Qiu’s hips brushed against her, a strange sensation spread through her abdomen.

Liu Huang gripped the reins tightly, her entire body tense like a bowstring drawn to its limit.

When they finally reached home, she dismounted immediately and lifted Liu Qiu down with an unpleasant expression.

There was inexplicable dampness in her trousers.

She needed to wash.

Liu Qiu’s expression wasn’t good either.

Everything hurt.

She never wanted to ride a horse again.

Liu Tieniu had gone out to gather mushrooms, so only Fang Lian was home.

Hearing hoofbeats, Fang Lian hurried out.

What she saw was the stiff atmosphere between her two daughters.

“Oh dear, did you girls suffer some grievance outside? Why the long faces?”

At the sound of Fang Lian’s voice, Liu Huang immediately smiled again.

She unloaded the food from the horse and walked over.

“Nothing, Mother. Your eyes are mistaken.”

“I had great fun with Sister Qiu.”

Liu Qiu hugged the cage containing the little fox and pressed her lips together.

“Mother, I brought back a fox.”

Fang Lian chuckled as she looked at the dirty little creature.

“If Qiu girl wants to raise it, then raise it. Just be careful not to get bitten.”

“As long as you weren’t wronged, that’s what matters.”

Fang Lian truly doted on the original host.

Liu Qiu hadn’t even said she wanted to keep it, yet Fang Lian had already agreed.

A faint smile appeared on Liu Qiu’s lips, her tone dragging softly.

“Mother is the best.”

It sounded almost sticky with affection.

Liu Huang’s expression darkened subtly.

Wasn’t this exactly how Liu Qiu bewitched their parents?

Liu Qiu’s legs felt weak.

She wanted to sleep, then eat after waking.

Carrying the fox to her room, she set the cage on the table, removed her long skirt, and collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep instantly.

Su Li narrowed her brilliant golden fox eyes and studied Liu Qiu carefully.

This human’s vital essence was pure.

Her body was weak, but if nurtured properly, she might provide a steady supply of clean essence.

Su Li calculated silently.

Suddenly, the door opened.

She looked over and saw the woman who had come with this human—the one brimming with killing intent.

“Tsk. Already asleep?”

Liu Huang’s gaze fell on the filthy little fox atop the desk.

She lifted the cage.

Su Li yelped loudly, trying to wake Liu Qiu.

But Liu Qiu slept too deeply to hear.

Su Li was carried to an open space outside.

Then cold water was poured over her head.

Her golden eyes filled instantly with killing intent.

She bared sharp fangs, looking extremely fierce.

Liu Huang nudged her with her foot.

“Beast. Quite the actor, just like that sickly one.”

Another basin of cold water followed.

Su Li let out a low, threatening growl.

Damn human.

Once she regained her human form, the first one she would kill would be this person.

Unaware of what was happening outside, Liu Qiu stirred awake in a daze.

Her mouth was unbearably dry, and her head felt dizzy.

She seemed to have developed a fever.

Touching her forehead confirmed it.

She really had a fever.

Her backside hurt.

Her thighs hurt too.

“M-Mother!”

Her hoarse voice barely carried.

She struggled out of bed and staggered toward the door.

The world suddenly spun.

Unable to support herself, she collapsed to the floor.

Pressing her hands against the ground, she called again, “Mother!”

This time the door opened.

The person who entered was Liu Huang.

She held a tray of food.

Seeing Liu Qiu sitting on the floor, cheeks flushed red, she frowned.

Setting the tray on the table, she bent down and lifted Liu Qiu.

Even through the thin inner garment, Liu Huang immediately sensed the heat of fever.

Liu Qiu clutched at the fabric over Liu Huang’s chest.

“Softer… my backside hurts,” she rasped.

Liu Huang’s expression darkened.

“Do you think you’re some noble young miss?”

Though her words were sharp, she placed Liu Qiu down gently.

Liu Qiu’s face burned red, her eyes unfocused, her breathing heavy.

“G-Get Mother… and the ointment for my backside.”

Liu Huang pried her hand away.

“How unlucky. Don’t die before my elder sister comes back.”

She left and returned with Fang Lian.

Seeing Liu Qiu’s condition, Fang Lian exclaimed and touched her forehead.

“It’s a heat illness. Don’t be afraid, Qiu girl. I’ll brew medicine right away.”

Since Liu Qiu was often ill, many herbs were kept at home.

“Third Girl, fetch cool water and wipe your Sister Qiu down.”

Liu Huang’s brows knitted tightly.

She had to wipe Liu Qiu’s body?

Her gaze fell on Liu Qiu, whose brows were tightly furrowed even in fever.

Forget it.

She had been the one to force her out and cause this fever.

She would wipe her.

The sickly one was nothing but trouble.

Liu Huang soon returned with a basin of cool water.

She first wiped Liu Qiu’s face and neck, then her fingers.

But that wasn’t enough.

She would have to wipe her body as well.

Just as her hand reached the collar of the inner garment, Liu Qiu’s hand rested weakly on her wrist.

“W-What are you doing?” Liu Qiu’s voice was hoarse and soft.

Liu Huang curved her lips into a wicked smile and suddenly pulled open the garment.

“Of course I’m wiping down my Sister Qiu.”

Her gaze fell upon Liu Qiu’s body, and her smile faded slightly.

Her skin was pale, with only two places tinted pink.

Liu Huang picked up the damp cloth and began wiping her body.

The cool sensation eased Liu Qiu’s tension.

So Liu Huang truly was just wiping her down.

After finishing the upper body, it was time for the lower.

Liu Huang saw the marks left from riding earlier that day.

They were very red.

No wonder she had cried out in pain.

Liu Huang took out a wound ointment, dabbed some onto her fingertip, and began applying it.

The cool touch made Liu Qiu inhale sharply.

Her snow-white abdomen hollowed slightly under the movement.

Liu Huang’s eyelid twitched as her gaze drifted downward.

Years on the battlefield had darkened her skin, even the back of her hands.

Against that, Liu Qiu’s skin appeared even more like white jade.

“Spread your legs a little. How am I supposed to apply the medicine if you’re clenching?”

Liu Qiu’s mind was hazy from fever.

Hearing the words, she bent her knees without much thought.

“Is this okay?”

Liu Huang’s breathing stalled.

She scooped more ointment and applied it to the abrasions.

Was it her imagination, or were the pink folds trembling slightly?

So pink.

So pretty.

If it looked like this on the outside… what would it look like inside?

Heat suddenly flooded Liu Huang’s eyes.

“Sickly one… what did you grow up eating?”

Everything about her was beautiful—soft, pink, tender.

Liu Qiu couldn’t hear clearly what she was saying.

Eyes closed, she urged weakly, “Hurry up.”

Ancient people were conservative; Liu Huang must have struggled mentally to apply medicine to such a place.

In truth, Liu Qiu was a little embarrassed too.

They weren’t even that familiar.

But she had no strength.

Her body was limp, leaving her no choice but to let someone else handle it.

Liu Huang’s movements slowed.

Her skin was too delicate.

Even the light brush of fingertips felt slick and smooth.

Her gaze fixed on one spot, unable to move away.

What was there to look at?

They were both women, after all.