Shou Xin got up from the ground and waved his hand in front of Nan Shan’s eyes.
Nan Shan didn’t move a bit, still staring blankly at Ji Yue.
“Still want to wash?”
Shou Xin turned back.
Ji Yue glanced at Nan Shan.
Seeing she was still in a daze, he silently nodded.
So the immortal lord and his young attendant once again sat on the small stools, studying how to make clothes cleaner.
Shou Xin was the one responsible for talking, occasionally offering suggestions.
The one actually washing the clothes was Ji Yue, who spoke much less.
When Nan Shan came back to her senses, she happened to see his foam-covered hands gently rubbing bloodstains from the crotch area of the garment.
With just a few gentle motions, the blood marks dispersed into the basin and quickly vanished.
Her emotions suddenly became complicated.
From the very first meeting, she had regarded this pair—one big, one small—as evil spirits.
No matter how casual she appeared outwardly, inwardly she was on full alert…
But now what was this?
Would an evil spirit wash her dirty clothes for her?
Or was this all just an illusion conjured by Ji Yue, and the real her was already tied up, serving as a vessel to nourish some spiritual bone?
While Nan Shan was lost in countless thoughts, Ji Yue had already wrung out the clothes.
Shou Xin efficiently fetched clean water.
The two of them rinsed the clothes, wrung them out again, and hung them up.
There was already a clothesline in the courtyard, though it hadn’t been used in ages and had gathered dust.
After Shou Xin wiped it clean, the clothes were hung up, exuding a fresh scent of soap under the sunlight.
Nan Shan closed her eyes and opened them again—the clothes were still on the line.
Shou Xin looked at the clean clothes and praised Ji Yue profusely, to the point that Ji Yue felt helpless.
But when he turned around, he saw the owner of the clothes still standing there dazed, showing no sign of gratitude.
“Hey,” Shou Xin called out, “why aren’t you saying thank you?”
Ji Yue also looked over.
Nan Shan stared at the pair for a long time, then quietly stepped forward and poked Ji Yue in the face with a finger.
Ji Yue: “?”
“…Is that how people from your hometown say thanks?”
Shou Xin asked hesitantly.
Nan Shan finally snapped out of it.
Realizing what she had done, her ears turned red, though she tried to stay composed.
“Yeah, that’s how we say thank you back home.”
Shou Xin still wasn’t convinced and was about to ask more questions when Nan Shan suddenly turned to Ji Yue.
“I don’t feel like attending lessons right now. Can I rest a little longer?”
“Sure,” Ji Yue replied gently.
“You’ve already learned most of the basic characters. After your period ends, we’ll start with Three Character Classic and Hundred Family Surnames. I’ll teach you myself then.”
“Immortal Lord,” Shou Xin quickly raised his hand, “I already know those two books. I can teach her.”
“I don’t want that,” Nan Shan remembered his iron-fisted teaching methods and immediately rejected the idea.
“I want the Immortal Lord to teach me!”
“Why? I don’t teach well?”
Shou Xin was indignant.
Nan Shan: “Exactly. You don’t.”
He hadn’t expected her to say it so bluntly to his face.
Shou Xin froze for a moment, then stormed back into the house.
After the thunderous slam of the door, Nan Shan pouted.
When she looked up and saw Ji Yue’s helpless expression, she quickly said, “I’ve already offended him now, so please don’t make him teach me anymore.”
Ji Yue, who had witnessed the entire exchange, was silent for a moment and gently reminded, “He’s in charge of your food and daily care.”
“Don’t worry,” Nan Shan waved her hand confidently, “I’ll coax him before the next meal.”
Seeing this, Ji Yue didn’t interfere anymore.
After he left, Nan Shan headed straight to the corridor connecting the front and back courtyards and sure enough, saw Shou Xin secretly hiding there.
“Alright, don’t be mad anymore. I just said you’re not a good teacher—is that worth sulking over for so long?”
Nan Shan began coaxing.
The child gave her a resentful glance.
“You embarrassed me in front of the Immortal Lord!”
“I just didn’t want to be threatened with potatoes and cabbage again, okay? It wasn’t meant to embarrass you.”
Nan Shan looked helpless.
Shou Xin huffed coldly, “But that’s what you did.”
Nan Shan thought about it and agreed.
No matter her intentions, the result was that she made the Immortal Lord’s disciple look bad.
She was silent for a moment, then suddenly clutched her stomach.
Shou Xin perked up his ears, waiting for an apology.
When none came, he peeked at her and saw her gesture.
He jumped up. “You—you—you’re in pain again?”
“Not really pain, just uncomfortable,” Nan Shan replied weakly.
Shou Xin immediately forgot his anger and hurried to help her back.
Looking at the child shorter than her, Nan Shan thought—this little demon is actually pretty nice… if he’s not just acting.
“I’ll say good things about you next time the Immortal Lord comes,” Nan Shan suddenly said.
Shou Xin gave her a sideways glance.
“I need your help?”
“You do,” Nan Shan blinked.
“Haven’t you heard the old saying? A thousand self-praises aren’t as good as one from someone else.”
Shou Xin paused.
“Never heard that before. Who said it?”
“I made it up. But doesn’t it sound convincing?”
Shou Xin: …
This month’s period came fiercely.
Though the pain subsided, her body still felt increasingly weak.
Nan Shan lay in bed for several meals’ time and still didn’t feel better.
Shou Xin stayed by her side the entire time, catering to her every request—even weaving several grasshoppers for her.
Nan Shan, stuck in bed, could only find ways to amuse the child.
“If only I had some brown sugar water to drink.”
“If there was a poached egg in the brown sugar water, that’d be even better.”
“But how can you put salt in a brown sugar poached egg? Who does that? You kids, seriously—no judgment.”
Shou Xin, deadpan: “Say one more word and I’ll smash the bowl.”
Nan Shan went silent for a second, then decisively took the salty poached egg in brown sugar and muttered, “It’s not that I like it—it’s just I don’t want to waste food.”
Shou Xin grunted.
“When are you going to get better?”
“I’d like to know too,” Nan Shan sighed.
“If this keeps up, I’m gonna bleed to death.”
After spending this time with her, Shou Xin had figured out what a period was and immediately looked disgusted.
“Can you be less direct? Stop saying this stuff in front of a grown man like me.”
Nan Shan paused and looked at him.
“…What?”
Shou Xin instantly tensed up.
Nan Shan: “Nothing. Just never seen a ‘grown man’ who lounges on a girl’s bed so casually. Wanted to take a good look.”
Shou Xin: …
Once again successfully driving Shou Xin away, Nan Shan felt a bit guilty for a minute, then lay back down, bored.
When she woke up, she felt a bit cleaner, and guessed that a few more meals’ time would end her period.
She yawned—though she hadn’t been awake long, she was sleepy again.
Just as she was dozing off, the door suddenly knocked.
“Well, someone’s learned manners?”
Nan Shan chuckled.
Right after speaking, an old, timid voice called from outside, “Madam Immortal, are you awake?”
Nan Shan paused, put on her clothes, and opened the door.
“Uncle Zhong.”
“I heard you were ill. I’ve been eating and sleeping poorly, wanted to visit you, but was afraid to disturb you,” Uncle Zhong looked uneasy.
“I’ve been torn for a while before coming. Please forgive me.”
Nan Shan didn’t want everyone to know about her period.
She just vaguely replied, “Thank you, Uncle Zhong. I’m much better now.”
“That’s good, that’s good…” Uncle Zhong sighed in relief.
Due to Shou Xin’s open hostility toward him, Nan Shan had instinctively distanced herself.
But now, looking at his honest face, she began to wonder if she’d been too harsh.
“Madam Immortal, I prepared some medicinal food to help your recovery. Would you like some?”
Uncle Zhong suddenly said.
Nan Shan came back to her senses and saw him holding a food box.
She was about to nod when an angry voice suddenly shouted:
“Old dog! What are you doing here again?!”
Nan Shan looked up sharply to see Shou Xin charging over like a firecracker.
She tried to stop him—“Wait…”
Too late. Uncle Zhong’s food box was kicked over, spilling its contents everywhere.
Uncle Zhong stared blankly.
“That was medicinal food I stewed for hours…”
Nan Shan looked troubled, but Shou Xin looked relieved, as if venting his anger.
“Didn’t I tell you not to come into the courtyard, and especially not to approach the Madam?!”
“I just wanted to bring her a bowl of medicinal soup,” Uncle Zhong said, eyes fixed on the mess, a hint of tears in his cloudy eyes.
“I meant no harm, just a bowl of soup…”
“We don’t need it! Get lost and never come near her again. If you do, I’ll kill you!”
Shou Xin’s face darkened, his pupils briefly glowing red before returning to normal.
Nan Shan didn’t see the red light in his eyes, but even so, she was startled by how unchildlike his expression was.
By the time she recovered, Uncle Zhong had already cleaned up and limped away.
“Back inside. And don’t open the door for him next time,” Shou Xin pushed her inside and slammed the door.
Nan Shan’s mind was filled with the image of Uncle Zhong’s sorrowful back.
After a long silence, she finally asked, “What did Uncle Zhong do to make you hate him so much?”
Shou Xin was still angry and only glanced at her in response.
“What kind of grudge do you two have?”
Nan Shan pressed.
Shou Xin pursed his lips, still refusing to speak.
Nan Shan deliberately provoked him, “Well, if you won’t say, I guess I’ll just treat him normally from now on.”
“What do you mean?”
Shou Xin exploded.
“I mean, I trusted your character, so I assumed he must be a bad person since you hate him so much. But when I ask what happened, you refuse to say—so maybe you’re in the wrong, and he’s actually a good person.”
“Nonsense! He couldn’t possibly be a good person!”
Shou Xin snapped.
Nan Shan grinned.
“Then what did he do?”
Shou Xin pursed his lips again.
Just when Nan Shan thought he wouldn’t answer, he suddenly said:
“I forgot.”
“…What?”
“I said I forgot,” Shou Xin repeated irritably.
“But I do know he’s awful. Stay away from him, or you’ll end up unlucky.”
Nan Shan: “What kind of reason is that?”
Even Shou Xin knew his excuse was flimsy.
After struggling for a while, he stormed off angrily.
“Whatever! Do as you please!”
“…Why is he always mad,” Nan Shan clicked her tongue.
This time, Shou Xin was really angry.
The proof was that her meals still appeared regularly at her door, but the person delivering them was nowhere to be seen.
Nan Shan had even gone to check the corridor between the front and back courtyards but found nothing.
She even made a trip to the temple, only to come back smelling like incense and still empty-handed.
After a few times, Nan Shan decided to lie in wait like a hunter.
She hid behind the door, ready to ambush whoever came sneaking by.
When Shou Xin appeared, just about to set down the food box, he was stunned.
Regaining his senses, he turned to flee—but Nan Shan grabbed his arm.
“What’s for dinner today?” Nan Shan asked while holding him, opening the box with exaggerated delight.
“Wow! All my favorite dishes again!”
Shou Xin shot her a cold look.
“Quit the act.”
“I’m not pretending, I really like it,” Nan Shan glanced at the food.
“You’re amazing. Ever since I got here, everything you’ve made has been exactly to my taste… except when you were deliberately messing with me.”
The flattery was good, but Shou Xin wasn’t buying it.
“That’s thanks to Xianjun Ji Yue. He told me to prepare more meat dishes. Said you’d like them more.”
Nan Shan paused, surprised.
“Really? How’d he know I like meat?”
“Isn’t it obvious? You grew up poor. On holidays, just having rice with lard was already a treat. Of course you like meat.”
Still fuming, Shou Xin’s tone was cutting.
But Nan Shan wasn’t offended.
She tugged on his sleeve and said, “Alright, I know I was wrong. Don’t avoid me anymore.”
Shou Xin snorted, “What exactly did you do wrong?”
Nan Shan answered solemnly, “I shouldn’t have sympathized with Uncle Zhong.”
Shou Xin exploded again.
“You actually sympathized with him?!”
“Shh!”