Chapter Thirty-Three

Duan Jing remained silent for a moment, his gaze lingering on the medicine bowl in his hands. The decoction had already turned cold, and its bitter taste continued to spread across his palate. He set the bowl down gently and looked up at Jiang Bai. "Jiang Bai, some things are not as simple as you imagine. My status and my responsibilities do not allow me to easily accept anyone's affections."

Jiang Bai was determined that Duan Jing would compromise today. Was being in poor health something to be proud of? "Strategist, I understand your concerns. However, this is not something you can just reject simply because you wish to. We must look at the current situation; naturally, I also hope for progress to be made as quickly as possible."

Duan Jing’s heart jolted. He had not expected that even after he had spoken so plainly, Jiang Bai would remain so persistent, even hoping for an accelerated development. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found his throat constricted as if blocked by something, leaving him unable to make a sound. He could only gaze at Jiang Bai in silence, his heart filled with complex emotions.

The room fell into a brief silence, broken only by the sound of the wind brushing past the window, bringing with it a hint of chill. Jiang Bai looked up, assuming Duan Jing had been swayed and was preparing to properly recuperate, and her expression grew cheerful.

"Strategist, since that is settled, it is a deal," Jiang Bai said happily. *Let me attend to your health, and then you can help me with my great task.*

Without waiting for his response, she picked up the medicine bowl and walked quickly out of the room. Watching her retreating figure, Duan Jing felt a wave of bitterness. He knew his words might have hurt her, but he had no choice. He could not let her fall into danger because of him, nor could he allow her to lose her peaceful life on his account.

"Jiang Bai, what is wrong?" A familiar voice came from behind. Jiang Bai turned to see Duan Yue standing not far away, a look of concern on his face.

Just as she turned, a gust of wind-blown sand swept by, stinging her eyes. With tears welling up, she looked toward Duan Yue, "It is nothing, the medicine just got cold, I am going to reheat it."

Duan Yue glanced at the bowl in her hands and then at her slightly reddened eyes, guessing at the "truth." He sighed, walked to her side, and said softly, "Jiang Bai, my brother... he is sometimes too stubborn. Don't take it to heart."

Jiang Bai also felt Duan Jing was stubborn and nodded in agreement. "I know, but I still hope to take care of him myself."

Seeing the stubbornness in her eyes, Duan Yue felt a mix of emotions. He had not expected her to be so deeply attached to Duan Jing, but he also knew the burden of Duan Jing’s past—he carried too much, destined to be unable to respond to such feelings.

"Jiang Bai," Duan Yue called her softly, his tone filled with helplessness and heartache, "why must you make things so difficult for yourself? Duan Jing... perhaps he is not worth such devotion."

Jiang Bai looked up, surprised by his words. *How is it that things aren't resolved with Duan Jing, and now trouble has arisen with Duan Yue?* Fearing that Duan Yue might prevent her from seeing Duan Jing again, she quickly said, "General, I have no other requests. I only want to see him get better soon."

Duan Yue sighed and patted her shoulder gently. "I know you care for him, but you must also care for yourself."

Realizing Duan Yue would not stop her from seeing Duan Jing, Jiang Bai ignored the latter part of his words and exhaled in relief. "I am fine, it is just the medicine—it cooled down, I must go reheat it."

Duan Yue watched her turn and head toward the kitchen, a sense of sorrow in his heart. He had not expected such a fervent, sincere heart to hide beneath her cold exterior. Yet, he feared Duan Jing would end up hurting this young girl. He stood there, hesitating for a moment, before deciding to follow her, hoping to make one last effort.

In the kitchen, Jiang Bai stood before the stove, carefully reheating the medicine. Her movements were gentle and focused, as if that bowl were her only solace. Duan Yue stood in the doorway, watching her quietly, a surge of complex emotions rising within him.

"Jiang Bai," he spoke softly, "do you really not intend to give up?"

Jiang Bai’s hand faltered slightly. *Why again?* She did not want to look back and said firmly, "General, I know you mean well, but... I truly cannot let go."

Duan Yue was silent for a moment before sighing. "Very well. Since you insist, I will not try to persuade you further. But you must promise me to take care of yourself and not overwork."

Jiang Bai nodded; as long as she could take good care of Duan Jing, she would be fine. "The most important thing is the Strategist."

"No, you must promise me you will take care of yourself!" He had not expected Duan Jing to be more important to her than herself.

"Alright, I will." Jiang Bai looked a bit dazed, but agreed nonetheless.

Duan Yue said nothing more and turned to leave the kitchen. He knew that anything further he said would be in vain. Jiang Bai’s mind was made up; he could only watch her silently, hoping she would not be hurt too deeply.

Returning to the room, Jiang Bai handed the reheated medicine to Duan Jing with a faint smile. "Strategist, the medicine is warm now. Please drink it while it is hot."

Duan Jing took the bowl and looked up at her, noticing that her mood seemed much calmer than before. He felt a sense of relief, lowered his head, and took a sip. The bitterness remained, but for some reason, he felt the medicine was not quite as difficult to swallow this time.

"Jiang Bai," Duan Jing said, putting the bowl down, his tone hesitant, "about what I said earlier... if I caused you sorrow, I apologize."

Jiang Bai shook her head. She had volunteered to care for him, and it was only natural for him to feel uncomfortable and want to refuse. However, she should express her loyalty to put his mind at ease. "Strategist, you need not apologize. I understand your concerns, and I know you mean well for me. But I want to tell you that I do not fear danger, nor do I fear hardship. I only wish to stay by your side; even if I can only share a fraction of your burden, I am willing."

Duan Jing looked into her resolute eyes, his heart in turmoil. He knew that her heart could not be easily swayed, and he could no longer continue to evade the issue. After a long silence, he finally spoke slowly: "Jiang Bai, give me some time, will you? I need to think this through."

A glimmer of joy flashed in Jiang Bai’s eyes; she could finally stay close to him. "Very well, Strategist. I will await your answer."

Duan Jing nodded, though his heart remained heavy. He knew he could not easily respond to her feelings, yet he could no longer ignore her devotion. He needed time to reflect on how to face this.

"Sister, the bamboo sap is finished." Jiang Ye held up his cup to show her. Today, Jiang Bai had not gone to care for her "mobile golden finger," as the brothers had agreed to let her stay close, and she was no longer worried about losing the opportunity to collect blood. Since she had promised Duan Yue to look after herself, she decided to take the day off.

Jiang Bai took the cup and gave it a gentle shake; the bottom was indeed empty. She smiled, reached out to ruffle Jiang Ye’s hair, and said in a gentle tone, "Drank it so fast? It seems you really like the bamboo sap."

Jiang Ye nodded, his eyes sparkling. "The bamboo sap you boil is the best; it’s refreshing, sweet, and quenches thirst."

Jiang Bai smiled and set the cup on the table nearby. "Then I shall boil some more for you, but do not drink it so quickly this time; it is not good for your health."

Jiang Ye followed behind her like a little tail, muttering, "Sister, are you not going to take care of Brother Duan Jing today?"

Jiang Bai replied calmly, "Not today. I haven't spent time with our Xingzhi for a long time, so today I will spend it properly with you."

As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Ye’s eyes lit up like stars in the night sky. He followed her closely, his steps light, like a happy little bird. Jiang Bai entered the kitchen, skillfully retrieved the ingredients for the bamboo sap, and began to prepare it. Jiang Ye stood to the side, watching her movements without blinking, occasionally letting out exclamations of admiration.

"Sister, the way you boil the bamboo sap is so beautiful," Jiang Ye tilted his head and grinned.

Jiang Bai chuckled, though her hands did not stop. "Is it really beautiful to boil water?"

She placed the ingredients into the pot, added the right amount of water, and lit the stove. The flames danced in the hearth, reflecting on her face, making her look exceptionally gentle.

"My sister is the most beautiful person," Jiang Ye said earnestly.

"Xingzhi, have you been studying well lately?" While boiling the sap, Jiang Bai mischievously decided to let her younger brother experience the kind of nagging questions relatives usually ask.

Jiang Ye nodded, a look of pride on his face. "Of course! I have been reading the *Book of Songs* lately, and the poems inside are so beautiful."

Though her attempt at "nagging" failed, Jiang Bai nodded with satisfaction, a glimmer of gratification in her eyes. "That is good. Reading broadens one’s horizons and increases knowledge. You must not only read what is required for examinations; you must read other books as well."

"Yes, Xingzhi will remember. I will listen and observe more. I will strive to be like you, Sister. You are so clever and capable, I cannot fall behind." Jiang Ye nodded his chubby face earnestly; the frequency of his nodding made Jiang Bai’s heart itch.

Unable to resist, she reached out to pinch his cheek, speaking with a straight face, "I am not that clever, just diligent. Xingzhi, you must remember, no matter what you do, you must be grounded and take one step at a time to go further."

Jiang Ye nodded seriously, a look of determination in his eyes. "Sister, I will definitely work hard!"

Jiang Bai smiled with relief and ruffled his hair again. "Good child, I believe in you."

Just then, the bamboo sap in the pot began to boil, emitting a fresh, fragrant aroma. She removed a few pieces of firewood to lower the heat, simmered it for a while longer, and then poured it into the cup. She handed it to him, cautioning, "Do not drink too fast this time, take it slowly."

Jiang Ye took the cup, took a cautious sip, and a satisfied smile spread across his face. "Sister, it is delicious!"

Jiang Bai smiled, her eyes filled with doting affection. "As long as you like it."

The two sat on chairs in the kitchen, sipping the sap and chatting. Jiang Ye excitedly recounted interesting stories from the books he had been reading.

Jiang Bai listened quietly, nodding and smiling from time to time, occasionally interjecting to guide him to continue. Jiang Ye’s eyes shone with excitement as he gestured wildly, as if the stories in the books were playing out right before his eyes.

"Sister, did you know? In that book, there is a knight-errant named Li Qing. He went into the bandits' den single-handedly and rescued the villagers who were being held captive!" Jiang Ye said excitedly, his voice full of admiration.

Jiang Bai took a small sip of the sap and asked with a smile, "And then what happened? Was Li Qing injured?"

Jiang Ye shook his head, looking triumphant. "No! He is so amazing; those bandits were no match for him at all. He also knows a light-body technique called the 'Flying Swallow Step,' moving like a ghost—the bandits could not even touch the hem of his clothes!"

Jiang Bai was amused by his expression and reached out to tap his forehead lightly. "You, you get so absorbed in your books. However, Li Qing is indeed an impressive hero. You should learn from him and become a brave and righteous person."

Jiang Ye nodded vigorously, his eyes full of determination. "Yes! In the future, I will be like Li Qing and help those who need it!"

Jiang Bai smiled with relief and ruffled his hair. "Our Xingzhi is truly wonderful."

"Since Xingzhi is so wonderful, can you stay with me again tomorrow, Sister?" Jiang Ye’s eyes sparkled, hoping his sister would take two days off in a row.

"I am afraid not." Jiang Bai would have liked to take another day off, but with winter approaching, she needed to gather more medicinal herbs. "I need to go up the mountain to collect herbs these next few days."

"Ah, I see." Jiang Ye understood. Every time October approached, his father and sister would be busy in the mountains preparing herbs for the family. Now that there was such a large army, the quantity of herbs needed must be even greater.

"Brother Duan Yue might not have time recently, would you mind if I sent you to Brother Duan Jing?" Jiang Bai recalled that she could not take Jiang Ye with her, and after filtering through candidates who could look after him, she asked him to discuss the arrangement.

Hearing the plan, Jiang Ye felt a pang of disappointment but nodded obediently. "I understand. Go ahead and collect your herbs, Sister; I will be good and stay with Brother Duan Jing."

Seeing how sensible her younger brother was, Jiang Bai felt her heart soften. She patted his shoulder lightly. "Xingzhi is so good. When I finish this busy period, I will surely spend some quality time with you."

Jiang Ye lifted his small face and beamed a bright smile. "Alright! Then you must come back early, Sister. I will be waiting for you."

Jiang Bai nodded with a smile and stood up to tidy the tools she would need for the mountain tomorrow. She checked her basket, sickle, and rope one by one to ensure nothing was missed. Thinking of the potential dangers on the mountain, she retrieved a small cloth bag from the cabinet, filled with emergency herbs and bandages.

"Sister, if you bring so many things, won't it be very heavy?" Jiang Ye asked with concern, watching her busy figure.