The spring rain seemed to have no end as it continued to fall.
However, the room was very warm. The fire in the stove burned brightly. The lid of the boiling medicine pot was pushed up by the steam, and one could clearly hear the gurgling sound of the pot.
The girl sat in front of the mirror. In the bronze mirror, a slightly pale face appeared. She had long frowns on her face, thin green and red. Her lips were like small water chestnuts, pursed, delicate and pretty. Her pair of almond-shaped eyes were black and moist, like a mountain stream that was about to gather mist in the next moment. The mist slowly dispersed, revealing a magnificent gem. She had snow-white skin and a flower-like appearance. She was a beautiful girl, but that was all there was to it.
Of course, she knew her own beauty very well. Therefore, in front of the small dressing table, there was already rouge, face powder, and spice balm. The smell of the rouge lingered around her. He Yan wrinkled her nose and couldn't help but sneeze.
The bronze mirror was immediately covered with a layer of white frost from the hot breath she exhaled. Even her face became unclear. He Yan was in a trance for a moment, as if she had returned to the moment when she first took off her male disguise. She also sat in front of the mirror like this, looking at herself in the mirror as if a lifetime had passed.
She had been drowned in the Xu family's pond by the He family's men. However, when she woke up, she had become He Yan. She wasn't the current General Feihong, He Rufei's younger sister, Xu Zhiheng's wife, He Yan. Instead, she was the owner of this dilapidated house, the ninth-ranked military officer of the city gate, He Sui's eldest daughter, He Yan.
They were both He Yan. Their statuses were as different as clouds and mud.
"Yan Yan, why didn't you say you were awake?" Accompanied by a voice from outside, the door curtain was lifted and a figure swept in with a cold wind.
It was a middle-aged man with sideburns. He had a square face, dark skin, and a tall figure. He looked like a clumsy but strong bear. His smile carried a trace of cautiousness. Seeing that there was no one in the room, he shouted loudly, "Qing Mei, where's Qing Mei?"
"Qing Mei went to pick medicinal herbs," He Yan said softly.
The man scratched his head and said, "Oh, then daddy will pour it for you."
The white porcelain bowl was not even as big as the man's palm. He knew this, so he poured the medicine very carefully. The room was immediately filled with the bitter fragrance of the herbs. He Yan looked at the plum blossoms on the side of the medicine bowl and shifted his gaze to the man's face. This was He Yan's father, the captain of the city gate, He Sui.
The word "father" was unfamiliar to He Yan.
Her biological father should be the second master of the He family, He Yuanliang. However, because she had taken on the identity of He Rufei, she could only call He Yuanliang Second Uncle. Her adoptive father, He Yuansheng, was actually her uncle.
The relationship between her adoptive father and her wasn't very close. When she first proposed to learn martial arts, their relationship had dropped to the freezing point. It was only after she earned merits and received the Emperor's commendation that she became enthusiastic. In the past few years, although the first branch didn't deprive her of food and drink, they didn't really understand what she was thinking. When He Yan was young, she thought it was because he wasn't her biological father. However, her biological father, He Yuanliang, also treated her indifferently. It was probably because a daughter that was given away was like water that was spilled. Since he didn't raise her by his side, their relationship faded.
Therefore, He Yan didn't remember her father's appearance as clearly as her brothers and subordinates.
He Sui had already poured the medicine into the bowl. He carefully scooped up the residue floating on the surface of the water and gently blew on it. He brought it to He Yan and was about to feed her.
He Yan took the bowl of medicine and said, "I'll do it myself."
The man withdrew his hand and said embarrassedly, "Okay."
Niao Niao steam rose from the medicine bowl. He Yan looked at the bowl of medicine in front of her hesitantly. She thought of what Madam He said before she died.
"That bowl of medicine that blinded you was personally sent by an elder in your family!"
The elder in the family, was it He Yuansheng? Or He Yuanliang? Or was it someone else? Xu Zhiheng knew about it. What about the others?
She thought of the day she drowned and the cup of hot tea that Xiao Die gave her. Who knew if the things sent by others had ulterior motives?
He Sui saw that she didn't drink it and thought that she thought the medicine was too bitter. He smiled and coaxed her, "Yan Yan, don't be afraid. It's not bitter. You'll be fine after drinking the medicine."
He Yan didn't hesitate anymore. Before He Sui could continue speaking, she put her lips to the bowl and poured the medicine into her mouth.
"Wait …" He Sui didn't have time to say anything. He Yan had already put the empty bowl on the table. He spat out the remaining words in his mouth, "It's hot …"
"It's not hot." He Yan answered.
He Sui didn't know what to say for a while. He stammered a few times and whispered, "Then you should rest well in the room. Don't run around. Father will go to the martial arts field first." He took the empty bowl away.
He Yan was left alone in the room. She was slightly relieved. After all, she wasn't used to communicating with people so intimately, especially as a woman. Moreover, she was a young girl who was pampered and raised in the palm of his hand.
His servant Qing Mei hadn't come back yet. He Sui didn't have a lot of money every month. The Captain of the Gate Guards was just a military officer with no real power. He didn't have much money. The people in this room relied on He Sui's money to support themselves. He could only afford to hire one servant. The rest of the money probably became the rouge and face powder that Miss He piled up on the table.
He Yan stood up and walked to the door.
This body was soft, like white jade, fragrant and tender. It was completely unfamiliar to her. Without strength, she couldn't protect herself. If there was something special about this body, it would be a pair of clean and bright eyes. It could let her see the light of the world that she hadn't seen for a long time.
"Dong!" There was the sound of something heavy falling behind her. He Yan turned around and saw a young man standing in front of her. He was removing the firewood that was tied to his shoulders.
The young man was young, about the same age as He Yan. He wore a green waistline shirt and pants of the same color. There was a white cloth tied around his legs to make it easier for him to work. His skin was slightly dark. His eyebrows and eyes were similar to He Yan's. He was delicate and handsome, but his chin was slightly narrower. He looked determined and stubborn.
This was Lady He's younger brother, He Sui's youngest son, He Yunsheng.
He Yan had been lying in bed for the past few days. He Yunsheng came several times, but he always came to bring water and the stove. He didn't say a word to He Yan. The relationship between the brother and sister didn't seem to be very good, but … He Yan looked at He Yunsheng's rough and ill-fitting clothes and then looked at her own little green satin dress. She slightly understood, but was also surprised.
In the He Family, the women paved the way for the men. The men were the sky and the earth, as if they were the center of the world. However, in this family, it was different. It seemed that this biological youngest son was picked up. The He Family only cared about Lady He's food and clothes. Why was this?
He Yan stood in front of He Yunsheng and didn't move a step. He Yunsheng piled the firewood under the eaves and began to chop the firewood.
This family was really poor. The only servant was a maid, and the biological son did the work of a manservant.
In front of He Yan was the pile of firewood. He Yunsheng chopped it twice and slightly frowned, "Excuse me, you are blocking my way."
He didn't even call her "Sister".
He Yan didn't move at all. He didn't move aside, nor did he taunt him with his usual sarcastic remarks. He Yunsheng couldn't help but raise his head and meet He Yan's serious eyes.
He Yan said, "You can't chop the firewood like this."