Chapter Fifty-Four: The Enemy of My Enemy

Chu Bing escorted Lord Ren back to Li Haoran’s residence.

Li Haoran had still not returned.

“No one comes here?” Lord Ren wasn’t sure where he was, but seeing the grass in the courtyard growing taller than elsewhere, he relaxed a little.

Chu Bing replied perfunctorily.

She was preoccupied, pondering how she might obtain the antidote from this man.

Lord Ren strode directly into Li Haoran’s room, lay down on the bed, and began tending to his wounds himself.

He lifted his clothes, revealing a well-built chest, streaked with blood and covered in gaping cuts, raw flesh exposed at the edges. Chu Bing instinctively turned her head away, not from embarrassment, but from fright.

She could hardly imagine how anyone, so gravely injured, could still walk about as if nothing were amiss—and even have the strength to poison her.

“Go fetch me something to eat,” Lord Ren demanded, tearing his clothes into strips and binding his wounds.

Chu Bing stared in disbelief. “It’s the middle of the night. Where am I supposed to find you food?”

The kitchen servants had probably all gone to bed by now!

Lord Ren looked up, a chill in his eyes. “You’ll find a way—unless you don’t want to live.”

Chu Bing nearly bit her tongue in frustration.

She swallowed her anger.

Turning on her heel, she headed out of the courtyard. Behind her, the man’s voice rang out, “If anyone discovers me, you won’t live to see next month.”

With a loud bang, Chu Bing slammed the door.

Fuming, she strode in the direction of the laundry room.

“Aren’t you supposed to find him something to eat?” the system asked.

Chu Bing gnashed her teeth. “Do you expect me to cook for him myself?”

Just the thought made her hands itch with annoyance!

“So what will you do?”

“Obviously, I’ll find someone else to cook for him!”

With a cold snort, Chu Bing arrived at the laundry room.

Inside, all was quiet; everyone was fast asleep.

She opened the door and saw Madam Zheng sleeping by the entrance, snoring thunderously.

Chu Bing tiptoed over, considering how best to wake Madam Zheng without alerting the others.

Half-asleep, Madam Zheng suddenly sensed someone’s presence looming over her, a chill running down her spine.

She blinked her eyes open and saw a dark figure standing before her. Looking closer—wasn't it that fierce maid, Crimson Sleeve!

She’s come to kill me!

Madam Zheng’s eyes widened. She opened her mouth to scream, but Chu Bing was quicker, clamping a hand over her mouth.

Chu Bing pressed an acupoint, half-dragging and half-carrying Madam Zheng to the courtyard, where she dropped her to the ground.

“If you make a sound, I’ll kill you on the spot.”

Madam Zheng curled into a ball, shaking her head violently, hands clapped tightly over her mouth.

She dared not make a noise!

Seeing this, Chu Bing lowered her voice. “Go to the kitchen and make me something to eat. Now.”

“What?” Madam Zheng blurted out, staring at Chu Bing in disbelief. She’d been woken in the middle of the night just to cook?

Chu Bing waved her fist threateningly. “What are you staring at? Get moving!”

“Yes, yes!” Realizing her life wasn’t in immediate danger, Madam Zheng let out a sigh of relief, scrambled to her feet and hurried to the kitchen to start the fire and cook.

Chu Bing stood outside, barking orders in a gruff tone. “Add more salt! Yes, that one—the chilies! Put in as much as you can!”

Let’s see if Lord Ren dares eat this!

Madam Zheng’s hands trembled as she cooked. What was wrong with this Crimson Sleeve girl, with such strange tastes?

Soon, the meal was ready. Satisfied by the charred, unappetizing dishes in the food box, Chu Bing turned and headed back to the small courtyard.

Behind her, Madam Zheng collapsed onto the ground, drenched in sweat.

Thank the heavens that fiend was finally gone!

Back at the residence, Lord Ren had finished tending his wounds and was reclining on the bed with his eyes closed.

“What took you so long?” He opened his eyes, impatience flickering in them.

Chu Bing slammed the food box onto the table. “You think it’s easy to find you food in the middle of the night?”

Lord Ren didn’t argue; he got off the bed, opened the food box, and his face darkened at the sight of the dishes. “You expect me to eat this?”

Feigning innocence, Chu Bing blinked. “Of course! I made it myself. You have to finish every bite.”

Lord Ren fixed her with a long, searching look, making her scalp tingle. Just as Chu Bing thought he was about to lose his temper, he sat down as if nothing had happened and began eating the meal in earnest.

Could it be… he was moved by her effort?

Chu Bing glanced at the disdain on the man’s face and realized she was overthinking it.

After finishing, Lord Ren put down his chopsticks. “Clean this up.”

He was clearly treating Chu Bing as a real maid now.

Chu Bing ground her teeth, desperately wanting to pin him down and give him a beating!

But a single glance from him silenced her.

“Fine!” she replied through gritted teeth.

Lord Ren glanced at the sky, then lay back down to rest. Chu Bing resigned herself to tidying up. She was about to excuse herself for the night when she noticed his breathing had grown rapid.

Frowning, she approached.

Lord Ren’s eyes were closed, his face flushed and brow furrowed.

“Hey, what’s wrong with you?” Chu Bing nudged his shoulder, but he didn’t respond.

She placed her hand on his forehead. The burning heat startled her.

He had a fever!

In the dead of night!

Chu Bing studied him for a long moment and realized he was truly delirious, completely unresponsive.

Her eyes lit up for a moment, and she began searching through his clothes for the antidote, but found nothing.

Where on earth had this man hidden it?

Grinding her teeth, she left the room.

“Where are you going?” the system asked.

“To find him medicine, of course!” She didn’t know where he’d hidden her antidote. If she didn’t cure him, was she supposed to wait for death?

The system wisely fell silent, not daring to provoke Chu Bing in her rage.

Chu Bing had no idea what medicine might treat a fever in these ancient times, so she had no choice but to trouble Madam Zheng again.

Madam Zheng was on the verge of tears, but as an older woman she knew a remedy or two. She boiled a soup with mint, plantain, and dandelion, and handed it to Chu Bing, assuming she was the one who was ill.

Chu Bing sent her away, carried the medicine back to the courtyard, and stiffly tried to feed Lord Ren.

Fortunately, he wasn’t completely unconscious and, realizing Chu Bing was feeding him medicine, cooperated.

The system watched Chu Bing running herself ragged all night for this man and couldn’t help but ask, “Why go to all this trouble?”

“For the antidote!” Chu Bing huffed. After a moment, she muttered, “He has a grudge against the Li family, and I have issues with both the eldest and second young masters. Keeping him around might come in handy.”

After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.