Medicinal Cuisine

Xi Cui followed silently behind them.

From beginning to end, Wei Dansheng did not spare her a single glance.

Perhaps he did.

But his gaze was distant, looking at her as if she were just the grass and trees on the mountain.

He was angry with her; Xi Cui remembered well what Wei Dansheng looked like when he was angry.

He was exactly as he had been in his childhood, his gaze aloof, ignoring others, as cold as ice.

What happened today was indeed her fault; she was the one who had caused Wu Huaifei to suffer this collateral disaster.

But Xi Cui had no time to dwell on this. She felt a burning pain in her arm, and her wrist felt as if it were about to dislocate.

Xi Cui furrowed her brows.

She might be bleeding somewhere on her body, but she did not know the exact spot. She would have to check once she returned.

It was still the young monk Hui Ru who noticed her disheveled state and asked in a low voice, "Young Master Gao, are you alright?"

Xi Cui shook her head: "Just a minor injury."

Returning to the guest hall, Xi Cui scooped a basin of water and took off her clothes.

Earlier, because she had rushed forward too quickly to hold onto Wu Huaifei, and because her spring garments were thin, her elbows and knees had been scraped raw by the stones on the ground, bleeding slightly.

She had not paid attention to it then, but now it began to sting.

Fortunately, they were all minor injuries.

After tending to them briefly, Xi Cui put on her clothes and found a new belt to tie around her waist.

After struggling for nearly the entire night, she was truly exhausted. The moment she fell onto the bed, she drifted off to sleep.

She slept straight through until noon the next day. In the evening, when Xi Cui went to the refectory, she happened to run into Wu Huaifei.

Tonight's dinner at the temple was porridge, which Wu Huaifei and the cook had prepared together, saying it was an apology for causing trouble for everyone last night.

Her culinary skills were excellent, and her cooking was delicious.

Tonight's porridge was meticulously prepared by her. Although it was a vegetarian dish, it was fragrant, savory, and smooth.

Xi Cui casually inquired about her injuries.

"They are all minor injuries. I am much better today."

"That is good."

"Right." Wu Huaifei said softly, "I have kept your belt, Young Master. I will return it to you once I have washed it clean."

"No need to go through the trouble. I don't need that belt anymore, you can keep it."

A trace of imperceptible disappointment flashed in Wu Huaifei's eyes, but Xi Cui did not notice it.

As she was about to leave, Wu Huaifei called her back again, turning around to take out a food container, asking her to help deliver it to Wei Dansheng.

"Young Monk Wei is still attending evening studies. His constitution is weak. I have added several medicinal herbs to this porridge to help nourish his qi and blood. I must trouble you to deliver it to him."

"Why not go yourself?"

Wu Huaifei shook her head: "Men and women should maintain a proper distance. It is inconvenient for me to go there in person."

It seemed Wu Huaifei had indeed noticed Wei Dansheng's feelings for her.

Her temperament was gentle and intelligent; she did not want to put pressure on others. Even when she rejected Wei Dansheng in the original story, she did so in a rather subtle manner.

Though subtle, it was very decisive, without any lingering ambiguity.

Xi Cui accepted the porridge: "Alright, I will go."

Wu Huaifei hesitated: "I always feel that Young Master Gao seems a bit different."

"Different in what way?"

"I cannot put it into words." Wu Huaifei smiled faintly. "You were not like this back then."

The first time she saw Gao Qian, it was in the middle of the night.

The late night was silent, and the clouds in the sky obscured the starlight, making the night dark.

She had just returned from a medical visit when she stepped on something soft.

Startled, Wu Huaifei quickly bent down to inspect, only to discover it was a person—a man covered in blood. His face was as yellow as paper, and his thin lips were tightly pursed; he was clearly severely injured.

She had quickly squatted down to tend to his wounds and helped him back to her residence.

At that time, she only felt that this person was indeed cold and taciturn.

But now...

Now that they interacted more frequently, she realized that his heart was actually very gentle, he was just not good at expressing it.

Carrying the food container, Xi Cui found Wei Dansheng in the meditation hall.

Rounding the main screen wall, a cloth curtain hung over the door, with a wooden plaque bearing the words "Fang Can" hanging on it.

The meditation hall was empty at this time, as the monks had all gone to the refectory for dinner, leaving only Wei Dansheng inside to meditate and comprehend the Dao.

For the past few days, he had been hosting Wu Huaifei and serving Zen Master Shan. He had barely slept a wink past midnight last night, and only by this evening did he find some free time to come to the meditation hall.

When Xi Cui walked in, he was sitting in meditation on the toon-wood chair that bore his name.

In the spacious meditation hall, the mountain wind swept up the cloth curtain, blowing into the four corners of the room, causing the candle flame to flicker gently.

The main hall enshrined the statue of the Medicine Buddha, whose face was benevolent and gentle.

The candlelight illuminated his face, making it as clear as jade, ethereal and illusory.

In the middle of the incense burner stood a wisdom plaque, which read: "The wisdom of all living beings converges in one person. If one is negligent, they shall be rebuked."

The quietness of the room emphasized the sound of her footsteps.

Wei Dansheng sat cross-legged on the toon-wood chair, looking as if he were asleep.

Xi Cui knew he was not asleep.

Not wanting to disturb him, Xi Cui stepped out of the room, leaned against the door, and crossed her arms, waiting for him to finish his meditation.

It was very strange; the filthy little boy on Biaoni Mountain from back then had actually become a grand monk.

The surroundings were very quiet. She could hear the wind blowing through the curtain and smell the waves of incense drifting from the meditation hall.

The night grew late.

Xi Cui felt a bit sleepy as she waited.

In her half-awake state, Wei Dansheng finally stepped out.

"Young Master Gao?"

Xi Cui opened her eyes groggily, her vision hazy. She seemed to see a pair of dark, heavy eyes, in which a flash of mockery flickered.

The air was bone-chillingly cold.

Xi Cui woke up completely.

But in an instant, that trace of mockery vanished without a trace, replaced by his usual gentle smile.

As if the mockery just now was merely her hallucination.

Xi Cui shook her head, lifted the food container, and held it out to Wei Dansheng: "Here."

"This is?" He raised his eyes.

"Lady Wu asked me to deliver this medicinal cuisine to you."

Wei Dansheng accepted the food container, his expression unreadable. He smiled: "I have troubled you to make the trip."

After what happened yesterday, Xi Cui was also unsure of what attitude to use when facing Wei Dansheng.

Seeing him accept the food container, she prepared to take her leave.

But Wei Dansheng actively called her back. Carrying the food container, he asked calmly, "Can the Young Master accompany me to my private quarters to discuss something?"

The Buddhist beads on his wrist clinked.