Chapter Fifty-Five: The Ailing Beauty

Jiang Hu accidentally clasped Mo Nianian’s hand, and every drop of blood in his veins seemed to boil and surge.

“I’ll have the imperial physician take a look.”

Mo Nianian was genuinely frightened; Jiang Hu’s body was frail beyond measure and needed careful nurturing—one misstep could spell disaster. He was like a living Lin Daiyu, fragile in the extreme.

Mo Nianian summoned the imperial physician, who examined Jiang Hu thoroughly. The diagnosis echoed previous assessments: he must be tended to with utmost care. His current state could not withstand strong tonics; his recovery would have to be gradual.

Mo Nianian etched the physician’s words in her mind. Once the doctor departed, she immediately began to make arrangements. She moved Jiang Hu to a new residence and assigned several attendants to oversee his daily needs. She ordered an abundance of nourishing ingredients and medicinal herbs, intending to prepare healing meals for him.

The Regent and his wife watched all this unfold, uncertain whether to feel joy or sorrow. Their daughter had grown up in a flash, become sensible, but alas, her heart was devoted to another man.

“Wife, why is Nianian so good to that rascal?” The Regent spoke with a hint of jealousy.

Madam Mo shot him a glare. “Mind your words. If not for Jiang Hu, Nianian would have been in trouble long ago. I say he’s quite good.”

“Good? What’s good about him?” The Regent huffed, annoyed at this youth who seemed to be stealing his daughter away.

“What’s not good? He’s devoted to Nianian, his eyes see no one else, loyal and highly skilled. Most importantly, he has no family—he could marry into ours as a son-in-law!” Madam Mo grew more excited, almost wishing to arrange their engagement on the spot.

The Regent was swayed by her words; indeed, Jiang Hu was an excellent candidate. Still, the thought of his daughter marrying another left him disgruntled.

“Let’s observe a while longer. Who knows if he’s pretending? Besides, I don’t think Nianian has those intentions.”

Madam Mo pondered for a moment. “Perhaps you’re right. No matter what, Nianian must be satisfied.”

They reached an agreement, deciding to watch more closely. Yet, the more they observed, the stranger things seemed. Nianian was almost too attentive.

Feeding him meals and medicine personally was understandable, as was keeping him company. But moving his room next to hers at his request—that bordered on excessive.

Once, the Regent even witnessed Mo Nianian leaving Jiang Hu’s room late at night.

Unable to hold back, the Regent spoke to her in a roundabout way. “Nianian, your father understands youthful vigor, but… you two should take things slowly.”

Mo Nianian was perplexed. “What do you mean?”

Jiang Hu had been thirsty and unable to move easily; she’d gone to check on him after hearing sounds from his room.

The Regent wore a strained expression. “I know, I was your age once.” He patted her shoulder and departed with a sigh.

Since his daughter was so obvious, it was time to consider their marriage. Ah, that rascal was getting off too easy.

Mo Nianian was still confused, about to ask for clarification, when Jiang Hu’s weak voice called out from the room. “Is my master still here?”

“I’m here.” Mo Nianian turned and entered.

Jiang Hu covered his mouth, coughing again and again. “Master, I—I’d like another cup of water.”

Mo Nianian swiftly poured some for him, carrying it to his bedside and tucking in his scattered quilt. “Here, drink.”

Jiang Hu hid the joy that threatened to burst from his eyes, sipping the water slowly.

“Thank you, master.”

He coughed again, his pale cheeks tinged with pink.

Mo Nianian clicked her tongue. The male lead was now more delicate than Lin Daiyu herself.

“M-master… cough, cough… you…” He couldn’t finish a sentence without coughing.

Mo Nianian couldn’t stand it, sitting at the bedside to pat his back. “Alright, alright, it’s nothing.”

If not for her, the male lead would never have ended up like this—a true misfortune.

Jiang Hu looked up, mist in his eyes. “Thank you, master.”

He leaned weakly against Mo Nianian. Truthfully, the scene was a feast for the eyes. Such a handsome man, yet without a woman in his life, was astonishing.

Jiang Hu leaned against her, soaking in her warmth, his heart nearly bursting with satisfaction. He stared at her greedily.

This was enough—so close to his master, closer than he’d ever dreamed. Yet why did he still crave more? Why did he want her to always treat him like this, to always stay by his side?

Even if he spent his whole life this way, he would accept it gladly.

He gripped her sleeve, holding it tighter and tighter.

Mo Nianian tended to him day after day, but Jiang Hu showed no signs of improvement. He remained sickly, and she feared he would collapse at any moment.

There was nothing she could do but stay with him.

Meanwhile, his negative value gradually decreased, settling around forty and ceasing to change.

Mo Nianian suspected the root cause lay with his enemies.

Originally, she had intended to let Jiang Hu take his own revenge, but seeing him so frail, she had to act herself.

She didn’t use the Mo family’s troops; instead, she spent her own money to rebuild a new army for Jiang Hu—one that obeyed him alone and followed his commands utterly.

Mo Nianian personally gave them a martial arts manual.

After mastering it, they might not defeat a hundred foes at once, but besting ten would be easy. When Jiang Hu gave the order, these troops could sweep the capital of his enemy’s kingdom.

[Host… that martial arts manual doesn’t belong to this world.] The system quietly reminded her.

Ever since doing tasks with her, the host had broken nearly every rule written in the system’s code.

It was only a small system—why treat it this way? It was aggrieved.

Mo Nianian responded impatiently, [I created it myself, isn’t that allowed?]

Clearly it was a high-level internal cultivation method from another world, but she was bullying the system, knowing it wouldn’t argue with her.

The system gave a meek reply.

Mo Nianian was truly annoyed. If not for the ridiculous rules of this small world, she would have helped the male lead eliminate all his enemies in an instant, propelling him to the pinnacle of life!

Yet she had promised that demon of the Heavenly Dao to proceed step by step.

Last time, because she took out a pill, she and the Heavenly Dao negotiated at length. That demon threatened her, downgrading this world to a C-level rating.

Ten C-level worlds were equivalent to a single B-level one.