Chapter 8: It’s All Yours!
When the plum blossom jade bookmark appeared on the diary, Jiang Xue didn’t recognize it at first.
Curiously, she picked it up by the red string attached to the top, turning it over in her palm and running her fingers over its smooth surface before realizing what it was.
“So this is ancient craftsmanship!”
Jiang Xue couldn’t help but admire the intricate plum blossom carving. If she hadn’t been in class, she would have gasped aloud.
After recovering from her initial shock, her first instinct was to put the bookmark back on the diary.
Although small, it was made of exquisite white jade, the carved plum blossom a striking blood-red. And coming from a royal princess, it was undoubtedly priceless!
The Third Princess must have given her the bookmark she was using because she couldn’t find anything else suitable at the moment. She had to return it quickly!
Just as she was thinking this, she saw the brushstrokes slowly appear:
【You are a blessing in my life. Please accept this token.】
Jiang Xue: ???
She had only offered a few small gestures across time and space. She couldn’t possibly change the Third Princess’s situation.
How could she be a “blessing”? How could she accept such a precious gift?!
Alarmed, she hurriedly wrote: 【No, no! I can’t accept this!!!】
Before she could finish writing, she saw the history teacher stand and begin walking around the classroom. Jiang Xue quickly covered the diary, pretending to be reviewing her notes.
As soon as class ended, she opened the diary again.
【Consider it a small token of gratitude for your company. Will you accept it?】
“Isn’t this a bit too much for just chatting?” Jiang Xue thought, amused, but also touched.
How much did the Third Princess appreciate her company to give her such a valuable gift so soon after meeting, just to ensure she stayed?
【Alright, I’ll hold onto it for Your Highness for now.】
She would keep it safe and return it when the opportunity arose.
But the jade bookmark was far too precious. Jiang Xue carefully placed it in the pouch with her MP3 player, deciding to go home during lunch break to put it away properly.
She was about to chat with the Third Princess a little more when her family doctor sent a new message:
【Second Miss, I felt like I’d seen these symptoms before. I checked your old medical records, and it turns out you had a similar illness when you were little.】
【It’s a type of congenital condition, but with prompt and proper medication, along with acupuncture, it can be completely cured even at this age with consistent treatment for a year or two.】
【However, without examining the patient directly or seeing any test results, I can only say so much.】
【Frankly, your friend needs a new doctor, as soon as possible. The prescriptions she provided address the symptoms, not the root cause, and might even be based on a misdiagnosis. Taking those medicines long-term won’t cure her; it’ll damage her kidneys!】
“Princess Zhuìyù, it’s time for your medicine.”
Xiao Luohan had just put away the music player and earbuds when she heard a cold voice from outside.
The chattering palace maid had been replaced. Now attending to her was an older servant named Shizhu.
Shizhu, true to her name (meaning “stone bamboo”), spoke in a stony tone, her demeanor cold and distant. She was tall and thin and looked down on Xiao Luohan, both literally and figuratively.
But Xiao Luohan remembered clearly – on the day she arrived, it was Shizhu who had brought her a branch of plum blossoms to place by the window, simply because she’d lingered beneath the plum tree in the courtyard.
She unbolted the door and watched as Shizhu entered, placed the medicine on the table without a word, and left, equally silently.
If Shizhu were a close personal servant she’d known since childhood, she might have chatted with her. Now, she preferred to keep her distance.
Given their positions, too much familiarity could bring trouble for both of them.
The medicine, brewed from a prescription she’d brought from her homeland, was as bitter as ever.
Xiao Luohan drank it slowly, spoon by spoon, without flinching, but the spirit’s words echoed in her mind:
【I will do my best to help you!】
…If she asked the spirit for a piece of candy or a candied fruit, would the spirit give it to her?
She wasn’t a child who needed sweets to tolerate bitter medicine. She simply wanted to take this opportunity to make a request.
Jiang Xue seemed eager to help. If she didn’t ask for anything, she would be letting the spirit down.
So, she opened the book.
She found characters many times larger than usual:
【Third! Princess!】
【Change! Doctors!】
A long, hastily scribbled explanation followed, some of the complex characters almost illegible.
But Xiao Luohan instantly understood, her eyes widening.
Jiang Xue had consulted a doctor in her world, and they’d said the medicine Xiao Luohan had been taking for years might be based on a misdiagnosis. Continuing to take it would only worsen her condition.
【If you absolutely can’t change doctors, then secretly throw away the medicine you’re taking now and try this prescription!】
【I’ll give you the prescription when I get home at noon! Wait for me!!】
Jiang Xue had initially intended to ask her family doctor for some Western medicine as a temporary solution. But the doctor had explained that Western medicines often had strong side effects, and for someone with a weak constitution and potential allergies, even a single pill could be life-threatening. Without examining the patient herself, she couldn’t take the risk.
So, they came up with a compromise: try a safe and appropriate traditional Chinese medicine prescription first. If it showed even slight improvement, they would adjust it accordingly.
This doctor, specializing in traditional Chinese medicine, was a longtime acquaintance of Jiang Xue’s family and wasn’t afraid to scold her: 【Observation, listening, questioning, and pulse-taking! I can’t properly prescribe medicine without seeing the patient! Stop messing around!】
Jiang Xue couldn’t argue with that. She sent the doctor a couple of apologetic emojis. She had the prescription now. She would print it out and send it to the Third Princess when she got home.
Preoccupied, she asked for permission to leave during the long break, contacted Sister Cheng, and explained the situation to Xie Xitong, who usually went to the cafeteria with her.
“It’s fine; go ahead.” Xie Xitong frowned when she heard the story. “A life is at stake, and it’s ancient times, and she’s a princess sent for a marriage alliance. That’s a lot of bad luck stacked against her! I wouldn’t be able to sit still either.”
Jiang Xue was immensely grateful. “If I’m late coming back, tell ‘Homozygote'(chún hézi) for me!”
Their biology teacher’s name included the character “chun” (pure), and he had a good sense of humor, often joking about himself. The nickname had stuck since their second year of high school.
T/N: “Homozygote” (纯合子): The biology teacher’s name “chún hézi” includes the character 纯 -chún – pure(homo)-. The students playfully extended this to 合子(hézi): (zygote), likely because it incorporates part of his name and is a relevant biological term.
As soon as the lunch bell rang, taking advantage of her seat in the back row, Jiang Xue began packing her things. By the time the teacher stepped off the podium, she was already out the door, canvas bag in hand.
The weather was turning colder. Even at noon, under the bright sun, the wind in the hallway was biting.
Jiang Xue zipped up her winter uniform and hurried towards the school gate.
She tried to recall her childhood illness.
It seemed to have been caused by underdeveloped bronchial tubes and lungs. Every winter, a breath of cold air would trigger a coughing fit. She was prone to infections and relapses, and had even coughed up blood.
Even after she’d recovered, her doctor had advised her to avoid strenuous activity.
It was getting colder and colder here. What about where the Third Princess was?
Was it also winter there? Would they skimp on her winter clothes and blankets? Would she be given warm, nourishing mutton or beef soup to ward off the cold? Was there enough charcoal in the cold palace? What if she got carbon monoxide poisoning while she was sleeping?
The more she thought about it, the more she believed the Third Princess’s words about not living past eighteen weren’t an exaggeration.
This kind of illness required careful attention, especially in winter. And the Third Princess had been sent to a foreign land in the dead of winter!
“That useless dog of an emperor!” she muttered, spitting on the ground.
No matter how history books glorified their fate with tales of “patriotic princesses sent for marriage alliances,” it couldn’t erase the tragic reality of young women dying in foreign lands, their lives cut short.
She said this after leaving the school gate, and Sister Cheng overheard.
But Sister Cheng didn’t ask any questions. She simply handed her a warm bag of coconut bread, suggesting she eat something on the way home.
Jiang Xue tore off a small piece and then stopped. Although hungry, she was more concerned about carsickness. Staring at the bread, she wondered if she could send some to the Third Princess.
Because of her sensitive stomach, the coconut bread Sister Cheng made was milder than store-bought bread. Maybe… just maybe… the Third Princess could eat it.
The car soon entered the gated community, passing a decorative rock inscribed with the words “Fragrant Courtyard.” It stopped shortly after, in front of a large iron gate.
Jiang Xue lived in her rented apartment during the school week and only returned home on weekends to have dinner with her mothers and sister and catch up. A midday visit like this was almost unheard of. The house was quiet, with only two housekeepers present.
“Second Miss, the meatball pasta you like is still being prepared…”
“It’s okay, no rush. I ate on the way.” Jiang Xue showed the housekeeper the bag of bread, then carried her canvas bag upstairs to her room.
She hadn’t forgotten why she’d come home. She quickly retrieved the small pouch containing the jade bookmark, washed her hands in the ensuite bathroom, and carefully placed the bookmark in a sturdy jewelry box, which she then locked inside her safe.
The safe was filled to the brim with her most prized possessions: her journals, birthday gifts from her older sister, and sentimental photos. Now, it also held a jade bookmark from ancient times.
After safely storing the bookmark, Jiang Xue finally relaxed. Not hearing the housekeeper call her for lunch, she turned on her computer and started warming up the printer.
While waiting, she broke off a small piece of coconut bread, placed it on a clean tissue, and set it on the diary.
【This is a snack I eat often. Try it! I have more if you like it!】
【I’m not sure what you like or dislike yet. Please tell me if there’s anything you can’t eat!】
Thinking it over, she added the detailed ingredients, just in case of allergies.
After the coconut bread vanished, she logged into WeChat on her computer, anxiously awaiting the Third Princess’s response.
About three minutes later, the brushstrokes appeared:
【I like it. May I have another small piece?】
【Do you have any honey? The medicine is bitter. I’d like something sweet.】
“It’s all yours! Take it all!” Jiang Xue immediately abandoned her mouse and ran downstairs to find some honey.
Leave a Reply