Beyond all bearing

Ye Jiayao had already eaten all the strawberries that Song Qi brought and drank the medicine prepared for her but her temperature was still high. Xia Chunyu didn't want to spend his days like this. He had already wasted a whole day today and he didn't even get the chance to eat the snake soup made by Old Head Yu. The second-in-charge ate everything.

"Go ask Mr. Liu how we can call the soul." Xia Chunyu ordered Song Qi.

Ye Jiayao heard his demand and panicked. Knowing that what she was about to say was a terrible idea, but refused to have Mr. Liu 'call the soul' on her, she called hurriedly, "I know how to call the soul."

Xia Chunyu raised his eyebrows at her, disbelieving.

"When I was young, my grandma taught me how to call the soul." Ye Jiayao waved at him and said, "Come around, I'll tell you how."

Xia Chunyu came closer with a dubious look on his face. She relayed her instructions and he became even more suspicious. "Is that real?"

Ye Jiayao sniffed pretentiously. "Of course it is real! I remember clearly, my nanny did it this way and it was very effective."

Xia Chunyu shook his head fiercely. "No, no. I don't want to do this."

"You can ask Song Qi to help?" Ye Jiayao looked towards Song Qi. 

Xia Chunyu frowned, shaking his head again. Shout nicknames to call the soul? Would Song Qi call Yaoyao, Yaoyao all the time?

Absolutely not.

"Go back to your room and don't come out without my permission," Xia Chunyu dismissed Song Qi out grumpily.

Xia Chunyu closed all the doors and windows, making sure that the idiot could not peek through before turning back to her.

Ye Jiayao gave him a piece of paper with birthdates and said, "We can start now."

Ye Jiayao slouched over the chair and watched him do as she directed. She laughed inside, knowing that the third-in-charge was about to do a sorcerer's dance. It was a shame that she didn't have anything to record this funny moment.

Xia Chunyu filled a bowl with water and put the paper with the birthdates down on the stove. He ignited three incenses to worship the Kitchen God, then stuck them into a cup filled with rice. He turned his head and asked Ye Jiayao, "Do I really have to do this?"

Ye Jiayao looked excited as she nodded at him. "Do this and I will cook something delicious for you."

Xia Chunyu's face twitched weirdly. He felt as though he would lose his face as a son of Jin'an Marquis if he performed this sorcerer's dance. If the message passed around, what would become of his dignity?

He saw her pair of bright and beautiful eyes staring at him with expectation and Xia Chunyu shouted, " Close your eyes! I promise, if you tell anyone about this, I will choke you to death."

Ye Jiayao looked like the picture of innocence as she said, "I promise that I won't say a word." 

I wouldn't say a word because I would tell the full story! She smiled mischievously inside.

"Shut your eyes!" Xia Chunyu shouted angrily. 

Ye Jiayao closed her eyes immediately. "You can begin now."

Xia Chunyu took a deep breath and opened his mouth a couple of times, unsure how to begin. He raised his hands and promptly put it down. He couldn't do this. Xia Chunyu felt that he had encountered the biggest difficulty in his lifetime.

He looked at her for a moment before saying, "Cover your ears with your hands too."

"If I cover my ears, how can I hear you call the soul? Wouldn't this be all for nothing?" Ye Jiayao said sullenly. "If you can't do it, you should just call Song Qi."

You're a grown man, don't dillydally.

Xia Chunyu ground his teeth together and took a deep breath. He was dedicated to getting rid of this trouble at all cost. He danced around pretentiously and recited, "Sky ling ling, earth ling ling, Laotse make my wish come true, evil spirits stay away from me, Yaoyao's ghost please listen carefully..."

Ye Jiayao peeked between her fingers and almost let out a laugh at how ridiculous he looked.

"Yaoyao, Yaoyao, stop wandering. Yaoyao, Yaoyao, come back, your soul..."

Xia Chunyu closed his eyes and poured out the rice, focused on reciting the soul-calling lyrics that Ye Jiayao told him. He didn't even notice that his patient was almost choking with silent laughter.

"Is this okay?" Xia Chunyu asked as he finally finished reciting. He turned around and became furious when saw her laughing at him. "Who told you that you can open your eyes?"

Ye Jia Yao immediately stopped laughing and covered her eyes with her hands. "No, no, no, I didn't see anything."

Xia Chunyu realized that she might've been playing tricks on him.

"If you dare fool me, I will make you suffer," Xia Chunyu threatened furiously.

"I wasn't! I just thought you are doing very well, even better than my nanny. I felt much better now," Ye Jiayao said with all the sincerity she could muster. 

Suddenly, there were footsteps outside the door, and though they were very soft, Xia Chunyu could still hear it. It must be Song Qi trying to eavesdrop on them. Perfect! Now, he could vent his anger out on someone. He pointed at Ye Jiayao and murmured, "I will come back to deal with you later."

Xia Chunyu walked to the door and opened it furiously, shouting, "Do you want to die? Did I ask you to come out?"

The first-in-charge and the second-in-charge stood by the door, blinking.

"Big... big brother, second brother, why are you here? I thought it was Song Qi." Xia Chunyu laughed awkwardly, then shouted to Song Qi from afar, "Why didn't you say that the first-in-charge and the second-in-charge are here? Why are you so absent-minded? Go and pour the tea now."

Song Qi's eyes were filled with miserable confusion, not understanding how he was getting blamed for everything.

First-in-charge waved his hand dismissively and said, "Don't bother with it. We only came here to have a look because we heard that your wife is sick. Is everything alright now?"

"She's alright. She just had a fright, that's all," Xia Chunyu answered casually.

"It is, big brother and second brother! Sorry that I cannot come to meet you because of my wilted illness," Ye Jia Yao yelled from inside the house, sounding hoarse.

First-in-charge answered immediately, "It's alright sister-in-law, you just take care and rest. Third brother, you should take your mind off the business in our village. Sister-in-law's health is more important. Also, fighting against Xin Yi needs more consideration so don't rush."

Second-in-charge said softly, "Sister-in-law is a fair lady, very different from the wild girls of the village. Third brother, you need to take care of her more."

"Of, course," he agreed reluctantly. Very different from the village girls, indeed. At least they wouldn't dare talk back our laugh at him.

"Okay then, we won't bother you anymore. Whatever you need, just ask for it, alright?" They waved goodbye at him and left. 

Xia Chunyu went back inside and Ye Jiayao sighed in appreciation," It looks like big brother and second brother really care about me."

"Two people who kill without even blinking an eye would care about you? Huh, not likely, unless you are theirs," he answered, high and mighty.

"Now that I have called your soul back, you can walk by yourself, right?" Xia Chunyu asked, hopeful.

Ye Jiayao said sulkily, "I am not drinking a magic potion here! The results are not that immediate. Yes, the shocked soul is finally back, but I still need to rest for a couple of days."

"How many more days?" Xia Chunyu asked impatiently. He was very tempted to just kick her out and leave her to die.

"How would I know? It depends on whether I can have a good sleep tonight. If I sleep well, perhaps, I will be fine tomorrow," Ye Jiayao said, pouting.

Xia Chunyu felt like a powder keg without a wire lead. He was filled with anger but he has nowhere to express it to. Instead, he carried Ye Jiayao to her room roughly, almost throwing her down onto the bed. At the patient's request, Xia Chunyu closed all the windows before bringing the oil lamp onto the bedstand to enable him to read his book.

"Could you bring the teapot here? Just in case I get thirsty at night," Ye Jiayao asked weakly.

Xia Chunyu ignored her and focused on reading. After reading two pages, though, his conscience got the better of him and he still went ahead to bring her the teapot. 

After a while, Ye Jiayao said, "I still want to eat wild strawberries tomorrow."

Xia Chunyu was beyond irritated as he said, "Eat in your dreams."

Ye Jiayao was undeterred, proceeding to hug his arm as if she was holding onto a pillow. She intentionally stuck with him and rubbed against him to make him suffer.

As expected, Xia Chunyu looked uneasy as she tried to shrug her off. "Get away from me, it is too hot."

"I am not hot! I feel a bit cold." Ye Jiayao put one of her legs directly over him, hugging him tightly.

Her body rubbing against him made his act in response. He was only a man and his hormones functioned as other men do.

Xia Chunyu looked irritable, kicking her leg off of him. "It is so heavy!"

Ye Jiayao put it back stubbornly, and muttered, "You said that I was too skinny last night and all you felt were bones. Now, you are saying I am too heavy?"

Did he really say that? He couldn't remember saying that last night. Well, whatever he had said, the fact remained that this cheeky woman was shameless, already glued to him after only two days of union!

"Song Qi said you are cold outside but warm inside. I think you are a good person. Aye! What is your name? I still don't know your name!" Ye Jiayao babbled.

"You don't have to know," Xia Chunyu said coldly.

As if I really want to know. Ye Jiayao rolled her eyes, glad that he could not see her.

"What should I call you then? Third-in-charge? The same as what Song Qi calls you? No, that won't make me feel special. Ooh, I can call you Feifei?"

It could mean both bandit or baboon. It was the perfect nickname and Ye Jiayao felt pleased with her smart thinking.

Feifei? Xia Chunyu would certainly throw up if she ever called him that in front of others.

"Yes, I think that's perfect! From now on, I will call you Feifei. I like this name," Ye Jiayao announced giddily.

"Don't you dare call me that!" Xia Chunyu couldn't bear this sh*t anymore.

"Goodnight Feifei. Don't read too late, okay? I'm going to sleep now." Ye Jiayao ignored his threatening look and kissed him on the cheek. She rubbed against his body some more and found a comfortable position before dozing off, feeling completely accomplished. 

God, please take away this crazy woman away! Xia Chunyu almost ripped his hair out in frustration.

However, no matter how much he wanted to, Xia Chunyu dared not to move, afraid that she would wake up. If she couldn't have a good sleep, she would still be sick tomorrow and this whole hassle would start again.

He would have to tolerate her antics just this one last time.