Cheng Mo has been wiping her sweat with a hot towel. Seeing that the situation seems unstoppable, she quietly instructed,
"Summon Physician Li and Duo'er." As soon as the words were spoken, a shadow swiftly disappeared at the door, his shadow guard got his command immediately.
Li Yizheng arrived promptly, with graying hair and a ruddy complexion. After paying respects, he approached and placed two fingers on Xiangbei's wrist for a moment. Suddenly, he looked at Chengmo with astonishment and then stood up to speak, "Lord Chengmo, this young lady has a strong and steady heartbeat, stable breathing, and no physical issues. As for her current unconsciousness and the painful expression, observing the profuse sweat on her forehead, it is not caused by physical weakness but rather, I suspect, related to some internal martial arts. May I ask if Lord Chengmo can shed some light on this?"
Li Yizheng, is ex-head of royal hospital over seventy years old, has experienced three dynasties. He followed Lord Chengmo from the southern palace thirteen years ago and has watched Chengmo grow up. There is a somewhat grandfather-grandchild relationship between them, but Li Yizheng always maintains the etiquette of respect and hierarchy.
"Physician Li, there's no need for excessive courtesy." Cheng Mo responded to Li Yizheng's politeness.
Moving forward, he helped Xiangbei up, fingers interlocked, sensing the abundant flow of air throughout her body. The air Qi circulated continuously, and the meridians seemed to undergo a continuous widening.
Cheng Mo was amazed at the powerful absorbing force of the Tai Chi technique and pleased with her rapid progress.
He felt relieved, knowing that tomorrow they could still go to the seaside; letting her sleep was the best option.
He asked Duo'er to come up and help Xiangbei wipe her body with hot water, tidy up her belongings, and then stepped aside.
Cheng Mo leaned against the bed, accompanying her throughout the night until Xiangbei's furrowed brow relaxed. As her expression turned tranquil and sweet, he knew she had truly fallen asleep.
Cheng Mo then rose, tossing a warm towel to help her wipe her face, wrapping her in a silver-gray sable cloak. He carried her in his arms as they left Fuhai Building and entered the rear of Zebei Mountain Villa.
Chengmo put Xiangbei into the carriage and slowly started it. The others, riding horses and carrying goods, began their journey towards Peach Blossom Dock.
"Finally, you're awake!" Cheng
Mo greeted Xiangbei with a smile as she stirred on the bed. "It's been two days. If you keep sleeping, your stomach might protest. Listen to this, it's drumming already." His words were followed by a loud rumble from Xiangbei's stomach, causing her face to flush with embarrassment.
Chengmo brought a cup of tea and held it to her lips, offering a few sips of warm water. "Look, you've been hungry for a few days. How about starting with some porridge?"
"No, I want to freshen up first. But Cheng
Mo, can you tell me where we are now?" Xiangbei inquired.
"Two days ago, you fainted in Dongbin, and I brought you directly back to Fuhai Tower for a night's rest.
The doctor checked you and said there's no problem; you were just tired and fell asleep. Since promised you to come to the seaside, I stuck to the original plan and took you on the ship.
We didn't anchor at night, and now we're almost there. You won't blame me, will you?" Chengmo explained.
"No, certainly not. Sleeping is faster than enduring this boring journey. Just look at the tedious waterway; falling asleep makes it pass quickly," Xiangbei replied happily, rushing to the deck. She noticed that the waterway had become narrow, and the ship was navigating through vast mangroves.
"It's less than two hours from Qingbo River to the seaside, but right now, we've turned into this tributary. I'll take you to my secret camp!" Chengmo's eyes were fixed on Xiangbei, bright and gleaming. The smile on his lips made it hard not to believe that this was a boy handing his entire world to her.
Xiangbei wasn't sure whether to accept this trust or, more accurately, this blatant confession. For now, she chose to play it safe, temporarily masking her unease with the excuse of being cooperative. "Thank you, Chengmo. I promised you my trust, and I'll repay you with dominance in the business world. I won't let you down."
"Let's forget about all that. Xiangbei, do you see that wooden house ahead? We've arrived at my secret camp!" Chengmo's expression carried a hint of disappointment, but he knew he wouldn't let go of the goal he had set for himself.
Looking in the direction Chengmo pointed, for a moment, Xiangbei felt like she was still in the modern world, perhaps on a beach in Krabi or Phi Phi Island in Thailand, traveling with a group of strangers.
The mangroves were no longer dense. After the boat emerged, it docked beside a wooden walkway next to a coconut grove.
To the east, a third of the circular stone wall stood steep and verdant. Only in the northern part was there a gap, through which the light blue, translucent sea water gently flowed in, creating ripples across the hundred-meter-wide estuary.
Wave after wave, they gently lapped against the bright white and dazzling sandy beach encircling the lake.