Chapter Three, Warm Soup in the Kitchen (Part One).

Within one day, I heard this title for the second time.

Pushing the wheelchair for less than a third of the way, Xiao Jinyu had to stop. Besides being tired, the pain in his lower back was so severe that his arms were numb and even a little unresponsive.

This face used to have patches of white and purple during the day, but now it is unexpectedly fair like a person in a painting. If it weren't for the few fine scratches on the forehead, Chu Chu would suspect that the previous injury was fake.

Xiao Jinyu leaned back against the chair and closed her eyes.

I know where the kitchen is, but... I'll have to trouble you to take me there.

At such a busy time, Xiao Jinyu is unlikely to return to Yixin Garden easily, because it takes crossing the entire Wang Mansion from Yixin Garden to Sansi Pavilion, and some small paths are impassable for wheelchairs. It would require circling the entire backyard, and he has never been the kind of person with energy to spare.

Two days without sleep, and then suddenly this happened. Xiao Jinyu felt like her whole body was being torn apart. She lay on the bed without even wanting to move a bit, let alone say unnecessary words. She went straight to the point and said, "After she performed the autopsy, she didn't change her clothes or wash her hands, right...".

Chuchu repeatedly waved her hand and said, "No, no, no, I can cook. It's late at night, so there's no need to trouble others. I'll find the kitchen and cook something myself."

Jumping out of the window even though there's only one floor...

He did remember Ye Qianqiu saying that if this matter was delayed until winter, it would be particularly troublesome, but he didn't expect it to become so troublesome.

How long has it been parked at the Ministry of Justice?

What a coincidence! Chuchu raised her hand towards the west and said, "I live over there. Where do you live?"

As soon as I closed my eyes, I heard a hurried footsteps coming closer. Before I even opened my eyes, I heard a clear sound.

After Xiao Jinyu regained consciousness, the first sensation he felt was pain. The pain spread from his legs' bones to his lower back, as if countless ants were crazily gnawing together, even his intact upper body was immersed in a sour and numbness.

Xiao Jinyu didn't answer. Just as his gaze returned to the remaining few pages of paper, he heard a loud "clang" from the window. When he looked up again, he was the only one left in the room.

Where are you going, perhaps I know.

Exhaling a shallow breath, Xiao Jinyu calmly spoke, "It's just that sitting for too long has made my body stiff."

Xiao Jinyu glared at him, and Jing Yi immediately shut up and quickly found the nearest corner to squat down. He lifted the shroud over his head with both hands, and his fox-like eyes, which were famous in the young ladies' circle of the capital, were full of resentment as he looked at Xiao Jinyu.

Being asked so concernedly by Chu Chu, Xiao Jinyu suddenly remembered what Jing Yi had said, and his heart sank for a moment.

Xiao Jinyu nodded gently.

Jing Yi had a bitter face, trembling as he held the list of corpses in his hand. "You know very well how I became the Deputy Minister of the Dali Court. It was only because of my ability to dodge my father since childhood that you insisted I was suitable for a job in the government office. As a result, my father got excited and sent me to this ghostly place... I can handle dealing with living people and telling lies, but dealing with dead bodies is another matter entirely..."

After blurting out this vague answer, Jing Yi immediately regretted it when he saw Xiao Jinyu's face turn cold. Jing Yi hurriedly said, "I was wrong, I was wrong, I was wrong... Don't look at me like that. I don't even understand the situation at the Dali Temple, let alone the situation at the Ministry of Justice!"

He just let me lie in bed for the rest of my life... I understand.

Xiao Jinyu's heart inexplicably warmed up for a moment.

Chuchu came over, staring at the originally bruised area on his face, the more she couldn't see any traces, the closer she got, making Xiao Jinyu's pale and blue face look slightly red. Just as she was about to reach out and touch the few remaining scratches, she suddenly heard a sentence burst out from Xiao Jinyu's tightly pursed lips.

Xiao Jinyu wanted to raise her hand and point to Yixin Garden, but she realized that her arm was so stiff that she couldn't even lift it.

Chuchu squatted by the stove, fanning the flames with great concentration, without even lifting her head, "Really?"

Xiao Jinyu frowned slightly, "It's already past two in the morning, the kitchen has been empty for a long time, why didn't you just call out from your room?"

Really, even the brain is frozen, why bother telling her...

In the kitchen, as expected, there was no one there. Chu Chu felt around in the dark and found a match. As soon as she lit the lamp, the whole kitchen suddenly became bright.

Xiao Jinyu handed the death certificate back to Jing Yi with a cold face, saying, "You had this death certificate for nearly five hours, and you didn't notice anything?"

It has been at least ten days or half a month, right?

This is the first time Xiao Jinyu has seen a kitchen, no matter how big it is.

Jing Yi shook his head, "It's just because until now, I can't figure out whether she is intentional or unintentional. Either she is too naive or she is just too good at pretending."

Yes.

A sharp pain in the lower back, Xiao Jinyu's hand trembled slightly as he held the few pages of paper. He raised his head from between the lines and looked at Jing Yi standing by the bed with a serious expression, "Was it intentional?"

Xiao Jinyu really wants to laugh, laugh at himself. At this moment, the three words "living corpse" used on him are truly fitting to an unparalleled degree.

Chuchu stood in front of him, already dressed in the common attire of women in the capital city, but without any makeup or wearing pearl and jade hairpins and accessories, still with a smiling face.

Xiao Jinyu folded the few pages of paper in her hand and put them into her arms. She changed her clothes, used the crutch beside the bed to get into the wheelchair, and left Yixin Garden, heading towards Sansi Pavilion.

He really didn't pay attention, but now he knows that this can only be the masterpiece of Ye Qianqiu, "There is a good doctor in the Wang's mansion."

However, before he left, he asked me to tell you, "If you do this again...".

Water... Water is boiling.

He didn't want to anger the person who had just woken up in the middle of the night.

Really.

It's been a while since he arrived. If I hadn't blurted out how you got the injury on your face, he would have used up all his words just scolding me. He insists on sitting here and waiting for you to wake up.

No problem!

Over the years, Ye Qianqiu has said this sentence to him no less than twenty or thirty times, but he can still get himself out of bed, although it is indeed very difficult.

Xiao Jinyu took it over and started reading it carefully from the first page, word by word. Jing Yi frowned slightly and said, "I discussed with Wu Jiang and decided to temporarily arrange her in the Wang Mansion, living in the Liu Tao Courtyard next to Wu Jiang's room."

Have you found the person you were clamoring for three months ago?

Come over!

What medicine did he give you?

In the An Prince's Mansion, there are places where he does not allow others to enter, and naturally, there are also places where others do not allow him to enter.

Where is the wound on your face?

Xiao Jinyu endured the pain, and after struggling for half a day, he finally sat up from the bed. Jing Yi stood by and watched. As long as Xiao Jinyu didn't fall off the bed, even if everyone in the entire mansion lent him their courage, he still wouldn't dare to go over and help.

Xiao Jinyu had a slight headache and asked, "Has Mr. Ye been here?"

You have settled as many disputes as you have judged, being cautious has its benefits.

Chu Chu started a fire, then lifted the large water vat and scooped a few ladles of water into the pot. Turning around to see what ingredients were available in the mansion's kitchen, her gaze froze on Xiao Jinyu's face as if she had seen a ghost.

I... got lost.

Jing Yi held the shroud, lowered his head, stood by the bedside, waiting for the verdict and punishment, but heard a cold and distant sentence that seemed to have nothing to do with him.

A cold wind blew in through the wide-open window, dispersing the last bit of sleepiness from Xiao Jinyu.

Jing Yi was taken aback, then shocked. He quickly pulled the list of names in front of him and looked at it from top to bottom, but still couldn't understand it. So he looked at Xiao Jinyu with wide eyes and asked, "Do you think this is from the Lian family?"

Xiao Jinyu did not respond to his words, but silently cast his gaze back to the list of corpses on the first page. The further he read, the tighter his frown became. "Who is the deceased in this case?"

What's wrong with you?

Ah, aren't you just that walking corpse!

Xiao Jinyu said unexpectedly, "I am also..."

The line of sight gradually became clear, and Xiao Jinyu distinguished that he was lying in the bedroom of the One Heart Garden in the Wang Mansion. The room was brightly lit, and there was a person leaning on the edge of the round table in the middle of the room. It was clear who it was without needing a closer look.

At this moment, besides the stacked files waiting to be archived in the San Si Ge, there must be a table full of visitation requests.

If she wants his life, it would only take a flick of her finger right now.

Looking at the place where I stopped, I couldn't help but laugh. Of all places to stop, it had to be the coldest and loneliest northeast corner of the royal mansion at night. With his current strength, even shouting might not attract anyone's attention.

I don't know.

Xiao Jinyu was stunned for a moment, shook her head gently, "There are only a few people who know about this..."

Chuchu suddenly burst into laughter, "What a coincidence! I also got lost, oh!"

On such a cold day, with no flowers or moon in sight, why are you sitting here?

Chuchu pursed her lips and said, "I haven't had dinner yet, I want to go to the kitchen to find something to eat."

Thanks to your blessings...

The first time I saw someone so excited about getting lost...

Don't talk about resistance, he doesn't even have the strength to shout louder.

Since the exam she took during the day was not related to the Six Ministries at all, she didn't hold any grudges against this person. After all, the capital was a place where people came and went, and even someone like Chu Chu, whom she had only met once, could be considered an acquaintance.

Just now, I didn't pay attention in the dark, but now I can see everything clearly.

Do you also live here?

If I haven't miscalculated, Wujiang should still be outside helping him with something at the moment.

Not to mention... Jingyi seemed to have been prepared long ago. He climbed up from the table in a daze, yawning, and replied, "Before the autopsy, I didn't have any soapwort or Atractylodes, no onions or ginger, no incense. Fortunately, I wore gloves and steamed vinegar before coming out. Otherwise, Old Man Ye would have scolded you awake..."

Chuchu stuck out her tongue, skillfully lit a fire at the stove, "It's the first time I've seen such a big kitchen!"

One's own body is one's own responsibility. In less than half an hour, one will lose all sensation, and at most, when waking up, will endure a scolding from Ye Qianqiu.

A few veteran coroners selected from the unidentified corpses in the morgue of the Ministry of Justice.

When Xiao Jinyu settled herself, Jing Yicai walked over and handed her a few pages of paper, saying, "These are the complete records of her three exams."

He slept for most of the day, and half of the officials in the Beijing government office must have fallen asleep with him.

Xiao Jinyu originally intended to stop and take a rest in place, thinking that once this enthusiasm passed, it would be fine. However, he did not expect to sit in this cold winter night and be blown by the cold wind for a while. Not only did the previous numbness and pain not disappear, but his whole body also became frozen.