Ep2

“I have to say, I think Aerin is the most pitiful one. Look at him—he’s just a young intersex boy. All because of a single sentence from that monk, he was dragged into a wealthy family. Who knows what will happen to him in the future?”

“Don’t worry too much. If Young Master Cedric really can wake up, then with Aerin’s face and the care he’s given, it might even turn out to be a good thing. I’m just afraid… Ah—Aerin, you’ve come downstairs?”

When they saw Aerin, the two women hurriedly stopped their gossip and smiled.

“I’ve been watching the medicine for you. I was just about to go upstairs to call you.”

Pretending not to have heard their earlier conversation, Aerin smiled and walked in. He put out the stove fire and used a dry towel to lift the lid of the medicine pot. A cloud of steam immediately rose.

“Auntie Ava, about the medicinal wine I mentioned last time—have you made it?”

“Yes, yes! Not only did I make it, my husband even tried rubbing it on once. It really worked—surprisingly well!”

Hearing this, Aerin paused and turned his head. “That medicinal wine needs to soak for at least a week before it’s effective. Why did he use it so soon?”

“I said the same thing,” Auntie Ava replied, “but his back pain was unbearable. As soon as he heard that soaking notoginseng root in alcohol could help, he prepared it that very day. After soaking it overnight, he took it out and rubbed it on. The next day he could actually stand up straight. He even called here specially and told me to thank you.”

“And me too,” Auntie Mia added from beside her. “I used egg mixed with gardenia like you said, applied it morning and night. It’s only been two days, and it’s already much better.”

Auntie Ava and Auntie Mia had both worked for the Ced family for many years. Logically, Aerin had only arrived three days ago and shouldn’t have been close to them yet. But ever since he entered the Ced household, he had been responsible for tending the medicine pot for Cedric, which meant he often went back and forth to the kitchen and gradually grew familiar with them.

He would listen to the two women chatting about everything under the sun. When he heard that Auntie Ava’s husband had such severe lower back pain that he dared not move, and that Auntie Mia had bruises she couldn’t press on, he offered a few folk remedies.

These were things his grandfather had taught him in his spare time. Thinking of how his grandfather might have been heartbroken for a long time after he left, Aerin couldn’t help but feel a little downcast.

“Aerin, don’t blame Auntie Ava for talking too much,” Auntie Mia lowered her voice. “The second young master has come again. Young Master Cedric still hasn’t woken up. You should start planning ahead. If the Ced family really falls into the second young master’s hands in the future, you…”

“Auntie Ava, I understand. Thank you.”

Aerin smiled at her. He had always been obedient; when he smiled, his eyes curved into crescents, his sweetness striking straight into the hearts of the two middle-aged women.

No matter what their intentions were, the fact that they could say such things to him at this moment made him genuinely grateful.

He had never been good with honeyed words, so he could only express his gratitude through actions.

Aerin poured the medicine from the pot into a bowl. Auntie Liu quickly placed it onto a tray and handed it to him. “Take it upstairs. We’ll clean up the rest for you. Go on, go on.”

Unable to refuse, Aerin carried the tray upstairs after thanking them.

Back in the room, he set the tray on the table. The medicine was still a little hot, so he did not rush to feed Cedric. Instead, he took a towel from the table and tucked it beneath the man’s neck, to keep the medicine from spilling and staining his clothes.

His movements were gentle and practiced, as though he had done this many times before.

Only after preparing everything did Aerin turn to pick up the bowl—but suddenly his hand was seized by an external force. Before he could react, his whole body was pulled forward, crashing into the man’s chest, and he found himself staring in shock into a pair of dark eyes.

“So fragrant…”

Aerin was startled out of her wits by the sudden movement, panicking as she struggled—when the man suddenly opened his eyes and looked at her.

“Y-You’re awake?”

Cedric’s eyes were wide open, yet unfocused. Noticing this, Aerin hurriedly stood up and ran outside.

“Sir, Sir Ced—”

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