496 A Little Talented
Madam Zhao looked at Su Xiaolu for a while before smiling and nodding. “Alright, I understand.”
Su Xiaolu heaved a sigh of relief and hugged Madam Zhao. She said in a wheedling tone, “Mother, I can find a man I like in the future, right? Father and Mother will allow me to choose for myself, right?”
Madam Zhao’s heart softened. She touched Su Xiaolu’s smooth hair and said softly, “Of course.”
This was her youngest daughter. She was already so big, and it was already time to think about her marriage. Madam Zhao had mixed feelings. She naturally had to like someone whom she had to spend the rest of her life with.
If she didn’t like them, how sad would her days be? How could she and her father not allow her to do so?
The gentleness and doting in Madam Zhao’s tone made Su Xiaolu feel at ease. She knew that she was free.
Su Xiaolu rubbed against Madam Zhao’s arms and said, “Mother, I’m going out.”
Madam Zhao nodded. She stopped Su Xiaolu just to ask if Su Xiaolu had a good impression of Sun Baoshan. Now that she knew the answer and Su Xiaolu had something to do and had to go out, she naturally would not delay her.
Su Xiaolu didn’t have much to do when she went out. She just went to check Zhou Zhi’s pulse.
When they arrived at the Wisdom King’s Residence, Jin Liu and the others greeted Su Xiaolu with a smile.
Su Xiaolu asked casually, “What is he doing?”
Jin Liu replied, “Master is researching medicinal cuisine.”
Ever since Zhou Heng recovered his identity, Zhou Zhi had been conferred the title of Wisdom King. He had yet to go to his fief. There were fewer and fewer things that he needed to deal with in the capital. Most of the time, he was resting in the residence in peace and would not go even if the empress summoned him.
Su Xiaolu entered the courtyard and smelled the faint fragrance of food. Zhou Zhi sat on a wooden chair and slowly fanned the fire.
Seeing that Su Xiaolu was here, Zhou Zhi smiled. “Xiaolu is here.”
Su Xiaolu squatted down beside him and said with a complicated expression, “You seem to have some talent—”
Recently, Zhou Zhi had started to make his own medicinal cuisine. Su Xiaolu only handed him the herbs. She only told him how long it would take for each ingredient to be cooked and out of the pot. It was fine as long as the medicinal properties were preserved well.
She did not show him the medicinal cuisine recipe, but Zhou Zhi had figured it out himself. The medicinal properties could be preserved very well, and the medicinal cuisine he made was also very fragrant.
Zhou Zhi smiled and said, “I think so too.”
Su Xiaolu moved her mouth and had nothing to say. She took Zhou Zhi’s pulse and found that it was stable. She thought for a moment and tried to transfer some of her Internal Breath to guide it to circulate in Zhou Zhi’s body to nourish his body.
Su Xiaolu was pleasantly surprised. She looked at Zhou Zhi in confusion.
Zhou Zhi looked over and asked with a smile, “What’s wrong?”
Su Xiaolu said in confusion, “Your meridians are a little strange. Your meridians are actually all open.”
“Do you practice martial arts?”
Su Xiaolu looked at Zhou Zhi and asked. Zhou Zhi’s body was too weak. She had determined from the beginning that he could not practice martial arts, but his meridians were smooth. This was clearly a sign that only martial artists had. Under normal circumstances, Zhou Zhi’s martial arts skills were not low with such smooth meridians.
“Xiaolu, I have the foundation to protect myself, but I don’t often use force. My martial arts foundation is different from those who learn martial arts. I don’t have a strong internal energy to support me for a long time. I can only fight for a short period of time. After that, I will be weak for a long time. I’ve only learned it for half a year. With my skills, I can only take them by surprise to have a chance of winning.”
Zhou Zhi did not hide anything from Su Xiaolu and told her the truth. Su Xiaolu had many years of martial arts foundation, so she naturally understood.
“Short instantaneous release? Then what kind of medicine did you use to open up your meridians? Isn’t that-” Very painful?
Su Xiaolu frowned. Martial arts was a step-by-step thing, and the expansion of the meridians was even more so. Her internal energy was getting deeper and deeper year by year, and her meridians were getting stronger and stronger year by year. These were all accumulated.
The pain of forcefully expanding should not be inferior to breaking bones and skinning them.
Zhou Zhi only smiled faintly and said softly, “It’s all in the past.”
It hurt. Of course it hurt, but without this, he could not even live.
Su Xiaolu felt a little uncomfortable.
Zhou Zhi took a handkerchief and opened the lid of the pot. The bubbling soup made one’s appetite increase and the fragrance wafted out. Zhou Zhi said gently, “Xiaolu, this is to replenish your energy. Let’s drink it together.”
“I’m fine. You should drink more.”
Zhou Zhi was really too thin. Every time she saw him, she felt that he was very weak. Su Xiaolu often stayed to eat with him, but she refused to eat these medicinal cuisines. She always felt that Zhou Zhi would feel better if he ate more.
Zhou Zhi smiled gently and picked up a small bowl of soup.
He still scooped two bowls. He looked at Su Xiaolu and said, “Xiaolu, please.”
Su Xiaolu thought that she had heard wrongly, but Zhou Zhi was clearly looking at her with a pleading look.
How could she say no to such a handsome and sickly-looking man?
Su Xiaolu took it anyway. She found a legitimate excuse and said, “Alright, let me see if this medicine is good.”
Zhou Zhi smiled gently. He also scooped a bowl and drank it slowly.
Su Xiaolu was stunned after taking a sip. If Zhou Zhi and her sister, Su Xiaoling, had not seen each other many times, Su Xiaolu would have suspected that they were from the same sect. Both of them were talented in this aspect.
The medicinal properties were preserved very well, and the taste was also very good.
After drinking the soup, Zhou Zhi’s face was much redder and he was sweating slightly.
Su Xiaolu put down the bowl and said seriously, “You’re doing very well. You can make your own medicinal cuisine in the future. In a few years, your body will recover quickly.”
It was a very delicious medicinal cuisine that could improve one’s appetite. After eating it, not only would it nourish the body, but it would also improve one’s mood. Once the poison was cleared and the body was nourished by the food, it would naturally recover.
“With Xiaolu around, I’ll naturally recover.”
Zhou Zhi smiled gently at Su Xiaolu. His smiling eyes were filled with trust in her.
Su Xiaolu smiled and nodded. No matter what, she would do her best to save Zhou Zhi.
At night, Su Xiaolu went back after eating. Before she went out, she met Zhou Heng, who had come out of the palace.
Seeing Su Xiaolu, Zhou Heng smiled gently and said, “Xiaolu is here. How’s Ah Zhi?”
Su Xiaolu smiled and replied, “He’s in good health. How’s Third Brother recently? Don’t be too tired. Take care of your health.”
Zhou Heng was much calmer, but he didn’t look too good. He seemed to be too tired, or he seemed to have been poisoned.
Zhou Heng smiled and said, “Thank you, Xiaolu. Don’t worry about me. I’ll take good care of myself. I still have something to do with Ah Zhi, so I won’t talk to you anymore. When you get home, help me greet Third Uncle and Auntie.”
“Tell Xiaoling not to worry about me too.” Zhou Heng smiled and walked into the house.
