A Lonesome Fragrance Waiting to be Appreciated 2

4

"Peel whose skin?" A looming shadow appeared at the doorway to the office.

This startled Hongqian. She spun around to look but quickly lowered her head. "Duke..."

Chu Beijie's gaze fell on the laid out dishes of the food container. "Is it her?"

"Yes," replied Moran.

Hongqian carefully, concisely reported, "Miss Pingting only drank half of bowl of porridge this morning. She barely touched her lunch. I thought this wasn't too good, so I came to tell General Chu."

Chu Beijie's heavy gaze shot towards her. "Has she been like this recently?"

"Her appetite hasn't been good since winter. She is eating less and less these days and it seemed a little better last night. She ate some side dishes and a whole bowl of rice."

Moran seemed to remember something, and lowered his voice as he whispered to Chu Moran, "Last night, Duke told me to give the dishes sent from the Ducal Residence to Miss Bai. Perhaps..."

Chu Beijie listened, before instructing Hongqian. "There's still some of those dishes left. Take them to her."

Hongqian was originally chosen to serve Pingting for her clever and well-behaved nature. Seeing Chu Beijie unangered, the maid plucked up her courage. Her voice. involuntarily having a little too much fear, softly said, "Reporting to the Duke, I thought that perhaps Miss Bai liked those side dishes, so I had them prepared for today. However, it wasn't helpful at all. She didn't touch them yet she claimed she was full."

Chu Beijie coldly gazed at the cold dishes. "Understood, you may go."

After sending back Hongqian, he turned to Moran. He faintly asked, "What do you think?"

"Yes?" Moran was perplexed by the question. After studying Chu Beijie's expression, he knew that he couldn't afford to say the wrong thing, but could only answer in such a way.

Chu Beijie seemed to be mumbling to himself however, "She can't take it any more, right?"

"Duke..."

Before Moran could finish his words, Chu Beijie suddenly interrupted. "Don't say anymore!" He turned away, his hands behind his back, shoulders constantly trembling. It could have been because of anger or of excitement. Several moments later, he finally calmed down. His voice was cold. "Let's go to see her."

The two neared Pingting's room and happened to hear sound coming from the inside.

"Miss Bai, the Duke commanded me. I cannot defy his orders. Whether your body is unwell or not, please just let me take your pulse so that I can explain myself."

"I'll go see the Duke. Just say I'm not sick."

Chu Beijie's thick eyebrows suddenly creased. He pushed open the door and marched into the room. His body was huge. He stood by the window, blocking most of the sunlight to enter room and casting a massive shadow onto the floor.

The entire room fell quiet.

Pingting was wearing a little jacket. She sat on the bed covered in green velvet blankets, suggesting that she had just gotten up from an afternoon nap when the doctor had come. Her silky black hair had yet to be combed and was scattered on one side of her body. Her white face and black eyes were completely devoid of expression. She hadn't expected that Chu Beijie would suddenly rush in. She only felt a huge gush of wind darting inside and the room dropping several degrees. She jerked her head upwards to meet Chu Beijie's blazing eyes. Their hearts suddenly thumped as their gazes touched as if stuck together, unable to move.