Chapter 128 Be obedient
When the two returned to Qingsong Garden, the maids were gathered in the back room drinking and playing Hualing. Songzhi heard the noise and ran over to help Qin Xiaoning take off her cloak: "It's snowing outside again. Are your shoes and socks wet?"

"It's not snowing heavily, it's not wet, no need to change."

Lu Ji carried her all the way back, so naturally her shoes wouldn't get wet. Upon hearing this, Song Zhi glanced at Qin Xiaoning's feet with concern, and only felt relieved when he saw that her shoes were dry.

Since she fell ill, the charcoal fire in the house has been burning more vigorously. Qin Xiaoning had just returned from outside and felt hot. She was about to take off her inner jacket, but was stopped by Lu Ji: "Be careful, the sudden change of temperature makes you more susceptible to colds. Take it off later."

She couldn't stand the heat and protested with a frown: "But I'm sweating all over."

Lu Ji still coaxed her in a good-tempered manner: "Be obedient."

Seeing that she was still reluctant, he continued to coax her, "I've asked them to prepare fireworks, and I'll have the servants set them off for you later."

Qin Xiaoning was surprised when she heard this, but then she was cautious and said, "Madam is still ill. Isn't it a rule in the mansion that fireworks cannot be set off?"

"I'm worried that it might disturb grandma's rest." He said, "We're far from the front yard, so even if we set it off, it won't get through, so it won't be a problem."

As he spoke, Lu Ji called Songzhi to call the servants to get the fireworks.

When Qin Xiaoning heard that there were fireworks to watch, she hurried to follow Song Zhi and run outside, but was grabbed by Lu Ji.

"It's cold outside, look out the window." He said with a stern face.

"That's not enough to watch."

The man insisted, "It's the same if you watch it from inside the house."

Glancing at her gradually cooling eyes, he coaxed her in a slow tone, "It's cold outside. You won't be able to bear it for too long."

She said with a wooden face: "I'll just go out and watch for a while."

Lu Ji looked at her for a long while, then finally compromised. He turned around to get the fox fur coat and put it on her personally: "It's a deal, I'll just watch for a while."

The little woman smiled immediately and said crisply, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

As they were talking, fireworks ignited outside with a bang, and Qin Xiaoning immediately turned around and ran out.

The servants had already brought the fireworks and were setting them off in the courtyard. The little maids also ran out and watched, clapping their hands.

As soon as Qin Xiaoning stood still in the corridor, Lu Ji followed her out of the house, stuffed the hand warmer into her hands, and nagged, "We agreed to watch for a while."

Qin Xiaoning was watching with great interest, and said perfunctorily, "Hmm."

Lu Ji said no more, and stood beside her, watching the fireworks with her. But within a quarter of an hour, he began to persuade her again: "Go back, it's cold outside, and it's the same if you watch from the window."

How can they be the same?

This time, Qin Xiaoning just pretended not to hear.

Beautiful fireworks bloomed in the snowy night, reflecting her beautiful smile. Seeing this, Lu Ji fell silent again. He was anxious in his heart, but still let her stand outside and watch.

But the little woman became more and more interested the more she looked. If she was left alone, she could stand here until dawn.

She is just a playful child who loves fun and playing.

"Let's go back to the house." Lu Ji urged again.

Facing his urging, the little girl still pretended not to hear him. This time, Lu Ji did not indulge her and raised his hand to force her to go back to the house. The little girl was spoiled and angry: "I have only watched for a short while, and you are urging me to stop. You are like an old man, nagging me non-stop."

Lu Ji stopped and reasoned with her: "You've just gotten better. If you catch a cold, it's no joke."

As he said this, he tried to pull her back to the house. The little girl was having fun, but when she saw that the man was no longer indulging her, she blinked and was about to cry.

Lu Ji was helpless. He frowned and said, "If you are obedient, I will take you out to see the lanterns on the Lantern Festival." The Lantern Festival in Beijing is the most lively. Every year Lu Ji would take the little girl out to watch the excitement.

She had fallen seriously ill this year, and it was originally agreed that she would not be taken out this winter and would have to wait until spring. The little girl did not expect such a sudden turn of events, and she immediately perked up when she heard the words.

"Are you serious?"

Her eyes looked at him, and they were like a clear spring, always pure and innocent in front of him.

Seeing that he was finally able to persuade her, Lu Ji pulled a perfect arc at the corner of his mouth: "When have I ever lied to you?"

He tempted her again, "I heard that this year's Lantern Festival is more lively and more beautiful than last year's."

The little girl's eyes lit up with joy when she heard this: "Then I'm going to go shopping all night. When the time comes, you are not allowed to keep urging me to go home."

We’ll talk about that later. For now, let’s get him back into the house.

Lu Ji replied perfunctorily, "Hmm."

The little girl came over and pulled his sleeve and shook it: "You have to keep your word."

"It's a promise." He said, "But you have to be obedient. You can't stay outside any longer today. Come back to the house with me."

The girl turned her head to look at the beautiful fireworks blooming in the sky, feeling a little reluctant, and begged the man, "Watch it for a little while longer, just a little while."

He swore again, "This time, I promise to keep my word."

As soon as he finished speaking, the little girl sneezed violently. Lu Ji's face immediately darkened. Without saying a word, he bent over and picked her up. Regardless of her crying, he strode back to the house.

He closed the door tightly, then took off her cloak with his own hands, glanced at her wooden face, and grumbled, "It's the same if you watch from the window. If you get cold, you'll have to take bitter medicine for a while longer."

As he was talking, Si'er came in with a medicine bowl: "Miss Qin hasn't taken her evening medicine yet."

Knowing that his master had a hard time taking medicine every time, Si'er placed the medicine bowl on the table in front of Lu Ji and immediately left.

As soon as Si'er came in, the little girl covered her mouth, and four words were written all over her body and face: I don't take medicine.

Lu Ji frowned as he watched.

"Good medicine tastes bitter, so just be obedient," he coaxed her.

Although she refused to obey and insisted on forcing him to drink her, he still held out hope before resorting to violence.

Seeing that she still covered her mouth tightly, the man reluctantly picked up the medicine bowl and approached her step by step.

Although she knew he was doing it for her own good, the little girl really couldn't stand the bitter medicine.

The moment Lu Ji skillfully took her hand away, the little girl burst into tears. Lu Ji still patiently reasoned with her: "You are not well yet, how can you not take medicine?"

The little girl cried and said, "I have been taking this medicine for two months. I have to drink it three or four times a day. Now, my mouth tastes bitter every day."

As she spoke, she glanced at the dark medicine and cried even more sadly: "It's New Year's Day, can't we stop for once?"

Lu Ji was in a dilemma: "If it is broken, I'm afraid it will affect recovery."

Seeing that he seemed to be moved, the little woman immediately came over and grabbed his sleeve, begging the man coquettishly: "Just once, it's okay, please, today is New Year's Day, can't you let me be happy."

Lu Ji rolled his eyes at her and said, "That's it for this time. From now on, you have to drink the medicine obediently."

After saying that, he sighed and put the bowl of medicine back.

(End of this chapter)