Chapter 22: Is Xiao Fu Bao Disliked? The Whole City Loves Me With Their Lives
**Chapter 22: My Brother is Not Cute!**
The two children chatted for a while, and Physician Liu advised Feng Xuanrui to rest, “The fever has just subsided, and we don’t know if it will return. You should lie down and rest more to recover your strength quickly.”
Even if Feng Xuanrui wanted to release the lanterns, he needed to wait until he was fully recovered.
Suisui also realized that her brother was still unwell.
Recalling the discomfort she felt when she was sick, Suisui hurriedly pushed Feng Xuanrui back to bed, saying, “Brother, go lie down quickly. Once you’re better, we can go together.”
Not wanting her brother to worry about her, Suisui softly added, “Brother, I won’t leave. I’ll stay with you.”
Hearing that his sister wouldn’t leave, Feng Xuanrui happily returned to bed, making extra room by scooting over and patting the bed, “Sister, come up. Let’s be together.”
Seeing this, Qingshan’s face darkened, and he quickly intervened, “Young Master, that’s not appropriate!”
Even though Suisui was still young, you, young master, are ten years old now. It’s not suitable for you to sleep with your sister anymore!
Upon hearing this, Feng Xuanrui’s expression fell, clearly unhappy, “I want to. Don’t interfere!”
Qingshan dared not speak further and instead looked to Physician Liu for help.
Physician Liu, smiling, said, “They’re just children.”
This implied he had no objection.
Physician Liu’s stance was also due to several considerations. One was the more relaxed attitude towards such matters in the Great Xia Dynasty, where it wouldn't be a big issue. Another was that Suisui was still young, so it was unnecessary to make a fuss about it and affect their sibling relationship.
Physician Liu’s words made Feng Xuanrui happy again, and he proudly said, “When we return to the capital, there will be rewards for everyone.”
Before he could bask in his triumph, he flopped back onto the bed with a thud.
Suisui, about to sit by the bed, was startled when she saw her brother like this. Her face turned pale, and she opened her mouth, trembling, “Brother, what’s wrong?”
Feng Xuanrui lay still, his voice much weaker, “I have no strength.”
Hearing this, Physician Liu quickly checked his temperature.
The fever had returned. Children’s temperatures during illness were unpredictable and could greatly affect their mental state.
Seeing Feng Xuanrui’s condition, Physician Liu realized it wasn’t good.
Since Feng Xuanrui had already taken medicine, he couldn't be given more in a short time unless the situation was critical. For now, physical cooling was the only option.
Suisui, still worried, helped out.
Though Qingshan, Qingshui, and the others were present, Suisui’s concern made Physician Liu allow her to stay by the bed.
Suisui sat quietly by the bed, occasionally holding Feng Xuanrui’s hand to feel his temperature.
She was anxious because she remembered two children from her village who had died from high fevers during the winter.
Suisui was scared her brother might be the same.
Feeling Suisui’s trembling hand, Feng Xuanrui turned his head and smiled at Suisui, “Sister, don’t be afraid. It’s just a small problem. It’ll be fine soon!”
Though his words were weak, Suisui’s heart ached, and her eyes reddened.
Seeing Suisui’s teary eyes made Feng Xuanrui feel even worse.
The rising fever made him uncomfortable, and his own eyes started to redden.
The two children held hands, their eyes red, each holding back tears.
Physician Liu observed them, feeling both heartbroken and amused.
He thought: If either of these children started crying, the other would definitely follow!
Fortunately, they both remained stoic, which made Physician Liu secretly sigh in relief.
Feng Xuanrui, with a cold cloth on his forehead, couldn’t turn to look at Suisui.
Without eye contact, their emotions calmed down a bit.
Suisui, still worried, asked the system softly, **[Will Brother be okay?]**
Medical conditions in ancient times were uncertain.
But the system couldn’t be honest.
**[Don’t worry, Suisui!]**
**[Suisui still needs to tell Brother a bedtime story!]**
Remembering the bedtime story, Suisui nodded obediently and whispered to Feng Xuanrui, “Brother, can I tell you a bedtime story?”
Even though young master Feng Xuanrui had never enjoyed bedtime stories, he was now a bit confused, “Huh? A bedtime story? What’s that?”
Suisui wasn’t entirely sure either. She hesitated, saying, “I don’t really know. It’s just something like a pit filled with forty thousand kids.”
A pit filled with forty thousand kids? Why?
How big a pit is needed to fit that many?
Feng Xuanrui didn’t understand and directly asked Suisui.
But Suisui didn’t know either!
She had heard it in confusion and thought that Uncle Qi was amazing!
The two children continued to whisper, while the adults busied themselves and didn’t pay much attention.
Their main concern was Feng Xuanrui’s recurring fever.
After Physician Liu checked his pulse, he nodded to Diao Jiao, “Wait another half hour, follow the new prescription, and make three bowls of water into one bowl of medicine.”
Diao Jiao nodded and quickly helped Qingshan change to a new cloth.
The two children didn’t reach a conclusion on the pit filled with children.
Suisui, confused, then brought up “rescuing brothers.”
She had mixed up what Uncle Dongpo said: “If you make a mistake, write a letter to your brother to make amends.”
She remembered it as “rescuing brothers.”
Upon hearing “brother,” Feng Xuanrui immediately rolled his eyes, “Sister, let me tell you, brothers are not good!”
“Brothers are bad. We don’t play with brothers, okay!”
“My brother is a nuisance, a fart machine!”
...
Suisui, a bit confused, thought of her cousin at her uncle’s house and agreed with her brother, “Yes, a nuisance, a fart machine!”
Seeing his sister on his side, Feng Xuanrui proudly bobbed his head but was soon held back by Qingshan, “Cloth, cloth, young master!”
Feng Xuanrui reluctantly lay back down, still mumbling.
He mainly talked about how brothers were not cute at all.
How could they compare to his sister?
“Sister may be a little bald, but she’s cute.”
...READ THE REST OF THE CHAPTER ON PATREON...
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