Upon seeing the purple and blue marks on Feng Jin's neck, Chu Qing was first startled, then she quickly and urgently asked.
Feng Jin shivered all over from Chu Qing's sudden exclamation. Her drowsy state instantly vanished without a trace.
"What's wrong?" she asked instinctively, looking at Chu Qing behind her with a confused expression.
"Young Madam, what happened to your neck? It's all covered in purple and blue marks."
Feng Jin's brows furrowed slightly. She quickly looked at herself in the mirror. It was just as Chu Qing had said; her fair neck was covered in conspicuous purple and blue marks that were impossible to ignore.
As the person involved, Feng Jin naturally knew how these marks came about. Her face suddenly flushed, and she coughed lightly to cover her embarrassment.
Ling Mo Han, that scoundrel, was being so bizarre, biting her neck like that. How was she supposed to face anyone?
It was too embarrassing. Feng Jin awkwardly pulled her collar up, trying to conceal the marks on her neck. But it was all in vain; her entire neck was covered and couldn't be hidden at all.
"Young Madam, how did you get this? Should I apply some medicine for you first?"
Chu Qing couldn't understand under what circumstances or what had happened to make the young madam's neck look like this.
"No need, it's fine... it's fine, it will go away in a few days."
Such marks would take several days to fade even with medicine. Whether she used medicine or not wasn't the main issue; the priority was to find a way to conceal the marks on her neck.
"Chu Qing, go and get me that Ruyi brocade cotton coat with the fur collar."
The fur collar on that coat should be able to cover it. She would have to make do for now, after all, she had to go out and see people.
"Yes, Young Madam. I'll go right away."
Chu Qing wanted to ask more questions but hesitated and went to get the coat first.
"Young Madam, isn't this coat a bit too thick?"
Since this garment was made, the young madam had always complained it was too thick and kept it at the bottom of the chest, never wearing it. The weather today wasn't that cold either. Why the sudden whim to wear this coat?
Chu Qing's innocent question made Feng Jin's face flush even deeper.
Today was truly the most awkward day for her. How could she explain this? Every time she met Chu Qing's simple, truth-seeking gaze, she felt immense guilt for lying.
"I'm feeling a bit cold today, so wearing something thicker will be warmer."
Feng Jin's explanation was clumsy, and even she found it hard to believe.
"Cold? ... I actually think today is warmer than yesterday, and I don't feel particularly cold. Young Madam, could you have caught a cold, and that's why you feel cold?"
Chu Qing asked with innocent eyes full of concern for Feng Jin. The young madam was too strange today; her behavior was so different from usual.
If she weren't absolutely sure that the person in front of her was indeed the genuine young madam, she would have suspected she was an imposter.
"It's nothing, I'm fine..." Feng Jin tried to explain calmly, but the embarrassment on her face could no longer be concealed. She wished she could find a hole to crawl into and never come out.
"Um... um, Chu Qing, go to the small kitchen and make some pea cakes. I want to eat them."
She made up an excuse to send Chu Qing away. She was genuinely worried that Chu Qing might ask something even more embarrassing in the next second, so it was better to get her out of there.
"Yes, Young Madam, I'll go now."
Chu Qing replied with slight reluctance. As she reached the door, she couldn't help but glance at Feng Jin a few more times. After confirming there was nothing unusual, she closed the door and walked away.
"Chu Qing, weren't you supposed to be helping the young madam get dressed? Why are you out so soon?"
Cai Qing saw Chu Qing and asked with a hint of confusion. She had come out too quickly. The young madam hadn't emerged yet, so why was Chu Qing out first?
"Sister Cai Qing, I think the young madam is very strange today. The way she speaks is also odd, as if she's hiding something, and she deliberately sent me out. And... and I also saw that the young madam's neck was covered in large patches of purple and blue, densely all over her neck..."
The moment she saw Cai Qing, Chu Qing eagerly took her hand and began to pour out everything that had just happened in the room.
After speaking in one breath for a while, Chu Qing paused to catch her breath, then, as if remembering something else, continued, "Sister Cai Qing, do you think the young madam's unusual behavior means she's sick?"
In her opinion, the young madam today looked strange from every angle, inexplicably odd.
Furthermore, if she thought about it, the young general also seemed very strange today. When had she ever seen the young general smile before? But this morning, she had seen the young general emerge from his room looking radiant, and he had even smiled at her...
The most important thing was that the young general had actually smiled at her. She had been serving in the manor for almost a year, and this was the first time she had seen the young general smile. It was simply unbelievable.
"Alright, stop overthinking. The young madam has her own reasons. Just do your own duties."
After hearing Chu Qing's description, Cai Qing could roughly guess what was going on. After all, she had been serving the young madam since she entered the manor and was more experienced.
This wasn't the first time she had encountered something like what Chu Qing described today, so she knew what was happening.
However, Chu Qing was too young, and it was better for her not to know some things too early. Cai Qing decided it was best not to explain it clearly. When Chu Qing got older, she would naturally understand.
"Cai Qing..."
"Alright, hurry up and get back to your work."
Worried that Chu Qing might become stubborn if they continued talking, Cai Qing quickly sent her away and then left the place herself with great speed.
Only Chu Qing remained standing there, still looking puzzled. Her brows furrowed slightly. What was going on? It seemed like everyone was keeping something from her.
Without dwelling on it further, Chu Qing hesitated for a moment and then hurried to the small kitchen.
...
"Mother... you're wearing so much..."
"Mother, aren't you hot at all?"