Married to a Villainous Minister - Chapter 111

At the edge of the cliffside, a splash of lush green nestled between the cracks of the rocks caught their eyes. Yu Jiao’s apricot-shaped eyes lit up, and a delighted smile bloomed on her small face. “We found it!”

Yu Qizhe looked at the herb. It had only two leaves, thick, round, and brimming with moisture. Just looking at it made one feel its vibrant vitality.

Yu Jiao took a small jar filled with water from the basket and carefully dug the entire plant out with a small spade, placing it into the jar. She held it with both hands, looked up at Yu Qizhe with a smile, and said, “Hard work always pays off. We’re lucky today.”

Yu Qizhe gazed at the radiant smile on her face and curved his lips slightly. After tidying up, the two of them shared an umbrella and began their descent down the mountain.

The way down was even harder than the climb. By the time they crossed over the ridge, the sky had already grown dark. Mist and rain blurred the mountain path, making it hard to see their footing.

Yu Jiao glanced down at their hands, unknowingly clasped tightly together, and spoke, “Let’s spend the night in the mountain cave. We’ll head down after daybreak.”

“Alright,” Yu Qizhe replied without hesitation.

They fumbled their way through the dark until they found the cave Yu Qiao had previously been taken to by Yu Qiaoshan. Stepping onto the dry ground inside, both of them finally felt a sense of relief.

Yu Jiao set down the umbrella and herb basket, then gathered some dry grass and firewood. Striking a firestarter, she lit a small fire and said to Yu Qizhe, who was soaked through, “Take your clothes off and dry them by the fire before you catch a cold.”

Yu Qizhe had worn two outer layers. He removed one and propped it near the fire with a stick.

Yu Jiao rummaged through the straw pile for a while and found a small iron pot left by Zhou Xiang and the others. She went outside the cave to collect some rainwater and set the pot over the fire to boil.

Seeing her busying about non-stop, Yu Qizhe reached out and gently took hold of her arm. “Sit down and dry your clothes,” he said.

“I was just going to check if the flatbread in the basket is still edible.” But before she could move, Yu Qizhe didn’t let go. Instead, he firmly tugged her to sit beside the fire and walked over to the basket himself. He rummaged through it and pulled out the flatbread Yu Jiao had packed earlier. It was completely soaked, soggy beyond recognition.

“Looks like it’s no good,” Yu Jiao said when she saw it. “Are you hungry?”

They hadn’t eaten since climbing the mountain. Yu Qizhe shook his head. “Not really.”

“Once the water boils, we’ll just drink more. That should keep us going until morning,” Yu Jiao said with a smile as she glanced at the small pot above the fire.

Yu Qizhe sat back down beside the fire. Hearing her words, he smiled too. “Alright.”

Before long, the water in the iron pot had come to a boil. Neither of them had brought a water flask, so they had to drink directly from the pot.

After letting it cool a bit, Yu Jiao handed the pot to Yu Qizhe. “You drink first, warm up a little.”

Yu Qizhe pushed the pot back toward her. Before she could object, he said, “I’m not as fragile as you think. At times like this, a man should take care of the lady.”

Hearing that, Yu Jiao’s eyes curved into a soft smile. She didn’t argue further and lowered her head to take a few sips of the hot water. The cold that had seeped into her bones from the rain instantly began to fade, replaced by warmth and comfort.

She passed the pot back to Yu Qizhe and noticed that aside from taking off one outer layer, he was still wearing the rest of his soaking wet clothes. Concerned, she said, “You should take the rest of your clothes off and dry them too. I promise I won’t peek.”

Yu Qizhe looked up at her, swallowed the hot water in his mouth, and shook his head. “No need.”

Yu Jiao narrowed her eyes playfully, her smile teasing, gaze fixed on him with a glint of mischief. “What are you afraid of? Shy? I’m not even worried about you stripping and acting like a rogue. Why are you, a grown man, being so timid?”