Ji Zhaoxi and a few young eunuchs were called to the Imperial Hospital to do odd chores.
The cold wind blew constantly. Several large cauldrons were set up in the backyard of the Imperial Hospital.
Ji Zhaoxi stayed by the door, earnestly scrubbing the dirt-covered medicinal roots.
The other young eunuchs kept whispering among themselves, staying far away from Ji Zhaoxi and shooting her secret glances as they murmured.
Just then, an old imperial physician walked out holding a bowl of dark, murky medicine. His gaze landed on the young eunuchs.
Using the lid to skim the foam off the medicine, the old physician said meaningfully, "This sovereign herb... even if it falls on hard times, it still holds the line in the prescription."
He swept his eyes over the people before him, his tone turning somewhat cold. "If you medicinal dregs think you can ride on the head of the sovereign herb, it will cost lives."
Upon hearing this, the other eunuchs turned pale and immediately lowered their heads, looking extremely guilty.
Seeing their expressions, the old physician nodded in satisfaction.
He then looked over at Ji Zhaoxi in the corner. She was still squatting on the ground, scrubbing the medicinal roots with all her might. The old physician's face darkened.
He walked up to Ji Zhaoxi and looked down at her.
Feeling the shadow over her, Ji Zhaoxi glanced up at him and tentatively handed over the clean medicinal root in her hand.
"My Lord, do you want this?"
The old physician was speechless.
Stifling his frustration, he said, "Xiao Xizi, did you understand a single word of what I just said?"
Out of everyone here, she was the one who needed to understand it the most!
Ji Zhaoxi smiled confidently. "My Lord, you mean that the medicine in your hand is very precious, and it is the sovereign herb, right?"
After speaking, she looked at him expectantly.
The old physician choked on his words and fell silent.
Why was he trying to speak in such roundabout ways to a child? She couldn't understand it anyway, and it only ended up making him angry.
The gates of Ruhui Palace had been opened early, and the snow at the entrance had been swept clean. Every morning, Xiao Yanchen would wait by the door.
He knew that Xiao Xizi didn't come every day, but he still hoped to see her.
Finally, he caught sight of the familiar figure.
"Xiao Xizi!"
Xiao Yanchen couldn't help but call out, running toward Ji Zhaoxi.
Ji Zhaoxi's nose was a little red from the freezing cold. She grumbled softly, "I tripped and fell on my way here. I need to eat a little more later."
Xiao Yanchen immediately grew tense. "Xiao Xizi, where did you get hurt?"
Ji Zhaoxi held out her hand. There was a faint red mark on the back of it, looking as though it would fade away in just a few minutes.
Xiao Yanchen's eyes turned red as he stared at the wound on her hand. "I'm sorry, Xiao Xizi. I won't eat later."
Ji Zhaoxi coughed lightly. "It's fine. If I eat a little more food later, the wound on my hand will heal."
But Xiao Yanchen still felt incredibly guilty. He carefully supported Ji Zhaoxi, terrified that she might fall again.
The two little munchkins held hands and walked into the courtyard together.
Xiao Yanchen really liked eating with Ji Zhaoxi. He loved listening to her speak ill of the other young eunuchs. She claimed she was the number one among them because she was the most capable, and he also loved hearing her talk about who had given her what to eat.
Whenever Ji Zhaoxi spoke, Xiao Yanchen would eat his food while looking at her with bright, shining eyes.
He truly wished he could be a young eunuch too. That way, he could stay with Xiao Xizi every single day, and they could talk so much together.
Being stared at by Xiao Yanchen like this fully satisfied Ji Zhaoxi's vanity. She talked more and more, eventually talking until her mouth was completely dry.
After finishing their meal, the two of them went to the backyard to catch birds.
Xiao Yanchen didn't know how to catch them, so he simply followed closely by Ji Zhaoxi's side.
"Seventh Prince, I'm amazing at catching birds."
Ji Zhaoxi used a thin bamboo stick to prop up a bamboo sieve, then scattered a handful of crushed wheat grains underneath it. She had picked up the crushed wheat from the ground at the Imperial Hospital.
Xiao Yanchen's face was flushed red from the cold. He crouched beside Ji Zhaoxi and watched her earnestly. She clutched a hemp rope tightly in her hand, keeping her body very low, her eyes entirely focused on the bamboo sieve.
"Xiao Xizi, you really are amazing. You know how to do everything," Xiao Yanchen praised softly.
Furthermore, Xiao Xizi had suddenly appeared by his side like a little lucky star.
"You'll be just as amazing as me in the future," Ji Zhaoxi turned her head and softly comforted him.
The snow kept falling. Very few people were walking around the palace at this hour, as most were huddled indoors. Children's sensitivity to the temperature was much duller than that of adults.
The two of them were shivering from the cold, but they still squatted behind the tree, keeping watch.
Xiao Yanchen felt a gust of wind blowing over, so he leaned closer to Ji Zhaoxi, trying to block a little bit of the wind for her. Ji Zhaoxi remained completely oblivious, only staring intently ahead.
Finally, a sparrow tentatively hopped under the bamboo sieve.
Ji Zhaoxi's eyes lit up, and she immediately pulled the rope. The bamboo sieve instantly dropped over the sparrow, and the poor bird fluttered endlessly inside.
"Got it!"
Ji Zhaoxi practically pounced over, ignoring the fact that her knee bumped against a stone. She lifted the edge of the bamboo sieve and carefully scooped the little sparrow into her palms.
Xiao Yanchen quickly ran over and crouched down next to Ji Zhaoxi. Seeing Ji Zhaoxi's eyes curved into little crescent moons, a smile uncontrollably appeared on his face as well.
"Xiao Xizi, you're so amazing!"
The two children kept gently petting the sparrow's head. The sparrow was petted until it looked as if it had lost all will to live. It wasn't until the sky began to darken that the poor bird was finally released.
Xiao Yanchen reluctantly walked Ji Zhaoxi to the gates of Ruhui Palace. "Xiao Xizi, will you come tomorrow too? Besides you, no one else plays with me."
Ji Zhaoxi was all too familiar with this kind of scene. Ever since she was little, many people had wanted to play with her, and many people had said things like this to her.
Her sense of responsibility immediately flared up. With a serious face, she said, "I will come find you to play."
Xiao Yanchen nodded, his eyes welling with tears.
But he still couldn't bear to let her go.
There would be no Xiao Xizi tonight, and he didn't know how long he would have to wait for her tomorrow.
Watching Ji Zhaoxi's retreating figure gradually fade into the distance, Xiao Yanchen's eyes also slowly dimmed.
If only Xiao Xizi could stay by his side forever.
He pursed his lips and lowered his head. His entire figure looked incredibly frail, as if he had once again returned to that forgotten corner.
As soon as Xiao Xizi left, Ruhui Palace became silent once more.
Just then, something suddenly struck his arm. Xiao Yanchen stared blankly at the snow lingering on his clothes. A second later, a small snowball hit him right on the head, scattering powdery snow everywhere.
His eyes lit up and he looked over. Ji Zhaoxi was standing behind a tree holding a snowball, looking at him with a smug expression.
Seeing that he had spotted her, she turned and ran. She ran very fast, terrified that he would retaliate.
Xiao Yanchen stood on the threshold, not bothering to wipe the snow from his face. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he shouted toward the fleeing figure, "Xiao Xizi! Run slower! The snow is slippery!"
He instinctively chased forward two steps before stopping in his tracks, gazing eagerly at her retreating back.
The powdery snow on his face felt freezing cold, but to Xiao Yanchen, the snow felt like powdered sugar, melting straight into his heart.
