The Villainous Classmate is My Lucky Star Chapter 242
Translated by Pure
Chapter 242 Mu Yang Falls Ill
Wen Yantong's hair received Chi Jingxi's less-than-gentle attention as she gestured towards the terrain on the paper, remarking, "Little Marquis, take a look at this."
Chi Jingxi leaned in to inspect the drawing and replied, "It appears to be a canyon."
"It is indeed a canyon. If you trace the water's path from Younger Sister Mountain downwards, you'll reach the canyon floor. There's a depression above the canyon. Wouldn't terrain like this be ideal for an ambush?" Wen Yantong elaborated.
Chi Jingxi appeared slightly perplexed as he glanced at the paper and then at her. "How do you know there is a depression above the canyon?" he inquired.
"I heard it from the locals," Wen Yantong responded vaguely.
Thankfully, Chi Jingxi didn't press further and simply remarked, "If there is indeed a depression, it would indeed be a strategic location for an ambush."
"Look," Wen Yantong directed Chi Jingxi's attention to the terrain on the paper. "If you attack the enemy from here, they will undoubtedly retreat towards the canyon via this road. Beyond the canyon lie mountains and forests, providing ample cover. However, if you start from Younger Sister Mountain, there's water on the other side. By using a bamboo raft and following the water, you could reach the canyon ahead of them, enabling the troops to ascend to the top of the canyon..."
"But how can you be certain they will choose this road to reach the canyon?" Chi Jingxi questioned, indicating the road beneath her finger.
Wen Yantong clicked her tongue. "They will undoubtedly opt for this route, trust me."
"I find your plan lacking in thoroughness," Chi Jingxi admitted frankly.
Wen Yantong frowned. "How can you say it's lacking? Didn't I explain everything clearly?"
Chi Jingxi remarked, "The enemy's movements are unpredictable. We must consider various scenarios. If they withdraw via another route, wouldn't our plan be rendered ineffective?"
After a moment of contemplation, Wen Yantong proposed, "In that case, we can keep this plan a secret. During the briefing, you can just focus on discussing other strategies."
Wen Yantong's confidence in the plan wavered slightly, resting at around eighty percent certainty.
The pivotal factor for its success lay in heavy rainfall.
She recalled vividly that heavy rains had swept through the entire Yibei region towards the end of autumn, causing rivers to swell, breaching their banks, and inducing localized flooding.
With the downpour filling the depression above the canyon, the ambush could be executed successfully, targeting those at the bottom of the canyon. Hence, this plan hinged on the arrival of heavy rainfall.
After chatting with Chi Jingxi for an hour, Wen Yantong suddenly felt hunger creeping in. Recollecting the skirmish with Mu Yang at noon, she recalled that everyone had dined late. Consequently, when dinner time arrived, they weren't particularly hungry, and thus had skipped the meal altogether.
Wen Yantong turned to Chi Jingxi and asked, "Little Marquis, are you hungry?"
Chi Jingxi glanced at her, "You’re hungry?"
Wen Yantong nodded, "My stomach is growling."
Chi Jingxi rose from his seat, "I'll have someone prepare the meals."
"No need." Wen Yantong intervened, tugging at his sleeve. "Let me handle it. My cooking skills are pretty good."
It's not that Wen Yantong was boastful, but growing up, she mostly lived independently. Preferring to avoid excessive takeout, she had to learn cooking on her own. Hence, she felt pretty confident in her culinary skills.
Chi Jingxi recalled the bowl of dark porridge at Nian'an Temple and appeared somewhat skeptical. "You want to cook?"
"Yes!" Wen Yantong puffed her chest proudly. "Just wait and see!"
She donned her outer robe and exited the room. Chi Jingxi remained seated for a moment, feeling somewhat preoccupied. Eventually, a sense of unease spurred him to rise and trail after her to the dining area.
Aware of Chi Jingxi's preferences, Wen Yantong knew he occasionally indulged in spicy fare, but typically preferred milder dishes. Thus, she resolved to prepare two stir-fry dishes for him.
Upon her unexpected arrival in the dining area, the staff, recognizing her significance in the household, promptly abandoned their plans to rest and hastened to assist her.
As Chi Jingxi hurried into the dining room, he beheld Wen Yantong orchestrating the kitchen with the finesse of a seasoned chef. Her movements were fluid and practiced, deftly transferring fragrant ingredients onto plates while swiftly attending to the next dish.
Observing her unwavering concentration, Chi Jingxi lingered by the doorway, captivated by her proficiency and dedication to the task at hand.
The bustling servants in the dining room noticed Chi Jingxi's presence and hurriedly moved to greet him, but he swiftly dismissed their formalities with a wave of his hand.
With two savory dishes and a steaming soup now prepared, Wen Yantong became aware of Chi Jingxi's prolonged observation from the doorway. She offered him a warm smile and gestured eagerly, "Little Marquis, come here, quickly."
Chi Jingxi walked in with a smile. "Is it ready?"
"Come and taste the fruit of my labor," Wen Yantong said, wielding a pair of chopsticks. She carefully selected a piece of stir-fried fungus, blew on it gently, and then offered it to Chi Jingxi.
The dish was still piping hot, its enticing aroma wafting through the air. Chi Jingxi took a bite, raising his eyebrows in pleasant surprise as he looked at Wen Yantong.
"How is it?" she asked eagerly, awaiting his verdict.
Chi Jingxi graciously praised, "It's truly delicious."
Indeed, his words were not mere flattery. Unlike the dark porridge at Nian’an Temple, this dish tantalized the taste buds and stirred the appetite with its rich flavors.
Delighted by his response, Wen Yantong instructed the servants to bring the food to her room. Under the cover of night, the two of them indulged in a clandestine late-night meal, savoring each bite in the warmth of their shared company.
Wen Yantong fondly remembered how Chi Jingxi eagerly devoured the three dishes she prepared that night, unaware of the lasting impact they would have on him. Little did she know that, in the years to come, no culinary creation would leave as indelible an impression on Chi Jingxi as those three dishes.
For him, those flavors held a special significance, evoking memories of that starry night in distant Yibei. He would often reminisce about how Wen Yantong, with sleeves rolled up and eyes sparkling with anticipation, tenderly feeding him the first bite of fungi.
Contrarily, that night, Mu Yang's hunger was so intense that he found himself rolling around on the bed. Due to this, the two had managed to establish a brief period of peaceful coexistence in the preceding days.
…
As the summer heat reached its peak, Wen Yantong found herself perspiring profusely even while lying still in her room. The remote region of Yibei had conditioned its inhabitants to endure both the sweltering heat of summer and the biting cold of winter with stoicism.
Concerned for Wen Yantong's well-being, Chi Jingxi instructed the servants to place ice cubes in her room to help alleviate the oppressive heat. Despite the blazing sun outside, Wen Yantong found herself drained of energy, lacking even the inclination to engage in her usual verbal battles with Mu Yang. She longed to cocoon herself in the cool embrace of the ice cubes every day, wishing they could provide respite from the relentless heat.
Each night, Wen Yantong would carefully relocate the ice buckets to her bedside before settling in for sleep. However, Chi Jingxi, mindful of the chilly nights in Yibei and concerned for her health, would silently move the ice farther away during the night.
As the days dragged on under the sweltering heat, Wen Yantong found herself tended to with care, sometimes forgetting the turbulent reality of war-torn Yibei. However, just when a semblance of safety settled in, the enemy launched a sudden attack on the city.
On a scorching afternoon, when even the cicadas seemed too lethargic to chirp, Chi Jingxi and Fu Zixian hastily departed from their residence upon receiving the urgent news. Before leaving, Chi Jingxi instructed Mu Yang to keep a close eye on Wen Yantong and ensure she remained indoors.
Previously, Mu Yang had been resistant to being left behind, but with Wen Yantong's presence, his perspective had shifted. Recognizing Wen Yantong's need for protection, Mu Yang willingly took on the responsibility of staying behind.
When he headed towards Wen Yantong's room, he was made aware that she was still asleep. To ensure she remained safe and didn't wander off, Mu Yang arranged for a chair to be placed by the door, where he could keep a vigilant watch.
Upon awakening, Wen Yantong was surprised to find Mu Yang seated by the door, perspiration beading on his brow and his gaze vacant.
"You're finally awake," he uttered wearily.
Wen Yantong inquired in shock, "What are you doing sitting here?"
Mu Yang responded candidly, "I'm afraid you'll run around."
Observing Mu Yang's foolish expression, Wen Yantong had the urge to give him a light slap. Instead, she grabbed his arm and urged him, "You pig! Come inside quickly!"
Mu Yang persisted stubbornly, "Why am I a pig? You left Chaoge for Yibei without a word. Who knows if you'll just wander off when you wake up? It's dangerous out there..."
With a resigned sigh, Wen Yantong dragged him to a seat next to the ice bucket. Noticing the melting ice, she promptly instructed someone to bring fresh ice.
Wen Yantong swiftly unfastened Mu Yang's cloak, insisting, "Hurry up and take this off. It's scorching outside. We can't risk you getting heatstroke."
Mu Yang complied, shedding his cloak at a sluggish pace.
