Chapter 047: Did He Touch Her Sore Spot?

“Did you miss me?” He smiled mischievously at Jin’er, unexpectedly blurting out the question.

“Who would miss you? Narcissist!” Jin’er’s cheeks flushed faintly as she turned her face away.

Truth be told, ever since he left last time, she really did think of him now and then. Wondering who he was, where he might be now, and whether he’d come back again.

Of course, “thinking of him” was not the same as “missing him”… and she certainly wasn’t about to tell him that.

“Ah! I thought you might miss me, so I brought a little gift.” Mo Yan sighed, a hint of regret in his voice as he produced a large bouquet of tri-colored wild daisies from behind his back. “But now it seems there’s no need.”

Before he finished speaking, Jin’er had already snatched the flowers from his hand, her face alight with joy. “They’re beautiful!”

She’d been cooped up in the Imperial Physician’s Hall since her arrival, never once stepping outside. Her days were nothing but endless study of medicine—her life had become dreadfully monotonous. Now, seeing such a lovely bouquet, how could she not be excited? Besides, she’d loved flowers since childhood.

Seeing how much she liked them, Mo Yan felt a warmth in his heart.

So she likes them—his early morning venture into someone else’s courtyard as a flower thief hadn’t been in vain.

“Girl, you ought to smile more often. You’re very pretty when you smile,” Mo Yan said sincerely, his lips curved in a gentle smile.

Jin’er looked up, her smile still lingering, dimples like two dazzling jewels set in her delicate, smooth face. For a moment, Mo Yan was utterly captivated.

It was odd—he’d met countless beauties, so why was he so drawn to this underdeveloped little girl?

“What are you staring at? I need to eat breakfast and get ready for work.” Jin’er felt uncomfortable under his gaze, quickly turning and heading back into her room.

“I haven’t eaten breakfast either.” Mo Yan followed her inside.

“If you haven’t eaten, go get some yourself. I’m not stopping you,” Jin’er replied absentmindedly, searching for something suitable to put the flowers in.

“Hey, I’m your savior! How can you be so indifferent to your own savior? Your benefactor is starving now.” Mo Yan sat in the chair by the desk, turning to rest his chin on the back, gazing at Jin’er with a disgruntled look.

“Fine.” Jin’er rolled her eyes, pulled out a small piece of silver from her bosom, walked over to Mo Yan, grabbed his hand, and placed the silver in his palm. “Go buy breakfast. This should be enough to last you a month, right?”

Mo Yan raised his eyebrow, weighing the pitifully small piece of silver in his hand, dissatisfaction clear in his tone. “Are you trying to toss me aside like a beggar?”

“If you were a beggar, you’d be grinning at this silver already. Back then, I couldn’t even get half a bun.” Jin’er shot him a sidelong glance, her tone impatient.

“‘Back then’? What do you mean? You’ve been a beggar?” Mo Yan frowned, looking at her in confusion.

Jin’er’s body stiffened, suddenly turning away and setting the flowers on the desk. “I have work to do.” With that, she strode out.

Mo Yan had just opened his mouth to speak when Jin’er was already out the door, turning right and disappearing from sight.

Was she angry? Or had he touched a sore spot?

Recalling her words, Mo Yan’s curiosity about her only deepened. What sort of experiences had she been through? Poisoned, once a beggar… and apparently without any family.

She truly was a pitiful girl…