The next day, Wang Youbao was not as busy, and he had a servant prepare some bird’s nest porridge early in the morning.
Yu Daming found it very strange, as his young master rarely ate bird’s nest porridge. Why did he suddenly have someone make it today? Bird’s nest was very expensive, and the young master would only occasionally indulge in it.
Once the bird’s nest porridge was ready, Wang Youbao had the servants pack the porridge in a food box, and then he asked Yu Daming, carrying it, to go out with him.
"Young master, where are we going?" Yu Daming was quite puzzled.
"Miss Li is ill, going to see her," said Wang Youbao, suddenly pausing, and then calling for a maidservant named Xiao Lian to follow them.
Yu Daming handed the food box to Xiao Lian without thinking. In the Wang family, apart from their young master and the housekeeper, he ranked next in authority.
By the time Wang Youbao arrived at Li Wuyu’s residence, the sun was already high in the sky. After a day’s rest, Li Wuyu’s cold had improved quite a bit. She only coughed occasionally now but was still lying in bed.
"Youbao..." Seeing Wang Youbao, Li Wuyu immediately struggled to sit up.
Out of concern for propriety between men and women, Wang Youbao wanted to help her but refrained from doing so, instead allowing the accompanying maidservant to step forward to assist Li Wuyu.
Seeing that Wang Youbao had brought along a maidservant, and a fairly attractive one at that, Li Wuyu instantly felt a twinge of jealousy, but she didn’t say anything about it.
Yu Daming brought over a stool and placed it beside the bed. Once Wang Youbao was seated, he asked, "I heard yesterday from Xiao Ming that Miss Li had caught a cold. Are you feeling any better?"
"Somewhat better, just that it cost you a fair bit of silver coins," Li Wuyu said, not very energetically.
He had left silver coins with Auntie Wu, should she need them. To pay for the doctor’s visit and medicine yesterday, as she didn’t have enough money herself, she had taken some from Auntie Wu.
Wang Youbao said, "However small the amount of silver coins, your health, Miss Li, is what’s important. If you need money, just ask Auntie Wu for it. I can spare those few coins."
Li Wuyu merely responded with a low "mm," clearly still bothered by the presence of the maidservant. Why bring a maidservant along all of a sudden!
Wang Youbao failed to notice anything amiss with Li Wuyu and assumed she was just lethargic from her illness. He added, "When I entered just now, I heard from Auntie Wu that you hadn’t eaten this morning. I happened to bring some warm bird’s nest porridge. You should drink it while it’s hot."
Saying this, Wang Youbao signaled the maidservant to open the food box, take out the bird’s nest porridge, and serve it to Li Wuyu.
Li Wuyu’s lackluster eyes suddenly lit up as she asked eagerly, "Youbao, did you make it yourself?"
Wang Youbao was silent for a moment before answering honestly, "Gentlemen should keep distance from the kitchen. I do not enter the kitchen," he hesitated, "I had the servants at home stew it."
"I see..." Li Wuyu’s spirits deflated again. After a moment, as if she realized something, she smiled and said, "Thank you, Youbao. You are really good to me."
Wang Youbao replied, "Miss Li, you are An Jing’s apprentice, and we have known each other for some time now. You are alone in the world, and I would certainly help if I could."
Li Wuyu was filled with bitterness.
At that moment, the maidservant scooped a bowl of bird’s nest porridge and brought it to the bed for Li Wuyu to drink, but Li Wuyu refused to take it.
"Miss Li?" Seeing that Li Wuyu seemed to be lost in thought, Wang Youbao softly called her name.
Li Wuyu did not immediately respond to Wang Youbao; instead, she looked at the maidservant and finally couldn’t resist asking, "Youbao, why did you bring a maidservant along?"
The question came out tinged with such a strong tone of sourness.