Pi Yanlin rolled over on the bed, the warm towel on his forehead sliding down behind his ear.
He stared at the dusty cobwebs on the rafters, listening to the footsteps of Gu Qinghuan approaching from afar. He immediately let out two muffled coughs—this was his third day of faking illness, and he had even calculated the rhythm of his coughing to ensure he didn't seem too weak, yet still appeared feverish enough to convince the young constable standing guard at the door.
"Servant Pi?" Gu Qinghuan’s voice came through the door curtain, carrying that cold, familiar edge. "The fever-reducing soup from the Xuan'an Bureau. It's getting cold."
Chapter 24