Brother Liubao approached with a pained heart and shouted outside, and immediately someone brought in a bowl of Ginseng Chicken Soup. However, Phoenix Blood languidly leaned against the soft couch. He feebly waved his hand, "Tonics are useless when the body is too weak; I have never recovered. There’s no need for you to have these supplements stewed anymore. All these times, I’ve only had a taste, which ended up being quite the waste." The day Baobao ran away from home, he went to search for her in the mountains. During those days, he hardly ate his fill, and afterward, he fell seriously ill, which resulted in these lingering aches and pains. Thinking of that person whom he longed for day and night, he curved his lips into a bitter smile, his expression desolate. That... heartless woman. How could she bear it? How could she be so cruel? He laughed bitterly, then heaved a deep sigh, slowly closing his long, narrow eyes. Ever since she left, he truly didn’t know how he had survived. If it weren’t for the thought that kept him going, that no matter what, she would return when the time came, perhaps he would have ended up as debauched as Little Liu, right? But Little Liu’s demise was self-inflicted, his own doing. Yet what wrong had he done? What had he done wrong to deserve such punishment from her in this manner? In the end, he was just not willing to accept it. A year was simply too long. Every day, every night, even every hour and every minute without her by his side were so unbearable. Brother Liubao had spent years in places of pleasure and was the owner of the Sky Blue Building. Now that he was old and no longer attractive, he couldn’t take customers, and even if he wanted to, no one would fancy him. Once a man grows old, once he loses his looks, who would love him? Moreover, ladies are naturally fickle; they don’t need someone with power or influence—just a few coins will do. Aren’t there plenty of men in this world for them to choose from? But he had lived for years, life’s experiences laid out before him. Even when old, ginger remains spicy, and he could tell that ’Phoenix Blood’ was troubled. Yet there was nothing he could do; heartache requires a remedy of the heart. "How are you feeling now? If you’re truly in discomfort, perhaps you should rest this evening?" Phoenix Blood glanced at him with a smile that wasn’t quite a smile, "I thought you, Brother Bao, were a miser. I never expected you to also have such a compassionate side." "Huh, that’s because you don’t know me," he replied, but he felt a little guilty. After all, if Phoenix Blood were in good health, he would bring in a great deal of Silver for the building. But what if Phoenix Blood’s health failed, or worse... died? Tsk tsk tsk! In short, if anything were to go wrong with Phoenix Blood’s health, wouldn’t he ultimately be the one to suffer the loss? He was cunning, calculating silently in his mind. Phoenix Blood gathered up her long hair and then stood up, "It’s about time for me to perform. There’s no need to rest; rather, Brother Bao, it’s you who seem a bit pallid these days. You need more rest." Brother Liubao was startled, then scolded with a laugh, "You little rascal!" He wondered who was to blame for all this. If not for Lady He frequenting the place and bringing lots of jewels—ones that the recipient didn’t even want—he might have had his share of the benefits. Because of that, did he deserve to toss and turn all night, in agony as if clutching at his liver and scratching his lungs? Truth be told, he was simply too stubborn! They say that prostitutes are heartless and actors unrighteous, yet Phoenix Blood was quite the opposite! If it were someone else, no matter how much disdain they had for the other party, with money being king, they couldn’t help but fawn over them. But Phoenix Blood had a rebellious streak; no matter how much he tried to persuade her, she refused to yield. Indeed, it was strange, the attitude that Phoenix Blood had towards Lady He was extremely poor. Yet for some inexplicable reason, Lady He, despite repeatedly facing defeat, kept coming back for more, ever more determined after each setback, unwavering in the face of rejection. In the end, she was set on making a mark at Phoenix Blood’s, wasn’t she?