Chapter 20: Would You Worry About Me Then?

"The wound is on the outer side; I cannot reach it."

Shen Xianyue glanced at the wound, which was still oozing blood. She realized then why the gauze had only been wrapped around it so simply; if he could have managed it himself, he surely would have bandaged it properly.

"This garment is difficult to remove. I have no choice but to cut it open."

A slight curve appeared at the corner of Xiao Tuyu's mouth: "Very well, I shall leave it to you."

Shen Xianyue felt an inexplicable warmth rise to her face at his attitude. She retrieved a pair of small scissors from the basket of sundries and carefully cut along the fabric, finally revealing the flesh beneath.

It was a two-inch-long knife wound, deep and jagged, with the edges of the flesh curled outward. Shen Xianyue was momentarily stunned. How high was this man’s pain threshold? To endure such a severe injury without a single sound.

Had she not seen the sweat drenching his face, she might have thought he wasn't the one injured at all. A sharp, stinging ache bloomed in her heart.

"If you are afraid, then let it be. I shall manage it myself."

Shen Xianyue snapped back to reality and hurriedly said, "No, I am not afraid. I just think it is remarkable that you could hold on alone despite such a grievous injury."

"I am accustomed to it. The wounds I sustained on the battlefield were far worse; sometimes there was no time to bandage them before I had to carry on."

Shen Xianyue carefully cleansed the area around the wound, her movements as light as a feather. Hearing his words, she felt a strange pang of sympathy. She had heard that he was only fifteen when he first went to war, rising through the ranks from the very bottom.

She could not even imagine how difficult those years must have been.

"Is that why your quarters are so remote, and why you allow no one to serve you closely?" she asked, her hands moving as she spoke to distract him.

"More or less. I have been assassinated too many times; it is a nuisance."

Shen Xianyue lowered her head in silence. "I am going to apply the medicine now. It may sting a little; try to bear with it."

"Very well."

Xiao Tuyu actually wanted to say that this level of pain was negligible, but feeling her concern made it entirely worthwhile. He lowered his eyes, watching her side profile as she focused intently on applying the medicine. The soft light filtering in cast a glow upon her face, revealing the fine, downy hairs on her skin. Her features were delicate and soft, her nose elegant, and her long lashes cast shadows over her focused eyes. The sunlight traced the outline of her face as if gilding her in gold.

Her rosy lips were slightly pursed, and she blew softly on the wound as if soothing a child. Xiao Tuyu could not recall if anyone had ever blown on his wounds out of fear that he might be in pain. Such childish gestures were something he had never experienced before.

The powder stung slightly upon contact, and Shen Xianyue tried to make her movements as gentle as possible. "The wound is not long, but it is quite deep. You must be careful; if it tears again, it will only worsen. Fortunately, the weather is not too hot these days, so there is no need to worry about infection."

Once the medicine was applied, she took clean gauze and carefully wrapped it around his arm, then—under Xiao Tuyu’s steady gaze—tied it into a bow.

She felt a bit self-conscious. "I only know how to tie it this way, and... if I tie it too tightly, it will be difficult for you to change the dressing."

"It is fine. It looks very good."

Shen Xianyue thought Xiao Tuyu’s capacity for acceptance was quite high; he could call even such an ugly bow "good." She began tidying up, returning the bottles and jars to their places.

"Do you not wish to ask how I came by these wounds?"

Shen Xianyue paused, her lips pressing together. "The Marquis has great affairs to attend to, and there are many dangers involved. I should not know too much."

She did not turn around, and thus missed the momentary dimming of Xiao Tuyu's eyes.

"Still, My Lord, you must take care of your health. No matter what you intend to achieve, you must ensure you have the strength to do so; otherwise, those who care about you will be heartbroken."

Shen Xianyue did not expect her casual remark to elicit such a strong reaction from him.

"Those who care about me... I find it difficult to name more than a few. In a household as large as the Marquis's, my father and I grew distant years ago, and only in his twilight years has our relationship softened. Even though I established my own household, my brothers view me as a monster. Tell me, who else could care about me? Who would?"

Xiao Tuyu stood up, standing a head taller than her. The pleasant scent of cedarwood enveloped her, trapping her as if she could never escape. Shen Xianyue instinctively took a step back, but her back hit the medicine cabinet, leaving her with nowhere to go.

"There... there will always be someone."

"For instance?"

Xiao Tuyu leaned half a step closer, and Shen Xianyue leaned back, truly having nowhere to retreat.

"For instance... Bai Jin. Yes, Bai Jin. He told me you are as close as brothers; if you were injured, he would certainly be worried about you. And... and Xuanqing."

Having not received the answer he wanted, Xiao Tuyu was clearly dissatisfied.

"And what about you? Would you worry about me?"

The distance between them was too close—so close that Shen Xianyue dared not look up. His warm breath brushed against the top of her head, and her ears turned bright red.

"I..."

She felt that such words were impossible to say given their current relationship.

"You are my future wife, the mistress of the Champion Marquis's estate. Would you be willing to spare a little concern for me?"

Shen Xianyue felt as though her face might explode. What was wrong with Xiao Tuyu today? Why was he acting so strangely?

"We are to live together in the future, so of course I would worry about you—as a friend."

Having said this, she did not wait to see his reaction, ducking out from the side and walking away with hurried, panicked steps.

"I think I heard Yingxia calling me. I must be going."

She walked quickly, but just as she reached the door, she paused. "The food box contains stewed waxberry and lychee drink. If you wish to drink it, do so; if not, you may throw it away."

Without waiting for his reply, she pulled the door open and hurried out.

Yingxia, who was waiting in the courtyard, was startled. Seeing Shen Xianyue’s face, which was red enough to drip blood, she asked with concern, "My Lady, are you unwell? Surely you aren't running a fever again? Why is your face so flushed?"

Shen Xianyue, embarrassed, pulled Yingxia away. "Do not speak of it, please."

Back in the room, Xiao Tuyu heard their footsteps fading into the distance, his mood lifting uncontrollably. The little kitten always liked to stay in her comfort zone, unwilling to come out, but looking at it now, they seemed to have grown much closer.

He decided then: he would change his strategy and take the initiative.

In high spirits, Xiao Tuyu sat at the table and opened the food box. Inside lay a white porcelain bowl. He carefully took it out and lifted the lid.

The white-bottomed, blue-rimmed bowl held red waxberry flesh, the juice staining the lychees. The fruit was plump and the colors vibrant; the mere sight of it made his mouth water.

Just as Xiao Tuyu picked up a spoon, the door was pushed open, and a figure flashed inside.