Half a tea’s time later, Wind reappeared before Xiao Jin, bringing Rain with him.
Outside, lightning and thunder were raging, yet Wind and Rain showed no trace of rain on their bodies. Rain’s face was alternately dark and bright in the lightning, revealing a horrifying long scar on her left cheek.
Xiao Jin said nothing, simply making way for Rain to take the pulse.
Rain approached, her fingers lightly touching Bing Zhi’s wrist before saying to Xiao Jin, “Please trust my abilities.” She then continued to carefully examine the pulse.
Xiao Jin gazed deeply at Bing Zhi for a moment before nodding to Rain and leaving the room. He seemed to have an unusual sense of caution and concern.
Wind, as an observer, noticed that while the master had always trusted and valued Rain, often seeking her medical advice and approving her decisions, today he seemed uncertain.
Once Xiao Jin left, Rain lowered the curtains and returned to the bedside to treat Bing Zhi. The arrow wound was not severe; Rain’s self-developed external medicine could quickly heal it without leaving a scar.
However, her internal injuries were more challenging. With a cold constitution and exhaustion from travel, forcibly gathering internal energy for an attack, and then having it dispersed at the moment of release, an ordinary person would have died. Yet this woman seemed to possess extraordinary willpower, maintaining an unusual alertness even while unconscious.
“Has the master provided her with true qi?” Rain asked, though she was already certain, due to the chaotic pulse.
“Mm,” Xiao Jin responded softly, without further inquiry about Bing Zhi’s condition, but Wind could detect the worry in his master’s expression. Without the master’s true qi, this young lady would likely not have survived on her own determination.
Xiao Jin didn’t speak, his gaze silently shifting to the unconscious Bing Zhi, then nodding heavily.
A moment of silence. Yu said nothing more, walking out of the room.
She had a premonition that this girl would be the most important person in her master’s life. The person injured by the master was also the person the master wanted to save, and she was even called to personally treat her.
In the blink of an eye, it was the fifth day, and Bing Zhi was still in a daze, never truly awake. Although Yu had said it might take a few days for her to wake up, the worry on Xiao Jin’s face became increasingly obvious.
Yu had left, giving Xiao Jin a pill before departing, saying it should be taken after Bing Zhi wakes up. Collecting his thoughts, Xiao Jin gently placed Bing Zhi’s arm, which had slipped out from under the cotton quilt, back beneath the covers.
A tender smile spread across his lips. Even Bing Zhi, barely opening her eyes, was shocked by the doting look in his eyes, her heart skipping a beat. Xiao Jin was very handsome, a rare beautiful man.
Chapter 5: Escape (4)
Xiao Jin quickly noticed that Bing Zhi had awakened, because her breathing was no longer as steady as when she was asleep.
The gentleness in Xiao Jin’s eyes and around his mouth instantly stiffened the moment he realized.
Bing Zhi had only received a moment of warmth before it disappeared. She felt disappointed and sad. Since she was seven years old, she had never received such a look and smile again.
Although Bing Zhi had a momentary impulse to try to hold onto this affection, she forcibly suppressed it. “How did you get here? How do you know about this place?”
As soon as the words came out, she realized her voice was soft and hoarse. Her throat wanted to exert strength but couldn’t.
“I’ll tell you the details when you’ve recovered,” Xiao Jin said. “Come, take the medicine first.” He helped Bing Zhi sit up, adjusting her back support. Only after seeing her sit steadily did he get up to fetch water and medicine from the tea table.
Xiao Jin sat back by the bed, blew on the tea cup, took a sip to test the temperature, and only after confirming it was suitable did he bring the medicine to Bing Zhi’s cracked lips. After she took the medicine, he brought the tea cup to her mouth, slowly tilting it to feed her water. His other hand gently patted her back. “Drink slowly.”
Bing Zhi was cared for like this for the first time. She didn’t want to say another word, letting Xiao Jin handle everything, just staring blankly at his face.
Xiao Jin’s face remained expressionless, even looking cold, but his movements were gentle and careful.
Bing Zhi questioned him in her heart. Last time she wanted to know who Xiao Jin was, and now she only wanted to know what kind of person he was. So contradictory, yet somehow comforting.
Feng quietly watched his master’s every move: He had never seen such a master before. At this moment, his master was carefully tending to a woman, and this warmth seemed as if they were naturally meant to support each other.
“You’re tired, lie down and rest for another night,” Xiao Jin said after seeing Bing Zhi had successfully swallowed the medicine. He laid her down and covered her with the blanket.
After seeing Bing Zhi close her eyes, Xiao Jin turned to extinguish the lamp, preparing to leave, when Bing Zhi reached out and grabbed his hand.
Xiao Jin turned to look at her. Her eyes were not open, and when he tried to remove her hand, he found she was gripping him tightly. Knowing she was weak and didn’t have the strength to waste, he stopped struggling and sat back down, leaning against the bed frame to sleep.
A peaceful night, with two hearts beating in the same rhythm.
Chapter 6: Worry (1)
Early the next morning, Bing Zhi woke up, calmly because she was well-rested. A night without dreams – the first time she could remember sleeping so peacefully and comfortably. Was it because of those large, powerful hands that made her feel safe and secure? Thinking this, Bing Zhi couldn’t help but blush.
This startled Xiao Jin, who had just returned with breakfast. Seeing Bing Zhi’s flushed face, he thought she had a fever and hurried to the bedside to feel her forehead, then placed his hand on his own forehead, muttering to himself: “Doesn’t seem like a fever.”
Bing Zhi quickly tried to cover: “Ah! I don’t have a fever, just feeling a bit hot.” Hot? How could that be possible when winter was approaching?
Although puzzled, Xiao Jin could tell Bing Zhi’s speech was more confident compared to yesterday, indicating she was improving. He didn’t probe further. Little did he know, Bing Zhi’s heart was racing at that moment, as lying was something she was not very good at.
“I bought some breakfast, have a bit first to replenish your strength,” Xiao Jin said while taking an exquisite pastry from the plate on the table and giving it to Bing Zhi. Bing Zhi took it, gently placing it in her mouth.
It melted instantly, and the taste was sweet and delicious, making her, who originally had no appetite, want to eat more.
Seeing this, Xiao Jin took another piece for Bing Zhi. Bing Zhi held the pastry and began to observe it. “What kind of pastry is this?” she asked.
“Yunpian gao,” Xiao Jin replied. But when he saw Bing Zhi’s curious eyes, he started explaining: “Yunpian gao, also known as Xuepian gao, is named for its thin and white characteristics. Its texture is moist and soft, like congealed fat, and can be stored for a long time without hardening. Its production is quite particular, generally stored for about half a year to remove its dry nature; the selection of white sugar is strict, and the slicing requirements are high, able to bend into a semicircle without breaking.”
Xiao Jin was not a food expert, nor could he make such pastries. He remembered these details because of his photographic memory, having seen this information before.
Bing Zhi listened and immediately threw off her blanket, wanting to get up.
