Chapter 12: Can't you handle your rough hands yourself?

The moment Meng Yuzhi put the teacup to his lips, he realized something was wrong. He paused, but still drank the tea.

He left the main hall as quickly as possible and made a phone call before He Wanbai made any arrangements.

The whole process was handed over to Chen Hui, who intercepted the woman arranged by He Wanbai as quickly as possible and took the reporter in the car away with the accompanying police. After Chen Hui's call, the drug had taken effect. Meng Yuzhi lit a cigar, which was like a spark, hot and dry, and his consciousness was slowly being eroded.

There were a few more lights in the courtyard, casting a dim light. He looked through the window and saw a few withered roses in the garden.

This was a variety that his grandmother had carefully cultivated. His grandmother asked him to transplant it and keep it by her side to take good care of it, but Meng Yuzhi declined.

He had raised injured birds, which were fought over and released.

After the exhibition ended yesterday, on the way home, the paintings that Chi Cheng sent were placed casually beside me.

With his head covered by the drug, Meng Yuzhi leaned against the wall. He seemed to have forgotten why he took the picture. Was it a gift for his grandmother? No, his grandmother only liked Rok's paintings. In fact, he couldn't appreciate them at all.

What about this one? Why buy it?

His memory drifted, recalling yesterday's torrential downpour that had washed away the fence halfway up the mountain, sending several saplings, tumbling down in the mud, onto the path he had to take home. He had sent someone to negotiate with the forest rangers and purchased the saplings. Their branches were broken, their leaves were yellow, and they looked half-dead, fearing they wouldn't survive. The ranger remarked that the roots and saplings were intact, suggesting a slight hope of survival, though their growth was worrying. Meng Yuzhi personally transplanted the plants to a corner of the courtyard and placed a few lights on to prevent any unintentional damage.

How many chances does a tree bud that cannot be nurtured have to grow into a tall tree that reaches the sky?

Meeting is opportunity.

Yes, it’s probably due to chance.

He smiled self-deprecatingly and slowly opened the door.

There was a faint minty scent in the room. Meng Yuzhi unbuttoned his cuffs, revealing his suit jacket, leather cuffs, and burgundy shirt with the collar slightly open.

Hearing the sound, Chi Liuai regained consciousness. She bit her lips and her mouth was dry.

This was an unfamiliar room. She still remembered hearing the three words "Mr. Meng" before she fell into coma. The heaviness of her body made Chi Liuai gradually realize what she had experienced. She was not a fool. She must have been drugged. With this little consciousness, Chi Liuai wanted to leave here.

The room was filled with the sharp scent of cedar, a scent completely different from the one he had smelled in the corridor and the garden. Chi Liuai drowsily stood up, only to be suddenly overwhelmed by the sensation of covering his face.

Something cold touched her face.

Her slightly trembling fingertips touched the texture of the unfamiliar object, and she sobbed softly.

She had touched too many clothes like this before, too many. The sense of distance brought by the high-end fabrics brought back Chi Liuai's memories. In her childhood, she had walked with that man by his clothes for more than ten years.

She was abandoned at birth in a small northern town, where dust billowed in the air. When she was found, she had no memory of her mother. Her brother said she was found in a steaming iron shed inside a machinery factory, where white mist and steam billowed, vision was blurred, and few people passed by. But she had always cried loudly, crying her way to a life of her own.

She was supported by a laundry shop run by a woman. Customers would sometimes forget to take their clothes away. The discarded clothes would be picked out by the woman using the best fabrics and made into comfortable blankets, baby clothes, and little skirts. These would be wrapped around the abandoned and adopted Chi Liuai little by little. She would slowly feel the fabric with her little hands and grow up slowly.

Not long after, the woman died of illness.

Before Chi Liuai could form a long-term memory, she passed away without hesitation, leaving behind two hungry children. Her brother, who was only ten years old, gave up the store and took Chi Liuai to the south with his only money.

The iron train heading south was making a rumbling sound, and the air was filled with a chaotic and dizzy feeling. One of them had a seat ticket, and the other had a standing ticket. The journey was 48 hours. When her brother was tired, he would hold her and sleep. When he was not tired, he would let her stretch her legs and lean on the narrow seat to rest. He blocked the way for her from the passengers passing by to get hot water, and stood there motionless like a leopard, just to prevent the man opposite who was taking off his boots from stretching his feet to Chi Liuai's legs.

But she was crying.

She felt how cold it was, how hard the seat was, and why she didn't have the same biscuits as everyone else. As she cried, she saw her brother, expressionless, standing tall, his hands curled up in his frayed sleeves, awkwardly groping for the coarse fabric.

In Haicheng, my brother went out early and came back late. No factory dared to take the risk of hiring him because he was too young, so he spent money to buy a modified tricycle and set up a stall in front of the factory. My brother stood on a stool and barely reached the pot. Amid the sound of boiling oil and splashing in the pot, my brother used a spatula to stir-fry food that had provided Chi Liuai with enough money to eat for more than ten years.

Since she was three years old, her brother had tied her up with a rope, waist to waist, strangely binding them like an umbilical cord. At that time, she loved to pull her brother's clothes and ask him to take her home.

She hated the looks from passersby.

When her brother disagreed, she started throwing a tantrum and pulling at his clothes, making a fuss.

"I want to go home. It's so hot here. I want to go home."

"Buy you a popsicle."

"No, I don't want it!"

"Then what do you want?"

"I want."

Chi Liuai curled up, burying herself in the comforting scent of cedar, her fingers tightly gripping the smooth fabric as she cried softly, "I want to go home."

"I'm so hot I want to go home."

Meng Yuzhi, half wrapped in a towel, slowly walked to the wine cabinet, glass in one hand. Behind him, there was a sudden, intermittent sound of earwax. The bedroom light was off, and he hadn't noticed the person in the bed before entering the bathroom. She was curled up in her coat. He averted his gaze and lowered his head to pour himself a glass of wine on the rocks.

By the time Chi Liuai managed to stand up, she was kneeling on the bed with her coat draped over her body.

She raised her eyes and met the approaching man's gaze.

It's him again!

If I can't get her love, do I have to use all means?

"Why is it you?" Chi Liuai had difficulty breathing. "Have you been following me all this time?"

Meng Yuzhi saw the girl's face clearly, his eyes were indifferent, and he took a sip of wine.

"go out."

What's the meaning?

This is Mr. Meng's territory, why should he let her go?

She stared at the man's rolling Adam's apple, his bathrobe sagging. Chi Liuai felt the effects of the drug kicking in again. Following the man's swallowing of the red wine, she also swallowed. The dryness in her mouth made her aware that she had become drowsy after drinking the cup of hot tea, which was why her mouth was dry now.

The girl hurried to her feet, her limp body unable to react, and she unexpectedly fell against the man's legs. Meng Yuzhi caught a whiff of the refreshing mint scent, which quickly took root in his lungs. For a moment, the two of them watched in silence, and then Chi Liuai felt a large hand covering her head, moving upward from her bruised chin.

It was just as I imagined, the palm was indeed rough and strong.

The question that has troubled Meng Yuzhi for several years has been answered here.

Since even the grandmother who raised him was eager for him to have a woman to trip him up, why should he be so stubborn?

He needs a wife who is clumsy, emotionless and a normal family person.

Ambiguity is on the verge of breaking out.

"Go to sleep." Meng Yuzhi patted her head gently.

Comforting.

......

The next morning, Chi Liuai hid in the bathroom, his head swollen. In the mirror, Chi Liuai blushed and didn't want to look.

He had little intention of teaching her: "Good girl, don't be ashamed of your desires."

At the same time, he also taught her what reciprocity means.

Early in the morning, when she was half asleep, she heard the man say in her ear not to take a shower until he came back.

Chi Liuai nodded obediently and agreed.

After she woke up, all the mess in the bedroom was cleaned up, and she did not forget her promise to the man, but——

He even controls me taking a shower. How chauvinistic!

Only fools would be obedient.

After soaking in the hot water for a few seconds, Chi Liuai cried out in pain. The bathroom was filled with steam. Chi Liuai looked in the mirror and saw her wet hair still dripping with water. She was startled by the severe pain.

Just then, there was a knock at the door—three long and two short, neither light nor heavy. I quickly put on my coat and opened the door.

Chi Liuai pulled his collar closer.

The girl was bathed in mist, fragrant and smooth. Meng Yuzhi's gaze dropped from her dripping hair, and his brows furrowed.

The wound got wet and she became very disobedient.

Meng Yuzhi raised his hand and shook the medicine box: "Iodine."

"snort."

"Let me do it." Meng Yuzhi's expression remained calm as he reminded Chi Liuai, "The wound is on the back of your neck, so applying medicine will be inconvenient."

Chi Liuai paused and was about to refuse, but Meng Yuzhi was quite considerate: "Are you afraid of pain?"

She met the man's smiling eyes and said, "I'm not afraid. Who are you looking down on?"

"Yes, very brave."

Meng Yuzhi entered the room and laid out the props: white gloves, gauze, pliers, alcohol, iodine, tape... Meng Yuzhi rolled up her shirt sleeves to above her elbows. The white gloves fit snugly against her fingertips, making her palms look broad and slender. She had experienced this both visually and tactilely last night.

"Are you very skilled?" Chi Liuai swallowed.

"I was often injured as a child, so I've mastered the basic steps for treating various types of wounds." Meng Yuzhi tugged at the collar, his fingers slightly bent in front of him, and said to Chi Liuai, "For example, the first step."

He approached Chi Liuai. The girl was sitting properly on the bed, with scratches faintly hidden on her collar.

Chi Liuai tilted her head and smoothed her hair.

"Take off your clothes."

The metal tweezers refracted the cold light under the incandescent lamp, and Chi Liuai's gaze locked onto the approaching cotton ball, stained with dark red iodine. As if the words just now hadn't caused any discomfort, she could even now feel the sting of the potion pressed firmly against the wound, and her teeth ached.

Meng Yuzhi's arms were very strong, and she couldn't imagine how gentle these hands could move. What was even more outrageous was that this man was just like this.

At this moment, calmly wait for yourself to take off your clothes.

Why take off clothes to apply medicine?!

The effect of the medicine has worn off, and it's not enough for him?!

The cotton ball was dripping with moisture, and Meng Yuzhi seemed to finally realize how wrong his words were.

"It's not convenient to apply medicine in pajamas."

"Well... okay." Chi Liuai hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, "Although we had a little accident last night, once we get out of this, we'll go our separate ways. Got it?"

She felt that it was necessary to remind Meng Yuzhi to speak more clearly.

"Yeah, okay."

The wind blew open the half-closed window, and the warmth from the hot shower dissipated, and Chi Liuai couldn't help but shiver.

The velvet coat slowly slid down to her shoulders, and the cool touch touched the back of her neck. Meng Yu applied the medicine gently and slowly. The pressure and stinging she imagined were completely unnecessary. She could even feel the warmth from the man's warm breath, just like when she was a child, when her brother blew gently on the abrasions, and the air floated away.

The crisp sound of metal hitting each other brought her back to her senses. She saw Meng Yuzhi took out several tubes of ointment, each with strings of French words on it.

Chi Liuai was puzzled: "Will it hurt? Can I not apply it? It doesn't seem necessary..."

"It hurts a lot. No, it's necessary." Sure enough, the ointment was difficult to spread evenly on the wound. Meng Yuzhi's hand was too strong. Chi Liuai gasped and turned her head to avoid it, but was pressed on the shoulder by another hand with even greater force, and she could not move.

I listened to the man's explanation word by word: "Originally, it's not necessary, but the wound will easily become inflamed if it's exposed to water for a long time. If you don't apply anti-inflammatory and scar removal in time, it will ulcerate, leaving scars, and even the risk of infection and fever. Bathing is an unwise choice."

Pressing, applying, and pinching the neck, the man paused halfway and glanced at the girl.

Quite concerned: "Does it hurt?"

Chi Liuai gritted his teeth, forcing the tears to stop flowing from his eyes, and said in a very calm tone: "No feeling."

Suffering is only temporary; that was Chi Liuai's motto in life. She always believed she could get through it. Especially now, the burning pain, the soreness from being held in place by a broad hand, and the smiling eyes—all ultimately no match for the childishness. Chi Liuai blushed, her face flushing with a cowardly expression.

She knew it, he just wanted her to remember it.

Of course she knew that wounds would become infected if they got wet, but she had been taking care of herself in this muddled way for so many years and had never died. Besides, this was her own body.

This man has no reason to discipline her!

"I don't like you at all!" Chi Liuai tried to save face and make amends.

"Don't like me? In my bed?"

Meng Yuzhi sat on the sofa beside the bed, legs crossed, looking uninterested.

He must be pretending. Chi Liuai secretly complained to herself, this man frequently appeared in her life, and every time he deliberately dressed in a suit and tie, wasn't it just to attract her attention? In this scene and this feeling, Chi Liuai was even more certain of this idea. She wanted to kill this man's dangerous intentions immediately.

This is a crime, and the police and Mr. Meng will not let him go.

Afraid that his direct refusal would irritate the man, Chi Liuai endured his weak legs and feet and moved forward little by little.

"have a look."

She extended her watch-studded hand, then tentatively retracted it, testing the man's animal instincts. The family crest engraved on the dial was unusually clear in the dim light, emitting a faint glow. If one listened carefully, one could hear the friction of the vintage watch's hands turning. As a valuable ornamental watch, it was not suitable for outdoor wear.

Meng Yuzhi specially lengthened the wristband and often placed it on the top cabinet of his study, which is a private place.

However, this watch just appeared on Chi Liuai's wrist, and was blatantly held up for him to see. Even when her hand was sore from holding it, she still shook it and dangled it in front of him when she took a break.

The man's calm demeanor left Chi Liuai somewhat bewildered. Most people would have shown her some respect, but for Mr. Meng's sake, they certainly wouldn't embarrass her.

But this person is different.

"See it clearly!"

Chi Liuai asked viciously.

Meng Yuzhi felt a little itchy in his heart and needed an outlet. He bit the end of the cigarette, seemed to have thought of something, and put away the lighter.

He glanced at her coldly, causing Chi Liuai to shiver.

Chi Liuai showed off his watch, not to be outdone.

"Ten to five. Any questions?"

Chi Liuai: “…”

There was a knock on the door, and then the man went out. Chi Liuai used the daily necessities she had prepared, washed up briefly, and then quietly went out.

Although the two of them didn't reach the final step last night, they still saw and touched everything they should have seen and touched.

I can’t say I feel guilty, but if I had to describe my mood, it would be excitement.

This can be considered as having an affair with a wild man on Mr. Meng's territory. If Mr. Meng finds out, what will happen to this wild man?

When Chi Liuai walked out of the wooden corridor, she was dumbfounded.

She saw that the highly respected "Meng Yuzhi" was actually kneeling in front of a wild man.

She must not be awake yet.

Meng Ran was sent by Meng Yuzhi to be personally detained from his home. That morning, he was sitting at the dining table, having morning tea with Meng Tianxi, when Chen Hui, accompanied by several bodyguards, asked Meng Ran to visit the other courtyard.

When he heard the word "detached courtyard", Meng Ran felt guilty.

They secretly kept Chi Liuai there last night, guessing that Chi Liuai might have slept too long and scared the servants in the other courtyard.

As a result, when I saw Meng Yuzhi, I saw the hand with the teeth marks on it.

The clever Meng Ran understood immediately.

Chi Liuai didn't just sleep for a long time, he was completely asleep.