Chapter 23

"What happened?" Shen Li rushed to the dressing room and saw Luo Mingxiu sitting in a chair with his costume lifted up, revealing a bright red streak of blood on his side that had sunk into the hem of his shoe.

At first glance, it's shocking.

“In the last fight scene in the mountains, I accidentally tripped him and he fell. The terrain there was uneven, and he rolled around after falling, scraping his calf,” Sun Qi said with a tearful expression. “Sister Li, please help me persuade him to go to the hospital. I think the fall was pretty bad, and I’m afraid he might have broken a bone.”

Luo Mingxiu said nonchalantly, "It's just a minor injury, there's no need to waste medical resources."

Shen Li walked over. There was a first-aid kit on the ground. Xiao Wen was squatting down treating his wound. After wiping the blood clean with a wet wipe, a cut about two centimeters long was exposed.

She bent down to take a closer look; the wound wasn't deep.

As if to show her on purpose, Luo Mingxiu used his hand to stretch open the skin around the wound, and a little more blood seeped out.

"Stop touching me!" Shen Li frowned and pried his hand away.

Luo Mingxiu: "I wanted to tell you it's not serious, don't worry."

Shen Li's brows remained furrowed as she watched Xiao Wen treat the wound. After applying the dressing, Xiao Wen went over to check carefully, patting other parts of his body: "Where else did you fall?"

Luo Mingxiu shook his head: "That's all."

"Really?" Shen Li was skeptical. "Can you stand up? Let me see."

Luo Mingxiu got up and paced back and forth a couple of times before saying, "I'm really fine."

Shen Li breathed a slight sigh of relief and said to Sun Qi, "Go eat. Xiao Wen will talk to you if there are any problems later."

“Then I’m leaving,” Sun Qi said, glancing at Luo Mingxiu. “If you feel unwell, be sure to go to the hospital.”

Luo Mingxiu nodded.

"I'm going back to the car to put my things away. Brother Luo, you wait for me here." Xiao Wen packed up the first-aid kit and walked out.

In an instant, only the two of them remained in the lounge. Shen Li and Luo Mingxiu looked at each other for a few seconds, wanting to say something, when the phone rang. She saw the caller ID and realized that she had forgotten about Li Nan in her haste to come over.

She walked to the door to answer the phone: "I'm sorry, Li Nan, something came up..."

"I just ran into the director, and he said Luo Mingxiu is injured?" Li Nan asked on the other end of the phone.

"Yes, I just checked, thankfully there's nothing seriously wrong," Shen Li said.

"Are you coming for dinner again?" Li Nan's voice was somewhat somber.

Both dinner invitations ended unexpectedly, and Shen Li felt really bad: "Come on, I'll be right there..."

She heard the sound of something falling behind her. Turning around, she saw the water cup that Luo Mingxiu often carried lying on the ground, its lid overturned, water spilled all over the floor.

She asked worriedly, "Your hand is injured? You can't even hold a cup."

"I didn't hold it properly." Luo Mingxiu bent down to pick up the cup, and as he straightened up, a hiss escaped his lips.

"What's wrong? Where does it hurt?" Shen Li quickly went over to help him, her nerves immediately on edge.

Li Nan called out to Shen Li twice on the other end of the phone before she got her attention back.

"Li Nan, how about another day? I'll definitely treat you to a big meal another time." Shen Li finally said this. She was really worried about Luo Mingxiu. Even if she went to a restaurant, she wouldn't be able to eat with Li Nan in peace.

Li Nan sounded disappointed: "When are we going to get this meal back?"

Shen Li: "I'm so sorry."

A soft laugh came from the other end of the phone: "No need to apologize. Do you think I'm that unreasonable? Let's get together after filming wraps up. It'll only be less than two months. My dad said you'd be coming over then."

"That's what I promised Uncle Li. You treated me to a meal when I went to your house. I have to treat you to a meal after filming wraps up."

"I've got it. It'll just be the two of us then, so I'll keep my word."

"good."

Shen Li hung up the phone and looked at Luo Mingxiu, who was leaning against the door.

"Stand still."

She walked over and, like a security check, searched his entire body with her hands. Finally, when she touched his abdomen, he frowned.

"stomachache?"

"Um."

Why didn't you say so earlier?

"I only realized it hurt when I bent over," Luo Mingxiu said, looking down with a pitiful expression.

Shen Li pulled him in, closed the door, and reached for his waist with both hands. She quickly untied the belt of his Miao clothing and pulled up the inner lining of his shirt.

"Sister." Luo Mingxiu grabbed her hand to stop her.

Shen Li said in a commanding tone, "Lift your clothes up."

Luo Mingxiu's face quickly flushed, his ears turning bright red: "Do you really want to see?"

Seeing his expression, Shen Li immediately realized what he meant and glanced at him: "What are you thinking about? Lift me up so I can see your injuries. I have some medicine in my bag that might come in handy."

As she spoke, she went to the chair, rummaged through her bag and took out an anti-inflammatory spray and a box of plasters she often kept on set to prevent back injuries.

When he turned around, Luo Mingxiu had already lifted half of his shirt, revealing his narrow waist and abdomen, with tight lines and well-defined muscles.

Faced with those well-defined yet understated abs, Shen Li unconsciously started counting in her mind. When she reached eight, she looked up and met Luo Mingxiu's clear eyes, and her head suddenly felt hot.

Damn it, what is she thinking?

Shen Li looked away, feigning composure as she leaned down and pressed her fingers against the noticeably reddened area on his abdomen: "Does it hurt here?"

"Mmm." Luo Mingxiu's response came from under his nose, his breathing becoming rapid.

Shen Li reached out and pressed around again.

Luo Mingxiu's breathing quickened: "Sister, don't touch there."

"Shut up."

Shen Li felt her face burning with embarrassment and dared not touch his increasingly hot skin anymore. She picked up the spray and sprayed it haphazardly on his waist and abdomen, then tossed the plaster box to him: "Put it on yourself, wherever it hurts."

Luo Mingxiu gave an "oh" and stared at the woman with her back to him, a slight smile curving his lips to himself.

The crew plans to wrap up filming in January after the Lunar New Year so they can go home for the holiday. With just over a month left, the actors are rehearsing intensively, and no one wants to waste any time according to the plan.

Now that we've heard that Luo Mingxiu was injured, the actors who had scenes with him later have all come forward in the group chat to offer their condolences.

Luo Mingxiu sent two words to the group: No problem.

These people then dispersed.

After Director Liu inquired about the specifics in a private chat, the schedule was not changed in accordance with his wishes.

The day after he was injured, Luo Mingxiu saw the news as soon as he got up.

Shen Li: Are you feeling better?

The wound on his leg had visibly closed up a bit. Luo Mingxiu reached out and pressed his lower abdomen, which was still slightly painful. He peeled off the plaster and saw that the area that had been red yesterday was now bruised.

It seems I'll have to ask Xiaowen to buy some medicine to promote blood circulation and remove blood stasis.

He got up, found the plaster box that Shen Li had given him, took out a plaster, replaced it, and replied: "Much better."

Shen Li: Yes, eat a light diet until your injury heals, and take leave to go to the hospital for a check-up if you feel unwell.

Shen Li: When filming action scenes, pay attention to balancing work and rest, and don't push yourself too hard.

Luo Mingxiu replied with a "hello," a faint smile playing on his lips as he read the message on the screen over and over again.

Xiaowen messaged him saying breakfast was ready, and Luo Mingxiu quickly got ready and went out. At the corner of the corridor, he ran into the person he least wanted to see.

"Wait," Li Nan stopped him, "I thought about it all night yesterday, how could it be such a coincidence?"

Luo Mingxiu paused in his tracks: "What are you trying to say?"

Li Nan: "Both dinners fell through because of you. I discussed it with Shen Li this morning, and you got injured this afternoon?"

"I haven't done anything yet, and you're already this scared?"

Luo Mingxiu lowered his eyes: "My sister is tired after filming all day and has to deal with outsiders. You don't care, but I do. It's just one less meal. Why are you barking at me like a dog?"

"Don't try to confuse me with the main point. Whatever you do is just a silent protest against me and won't affect me at all."

"How many times can you pull off this self-inflicted injury trick?" Li Nan sneered, glaring at him. "I never thought that after all these years, Shen Li would still have such a madman like you hidden by her side."

Luo Mingxiu gave a slight smile: "Thank you for the compliment."

After saying that, he pushed him away and walked straight ahead. At the elevator entrance, a familiar figure was standing there. Luo Mingxiu walked over and put away the gloom on his face.

Shen Li, with her hands in her pockets, stared blankly at the changing numbers on the elevator screen, not noticing him for a moment.

Luo Mingxiu didn't disturb her, and quietly stood behind her to admire her.

As winter approached, the days were filled with cold winds and occasional light rain, causing a significant drop in temperature. Shen Li had already put on a heavy, dark down jacket, wrapping herself up tightly. From behind, only the back of her neck could be seen when she lowered her head.

"I need a scarf," Luo Mingxiu thought, staring at the back of her fair neck.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and he coughed softly.

"You walk so quietly?" Shen Li asked, startled as she turned around. Then she added, "Going to the breakfast shop?"

"Hmm." Luo Mingxiu nodded, and saw Shen Li take out a bottle of safflower oil and hand it to him.

"I found an unopened bottle in the first-aid kit. I glanced at it yesterday. Have Xiaowen add some more to your kit. Injuries and bruises are common when filming, so you need to have a full supply of emergency medicines."

"Okay." Luo Mingxiu put the safflower oil in his pocket and straightened his clothes.

Shen Li frowned when she saw that he was only wearing a coat: "Wear more clothes, aren't you cold? It's starting to snow in other places recently, don't sacrifice warmth for style."

Luo Mingxiu smiled and said, "I have a hot body temperature, don't you remember, sister?"

Shen Li hadn't forgotten, but for some reason, she thought of those hot abs from yesterday, and her eyelashes trembled: "Alright, you're not a kid anymore, take care not to catch a cold."

Luo Mingxiu saw her hands, which were exposed to the air and were red from the cold, and stepped forward to take her hand.

"What are you doing?" Shen Li asked reflexively, then felt her large hand covering her mouth as the elevator doors dinged.

Afraid of being seen, Shen Li quickly let go of the sedan chair, and in the blink of an eye, the sedan chair was empty. The two of them went inside.

“You have true body heat, and it hasn’t changed over the years,” Shen Li said.

“Then…” Luo Mingxiu’s heart jumped to his throat. He boldly grabbed one of her hands and put it into his pocket.

Shen Li struggled a couple of times, but her grip tightened even more.

"Just for a little while, sister," Luo Mingxiu pleaded, "there's no one else here."

The warmth from his palm felt like a heater. Remembering how he had done the same thing in the past winters, Chen Li stopped moving and said, "Thank you."

When she said "a little while," she meant "a little while," not a moment longer. Once they reached the first floor, Chen Li shook him off and quickened her pace to leave.

Luo Mingxiu stopped in his tracks, looking dejected. He reached out and smelled his hand. The strong scent of pear-scented hand cream filled his nostrils. His mind went blank for a moment. He quickly closed his fingers and put them back in his pocket, determined to preserve the scent for as long as possible.