Chapter 29 Lessons

Cen Yan only wiped it once, and there were two more times left... but he still finished wiping it.

Zhuang Dongqing blushed and remained silent, mechanically performing the three tasks of receiving, washing the handkerchief, and handing it over.

Cen Yan lifted his hairband, and Zhuang Dongqing didn't insist that he cover it up again.

Anyway, since it's already been seen, it's better to just wipe it clean.

Oh, he's a professional.

As long as the patient is well, everything is fine. The medical staff are already dead anyway, so they don't mind dying a little longer.

Even though he was completely dead, he could remain calm and unmoved when dressing Cen Yan in clean clothes.

Calmness settled in, leaving only a sense of utter boredom.

Yeah, my brain's not working anymore. What abs, pecs, biceps—sigh, they're just pieces of meat anyway.

"...Thank you."

Seeing that Zhuang Dongqing hadn't spoken for a while, Cen Yan tentatively thanked him after he helped her put on her inner garment.

In return, he received a wooden nod.

The light in his eyes had faded.

She even meticulously pulled the blanket up for Cen Yan. Zhuang Dongqing said, "I'm going out now."

His voice also became much more monotonous.

Cen Yan hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

And so they watched as Zhuang Dongqing, her face flushed, disappeared through the doorway.

After leaving the house, Zhuang Dongqing handed the basin of water to Liu Fu. He stood in the night wind for a moment, then slowly squatted down, clasped his hands to his knees, and buried his head and face between his knees.

Waaaaah, so sad!

Aren't medical staff human beings?

Zhuang Dongqing was internally weeping violently.

He needs to bury himself for a while.

*

Having money is good. For example, even though it's very inconvenient at night, they not only got enough clean bedding and drinking water, but also a pot of hot vegetable porridge that was just cooked, all because of the money.

After a long day of travel, everyone was quite tired.

Zhuang Dongqing was determined not to rest today, mainly because there were pursuers behind her, so she couldn't rest. The price was that by evening, she was exhausted and felt listless, unable to eat anything.

"You guys eat the dry rations, Liufu too. Help yourselves if you want some, and then..."

Originally intending to call for guards, Zhuang Dongqing thought about it and brought half a bowl of porridge into the room herself.

Cen Yan was already feeling a little drowsy.

Zhuang Dongqing was hesitating when, as if sensing something, he opened his eyes again.

Do you...drink porridge?

"After a long day and such a serious injury, if I can eat, even just a little, it would be good."

After saying that, she thought of something and added, "If you can't do it, don't force yourself. If you can't digest it and have to get up in the middle of the night to vomit, it's not worth it."

Those thick eyelashes opened and closed a few times, and his hazy eyes refocused. Cen Yan said in a weak voice, "Let me sit up and clear my head."

"Okay, slower."

Zhuang Dongqing helped Cen Yan sit up, carefully avoiding his wound.

After waiting a while, he seemed to be more awake, so I brought the porridge to him.

The rising steam made Cen Yan's lips appear dry and pale.

Knowing that Cen Yan had experienced even more than he had today, Zhuang Dongqing didn't urge him, but let him smell the porridge and make his own judgment.

After a moment, Cen Yan asked uncertainly, "Shall we try a sip first?"

Zhuang Dongqing nodded, took the spoon, and naturally scooped up more than half a spoonful. Before handing it over, she scraped the bottom of the bowl along the rim and then held the spoon to Cen Yan's lips.

Cen Yan noticed his movement; it was to prevent the porridge from dripping from the bottom of the spoon when he drank it.

The considerations were very thorough.

Zhuang Dongqing acted naturally, and Cen Yan didn't hesitate either. He took a sip from Zhuang Dongqing's hand, swallowed it, and felt okay. He didn't really want to eat, but he wasn't completely unable to eat either.

"I'll eat something."

Cen Yan finally said.

Zhuang Dongqing nodded.

In the quiet, one reached out to feed the other, while the other lowered his head to drink. After finishing half a bowl of porridge, Cen Yan shook his head: "That's enough."

Zhuang Dongqing put down the bowl and didn't insist.

Glancing at Cen Yan's lips, Zhuang Dongqing noticed that because the amount of porridge had been controlled each time, it hadn't gotten much on his lips. She asked uncertainly, "Do you want to wash your face again? We don't have a cloth to wipe your mouth right now."

Cen Yan chuckled: "She's not that delicate."

After laughing, he looked at Zhuang Dongqing and suddenly pointed out, "How come you're so skilled at doing these things?"

"...What things?"

"Taking care of people?"

No, strictly speaking, it wasn't taking care of someone, but rather taking care of a patient. The way he wiped his body and the amount of porridge he scooped were all concise and just right. Cen Yan even felt that Zhuang Dongqing had a certain technique for wiping his body, otherwise how could he have covered all the corners just right without any unnecessary movements?

"...Oh? Really? Haha, maybe I have a talent for this."

Zhuang Dongqing laughed it off.

Her gaze drifted away, avoiding eye contact with Cen Yan.

Cen Yan stared at him for a moment, then lowered his eyelashes before Zhuang Dongqing could react. "Alright, I'll assume you are."

"..."

"Um, well, I'm going out now. Shall I help you lie down?"

"This is troublesome."

Using someone's strength, Zhuang Dongqing tucked Cen Yan into the blanket. Having completed her task of caring for the sick patient, Zhuang Dongqing didn't want to move a single finger.

He went out and handed the bowl to Liufu. During this short break, he finally felt hungry again. He took another clean bowl, filled it with porridge, and drank it slowly. After eating, he felt warm all over. He fetched hot water to wash his feet and asked Liufu to make his bed.

There were only two rooms. Cen Yan wouldn't stay with the guards, and it would be strange if he did. In the end, the two masters were arranged to stay in one room. After discussion, the only two beds were moved into one room, one for each person.

Cen Yan was wounded and had to sleep in a bed. He was no longer alone, and the guards and Liu Fu insisted that he sleep in a bed as well.

Fleeing was indeed exhausting, and Zhuang Dongqing didn't refuse, wondering if it would affect the child.

While Liu Fu was soaking his feet, the guards moved another bed into the main room, and Liu Fu followed suit to tidy up.

After Zhuang Dongqing entered the room and lay down in bed, she let out a long sigh of relief.

"Liu Fufu, how can I live without you!"

Zhuang Dongqing said sincerely.

"Young Master, you should rest. Call me if you need anything." Fearing Zhuang Dongqing would worry, he added in a low voice, "They made a bed out of wooden planks for me to sleep on, while they take turns sleeping on the floor."

"Okay, get some rest."

Liu Fu quietly tucked the blanket around Zhuang Dongqing and then left.

The door had just been closed when a voice came from the other side, "How can you not live without Liu Fu?"

It is Cen Yan.

Zhuang Dongqing was already dizzy, and her voice was slurred, "Aren't you going to sleep yet?"

It turns out all their previous caution was in vain.

But they didn't receive a reply.

Zhuang Dongqing realized, "Does the wound hurt a lot?"

Thinking that Cen Yan wouldn't admit it, Zhuang Dongqing didn't have any expectations, but the other party spoke up, "Not only that, there are also some things I can't figure out."

What is it?

When Zhuang Dongqing was sober, he would never ask questions, but in his dazed state, being so close and having taken good care of Cen Yan today, he felt a strange sense of closeness to Cen Yan and subconsciously blurted out his question.

After a moment of silence, Cen Yan asked, "Do you really think even a tiger wouldn't eat its own cubs?"

Zhuang Dongqing: "If you're asking about tigers, then of course not. When food is scarce, even a tigress will prioritize her own needs. If you're asking about people... well, you know much more about this than I do."

He grew increasingly sleepy as he spoke, and by the end, his last sentence was almost a whisper.

Cen Yan smiled: "You're quite honest."

Zhuang Dongqing said, "Go to sleep."

Cen Yan was taken aback.

Zhuang Dongqing: "Aren't you tired? You were hit by an arrow and bitten by a snake. Take care of yourself and get some rest..."

The last syllable was too low and swallowed up in the mouth, so the rest of the sentence was not uttered.

After a brief silence, Zhuang Dongqing's breathing became even; she was exhausted and fell asleep.

It was rare for Cen Yan to be lectured, but after regaining his senses, he wasn't particularly angry.

Perhaps it was because it had troubled Zhuang Dongqing for a whole day, or perhaps it was because it wasn't really a proper lesson.

Do you feel sorry for yourself?

Suddenly remembering Zhuang Dongqing's statement that "both parents are alive," Cen Yan chuckled.

I don't know if I was saying that to myself or to the baby in my belly.

but,

Regardless, it's not a bad thing to say.

After laughing, Cen Yan really closed his eyes.

Following Zhuang Dongqing's breathing, she drifted off to sleep.

*

Zhuang Dongqing is not used to sleeping in the same bed, so she slept until dawn before waking up.

I woke up with sore legs; I'd walked too much and lactic acid buildup had accumulated.

She put on her clothes, got up to relieve herself, and came back intending to go back to sleep. The morning light shone through the window and fell on Cen Yan's face. Zhuang Dongqing glanced at him, and before shrinking back into the covers, she felt that something was wrong.

Looking over again, Zhuang Dongqing was speechless. Cen Yan... looked a little too good.

I walked over a few steps, and the commotion was quite loud, but the person didn't wake up.

Zhuang Dongqing reached out and touched the other person's forehead, and immediately knew something was wrong.

With wet clothes and wounds, I endured most of the day; after all, I'm not made of iron.

I have a low-grade fever.