But over the years, they found that no matter how they ordered Gu Zhixing around, he would accept it without question.

If you ask him to clean the latrine, he will do it; if you ask him to carry medicinal herbs, he will carry them without a word and leave.

Gradually, everyone started to boss him around more and more, as if they wanted to get back all the fright he had suffered.

"Hey, mute!" After lunch, the young apprentice threw a basin of dirty gauze at his feet. "Wash all of this. You're not allowed to eat until you've finished!"

Gu Zhixing squatted by the well, numbly scrubbing the strips of cloth stained with pus and blood.

His fingers turned white from being soaked in the icy well water, and his wounds swelled up, but his thoughts were entirely on the person lying in the inner room.

—Is Shen Jintang feeling any better today?

—Won't she be cold?

When will she wake up?

As darkness fell, he finally finished all his work.

The clinic staff tossed him half a cold steamed bun as a handout, which he swallowed whole. He then tiptoed into Shen Jintang's room.

The dim light from the oil lamp made her face appear even paler.

Gu Zhixing added warm water to the wooden basin, wrung out a cloth, and carefully wiped her face and hands.

"Today... the osmanthus flowers in the backyard are blooming." He spoke softly, as if afraid of disturbing her. "Can you smell them?"

Of course, no one answered him.

Gu Zhixing continued wiping her slender fingers, but Shen Jintang showed no reaction. His heart ached, and he gently cleaned them with a handkerchief.

“When you’re better…” His Adam’s apple bobbed, “I’ll take you back to Kyoto. Don’t you love the sweet cakes from East Street? I’ll buy you some, a whole basketful…”

He heard footsteps outside the window and immediately fell silent.

The old doctor pushed open the door and came in, intending to administer acupuncture to clear the blood stasis in Shen Jintang. Seeing Shen Jintang standing by the bedside with bloodshot eyes, he waved his hand impatiently: "Get out! Get out! Don't get in the way!"

Gu Zhixing pursed his lips, glanced at Shen Jintang one last time, and silently withdrew.

The night breeze was cool.

He huddled by the doorway, listening to the barking of wild dogs in the distance.

In fact, with his skills, he could easily take Shen Jintang back to the capital overnight.

But……

He pulled out half a piece of maltose from under the haystack—it was given to him by the old woman at the street corner yesterday when he helped her move goods. He couldn't bear to eat it; he had intended to give it to Shen Jintang when she woke up.

The candy wrapper softened from the warmth of my body.

Gu Zhixing gazed at the moon outside the window and gently clenched his fist.

—Let's wait a little longer.

—At least until she can withstand the turbulence…