Chapter 21

After an unknown amount of time, a soft, sleepy moan came from the bed.

Almost simultaneously, Sheng Xuan by the window seemed to have been switched on, instantly springing up from her seat! She rushed to the bedside, eagerly leaning closer, her voice filled with undisguised tension and concern: "Ze Lan? You're awake? How are you feeling? Did you rest well? Is anything bothering you?"

Xiao Qiyun immediately got up and walked quickly but steadily to the other side of the bed. Unlike Sheng Xuan, he did not bend down eagerly, but instead bent down slightly, maintaining a polite distance, his gaze gently and carefully sweeping over Su Zhelan's face, observing his complexion and mental state.

His voice was deep and clear, carrying a soothing power: "Zelan, did you sleep well? Are you feeling better?"

Su Zhelan opened her eyes groggily, her thick, long eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings. Her eyes still held the bewilderment and mist of someone just waking up, clearly not yet fully awake from a deep sleep.

He instinctively reached out to rub his eyes, but his arm felt weak. The two magnified faces in front of him, filled with concern, momentarily stunned him; his brain seemed to be slowly processing the information.

"Hmm...?" Su Zhelan responded vaguely, his voice hoarse and soft from just waking up. He blinked, his gaze shifting back and forth between Sheng Xuan's anxious face and Xiao Qiyun's calm and gentle face, as if he had finally confirmed who was in front of him.

He took a soft breath, assessed his physical condition, and then nodded slowly and slightly to the two of them, his voice still soft and gentle: "...Much better..."

He tried to force a smile, but his exhaustion made it difficult, and he could only manage a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Xiao Qiyun smiled with relief, his eyes softening further. He then took over the conversation, explaining the arrangements he had just discussed with Sheng Xuan in the most concise and clear way: "It's good that you're awake. I just went out and found a nice inn."

He spoke slowly to make sure Su Zhelan could hear him clearly, "Once you feel a little better, we'll pack up, have lunch first, and then move over."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Su Zhelan's slightly pale face. His tone carried a hint of discussion, yet also an undeniable steadiness: "Get some rest for another night. We'll head back to the manor first thing tomorrow morning, so Su Yan won't worry. Do you think... is that alright?"

Su Zhelan listened quietly, his eyes still somewhat dazed, his long eyelashes fluttering gently as Xiao Qiyun spoke. He seemed to be still trying to process the series of information—changing inns, eating, moving, returning home tomorrow… These words slowly swirled in his still somewhat hazy mind after just waking up.

He subconsciously looked at Sheng Xuan again, as if seeking some confirmation.

Having received Sheng Xuan's affirmation, Su Zhelan nodded slowly and slightly again, her voice as soft as a feather, filled with drowsiness and complete trust: "...Okay...I'll listen to you..."

Seeing Su Zhelan nod in agreement, Xiao Qiyun's gaze completely relaxed, a gentle smile playing on his lips. He lightly patted Sheng Xuan's shoulder and whispered, "Let him nap a little longer. I'll go ask the restaurant to prepare some light and easily digestible lunch and bring it up in a bit."

After saying that, he glanced at Su Zhelan, who had quieted down on the bed again, then turned around, tiptoed, and quietly left the room to arrange the next steps.

The door was gently closed, leaving only Su Zhelan's long, drawn-out breathing and Sheng Xuan's satisfied figure in the room.

Sheng Xuan didn't let Su Zhelan nap for long. He almost immediately and quietly began packing their few belongings—mainly Su Zhelan's medicine and some odds and ends bought at the temple fair yesterday.

He moved swiftly, but his eyes kept drifting towards the bed, watching Su Zhelan's movements.

When Su Zhelan's eyelashes fluttered again, seemingly indicating that she was fully awake, Sheng Xuan immediately put down what she was holding and quickly walked to the bedside.

"Ze Lan? Are you awake?" Sheng Xuan's voice was extremely soft, with a cautious gentleness. "How are you feeling? Can you sit up? We...should get ready to eat."

As he spoke, he reached out and, with an extremely natural and unquestionable protective gesture, gently supported Su Zhelan's shoulders and back, trying to help him sit up.

Su Zhelan's mind was still a little sluggish from just waking up, and his body was weak and listless. He obediently used Sheng Xuan's help to slowly sit up, shaking his head slightly, trying to dispel the last bit of sleepiness.

He glanced around the room, seemingly only then remembering the previous arrangements, his voice hoarse from just waking up: "...Um...okay..."

"Come on, slowly." Sheng Xuan was completely focused, almost completely encircling Su Zhelan in his arms, carefully and extremely slowly helping Su Zhelan move to the bedside.

His gaze swept over the wheelchair placed in the corner. He took a deep breath, adjusted his posture, and steadily supported Su Zhelan's back with one hand, while the other hand went under Su Zhelan's knees, as if to lift him up and place him in the wheelchair.

Just then—

With a soft creak, the door opened again. Xiao Qiyun walked in, carrying a small tray with steaming, fragrant porridge and several delicate side dishes.

His face still held the relief of having made the arrangements, and his gaze instinctively fell on the bed, only to find Sheng Xuan preparing to pick him up in an extremely intimate manner, almost completely enveloping Su Zhelan in his arms.

Xiao Qiyun paused almost imperceptibly at the doorway, his gaze lingering for a moment on Sheng Xuan's arm pressed tightly against Su Zhelan's back and on Su Zhelan's profile, which showed a dazed and helpless look as she leaned against Sheng Xuan.

The relaxed smile on his face faded slightly, but quickly returned to its usual gentleness. He didn't make a sound to disturb them, but quietly placed the tray gently on the table before turning around and walking calmly towards the bedside.

Sheng Xuan noticed the door open the moment it opened. He paused in his embrace of Su Zhelan. Instead of turning around immediately, he instinctively tightened his arms around her, as if to completely shield her from Xiao Qiyun's gaze.

He could feel Xiao Qiyun approaching, and that familiar, subtle bittersweet feeling quietly resurfaced, mixed with a kind of tension of "being caught in an intimate encounter" and a trace of barely perceptible...smugness?

"Ze Lan, how are you feeling? Are you seated securely?" Xiao Qiyun's voice rang out behind Sheng Xuan, as gentle as ever, revealing nothing unusual.

He didn't touch Su Zhelan directly, but stopped on the other side of the wheelchair, his gaze fixed on Su Zhelan's still somewhat pale face with concern.

Su Zhelan, half-carried by Sheng Xuan, looked up at Xiao Qiyun approaching with a somewhat dazed expression, and softly hummed in agreement: "...Much better..."

Sheng Xuan then seemed to have just noticed Xiao Qiyun's arrival. He turned his head and glanced at Xiao Qiyun quickly, his tone carrying a deliberate "busyness" and "naturalness": "He just woke up and doesn't have much strength. I'll help him into the wheelchair." After saying that, without waiting for Xiao Qiyun to make any response, he immediately and even more carefully picked up Su Zhelan and carried her steadily.

Su Zhelan gasped softly at Sheng Xuan's sudden movement, instinctively reaching out to grab the front of his shirt. This small, dependent gesture made Sheng Xuan's lips curl into a smile, the smugness instantly overshadowing the bitterness in his heart.

He gently placed Su Zhelan into the wheelchair, his movements as tender as if she were a fragile treasure. Then he quickly knelt down, carefully adjusted the position of Su Zhelan's legs, and pulled over a thin blanket to cover her legs completely.

"Alright!" Sheng Xuan stood up, clapped his hands, and then turned around completely to look at Xiao Qiyun standing to the side, with a hint of smugness in his eyes.

Xiao Qiyun observed Sheng Xuan's series of actions and subtle changes in expression. He didn't say anything, only nodded to Sheng Xuan with a calm gaze, before turning his attention entirely to Su Zhelan in the wheelchair and saying gently, "Zhelan, lunch is ready. It's all light and easy to digest. Shall we have some?"

His gaze swept over the steaming porridge and dishes on the table, then returned to Su Zhelan's face, patiently waiting for her response.

The afternoon sun streamed through the window, warmly bathing the room and illuminating the tiny dust particles in the air. It also outlined Sheng Xuan's profile as he stood guard beside the wheelchair, his expression a mixture of barely perceptible tension and possessiveness, and Xiao Qiyun's gentle and calm figure standing to the side, observing everything with a clear and calm demeanor.

Sitting in her wheelchair, feeling the warmth on her legs and the distinct yet equally caring aura of the two boys beside her, Su Zhelan nodded gently: "...Okay."

Xiao Qiyun nodded slightly, walked naturally to the table, and steadily picked up the tray containing congee and side dishes. Sheng Xuan immediately, almost snatched Su Zhelan's wheelchair, his movements swift and decisive, allowing no one else to interfere, and smoothly pushed Su Zhelan to the table. He quickly adjusted the wheelchair's position, ensuring Su Zhelan could comfortably reach the tabletop.

Xiao Qiyun gently placed a bowl of lukewarm congee in front of Su Zhelan, and then arranged several refreshing side dishes—a plate of bright green stir-fried vegetables, a plate of tender steamed egg custard, and a plate of finely shredded pickled cucumber—in order. He then picked up another bowl of congee and sat down opposite Su Zhelan, his movements unhurried.

Sheng Xuan didn't sit down immediately. He first quickly glanced at the porridge and dishes in front of Su Zhelan to make sure they were warm and light, and then sat down next to Su Zhelan on the stool next to her, leaning slightly towards her, his eyes almost glued to her hands.

The room was filled only with the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks and the weak, slurping sounds of Su Zhelan sipping porridge. Sunlight streamed in at an angle, casting warm patches of light on the table.

Su Zhelan was sipping her porridge when she noticed a spoonful of pale yellow egg custard suddenly appear in her bowl. She paused for a moment before looking up at Xiao Qiyun across from her.

A faint, weary gratitude appeared on his pale face, and his voice remained soft: "...Thank you..."

After that soft thank you, the room fell silent again. Su Zhelan slowly and carefully ate the steamed egg custard that Xiao Qiyun had given him, and then forced down a few mouthfuls of porridge before gently putting down the spoon, leaning back slightly, revealing obvious fatigue.

Xiao Qiyun also put down his chopsticks at the right time. He did not urge her, but just quietly watched Su Zhelan until he was sure that Su Zhelan was really not eating anymore, before speaking gently: "If you have finished eating, shall we pack up a bit and get ready to go to the new inn? It's not far from here, we'll get there soon."

His gaze swept over Su Zhelan's tired face, and he added, "If you get tired on the way, you can close your eyes and rest."

Su Zhelan nodded slightly, seemingly saving the effort to speak. He merely adjusted his posture slightly, trying to make himself more comfortable in the wheelchair.

Sheng Xuan's gaze fell on Su Zhelan's slightly squinted eyes, which seemed still troubled by the light. He quickly pulled out the neatly folded, soft and thin eye veil from his pocket.

He leaned down, close to Su Zhelan, and spoke in a very soft voice, with a coaxing gentleness: "Zhelan, it's too bright outside. Let me put this on you to block out the light, so you'll be more comfortable."

As he spoke, he gently brushed aside a few stray hairs from Su Zhelan's forehead with his fingertips before softly covering Su Zhelan's eyes with the veil, wrapping it around the back of her head, and tying a knot that was neither too tight nor too loose.

Xiao Qiyun watched the entire process of Sheng Xuan blindfolding Su Zhelan. His gaze lingered for a moment on Sheng Xuan's focused, almost breathless profile and Su Zhelan's sleeping face, which appeared even more fragile and quiet after being blindfolded. Something seemed to flash quickly through the depths of his eyes, so fast that it was impossible to grasp.

Xiao Qiyun's face remained expressionless; he simply nodded calmly and opened the door first. "Yes, come with me." He stepped aside, but his gaze once again passed over Sheng Xuan's shoulder and landed on Su Zhelan's face, which was covered by an eye veil. After confirming that the veil was not too tight, he took the lead and walked out.

Sheng Xuan pushed the wheelchair, following closely behind Xiao Qiyun out of the room. The light in the corridor was much brighter than in the room, and even through the thin veil, Su Zhelan could feel the change in light and subconsciously shrank further into the wheelchair.

Sheng Xuan immediately, almost instinctively, pulled the wheelchair handle closer to himself, keeping the wheelchair's trajectory close to the wall.

Xiao Qiyun did not lead them to the bustling, noisy main street of the temple fair near the inn's main entrance. Instead, he turned and, familiar with the area, entered a relatively quiet, narrow corridor leading to the back courtyard.

Just a few steps away, the deafening clamor of the temple fair could be faintly heard ahead—the cheers of the crowd, the shouts of the vendors, and the gongs and drums of the stage, all mixed together into a wave of sound that made one feel restless.

Sheng Xuan's brows furrowed instantly, and the hand pushing the wheelchair tightened its grip unconsciously. His body was taut like a fully drawn bow as he warily stared at Xiao Qiyun's back, as if silently questioning: Why is there such a commotion?

Xiao Qiyun, however, seemed to have anticipated this. At an inconspicuous fork in the narrow corridor, he unhesitatingly chose the narrower, darker path on the left.

The path hugs the high back wall of the inn, with smooth bluestone slabs underfoot. Some abandoned items from the inn are piled up on both sides, and the air is filled with the scent of damp earth and faint moss.

Compared to the bustling temple fair just a wall away, this place was like another world, with only the footsteps of the three of them and the soft rolling of their wheelchair over the stone slabs echoing in the quiet.

Su Zhelan's brows, which were covered by a veil, relaxed slightly as she was suddenly away from the noise.

The deafening sound was blocked by the thick walls and winding paths, turning into a distant, indistinct background hum, no longer oppressive.

Instead, there was a clearer vibration from the stone slabs beneath his feet, the crisp sound of water droplets occasionally falling from the wall and hitting the slabs, and the cool, earthy fragrance in the air. Unconsciously, he buried his face deeper into the soft cushions of the wheelchair backrest.

Sheng Xuan's tense nerves finally relaxed slightly after entering this quiet path. He pushed the wheelchair, following closely behind Xiao Qiyun through the narrow space.

Xiao Qiyun's steps remained steady, and he was exceptionally familiar with this path, which was obviously not frequently used, always able to find the smoothest passage among the piles of miscellaneous items.

Sheng Xuan only needed to concentrate on controlling the wheelchair, avoiding the occasional small potholes or protruding slabs on the ground, ensuring that Su Zhelan felt no bumps. His gaze mostly fell on Su Zhelan's profile covered by an eye veil and his slightly undulating shoulders, confirming that he was not uncomfortable due to the change in environment.