Chapter 41: "No, you sleep very well."
As the sun rises higher, it illuminates the view inside the house.
The beam of light shone on Xiao Xu's waist and abdomen, which were exposed by the roll-up hem of his clothes.
After Yun Sheng sat up, she could see more clearly that the white cloth around Xiao Xu's waist was wrapped crookedly, and bloodstains had seeped through, a bright red patch that was still spreading.
This can hardly be called treatment; it would be an exaggeration to say that it was just a matter of wrapping the cloth around the person a few times.
Xiao Xu was naturally aware of the situation in his waist and abdomen. He didn't care much and was about to sit up when Yun Sheng gently pushed him.
Xiao Xu lay back down following Yun Sheng's pull, a rare look of bewilderment in his eyes.
"You lie down, I'll go and call the doctor for you."
After saying this, Yun Sheng was about to leave the bed when Xiao Xu hooked her finger around hers at the edge of the bed.
"No need, it's not that serious, there's no need to make a fuss."
Yun Sheng turned around and glanced at his abdomen again. Xiao Xu was already pulling down the hem of his clothes.
Before she could say anything more, Xiao Xu explained, "Yesterday's events were sudden; Lan-ge'er's disappearance has already thrown the household into chaos."
After Yun Sheng could no longer see his injuries, her gaze shifted upwards to his face.
After he finished speaking, she still got out of bed and said, "You can't just treat it like this. Why didn't you tell me earlier that your wound got wet while you were bathing in the bathhouse?"
Xiao Xu lay on his side, tilting his head to follow Yun Sheng's departing figure.
She wore only a light, soft satin nightgown, her hair lightly brushing against her slender waist, and then cascading down to the side like a waterfall as she bent over.
Xiao Xu swallowed hard and said in a low voice, "No."
"I saw you were fast asleep, so I didn't mean to wake you."
Yun Sheng took the medicine box out of the cabinet and turned around: "Lying."
She was clearly awake just now and even talked to him. Only after she knew that he had returned and that Lan-ge'er was safe and sound did she feel at ease enough to go to sleep.
Yun Sheng didn't understand what he was pretending to be, so she took the medicine box and returned to his side.
"Take off your shirt, let me see the wound."
Xiao Xu slowly sat up, but didn't immediately take off his clothes. He simply reached for the medicine box, saying, "I can do it myself..."
He was halfway through his sentence when he saw Yun Sheng's calm expression, so he withdrew his hand, his fingers landing on the belt at his waist, and changed his words, saying, "Then I'll trouble you."
Yun Sheng watched as he took off his undergarment, revealing the haphazardly wrapped white cloth, and her expression became more serious.
She tilted her head and looked around, not seeing any other bloodstains, so she assumed it was only a wound on her waist and abdomen. But she still asked again, "Are there any other injuries?"
"No," Xiao Xu replied.
She sat down next to Xiao Xu and reached out to untie the white cloth that was mostly stained with blood.
Xiao Xu hadn't even tied the knot to secure the white cloth, so it was easily untied.
As the last layer of fabric was lifted, a gruesome wound was revealed across his waist and abdomen. The wound was about six or seven inches long, with the flesh turned outwards, the edges grayish-white, and the blood at the deepest part thick and dark, making it unclear whether it had reached the inside.
Xiao Xu also glanced down, his expression unchanged at first, but when he looked up and noticed Yun Sheng's expression, he subconsciously reached out to cover his waist.
With a sharp crack, Yun Sheng slapped his hand away.
Xiao Xu hesitated for a moment, afraid of frightening her, but then withdrew his arm and explained, "It's just a superficial wound; no internal organs were damaged."
Upon hearing his explanation, Yun Sheng glared at him with annoyance.
This was what he called a minor injury. He was probably just planning to go to sleep like this, and if she didn't notice, he would pretend nothing had happened, messing around with the wound by himself without calling a doctor or asking her for help.
It was hard for Yun Sheng not to think about what she knew about Xiao Xu's past at this moment.
Did he always take care of himself haphazardly when he was sick or injured?
"Sit still and don't say anything," Yun Sheng said in a muffled voice, and began to treat his wounds.
Xiao Xu closed his lips and, as expected, stopped speaking.
In fact, he did not do what Yun Sheng thought, stubbornly trying to torment himself.
This morning, after he and Xiao Min found Lan Ge'er, he was still worried, so he escorted Xiao Min and his son back to Jinxia Courtyard before leaving.
The sight of the family of three embracing in front of the courtyard gate touched him.
Similar scenes have occurred before: when Xiao Min got married, when Liu Xian gave birth to Lan Ge'er, and at other times.
These scenes are commonplace, but he didn't feel much emotion about them.
It wasn't until he returned to his room and heard Yun Sheng calling him in a daze that he seemed to have found the answer.
Upon seeing Yun Sheng, the tension and fatigue that had been building up inside him eased, and he suddenly felt an urge to hug her.
So he treated the wound casually first, intending to hold her for a while before treating it again, but lying next to her, he felt a sense of slackness and a fear of losing her.
He wanted this warmth to be perfect, permanent, and exclusive, never to be shared with anyone, and he didn't want to leave any ugly scars.
Ideally, even the attitudes she couldn't respond to, and the possibility that she didn't care about him that much, should be completely avoided.
However, before his ridiculous and unreasonable thoughts could take root, Yun Sheng discovered his injuries.
Yun Sheng carefully cleaned the area around his wound, and the man in front of her truly did not utter a sound.
The wound was visibly gruesome, with the skin torn and flesh ripped open. The depth of the wound was unknown, but even the slightest touch would surely cause pain.
He didn't even make a sound of breathing.
Yun Sheng looked up from in front of him: "Doesn't it hurt?"
The words that were about to be answered lingered on Xiao Xu's lips: "It hurts."
Yun Sheng frowned, continuing to focus on her wound, and her movements became even gentler: "Why didn't you say it hurt?"
"You told me not to talk... hiss."
Yun Sheng's hand trembled, and she accidentally pressed on the edge of the wound.
She looked up, both amused and annoyed: "Did you do that on purpose?"
"No," Xiao Xu said calmly. "I was just planning to lie down for a bit before getting up to treat my wound."
Yun Sheng glanced at him with a hint of melancholy, realizing that he was upset that she had made a big deal out of nothing and disturbed his rest.
But Xiao Xu really needed to rest. He had been busy all day yesterday, and later accompanied her on a long walk back to the mansion without resting for a moment. He also spent the whole night searching for Lan Ge'er's whereabouts.
Yun Sheng wanted to ask about yesterday's events, but knew it wasn't the right time.
"The wound looks deep. We'll have the doctor take a look at it later. Rest for now."
Yun Sheng tied a knot in the gauze at his waist and reached out to hand him his undergarment, only to find that the hem of the garment was stained with blood.
Yun Sheng went to the wardrobe and took out a clean undergarment.
"And you?" Xiao Xu asked.
Yun Sheng moved her lips, but hadn't decided what to say yet.
Xiao Xu then added, "Sheng Sheng, keep me company."
Yun Sheng was stunned. A wave of heat instantly spread from behind her ears to her neck, and the tense atmosphere of treating the hideous wound suddenly changed.
But Xiao Xu only said one sentence very softly.
Yun Sheng lowered her eyes and answered quickly, "I'll go wash my hands first."
When Yun Sheng returned to the bedside, Xiao Xu had already put on his undergarments and was lying on the bed.
In the past, Yun Sheng usually slept on the inside side, but now Xiao Xu lay down on the inside, leaving a large empty space next to him, as if it were a silent invitation.
Yun Sheng didn't understand why the atmosphere had suddenly changed like this, or whether it was her own thoughts that were causing the problem.
She slowly took off her embroidered shoes and returned to the bed.
Xiao Xu was sleeping not far away, but he didn't move.
In the past, he would simply reach out and pull her into his arms. But this time, he made no other move. After Yun Sheng lay down, she was a few fists' distance away from him.
But then this person asked, "Why do you sleep so far away?"
"..."
Yun Sheng paused for a moment, then moved slightly to the side: "I'm afraid of touching your wound."
"I'm fine."
He quickly added after he finished speaking, "It's okay to get closer."
Yun Sheng still felt the atmosphere was strange, and the reason for this was not hard to guess—it was because of what Xiao Xu had said to her last night.
Whether it was the misunderstanding or his confession, it would inevitably affect her emotions, but she didn't know which one had a greater impact.
Yun Sheng didn't speak, but Xiao Xu finally stretched out his arm.
Almost at the same time he wrapped his arms around her waist, Yun Sheng turned around on her own.
She was trying to avoid him hugging her too tightly, and she was also pressing on his wound.
Thinking this, Yun Sheng moved closer to what she felt was a suitable distance.
In fact, Xiao Xu simply placed his palm on her lower back and did not intend to apply any force.
He held her soft, fragrant body in his arms, his breathing becoming heavier, his voice slightly hoarse: "What time did you fall asleep last night?"
Yun Sheng said, "I don't know."
She hadn't slept for long. After briefly regaining consciousness due to Xiao Xu's injury, she was now nestled in his arms, and drowsiness washed over her again.
Yun Sheng was still somewhat worried about Xiao Xu's injuries.
She whispered, "Go to sleep now, I'll sleep with you."
After saying that, Yun Sheng closed her eyes.
Xiao Xu's body temperature was very close, forcefully enveloping her. After closing her eyes, her thoughts became clear, and the things she hadn't had time to think about or hadn't wanted to think about last night all rushed into her mind at this moment.
Even now, Yun Sheng still finds it hard to believe that Xiao Xu liked her, that he had liked her two years ago.
Even if the misunderstanding has been cleared up, there will be no second chance, so she can no longer think about what would have happened if she had known back then that the other person was Xiao Xu.
She only knew that she had never felt the same way about Xiao Ling as she did about Xiao Xu back then.
Because Xiao Ling was handsome, dazzling, and spirited, he immediately caught her eye. Later, she listened to Xiao Ling's deeds, his character and habits, and the big and small things that happened to him in the capital. It was as if she understood him from beginning to end, inside and out. As a result, her feelings were nourished, and she had no doubt that it was love.
She kept believing and hoping that she would marry him.
But Xiao Xu was different. They had never met or known each other. She called the moment she was amazed when she lifted the veil on her wedding day an impulsive act, because she impulsively married him. Before she had even had time to think about the marriage, they had already begun an intimate and real married life.
She had told herself and others many times that she did not dislike Xiao Xu, nor did she hate him, but she did not know whether she liked him.
When she was with Xiao Ling, she easily realized that she liked him. So why did she have so many thoughts and feelings when she was with Xiao Xu? She felt strange and unfamiliar, unsure of how to find the right answer.
Not only did she not know the answer, but her interactions with him also became awkward, and she would inexplicably feel hot on her face and body from time to time.
Yun Sheng still couldn't fall asleep after some time. Her posture had become a little stiff. She moved slightly and then carefully tried to turn over.
But as soon as she made a move, the arm around her waist tightened.
She was momentarily stunned, but when she looked up, she saw Xiao Xu with his eyes closed and his breathing deep and even.
He didn't seem to be faking sleep; his dark circles and tired face were quite obvious.
Yun Sheng looked down at the blurry arm in the bedding.
She let out a soft breath, tilted her head and rested it on his shoulder, without turning over again.
*
Yun Sheng didn't sleep for long before waking up.
It was nearly noon when she got up, and Xiao Xu was still sleeping next to her.
Fortunately, Xiao Xu was sleeping on the inside side today, so Yun Sheng didn't need to go through him when she got up. He seemed to be sleeping very soundly, and he only subconsciously tightened his arms again before she gently moved his arms aside and left the bed without waking him.
Yun Sheng went outside and called the servants to prepare lunch. She also inquired about the situation at Jinxia Courtyard.
Cuizhu said, "Your Highness, I just asked around, but I don't know much about the young master's disappearance. However, the young master was frightened yesterday and has a persistent high fever today. Jinxia Courtyard has already called a doctor to see him. It's not serious, and the Second Madam has been taking care of him."
After pondering for a moment, Yun Sheng instructed someone to summon a doctor and then ordered Cui Zhu to take some things and set off to visit Jinxia Courtyard.
When Yun Sheng arrived at Jinxia Courtyard, Lan Ge'er had just fallen asleep. His face was slightly pale, and he looked very weak.
Yun Sheng felt sorry for her, and Liu Xian was also in a bad state.
Who could have imagined that what was supposed to be a joyous holiday would turn out like this?
Yun Sheng spent some time with Liu Xian at Jinxia Courtyard, but did not stay long. When she returned to the East Courtyard, Xiao Xu had already woken up.
She had just walked around the screen when her eyes met his as he turned to look at her.
That strange feeling came over Yun Sheng again, her heart skipped a beat, and her ears turned slightly red: "When did you wake up?"
"I just woke up." Xiao Xu's voice was indeed still hoarse from just waking up, much like the faint sound that often reached Yun Sheng's ears when he left in the early morning.
Yun Sheng walked over and asked, "How does the injury feel? Did it ache while you were sleeping?"
Xiao Xu said, "No, you sleep very well."
Yun Sheng's eyes widened in shock: "I'm talking to you!"
Xiao Xu raised the corners of his lips and stared straight at Yun Sheng, who looked as if she was about to jump up. Before she could get completely embarrassed and angry, he answered again, "I didn't pull her either."
Yun Sheng blushed, annoyed at herself for being so useless and reacting so strongly.
She went to the table and poured herself a glass of iced tea: "I sent someone to call a doctor. He's already waiting outside. He'll come in and take a look at your injury in a bit."
"good."
Yun Sheng took a sip of tea from the jade cup and felt the heat dissipate a little. She then asked, "Would you like some?"
Thinking that Xiao Xu was going to agree again, he didn't answer and got up directly.
Yun Sheng paused as she was about to pour tea, instinctively worried that his injuries would make it difficult for him to walk.
But Xiao Xu's posture was no different; he got up normally as usual, put on his shoes, and left the bed.
He looked up and saw Yun Sheng's expression, which she hadn't yet managed to retract.
Xiao Xu chuckled softly, stepped to her side, took the teapot, and said slowly, "Sheng Sheng, I am only injured, not crippled."
Yun Sheng knew she was being ridiculed, but her face was already flushed and couldn't get any hotter. Without thinking, she blurted out, "We are husband and wife. Even if you are disabled, I will take care of you."
"Really?"
Xiao Xu spoke almost as soon as Yun Sheng finished speaking.
Yun Sheng felt a surge of heat rush to the top of her head, and only then did she realize that her face could become even redder.
She abruptly put down the jade cup, turned around and left: "I'll go and call the doctor in."
Xiao Xu watched Yun Sheng's retreating figure as if she were fleeing, until she disappeared behind the screen. With a faint smile, he withdrew his gaze and lowered his head to pour himself some tea.
Xiao Xu drank three cups of tea in succession before he heard the noise at the door again.
When Yun Sheng led Doctor Liu into the room, Xiao Xu was already taking off his undergarments.
Yun Sheng walked in front and immediately saw Xiao Xu's bare chest.
Unlike when he was sitting, he was now standing upright, his broad shoulders and narrow waist forming an inverted triangle. The waistband of his pants looked strangely suggestive at the hip bone. The only thing covering his upper body was the gauze she had wrapped around him that morning, but this covering concealed the hideous wound, making the scene appear less gruesome and revealing only a strong and perfect body.
The sudden shock caught Yun Sheng off guard, causing her to pause, which also made Doctor Liu, who was following behind, nervously peek out and see a shirtless man standing in the room.
Doctor Liu's eyes naturally didn't see the scene Yun Sheng saw. He only saw that the noble prince was wrapped in gauze, and must be seriously injured.
Yun Sheng quickly came to her senses and stepped aside to signal Doctor Liu to come forward.
Xiao Xu took off his inner robe and sat down at the table. Doctor Liu put down his medicine box and said carefully, "Your Highness, I need to remove your gauze to check your injuries."
Xiao Xu gave a calm "hmm" and looked up to see Yun Sheng still standing in the distance.
He moved his lips, wanting Yun Sheng to go out and wait, yet inexplicably wanting her to stay with him, so he didn't speak for a moment.
Yun Sheng had already walked towards him, but she didn't look at him at all, instead focusing on the ugly wound.
Xiao Xu's brow twitched slightly, and he tightened his lips.
Soon, Dr. Liu removed the gauze, fully exposing the wound.
In the early morning, Yun Sheng simply cleaned the area around the wound without applying any medicine, as she didn't know what medicine to use. Now, several hours later, the blood clots at the wound had congealed and turned black, and the surrounding skin was red and swollen, making it look even more frightening than it had been in the early morning.
Yun Sheng's breathing faltered, and her voice tightened: "Dr. Liu, how is she?"
Doctor Liu examined the wound with a solemn expression, then used a cotton ball soaked in medicine to wipe away the blood and grime. After a moment, he replied, "Your Highness's wound is quite deep, but fortunately, it has not damaged any internal organs. With dressings changed twice a day and careful care, it will gradually heal. Pain is normal at first. Remember not to get the wound wet, and try not to move around too much these next few days."
"Okay." It was Yun Sheng who responded, though she was looking at Xiao Xu's injury.
Doctor Liu skillfully applied medicine to Xiao Xu's wound and rewrapped it with clean gauze.
Xiao Xu said, "Just prepare the remaining medicine and leave it. You don't need to come back."
Yun Sheng was taken aback: "Chang Yu..."
Xiao Xu grasped her wrist and pulled her down to his front, lowering his voice to say, "The doctor comes and goes in the East Courtyard every day, and everyone in the mansion should come to visit my little injury every day."
His breath brushed past her ear, causing Yun Sheng's eyelashes to tremble slightly.
She recalled the situation at Jinxia Courtyard, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded.
After treating the wound, Dr. Liu left behind three days' worth of external medicine and then left the room.
Inside the room, several servants were busy cleaning up the cotton handkerchiefs they had just used and the bloody water in the copper basin.
Yun Sheng asked, "Do you want to rest a little longer?"
"And you?"
Yun Sheng pursed her lips, wondering why he always asked her that question.
But she still replied to him, "I just ordered someone to bring lunch, and I'm about to eat."
“I’ll go with you.” Xiao Xu took the undergarment he had just taken off and put it back on.
When Yun Sheng saw his outstretched arm, she almost showed a nervous expression again, but she quickly stopped herself.
"Does the wound hurt when you apply the medicine?" She didn't show any expression, but she took Xiao Xu's undergarment and helped him put it on.
"It doesn't hurt."
"Liar." Yun Sheng didn't believe it at all. At this moment, all the servants in the room had left. She asked in a stern voice with a straight face, "Did you get wet when you took a bath this morning?"
"No..." Xiao Xu was about to answer subconsciously, but seeing her unusually serious expression, he still answered truthfully, "I didn't notice."
Yun Sheng never expected that she would have to teach Xiao Xu a lesson. Before, he always had a stern face and a serious demeanor like an elder, making her think she was seeing a schoolteacher.
Yun Sheng wasn't sure if she looked like a female teacher at this moment, but she said seriously, "Your wound looks much more serious than it did this morning. Since you don't want anyone else in the mansion to know, you should pay more attention to your injury and get better as soon as possible. Change your dressings on time every day, and have someone come in to serve you when you take a bath tonight."
Xiao Xu frowned slightly: "There's no need for you to serve me. I'll be careful."
"No, what if you don't notice?"
Yun Sheng glanced at Xiao Xu's expression, then suddenly thought of something and said, "Don't use maids, just have the servants from the manor serve us."
Xiao Xu's brow twitched: "No need, Sheng Sheng, I'm not used to having servants serve me closely."
Yun Sheng wanted to say something more, but Xiao Xu had already taken her hand and said again, "I promise, I will be careful, really."
At this point, Yun Sheng could say nothing more.
Both of them had not eaten for a long time. After Yun Sheng agreed, she called a servant to bring the meal into the room.
There was no one inside, so Yun Sheng asked about what happened yesterday.
"We've only found some vague clues so far, and haven't had time to delve deeper yet. This time, we're here specifically to target the Prince Zhao's residence," Xiao Xu told her frankly.
Yun Sheng was shocked: "Who could be so vicious as to harm a child?"
"We still don't know what the other party's purpose is, so this matter needs to be investigated as soon as possible."
Seeing Yun Sheng's worried expression, Xiao Xu didn't continue.
"Don't worry, I'll handle this."
Yun Sheng knew she couldn't be of much help in this matter, but she was drawn into the atmosphere by Xiao Xu. She not only nodded in trust, but also didn't feel anything was wrong when Xiao Xu went to the study after the meal.
It took Xiao Xu quite a while to realize that the doctor had clearly instructed him not to wander around.
However, Xiao Xu himself was physically strong and had good stamina, and when he returned to his room for dinner, he did not notice anything unusual.
Although Yun Sheng was worried, she didn't dare to ask any more questions.
When it was time to bathe at night, Xiao Xu dismissed the maid who came in to prepare water and went into the bathing room alone with his change of clothes.
Xiao Xu always kept his bathing routine simple. He didn't follow Yun Sheng's complicated procedures, and sometimes he didn't even need a bathtub. He would simply stand by the tub and pour water over himself to wash his body.
I have an injury today, which will make things a little more complicated, but this isn't the first time I've been in this situation.
He took off his outer robe, and just as the sash of his inner garment was undone.
Xiao Xu keenly sensed the subtle movement in front of the room. He turned around abruptly, and the face peeking out from behind the carved wooden screen froze.
Yun Sheng's face visibly began to flush.
She gripped the wooden railing tightly and said in a low voice, forcing herself to speak, "I just came to check if you got wet."
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Xu loosened his grip, the sash came undone, and his robe opened wide.
Yun Sheng's pupils contracted and dilated. Once again, she spoke without thinking, muttering, "How about we go together?"
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