Chapter 85 Stealing a Kiss
After Ayina left, the bedchamber finally quieted down.
Huo Lin sat on the edge of the bed, gazing intently at Jiang Huan, his brows furrowed, his heart filled with self-reproach and heartache.
She didn't sleep well; her brows furrowed from time to time, and her lips trembled slightly, as if the pain from her dream hadn't yet dissipated.
Seeing this, Huo Lin reached out and gently grasped her fingertips, stroking the back of her hand twice with his fingertips, as if offering a silent comfort.
"Hmm..."
Jiang Huan gave a soft hum, her eyelashes trembled, and she slowly opened her eyes.
"Awake?" Huo Lin immediately leaned forward, his voice extremely soft, as if afraid of startling her. "Does it still hurt?"
Jiang Huan was still somewhat dazed, her vision blurry but focused on Huo Lin's face.
She instinctively tried to move, but a sharp pain suddenly exploded from the wound, making her gasp and almost burst into tears.
"hiss."
Jiang Huan's face scrunched up, and she gripped the blanket tightly with her fingers.
Huo Lin's expression changed, and he immediately grabbed her shoulder.
"Don't move. Your leg has just been stabilized. If you move it again, the bones will dislocate."
[Her slender arms and legs couldn't possibly withstand such injuries. If only I could take her pain away.]
[This time, anyone can be a freeloader, except for the Imperial Hospital. We need to get those old men to come up with a solution.]
Jiang Huan pouted, looking aggrieved, "But it really hurts..."
It takes a hundred days to recover from a bone injury; I don't know how long she'll have to stay in bed.
She hasn't learned to ride a horse with Ayina yet.
Looking at her pitiful appearance, Huo Lin felt as if his heart had been ripped apart, feeling both sour and tender.
He reached out and wiped away the tears that welled up in Jiang Huan's eyes, his voice low and gentle.
"Bear with it. The imperial physician said that the first two days are the most painful, but it will get better in a few days."
Jiang Huan desperately wanted to shout to the heavens, "Can't modern technology also be brought into this book? I want anesthesia!"
But in the end, he sniffed and muttered softly, "In a few days... what do we do now?"
Huo Lin paused for a moment, then suddenly stood up, walked to the table beside him, and picked up the ointment and clean gauze left by the imperial physician.
"I will change your dressing."
He spoke calmly, as if he were talking about something completely ordinary.
Jiang Huan: ?
Wait, the Emperor is going to change her dressing himself?!
Huo Lin had already sat back down on the edge of the bed, gently lifting the thin blanket covering her legs to reveal her calves, which were fixed in place by splints.
Jiang Huan's skin was already fair, but now, with the hideous wounds and bruises against it, it looked even more shocking.
Huo Lin's fingertips paused slightly, and his eyes darkened.
[So badly injured...]
Why didn't Ma aim his kick at Huo Ting?
He pursed his lips, suppressing the surging anger in his heart, and gently unwrapped the gauze.
The ointment was cool, but when Huo Lin gently applied it to the wound with his fingertips, Jiang Huan couldn't help but flinch and gasp in pain.
"Bear with it," Huo Lin said softly, his movements becoming even gentler. His fingertips carefully avoided the wound, only gently circling the edges to allow the ointment to slowly melt.
Jiang Huan bit her lip and secretly glanced at him.
Under the palace lanterns, Huo Lin's profile was clearly defined, his brows slightly furrowed, and his expression was so focused that he seemed to be reviewing some important memorial.
His fingertips were warm, and his pressure was perfectly controlled. Although he was treating a wound, it inexplicably made Jiang Huan's heart race.
hateful.
Jiang Huan roared inwardly, "The Emperor's face, with that serious expression, is just too unfair!"
She quickly looked away, afraid that if she looked any longer, her face would burn.
Huo Lin noticed her gaze and glanced at her.
"What's wrong? Does it hurt?"
"It's...it's alright..." Jiang Huan replied dryly, her eyes darting around.
Huo Lin gave a light snort, his hands continuing their work.
"If it hurts, just say so. Don't try to be brave."
Jiang Huan muttered under her breath, "It won't stop hurting just because I told you..."
Huo Lin: "If you tell me, I'll be gentler."
[He remained silent, afraid of hurting her.]
A single, gentle word, like a feather, made Jiang Huan feel uneasy again.
Why are you being so careful, treating it like a precious treasure?
Which good girl could withstand this?
Huo Lin was completely unaware of this and remained focused on applying the medicine, bandaging, and finally re-fixing the splint.
His movements were fluid and practiced, unlike those of a pampered emperor.
"alright."
He straightened up and tucked the blanket around Jiang Huan.
"The imperial physician said this ointment can relieve pain, and it should hurt less in a while."
Jiang Huan nodded and whispered, "Thank you, Your Majesty..."
Huo Lin gave a faint "hmm" and turned to wash his hands.
As Jiang Huan watched his retreating figure, her heart felt itchy, yet also filled with an indescribable sweetness.
She quietly buried half her face in the blanket, leaving only her eyes showing.
When Huo Lin returned, he had a glass of warm water in his hand.
"Have some water."
He helped Jiang Huan sit up a little and brought the cup to her lips.
Jiang Huan took small sips from his hand, the warm water flowing down her throat, making her squint her eyes in comfort.
Huo Lin looked down at her expression, which resembled that of a satisfied cat, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up slightly.
[Fortunately, he seems to be in good spirits.]
I will take good care of her.
As night deepened, Jiang Huan's medicine contained sedative ingredients, and before long, her eyelids began to feel heavy.
Seeing this, Huo Lin bent down and blew out the candlestick.
"Sleep, I'm here," he whispered.
That night, Huo Lin stayed by Jiang Huan's side without leaving her side for a moment.
The next morning, Jiang Huan was awakened by the chirping of birds outside her window.
She groggily opened her eyes and found that Huo Lin had fallen asleep against the headboard.
Could it be that they've been guarding this place for a whole day and night?
In the morning light, the usually dignified and aloof emperor was now as quiet as a big boy, his long eyelashes drooping and his breathing even.
Jiang Huan had never observed Huo Lin's sleeping face so closely before, and she was completely absorbed in watching him.
I must say, in terms of looks, he's undeniably handsome...
Her eyelashes are so long, and her nose is beautiful too.
He didn't sleep much last night because he was taking care of her, did he?
Jiang Huan's heart suddenly softened completely, and as if possessed, she gently propped herself up and carefully approached Huo Lin.
She held her breath and, like a thief, carefully and extremely slowly propped herself up.
With her injured leg immobilized, she could only move her body little by little, getting closer to the edge of the soft couch.
But just within his reach, Jiang Huan's heart suddenly raced.
Her palms were sweaty with nervousness, and the little voice in her head was screaming wildly.
Jiang Huan, you've gone mad! This is the Emperor!
However, another voice was louder.
Just a light touch, he's sleeping so soundly, he won't know.
Impulse ultimately triumphed over reason.
She closed her eyes, mustered all her courage, and like a dragonfly skimming the water, pressed her lips to Huo Lin's slightly pursed lips.
Touch and then leave.
Jiang Huan quickly shrank back into the quilt, her face burning red, her heart pounding in her chest.
Oh no, oh no, has she gone mad?! She actually stole a kiss from the Emperor!
She kept her eyes tightly shut, afraid to look at Huo Lin again, lest he suddenly wake up and catch her in the act.
However, what she didn't see was...
The moment she lay back down, Huo Lin's lips curled up almost imperceptibly.
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