Huo Jiayuan stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly at him.
From his neck to his heels, almost every inch of his body was covered in bruises! And just now, he was in the bathroom, with his back to the door, seemingly applying medicine to a bruise on his back.
Bruises, swelling, scars...
Large patches of bruises and dried, dark purple bloodstains served as a silent testament to the brutal battle he had endured.
However, when he was in the mall, he behaved no differently than usual.
It turned out he was enduring the pain.
Huo Jiayuan's heart trembled, and her small hand slowly fell from her lips.
"You...you're not asleep?" Meng Yan asked.
"I'm awake again," she whispered. "Your injury..."
"It's alright."
Meng Yan appeared calm on the surface, but his mind was in turmoil. He reached for his clothes without making a sound, but the sudden movement aggravated the injury on his back.
He bit his lip, trying his best to endure.
"Let me help you apply the medicine!" Huo Jiayuan suddenly said.
Meng Yan was taken aback, a dark glint flashing in his eyes.
Reason told him to stay away from this girl, but emotionally, he actually wanted her to help him apply the medicine.
No one ever helped him apply medicine, and no one ever cared whether he was in pain or not.
Having lived through countless days of bloodshed and turmoil, he cherished even the sliver of sunlight peeking through the clouds. But he knew that this treasure belonged to another world, and certainly not to him.
"You can't reach the back," Huo Jiayuan whispered tentatively. "Shall I help you?"
"No need," Meng Yan refused coldly.
Huo Jiayuan lowered her head, then continued reluctantly, "I'll help you out, it won't be much trouble. I'm living and eating at your place now, it's only right that I help you out..."
"I said no, and that means no. Don't you understand?!"
The man suddenly raised his voice, like the roar of a wild beast in the dark.
Huo Jiayuan was startled and stared at him blankly.
"Take your pillow and blanket and go back to your room to sleep!"
"What?"
"I was already thinking of giving you the room." He glanced at her. "Do as I say!"
“Meng Yan…”
She stood there helplessly, not understanding why he changed his attitude so suddenly. She had only meant well, but now it seemed like she was the one being pathetic.
Tears welled up again, but she forced them back and plopped back down on the sofa.
"Didn't I tell you to go to the room?" Meng Yan's eyes widened. At least the room had a door; once she closed it, he could apply the medicine here without having to hide anything.
But she remained in the living room, and he...
"Huo Jiayuan, go to your room and go to sleep!"
The little princess pouted and ignored him.
"Am I speaking a foreign language? Can't you understand me?"
The little princess is still sulking.
Meng Yan had no choice but to clean her up himself. However, as he bent down and reached out, the wound on his back started screaming in pain again, and he involuntarily let out a "hiss". Huo Jiayuan was stunned for a moment, and just as she was about to stand up, the two bumped heads together.
"Ah!" The little princess couldn't withstand his iron head and cried out, clutching her head.
Meng Yan panicked for a moment, wanting to check her little head. In the darkness, he fumbled around and bumped into something, and ended up sitting down on the sofa with a thud, his back burning with pain.
"How are you?" Huo Jiayuan asked worriedly.
"fine."
However, even in the dim light, she could still see the shocking scars on his back.
She had never seen the cruel side of life, never known that fate could drive a person to such a point. Back in the Huo family, her younger brother also had a personal martial arts coach, but he only trained him for physical fitness, for interest, and to make his muscles look more symmetrical.
But Meng Yan did it for survival.
She suddenly felt a pang of sadness, tears welling up in her eyes. She choked out, her voice broken, "Who...who beat you like this...does it hurt a lot..."
Meng Yan's heart tightened.
He turned to look at her. Were the tears on her face glistening for him?
He was tempted, yet dared not be tempted.
After a long while, he gently handed her a small bottle of ointment, and his deep voice rang out in the darkness: "I really can't reach the back, help me apply the ointment."
Huo Jiayuan paused for a moment, then wiped away her tears and took the bag. She stopped crying, and he stopped speaking harshly to her. The only sound in the room was the beating of their hearts, and those two heartbeats, like two small flames in the dark night, drew closer and closer.
She had never applied medicine before, so her movements were a bit clumsy, but she still tried her best to be careful. Her small hands were very soft, but the pressure was too light, so light that it made his wound itch, and his heart itch as well.
"After applying this medicine, do I need to rub it in?"
Meng Yan snapped out of her daze, her cheeks flushing slightly, and replied with a perfunctory "Oh..."
"Then let me massage it for you," Huo Jiayuan said softly. "I've never done this before, so I'm not sure what I'm doing. If I hurt you, please don't bear it!"
"Um……"
Meng Yan closed her eyes tightly.
Her small hands stroked his back, and her fragrance kept wafting into his nose.
Her gentle touch felt more like torture to him.
The torment left him mentally and physically disturbed, his soul trembling...
"Are you feeling unwell?" Huo Jiayuan noticed that his breathing had become much heavier.
"No, no!" Meng Yan hurriedly denied. He was filled with regret; why had he acted so impulsively and asked her to apply the medicine for him!
"Did I hit you too hard?"
"No……"
"Then, can it be even heavier?"
Meng Yan's lips were tightly pressed together, and sweat beaded on her forehead.
She pressed on and on, challenging his defenses. He tilted his head slightly; she was kneeling behind him, her fair legs peeking out from under her nightgown…
Meng Yan felt a lot of discomfort in a certain place.
He was startled by the reaction, and shoved her away abruptly, quickly pulling over a piece of cloth to cover himself!
"Ah!" Huo Jiayuan was startled again, staring blankly at the unpredictable man. "What... what's wrong now?"
"I don't need any more medicine, I'm not in pain anymore."
Huo Jiayuan looked at the cotton swab in his hand; only half of the medicine had been applied. He…
"Go back! Go back to your room!" Meng Yan sternly urged her away. "Go to sleep!"
"What's wrong with you now! You were fine just a moment ago, and now you're giving me a sour look!" Huo Jiayuan glared at him angrily. "I'm ignoring you, okay!"
As she spoke, she went to get her pillow and blanket.
But the pillowcase is gone.
“Hey,” she stood in front of him, “give it to me!”
Meng Yan was stunned. "What?"
"Give me the pillowcase!" she pointed at him.
Meng Yan's head went blank. He had just pulled something to cover his little brother, and it turned out to be... her pillowcase?
"This... let me use this." He didn't dare look her in the eye. "There are clean ones in the room, you can take another one."
Huo Jiayuan glared at him, too lazy to argue with him, and turned to go into the room.
After an unknown amount of time, Meng Yan finally let out a long sigh of relief, her tense nerves finally relaxing, and she collapsed onto the sofa.
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