Shen Qinghe pursed her lips, looking aggrieved, and said softly, "Hair..."
Meng Zhao then realized that she had acted too hastily and had caught a strand of his hair in his collar. A few broken strands fell to the ground. A sudden pang of guilt flashed through Meng Zhao's mind, but then she remembered that it was all his own fault, and she became even more furious: "Endure it!"
Shen Qinghe obediently lowered his head and stopped making a sound. Meng Zhao's movements became gentler. She first gathered his long hair and carefully moved it to his uninjured left shoulder. Just as she was about to dress him, she found that the undergarment was already soaked with blood. So she gave up on dressing him, took a quilt from the cabinet next to her, and covered Shen Qinghe's head with it without saying a word.
"Wrap yourself up well, or you might freeze to death instead of getting poked to death."
Although the tone was fierce, it sounded sweeter than honey to Shen Qinghe. He tightened the quilt wrapped around his body, and a warm feeling surged from his heart to his limbs. Meng Zhao wrung out a clean handkerchief and gestured for him to expose his injured right arm.
Shen Qing had two wounds on her shoulder. One was a hole in her collarbone, and the other was a scratch on her shoulder. The wounds themselves were not large, but they were caused by her constant pounding and squeezing out a lot of blood. Meng Zhao pursed her lips and carefully wiped away the congealed bloodstains around her with a damp cloth.
The chill of the winter night permeated the study, and Shen Qinghe's exposed skin quickly developed a layer of small goosebumps. Only Meng Zhao's breath, which was close by, carried a slight warmth as it brushed against his skin. Shen Qinghe's gaze unconsciously fell on Meng Zhao's slightly swollen lips, his Adam's apple bobbing gently as he recalled what had just happened.
He had just come out of the palace when he heard Afu say that the Meng family had guests. When he saw the Xiao character on the carriage, he immediately guessed who the visitor was. If there was anyone around Meng Zhao that he didn't trust, it was this Xiao. Not only was he of similar age and wealthy, but he was also particularly concerned about Meng Zhao's affairs.
Just now, watching Meng Zhao and that person chatting and laughing in the shadows, the bitterness surging in his chest almost overwhelmed him. When he heard Xiao Youzhi invite her to Jiangnan, the coldness in his eyes almost solidified.
At that moment, he screamed in his heart, "Reject him! Reject him now!" Although Meng Zhao did not immediately agree, she did not flatly refuse either. This at least showed that she had considered it. This realization made him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and his blood seemed to freeze.
Two years ago, his impulsive confession resulted in two years of separation. Was history about to repeat itself? No, he couldn't wait any longer. Two years was enough for two people who had been together day and night to develop feelings for each other. Just imagining Meng Zhao standing side by side with someone else made him almost go crazy with pain.
Extreme fear and jealousy gnawed at his reason like venomous snakes. Driven by extreme anxiety, he made this fatal mistake. Love should be a beautiful thing where two people are in love and things come together naturally. He was not only abrupt and offensive, but also completely unprepared.
Although he hadn't eaten dinner yet, two hours had passed since he last brushed his teeth. He subconsciously raised his hand to cover his mouth and gently exhale, checking if there was any bad breath, but was interrupted by Meng Zhao's sharp shout: "What are you doing!"
Shen Qinghe dared not move again, and could only carefully observe Meng Zhao's expression. In the candlelight, her beautiful profile was taut as frost, and her long eyelashes cast a shadow under her eyes, clearly indicating that she was very angry.
After the wound was cleaned, Meng Zhao took some medicine and gently applied it. Then she finally opened her mouth, her voice so calm that no emotion could be discerned: "Let's leave it like this for now. We'll have the doctor treat you again when the clinic opens tomorrow."
Meng Zhao turned and threw the blood-stained handkerchief into the basin of water, the splash wetting her sleeves. Seeing Shen Qinghe still sitting there, a surge of anger rose within her again: "What are you all standing there for? Get out of here!"
Shen Qing's Adam's apple bobbed a few times before she finally asked the question that had been lingering in her mind: "Just now... how did you feel?" Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible.
Meng Zhao didn't understand his meaning at first, but when she saw his shifty eyes and slightly reddened earlobes, she immediately understood. She sneered, her eyes flashing coldly: "What? You want me to write you a good review?"
Shen Qinghe sensed the sarcasm in her tone and hurriedly got up, but accidentally aggravated her wound, gasping in pain. She continued to apologize, "I'm sorry, it was my fault. I was just... I acted rashly."
"Shen Qinghe." Meng Zhao suddenly interrupted him, her voice as cold as ice, "Do you know what I hate the most?" Shen Qinghe shook his head blankly, unaware that the quilt had slipped off his shoulders.
"My first hatred is being subservient to others, having to be humble and subservient, making a living by selling smiles; my second hatred is being powerless to control myself, having to let others manipulate me." Meng Zhao said, emphasizing each word. "Since you have already done such a thing, don't expect my forgiveness. I cleaned your wounds just now only because I was afraid that you would really die at my hands and dirty my place."
She flung open the door, and a blast of biting cold wind rushed in: "Now, immediately, leave my house."
Shen Qinghe's face turned deathly pale, as if his soul had been ripped out. He staggered to his feet, walked to Meng Zhao's side, and his eyes gradually reddened. "No...please don't do this...I know I was wrong...please forgive me this time, okay?" His voice was choked with sobs and almost broken. "I swear there will never be a next time. From now on, I will agree to do whatever you ask me to do, and I will never disobey you, okay?"
As she spoke, she grabbed Meng Zhao's hand and started hitting herself with it, making her slap her cheeks and chest hard: "If you want to punish me, you can hit me or scold me, but please, don't make me leave, okay?"
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