Feelings surged
"The Liu family?"
Although the madwoman was unrecognizable, with bloodshot eyes, Pei Qingwu still recognized her.
Who else could it be but her former mother-in-law?
"You vile woman, Pei, give me back my son's life! You've killed both of my sons..."
Liu made a hoarse, unpleasant "hoarse" sound in his throat as he spoke, and then tried to charge forward with his knife.
Fortunately, he was held down tightly by passersby.
At this moment, the patrolling officer had already come over upon hearing the noise. Seeing the situation, he was also startled and quickly stepped forward, snatched the knife from Liu's hand, and subdued her.
"I harmed your son?" Pei Qingwu, supporting Gu Heng, asked sternly, "When did I harm your son?!"
“Your eldest son, Sun Jian, was already in poor health; what does that have to do with me marrying into the family? Your second son, Sun Cheng, brought this upon himself. If he hadn’t been so wicked and colluded with villains to harm me, he wouldn’t have ended up like this!”
Although she didn't know what had happened, seeing Liu's madness, she could guess some things. She guessed it was because she had specially bribed the jailers to take care of Sun Cheng, but they took too good care of him, and Sun Cheng lost his life.
They deserved it.
"You're talking nonsense! You're talking nonsense! It's you, you wretched little slut... If I had known, I shouldn't have let you into my Sun family back then!"
As Liu was being led away by the warriors, she was still screaming desperately.
You can't reason with such a stubborn person.
Pei Qingwu is now more concerned about Gu Heng's injuries.
Fortunately, there was a pharmacy not far away. Now that Gu Heng had grown a head, she really couldn't lift him. Luckily, the coachman helped her.
"Aheng, are you alright? Are you still in pain...?"
Although the bleeding had stopped, Pei Qingwu still felt heartbroken and shed tears as she looked at the large patch of blood that had seeped onto the fabric.
"Don't worry, boss, I'm used to it."
He had been subjected to almost every form of torture for refusing to agree to the demands of the madam at Zuiyuelou in the past, so this little injury was nothing to him now.
Gu Heng forced a smile, comforting Pei Qingwu, his gaze falling on her forearm.
Although he was covered by a cloak, half of his sleeve was torn, revealing a section of his pale arm. His face flushed slightly, and he laboriously stretched out his hand.
Under Pei Qingwu's puzzled gaze, he grabbed a corner of the cloak and tugged at it forcefully, intending to cover her exposed arms.
"you……"
Pei Qingwu was both annoyed and amused; even at a time like this, he was still thinking about these things.
"You should lie down properly, really..." Pei Qingwu told the driver to help him to the small bed in the pharmacy, in a prone position, to prevent pressure on his wound.
But the next second, she realized it was a terrible position.
It wasn't for any other reason than that, lying like this, Gu Heng's lower back formed a unique curve, which, in the candlelight of the pharmacy, was extremely alluring.
Pei Qingwu couldn't help but think—
If someone were to impulsively slap it, it would probably be quite bouncy.
"Boss, what are you looking at?"
Perhaps it was because her gaze was too direct, but Gu Heng asked blankly.
"N-nothing... Doctor, please take a look at his injury." Pei Qingwu stammered, his words vague.
"Okay."
The doctor on night duty came over with his medicine box and ripped open Gu Heng's shirt at the back, revealing his fair and jade-like skin.
The candlelight suddenly flowed onto Gu Heng's bare back.
His back muscles were smooth and well-defined, not bulging or knotted, but possessing the youthful strength and resilience of a young man, like a taut bow.
Her waist was extremely narrow, her skin was smooth as jade, and her sides were slightly concave, outlining a beautiful curve that disappeared into the shadows below.
Hmm... this kid, he's got a great physique?
Before Pei Qingwu could even begin to indulge in fantasies, his gaze drifted downwards—
On the jade-colored surface, a grotesque, swirling knife wound was oozing blood droplets, a glaringly red.
Even more shocking are the old scars scattered on his skin, like indelible flaws on a beautiful jade, silently telling the story of the suffering he had endured in the past.
Pei Qingwu glanced at those old wounds, and his heart suddenly tightened. The inexplicable thoughts he had before had long since vanished without a trace.
Gu Heng seemed to sense her gaze; his shoulder and back muscles tensed slightly, and his fingertips unconsciously curled up.
"Don't worry, boss, I'm really fine."
After he finished speaking, he buried his head in the pillow, his voice muffled.
But at the same time, his shoulders were slightly hunched, which further accentuated his muscle definition.
Pei Qingwu: "..."
After examining her carefully, the doctor said to her, "Don't worry, my lady, this is just a superficial injury and nothing serious. It will be fine after applying some medicine for a couple of days."
"Really?" Pei Qingwu pressed.
"Absolutely true. In addition, just be careful not to let this young man's wound get wet, and avoid spicy and irritating foods. Everything will be fine."
Pei Qingwu carefully wrote it down: "Then, please prescribe the medicine, doctor."
The doctor exclaimed "Oh!" and took out some hemostatic ointment to apply to Gu Heng's body.
Before his hand, still coated with ointment, could even touch the wound, Gu Heng suddenly hissed softly, his waist trembling slightly as he twisted away a little.
"Don't move, sir." The doctor frowned and tried again.
But just as the ointment was about to be applied, Gu Heng's waist muscles tensed slightly again, causing his body to shift half an inch away imperceptibly, and a suppressed gasp escaped from his mouth.
The doctor, holding the ointment, looked up helplessly at Pei Qingwu beside him, his eyes full of pleading.
Pei Qingwu took in Gu Heng's little actions and immediately understood his intentions.
She stepped forward and lightly tapped his uninjured shoulder blade with her fingertip.
"Aheng..." she scolded softly, "Behave yourself and let the doctor apply the medicine. If you keep moving around, the injury will heal slowly, and you'll be the one suffering."
Gu Heng stiffened slightly, secretly turning half his face to catch a glimpse of Pei Qingwu's feigned serious expression.
He pursed his lips and responded softly, "Oh..."
Immediately, he stopped moving and buried his reddened ears deep into the pillow. He completely stopped his previous deliberate movements and let his back stretch out gently, allowing the doctor to treat him.
The doctor glanced helplessly at Pei Qingwu, finally finishing the task of applying the medicine.
"It's getting late, and curfew has been imposed. This young man's wound shouldn't be moved yet. Why don't you two stay here for the night and go back tomorrow?"
Pei Qingwu thought for a moment and agreed: "Okay, thank you for your help, doctor."
"It's alright, it's alright."
As he spoke, the doctor brought two quilts and settled the two men in.
He had other things to attend to, so after giving Pei Qingwu a few instructions, he left.
Pei Qingwu sat on another small bed: "Aheng, are you cold? I'll cover you with a blanket when the medicine solidifies."
"It's not cold, don't worry, boss," Gu Heng said. "It's just..."
"What is it?"
"I feel so uncomfortable lying here, boss. I want to lie down."
When he said this, Gu Heng's voice trailed off in a sticky, slightly slurred tone, rising almost imperceptibly.
“Listen to me, your injury is in your lower back, you can’t lie down. Until it heals, you can only lie on your stomach,” Pei Qingwu said seriously.
Gu Heng let out an "Ah," and hung his head dejectedly.
Remembering that he was only sixteen, which in modern times would be the age of a high school freshman or sophomore, Pei Qingwu softened her voice and coaxed, "Is there anything you want to eat or drink? I'll go buy it for you."
"Recovering from an injury is not pleasant, but the doctor also said that as long as you behave well, the injury will heal quickly, and then you can lie down or lie on your stomach whenever you want."
Gu Heng's eye twitched twice: "Boss, I'm not Mingyi..."
Pei Qingwu also felt that his tone sounded like a kindergarten teacher, so he cleared his throat twice: "Anyway, if you don't want anything, I'll go to bed."
"No, no, no, I want to..." Gu Heng's eyes darted around, "I want to eat sticky candy."
The so-called "sticky maltose" is actually maltose.
In ancient times, sugar-making technology was limited, and sugar-producing materials such as sugarcane were mostly grown in the south, and transportation conditions were also limited. Bai Juyi's "Sugar Frost Manual" recorded that "the price of sugar was the same as that of silk," and the average annual sugar intake of ordinary people was less than one percent of that of wealthy households.
However, there are alternatives. Grains such as malt and rice can also be fermented and boiled to make maltose. The raw materials are readily available and the process is simple, and the price is much lower.
Although the sticky and heavy texture of the glutinous rice cake and its overly sweet taste are hard to swallow, it is still a sweet treat that ordinary people can't easily obtain.
When I was a child, if I was sick and had to drink bitter medicine, my mother would buy a lot of chewing gum and coax me to drink it down sip by sip.
Now, lying in the pharmacy recuperating once again, I find myself longing for this taste.
That's all? That's it?
"Yes, that's all."
"Okay, you lie down and rest, I'll go buy it for you."
The curfew was not a blanket ban on nighttime travel; rather, it only prohibited people from leaving their neighborhood at night. Within the same neighborhood, people could still visit each other.
Pei Qingwu pulled his cloak tighter and walked along the stone path in the alley under the cool moonlight, searching for a restaurant that was still open.
Although the streets after curfew are not as bustling as during the day, they still have a unique vitality. Occasionally, late-night pedestrians brush past each other in a hurry, and warm yellow lights shine from the windows facing the street, mixed with faint sounds of conversation and laughter.
She quickly found a small shop and not only bought the sticky rice cakes that Gu Heng wanted, but also a few trendy snacks—a bag of hot sesame rice balls held in lotus leaves, a few steamed cakes sprinkled with sesame seeds, and a box of cherry biscuits.
When they returned to the pharmacy, the doctor was still busy in the back room, and only a single lamp was lit in the front hall, illuminating Gu Heng lying face down on the bed.
Hearing the noise, he immediately looked up, his eyes shining brightly in the dim light.
"Master, you're back."
“Hmm,” Pei Qingwu displayed the items in his hand one by one on the small table in front of him: “Here, the chewy candy you wanted, and some other things, see if they suit your taste.”
Gu Heng's gaze was immediately drawn to the amber-colored rubber teeth, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.
Seeing this, Pei Qingwu picked up a small piece with a bamboo skewer and held it to his lips: "Try it."
He was a little embarrassed, but he still opened his mouth slightly and put the piece of candy in his mouth.
The sweet and rich flavor melted on his tongue, carrying the unique aroma of malt, making him squint his eyes in satisfaction, like a cat whose fur had been stroked.
Is it sweet?
"Sweet." Gu Heng nodded, his voice slightly muffled by the sugar in his mouth.
Pei Qingwu broke off a small piece of steamed cake and handed it to him, while he picked up a glutinous rice ball and ate it slowly.
In the dim light, one lay down and the other sat, quietly sharing their simple late-night snack.
After he finished eating, Pei Qingwu was worried that he would be uncomfortable lying down, so she sat down by his bedside and chatted with him to distract him.
As he spoke, Gu Heng's voice gradually lowered, carrying a hint of weariness.
The pharmacy fell silent, with only the soft breathing of the other patients and the occasional footsteps and the sound of the night watchman's clapper coming from outside the window.
The candle flame crackled and popped.
Seeing that Gu Heng's eyelids were drooping, Pei Qingwu said softly, "Go to sleep, I'll watch over you."
Gu Heng shook his head with a forced smile, turned his face to look at her, and the candlelight danced on his delicate eyebrows and eyes, spreading a soft halo.
He was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke in a low voice: "Boss, thank you for today..."
Pei Qingwu knew he was referring to the matter of accompanying him. She felt a pang of tenderness, but was also somewhat angry that he had disregarded his own safety. She simply said, "No need to thank me. Don't be so reckless next time."
"Mmm," he responded, his voice even lower, tinged with dependence, "Master, could you... sit a little closer?"
Pei Qingwu was slightly taken aback. Looking at his pale face due to blood loss and his clear eyes reflecting the candlelight, she felt as if her heart had been gently tickled by a feather.
She didn't refuse, and moved the stool even closer, almost touching the edge of the bed.
Gu Heng felt a little relieved and finally closed his eyes, his long eyelashes casting a small shadow under his eyes.
His breathing gradually became even and long, indicating that he had fallen asleep.
Pei Qingwu was not sleepy. Under the lamplight, his gaze involuntarily fell on the man's bare back and waistline once again.
The newly applied ointment gleamed faintly in the candlelight, intertwining with the old scars, silently telling the story of the boy's past hardships and present dedication.
A complex and indescribable emotion welled up in my heart—pity, guilt, and perhaps something else—lingering in my mind.
As night deepened, a chill crept in.
Afraid that he would catch a cold, Pei Qingwu carefully pulled up the thin blanket next to him, wanting to cover him up.
As she moved, her fingertips inadvertently brushed against the smooth skin on his side. The touch was warm and slightly cool, but it made her quickly pull her hand back as if she had been electrocuted, and her heart inexplicably beat faster.
She took a deep breath, calmed herself, and finally gently covered him with the blanket, carefully tucking the corners in.
After doing all this, she blew out the extra candles, leaving only a small lamp in the distance emitting a faint light, and lay down fully clothed on another bed.
In the darkness, she could clearly hear Gu Heng's steady breathing, intertwined with her own somewhat disordered heartbeat.
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