healing
Su Baiwei's eyelashes trembled slightly, and a ray of light pierced in, reflecting Mu Jin's face full of surprise.
"Miss, you're finally awake!" Mu Jin's voice rang out joyfully. "The miracle doctor is truly amazing! It's only been half a day, and the high fever has subsided!"
Su Baiwei felt as if her entire body had collapsed. She forced herself to sit up. The glaring sunlight outside the window made her squint. It was already afternoon. Suddenly, she woke up, her heart sinking. She flung aside the thin blanket and struggled to get out of bed.
"Miss! You can't do that!" Mu Jin rushed over and held her arm. "The miracle doctor repeatedly told you to rest!"
"Medicine..." Su Baiwei's chest heaved violently, her breathing unstable, "His medicine... the time is up..." As soon as her feet touched the ground, she felt dizzy and fell straight forward.
"Palace Master Lantu is watching. Young Master has taken the medicine on time. Don't worry." Mu Jin used all her strength to half-support, half-carry her back to the bedside, and hurriedly comforted her, "The miracle doctor reviewed your prescription and praised its excellence. He told you to continue using it."
Just as her tense heartstrings relaxed a little, Su Baiwei's eyes darkened again. "It's not just his right arm. He also sustained other injuries the night of the blood sacrifice, and then spent a whole day and night in the prison's sewage... If the wound isn't cleaned and treated promptly, it'll fester and fester, and he'll develop a high fever." The panic in her eyes deepened. "He's always telling good news, not bad news. He must be hiding something, gritting his teeth and holding on... No, I have to go check it out." She broke free of Mu Jin's hand again, rushing out regardless. However, her already overdrawn body was at its limit, and her feet gave out, and she fell heavily to the ground.
"Miss!" Mu Jin hurriedly knelt down, her voice choked with sobs. "I'll go! I'll go change the dressing! Please, Miss, take care of yourself first!"
"No..." Su Baiwei shook her head weakly, breathing rapidly, "I want to see his injuries with my own eyes." As she said that, she struggled to stand up again.
"Then at least put on your clothes before going out!" Mu Jin half-knelt and helped her up from the ground.
Su Baiwei was startled to realize she was only wearing a thin undershirt, the collar slightly open, revealing her collarbone. Mu Jin quickly helped her put on her outer skirt, fastened the straps, and supported her as she moved towards the door. As her fingertips touched the doorframe, Su Baiwei suddenly stopped and asked breathlessly, "What is he...doing right now?"
"I'm discussing with Young Hero Hongmao and the others how to break the Mother Gu Formation."
Su Baiwei frowned slightly: "He must be afraid that they will worry and doesn't want them to notice..." She pondered for a moment, turned around, and staggered back.
Mu Jin's heart tightened, and she rushed forward to hold her shaking arm and helped her back to the bed.
Su Baiwei struggled to reach under the pillow and pulled out a light green silk handkerchief.
"Take this." She stuffed the silk handkerchief into Mu Jin's hand.
Mu Jin quietly crept to Tiao Tiao's bedroom window. Inside, Tiao Tiao was sitting with Hong Mao, Lan Tu, Dou Dou, and Da Da, discussing something. He happened to be the only one facing the window, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the pale yellow figure. Mu Jin unfolded the light green silk handkerchief, revealing a single, elegant white hibiscus flower quietly blossoming in the corner.
Tiaotiao's pupils shrank slightly, and he understood. He remained expressionless, gritted his teeth, and raised his left hand, pressing his knuckles gently against his forehead. His brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of weariness crept across them.
This subtle change immediately caught Lan Tu's attention. She turned her gaze to Tiao Tiao and asked with concern, "Tiao Tiao, are you tired?"
Tiao Tiao shook his head slightly, his voice deliberately low and hoarse: "It's okay... continue..." However, the fatigue revealed in his words seemed to be even heavier.
Seeing this, Hongmao decisively said, "Let's stop here today. My thoughts are stuck right now, so perhaps pausing to change my mind will be more helpful. Besides, Doudou just said that Miss Su needs at least two days of rest, and you need to recover as well." He glanced at the crowd, "Excluding today, we still have five days to break the formation. Plenty of time. We'll discuss this later."
"Okay." Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement and then stood up.
Hongmao and Doudou carefully helped Tiaotiao back to the bed and carefully put him down. Just as everyone was about to turn around and leave, Doudou paused, his eyes falling on the white hair on Tiaotiao's forehead. He couldn't help but say, "Tiaotiao, let me take your pulse. You look so unwell that I'm really worried."
Dada also stepped forward: "Yes, taking a pulse will give us peace of mind. At least it will give us some peace of mind."
Although Lantu didn't say anything, the concern in her eyes was beyond words.
Tiaotiao leaned against the soft pillow, his face still as calm as usual, and there was even a faint smile on the corner of his lips. "No need." His eyes casually swept over Doudou, and his tone was calm and relaxed, "Haven't you already checked the wound? If the medicine is suitable, there's no need to bother. I'll just rest for a while."
The room fell silent, broken only by the sound of a few suppressed breaths. Hongmao's gaze lingered for a moment on Tiaotiao's seemingly calm face, then swept across Doudou, whose brows were furrowed, and the worried Dada and Lantu. Finally, he sighed helplessly. He nodded gently and turned away first.
Doudou's lips moved, as if he wanted to persuade her further, but a glimpse of Tiaotiao's determined expression made all his words die in his throat, ultimately turning into a heavy sigh. Dada and Lantu exchanged a glance, each seeing the worry in the other's eyes. They could only silently exit the room, filled with concern.
The footsteps came from near and then went far away. After a moment, the door was carefully closed with a very light "click".
After the noise outside the door completely died down, Tiaotiao gritted his teeth, endured the excruciating pain of his wounds tearing apart, and struggled to stand up, trying to get out of bed and look for Su Baiwei. However, just as he had left the bed a few inches, the door creaked again and was gently pushed open from the outside.
Tiao Tiao looked up and saw Mu Jin supporting Su Baiwei as they moved into the room step by step.
Su Baiwei's pale green dress made her face appear even paler, as if it would vanish in the wind any moment. Their eyes met, her gaze fixed on the white hair at his forehead, blurring and magnifying it in her vision. A sudden pang of bitterness rushed to the tip of her nose. And Tiao Tiao, seeing the faint hint of life beneath her haggard face, finally felt the taut string in his heart loosen for a moment.
The room was utterly silent, a pin drop audible. The two stood a few steps apart, silently gazing at each other. Heavy burdens, unhealed pain, relief after the catastrophe, deep-seated worries… A thousand words surged from their throats, but as if blocked by an invisible barrier, they found no outlet.
"Miss..." Mu Jin called softly, and the two of them woke up as if from a dream.
Mu Jin helped Su Baiwei sit down on the edge of the bed. Su Baiwei took a deep breath, forcing down the bitterness surging in her chest. She raised her eyes, her gaze resting on Tiao Tiao. Her voice was weak, but unyielding. "Undress yourself, and let me see your injuries."
Tiao Tiao's eyes were filled with complex emotions, knowing full well that any attempt at concealment was futile in front of her. He paused before slowly reaching out his left hand, fumbling to untie the belt around his waist. His arm trembled slightly, uncontrollably.
Su Baiwei saw this, and her heart felt like it was pricked by a fine needle. She curled her fingertips in pain and said, "Mujin, come and help him."
Mu Jin followed his instructions and stepped forward, gently untying Tiao Tiao's blue shirt. As the shirt slid down her shoulders, Tiao Tiao's body stiffened. As her undergarment slowly slipped off, revealing hideous wounds on her ribs and left arm, Mu Jin's pupils suddenly constricted, and her breathing hitched.
Su Baiwei's gaze fell on the wounds. The edges were red, swollen, and deep within them, a faint yellowish-white pus could be seen, emitting a faint fishy odor. It was a clear sign of a poisonous poison invading and eroding her internal organs. Her fingers trembled uncontrollably beneath her sleeves, and a thick mist welled up in her eyes. She bit her lower lip until blood oozed, barely suppressing a sob.
"Hibiscus," Su Baiwei said again, her voice changing, "Go get the medicine box."
"Okay!" When Mu Jin heard the voice, her nose felt sore and she left quickly.
The door closed gently. Su Baiwei's gaze was fixed on the deepest wound between Tiao Tiao's ribs. She slowly raised her trembling hand, her fingertips gently touching the skin around the wound's edge.
Tiao Tiao's body suddenly tensed up and trembled slightly.
Su Baiwei's fingertips suddenly shrank as if they were scalded, and hovered in mid-air.
The two were silent. The room was quiet except for the rustling of leaves in the wind outside the window.
"I'm sorry..." Su Baiwei's eyes were still fixed on his wound, tears that she had been trying to hold back welled up in her eyes. She finally spoke softly.
Tiao Tiao looked at her lowered profile, her furrowed brows, her trembling lips, and her Adam's apple rolling, suppressing the sharp pain from the wound. "This is my choice. It has nothing to do with you."
Those words were like a key, instantly unlocking Su Baiwei's defenses. Tears finally burst forth, heavy drops hitting her collar, then turning into uncontrollable sobs. Her thin shoulders trembled violently. Tiao Tiao's eyes warmed, a bitterness surging through them. He struggled to raise his left arm, wanting to soothe her trembling shoulders, but his arm remained suspended in mid-air, unable to descend. Finally, his trembling hand rested on her shoulder, gently patting it.
Su Baiwei shuddered. She raised her head, tears streaming down her face, and met his equally watery eyes. There was no reproach in them, only a deep sorrow and understanding. They stared at each other in silence, a thousand emotions, a thousand worries, flowing silently through their tearful gaze.
Mu Jin pushed the door open, medicine box in hand. She saw the tear marks on Su Baiwei's face and the watery glint in Tiao Tiao's eyes, and froze in her tracks. She hurriedly lowered her head, her gaze frantically falling on the medicine box in her hands, pretending to adjust the brass buckle.
Tiao Tiao's expression shifted, and she instantly regained her composure. Su Baiwei also turned her head and wiped the moisture from her face with her sleeve.
Mu Jin suppressed her confusion, put the medicine box aside, took out the knife and medicine bottle, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Miss, let me do it."
Su Baiwei shook her head stubbornly: "I'll do it." Then she leaned forward to grab the pack of knives in her hand.
"But your illness..." Mu Jin was extremely anxious and could only look at Tiao Tiao with pleading eyes.
Tiaotiao gave Su Baiwei a long look, noticing the stubbornness in her eyes. Her voice was filled with helplessness. "Let Mujin come. You look so sick, and if you continue to work so hard, how can the people guarding you feel at ease?"
This sentence seemed to hit Su Baiwei's soft spot. She finally gave up, but her eyes, full of water, still stared at him closely, and whispered, "You too."
The faces of the Seven Swords companions flashed before Tiaotiao's eyes: the worry hidden under Rainbow Cat's calm gaze, the concern flowing in Blue Rabbit's gentle gaze, Doudou's furrowed brow when he inquired, Dada's silent guarding figure, the anger that erupted when Daben smashed the wall, and... Sally's resolute back as she left.
The weight of concern was like an invisible net, nearly suffocating him. He feared that Doudou's three fingers on his wrist pulse, the pitifully weak pulse beneath her fingertips, would instantly shatter the light in the miracle doctor's eyes, revealing the truth of his limited time. He feared even more what would follow: Hongmao's forced composure collapsing, Lantu's silent tears quietly falling, Dada's heavy sigh escaping his throat, Daben's unresolved roar of grief pounding in his chest... Most of all, he feared Sally's hate-soaked finger pointing at Su Baiwei. He couldn't imagine how those familiar faces would be covered in despair and pity.
He forced himself to hide his wounds because he was afraid that they would worry about him, and he was even more afraid that the anger and grief caused by him would eventually turn into a sharp blade, pointing at the woman in front of him who was also scarred but silently endured everything.
Su Baiwei took a deep breath, the emotions surging in her eyes frozen in place. "Take the lancet," she said in a cold voice, "and scrape until new blood appears."
"Okay," Mu Jin agreed, cautiously probing his wound. Her movements were steadfast, a touch stiff, and she was extremely cautious with each cut, fearing she'd used even a little too much force. Su Baiwei watched her every move closely, her fingertips digging deep into her palm, as if every bit of pain from the awkward touch pierced her flesh, making even breathing difficult.
After the wound was treated, Mu Jin straightened his shirt. Su Baiwei's eyes fell on his lower body, which was covered by the thin blanket. "Left leg."
Tiao Tiao's body suddenly tensed up, a trace of discomfort flashed across his face. His fingers clenched the corner of the quilt, and his voice was hoarse: "I can do it myself."
Su Baiwei said in a deep voice, "You're covered in wounds. Every inch you move involves blood and flesh. How are you going to treat them yourself? If the wounds fester and aren't treated, you could be disabled at best, or even die at worst." She turned her back and said, "Just take off your clothes, cover yourself with the quilt, and expose the wounds."
Tiao Tiao was silent for a moment, then finally closed his eyes and resigned himself to his fate, loosening his grip on the quilt. He clenched his teeth, a vein bulging on his forehead. He very slowly lowered his trouser legs, then carefully pulled the thin quilt over himself, leaving only the horrific wound on his left leg exposed. Cold sweat streamed down his temples, and his breathing was heavy and rapid, yet he managed not to let out a single groan of pain.
Su Baiwei's eyes flashed back to the moment he'd twisted the blade back to cut his own leg, his left hand tightly clasping his right to protect her. The blood splattered on her cheek, burning as if it were still burning her skin. A sudden wave of dizziness washed over her, and she steadied herself by gripping the edge of the bed. The rustling of fabric behind her gradually died down, and she knew he was done. She said, "Mujin, clean the wound."
By the time the last bandage was wrapped, Tiao Tiao's face was pale, and cold sweat soaked his temples. He still forced himself to raise his hands, fumbling to pull his trouser legs back into place inch by inch, and then slowly tied his belt.
Su Baiwei kept her back to him until she heard the rustling of fabric cease, then she slowly turned around. Her eyes fell on his tense jawline, her lips moving slightly before she uttered only three words: "Rest."
Tiaotiao looked at Mu Jin as she helped her leave and whispered, "You too."
She paused, her fingers suddenly tightened, the fabric digging deep into her knuckles, but she didn't look back.
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