Chapter 6 Reunited After Crossing a Thousand Mountains (Part 6) He deliberately maintained a distance...
"Sister, you are so beautiful."
It was a little girl's voice, clear and pure. It gradually eased her tension.
The little girl knelt beside her bed, her voice filled with amazement, "My name is Aliao, and you look just like... just like the fairy in Grandma's stories! Brother Yanqing said that when he first saw you, he thought he had encountered a mountain spirit!"
The old woman smiled and scolded, "Little brat, what nonsense are you talking about?"
“Brother Yanqing said he found you in the woods behind the mountain where the little white flowers bloom. How strange,” she tilted her head, full of confusion. “When Brother Yanqing’s mother was alive, she always said she found him in the woods. Grandma, are there adults and little children in the woods? Aliao also wants to pick up a pretty doll to play with me.”
The old woman, who was fumbling to hand Ye Yixiang some warm water, couldn't help but chuckle when she heard this. She gently tapped her granddaughter's forehead with her wrinkled hand: "Silly girl, don't talk nonsense! That forest is too deep, where would you find a baby? Your brother Yanqing's mother was just teasing him. Your parents used to tell you the same thing when you were little, saying you were all dug out of the bamboo shoot pit in the back mountain!"
Then she sighed, her tone full of affection and emotion, "But young lady, you are truly the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in all my years. No wonder that boy Yan Qing... sigh, he was trying to find the eyes of the Enchanting Orchid on the cliff for you. The other day he said he fell and came back covered in blood, but he kept it a secret from us and secretly applied medicine himself..."
The faint smile that had been playing on Ye Yixiang's lips instantly froze. Injured? And so badly injured?
Was it to pick that intoxicating orchid for her? No wonder... no wonder his footsteps were heavier than usual when he came back that day, and he always kept a few steps away when talking to her, and his fingertips avoided touching her when handing her things...
I initially thought he was just exhausted from work, or that I was overthinking it, but I never imagined he was enduring such intense pain!
Her heart clenched, as if gripped tightly by an invisible hand, a bitter and aching sensation washing over her. Instinctively, she clutched the cool corner of the blanket, her dry throat churning anxiously. She wanted to ask, "How badly is he hurt? How is he now?" but could only manage a few muffled, hoarse gasps. This feeling of helplessness only intensified her anxiety.
The old woman and the little girl took good care of her, and after she drank the water, she had some simple porridge.
The old woman was clearing away the dishes when she asked kindly, "Young lady, the weather is nice today. I'm taking this little girl to the market to exchange some needles and thread. Would you like to come along and get some fresh air? Staying cooped up indoors all the time will make you sick even if you're not already."
Ye Yixiang was preoccupied with Yan Qing's injury and had no desire to go to the market. She gently shook her head, trying to politely decline in a soft voice, "Thank you..."
Seeing her speaking so hastily, the old woman quickly said, "Oh! Oh, your throat isn't fully healed yet, don't rush to speak. Since you don't want to go out, let's wait until the spring market in half a month. The weather will be warmer then, and you'll probably be much better by then. We can go for a good stroll then." After giving her a few more instructions, she took her bouncy granddaughter and went out the door.
The cottage returned to tranquility, leaving only the scent of herbs and sunshine.
She could no longer find peace of mind, her ears straining to catch every sound outside, hoping it was Yan Qing's footsteps returning, yet fearing to hear his muffled groans of pain he was suppressing.
As the setting sun bathed the window paper in a warm orange hue, familiar, slightly heavy footsteps finally approached. The door was pushed open, bringing in a breath of cool mountain air and a faint scent of grass and trees, seemingly mixed with a very faint, deliberately cleaned-out smell of blood.
"I'm back." Yan Qing's voice sounded as gentle as ever, but seemed a little lower and hoarse than usual, with a hint of barely perceptible fatigue. "I was very lucky today and caught a pheasant. I'll make soup for you tonight to help you recover your strength."
He put down his basket, and the movement seemed to inadvertently aggravate his injury, producing a very soft gasp. Although he immediately covered it up, Ye Yixiang still keenly noticed it.
Her heart clenched, and she looked up at him, following the sound, trying to make her hoarse, rough voice clearer: "Is...the injury... a little better..."
The moment the words left his mouth, the tall figure at the door froze as if struck by a spell! An extreme silence filled the air, so quiet that even the rustling of leaves in the wind outside the window could be clearly heard.
Just as Ye Yixiang was wondering if her voice was too muffled for him to hear clearly, she heard a soft sound of a ceramic pot being gently placed on the table.
It seemed that he subconsciously let go of her hand.
Immediately following was a flurry of footsteps, almost to the point of staggering! Yan Qing rushed to the bedside, completely forgetting to keep his distance. He leaned down, incredulously trying to capture the subtle expressions on her face. Her voice was filled with immense, almost overflowing, surprise and trembling:
"You...you just spoke? Was it you who spoke? You...you can make a sound now?!"
His usual composure and calmness had vanished; at this moment, he was more like a child who had obtained a long-awaited treasure, so excited that he was somewhat at a loss for what to do.
Those usually calm eyes were now surprisingly bright, staring intently at her lips, as if trying to confirm that what had just happened wasn't a hallucination.
Ye Yixiang was slightly taken aback by his sudden and huge reaction, and then realized that this was the first time she had spoken to him so clearly since she lost her voice due to poisoning.
She noticed his surprised expression, and the softest part of her heart was gently touched. Suppressing the discomfort in her throat, she tried again to speak, her voice still hoarse, but much firmer: "Mmm... a little..."
Having received a positive reply, Yan Qing seemed to have finally confirmed this tremendous good news. He took a deep breath, as if to calm his overly excited emotions, but it had little effect.
He looked at her, his lips involuntarily curving upwards into an almost silly yet radiant smile, and exclaimed repeatedly, "This is wonderful! This is truly... this is truly wonderful!"
He was so overjoyed that he was almost incoherent, his hands trembling slightly. He seemed to want to touch her to confirm that this was not a dream, but he held back for fear of offending her.
She could smell the blood masked by the scent of herbs on him, and asked again, "You...are you injured?"
His smile faltered slightly, his eyes flickered, and he quickly took a small step back. His tone regained its previous attempt to conceal his panic as he spoke rapidly, "No...it's nothing serious! Really! It was just a minor scrape, it's all fine now, look at me, I'm perfectly alright! Don't worry, really don't worry..."
His tone was hurried, as if afraid that her worry would affect her recently recovered mood and physical condition. His cautious manner was completely different from his earlier ecstatic and unrestrained state.
"Drink some water to soothe your throat." He walked to the table and poured some water, but instead of handing it directly to her as usual, he carefully placed the warm ceramic cup on the low stool beside the bed from a few steps away. "The water is here, the temperature is just right, be careful when you take it."
He deliberately kept his distance, afraid that any unpleasant aura lingering on him might disturb her.
This fool... She groped her way to reach for the water glass, her fingertips just touching the warm glass when she suddenly let out a soft cry, her body seemingly losing its balance, and she slumped softly from the edge of the bed to the ground!
"careful!"
Almost at the same time she exclaimed, Yan Qing charged over like a startled cheetah!
Keeping a distance and hiding injuries were instantly forgotten.
His strong arms swiftly and steadily swept her up, pulling her back into his embrace just before her clothes touched the ground, and holding her tightly.
His rapid breaths shot out from the top of her head, filled with obvious panic and lingering fear: "Did you fall? Where did you bump yourself? Does it hurt?" A series of questions revealed his momentary panic.
Ye Yixiang gently shook her head in his firm and warm embrace, and instead reached out and precisely touched the rough cloth strip wrapped around his back.
The muscles under her fingertips tensed instantly, but she stubbornly and gently stroked the bandage. Her delicate fingertips could even feel the slight dampness under the cloth and the stronger smell of medicine.
Her fingertips trembled slightly. She raised her head, her gaze unfocused, yet precisely meeting the direction of his anxious eyes. Her voice held a choked sob and unmistakable heartache: "I... I smelled it..."
Yan Qing froze, his arms trembling slightly as he held her. The soft, warm body in his arms, the deep worry in her words, and the cool, soft fingertips that gently caressed his wounds were like a warm current that instantly shattered all his defenses.
He asked almost instinctively, his tone filled with self-reproach, "Is it... that my smell makes you uncomfortable?" As he spoke, he tried to let go of her and step back.
However, Ye Yixiang reached out even faster, gently tugging at his slightly rough sleeve, stopping him from retreating. She shook her head, her voice soft yet firm: "I... am worried... about you."
Feeling the subtle yet irresistible force on her sleeve, Yan Qing's heart rippled as if brushed by the softest feather.
He softened his voice and awkwardly comforted her, "It's really just a scrape, it looks scary, but it'll be fine in a couple of days. You...you don't need to worry."
His clumsy words of comfort drifted through the air, carrying an almost reverent caution. His deliberately understated tone, however, was like a heavy pebble thrown into Ye Yixiang's heart lake, stirring up ripples of bittersweet emotion. She knew all too well that it was far more than just a "minor scratch."
Before she could ask any more questions, Yan Qing gently helped her sit up straight. He quickly took a step back, the distance between them now carrying a hint of haste, as if he wanted to escape.
"You...you've only just learned to speak, your voice is still weak, you need to rest more, don't overexert yourself." His voice was low, trying to keep it steady. "I'll go clean the pheasant and make soup, it'll be ready soon."
A note from the author:
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Yanqing is a good puppy. [Patting head]
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