Chapter 55 She cried out in pain, clutching Xie…
Xue Mingyao frowned, biting her lip, and kept crying out in pain. Seeing Xie Zhuo standing in front of her like a wooden statue, she angrily punched him again.
Xie Zhuo took her fist with a sullen sound, then pulled her hand back. "If it hurts, you shouldn't move around so much."
"Does it mean it won't hurt if I don't move?" Xue Mingyao's voice trembled with tears. "I've never experienced this kind of pain before."
Xie Zhuo squatted down and patted her hand, "Bear with it, it won't hurt in a few days."
"A few days?" Xue Mingyao exclaimed, her wet almond-shaped eyes filled with resentment. "Xie Zhuo, it's all your fault! I never had any problems practicing martial arts at the Xue residence, but I couldn't do it at your Xie residence. You must have deliberately retaliated against me, trying to break my leg!"
Xie Zhuo was both amused and exasperated. "Yes, I am incredibly resourceful and set up this trap in advance."
Xue Mingyao let out a painful groan.
"It's best not to talk about breaking your leg. If you're left with a disability, you'll be crying then," Xie Zhuo said in a low voice.
Xue Mingyao bristled like a rabbit, “What’s the difference between this and having a broken leg? How am I supposed to walk or sleep like this!”
"Of course you can't walk, but sleeping won't be a big problem..."
Xue Mingyao was fidgeting again, shifting her hips, trying to move her raised right leg in another direction. Xie Zhuo quickly stopped her, "What are you doing?"
"It's too hard, it's uncomfortable." Xue Mingyao patted the couch. "I'm going to sleep on the couch, it's more comfortable there."
She looked at Xie Zhuo as a matter of course.
Xie Zhuo paused for a moment, lowered his eyes, and slowly reached out to pick up Xue Mingyao.
As soon as Xue Mingyao came close to him, she immediately wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hold on tight, or you'll hurt my injuries and affect my recovery. I'll never forgive you." She groaned a few more times and snuggled closer to him.
She's in such good spirits, and still has the energy to yell at him, so she probably isn't in that much pain. Xie Zhuo was somewhat relieved.
After escorting her to the bedroom, Xie Zhuo didn't let the maids follow. He placed a pillow at the head of the bed for Xue Mingyao to lean against, and then piled several quilts at the foot of the bed to elevate her ailing leg.
“This will relieve the pain,” he said.
Xue Mingyao muttered, "You're quite knowledgeable."
"I've suffered bone injuries quite a few times," Xie Zhuo said calmly.
Xue Mingyao gave a bewildered "Ah," and looked him over, "You're quite good at running and jumping..."
Still so energetic.
"If you want to recover to my level, you have to listen to me." Xie Zhuo poured her a glass of water.
Xue Mingyao took a sip and handed it back to him, looking indifferent. "Tell someone to fry some chestnuts for me, add more sugar, fry them until they're fragrant and caramelized, and also have a bowl of osmanthus-flavored dumpling soup with them."
Xie Zhuo frowned. "Dinner will be served soon."
"This is my dinner."
"Your bones are damaged, so you need to take supplements. Eating these things won't help."
"Then we'll start supplementing tomorrow. Tonight, I'll eat what I want to eat first." Xue Mingyao said irritably, "Are you going to call me or not? If not, I will."
After saying that, he was about to call out to Green Branch, but Xie Zhuo rubbed his forehead and said, "Be quiet for a while."
He sent a maid to the kitchen, then asked Lüzhi about the doctor's diagnosis. Lüzhi, still looking fearful, stammered, "The doctor said the princess fell from a height and injured her ankle, requiring three months of immobilization and rest. He prescribed a formula to promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, and strengthen muscles and bones, and also instructed the princess to nourish her liver and kidneys..."
"What is the extent of the injury to the ankle? Is it a fracture or a crack?" Xie Zhuoxiang asked.
This question seemed to stump Green Branch. She paused for a moment before saying, "It's probably the former. Anyway, the doctor said that after a period of rest, I'll recover completely and there's nothing to worry about."
Xie Zhuo then asked, "Who was with her when she practiced martial arts?"
"At that time, Qi Zhao was with me, and Qi Zhao was teaching Master a new spear technique."
Xie Zhuo's expression was not good. "Qi Zhao was present, and your master was still injured?"
Green Branch whispered, "He has already gone to the woodshed to reflect on his actions."
"Was this punished by your master?"
"No, no, he went there voluntarily."
Xie Zhuo returned to Xue Mingyao's bedside.
"You've raised such good guards, yet they can't even protect you at home. What's the point of keeping them around?" he couldn't help but say.
“Why blame A-Zhao?” Xue Mingyao retorted. “He reacted quickly enough, helped me with my injury, and even carried me back to my room. Without him, those maids would have been exhausted.”
"...You let him hug you?"
“Yeah, otherwise I could either hop back or fly back myself,” Xue Mingyao said shrewdly.
Xie Zhuo's face tightened again.
Xue Mingyao looked up at him, her eyes playful. "What, are you jealous of A-Zhao?"
"Your foot doesn't hurt anymore?" Xie Zhuo asked in a cold voice.
"A few words with you make me feel much better," Xue Mingyao said with a smile. "It will be even better when the roasted chestnuts arrive."
Before long, the two dishes Xue Mingyao had requested were brought in by the maid, and a small table was placed on the couch for her convenience. A plate was piled high with piping hot roasted chestnuts, each one plump and bursting open, their aroma filling the air and overpowering the sweet fragrance of the osmanthus in the meatball soup.
She then looked at Xie Zhuo, "You peel it for me."
Xie Zhuo didn't answer, "Did you break your hand too?"
Xue Mingyao scoffed, raising her slender fingers, "My hands, those of the dignified Princess Yongning, are not for peeling chestnuts."
Xie Zhuo's lips twitched. "I'll take it out and have the maid peel it for you."
"No, by the time the maid finishes peeling them, the chestnuts will be cold. Also, if you put the peeled chestnuts together, the smoky flavor from the cooking process will dissipate. You have to peel and eat them at the same time, listening to the sounds, to really enjoy them."
Xie Zhuo: "......"
Even more serious than Xue Mingyao's foot injury was her "affluent lifestyle disease."
"What are you dawdling for? It'll get cold if you don't peel it soon!" Xue Mingyao urged repeatedly.
Xie Zhuo had no choice but to sit down on the couch and roll up his sleeves to peel chestnuts for her.
The chestnut with its cracked opening was very easy to peel. He held it between his index finger and thumb, gave it a gentle squeeze, and with a pop, the bright yellow chestnut jumped out.
He peeled one and looked at Xue Mingyao, who was also looking at him.
Xie Zhuo slowly handed the chestnut to her, at a very awkward distance. Taking it with his hand would seem like taking a roundabout way, while using his mouth would be a bit too far, requiring her to lean forward a little.
Xue Mingyao remained completely still.
After a few moments of stalemate, Xie Zhuo finally brought the chestnut to her lips.
Xue Mingyao parted her lips and smugly put the food in her mouth.
Xie Zhuo continued peeling chestnuts for her. Xue Mingyao picked up the soup bowl and slowly scooped up some to drink, her eyes catching Xie Zhuo's hands peeling chestnuts.
Those were once long, slender, and elegant hands, more captivating than any artwork on paper when they held a pen to write or paint. The calluses on the pad of the middle finger did nothing to damage them; rather, they were the badges of a scholar's honor.
Xue Mingyao clearly remembered the way those hands rested on her chest, elegant yet slightly awkward. At that moment, her gaze met Xie Qinglang's; he was looking at her treasure, and she was looking at his hands.
These hands are still far from ugly, though they are a bit rough and thick. Compared to the hands of any military general, they can be considered beautiful.
But those hands, now deeply etched in her memory, are a far cry from the ones she remembers.
There is one advantage to it: before, she couldn't bear to let Xie Qinglang peel chestnuts with such beautiful hands, but now, it doesn't matter. She's become thick-skinned and tough, so she doesn't feel bad about torturing him no matter what.
"Are you going to eat or not?" Xie Zhuo had already stopped his hand near her mouth for a while.
Xue Mingyao lazily opened her mouth, and Xie Zhuo had no choice but to put his hand further in and place it on her tongue.
Even the Empress Dowager in the palace doesn't necessarily need to be served like this. But Xie Zhuo's movements became more and more skilled and natural. Watching Xue Mingyao chew on the chestnuts like a kitten, licking her lips and showing a satisfied expression, he couldn't help but smile as well.
After filling her stomach, Xue Mingyao started groaning in pain again, grabbing and pulling at Xie Zhuo's sleeve.
Xie Zhuo frowned deeply, "If the pain is really unbearable, I have strong painkillers..."
He paused halfway through his sentence, seemingly hesitant.
Xue Mingyao was taken aback. "Is this what you ate when you were injured?"
"I suppose so," Xie Zhuo replied vaguely. Covered in blood and pierced by swords and spears, bone wounds were nothing compared to what he had suffered. He took the medicine to prevent himself from howling in pain in the middle of the night and disturbing his companions' rest.
"After taking it, one will experience mental confusion, dullness, and numbness for a short period of time, thus it is very effective for pain caused by external injuries."
"Ah?" Xue Mingyao quickly shook her head. "I don't want to. It sounds a bit scary. I... I'll bear it. It hurts much less now than when I was first injured."
Xie Zhuo nodded, smoothing out the wrinkles on his sleeve, and said, "You should probably avoid playing with weapons like swords and spears."
Xue Mingyao was displeased. "Don't look down on me. Although my kung fu is not as good as yours, I do know how to use a gun properly."
Xie Zhuo couldn't help but smile.
He had witnessed Xue Mingyao's marksmanship before. Back then, she had intended to intimidate him by wielding her red-tasseled spear and showing off her skills, which had indeed intimidated him.
He had never heard of or seen a girl who could shoot.
Later, when he also learned martial arts, he naturally understood that Xue Mingyao's style was purely flashy and ineffective, not only unable to harm others but also prone to injuring herself. However, she was indeed very beautiful, full of bright and dashing heroic spirit, which Xie Zhuo still remembers vividly.
Let her play with guns if she wants, but he needs to be with her, at least he can guarantee she won't get hurt. Xie Zhuo thought this, but didn't say it aloud.
"Stop laughing," Xue Mingyao pouted, asking somewhat awkwardly, "How did you manage to master kung fu in just a few years?"
She still vividly remembered the scene where Xie Qinglang was beaten to a pulp by her brother, completely powerless to fight back.
Xie Zhuo pondered. His kung fu was all self-taught; he was able to master it entirely through hardship and ruthlessness.
Before joining the army, he went to a martial arts school and paid to become an apprentice, but they refused to accept him because they saw that he was a weak scholar. He didn't insist, left the money, and came to the compound every day to watch. He would imitate the seven- or eight-year-old apprentices as they practiced, and the martial arts master didn't kick him out.
Time was short, and I didn't learn much. I barely laid a foundation, and when I got to the military camp, I was still ridiculed for being weak and was bullied and beaten by others from time to time.
Getting beaten is also a form of experience, from which one can learn wisdom. One learns defense while practicing diligently on one's own. Everyone in the camp can be his teacher. He learns one move from here and another from there, practicing until the lamp burns late into the night and the rooster crows at dawn, until his arms ache so much he can't even hold chopsticks, until he dreams of boxing in the middle of the night. When he reaches this level, he has mastered it.
However, these are not enough for Xue Mingyao to understand.
Xie Zhuo answered casually, "It's all about talent."
Xue Mingyao was about to ask another question when Xie Zhuo stood up and said, "I'm going to have dinner. You stay in bed and don't get up. If you need anything, just tell the maid to do it."
Xue Mingyao ignored him, slightly raising her chin to look at him, "Are you coming to sleep with me tonight?"
Xie Zhuo's heart stirred, and he lowered his eyes.
"Come."
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