Heart
The days that Chen Bozhou spent recuperating at the Yun family became a subtle turning point in their relationship. Although the snake venom was controlled in time, the remaining poison had not yet cleared, and coupled with the blood loss and shock, he was indeed weak for several days.
Yunwu stayed by his side almost without taking off her clothes, decocting medicine, applying medication, feeding him, doing everything herself, silently but meticulously.
That evening, Chen Bozhou felt much better, and the redness and swelling in his arm had mostly subsided. He leaned against the headboard, watching Yunwu sitting on a low stool by the window, carefully pounding the medicine she needed to change that evening in the last bit of daylight.
The pestle made a dull and rhythmic sound when it collided with the mortar wall, and the air was filled with the bitter scent of herbs.
"I feel much better," Chen Bozhou moved his injured right arm, trying to break the silence in the room, "Your medicine is really effective. I think I'll be able to get out of bed in two days."
Yunwu did not stop pounding the medicine, nor did he raise his head. He just responded lightly: "Well, the poison has not been completely cleared. He needs to rest for a few days. Don't be careless." His tone was still steady, but Chen Bozhou keenly noticed that since he was injured that day, Yunwu seemed to speak less. Under the deliberately maintained calmness, it seemed as if something was suppressed.
"Yunwu," Chen Bozhou looked at his lowered profile, which was a little blurry in the dimming light, but he could still see the lines of his tightly pursed lips. "Are you still angry with me?"
The sound of pounding medicine paused for a moment, then sounded regularly again.
Yunwu did not answer.
Chen Bozhou sighed, his voice softening: "I know you're angry that I rushed over regardless of the danger. But in that situation, how could I watch the snake bite you? Not to mention a snake, even if it was a mountain of swords and a sea of fire, as long as it was for you, I would..."
"Stop talking." Yunwu suddenly interrupted him, her voice a little tense.
He put down the pestle, stood up, and walked to the bedside, but did not look at Chen Bozhou. Instead, he reached out to his forehead, tested the temperature, and checked the wound on his arm.
His fingertips were slightly cold and his movements were gentle, but Chen Bozhou could feel the slight trembling.
"I'm not angry." Yun Wu withdrew her hand and turned around as if to get some medicine. She tried to maintain a calm tone, "I'm just... scared."
He spoke the last two words so softly that they almost disappeared into the air, but Chen Bozhou still caught them.
His heart tightened. Looking at Yunwu's back, which was facing away from him and looked a little thin and lonely, a strong impulse surged in his heart.
"Yunwu," he reached out and gently pulled Yunwu's sleeve, "Turn around and look at me."
Yunwu's body stiffened for a moment and did not move.
"Look at me." Chen Bozhou's voice was filled with an earnestness that could not be refused. "There are some things I must make clear to you today."
The room fell into a brief silence, with only the occasional crackling of the oil lamp wick. After a long time, Yunwu finally turned around slowly.
The dim light illuminated his face, and in those eyes that were always as calm as water, there was now clearly a surge of complex and unspeakable emotions, including lingering fear, deep-seated worry, and a trace of something that was forcibly suppressed and almost about to break out.
Chen Bozhou stared into his eyes, speaking each word clearly and slowly: "I know you are scared, and I am scared too. I am not afraid of being bitten, but what if... what if I react a little slowly and the snake hurts you, what should I do?"
Yunwu's eyelashes trembled violently and she avoided his gaze.
"You told me not to do this next time," Chen Bozhou continued, exerting a little force with his hands to pull Yunwu closer, forcing him to face him, "but I can't do it. Yunwu, listen carefully, I'm only going to say this once, and you have to remember it."
He took a deep breath, as if he had exhausted all his strength, his eyes were blazing and frank, as if he wanted to open his heart and show him:
"I'm Chen Bozhou. From the moment I chose you, this life is no longer mine. It's yours. Shielding you from disaster, risking my life for you, is a matter of course for me. You can call me stupid, call me impulsive, but you can't stop me from doing this. Protecting you is my instinct, more natural than breathing."
These words were like thunder, exploding in the silent little room. Yunwu suddenly raised her head and looked at him in disbelief, her lips slightly moving but no sound coming out.
The dam in his eyes seemed to be completely broken at this moment, and those suppressed fears, worries, and emotions that even he himself dared not delve into surged out, making his eyes quickly red.
"You..." His voice was hoarse and choked with sobs, "Why...why did you have to speak so harshly..."
"It's not serious!" Chen Bozhou interrupted him firmly, tightening his grip on his sleeve. His eyes were persistent and almost paranoid. "That's how I have to say it, so you can understand! Only then can you remember! Yunwu, I'm not negotiating with you, I'm telling you a fact. You are so important to me. So important that I would not hesitate to sacrifice my life in exchange for your safety."
He watched the moisture rapidly gathering in Yunwu's eyes, his heart aching and softening. He couldn't help but slow down his tone, speaking with endless tenderness and earnestness: "So, don't be angry with me about this kind of thing anymore, and don't say those stupid things like 'it should have been directed at you'. For me, being hurt in your body is a thousand times more painful than being hurt in my heart. Do you understand?"
Yunwu was speechless. He stared blankly at Chen Bozhou, at the unmistakable, almost burning determination and deep affection in the eyes of this usually cheerful and sunny young man.
The fiery emotion was so overwhelming and so direct that it almost completely melted the shell he had always used to protect himself.
The tears finally slid down uncontrollably, one drop, two drops, rolling down his pale cheeks and dripping onto the back of Shen Bozhou's hand holding his sleeve, with a scorching temperature.
When Chen Bozhou saw him crying, he panicked and used his uninjured hand to clumsily wipe his tears: "Don't cry, don't cry... It's my fault, I shouldn't have said these things to make you sad..."
His fingertips were rough, yet his movements were incredibly gentle. Yunwu didn't dodge, but simply let him wipe her tears, only for them to flow even more violently.
He suddenly lowered his head, resting his forehead lightly on Shen Bozhou's shoulder. His shoulders twitched slightly and he let out a suppressed, very small sob.
This silent crying made Chen Bozhou more heartbroken than any wailing.
He stopped talking and just used his intact arm to gently wrap around Yunwu's thin and trembling body, patting his back clumsily but firmly, again and again.
He knew Yunwu needed this catharsis, to let out all the pent-up fear, trepidation, and emotions that perhaps even he himself hadn't clearly recognized.
The only sounds in the room were Yunwu's suppressed sobs and Shen Bozhou's gentle comfort. The light from the oil lamp cast the two people's embraced figures on the wall, intertwined and inseparable.
After an unknown amount of time, Yunwu's crying gradually subsided. He still leaned on Shen Bozhou's shoulder, not moving or speaking, but his breathing gradually became steady.
Chen Bozhou did not urge him, but just held him quietly, feeling the warm body temperature and the gradually relaxing body in his arms. He knew that some things were no longer the same after this baptism of tears.
Finally, Yunwu slowly stood up. His eyes were still red, tears still stained on his face, but his gaze was clearer and more resolute than ever before. He stared at Chen Bozhou for a long, long time, as if he wanted to deeply engrave his current appearance in his heart.
Then, he said very softly, almost in a whisper:
"Your life... is also important."
The sound was very light, but it was like a huge rock, hitting Shen Bozhou's heart hard, causing huge waves.
He didn't say "I like you too" or make any promises, but these six short words shocked and delighted Chen Bozhou more than any vows of love.
He understood. This was Yunwu's response, the most important promise he could make. He was telling him that he also cherished his life and his safety, and also... placed him in the most important position in his heart.
Chen Bozhou's nose felt sore and his eyes turned red. He opened his mouth, trying to smile, but his expression was uglier than crying.
He nodded vigorously, his voice choked with sobs: "Okay, okay... We are all fine... Our lives are all fine..."
Yun Wu looked at his silly look, and finally a faint but genuine smile appeared in his eyes. He reached out and gently touched the bandaged wound on Shen Bozhou's arm, his movements cautious.
"Yeah." He responded softly again, and this time, his voice carried a sense of calmness as if everything had settled.
Outside the window, the moonlight flows quietly like water. Inside the house, the lamp is small and warm.
The two hearts that were once separated by thousands of mountains and rivers finally leaned against each other without reservation at this moment. The warmth between them was enough to withstand all the cold and wind and frost in the world.
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