Chapter 132
A few seconds felt like an eternity.
Sheng Xuan and Xiao Qiyun's eyes met briefly in the air, and they both saw the frustration and helplessness in each other's eyes.
Finally, it was Su Zhelan's muffled voice, heavy with nasal tones, almost swallowed by the water, that broke the stillness:
"Go out...wait for me..." His voice was very soft, like a bubble squeezed out from the bottom of the water, carrying a deep weariness and an air of unyielding authority.
As soon as he finished speaking, before the two could respond, he took a deep breath and suddenly sank down!
A string of bubbles rose to the surface of the water with a "glug-glug" sound, leaving only the violently swaying surface and a few strands of hair floating in the water. He completely hid himself behind this warm, murky barrier, like a clam that refused any touch, tightly closing its shell.
Sheng Xuan stared at the blurry figure curled up at the bottom of the water, his Adam's apple bobbed, but he said nothing in the end. With a gloomy face, he turned and strode out, the wind he stirred up stirring up the pervasive water vapor.
Xiao Qiyun's gaze lingered on the water's reflection for a moment, then he sighed softly, bent down to pick up the surviving medicine bottle from the ground, and followed him out.
The beaded curtains in the inner room hung quietly, isolating the misty water vapor and the chaos from just now.
Sheng Xuan and Xiao Qiyun stood in the outer room of Shuyu Courtyard, the atmosphere somewhat tense.
Sheng Xuan leaned against the vermilion pillars, arms crossed, his gaze fixed intently on the tightly closed inner room door.
Xiao Qiyun stood a little further away, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the wet fabric of his cuffs. His expression seemed calm, but a hint of barely perceptible annoyance was hidden deep in his eyes.
A silent, lingering sense of confrontation existed between the two, but it was temporarily put to rest due to the expulsion of the same person.
Time passed slowly, with only the occasional birdsong and the rustling of bamboo leaves in the courtyard. This quiet lasted for quite some time, until Shengxuan began to impatiently grind the fallen leaves on the ground with the toe of his boot.
Finally, a clear "splashing" sound came from inside the room, as if someone had stood up from the bathtub. Then came the soft rustling of fabric against wet skin, and the subtle swishing sound of a soft towel wiping the body.
These sounds, like pebbles thrown into calm water, instantly broke the stillness under the eaves.
Sheng Xuan immediately stood up straight, her gaze fixed intently on the door. Xiao Qiyun also stopped fiddling with his cuffs, turned slightly to the side, and looked intently toward the inner room.
After a while, the door to the inner room was gently pulled open a crack. The cool morning breeze immediately carried the scent of grass and trees from the courtyard into the room.
Su Zhelan appeared at the doorway.
He changed into a clean set of casual clothes with cloud patterns, having already changed out of the slightly oversized one he had taken out of Sheng Xuan's wardrobe. His damp, black hair was draped messily over his shoulders, the ends still dripping water, soaking the fabric around his neck and shoulders, leaving several dark watermarks.
Su Zhelan held her slightly open collar with one hand and was holding a half-wet cotton towel in the other, idly wiping her wet hair. Her movements revealed obvious fatigue and absent-mindedness.
Her cheeks were flushed a faint pink from the steam, her eyelashes drooped, concealing most of her emotions, leaving only a lingering weariness between her brows and a fragile, quiet demeanor soaked in the steam.
He seemed not to have expected the two of them to still be standing at the door, or perhaps he simply didn't care. He just kept his head down, drying his hair, water droplets sliding down his delicate jawline.
Sheng Xuan rushed over almost immediately, his movements so fast they created a gust of wind. Without a word, he grabbed Su Zhelan's arm, his strength carrying both an undeniable force and a cautious probe. His gaze urgently swept over Su Zhelan's face and neck, as if checking if the red marks had become more pronounced from being soaked in water, or if he had truly injured him. "How are you? Does it still hurt? Is your back still sore?"
Su Zhelan swayed slightly as he helped her up, her brows furrowing slightly, but she didn't struggle. She simply shook her head gently, her voice slightly hoarse and distant, a peculiar quality that came with a bath: "It's nothing."
Almost at the same time that Sheng Xuan helped Su Zhelan up, Xiao Qiyun also approached. He didn't touch Su Zhelan's body as eagerly as Sheng Xuan, but his gaze was equally sharp and careful as he scanned Su Zhelan's body.
When he saw the cloth in Su Zhelan's hand, which was half-wet from her hair, he reached out very naturally and gently but undeniably took the cloth from her hand.
"Your hair is still wet. Be careful not to catch a cold and get a headache." Xiao Qiyun's voice returned to its usual gentle tone, as if the probing and controlling actions in the bathroom had never happened.
He took a cloth and, with practiced ease and just the right amount of pressure, began to wipe Su Zhelan's still-dripping hair. His movements were steady, his fingers stroking Su Zhelan's wet hair through the cloth, avoiding the sensitive sides of her neck and behind her ears, his movements focused and considerate.
Su Zhelan's body stiffened almost imperceptibly when Xiao Qiyun's hand touched his hair, but he quickly relaxed and let Xiao Qiyun do as he pleased.
He remained with his eyelashes lowered, like a delicate and fragile jade figure, standing silently between the two, bearing two completely different yet equally impenetrable expressions of "concern." A strange and tense harmony permeated the air.
Su Zhelan was practically half-supported and half-carried by the two men to the low couch by the window in the inner room. His steps were still a little unsteady, and the hem of his moon-white robe swayed gently with his movements.
Only when his knees touched the soft cushion did he feel as if his bones had been removed, and he sat down, his body leaning back slightly against the soft satin-covered tatami mat, letting out a barely audible sigh.
Sheng Xuan immediately followed, sitting down on a round stool next to the low couch and handing over a soft pillow: "This will make you more comfortable. Is your back still sore?"
Su Zhelan gently shook her head, her voice slightly hoarse and tired from just having taken a bath: "No need... I'll rest for a while."
Sheng Xuan didn't insist anymore, but simply pulled the blanket next to him closer to his side and softened his tone: "Then I'll give you a massage."
His movements were still somewhat reckless, but compared to his previous forcefulness in the bathroom, they seemed to show a bit more restraint.
Su Zhelan tilted her head slightly, leaning more of her weight against the soft back of the couch, as if trying to embed herself into it.
The way Xiao Qiyun dried his hair brought a soothing massage sensation, and his tense nerves gradually relaxed under this rhythmic, gentle touch. The lingering weariness between his brows seemed to deepen as well.
As Sheng Xuan massaged her, he noticed that Su Zhelan seemed to be enjoying Xiao Qiyun's service with her eyes closed, and that awkward feeling in his heart returned. He unconsciously increased the pressure on his hands a little.
"Hiss..." Su Zhelan gasped, then suddenly opened her eyes and glared at him.
"Ahem," Sheng Xuan said somewhat awkwardly, withdrawing his hand and then picking up the medicine bottle that had just been placed on the low table. "Then... how about applying the medicine?" He unscrewed the cap, and the bright green ointment emitted a bitter medicinal fragrance.
Su Zhelan looked at the ointment, then at Sheng Xuan's eager eyes, and then at Xiao Qiyun's focused profile as he continued to dry her hair. She felt a deep sense of powerlessness wash over her.
He resignedly closed his eyes again, turning his face slightly toward the direction Xiao Qiyun was wiping, as if trying to absorb the little peace that the action brought.
"Whatever you want..." His voice was as soft as a sigh, carrying a deep sense of compromise and exhaustion.
Upon receiving Su Zhelan's almost inaudible "Whatever," Sheng Xuan felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and his eyes immediately brightened.
He sat sideways on the edge of the low couch, one hand gently resting on Su Zhelan's shoulder, while the other hand reached for the loosely tied belt of Su Zhelan's inner garment.
Su Zhelan's body tensed almost imperceptibly for a moment when Sheng Xuan's fingers touched her sash, but in the end she just closed her eyes, turned her face further toward the direction Xiao Qiyun was wiping, and let Sheng Xuan do as he pleased.
The plain white sash was loosened, and the fabric slid down Su Zhelan's slightly hunched waist, piling up below her lower back. A large expanse of smooth, delicate skin on her back was exposed to the cool air and to the intense gazes of the two men.
Xiao Qiyun paused almost imperceptibly for a moment while wiping his hair.
The exposed skin was covered with marks left from last night and this morning. Several clear, deep red finger marks stood out starkly against the fair skin on her side; near the spine on her lower back, there were two small, deep bruises with teeth marks; most striking was the area near her waist dimples, where there was an irregular bruise with dark purple edges, clearly left by Sheng Xuan's forceful pinching last night when she lost control. There were also a few scattered hickeys, like ripe cherries, adorning the area below her shoulder blades.
A silent gasp seemed to fill the air. Xiao Qiyun's gaze, like the finest carving knife, swept over the marks inch by inch, the warmth in the depths of his eyes completely fading, leaving only a deep, dark pool.
His knuckles tightened slightly as he gripped the cloth, and the pale blue veins on the back of his hand became faintly visible.
But he quickly lowered his eyelashes, his thick lashes concealing all his turbulent emotions, and his movements as he continued to wipe Su Zhelan's hair seemed even gentler, as if he hadn't seen anything.
Sheng Xuan's gaze held an undisguised, almost greedy scrutiny. He looked at the marks he had left behind, then unscrewed the medicine bottle. A slightly bitter and spicy medicinal aroma immediately filled the air. He dipped his fingertip into a large dollop of the ointment, rubbed it vigorously in his palm, and let the ointment melt slightly under his body heat, releasing an even stronger medicinal scent.
"Bear with it, the ointment will feel a little cool when you first apply it." Sheng Xuan lowered his voice, with a rare gentleness, and slowly moved closer to Su Zhelan's waist.
Su Zhelan frowned slightly, her body swayed slightly, and she whispered, "I'm really fine."
"Don't move around, it'll be over soon." Sheng Xuan's tone carried an undeniable force as she steadily and gently applied the ointment to the affected area, her movements restrained yet meticulous.
The bitter scent of the ointment slowly dissipated, carrying a faint warmth that gently enveloped the surrounding air.
After the initial stinging sensation, a strange sense of relief followed. Sheng Xuan's technique was surprisingly good, as if she had received special training. Her fingertips made circles, gradually increasing the pressure, starting from the bruises on her side and slowly moving towards her spine, then kneading along the muscle lines.
His movements were very focused. He held the dissolved ointment in his palm and gently and steadily applied it to the sore spot on Su Zhelan's side, his technique restrained and meticulous.
Whenever her palm touched an uncomfortable spot, Su Zhelan would furrow her brow slightly and pause briefly with a shallow breath.
When Sheng Xuan's palm gently covered the more noticeable soreness on Su Zhelan's side, Su Zhelan took a light breath and her body tensed slightly.
His skin was already feeling a bit sore and heavy, and the slight warmth from the ointment made him frown slightly. He muttered, "It's a little hot..."
Sheng Xuan's palm pressed firmly there, even applying a little more pressure to rub the ointment, his fingertips lightly scraping the sensitive indentation.
He could clearly feel Su Zhelan's body trembling and the subtle spasms emanating from her tight muscles.
"Bear with it," Sheng Xuan's voice was a little hoarse, with a low coaxing tone that was almost soothing, as if he was enjoying the reaction of being under control. "This is the most serious spot, it has to be massaged open..." His fingertips circled deep in the back of his waist, feeling the softness, warmth and slight shivers caused by pain and stimulation in that small area.
Xiao Qiyun's movements as he dried his hair remained steady, but his gaze, though seemingly casual, remained fixed on Sheng Xuan's hands, on the skin in the dimple of his lower back, which had been repeatedly massaged and glistened with ointment. His eyes were lowered, making his expression unreadable; only the knuckles of his fingers, gripping the cloth, were slightly white.
Sheng Xuan's fingertips circled deep within Su Zhelan's sensitive, sunken waist, the pressure gradually decreasing. The subtle spasms beneath his fingertips slowly subsided, replaced by a deeper, more even undulation.
Su Zhelan's suppressed gasps and soft sobs had long since disappeared, replaced by gradually longer, steady breaths. With each deep inhale, the taut lines of her back slowly sank down, finally settling completely against the soft satin-covered couch, revealing a relaxed and unguarded demeanor.
Sheng Xuan's kneading movements unconsciously slowed down. He tilted his head slightly, getting closer to Su Zhelan's neck.
A warm, even breath, carrying the unique warmth of a post-bath bath mixed with the slightly bitter scent of ointment, gently brushed against Shengxuan's ears.
Su Zhelan's breathing was long and steady, her eyelashes drooping, casting two thick shadows under her eyes, clearly indicating that she had fallen asleep.
Sheng Xuan's movements came to a complete halt. His hand was still resting on Su Zhelan's lower back, his palm feeling the warm undulations and relaxed softness of her skin.
He looked at Su Zhelan's unguarded sleeping face, and the fierceness and impatience between his brows receded like the tide. A barely perceptible... almost triumphant tenderness flashed deep in his eyes. He carefully withdrew his hand, his fingertips still lingering with the stickiness of the ointment and the warmth of Su Zhelan's skin.
At the same time, Xiao Qiyun's movements as he dried Su Zhelan's hair became extremely gentle and slow. When the ends of Su Zhelan's hair finally stopped dripping and only felt slightly damp, Xiao Qiyun stopped. He held the half-damp cloth, not putting it down immediately, but his gaze lingered on Su Zhelan's sleeping profile for a long time.
Su Zhelan lay quietly on the low couch, her cheek resting on her crossed arms, her slightly parted lips moving gently with her breath.
Sheng Xuan gently pulled up Su Zhelan's undergarment, which had slipped down to his waist, with extreme care, afraid of waking him. The pulled-up hem concealed the glaring mark, leaving only his loose black hair spread out on the plain white fabric.
Xiao Qiyun finally gently put down the cloth in his hand, the movement so light that it made no sound. He stood by the bed, gazing down at Su Zhelan's peaceful sleeping face, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
Sheng Xuan stood up and stretched his legs, which were a little numb from squatting for so long. He glanced at Xiao Qiyun, who was still standing there, and then looked at the sleeping Su Zhelan, silently mouthing, "Don't disturb him."
Then he turned around and walked to a round table not far away, sat down, poured himself a cup of cold tea, but his gaze never left the sleeping figure on the tatami.
Xiao Qiyun stood there for a moment, then silently walked to a round-backed chair on the other side of the low couch and sat down. He didn't look at Sheng Xuan, but quietly watched over her, his gaze calmly fixed on Su Zhelan's back, which rose and fell slightly with her breath.
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