Chapter 78
Inside the Shuyu Courtyard, Su Zhelan's laughter gradually subsided, but a lingering smile remained on her face, and tears of laughter still clung to the corners of her eyes. Although Sheng Xuan was still fuming about the "tiger" doodle, seeing Su Zhelan so unusually cheerful, the slight embarrassment in his heart turned into satisfaction.
Xiao Qiyun sat back down at the low table, slowly sipping his tea, as if the farce just now was merely a lighthearted interlude.
The sky outside the window gradually turned orange-red, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window lattice, elongating the shadows of the three people and casting warm silhouettes in the misty steam.
Just then, the courtyard gate creaked open.
Su Yan's tall and somewhat imposing figure appeared at the doorway, still holding that familiar medicine pot, steaming slightly. Behind him followed Gu Linzhao, carrying an even larger food box.
As soon as Sheng Xuan saw Su Yan, his body tensed up instinctively! The memory of being kicked out that afternoon instantly returned, and he almost reflexively tried to jump up from the cushion. However, his movement was too hasty, which aggravated the injury on his left arm. He hissed in pain and froze halfway through his movement.
He nervously stared at Su Yan's still expressionless face, his heart pounding, afraid that Su Yan would see him lingering there and kick him out again.
However, Su Yan only gave him a sharp glance, his gaze lingering for a moment on the left arm that the man was instinctively protecting, his brows furrowing as usual, but in the end he said nothing.
He walked straight to the low table, placed the medicine jar on the most secure spot on the table with a "thud," his movements still a bit rough, yet unusually careful.
Gu Linzhao smiled gently, placed the food box on the small table next to him, and opened the lid with light movements. The rich aroma of food instantly filled the air, diluting the smell of medicine.
Su Yan's gaze swept over the completed ink plum blossom painting on the low table, then glanced at the lingering smile on Su Zhelan's face and Sheng Xuan's tense, precarious expression, before finally settling on Xiao Qiyun's calm and collected posture as he drank tea.
He crossed his arms and let out a soft, ambiguous hum from his nose. His voice was as hard as ever, but it lacked his usual irritability and instead had a hint of... subtle teasing.
"Hmph! Is drawing really that fun?" Su Yan's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. "You've been playing all afternoon? The smell of medicine can't even mask the... liveliness here!"
His gaze swept over Sheng Xuan and Su Zhelan, as if to say, "You two are making a scene."
Upon hearing Su Yan's words, which were clearly not a reprimand but rather carried a hint of "disdain," Sheng Xuan's tense nerves instantly relaxed! He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, and even revealed a silly smile on his face.
Mr. Su Yan didn't scold him! He even kept him here! That's wonderful!
Su Zhelan pursed her lips shyly, her blush deepening. It was unclear whether it was because she had laughed too hard earlier or because her master had pointed out her "playfulness."
Xiao Qiyun put down his teacup, nodded slightly to Su Yan, and maintained his gentle and composed smile, as if he hadn't noticed the teasing in Su Yan's words.
Su Yan ignored them and looked down at the steam coming out of the medicine pot, seemingly checking the temperature.
At this moment, Gu Linzhao had already placed the food from the food box onto the small table. The four dishes and one soup were steaming hot and smelled delicious.
He straightened up, a gentle smile on his face, his gaze sweeping over the three people in front of the low table, his voice gentle and clear breaking the brief silence:
"Alright, keep the medicine warm. Let's eat first." Gu Linzhao's voice carried an unquestionable, parental-like gentle command. "You've been playing all afternoon, you must be hungry. Come and eat. Shengxuan, you can join us too."
He spoke while greeting people naturally.
Upon hearing Gu Linzhao's words, Sheng Xuan's eyes lit up instantly! He immediately scrambled up from the cushion, his movements swift and his face beaming with undisguised joy: "Alright! Big Brother Gu Linzhao!"
As he agreed, he couldn't help but steal a glance at Su Yan. Seeing that Su Yan didn't object, he became bolder and darted over to the small table, staring longingly at the food on it.
Su Zhelan also stood up and bowed slightly to Su Yan and Gu Linzhao: "Thank you, Master, thank you, Brother Gu Linzhao."
He walked to the small table and sat down on the cushion that Gu Linzhao had pulled out.
Xiao Qiyun also calmly got up, walked to the small table, and sat down elegantly next to Su Zhelan.
Su Yan watched as the group gathered around, then snorted again, but said nothing more. He walked to the head seat and sat down, his gaze sweeping over the food on the table before finally settling on the bowl of still-warm medicine in front of Su Zhelan.
"Drink your medicine first." Su Yan's voice remained flat, carrying a commanding tone, but when his gaze met Su Zhelan's slightly pale face, a faint hint of softening seemed to flash across his face.
Su Zhelan nodded obediently, picked up the bowl of dark brown medicine, took a deep breath, and then tilted her head back and drank it down in one gulp.
Seeing Su Zhelan drink her medicine, Sheng Xuan immediately picked up the serving chopsticks and placed a piece of stewed tendon, which had been cooked until tender, into Su Zhelan's bowl: "Zhelan, eat this! It will help you recover!"
Su Zhelan looked at the tendon in the bowl, then at Sheng Xuan's bright, slightly smug eyes, and couldn't help but smile. She whispered, "Thank you."
Xiao Qiyun sat to the side, gracefully ladling a bowl of soup for Su Zhelan and placing it beside him, his voice gentle: "Drink some soup to help the taste of the medicine."
Su Zhelan looked at the soup beside her, then at the tendon in the bowl, and felt Gu Linzhao's gentle gaze beside her and Su Yan's silent acceptance of everything despite his stern face.
He picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of tendon, and ate it in small bites. Although the taste of medicine still lingered in his mouth, the warmth of the food and the rare, slightly noisy yet incredibly real atmosphere seemed to dispel all the bitterness.
Five people sat around a small table.
Su Yan ate his meal in silence, occasionally glancing at everyone; Gu Linzhao took care of everyone gently, frequently serving food to Su Zhelan and Sheng Xuan; Sheng Xuan wolfed down his food, still remembering to serve food to Su Zhelan; Su Zhelan ate in small bites, her face flushed with satisfaction; Xiao Qiyun moved elegantly, occasionally whispering a word or two to Su Zhelan.
After dinner, the Shuyu Courtyard was filled with the lingering aroma of food and a faint smell of medicine.
Gu Linzhao deftly cleared away the dishes and chopsticks, gathering the leftover food from the low table into the food box.
As he tidied up, he casually said to Xiao Qiyun, who was sitting quietly to the side, "Your Highness, when we arrived earlier, General Sheng seemed to have something to discuss with you. He went to the council hall and said that if you were free, please come over."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Qiyun put down his teacup and nodded slightly: "Understood."
He stood up, his gaze sweeping gently over Su Zhelan and Sheng Xuan, finally settling on Su Zhelan. "I'll be right back. Su Zhelan, you just took your medicine, you should rest. You don't need to wait for me."
Su Zhelan nodded: "Your Highness, please take care."
Su Yan also stood up. He glanced at Sheng Xuan's still somewhat unsteady left arm, then looked at Su Zhelan, and finally said to Gu Linzhao, "Let's go." He then strode towards the door.
Gu Linzhao smiled gently at Su Zhelan and Sheng Xuan, "You should also get some rest." After saying that, he picked up the packed food box and quickly followed Su Yan.
The gate was gently closed, and the courtyard instantly fell silent, with only the soft sound of the hot spring water flowing and the deepening twilight outside the window.
Only Su Zhelan and Sheng Xuan remained in the room.
The lively atmosphere from just moments ago instantly subsided, and a subtle, almost imperceptible feeling filled the air.
Sheng Xuan watched as Su Zhelan sat quietly by the low table, her profile appearing exceptionally gentle in the dim candlelight. The secret joy that had risen in her heart because of Xiao Qiyun's departure had not yet dissipated when she heard Su Zhelan sigh softly.
Sheng Xuan was taken aback and subconsciously looked at Su Zhelan: "Zhelan? What's wrong? Is the medicine too bitter? Or are you feeling unwell?" He immediately became nervous, leaned forward, and his eyes were full of concern.
Su Zhelan raised her head and looked at Sheng Xuan, her clear eyes filled with a hint of helplessness and... an undeniable seriousness.
“It’s not that the medicine is bitter.” Su Zhelan’s voice was soft, but it clearly reached Sheng Xuan’s ears. “It’s your arm that needs a dressing change.”
Sheng Xuan's body stiffened abruptly! He subconsciously tried to hide his hands behind his back, but looking into Su Zhelan's calm yet all-seeing eyes, all his attempts to conceal his intentions froze in mid-air.
"Huh? Change...change the dressing?" Sheng Xuan's voice was a little dry and guilty. "No...no need, right? Mr. Su just changed it for me this afternoon...it was wrapped up very well..." He tried to struggle, but his confidence was obviously lacking.
Su Zhelan didn't say anything, but stood up and walked to the low cabinet next to where the medicine box was placed. She opened the medicine box with practiced movements and took out clean gauze, strong liquor, and a small jar of Jade Skin Ointment that emitted a refreshing medicinal fragrance.
He took the items, walked back to the low table, sat down on the cushion opposite Sheng Xuan, and arranged them neatly. Then, he looked up at Sheng Xuan calmly, his eyes clearly saying: Come here, reach out your hand.
Looking at Su Zhelan's unyielding stance and then at the familiar Jade Skin Cream, Sheng Xuan's inner struggle vanished instantly.
He resignedly moved in front of Su Zhelan, obediently extending his injured left arm and placing it on the low table.
Su Zhelan's movements were very gentle and careful. He first used small scissors to carefully cut the knot in the gauze, his movements very gentle, as if afraid of hurting Sheng Xuan.
The layers of white gauze were removed, revealing the wound underneath. The wound had been stitched up, and the edges were red and swollen, but it was covered with a pale yellow ointment, so it looked very clean.
Sheng Xuan watched as Su Zhelan focused on unwrapping the gauze, and seeing the wound on his arm exposed before her eyes, he felt a pang of unease. He instinctively wanted to turn his face away, but couldn't help stealing glances at Su Zhelan's expression.
In the candlelight, Su Zhelan lowered her head slightly, her expression unusually focused, her brows slightly furrowed, and her eyes showed no disdain, only a deep...heartache? and an almost devout seriousness?
Shengxuan's heart skipped a beat.
He looked at Su Zhelan's profile, which appeared exceptionally soft in the candlelight, at his slightly pursed, pale pink lips, and at his careful movements... An indescribable warmth quietly welled up in his heart, and his cheeks began to burn slightly.
Su Zhelan seemed unaware of Sheng Xuan's gaze.
He picked up a clean cotton cloth soaked in strong liquor and gently wiped the skin around the wound, cleaning away any remaining ointment and potential stains. His fingertips, slightly cool, sent a shiver down Shengxuan's spine as they touched her skin.
Sheng Xuan's body tensed instantly! But not from pain, but from the cool touch of Su Zhelan's fingertips and the breath so close to his skin! He could clearly smell the faint herbal fragrance emanating from Su Zhelan, and feel his warm breath gently brushing against the skin of his arm...
This feeling... made his heart race even faster than the wound itself! He subconsciously held his breath, but his eyes were like they were being drawn to a magnet, unable to look away from Su Zhelan's focused profile.
After cleaning the area around the wound, Su Zhelan picked up the jar of Jade Skin Ointment. He dipped his fingertip into the jade-white ointment and gently applied it little by little to the red and swollen skin around the wound. The ointment had a strange cooling sensation, instantly relieving the slight burning sensation in the wound.
As Sheng Xuan felt the cool touch and Su Zhelan's gentle caress, a tingling sensation instantly shot from his arm throughout his body! His Adam's apple bobbed with difficulty, and his heart pounded like a drum, clearly audible in the quiet room.
He stared intently at Su Zhelan's lowered eyelashes and focused expression, watching the candlelight dance on his fair skin, watching his fingertips slightly red from exertion... A strong impulse surged within him, making him almost want to reach out and touch Su Zhelan's cheek, which was so close to his own...
But he dared not. He could only clench his uninjured right hand tightly, his nails digging deep into his palm, using the pain to suppress the surging throbbing.
Su Zhelan seemed to finally notice the overly intense gaze. He paused slightly in applying the ointment and slowly raised his head.
Their eyes met.
Caught off guard, Sheng Xuan was caught red-handed! As if burned, he abruptly turned his face away, his cheeks instantly turning bright red! His eyes darted around in a panic, but he dared not look at Su Zhelan again.
Su Zhelan looked at Sheng Xuan's flustered and embarrassed appearance, as if he wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into, and then looked at his bright red ears and neck, and understood.
He didn't say anything, but a very faint, yet somewhat helpless, curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.
He lowered his head again and continued to apply the ointment with focused concentration, his movements still gentle and meticulous.
This time, however, Sheng Xuan dared not blatantly peek.
He could only sit stiffly, his body as rigid as a stone, but the corner of his eye still uncontrollably, secretly, and greedily captured every subtle movement and expression of Su Zhelan in the candlelight.
The air was filled with the refreshing medicinal fragrance of Jade Skin Cream, the misty steam from the hot spring, and a silent, flowing warmth called "throbbing".
Su Zhelan carefully applied the ointment evenly, then picked up a clean gauze and gently and skillfully re-bandaged the wound, wrapping it around and around. He tied the last knot and gently smoothed the edges of the gauze.
"Alright." Su Zhelan's voice broke the silence, tinged with a barely perceptible hoarseness. He looked up at Sheng Xuan, who was still sitting stiffly with flushed cheeks. "Don't get it wet these next few days, and don't move around too much."
Sheng Xuan seemed to wake from a dream, nodding vigorously: "Yes, yes! I know! I promise I won't move!"
As he spoke, he quickly pulled his bandaged left arm back as if it were a hot potato, his eyes still darting away, avoiding looking at Su Zhelan.
Seeing Sheng Xuan's state, Su Zhelan sighed softly, said nothing more, packed up her medicine box, and put it back in its place.
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