Ruan Jiu had thought the pain would last for several days. Unexpectedly, Doctor Zhou somehow got hold of several plants of Selfheal Prunella Spike, and sutured her wound that very night.
This Selfheal Prunella Spike really worked. She didn't feel any pain at all.
Moreover, her injury recovered extremely fast.
Xie Yanchuan visited her room every day. If it weren't for the propriety between men and women, he might have moved into her room.
However, she hadn't seen Xie Jingchu for several days.
For some reason, she felt a bit lost.
Spring Peach walked in from outside with a bowl of medicine in her hand.
"Miss Cousin, Doctor Zhou said that after you finish this dose of medicine, your injury will be completely healed."
Ruan Jiu took the bowl of medicine and gulped it down with her nose pinched.
Spring Peach quickly handed over a piece of sugar cake.
"This Selfheal Prunella Spike is really miraculous. The wound has healed so quickly. Our Miss Cousin is really lucky. But Fourth Master isn't so fortunate."
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
Ruan Jiu didn't understand.
The sugar cake made her frowning brows relax a bit.
"I heard that Fourth Master went to some Misty... Misty Hidden Mountain a few days ago and got injured. As a result, all of Doctor Zhou's Selfheal Prunella Spike was used on Miss Cousin, and Fourth Master's wound has been hard to heal."
"Misty Hidden Mountain?"
"Yes, that's the name."
Could it be that the Selfheal Prunella Spike she used was found by Fourth Master?!
"How is his injury now?" she asked hurriedly.
"I heard that the mansion invited several doctors, but his condition didn't improve. I just met Qin Yuan. He said that Fourth Master has a high fever."
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?!" Ruan Jiu immediately stood up, looking worried.
"Fourth Master didn't let us tell you. He said that you weren't fully recovered yet and there was no need for you to worry."
As soon as Spring Peach finished speaking, Ruan Jiu rushed out of the door.
When she got to Xie Jingchu's room, she saw Xie Jingchu lying weakly on the bed. A wet towel was on his forehead and his cheeks were flushed.
It was the first time she had seen Xie Jingchu in this state. Even when he was so ill, his handsome appearance was still hard to hide.
He looked like a sick and charming beauty.
"Fourth Master!" Ruan Jiu called softly.
When Xie Jingchu saw her coming, his eyes lit up and he immediately perked up. He sat up, and the towel on his forehead slid to the ground.
"You're here!"
Realizing that he was acting a bit strangely, he quickly lay down again, showing a look of grievance.
"A Jiu, I feel uncomfortable."
Ruan Jiu immediately stepped forward and reached out her hand to feel his forehead.
"Why is the fever so high?"
As she spoke, she picked up the towel and wanted to cool his fever again.
"If it weren't for looking for medicine for Miss Cousin, Fourth Master wouldn't be like this!" Qin Yuan said.
She paused in her movements. Sure enough, it was because of her.
"Shut up!" Xie Jingchu shouted sharply. "Get out!"
Qin Yuan widened his eyes, scratching his head as he backed out of the door.
Didn't you tell me to say this just now?
Ruan Jiu carefully placed the wet towel on his forehead and said softly, "Do you still feel uncomfortable?"
Seeing her so concerned about him, Xie Jingchu thought it was worth soaking in ice - water for several nights.
A glint of cunning flashed in his eyes.
In an instant, he looked like a willow swaying in the wind again. The corners of his lips drooped. "Uncomfortable."
Ruan Jiu bit her lips. She felt extremely regretful.
She lowered her head, and there were teardrops on her long eyelashes.
"I'm sorry. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be like this."
When she blinked, the tears fell on Xie Jingchu's hand.
Xie Jingchu was flustered now. He quickly said, "Ac... Actually, I'm not that uncomfortable."
"Really!" Afraid that she wouldn't believe him, he quickly added.
But her tears were like broken pearls, falling one by one.
"Don't cry!" At this moment, Xie Jingchu wished he could slap himself.
Why did he use such a ruse of feigning injury!
Now, how could he console her?
In a panic, he suddenly sat up and accidentally pulled his wound.
"Ouch~"
Ruan Jiu immediately stopped crying and helped him lie down.
"Okay, I won't cry. You lie down properly."
Xie Jingchu's eyes drifted. He was secretly happy in his heart. It seemed that this ruse of feigning injury really worked.
He took the opportunity to hold Ruan Jiu's hand tightly. "A Jiu, don't leave."
"Okay, okay. I won't leave."
After getting the satisfactory answer, Xie Jingchu closed his eyes peacefully.
After acting for so many days, he could finally have a good sleep.
When Xie Jingchu opened his eyes again, he found that he was still tightly holding Ruan Jiu's hand.
Ruan Jiu was lying on the edge of his bed, asleep. He couldn't help but reach out his hand to tidy up her stray hairs.
"You're awake."
Ruan Jiu was sleepy - eyed, but she still didn't forget to feel the temperature on Xie Jingchu's forehead.
"Good. The high fever has subsided." She let out a sigh of relief.
Then she asked, "Are you hungry? I'll go and cook something for you."
Xie Jingchu nodded.
Maybe she had been lying on the bed for too long. When she stood up, her foot went numb and she fell directly into Xie Jingchu's arms.
Their noses were almost touching. For a moment, it seemed that time had stood still.
"Did I hurt you?" Ruan Jiu quickly stood up and asked anxiously.
She didn't know where his injury was. She was afraid that she had pressed on his wound just now.
"It's okay."
Only then did she feel relieved and go to cook something for Xie Jingchu.
If she had been just one second slower, she would have seen the sweat on Xie Jingchu's forehead due to the pain.
Afraid that she hadn't gone far, Xie Jingchu gritted his teeth. Veins popped out on his forehead as he tried hard not to cry out.
But from the dense sweat on his forehead, it could be seen that his wound had split open again.
A moment later, Ruan Jiu walked in with a bowl of clear porridge.
When Xie Jingchu saw Ruan Jiu coming, he immediately composed himself. The smile on his face seemed a bit too eager.
One couldn't tell at all that he had been in excruciating pain just now.
Xie Jingchu had never eaten such delicious porridge.
He didn't know if it was because it was cooked by her or because it was fed by her.
The bowl of porridge was soon finished. She was about to stand up and take the bowl out.
"Wait."
Xie Jingchu stopped her.
"What's wrong?"
Xie Jingchu didn't say a word. He silently untied his clothes.
Seeing this, Ruan Jiu quickly covered her eyes. "What... What are you doing?"
Xie Jingchu took her hand down and said, "My wound seems to have split open."
Only then did Ruan Jiu open her eyes. The dense red blood immediately came into view.
Xie Jingchu's arms and chest were tightly wrapped in gauze.
And the gauze was already soaked in blood.
Her heart ached. How much pain must he be in!
"A Jiu, could you help me change the dressing?"
Seeing her hesitating, he quickly added, "Qin Yuan doesn't know how to be gentle. Every time he changes the dressing, it hurts me a lot."
Not far away, Qin Yuan suddenly sneezed.
Am I sick too?
Thinking that all his injuries were because he had gone to look for medicine for her, Ruan Jiu nodded.
After the gauze was removed, she saw how horrible these wounds were.
But under these gaping wounds, Xie Jingchu's strong muscles were still clearly visible.
Was this what she had felt in the silk shop that night?
Her face blushed. In a moment of absent - mindedness, she pressed a bit harder.
Xie Jingchu let out a muffled groan.
She shrank her hand, and all those wild thoughts disappeared.
"Did I hurt you?"
She quickly blew gently on Xie Jingchu's wound, trying to relieve his pain.
Xie Jingchu trembled all over. Looking at her lips, he couldn't come back to his senses for a long time.
He wondered if kissing her would be as sweet as her name.
"Are there any more wounds to be treated?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
"On my buttocks."
Hearing this, her face became even hotter.
She put down the things in her hand. "Let... Let Qin Yuan come."
After saying that, she ran away in a hurry.
It was not until she ran back to her own room that she gasped for breath.