A few minutes later, the food was heated.
Aunt Ning remembered the cut on Mu Qi's lip and wanted to remind him.
However, as Aunt Ning looked up, she saw Mu Qi picking up his chopsticks and offering a piece of pork rib to Yun Shudian's mouth, so she stopped herself.
The young master always fed the lady first, and only ate himself after she had eaten her fill.
Thinking of this, Aunt Ning quieted down.
...
"Young Master, do you want to treat your wound first?"
A moment later, Aunt Ning saw Mu Qi beginning to eat and quickly reminded him.
Wound?
As Aunt Ning spoke, Yun Shudian looked up at her.
Seeing Aunt Ning point to the corner of her mouth, she immediately realized and blushed.
Yun Shudian had felt that she had accidentally bitten Mu Qi just now.
But later, she was so dazed and her face was so hot that she dared not look up, so she naturally didn't notice that Mu Qi's lip had been bitten open.
"So... sorry." Yun Shudian glanced at Mu Qi, noticed the trace of red at the corner of his mouth, and immediately averted her gaze.
"It's fine, it'll scab over soon."
Mu Qi was unconcerned about the slight sting on his lip. Instead, he felt a warmth that spread from the corner of his mouth to his limbs.
"It's better to treat it so it heals faster." Yun Shudian disagreed with Mu Qi's response, got up directly from his embrace, and pulled him to the sofa.
By this time, Aunt Ning had already instructed a servant to fetch the first-aid kit.
Yun Shudian dipped a cotton swab in iodine and dabbed it little by little onto Mu Qi's wound.
"Does it hurt?"
"No," For Mu Qi, it felt more like an itch.
-----
Where is this?
When Ling Xue woke up, her eyes were met with an unfamiliar scene.
In front of her was a huge arched window. It was raining outside, and gusts of cold wind occasionally blew through the antique gauze, stinging Ling Xue's face.
"Miss Ling, hello. This is Country L, and this castle belongs to my young master. You can stay here temporarily."
Ling Xue squinted her eyes and looked in the direction of the voice.
The person had their back to the light and was wearing a mask. Ling Xue could see nothing except for their black attire and straight posture.
Ling Xue sat quietly on the floor, leaning against the wall, looking up at the person, not saying a word.
Ling Xue's demeanor made the man in black in front of her hesitant.
This was not the first time he had done such a thing.
Normally, after bringing someone to an unfamiliar place and waiting for them to wake up, they would panic and ask questions, or even try to bribe him to let them go.
Then, he would issue some threats and warnings before returning to where he came from.
He had never seen a woman as calm as the one in front of him.
Is this woman an idiot?
The man in black stared back motionlessly.
If he left now, he would at least have to issue a threat. The man in black felt a bit awkward.
Hmm, obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Their psychologist had diagnosed him with this just a week ago.
If he didn't leave now, the man in black didn't know how to start with threats and warnings, nor did he know what her reaction would be.
What if this woman started screaming? Would he have to find her a psychiatrist?
The man in black frowned at the thought.
He didn't like trouble.
Fortunately, the man in black didn't dwell on it for long. Ling Xue, opposite him, spoke first, "Is your young master Mu Qi?"
Not an idiot, and she even knows my master!
Reaching this conclusion, the man in black's gaze sharpened instantly, and his muscles tensed all over.
"Heh." Ling Xue suddenly laughed, a cold sound.
Seeing that the man in black didn't speak, Ling Xue immediately knew she had guessed correctly.
Ling Xue's sharp laughter made the man in black's heart tremble.
The biting cold air mingled with Ling Xue's cold laughter.
The man in black couldn't stay any longer. Without regard for his obsessive-compulsive disorder, he turned and left.
Ah, phew~
After leaving the room where Ling Xue was, the man in black rubbed his arms with his hands and let out a deep breath.
"Miss Ling, I am the butler here. If you need anything, you can tell me."
After the man in black left, a butler in a formal suit immediately entered the room.
"Hmph."
Ling Xue considered Mu Qi to be of the same kind as herself and naturally understood her current situation.
Mu Qi was imprisoning her here, wanting her out of his sight.
The security at the West Mountain Villa had been personally arranged by her. She figured only Mu Qi in the capital could have brought her to this desolate place without anyone noticing.
-----
"Mu Qi, I'll be careful from now on." Yun Shudian's tone was solemn.
The Imperial Capital, Qi Yuan.
By this time, Yun Shudian had finished treating Mu Qi's wound.
Yun Shudian glanced at the clock on the wall, realizing Mu Qi still hadn't eaten, and felt guilty.
"Mhm," Mu Qi responded, unconcerned. He even seemed to vaguely wish for another such wound.
That night.
Soft moonlight spilled onto the bed as Mu Qi held Yun Shudian and drifted off to sleep.
The scene looked peaceful, but Mu Qi's dream was anything but tranquil.
At this moment, in front of Mu Qi, stood a man and a woman.
He recognized the woman; it was his Shudian.
But the man, Mu Qi stared intently, yet he could not discern the features of the man's face no matter how hard he tried.
"Who are you?" Mu Qi asked, clutching Yun Shudian, whom he had already snatched, and facing the person in front of him.
The man remained silent. Instead, Yun Shudian forcefully pushed Mu Qi away and then, without hesitation, threw herself into the man's embrace.
Mu Qi's heart pounded in alarm. He reached out to grab Yun Shudian, but only her hem brushed past his hand.
Mu Qi chased after them, but the distance between them did not shorten; instead, it grew wider.
"Zhaoxue, Zhaoxue..."
In a daze, Mu Qi only heard Yun Shudian calling out to the man like that. It seemed Yun Shudian had said something in a spoiled tone, but Mu Qi couldn't quite make it out.