Volume One, Chapter 14: Did I Hurt You?

Now... there’s nothing left to do but admire it with my eyes.

The entire room was decorated in a bright yet tasteful design—spacious, crisp without being complicated or bulky, grand and elegant, much like him.

After finishing the meal, Ling Dongyan quickly tidied up the dishes.

“There’s a change of clothes prepared for you in the bedroom. You can take a hot bath; it’ll help your body recover.”

Today, he had insisted countless times on what would be good for her health.

This made Nie Xingyan feel a bit like Lin Daiyu, fragile enough to collapse with a gust of wind, or a porcelain doll that would shatter with a single touch.

Although being soaked in the rain had chilled her, soaking in hot water would indeed dispel the cold.

Yet she stood still, unmoving.

As if sensing her hesitation, Ling Dongyan dried his hands and said, “I’m not staying here tonight.”

He was avoiding any suspicion.

Indeed, she had briefly looked around earlier—this house was huge, but there was only one bedroom.

That was one of the reasons she hesitated; she was only staying temporarily. It wouldn’t be right for a guest to drive out the host.

“Maybe I should head back first. I’m already feeling better, you…”

She wanted to say she wasn’t a child, and that an occasional fever wasn’t something to fuss over.

“Don’t push yourself. It won’t hurt to stay an extra day or two,” he said firmly.

Outside, the rain pattered softly against the glass, occasionally interrupted by flashes of lightning. It seemed unlikely to stop anytime soon, and she didn’t refuse again.

Earlier, she hadn’t paid close attention, but when she went upstairs to get the clothes, Nie Xingyan took another look at the room.

The bedroom was enormous, with bedding and covers all in a uniform minimalist black style.

The design was remarkably clever.

The wardrobe was hidden; when opened, it was less a closet and more a massive walk-in dressing room—she hadn’t noticed in the dark earlier.

Opening the doors revealed rows of high-end suits, all stored neatly in dust covers.

Black jackets with black trousers, white shirts with black trousers—arranged in order, almost obsessively so.

Imagining him cooking in such expensive tailored clothes somehow didn’t feel out of place.

Her own clothes hung nearby—the lingerie and outerwear still bearing their ironed creases, stitched meticulously, the styles she usually wore.

Gently tracing the patterns, a thought suddenly entered Nie Xingyan’s mind, one she had never had before.

Did he often take care of women like this?

Why did it seem so familiar to him?

Before the thought could fully form, she scolded herself silently, “Nie Xingyan, are you losing your mind? Even if he cared for every girl from all fifty-six ethnic groups, it has nothing to do with you!”

She decided that later she would ask how much the clothes cost and just pay him back—treat it like a hotel stay. Why think so much?

Shaking off the chaotic thoughts, she picked up the clothes again.

The size fit perfectly.

Below them were two packs of sanitary pads, one for daytime use and one for nighttime—both her usual brands, arranged tidily.

If she had managed to stay calm before, seeing this made her somewhat uneasy.

Her face flushed instantly, and she felt her temperature rising again.

She hadn’t dared to ask earlier, but when she woke, her clothes had been changed, even the sanitary pad was properly attached, and her body was clean—obviously taken care of with great attention.

It probably wasn’t Ling Dongyan who did this, right?

Although she and Ling Dongyan had a one-night stand years ago, it was in complete darkness.

And she had left at dawn fully dressed—Ling Dongyan might have touched her, but he hadn’t seen, right?

Thinking of this, strange images popped into her mind again, making her cringe with embarrassment.

She buried her head in the pillow, only to realize it carried Ling Dongyan’s unique scent of frosted pine.

She hadn’t noticed earlier, but now the entire tip of her nose was filled with that scent.

It enveloped her, clung to her, refusing to fade.

Eventually, she accepted reality and comforted herself: these small things probably weren’t from him. Since their reunion, he had been measured and careful, aware of boundaries. Perhaps someone else had helped.

So much had happened in the past two days; she hadn’t even properly thanked him.

Remembering the scratch she’d seen earlier, Nie Xingyan thought for a moment and decided to help him treat it as a small gesture of apology.

When tidying clothes earlier, she had noticed a small medical kit near the wardrobe, stocked with cotton swabs and iodine.

Seeing her go downstairs, Ling Dongyan was a bit surprised. “Already done soaking?”

“Um… do you need something?” Her face and neck flushed slightly, hands clasped behind her back, hesitating.

Ling Dongyan was just about to leave but stopped when he saw her faltering.

“Nothing.”

He knew Nie Xingyan was avoiding him, keeping her distance, protective. At moments like this, he wouldn’t push but wait for her to speak.

No one was more patient than him when it came to waiting.

“Th-then…” She hesitated, twisting her hands behind her back, struggling internally.

Ling Dongyan stood silently, waiting for her to continue.

Nie Xingyan slightly regretted it—was she overthinking things?

But then she remembered the injuries on his body were indeed caused by her. Since he had been feeding and taking care of her, it wouldn’t be too much to reciprocate.

“You should have the wounds on your neck treated,” she said.

Ling Dongyan’s voice darkened. “Are you caring for me?”

Her heart skipped a beat. “There’s bleeding and rain exposure—I’m afraid the wounds might get infected.” She raised the medical kit in her hand.

Her heartbeat felt like a rollercoaster these days.

What if Ling Dongyan thought she was meddling unnecessarily?

He said nothing.

“If you don’t want me to, it’s fine.” She was about to turn and go upstairs.

He must have thought she was being overly concerned.

Suddenly, Ling Dongyan took a swift step forward and blocked her path. “No, I was just thinking whether I should take a shower first before you treat it.”

His tone was urgent, as if afraid she might change her mind.

More than urgent—in a place she couldn’t see, every fiber of his being was screaming.

Nie Xingyan pointed at the wounds. “No need to wash, and don’t get them wet. You just sit there; I’ll be quick.”

“All right, I’m not in a hurry.”

Though he said he wasn’t rushing, his long legs didn’t lie—he crossed over and sat on the sofa.

His posture was upright and motionless, but Nie Xingyan felt like smiling.

How to put it? He looked a bit like an obedient little dog desperately seeking a pat on the head.

Of course, she showed no sign of amusement on her face.

She opened the medical kit, took out the iodine, and checked the expiration date. Seeing it was recent, she twisted open the bottle.

Just as she thought, upon close inspection, some wounds had swollen from the rain and showed signs of infection. Using a cotton swab dipped in iodine, she carefully and thoroughly applied it to each injury.

“Ouch…” Ling Dongyan let out a small sound.

Nie Xingyan immediately stopped. “Did I hurt you?”