"..." The fact that she still had the mood to think about this meant that the situation wasn't too bad. Yan Shu nuzzled her cheek: "Why did you suddenly come over?" At the time, she nodded obediently.
Nie Qingyue was silent for a while, then suddenly asked, "You knew all along that Shu Song was coming back today...you broke him out of prison, didn't you?" She thought of how he had suddenly told her yesterday not to visit him today, and wondered what would have happened if she hadn't gone to see him.
Yan Shu didn't answer, but tightened his grip on her leg.
At this moment, moonlight shone brightly through the cracks in the clouds, illuminating the mountaintop. Trees were sparsely planted, and thick, intertwined vines stretched across the ground, leading down to the westernmost cliff. The bright moon hung low over the cliff edge, giving the illusion that it could be reached out and touched.
If it weren't for the perilous situation he was in, it would seem like a perfect spot for moon viewing, he thought quietly.
A strange, subtle sound suddenly came. He turned his head to look at the person on his shoulder and saw Nie Qingyue pull out a hand that was wrapped around his shoulder. Then he felt an elbow rubbing against his back. He chuckled, already imagining her rubbing her empty stomach and looking dejected with hunger.
It doesn't seem like much difference. She should be a sensitive and meticulous woman, but she's surprisingly oblivious in certain aspects. Yan Shu looked up at the beautiful moon, about to tease her a couple of times, when he suddenly felt the air around him tighten, and an instinctive sense of danger struck him.
His body reacted instinctively, faster than his thoughts, instantly turning to shield Nie Qingyue behind him. The blade, reflecting the bright moonlight, swung down from above, and he swiftly retreated, narrowly avoiding it. The black-clad man who had followed him halfway raised his knife again, aiming a thrust, the sharp blade about to pierce his chest. He moved his feet, quickly retreating westward, but his footing became entangled in protruding vines. Normally he could stand firmly, but now, with the weight of another person on his back, he lost his balance and fell backward.
Just a foot behind him was a sheer cliff.
Nie Qingyue's hand was still tightly gripping Yan Shu's shoulder, and her heartbeat seemed to take a long time to return to her chest, and her blood began to circulate again.
The feeling of jumping off a cliff is... a thrilling experience that feels like dying and coming back to life.
Just when she thought she was about to die young and leave no trace of her body, Yan Shu managed to grab a thick vine that was hanging down from the edge of the cliff and fall backward. The two of them then fell into a deep cave in the cliff face.
A vigorous and ancient pine tree stretched horizontally from the top of the cave, its posture strange and its branches strong and resilient. The recessed stone wall, just large enough to barely accommodate two people, was probably the result of the pine tree breaking through the stone over time and natural erosion. Dense, drooping vines and leaves spread out to form a curtain, with a small gap in the center, parted by the pine tree, letting in silvery sunlight.
Looking out from a great height... all you can see is darkness and nothing but the moon.
Hearing no other sounds above him, Nie Qingyue still dared not make a sound. At the top of the cave, there should be a man in black standing on the cliff edge, probably only able to see bare pine trees and an unfathomable abyss.
She tried to loosen her stiff arms around Yan Shu, but Yan Shu quickly turned around to face her, holding her shoulders and carefully examining her as if to check for any injuries.
After a long while, Nie Qingyue finally spoke: "I'm fine."
"Mmm." Yan Shu felt relieved, changed to a more comfortable position and hugged her, resting his chin on her smooth forehead to comfort her, "It will be fine by dawn."
The space inside the cave was very small, and the intimate embrace transformed her slight discomfort into peace and tranquility, as if even the lingering fear had vanished.
As soon as things quieted down, she couldn't contain her curiosity again: "You knew about this place a long time ago, didn't you?"
"Actually, I've only been here twice."
"We're not going to watch the sunrise, are we?" The face, which had been listless from hunger, now came alive, appearing vivid and gentle under the soft moonlight.
Yan Shu smiled without saying a word, his right hand sliding down her curled-up leg to her ankle, touching a patch of wet, still-dry blood. He then gently felt around the edge of the wound to further assess the extent of the injury.
The moment the wound was touched, the surrounding skin felt a tingling sensation on the scalp, and Nie Qingyue couldn't help but hiss and gasp.
Yan Shu slowed his movements, but didn't forget to threaten, "A little deeper and we'll reach the bone."
"Oh." He responded with a muffled sound, his tone stubborn but his expression pitiful, his knuckles gripping his other leg so tightly they turned white.
He suddenly felt soft-hearted.
"It doesn't seem right to do this at a time like this."
"Huh?" Her mind was completely focused on his leg, and she couldn't quite hear the sentence that followed the almost gentle sigh. Just as she looked up to ask, a soft, warm touch landed on her cheek, carrying a slightly bitter sweetness that slowly spread across her chin and the corner of her mouth, swirling around her breath. Her senses expanded infinitely, and her awareness gradually relaxed, immersing her in this tender kiss. Even the pain in her leg seemed to gradually shrink and numb.
Yan Shu's warm breath falling beside her nose caused a sense of confusion and infatuation. Nie Qingyue was powerless to resist, and although her hand was on his shoulder, she couldn't muster any strength.
The lips that had been lingering on her chin and the corner of her mouth slowly approached, and suddenly bit down on her thin lower lip, the sharp teeth eliciting a real pain. She was startled from her reverie, a soft cry escaping her lips, and almost simultaneously, her ankle tightened abruptly.
The brief, intense pain seemed fleeting and blurred due to her distraction; the bandage for stopping the bleeding was tightly tied and knotted around her leg.
Nie Qingyue instantly understood, but remained in her original position and had no time to react.
Just as she was about to say something to cover up this subtle and awkward emotion, Yan Shu's eyes curved slightly, a smile spreading across his face. His soft lips descended again, slipping between her slightly parted lips, gently and carefully soothing the spot where she had just bitten, tenderly caressing it with utmost patience.
Nie Qingyue felt his breathing calm down, except for the inconsolable pounding of his heart, which seemed to be audible to him.
An adventurous night, bad outcomes, good luck—it all seems to matter.
I have never felt so close to his feelings before.
Chapter 37
The feeling of watching the sun slowly rise from the horizon from a height of thousands of feet is indeed wonderful, if you ignore the fact that her stiff bones seem to "crack" and break at the slightest movement.
Nie Qingyue's sleep was not actually very sound. With her eyes closed, her senses had not yet rested, and it felt like only a second had passed before she opened her eyes and saw the sun.
Looking up at the person beside her, still peacefully asleep, long eyelashes gently resting beneath her eyelids, her delicate brows relaxed in a serene state. She felt a slight urge to grind her teeth. Whether it was fine food and drink or simple fare, it made no difference to this person. Her only nimble fingers couldn't resist moving, and she lifted her aching arm, about to climb onto that person's tranquil sleeping face and begin her assault.
The man suddenly stirred, as if trying to turn over in his sleep but hindered by the cramped space. In the end, he only slightly adjusted his position, his hand that had been around her waist loosening for a moment before quickly wrapping around her again and tightening its grip. A relieved smile curved his lips, and his breathing returned to a steady, even rhythm.
Nie Qingyue chuckled, her limbs icy cold but her heart warm. She couldn't bear to part with them, so she withdrew her fingers, which had been as cold as snow and tempting her to do something mischievous. She slightly raised her head, wanting to lean in and give them a gentle kiss.
Just as her lips were about to fall, a burst of intense light suddenly flashed in from the side of her face. She turned her head and was shocked to see a hand reach in from the outside, parting the dense, drooping vines through the gaps, and then a beautiful face, as delicate as a lotus and as radiant as a peach blossom, was reflected in her eyes.
"Little Yue!" A clear, melodious voice, filled with joy and relief, said, "I've come to save you."
Nie Qingyue's lips twitched, and after trying to hold back, she couldn't help but whisper back, "Are you trying to scare me this early in the morning?"
Worried that Yan Shu would be woken up, she turned her head and found that his warm, dark eyes were already quietly open, so awake that there was no trace of the drowsy feeling one would have when just waking up. Thank goodness she hadn't moved closer, otherwise he would definitely have noticed, Nie Qingyue thought to herself, her heart pounding. Just then, Shu Gongzi's aggrieved voice came: "I crossed mountains and rivers, braving swords and shadows, to come and pick you up..."
"Young Master Shu, you've arrived just in time!" With a quick thought, his voice was full of joy and gratitude.
Shu Song was stunned. Looking at Nie Qingyue's sincere expression, she couldn't quite process the contrast in his attitude.
Anyway, at least they both seemed alright. He breathed a sigh of relief, shouted a couple of times upwards, and the thick rope was slowly lowered from the top of the cliff. After some effort, they finally got them safely back.
The doctor was waiting nearby with medical tools and medicine. As soon as he saw someone arrive, he immediately went to provide temporary treatment. Yan Shu stood by, observing and giving instructions. He was just about to go over and tell Yan Shu the details of the matter when he noticed the other person's calm but subtly displeased expression.
Everything went according to plan. Apart from that unexpected variable, he... shouldn't have done anything wrong, right? Shu Song guiltily thought and thought, racking his brains but finding no answer, and was about to speak.
Yan Shu glanced at him slowly, her tone indifferent: "So early in the morning." Then she squatted down and took the white cloth and medicine from the doctor to treat Nie Qingyue.
Shu Song was completely bewildered. Looking down, he saw Nie Qingyue smiling at him with a bright, incomprehensible gratitude, while Yan Shu remained calm and composed, not even sparing him a glance.
Young Master Shu was bewildered and so miserable that he wanted to bury his head in his hands and scratch the wall. What on earth had he done so early in the morning?
A bustling, unspoiled street.
Nie Qingyue leaned against the carriage window, her head resting on her arm as she looked out. Was it really alright to go back so openly and confidently? Shu Song had gone to break into prison yesterday, while she herself had just escaped death last night.
However, Yan Shu and Shu Song, sitting in the carriage, remained remarkably calm, as if such a thing were perfectly normal. Nie Qingyue scratched at the wooden board; undeniably, she was definitely being kept in the dark by the two of them again.
Returning to the small courtyard where she had stayed just yesterday, a long-lost feeling welled up inside her. Squinting at the fallen leaves and withered branches that had blanketed the yard after a day of neglect, she couldn't help but groan, "Good heavens, how long will this take to sweep?"
Yan Shu paused for a moment before carrying her inside again, saying, "This isn't something Madam needs to worry about." He then pinched her leg.
"It seems so." She chuckled, looking around the courtyard where she had lived for almost two years. The trees all seemed much bigger than when she first saw them. She wondered what the lotus flowers in the pond would look like next summer. Anyway, her leg wouldn't heal so quickly, so she probably wouldn't miss it.
Shu Song had just brought them in, and after taking a couple of sips of tea, he was in a hurry to leave to attend to something, leaving only the two of them in the once lively room. Nie Qingyue looked around, but still couldn't see the little devil who used to chase her all over the yard with his needle case.
"What are you looking for?" Yan Shucai asked as he entered carrying a basin of water, noticing her looking around.
"No, I forgot that Yu Che went to Sanri Hall and hasn't come back yet." She scratched her head.
"Yu Che... should go back in a few days."
"ah?"
"At that time, I only called Yu Che over from his uncle's place because I couldn't come back for a while." Yan Shu paused, thinking about how to organize his thoughts:
“I will be here from now on, so there’s no need for that.” He wrung out the cloth in his hand and carefully folded it to gently wipe away the dust and grime that had accumulated on her face from the night’s ordeal.
Nie Qingyue was stunned after hearing this and did not immediately respond.
Yan Shu thought she didn't like cold water, so he stopped what he was doing and explained, "The water won't heat up that quickly; it's still boiling in the kitchen." He put down the cloth but saw that she still had the same expression on her face.
“It’s not because of that.” Nie Qingyue shook her head, took the cloth and wiped her face haphazardly before raising her head and smiling in as normal a tone as possible, “It’s just that I suddenly felt that the phrase ‘I will always be there’ sounded like a promise.”
Yan Shu was stunned. After a long while, he took the cloth from her hand, put it in the basin of water, and carried it out. When he was almost at the threshold, he paused and said, "Actually, perhaps it's more than just like that."
When Nie Qingyue realized what was happening, only the hem of her clothes was visible as it quickly passed by the door.
Hmm, she frowned and touched her chin, and after serious and careful consideration, she came to the conclusion of a question: Was her divine doctor Yan just shy?
Half an hour later, Nie Qingyue overturned this conclusion and deeply reflected on how superficial and impetuous he had been, only knowing how to see through the phenomena.
After finishing her meal, adhering to the principle of taking a shower before sleeping, she disregarded the difficulty of walking on one leg and, with a combination of support and crutches, "jumped" into the bathroom by her own efforts. However, she could only sit on a small wooden stool in the bathroom, staring blankly at the large tub of steaming hot water behind her.
"If you dawdle any longer, the water will get cold," someone who had been lying in the bathroom despite her repeated hints reminded her with a look of considerate righteousness.
Nie Qingyue was filled with remorse; she really shouldn't have done that. It was all because the food was so delicious and to her liking that she became restless in her comfort and ease. The direct result of this restlessness was that she actually took the initiative to flirt with Doctor Yan and tease him about his earlier shyness. As for the consequences of flirting with Doctor Yan, well, she could only end up being flirted with even more intensely herself.
"I really can wash myself, really." Seeing my earnest and confident look, Nie Qingyue expressed her true feelings to her husband.
"Of course I know," Yan Shu said, raising the corners of his mouth. It was neither surprising nor surprising, and he deflected the question quite naturally.
"You must be tired after running around all night, go and get some rest." He smiled ingratiatingly.
"My wife is even more tired." A classic example of deep affection between a loving couple.
"...I was wrong, I take back what I said at lunch." He grabbed her leg and started to roll around on the ground.
"Permission to withdraw." The ground beneath his feet remained as firm and unmoving as Mount Tai.
"I'm not going to wash anymore, I want to go back to my room and sleep." Nie Qingyue was on the verge of tears.
Yan Shu bent down to pick her up, completely cooperative.
"Husband." Nie Qingyue took a deep breath and quickly kissed his lowered cheek. One second, two seconds, as if she had hit the mark, Yan Shu stopped his arm that was reaching for her, and his large hand changed course to ruffle her hair. "I'll wait outside the door. Just call if you need anything."
Nie Qingyue nodded vigorously. Hearing the door creak shut, she took off her clothes and moved around, using several small stools stacked on top of each other to climb to the edge of the bathtub. She put one foot in and raised the other, and when most of her body was soaking in the hot water, the calf of her injured foot was drying on the edge of the tub.
Half an hour later, amidst the joyful singing, someone tried to climb out comfortably but underestimated the difficulty, staggered and fell to the ground, splashing water all over the wooden planks.
The wooden ladle used to scoop water landed on the ground and bounced twice, making a crisp sound, thus ending the person's smug moment.
"I'm not going to live anymore." Nie Qingyue uttered these three words with a look of utter despair, then buried her face in the soft pillow and refused to lift it up again. The only plain cotton cloth covering her body was taken away by Yan Shu, who had carried her out of the bathroom, after a thick quilt was put on top of her.
He lifted the blanket and then put it back down, his furrowed brows revealing genuine worry: "Luckily, the wound didn't get wet."
Nie Qingyue continued to clutch the pillow, pretending to be dead and remaining silent.
Yan Shu felt helpless, yet strangely, he felt incredibly happy. After lying down beside her under the covers, he propped his chin up with one hand and turned to look at her. He could only see her dark hair falling smoothly, covering the little bit of her face exposed on the pillow, with a small slit of warm white skin visible at the edge.
"Are you still angry that I went in without asking?" He tucked a few strands of her dark hair behind her small ear, revealing a faint pink blush that stretched from her earlobe to the side of her neck.
"I'm sorry, I was just worried..." He lowered his eyes and explained without waiting for her reply, his voice filled with guilt.