Chapter 71

"Ah!"

Shu Xia let out a cry of pain, and before her eyes appeared Qiao Muting's pair of eyes, which showed no signs of sleepiness.

Within those eyes, it was extremely dark.

It was as if they could swallow the night sky.

His hand was still gripping her arm tightly, the formidable strength seemingly about to crush her arm.

Tears welled up in Shu Xia's eyes, "Are you returning kindness with enmity!"

Qiao Muting seemed to only just react, regret flickering in his eyes, "Sorry, I used too much force."

His actions just now had been subconscious.

He had thought someone was trying to kidnap him again.

In that half-asleep, half-dreaming state, he seemed to have returned to that dark warehouse...

"Did you have a nightmare?" Shu Xia rubbed her bruised arm and questioned him with a sour tone.

Just a moment ago, if he had grabbed her neck, he surely would have snapped it.

He really used too much force!

He definitely practiced regularly.

She secretly told herself in her heart that she must maintain a safe distance from him in the future; she didn't want to die an unexplained death one day.

Qiao Muting saw the blue-purple bruising on the arm Shu Xia was rubbing, and he frowned, "I'll take you to the hospital."

"No need, I'll just apply some ointment." Shu Xia shook her head and refused.

It was already twelve o'clock; there was no need to trouble the doctors at the hospital in the middle of the night.

This bit of bruising was nothing to her.

Although she grew up in the countryside, her skin was naturally delicate; if she was accidentally bumped or knocked, it would bruise, looking quite serious, but in reality, it would heal in a couple of days after applying some ointment.

Qiao Muting felt a bit guilty, his eyes darkening as they rested on her injury.

It was blue and purple.

It was as if...

As if someone had left ambiguous marks on her.

His gaze lifted, and he caught sight of Shu Xia's glistening red lips unexpectedly, his Adam's apple immediately tightening slightly.

He frowned and stood up immediately, "I'll go get the medicine kit."

When Qiao Muting came back downstairs, he had a very large medicine kit in his hand.

Shu Xia thought to herself: "So big? It's like a treasure chest."

Once the medicine kit was opened, it was truly filled with all sorts of medicines.

Qiao Muting rummaged through it and pulled out a tube of ointment with only English on it.

Shu Xia reached out to take it.

"It's not convenient for you to apply it yourself, let me." Qiao Muting opened the cap of the ointment and squeezed some white paste onto his fingertip.

Shu Xia didn't act coy, "Okay."

Although he appeared cold in personality, with a coldness that kept people at a distance at all times, he was actually quite attentive.

His slightly rough fingertips gently spread the ointment over her skin.

The room was very quiet.

The two of them were sitting very close.

They were both sitting on the sofa.

They could hear each other's breathing, and Shu Xia suddenly felt that they were sitting too close, so close that she felt their breaths were intertwined...

Qiao Muting's gaze lingered for two seconds on her long, curled, and lightly trembling eyelashes.

"That should be enough."

Seeing him squeeze out more ointment, Shu Xia hurriedly spoke up to remind him.

Her skin was just a bit delicate, but she wasn't a delicate person; knowing he hadn't done it on purpose and that he was taking responsibility, she wasn't as angry anymore.

After applying this much ointment, it should be enough.

Qiao Muting looked at the glaring blue-purple bruises on the woman's fair arm, his pupils darkening, and he lowered his head to glance at his wristwatch, "I fell asleep just now?"

"Mm, you slept for about forty minutes." Shu Xia stood up, feeling a bit dizzy and sleepy.

After answering him, she continued, "I'm going to rest now, Mr. Qiao."

"Wait a moment."