Chapter 82: Superior Medicine

The next day, Gu Yan wandered around the manor and discovered a garden that seemed to have no end.

It was the season for flowers to bloom, and it was so beautiful it didn't seem of this world.

She walked slowly along the gravel path, passing the rose garden and the fountain, finally stopping in front of a white pavilion.

A person was sitting in the pavilion.

A middle-aged woman.

She was turned sideways to Gu Yan, gazing in a certain direction deep within the garden. The sunlight shone upon her, and she was as quiet as a classical oil painting.

Gu Yan guessed who she was almost instantly.

Not far away, a maid walked over carrying a tray with snacks and tea on it. Seeing her, the maid stopped and bowed slightly.

Gu Yan glanced at the tray: "Is this for the Madam?"

"Yes."

"I'll take it." Gu Yan reached out.

The maid hesitated: "The Madam, her mood is somewhat volatile..."

"It's fine, give it to me."

Gu Yan took the tray and walked toward the white pavilion amidst the rose bushes.

Only when she got close did she see Pei Wanjun's appearance clearly. She was very thin, with no color in her face, and her expression was faint.

Gu Yan also noticed that thick gauze was wrapped around her left wrist.

Pei Wanjun seemed not to have heard the sounds around her at all, or perhaps she heard them but did not want to give any reaction; she never moved, just gazing quietly ahead like that.

"Auntie." Gu Yan greeted her softly outside the pavilion.

There was no response.

Gu Yan was not very surprised. She walked into the pavilion, placed the tray gently on the stone table, and then sat down on the rattan chair opposite.

Pei Wanjun still did not look at her, as if she were merely air.

Gu Yan did not force it either.

She poured herself a cup of tea and had the maid waiting not far away bring over a sketchbook.

With such beautiful scenery, it would be a real pity not to draw it.

The two of them were quite harmonious, not disturbing each other. There was only the sound of the pen tip rustling on the paper, and the occasional melodious bird call.

Pei Wanjun had not changed her posture the whole time; she would occasionally move her fingers slightly, but her eyes never focused.

When Gu Yan finished a sketch, she suddenly heard familiar footsteps.

She looked up.

Shen Yanhui was walking over from the other end of the garden, wearing dark gray casual clothes; the gauze on his neck had been replaced with a smaller dressing, and his complexion was better than yesterday.

Seeing his little rose, his pace paused, the corners of his lips curved up, and he beckoned to her.

Gu Yan immediately closed her sketchbook and stood up.

Shen Yanhui reached out to catch the person who threw herself into his arms, lowering his head to sniff at her hair: "Why are you awake so early?"

Gu Yan tilted her face up and pouted: "How much of a sleeper do you think I am?"

Shen Yanhui just smiled.

Gu Yan pinched his waist, but was pressed down.

"Don't seduce me."

"……?"

Gu Yan glared at him, backed out of his arms, and stood two steps away from him.

"This manor is so beautiful, how did you think to plant a whole garden of roses?"

"My mother likes roses."

Gu Yan nodded in understanding; she liked them too. Passionate and brilliant, bright and gorgeous.

Shen Yanhui came over to take her hand: "You like them?"

Gu Yan nodded honestly: "Of course I like them, it's like in a fairy tale."

"Then come often in the future." Shen Yanhui pulled her back into his arms.

Gu Yan was stunned for a moment and blinked: "Is that okay?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

Gu Yan continued to blink: "Won't it disturb Auntie?"

Shen Yanhui looked up at Pei Wanjun in the pavilion, his eyes deep, the emotions beneath unreadable.

"It won't."

"Auntie, she..." Gu Yan asked softly, "is she always like this?"

Shen Yanhui was silent for a moment, then nodded: "She is rarely clear-headed. Most of the time, she is in her own world."

"Does she recognize you?"

"Occasionally," Shen Yanhui said faintly.

Gu Yan's heart tightened.

She remembered that wound, and remembered Shen Yanhui saying "I'm used to it" in an understated way.

"When you were little..." she paused, "was she like this too?"

Shen Yanhui lowered his eyes to look at her, complex emotions surging in the depths of his gaze. Finally, he just shook his head gently: "No. When I was little, she was very gentle."

He said it very simply.

But Gu Yan understood.

She held Shen Yanhui's hand, her fingers sliding into his palm, their fingers interlaced.

Shen Yanhui let out a soft laugh. He instructed the maid to drape a garment over Pei Wanjun, then led Gu Yan toward the house.

——

After the meal, Gu Yan called out to Shen Yanhui.

"Wait a moment." She stood up and walked over, a medical kit appearing in her hand at some point, "Change your dressing."

Shen Yanhui paused his steps and looked back at her: "There are nurses to handle it."

Gu Yan lifted her chin slightly: "No, I want to change it myself."

That posture was like a little kitten declaring its territory.

Shen Yanhui raised an eyebrow: "You know how?"

"If I don't know, I can learn." Gu Yan had already reached him and reached out to undo the buttons at the collar of his shirt, "Anyway, I must be the one to change it today."

When her fingers touched the skin on the side of his neck, they were slightly burning.

Shen Yanhui lowered his eyes to look at her.

She was looking up, her expression serious, her eyelashes fluttering like they were fanning against his heart.

He suddenly laughed.

"Fine." He took her hand and led her upstairs, "Then I'll trouble Mrs. Shen."

Gu Yan was led upstairs by him, feeling that something was a bit strange.

Was it impossible to apply medicine downstairs?

Why did they have to go upstairs?

Shen Yanhui brought her to the balcony of the master bedroom, where a thick carpet was spread on the floor with a sofa chair placed on top.

He sat down on the sofa, and Gu Yan knelt on the carpet beside him, opening the medical kit.

Povidone-iodine, cotton swabs, gauze, scissors... they were laid out neatly; one look and it was clear he had had the servants prepare them in advance.

"Undo your shirt."

Shen Yanhui cooperated and undid the buttons.

One, two... his movements were unhurried, yet his gaze remained fixed on her face.

Gu Yan felt her ears heat up from his gaze; she averted her eyes and focused intently on the dressing on the side of his neck.

The old dressing was peeled away, revealing the wound.

Gu Yan felt pain just looking at it; she used a cotton swab dipped in povidone-iodine to disinfect, her movements as light as they could possibly be. Yet she still felt his skin tense slightly when the cotton swab touched the wound.

"Does it hurt a lot?" She stopped her movements.

"It doesn't hurt, keep going."

"Liar." She muttered under her breath, but her movements became even lighter.

Disinfecting, applying medicine, changing to a new dressing—she did it all with extreme caution, terrified of hurting him. The sunlight shone on her focused profile, her eyelashes casting shallow shadows beneath her eyes.

Shen Yanhui kept watching her.

Watching her lips slightly pursed from nervousness, watching the little habit she had of occasionally licking her lips.

Cute, and alluring.

Gu Yan finally secured the dressing with tape and let out a breath: "It's done, do you want to..."

She didn't finish her sentence.

Shen Yanhui suddenly reached out, gripped the back of her neck, and pulled her close.

"Yanyan." His voice was hoarse, "I want to kiss you."

Gu Yan: "?"

No wonder he had to go upstairs, he was full of devious tricks!

But before she could think too much, his kiss landed. This kiss was very light, at first just their lips pressed together. But soon, the tip of his tongue tentatively touched the seam of her lips, and in the moment she was stunned, it drove straight in.

The cotton swab in Gu Yan's hand dropped to the floor.

She was forced to tilt her head back to endure it, the kiss gradually deepening.

Shen Yanhui's hand slid from the back of her neck to her waist, pulling her entire body up and into his embrace.

Gu Yan's kneeling posture changed to half-lying on his lap, which forced her to notice some massive changes.

"!!!"