Chapter 15 Warmth

He simply had no heart.

She stretched out her arms to wrap softly around him, sweetly calling out “husband.”

Xuan Rui looked down at the two jade-like arms entwined around his waist, rubbed his temples, and said to the soldiers in broken Rou Lan language: “My wife… not right in the head. Needs rest.”

The room was illuminated only by moonlight. The inspecting soldiers saw a slender woman shamelessly pressed tight against the man, their expressions turning somewhat awkward as they said: “Light the lamp. We need to see if you have any wounds.”

Xuan Rui didn’t move, pretending not to understand the complex Rou Lan speech.

When the other party raised a lantern to illuminate them, Li Youqing’s eyes were dazzled by the light. She suddenly screamed and began tearing at Xuan Rui’s clothes.

Xuan Rui appeared overwhelmed – his upper garments were completely torn open, and then his neck was scratched by the woman’s nails, leaving a long mark.

“Stop this nonsense.” Just as Xuan Rui grabbed one of her wrists, the corner of his eye was scratched by her other hand.

Seeing this scene and noticing several other scratches on his face, presumably all from the woman, the soldiers shook their heads and turned to leave.

After the door closed, Xuan Rui looked down coldly at the woman clinging to him. After a long moment, he finally picked her up horizontally and carried her to the bed.

“Yang Zhi, wake up!” Knowing that tonight’s treatment had been delayed, allowing the Gu poison to flare up directly, Xuan Rui patted her cheeks, trying to restore her senses.

Unexpectedly, his neck was again encircled by two slender arms – soft, like xing cao floating in lake water.

No matter how skilled a swimmer one might be, once entangled by this plant, they would surely meet their downfall.

Turning his head, he met the girl’s direct gaze, filled with obvious desire.

Damn those eyes—

Xuan Rui turned away to avoid them, but she fearlessly pressed closer, her lips and teeth fiercely grinding against his neck.

Wanting to bite, yet not daring—

It felt like being licked by a kitten. Unable to endure any longer, he pushed her away, never expecting her to be so fragile as to fall heavily onto the pillow, her beautiful eyes tearfully fixed on him.

This appearance made it seem as if he had done something terrible to her.

And at this moment, Li Youqing was like a peacock eager to display its plumage.

Her black hair spread across the pillow, emitting faint traces of sweet fragrance. Her eyes were enchantingly seductive like a sorceress, her clothes hanging loosely to reveal porcelain-white skin like honeyed snow.

Most deadly was her waist.

Now she supported herself on both arms at her sides, her upper body raised in a welcoming posture, her waist – seemingly made to be held in both hands – as if inviting someone to bend it…

Though young, Xuan Rui had encountered all kinds of women who threw themselves at him.

Even so, he had to admit that the scene before him was the finest he had ever witnessed.

The most maddening thing was that she did all this unconsciously…

Xuan Rui had never been kind-hearted. Seeing her still confused, he went directly to fetch a basin of cold water from the bath and splashed it on Li Youqing’s face.

The temperature difference between day and night was significant. The chill from the cold water pierced through to her bones, making Li Youqing shiver awake. Somewhat bewildered, she looked at the man coldly examining her beside her.

Her memory had gaps again. Feeling embarrassed, she curled up to the side, remaining silent and not daring to look at the man’s expression.

Not allowing herself to doze off again, she could only pinch her palm hard.

Xuan Rui pressed two fingers to his brow, worried that if she caught cold it would cause more trouble. He had no choice but to patiently deal with this mess.

“If you’re afraid of the cold, take off your clothes.” His gaze fell on her damp hair before he turned to look for a bath towel.

Li Youqing shivered slightly, the man’s icy voice like a demon from hell.

But most of the bed was soaked, so she crawled to a dry spot at the foot of the bed, hesitating whether to remove her wet clothes.

A dry towel was tossed over, the bed curtains were drawn, and the room’s lamps were lit.

Through the moon-white gauze curtains, she saw the man’s tall figure standing not far from the bed.

Li Youqing removed her damp clothes, her hair clinging unpleasantly to her skin.

With no dry garments to change into, she could only wrap herself in the towel, crossing her arms over her chest for warmth.

As the man’s silhouette gradually approached through the translucent curtains, her heart leaped to her throat once more.

When the curtains were swept aside, she let out a small gasp. Then, in a dizzying whirl, she found herself transferred to the narrow bed in the outer chamber.

Simultaneously, a dry quilt descended, covering her shoulders.

The bedding was soft and warm, making her feel considerably better. The man’s series of actions had also somewhat dispelled her earlier embarrassment.

“The General need not pity me.” Li Youqing randomly grabbed a piece of cloth from the bed and began haphazardly wiping her drenched hair.

Xuan Rui, seeing she was using his inner garment to dry her hair, gritted his teeth but remained silent.

Perhaps due to being born premature, Li Youqing had always been petite—or, to put it bluntly, short.

Fortunately, her proportions were excellent, with a clearly defined waist and hips.

As the quilt slipped to her collarbone, two pale arms swayed back and forth before his eyes with her wiping motions.

The young woman’s red-rimmed eyes and indignant expression made her resemble a little cat throwing a tantrum.

Did she still dare to be angry?

A cold sneer flickered in Xuan Rui’s eyes as he turned away and said indifferently, “In my opinion, you’re not worthy of pity.”

“Suffering exists everywhere in this world. You may live if you wish, die if you choose.” His tone cooled as he sat on the bed, stating bluntly, “I’ll give you half a quarter-hour. Take your time deciding.”

Li Youqing was momentarily stunned but quickly grasped the meaning behind his words.

If the Gu poison was real, then the consequences of him not detoxifying her would be severe.

When she looked up, tears naturally streamed down: “If not for the General, this humble girl wouldn’t have fallen into such circumstances.”

Xuan Rui lifted his eyelids, glanced at her swollen, damp eyes, and shook his head: “So what do you want? Speak plainly.”

Li Youqing frowned slightly as a string of tears happened to fall, like moistened wind chimes, her sobbing appearing utterly pitiful.

Had she cried like this in the past, the servants of Liu Chang Hall would have panicked—some seeking the Empress, others summoning the Crown Prince—

“Tears solve nothing.” Xuan Rui picked up the inner garment from the bed, casually tossing it onto the clothes rack before stating solemnly: “When hungry, you eat. When thirsty, you find water. When facing problems, you find solutions.”

His gaze swept over her, devoid of any emotion, yet it made Li Youqing’s heart skip a beat.

This man’s heart was likely forged from solid ice—or perhaps he simply had no heart at all.

Was there nothing in this world that could cause him distress or attachment?

Nothing that would make him recall with such pain that he’d weep bitterly?

“I can only guarantee that no word of what happened to you will reach the capital.” Seeing her tears cease, Xuan Rui lowered the bed curtains and declared gravely: “In four days, neither of us will remember anything from these days.”

“It hurts—” she couldn’t suppress a muffled groan, gritting her teeth as she endured the pain.

The man knew nothing of tenderness, his large hands gripping her arms with such force that she couldn’t move at all.

Tears slid from the corners of her eyes once more, dampening his broad shoulders.

This time, Li Youqing was truly crying from the pain.

Though there was no connection between them, they were engaged in the most intimate act reserved for lovers.

Li Youqing couldn’t help but feel confused—was his behavior truly only because she was a citizen of Daliang?

The Barbarians had seized upon this very point, deliberately capturing noblewomen from Lu Ming Mountain to deliver to his residence.

It felt like a sacrifice, with herself as the carefully chosen offering.

Once the Gu poison was completely cleansed, there would truly be no connection between them anymore.

Just as he had said, they both needed to learn to forget.

“Ah—” A piercing, heart-wrenching pain struck, as if something were writhing inside her, gnawing incessantly at her flesh and blood.

“Half of the poisoned blood has been cleared, so the Gu worms are bound to retaliate. Endure it a little longer—it will pass soon.” The hand gripping her forearm pressed down slightly, carrying a warm, firm strength.

But his voice, contrary to Li Youqing’s expectations, wasn’t as composed as she had imagined; instead, it held a hint of hoarseness.

At this point, she had no choice but to believe whatever he said.

In the midst of excruciating pain, Li Youqing dug her fingers deeply into his hair, clinging to him like a lifeline.

Xuan Rui lifted his head, his eyes burning with irritation, and was about to rise and leave when Li Youqing suddenly threw herself at him, clutching him tightly.

He sat up straight, flexing his stiff neck, and glanced sideways to see her crimson lips bitten until they bled. The words on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back.

“Don’t go—it hurts so much—” Li Youqing wrapped her limbs around him, refusing to let go no matter what.

She had already lost all dignity—what did it matter if she acted even more shamelessly?

He was the one who said that problems should be solved.

Xuan Rui grabbed both of her arms, his eyes darkening with intensity. “If you don’t let go, it will hurt even more.”

“Why—why—” Li Youqing only felt how cool and soothing his body was. Seeing him prepare to pry her off with force, she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist.

A vein throbbed on Xuan Rui’s forehead. The moment he loosened his grip, she took advantage, winding her arms around him again.

As Li Youqing’s full weight suddenly pressed down on him, he was caught off guard and was directly pinned to the bed board.

It had truly spiraled out of control.

“You’re asking for death!” he growled harshly, but when he saw her face instantly turn deathly pale, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret.

But it was too late—those eyes, freshly washed with tears, quickly filled with mist, and even the tip of her nose reddened with grievance.

Only then did he understand what it truly meant for things to spiral out of control.

In the blink of an eye, she was crying so hard she could barely catch her breath, her face flushed bright red, and fine red veins spreading beneath her thin eyelids.

Her scalding tears soaked his chest, as if carrying some corrosive quality, making his heart ache with a sour, stinging sensation.

His brow furrowed involuntarily. Accustomed to shouting at the reckless young soldiers in the army, he had indeed gone too far just now.

With no experience in comforting anyone, he recalled only how village women soothed their tear-streaked children. After a pause, he finally raised his arm and began patting her back gently, one stroke after another.

The firm, warm pressure on her back felt unexpectedly soothing, and Li Youqing couldn’t help but freeze in surprise.

What on earth was this man thinking? After yelling at her, he turned around to comfort her instead.

He was nothing but a scoundrel, a bandit, a rogue… utterly incomprehensible!

His large hand continued patting her back as if soothing a child, and after a long while, he finally managed to utter: “Don’t cry, that’s not what I meant.”

Li Youqing felt too embarrassed to keep crying. She pulled the quilt over her head, pretending nothing had happened while continuing to cling to him.

Xuan Rui took a deep breath, the air stuck in his chest making him uncomfortable. He tried to keep his tone gentle: “Please, get off me first.”

Afflicted by the gu worms, Li Youqing wished she could fuse with the man, like a drowning person finally grabbing onto a floating log—how could she possibly let go easily?

“I… I have no strength left, I can’t get up,” she rasped, randomly offering an excuse.

As she curled her legs upward, they seemed to bump against something hard.

She paid it no mind, even pressing her toes against it, and heard him take a sharp breath.

“General, I’m so cold.” Li Youqing rested her feet against the warmest part of him and closed her eyes contentedly.

Like small animals with their innate instinct to seek advantage and avoid harm, she too—despite having been scolded earlier—somehow felt this person was safe at this moment.

Xuan Rui had earlier doused her with cold water, and now his retribution had arrived.

He endured her pressing against him for what felt like an eternity before finally catching his breath, his back now damp with sweat.

He could only wrap one arm around her waist, slightly turning over so both of them were lying on their sides.

Li Youqing, ever quick to seize an opportunity, wrapped both arms around his and nestled her head against his shoulder.

“Just for one night, General Xuan. Stay with me tonight, and I’ll repay you in the future.” Afraid he might push her away again, she clung to him like stubborn plaster.

When he remained silent, she thought for a moment and added softly, “General, will I really recover in four days? Those Er Hai people are so cunning and deceitful—what if they’ve set more traps, using me against you?”

She nuzzled her nose against his shoulder and murmured quietly, “My life isn’t important, but your safety is a matter of national significance. So… so there’s no need for you to bother about me…”

Her fragmented words trailed off unfinished as Li Youqing had already fallen asleep.

Xuan Rui rested his arm over his eyes, then suddenly, unable to contain it any longer, let out a low, suppressed chuckle.