Chapter 20: Her eyes reddened, a single hot tear falling onto that scar-riddled back.

Su Yingxue had quietly stepped behind the screen to find Chu Xingchen lying prone on the bed, where a young servant was gently applying medicine to the crisscrossing, flesh-torn scars covering his back.

When the servant noticed her and moved to bow, she gestured for silence, taking the porcelain jar of ointment from his hands and dismissing him. Dipping her index finger into the medicine, she began carefully applying it to each wound herself.

Even after two days of treatment, the wounds showed no signs of healing, still oozing fresh blood. The imperial physician had explained after examination that the Inner Eunuch Directorate’s whips were soaked in a special solution, making Chu Xingchen’s injuries particularly slow to heal.

Though this medicinal ointment had been specially prepared by the imperial physician out of respect for Her Highness the Eldest Princess, using numerous rare and precious herbs, it still proved largely ineffective.

Seeing the young man’s pale back, Su Yingxue felt her eyes growing moist. She made every effort to lighten her touch, afraid of causing him more pain.

After meticulously applying medicine to all the scars across his back, she finally paused at a deep, bone-revealing knife wound on his right shoulder.

This vicious, mangled injury that exposed bone reminded Su Yingxue of when she first treated it while Chu Xingchen was unconscious. Being an old wound that had festered from water exposure and received no treatment in the Inner Eunuch Directorate, the imperial physician had needed to cut deeply during examination.

She remembered that day when Chu Xingchen burned with fever from infection, losing consciousness. The imperial physician personally used a flame-sterilized knife to cut open the wound, carefully removing every piece of putrid, foul-smelling flesh before pouring an entire jar of strong medicinal alcohol over it to disinfect and wash away blood and pus.

Even in his unconscious state, during the cutting and alcohol cleansing, Chu Xingchen sweated profusely from pain, his whole body convulsing so violently that several servants had to hold him down.

Now, though not as severe as during the flesh-cutting procedure, the wound remained intensely red with exposed flesh and even glimpses of bone. Every time Su Yingxue saw the injuries on his body, she felt they were like written accusations of her own crimes, too numerous to record!

Thus, Su Yingxue hesitated. Remembering how he had struggled in agony that day, her medicine-coated hand froze mid-air, unable to complete its motion.

Perhaps for a moment, she couldn’t bear to cause him more pain through the medication. Just like now, her eyes reddened, a single hot tear falling onto that firm yet scar-covered back.

Chu Xingchen had initially kept his eyes closed, noticing this servant’s application seemed gentler than usual. Previously, the force used seemed determined to scrub another layer of skin off his wounds, as if administering medicine was an extremely unwilling task for the servant.

Rightly so, Chu Xingchen couldn’t help mocking himself. What did it matter if he was once imperial nobility? As a Hostage Prince from Da Qi who even lowly servants could freely bully, insult, and beat?

Even the lowliest servants of the Da Sheng Kingdom, though treated like dust in the palace and subject to their masters’ abuse, were at least citizens of Dasheng. Those palace maids and servants unconsciously believed their Sheng nationality made them inherently superior to Chu Xingchen.

After all, the Da Qi Kingdom behind Chu Xingchen was seen by the citizens of Da Sheng Kingdom as nothing more than a vassal state paying tribute. Vassal states were no different from servants. Even the reigning monarch of Qi State was merely an incompetent ruler who had to send envoys laden with gold, silver, jewels, silks, and beautiful women to offer tribute annually—let alone a mere Hostage Prince.

But today, Chu Xingchen felt the servant had suddenly become much gentler. The light touch wasn’t unusual, yet there was an added tenderness to it. Until drops of warm water sprinkled onto his back.

Instantly alert, he sat up and seized the hand applying medicine, his face filled with hostility and vigilance as he stared at the person before him. Yet what met his eyes was someone adorned with pearls and jade, dressed in luxurious brocade robes, hairpins and hair ornaments crowning her head. A face of devastating beauty, with teary, sparkling black eyes reddened from crying, and tear streaks tracing down her cheeks.

Su Yingxue hadn’t expected Chu Xingchen to turn around abruptly. His sudden grip on her wrist sent a pang of pain through her, making her frown. She lifted her gaze to meet his, only to encounter his wolf-like wary eyes, which held a deep scrutiny.

As for the scrutiny—it was because Chu Xingchen, for the first time, saw pity, guilt, and remorse in Su Yingxue’s beautiful, lively eyes.

For a moment, Chu Xingchen felt both surprised and suspicious of some scheme. Since childhood, he had experienced Su Yingxue’s vicious cruelty. The world said scorpions and snakes were venomous and should be avoided.

But the world didn’t know that even someone with peerless beauty could harbor a heart more poisonous and malicious than any serpent or scorpion.

The venom of snakes and scorpions made people fear and keep their distance.

Yet Su Yingxue, with her overwhelming power and vicious nature, could not conceal her inner toxicity and sinister intentions, even behind a gentle, beautiful, and harmless appearance as innocent as a rabbit.

Su Yingxue and he were like a tiger and a lamb.

Chu Xingchen sneered inwardly. What kind of act was she putting on now?

Have you ever seen a hungry tiger? When did a starving tiger ever pity the lamb at its mercy? Would it feel guilt, pity, or remorse while pouncing and devouring its prey alive?

At this thought, Chu Xingchen’s eyes turned icy cold. What, was he supposed to be grateful to tears just for a beating followed by some medicine? How ridiculous.

Unaware of Chu Xingchen’s thoughts, Su Yingxue felt flustered and frightened under his cold stare.

Chu Xingchen’s grip was so strong that Su Yingxue couldn’t move. With her other hand, she quickly wiped the tear stains from her cheeks, trying to calm her emotions.

She was no longer the sentimental, naive university student Zhang Susu. She was the ruthless, arrogant, and domineering Eldest Princess, Su Yingxue.

“How dare you! Let go!” After steadying herself, Su Yingxue coldly struggled with force, imitating the Original Host’s arrogant manner. Though terrified inside, she couldn’t lose her composure or let Chu Xingchen suspect anything.

Sure enough, Chu Xingchen let out a cold laugh. Those ridiculous, sentimental theatrics—had she exposed her true nature so soon after starting the act?

Chu Xingchen met her gaze coldly but released his grip on her wrist. After all, she was still the Eldest Princess. Though he disliked her, he couldn’t afford to push things too far. Otherwise, when it came down to it, he would be the one to suffer the consequences.

“Your Highness the Eldest Princess, this humble servant is recuperating here. You entered silently to apply medicine for me. With your noble status, and my body covered in countless filthy scars, how could I allow such wretchedness to taint your sight?” Chu Xingchen pressed his lips together with a faint sneer. This venomous woman truly remained incorrigible.

“Chu Xingchen, you are severely wounded,” Su Yingxue withdrew her wrist, where a vivid red mark stood out against skin as pure and fair as fine jade.