Fortunately, they came prepared today, and even the medicine was fully prepared on the ship. Once the prescription was made, the medicine was brewed shortly afterward.

But the girl lying on the couch was very stubborn, hazy and asleep, yet she refused to swallow the medicine.

Lu Ziyuan picked up a handkerchief to wipe the medicine that leaked from her lips, then held her chin, gently pinched her cheeks, tilted his head to take a mouthful of medicine, and leaned down to feed her.

A bowl of medicine was fed clean in this mouth-to-mouth manner.

Perhaps it was too bitter that the feverish and delusional girl slightly wrinkled her nose, showing a touch of aggrieved expression on her face.

Lu Ziyuan also tasted the bitterness; he stared fixedly, his Adam’s apple rolling slightly as the bitterness followed his throat down and remained in his chest, surging almost uncontrollably. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

He tenderly kissed her forehead, paused for a moment, the kiss fell to her brows, nose, and finally covered her slightly pale lips.

His kisses were very gentle, with some caution, unlike any of their previous kisses; there wasn’t that fierceness wishing to swallow a person whole but instead gently pecked at her lips, thus grinding for a long time, breathing gradually heavier, somewhat difficultly squeezing her cheeks to intensify the kiss.

Throughout the process, it was painfully tender until the unconscious girl made a protesting whimper, and he released her.

If Xie Wanqing was awake at this moment, she’d likely be helpless facing the deep yearning in the man’s eyes.

However, she was too ill, her mind unclear, unable to wake.

Lu Ziyuan muttered to himself indeed he was a beast.

His Wanwan had just encountered such an ordeal, suffered an injury to her neck, and now she’s ill and unconscious, yet he was still thinking...

With a deep breath, Lu Ziyuan sat up, slowly calming his agitated body, then dropping his gaze to her.

Only then did he realize she was still wearing the blood-stained clothes.

When her neck was cut, half of her dress was stained with blood, and after being rescued there was no time to change.

Lu Ziyuan was somewhat grateful for rushing over from the Northern Border Battlefield, fearing she would fall into the Jin Thief’s hands and suffer injuries, bringing a military doctor but no maid along.

There wasn’t any other woman on the ship at present, and she was unconscious.

So...

He thought for a moment, turned to fetch a bottle of ointment, taking a deep breath, and reached shakily to untie the straps of the girl on the couch.

...She had been tormented by the Jin Thief for over ten days, and under her clothes might already be covered in bruises.

Lu Ziyuan closed his eyes suddenly, telling himself it was all due to him; he should see clearly the humiliation she endured, he should thoroughly cleanse it inch by inch someday.

No one knew how tormented Lu Ziyuan was inside at this moment.

He hated his incompetence, living a second life not only lost the girl dearest to his heart but also let her get hurt again.

He regretted even more that when leaving the Capital, he should have taken her away without hesitation; why did he hesitate, why did he learn to compromise, learn to be courteous!

The straps were undone, the blood-stained gauze skirt peeled off her jade shoulder bit by bit, leaving the unconscious girl’s upper body with only a lotus-colored undergarment.

Her snowy skin was tender and smooth, with two thin collarbones forming shallow dips, and her chest covered by the undergarments slightly rose and fell with her breath, just lying there, unmoving, yet carrying a captivating allure; Lu Ziyuan’s gaze froze, hurriedly checking her arms and waist.

After a careful examination, he reached out to remove her last remaining intimate garment.

...Not the imagined full-body bruises, not covered in injuries.

Lu Ziyuan’s expression froze momentarily.

He knew better than anyone how tender this girl’s skin was, never willing to exert force when being affectionate with her, but even after the most restrained lovemaking, there would still be obvious marks on her body, finger imprints would linger on where he held her waist and belly.

Applying the best body cream, even, would take several days to fade away.

Could it be that for some reason, the Jin Thief didn’t harm her these days?

Pain gripped Lu Ziyuan’s heart, afraid to think further, he picked up the prepared clothes, stiffly dressing her.

He was careful, very serious, but when had the Eldest Prince Lu ever engaged in serving someone with dressing? Even if unintentionally being indecent, his hands still touched some unspeakable places several times.

Once the clothing was changed, his stern face was already covered with a thin layer of sweat, the suppressed desires surged back, drove him to want to do something, but eventually, he stared at the girl on the couch for a long time before rising to take a cold shower.

Upon returning again, the cold air seemed to condense into ice shards, fearful of chilling her, waited until the chill dissipated somewhat before lifting the blanket to lie on the couch, avoiding her neck injury and hugged her into his embrace.

She was frightened, ill, at a time when she needed someone most, he never thought of sleeping elsewhere.

Lu Ziyuan, feeling the tender soft girl nestled in his arms, felt his always ravaged by cold wind, empty chest finally find warmth.

He buried his head in her hair, greedily inhaling her scent, tears seeming to slide from the corners of his eyes.

It’s been too long.

It’s been too long since he last embraced her lying on the couch like this.

......

The next day.

When Xie Wanqing woke up, she felt her body was heavy, seemingly constrained somewhere, unable to move her hands and feet, even her breath seemed impeded, she frowned, slowly opening her eyes.

Her gaze met a bare chest, the chest muscles thin yet firm, not exaggeratedly strong; there were a few remnants of youthful lean.

...She knew it well.

Xie Wanqing blinked; her first reaction was wondering if she had entered those dreams again?

The next moment, facing the man’s eyes above her, she immediately dismissed the thought.

The Lu Ziyuan from her dream, who hadn’t yet experienced the subsequent events, would never carry such a pained gaze.

Xie Wanqing moved her eyes away, trying to ignore the discomfort in her heart, said, "You..."

Upon opening her mouth, she felt the dryness and hoarseness in her throat.

Lu Ziyuan frowned slightly, "Don’t talk yet."

He rose and walked to the table, poured a cup of tea, handed it to Xie Wanqing, already warmed.

She sipped the tea gently from the cup, Lu Ziyuan took the empty cup back, asked, "Want more?"

Seeing her shake her head, he casually set the cup aside, intending to return to the couch.

Unexpectedly, turning around, the little girl on the couch had already retreated to the bed’s edge, clutching the blanket, looking at him with full vigilance.

"...." Facing those accusing eyes, he nervously coughed slightly, said, "I didn’t do anything."

Whether he did or not, Xie Wanqing herself could feel.

But even if he did nothing, he shouldn’t be on a married woman’s bed.

Moreover... she lowered her gaze to herself, body tense for a moment, voice raspy, said, "Who changed my clothes?"

Once asking, she felt such a question was unnecessary.