Free Web NovelChapter 401: Chapter 331: Entering the Dream Once More
"Stretch out your hands."
Ying Rushi stopped her wandering thoughts and obediently stretched out her hands.
When Yan Qing touched her bandage, she flinched, but soon relaxed, calmly allowing Yan Qing to unwrap her bandage.
A pair of hideous and ugly arms was exposed under the dim streetlight, like hundreds of centipedes writhing and biting, terrifying to the touch. Ying Rushi’s hands were divided at the elbow; the latter part was as smooth as white jade, while the former part was a battlefield of nightmarish purgatory.
"It’s scary, isn’t it?" Ying Rushi said softly, "If these hands were to touch you, you’d definitely feel repulsed, right? I didn’t even dare to hug Hui just now. These hands have lost the right to embrace and can only grip weapons until death."
She thought Yan Qing would console her, but Yan Qing nodded, "Indeed, they’re quite frightening."
Ying Rushi pressed her lips tightly together, hiding her cheeks in the shadows, not letting him see her bitter expression. Even when she bathed in hot springs, she wore bandages, but they always needed changing. Changing bandages brought not only pain but also heartache.
In order to become the purest period for the Ying Family Royal Family, to let the world know that the Qi Kingdom’s Emperor Divine Martial’s bloodline did not only produce a tyrant like Ying Le but also a royal family member who defended the common people, Ying Rushi was certainly willing to sacrifice her life for the greater good. But she was, after all, just a young woman in her twenties. Seeing her hands so ugly that even she despised them, how could her heart not be bitter?
But this cost was insignificant. Even just thinking about it made Ying Rushi feel she was being unnecessarily sentimental. She was Ying Rushi, a member of the Qi Kingdom Royal Family, with no time to lament over trivial matters. She was now dedicated to the welfare of all, and these scars were her glorious record of battle. She should display them boldly; she had no right to indulge in vanity. The more tragic she seemed, the more it proved the greatness of her greater cause!
Yan Qing took out a bottle of ointment, poured some milk-like cream, rubbed it evenly and warmed it in his hands, then vigorously massaged it onto Ying Rushi’s arms.
Such intimate skin contact made Ying Rushi blush. She tried to pull her hands back, "My hands have already healed; you don’t need to apply ointment."
"This isn’t medicine; it’s White Jade Flawless Ointment that Red Snake gave me. I used to fight with the Baibao Guards, and my hands were covered in scars. Red Snake saw it and recommended this ointment to help smooth out the scars." Yan Qing held her arms, "I’ll apply it for you this first time; watch carefully, and you’ll do it yourself next time."
"Stop it, don’t you want Murong Hui to get woken up by your noise? We wouldn’t know what she’d say to mock us."
Ying Rushi stopped struggling, though she was still slightly unwilling, "I think it’s unnecessary. After all, it’s just my hands; it doesn’t affect my actions..."
"Then why wear bandages? Wouldn’t it be better to scare the enemy?" Yan Qing said irritably, "Stop fooling yourself; don’t try to fool your father either."
"What?!" Ying Rushi glared at him fiercely.
"Since I have both your hands under control, feel free to try biting me."
"I don’t like this kind of joke!"
"But I do. Don’t you like doing things for me? Get used to it."
Ying Rushi stared directly at him, inexplicably flooded with a massive sense of grievance, as if all the accumulated bitterness suppressed within her had transformed into a powder keg. As long as no one could reach her soul, that bitterness would dissipate with her death. Yet here was Yan Qing lighting the fuse... She had always told herself to stay calm no matter the situation, but now she couldn’t help feeling angry!
Ying Rushi opened her mouth wide to bite like a venomous snake or a mad wolf. Yan Qing was startled and instinctively raised her hands, causing Ying Rushi to fall into his arms. But she fiercely bit his neck regardless.
Real bite?!
Yan Qing gritted his teeth in pain, but still didn’t push her away. He didn’t expect Ying Rushi to be so angry. Ying Rushi quickly let go; after all, she wasn’t naturally inclined to lose her temper, just momentarily lost control... Yet Ying Rushi knew this was just an excuse. If she truly lost control, why hadn’t she ever lost her temper with Ying Le?
No uncontrollable temper exists; it’s just that you know the other person will indulge you.
Seeing the clear tooth marks she had left on Yan Qing’s neck, Ying Rushi felt embarrassed, and before she knew it, she extended her small lilac tongue and licked the marks.
Yan Qing shivered.
Ying Rushi tensed as well.
Realizing how absurd her action was, she subconsciously looked up at Yan Qing and met his gaze. It was only then she realized she was leaning against Yan Qing’s chest without armor or jacket, her thin clothes seemingly nonexistent, her body heated with qi and blood pressed closely against his... she felt as if she could sense his breath.
Suddenly, Ying Rushi felt something, jumping back like a frightened rabbit, her clothes bouncing slightly, head bowed, avoiding Yan Qing’s gaze. Yan Qing was barely holding it together as well. Fortunately, he was still wearing bandages, so as long as he wasn’t embarrassed, the embarrassment would fall on the others.
He continued applying ointment, speaking softly, "Sorry, I won’t make such jokes again."
"It’s not your fault; I overreacted," Ying Rushi said.
Yan Qing massaged carefully, not even missing the spaces between her fingers. Ying Rushi watched him, her heart stirred: This ointment was from Red Snake, and the first time it must have been Red Snake who applied it to him, their hands intertwined... His clothes were gifted by Red Snake... Every time there’s a conflict, Red Snake unhesitatingly stands by his side... Such passionate love, no wonder he likes Red Snake.
"It’s really unnecessary," Ying Rushi breathed out, her voice inexplicably tinged with melancholy, "Anyway, I’ll fight the Baibao Guards again in the future; the wounds will reopen, so healing them now is redundant."
Yan Qing glanced at her and continued applying the ointment.
"You’re really more foolish than the little wicked cat."
Murong Hui muttered, turning over.
Ying Rushi looked at him, puzzled, with a slight grievance and defiance.
"Even she knows the way to avoid being hunted is to kill the assassins. Don’t want more scars? Isn’t the method obvious?" Yan Qing said, "Just stop fighting the Baibao Guards."
Ying Rushi felt it was absurd, "As if not fighting is an option? They’re at the Demon Gathering Land now. Sooner or later, we’ll meet them, and when we do, won’t I have to fight them?"
"Of course you won’t,"
Yan Qing tightly clasped her hands, rubbing the ointment thoroughly into her wounds:
"Because I’m here."
"Now that I’m here, you don’t need to fight. Just help me kill demons," he said calmly while wrapping her arms with bandages, "In addition, I really can’t figure out what you’re thinking."
Ying Rushi was momentarily surprised, remembering this was his response to their conversation in the hot spring, where she had said he always knew what she was thinking.
"But if these scars bother you so much, just heal them, right? All scars can heal, and all wrongs can be righted." Yan Qing sighed, "Can’t you learn from the little wicked cat? Just say what you want. You act as if nothing’s wrong but look so sad, as if I have to guess to please you."
Ying Rushi hurriedly shook her head, softly protesting, "I’m not..."
"I know you’re not, which is why it’s so infuriating." Yan Qing released her hands, waving her off dismissively, "Next time, I won’t bother with you."
When Ying Rushi returned to bed, Murong Hui had fallen back to sleep, sprawled diagonally to take up as much room as possible. Ying Rushi had to curl up in a corner, clutching her chest, feeling inexplicably sweet inside.
Occasionally she peeked at Yan Qing sitting by the window, but quickly pulled back, afraid of being caught. After a while, she couldn’t help but lift her eyes again.
In her drowsiness, she suddenly heard [Yellow Dog] muttering to himself:
"What should I do? I think I’ve really fallen in love with White Fox."
