Chapter 22: Intimacy

At night, Si Qingyu began to study the well water she brought back from Qianluo Town again. She found that although the poison was potent, it was also easy to resolve.

She thought that she could make a kind of poison based on this, which would be good for self-defense.

Si Qingyu was in a good mood. She cleaned up the things on the table, wiped her hands, and went to bed in her clothes.

While Si Qingyu was sound asleep, a figure appeared silently in front of her bed. The figure stared at Si Qingyu for a good while, then slowly approached her, squatted by her bedside, and slowly reached out to her face.

Si Qingyu, who was originally fast asleep, suddenly opened her eyes, grabbed the figure’s hand, picked up the silver needle prepared beside her, and was about to pierce it, but her wrist was easily caught by the person.

“It’s me.”

This voice…

Si Qingyu broke free, got out of bed, walked to the table to light a candle, and turned to look at Luo Shaoxuan, who was dressed in plain clothes.

Si Qingyu’s eyelids twitched. What was this person doing here in the middle of the night?

As if afraid that Si Qingyu would be angry, Luo Shaoxuan spoke first to explain, “I was worried about you, so I came over…”

“So you couldn’t choose a better time?” In the middle of the night, if it weren’t for her strong mental capacity, anyone else would have been frightened to death.

Luo Shaoxuan opened his mouth but didn’t say anything, looking at her in a slightly helpless manner.

Si Qingyu couldn’t help but rub her temples in annoyance. Why was it so difficult to have a quiet sleep?

“I’m sorry…” Luo Shaoxuan bit his lower lip, looking pitiful as if it was Si Qingyu who barged into his bedroom in the middle of the night.

Si Qingyu waved her hand at him helplessly, “Forget it, but why did you come in the middle of the night?”

“I missed you so much… so…” So he rushed over overnight just to see her, but didn’t expect her to be so vigilant.

Luo Shaoxuan was a little annoyed with himself for waking her up.

Si Qingyu was already used to his straightforward way of expressing himself.

“Don’t do it again.” Otherwise, she was afraid that she would have a shadow.

“Mm-hmm!” Luo Shaoxuan nodded his head happily, his eyes full of affection as he looked at her.

What should they do now? It was impossible for him to go back now, after all, it was the middle of the night… She was about to speak when she saw his eyes looking at her like fire. She looked down and remembered that she was wearing thin inner clothes. She hurriedly picked up the jacket beside her and put it on, glaring at him.

Luo Shaoxuan lowered his eyes to conceal the desire in his eyes, his face slightly flushed under the candlelight.

Si Qingyu didn’t notice his abnormality. She picked up the candle on the table and was about to take him to the guest room, “Come with me, you can sleep in the guest room tonight. Go back tomorrow.”

Luo Shaoxuan nodded and obediently followed behind her.

She brought him to the next room and helped him light the candle inside, “You sleep here tonight, there are quilts and everything.”

“Mm…”

“Ziliang…”

“Mm?”

“I… I’m afraid of the dark.” He lowered his head and seemed to be fiddling with his clothes in a helpless manner.

“……”

Si Qingyu pointed to the cabinet beside her expressionlessly, “There are many candles in here, you can light them until dawn.”

“……”

He walked over and gently tugged on her sleeve, putting his lips close to her ear and whispering softly, “You know that’s not what I mean.” His misty eyes were charming under the candlelight, looking at her with lingering affection, with a hint of seduction.

Si Qingyu stood there without moving.

He slowly tried to touch her earlobe with his lips. Seeing that she didn’t resist, he was very happy in his heart. He moved his lips little by little from her ear to her cheek, planting light kisses.

He slowly moved from the side to the front of her.

Luo Shaoxuan held her waist tightly, raised his thumb to gently rub her red lips, his phoenix eyes half-lowered, full of infatuation. He lowered his head slightly and gently wrapped his lips around hers, his misty eyes gazing at her puzzled eyes.

Luo Shaoxuan stuck out the tip of his tongue and gently licked her lips, tracing the lines of her lips. He raised his hand to pinch her chin, stuck his tongue in and intertwined with hers. The sound of their tongues stirring together was very ambiguous in the quiet night.

This intimate feeling made Luo Shaoxuan couldn’t help but hum with pleasure.

It also woke up Si Qingyu who was immersed in it. She suddenly pushed away the unsuspecting Luo Shaoxuan. Si Qingyu could even see the ambiguous silver thread connecting their mouths.

She quickly wiped her mouth, and the calmness in her eyes finally showed a trace of panic.

Luo Shaoxuan was pushed away unexpectedly and was a little dissatisfied. He looked at her with a flushed face, looking at her lips that had turned red from the kiss, and couldn’t help but lick his own lips. His voice was soft with a hint of huskiness, “I’m sorry… I couldn’t help it.”

Si Qingyu tried hard to calm her breathing. Her indifferent face was also tinged with a hint of blush. She looked at him a little unnaturally, “Well… have an early rest.”

After saying that, she ran out of the room as if she was escaping.

Seeing that she had left the room, Luo Shaoxuan slowly touched his lips with his fingers, his eyes half-lowered, his gaze hazy, and the corners of his mouth curved into a sweet smile, like a child who had gotten a long-awaited candy, sweet to the heart.

Si Qingyu returned to her room and hurriedly closed the door. She leaned against the door and rubbed her forehead hard. Was she crazy? Where did her sanity go!

She walked to the table and poured herself a cup of tea. After drinking the tea, she finally calmed down a bit. She thought that she might have been too tired just now, so her defenses were lowered, leading to… The scene of their tongues intertwining appeared in her mind again.

Si Qingyu shook her head, not wanting to think about it anymore. She walked to the bedside and lay down, exhausted. She fell asleep soon after.

The night was very quiet. Si Qingyu had already gone to sleep on this side, while Luo Shaoxuan on the other side was still awake. He was so happy and excited that he couldn’t fall asleep at all. He gently rubbed the wooden hairpin in his hand against his mouth, muttering.

The next morning.

Si Qingyu had finished washing up and was getting dressed in the bedroom when there was a sudden knock on the door, “Ziliang, are you up? I made porridge for you.”

Si Qingyu’s hands stiffened as she was tying her waistband, then she continued to fiddle with her sleeves as if nothing had happened.

When she opened the door, she saw that Luo Shaoxuan had already placed the porridge bowls on the table in the courtyard. Seeing her come out, he gave her a sweet smile, “Come and have some porridge.”

She walked over silently and sat down.

He gracefully filled a bowl of porridge for her and placed it in front of her, “Have a taste.”

He was like a gentle and virtuous husband serving his wife breakfast.

This warm and sweet atmosphere made Si Qingyu even more uncomfortable. She pursed her lips, picked up the spoon and took a sip.

Luo Shaoxuan looked at her expectantly from the side.

“Mm, it’s delicious.”

As soon as the words came out, Luo Shaoxuan’s face lit up with joy, his dark eyes sparkling like stars.

Si Qingyu felt dazzled by his smile for a moment. Was he that happy? She lowered her eyes and said in a low voice, “You should have some too.” After a thought, “You have to go back to the capital later, eat more.”

The warm atmosphere was instantly destroyed.

Luo Shaoxuan felt disappointed in his heart. His smile gradually faded and he returned to his usual elegant and dignified appearance. He let out a soft “Mm” and lowered his head to drink the porridge quietly, ignoring her.

Si Qingyu drank the porridge while looking at his obviously angry appearance, feeling a little puzzled. What was wrong with him again? He was fine just now.

She hesitated for a while, then picked up the side dishes on the table with her chopsticks and put them into his porridge bowl, “Don’t just drink the porridge, have some side dishes.”

Luo Shaoxuan was stunned and looked at her in a daze, his heart pounding, his cheeks beginning to flush. Was she coaxing him?

Si Qingyu calmly drank the porridge. Seeing him looking at her in such a dazed manner, she said helplessly in a rare gentle tone, “You can’t get full by just looking at me.”

Her tone was as gentle as a breeze, and Luo Shaoxuan only reacted at this moment, his cheeks flushing even more. She rarely spoke to him in such a gentle tone, and even knew how to “coax” him.

Luo Shaoxuan’s disappointment vanished, and his joyful mood was directly expressed on his face. He wanted to let her know that he liked her treating him and coaxing him like this.

……

When Luo Shaoxuan set off to return to the capital, Si Qingyu only went to the medical hall, and it was already noon by then.

Zhao Sixi, who had been waiting in the medical hall for a long time, couldn’t help but ask when she saw Si Qingyu only coming now, “Doctor Si, why are you so late today?”

“It’s nothing.” Si Qingyu replied indifferently, and suddenly thought of someone, “By the way, has Constable Zhang gone back?”

“Mm-hmm, she went back. She wanted to say goodbye to Doctor Si, but after waiting for a long time, Doctor Si still didn’t come, so she asked me to send her regards to Doctor Si and then rode away on her horse.”

“I see.” Si Qingyu nodded.

Zhao Sixi hadn’t seen Si Qingyu for quite a few days. She had many things she wanted to ask her, but couldn’t bring herself to ask them all at once.

Si Qingyu looked at her hesitant expression and asked in puzzlement, “What’s wrong?”

Zhao Sixi lowered her head in disappointment, “Doctor Si, many people came to look for you during the days you were away. They were all unwilling to let me treat them.”

So that was the reason. Si Qingyu patted her lowered head, “This is just the beginning. It’s normal for people to have doubts because you haven’t truly proven your ability yet.”

Zhao Sixi pouted, “There’s no chance to prove myself at all. They won’t even let me take a look.”

“That’s why you have to keep working hard.” Si Qingyu said calmly as she organized her books.

Zhao Sixi pursed her lips and nodded, not continuing the topic. She remembered what had happened in Qianluo Town a few days ago, “Doctor Si, what kind of strange disease was it that happened in Qianluo Town?”

Si Qingyu’s hand that was holding the brush paused. She decided it was better not to tell her the truth, “Just a rare disease.” After saying that, she glanced at her, “You’re very idle?”

Zhao Sixi quickly shook her head, then lightly nodded, “Doctor Si, I’ve already finished reading all the books you gave me.” So now she didn’t know what to do.

Si Qingyu nodded. Just as she was about to arrange some tasks for her, she saw someone enter the medical hall. The corners of her mouth curved up slightly as she looked at Zhao Sixi beside her, “Your chance to be busy has come.”

Zhao Sixi pointed at herself in disbelief, “I-I should go?”

“Who else?” Wasn’t she the one who wanted to prove herself?

Zhao Sixi nodded solemnly and walked over.

The woman who entered originally wanted to ask Doctor Si to take a look at the red blisters on her body. Who knew she would see an apprentice walking over? The woman stammered, “Umm… I’m here to see Doctor Si.”

“Doctor Si is busy at the moment. Let me take a look for you first if it’s nothing serious.”

The woman looked distrustful, “If Doctor Si is busy, I’ll just wait a bit longer.”

With Si Qingyu’s presence, Zhao Sixi became much bolder. She directly pulled the woman to sit on a stool, “Where are you feeling unwell?” She asked in a professional manner.

The woman glanced at Si Qingyu while saying, “I have a lot of red blisters on my body, they’re itchy and painful.”

Zhao Sixi made a serious note of it, not minding the woman’s small expressions, “Lift up your clothes and let me take a look.”

The woman did as told, revealing the dense red blisters on her waist.

Zhao Sixi gasped, her hair standing on end. Even Si Qingyu, who was watching from the side, frowned slightly.