Liu Sheng was grasping Jingting's hand, it was too hot. Really hot for his comfort, but Xuhua and Zhang Bin had actually treated him right away.
"What happened to him?" Liu Sheng asked anxiously. He was holding Jingting's hand while Xuhua was taking his pulse.
"He caught a cold, and is also overworked," she stated finally and nodded to Binbin to make medicine. When he came back a few moments later, he had a bowl of dark brown liquid which smell made Sheng gag a bit.
He reached out his hands to take the bowl and feed Jingting myself. But when he noticed how much he was shaking, he slowly retracted his hands back and took a few deep breaths. Just to calm himself down.
What was happening to him? Sheng was a battle-hardened general! Then why was he panicking when he saw his doctor faint and shook like a newborn, from caring so much?
Once Jingting was fed the medicine, everybody calmed down. Everybody except Liu Sheng, who sat beside Jingting's bed, until they made him either leave, lie on the bed, or get bedding and lie on the ground. He wanted the bedding, but in the end, he lay in Jingting's bed. He already did it once, and only Xuhua raised an eyebrow at it. Binbin's face stayed completely still when watching the general climb into Young Master's bed, so carefully that he wouldn't even lightly touch Young Master, so as not to wake him up.
When Jingting woke up after a full day of rest, he felt something pressing against his chest. He looked down and saw a rough man's hand. When he followed it, trying not to freak out, he noticed it belonged to the general. That calmed him down. He looked at his surroundings and noticed he lay in Liu Sheng's bed.
How did he get there? That was actually a mystery, but he didn't care about that. Slowly, he tried to put his hand away, but Liu Sheng woke up. He sat up so quickly that Jingting got startled.
"Are you okay? How do you feel? Do you need more medicine?!" The barrage of questions that Liu Sheng quickly raised made Jingting laugh. Aloud. The change of their roles was actually quite funny, but it looked like he was the only one taking it that way. Liu Sheng was still frowning.
Jingting raised his hand, and with his index finger, he softened out the wrinkled skin between Liu Sheng's brows.
"Calm down. It's nothing. I just overworked myself. Nothing new. Xuhua and Binbin already know what to do," he said while still holding his index finger between Liu Sheng's brows. But Sheng grabs his hand and puts it down to his chest.
"And you think that's normal? That's not normal!" he shouted, startling even himself with such a strong reaction.
"Calm down. I know it's not normal. But given that there is a war just around the corner, as you may know, I'm busy treating patients or teaching new doctors so that fewer people will die." Jingting was trying to get his hand back, but he couldn't. Liu Sheng was holding it near his chest with a strength bigger than Jingting anticipated from someone who was knocking on Heaven's door.
"Are you sure it's only that? I know you must be exhausted from everything. From everything that happened in the past few weeks, but also your whole life. I can't imagine how hard it must be to live in constant fear and hiding. I would be exhausted." Liu Sheng let go, but Jingting's hand was still hovering where he let go. He looked scared, surprised, and confused. All of those emotions could be seen in his widened eyes and read from his open mouth.
"I'm tired…" he finally breathed out and let his body fall down on the bed. He couldn't face Liu Sheng, somehow, he couldn't see the reflection of his own misery in Liu Sheng's eyes. He closed his eyes and started talking.
He admitted things he never told anyone before. He said so many of his inner thoughts and feelings that he was surprised by his own talkativeness. Liu Sheng just listened, not moving, not saying anything. He, just silently being there, helped Jingting to lift a bit off his heart.
When he finished his story, he noticed that Liu Sheng lay beside him and held his hand. He just held it, and the warmth spread from his hand into Jingting's entire body.
"Can you not tell anyone here? They would be hurt that I think of them as a burden…" he asked, silently whispering. Liu Sheng, beside him, shifted. Jingting opened his eyes and looked, just to see Liu Sheng on his side, silently watching him.
"I don't think you see them as a burden. I think you were too young to lead the entire mansion. The entire sanctuary. You tried to save everyone, you try to be the perfect doctor, but that will soon make you feel bad inside. It's too much for one person to carry by himself. And even though others may help you, it's not the same as if your father or mother helped you." Liu Sheng paused for a bit, then continued.
"My brother is the one learning how to lead the family, yet we help him a lot. Me, our father, and even our youngest Liu An. Because nobody can carry a heavy load by themselves. And you. Your load is so heavy… You have to be secretive enough, yet help people? You have to search for herbs, yet not be seen? You have to help people, yet fight others? Do you even know how to defend yourself?" Jingting laughed. Last time someone asked him, it was Xicheng, and he ended with blades almost cutting his throat. Yet, when Liu Sheng said it, it was not a threat, but it sounded like genuine concern. Almost like he was hoping he could teach him some moves.
"Yes, I know martial arts. I use a fan with blades. Not usual, but secret enough, and can make me threatening," he said with laughter.
"Oh, when I'm fit enough, I want to spar with you. I use a bow primarily, but also a sword or a spear." Jingting nodded at the sudden enthusiasm. He felt a lot better. He wasn't so tired anymore; his body felt a tiny bit lighter, as if it were possible. But somehow Liu Sheng's acknowledgment of his pains. Just the one sentence acknowledging he has it hard made him feel so happy it was hard to describe.
"Thank you for hearing me out," he said, moved on his side, and patted Liu Sheng's head. He got used to it so much. It just felt natural. But now it made him laugh. The feared general who came here weeks ago in his black armor was now lying with him on his bed, knowing his identity, but was being patted as a dog. But he was cute. But this thought suddenly made Jingting scared.
How could he think that way?