When Shen Qing walked into Yu Jiuqing's room, he was already sitting on the edge of the bed, bent over and slowly rolling up his right pant leg.
But Shen Qing's mind wasn't on him. She was stunned by the sight of the room, which was so simple and cold it felt almost desolate.
While the room's layout was the same as it had been ten years ago, everything within it was completely different.
Shen Qing herself was too lazy to tidy up, but she loved lively and festive things. When she lived here, she had loved to buy all sorts of trinkets to decorate her room.
She'd hang a few scrolls of calligraphy and paintings on the walls, place trinkets she'd collected from various places on the cabinets, and put all kinds of potted plants in the corners. She always kept a vase on the small table by the daybed, having Xiang Qiao arrange the freshest flowers of the season in it every day.
The bedding on the bed and the cushions on the daybed were always in various warm tones, and the vanity in the corner was always covered with all sorts of rouge, powders, and glittering jewelry.
Yu Jiuqing was cold by nature and had always lived a simple life. Logically, he should have disliked all these flashy, gaudy things. But back then, he had simply let Shen Qing do as she pleased with their room. Sometimes, when he was away on business, he would even buy some trinkets she liked and bring them back, helping her arrange them.
Now, however, all those trinkets, potted plants, and fresh flowers were gone.
The vanity that was originally in the right corner by the window had been replaced with a staid, dark-wood bookshelf filled with books. The bedding and the cushions on the daybed had all been changed to a uniform raven-blue, making one question the room owner's taste—or wonder if he had come from some bitterly cold, desolate land.
A sense of emptiness bloomed in Shen Qing's heart.
But in truth, this kind of room wasn't entirely unfamiliar to her. Before she married Yu Jiuqing, his room had been just like this.
What she didn't know was that as she stared blankly at the room, the man on the bed was watching her.
Seeing the complex emotions she couldn't hide on her face, Yu Jiuqing's hands clenched into fists once more.
For once, Chen Li, who was standing to the side, failed to notice his master's strange reaction. His mind was racing with anxiety that his Lord had likely been bewitched by this woman of unknown origin. He couldn't help but speak up, "Lord, changing a wound dressing is not a task just anyone can perform, let alone a woman whose background we don't know. Why don't you let this subordinate..."
"No need," Yu Jiuqing said, pulling his gaze back. He finished rolling up his pant leg, revealing a well-defined, muscular calf. "Let her do it."
The incredibly cold voice finally pulled Shen Qing's attention back. She glanced at Yu Jiuqing, suppressed the strange feeling that had arisen from the room's changes, and offered an exceptionally gentle smile. She curtsied and said, "Yes, Lord."
After speaking, she met Chen Li's threatening gaze, walked over, and knelt before Yu Jiuqing.
Yu Jiuqing's injury was on his calf. Judging by the width of the bandage wrapped around it, the wound was not small.
Shen Qing's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
'Who did this to him?'
'Logically, with Yu Jiuqing's current status, few people should be able to injure him, let alone inflict such a large wound.'
'Judging by the state of high alert in the manor today, Yu Jiuqing being wounded in an assassination attempt is clearly no small matter.'
As Shen Qing thought this, she raised her hands and began to unwrap the bandage.
She was still a bit angry, so her initial movements were exceptionally rough. Yu Jiuqing was clearly in pain, his brows knitting slightly, but he didn't make a single sound.
She peeked up at him and couldn't help but feel a thrill of pleasure, like a child who had successfully pulled a prank.
Chen Li, however, grew anxious and nearly jumped to his feet. He gritted his teeth and said, "Do you even know how to treat a wound! Forget it, move aside, I'll..."
Before he could finish, the man who was obviously enduring the pain said coldly, "Stay where you are. Let her do it."
Chen Li's unfinished words caught in his throat, nearly making him pass out.
'This woman is clearly doing it on purpose!'
'Has the Lord really been bewitched by her?!'
Hearing this, Shen Qing couldn't help but look up at Yu Jiuqing. By now, the bandage on his calf was completely off. Staring at the wound, which was as long and thick as a forefinger and tinged an ominous blue-purple, Shen Qing froze.
She didn't know medicine, but as a Space-Time Inspector, she had studied the application and neutralization of various poisons during her pre-assignment training to handle all sorts of potential dangers.
Therefore, she could tell at a glance that Yu Jiuqing's wound was not a simple blade injury. It was poison!
Divine Doctor Lu must have treated the poison in the wound immediately, but the fact that the blue-purple color was still so vicious-looking meant the poison hadn't been completely purged.
Or rather, this was no ordinary poison.
'No wonder he had such a hard time walking with just an injury to his calf!'
'This guy... running around in this condition. Does he have a death wish?!'
Shen Qing couldn't help but grit her teeth. She was not the gentle and considerate type. Her subsequent movements as she applied the medicine became even rougher.
'He needs to feel the pain. Only when it hurts to his core will he learn his lesson.'
By the time Shen Qing finally finished changing the dressing, Yu Jiuqing was in so much pain that his forehead was beaded with sweat. Strands of hair were stuck messily to his pale face, which, combined with his somewhat hazy eyes, gave him a decadent, sexy look.
Chen Li stared at Shen Qing as if he wanted to eat her alive.
'What on earth is this woman trying to do?!'
'Even though I've been watching her the whole time and she couldn't do anything to actually harm the Lord, she's tormented him enough.'
'And the Lord... the Lord actually let her torment him like this!'
Shen Qing calmly ignored Chen Li's glare, stood up, and said nonchalantly, "Lord, the dressing has been changed. Is there anything else you need this servant to do?"
'This servant? With that attitude, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say she was their Lord's ancestor.'
Yu Jiuqing glanced at her but didn't speak. He just lowered his head and gently stroked the bandage on his calf, as if checking to see if it was tied securely enough. After a long moment, he sat up straight. His cool voice was laced with an unnatural hoarseness. "Chen Li, take her to the outer room to rest."
Chen Li could finally hold back no longer. His voice was tense. "Lord! This woman approached you with this face. She must have some kind of scheme! Please, Lord, reconsider!"
"Chen Li," Yu Jiuqing, however, seemed weary. He leaned slightly against the bedpost, closed his eyes, and repeated, "Take her to the outer room to rest."
Chen Li's face instantly turned a sickly pale, his frustration choked back. He looked at the man before him as one would look at a generation's Foolish Emperor.
Shen Qing silently looked up at the ceiling.
'He wants me to stay, but I don't want to.'
'I'm almost certain now that Yu Jiuqing has recognized me.'
'Even if he isn't completely sure, he must have deep suspicions.'
'Making me change his dressing just now was a test.'
Since that was the case, she couldn't be bothered to pretend to be obedient and submissive anymore. She gave a smile that didn't reach her eyes and said, "Lord, this servant has her own quarters. Please allow this servant to return..."
Before she could finish, the man on the bed suddenly reacted as if he'd been provoked. His eyes flew open, and he barked, "Chen Li, did you not hear me? Take her to the outer room to rest!"
Shen Qing: "..."
Chen Li seemed startled by Yu Jiuqing. After a moment of silence, he finally turned, shot Shen Qing a cold glare, and said, "You, follow me."
'Great. This inexplicable guy, Yu Jiuqing, clearly wasn't going to let her leave.'
Chen Li glared at her, so she glared at Yu Jiuqing.
After shooting Yu Jiuqing one last fierce glare, Shen Qing turned and stalked out.
Chen Li: "..."
'Glaring at their Lord was one thing, but to leave without even a single bow?'
'My feeling from before was right. This woman is practically becoming their Lord's ancestor!'
'But... was it his imagination?'
'Why did the way this woman and the Lord interacted feel so familiar?'