Mu Qi’s phoenix eyes widened, and he abruptly released Yun Shunnian, gently placing her back onto the bed.
“Quickly, go check on her!” Mu Qi rushed out, speaking to the old man.
The old man immediately tossed aside the palm-leaf fan in his hand and entered the room.
The old man felt Yun Shunnian’s pulse, then shot a piercing gaze at Mu Qi.
“Look at the mess you’ve made!”
Mu Qi pursed his lips. “How is she?”
Few people dared to speak to Mu Qi like that and remain standing on Earth.
“You come out with me. Let my precious disciple rest for a while.” The old man’s words made the answer obvious.
Yun Shunnian was not in critical condition.
“Do you think my precious disciple has no one to protect her?!” The old man led Mu Qi into the courtyard and then punched him in the face.
Mu Qi didn’t fight back, spitting out a mouthful of saliva mixed with blood.
Mu Qi: “No.”
The old man listened, still fuming, hands on his hips, pacing back and forth. He was clearly agitated.
“This was my fault.”
“Hmph!” The old man stopped, his lips curling.
“Tell me, why did you do it?” the old man asked with a fierce tone.
His phoenix eyes were inscrutable, and the bitten corner of his mouth was a vivid, ghostly red. “Niannian, was she bullied?”
“Hmph, wasn’t she!” The old man snorted, his tone unfriendly.
Mu Qi’s gaze sharpened. “Who?”
“Who else but you!?”
“Me?” Mu Qi was startled.
“You made my precious disciple faint! Who else could it be?” The old man spat on the ground.
Mu Qi raised a hand and knitted his brows. As the old man turned to leave, Mu Qi immediately blocked his path.
“Wait, I have something else to ask you.”
“Ask whatever you need to ask, quickly.” He still had to make chicken soup for his precious disciple!
“Why did Niannian do this?” Mu Qi dangled the handcuffs in his hand.
The old man’s gaze flickered over the chain. “Heh, didn’t you say this was a kind of foreplay?”
“Why, ultimately?” Mu Qi was persistent, determined to get an answer today.
The old man rubbed his nose. “I’m not entirely sure. Perhaps she was afraid you’d leave her? If the chains weren’t for foreplay, then what else could they be for?”
“Afraid I’d… leave?” Mu Qi looked incredulous.
The old man, meanwhile, quickly went into the kitchen.
Mu Qi returned to the room and wiped Yun Shunnian’s body several more times before guarding her bedside, quietly waiting for her to wake up.
The old man’s old hen soup had also been simmering for a long time.
It wasn’t until the scattered stars dotted the night sky that Yun Shunnian finally stirred awake, groggily.
Yun Shunnian slowly turned her head and saw Mu Qi by her side.
The feeling of suffocation from before she fainted surged back, and Yun Shunnian’s eyes widened. She sat up abruptly, only to realize she was completely naked.
Yun Shunnian immediately grabbed the quilt beside her, covering herself as she scrambled to hide against the wall.
Mu Qi dared not look at Yun Shunnian, his hands clenching the towel into a ball. [Sudan Novel Network]
“Baby, I’m sorry.” Mu Qi spoke, then quickly glanced at Yun Shunnian’s reaction, accurately catching the fear in her eyes.
“Put on some clothes first. I’ll have that person bring the soup over to you.”
Regarding the "old man," Mu Qi really couldn’t find a suitable title for him.
Calling him an elder, yet his movements were agile, no less so than a young man.
Calling him a youth, yet his long beard was so striking.
Thus, Mu Qi used this placeholder term.
“Wait a moment.” Yun Shunnian’s soft voice halted Mu Qi, who had started to leave.
“Mu Qi, come here for a moment.” Yun Shunnian spoke. Mu Qi lowered his gaze and turned back to her.
Yun Shunnian took the chain that had been on Mu Qi’s hand and re-fastened one end to her own wrist.
Mu Qi’s eyes lit up, and he proactively raised that hand, making it easier for Yun Shunnian to secure the chain.
However, Yun Shunnian, who had just woken up, was easily startled. As she was carefully fastening the chain, Mu Qi’s sudden movement frightened her, and she flinched back.
The light in Mu Qi’s eyes instantly dimmed.
Yun Shunnian, with a slow reaction, noticed Mu Qi’s mood but still lowered her head and tightly fastened the chain to her wrist.
“Mu Qi, did I do something wrong?” After confirming the chain was secured, Yun Shunnian’s gaze followed the chain to Mu Qi’s sleeve, and she tugged at it.
“No, how could you? It was me who was wrong.” Mu Qi looked at Yun Shunnian with caution and confusion.
“Ah? What did you do wrong?” After being scalded, then suffering from heatstroke, and then kissed unconscious, Yun Shunnian felt a bit dazed.
Mu Qi asked with a flicker of hope, “After you fainted, you woke up once. Do you remember?”
“I remember, and then you kissed me unconscious again.” Her crescent eyes flickered, and an image immediately appeared in her mind.
“I’m sorry.” Only Yun Shunnian could hear Mu Qi say those three words, yet he still felt they were insufficient.
Mu Qi pursed his lips, his phoenix eyes flashing with deep remorse.
“Ah? Oh.” Yun Shunnian rubbed her head, seeming to slowly understand.
“It’s fine. Wait until the next time I kiss you unconscious, and then we’ll be even.”
As Yun Shunnian spoke, Mu Qi lost his composure, his eyes widening.
How could such a good thing happen?
At this moment, Yun Shunnian, rubbing her forehead groggily, had no idea she had just made such a bold statement.
“Mu Qi, help me get dressed.” Yun Shunnian rubbed her forehead, still feeling a bit uncomfortable. She then got out of bed and leaned on Mu Qi’s shoulder, not realizing that she had just covered herself with the quilt. As she stood up, the quilt instantly fell back onto the bed.
Mu Qi held his breath with Yun Shunnian’s movement. The warm, soft sensation against his chest made his bones and flesh stiffen impossibly.
Seeing Mu Qi’s lack of movement, Yun Shunnian asked impatiently, “Mu Qi?”