“Even if I didn’t say it, Herb, you must have noticed that Young Master Tang is no ordinary person. Just look at the clothes he was wearing when he got injured—the fabric was much finer than what we bought for him.”
“Yet we don’t know what exactly happened to him. But he doesn’t seem like a wicked person. Perhaps he was framed or tricked by some villain, ending up in this state. Suffering such severe injuries is one thing, but losing his sight on top of that—how devastated he must feel. If we just give him some coarse, plain clothes, I’m afraid the stark contrast would make him feel even worse, and it wouldn’t help his recovery either.”
“…”
A brief silence fell in the room.
Outside, Tang Zhou also furrowed his brows.
“But, sister, that jade pendant is the only thing Mother left us before she passed away. To just pawn it off like that…”
“It’s only for a short while. Young Master Tang’s injuries will heal eventually. Once he recovers, he’ll leave, and we can go back to our old lives. When we’ve saved enough money, we’ll redeem the jade pendant. Also, we mustn’t let Young Master Tang know about this. He’s thoughtful and sensitive—if he finds out, he’ll feel guilty and uneasy.”
…
Outside the kitchen, Tang Zhou stood holding the food box, unable to take another step forward.
Instead, he began to retreat.
His footsteps were light, careful not to be heard by the two in the kitchen, afraid of betraying the kindness they had shown by keeping this secret from him.
He told himself that pretending he hadn’t heard anything was the best choice.
Otherwise, both sides would feel awkward.
As he groped his way back to the steps in front of the bamboo hut, he heard someone from the kitchen call out to him.
“Young Master Tang?” It was Shen Zhixi.
He froze, his body stiffening as if petrified.
When he turned around, he tried his best to keep his expression from revealing anything.
“Young Master Tang, why did you come out?” Shen Zhixi feigned concern, hurrying over to meet him and reaching out to take the food box from his hands. “Didn’t I say earlier? You can just leave it after you finish eating. I’ll come to clean up.”
But Tang Zhou didn’t let go, gripping the food box tightly.
“You…” Shen Zhixi’s voice sounded tense as she cautiously asked, “Young Master Tang, when did you come out?”
Tang Zhou sensed her probing and quickly released his grip.
“I had just stepped down when I wondered if I’d forgotten to bring a spoon. I was about to go back when I heard Miss Lily call me.”
He answered calmly, his expression giving nothing away.
“Oh, I see.” Shen Zhixi’s voice noticeably relaxed as she added, “It’s alright, Young Master Tang. In the future, just call me or my sister for such things. Please don’t be polite with us. Your eyes haven’t healed yet—what if you accidentally fall and make your injuries worse?”
Tang Zhou listened quietly, keeping his gaze lowered to conceal his emotions.
“Let me help you inside.” Shen Zhixi placed the food box on the steps and took Tang Zhou’s arm.
He didn’t refuse, only replying, “Thank you.”
“Be careful, there’s a threshold ahead.” Shen Zhixi was patient with every step, guiding Tang Zhou inside and helping him sit by the bed. She glanced at the table in front of them and said, “Young Master Tang, you must have misremembered. The table has already been cleared, and there are no spoons or bowls left behind.”
“…That’s good.”
Tang Zhou remained composed, careful not to give himself away and cause Shen Zhixi any worry or distress.
“Then, Mr. Tang, please sit and rest for a while. The medicine is being brewed and hot water is being heated over there. After drinking the medicine, you can wash up, and later we’ll apply medicine to your wounds. I’ll go check if it’s ready.”
“Thank you, Miss Lily.”
“You’re welcome.”
After Shen Zhixi left the room, Tang Zhou could no longer conceal the guilt on his face.
Earlier, he had thought Miss Lily was pretending to be poor and had ulterior motives toward him. Now, it seemed he had been narrow-minded—indeed, he had wronged them with his petty suspicions.
It turned out they had truly exhausted their savings to treat his injuries.
They had even pawned a keepsake from her late mother to spare his feelings—a kindness he had never imagined.
He pressed a hand to his chest, bending slightly as if unable to bear the weight of it.
Although the Lily sisters had saved him, he had never wanted to become a burden to them. Yet, from the moment they brought him back, he had already become their responsibility.
Especially Miss Lily, so thoughtful and considerate…
His body was still weak, and even a slight emotional stir was hard to control. The familiar metallic taste of blood rose in his throat again, threatening to spill out.
He clenched the hand resting on his knee into a fist, forcing the blood back down his throat. Even so, when he breathed lightly, a faint trace of blood could still be seen in his mouth.
“Mr. Tang.”
Not long after, Shen Zhixi returned with the medicine.
Hearing her, he immediately straightened up, trying to hide his condition from her. But the fine beads of sweat on his forehead betrayed him, and as Shen Zhixi drew closer, she could sense his weakened state despite his efforts to suppress it.
“Mr. Tang, are you all right?”
Tang Zhou shook his head, momentarily unable to speak.
“I…” Shen Zhixi naturally played her part, putting on a concerned expression. “Maybe I should go find the doctor to come back and check on you. I’m worried.”
“It’s nothing, don’t worry.”
Tang Zhou reached out and grasped her wrist, using what little strength he had. He lifted his head, looking toward her even though he couldn’t see. “Miss Lily, I just need a moment to recover. Don’t worry, don’t be afraid.”
His gaze was filled with suppressed emotion, unwilling to let Shen Zhixi spend any more on his account.
Because he couldn’t see, he strained even harder, his brows furrowed tightly, the light in his eyes fragmented like the helplessness in his heart.
“I’m sorry,” he suddenly said.
Shen Zhixi crouched down halfway, unable to hear him clearly as his voice was too soft.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated.
He was apologizing for his earlier misunderstanding of her and for making their lives so difficult because of him.
But Shen Zhixi didn’t understand—or pretended not to.
“Mr. Tang, what are you saying? Let me feed you the medicine. You’ll be fine; after drinking it, you’ll slowly recover. The medicine has been fanned cool and is just right to drink.”
She pulled a stool over and sat in front of him.
“I can do it myself.”
Tang Zhou didn’t want her to feed him, but he could barely lift his hand. The effort of suppressing the blood earlier had left him breathless and drained, his fingers trembling.
“Let me do it, Mr. Tang. There’s no need to stand on ceremony.”
Shen Zhixi scooped a spoonful of the dark medicinal broth and brought it to Tang Zhou’s lips. “Open your mouth.”
He blinked, lowering his lashes to cover his glistening eyes.
In the end, he did not refuse.
The wooden spoon touched his flushed lips, inexplicably making Shen Zhixi’s gaze grow warm, as if her own fingers had brushed against that softness, leaving her heart suddenly itching.
How she longed to lean in and take a bite.
As the medicinal broth slipped into his mouth and he swallowed, she found herself involuntarily gulping along.
She knew the plan she had laid out over the past two days had succeeded. After tonight, he likely would no longer doubt her and might even feel a sense of guilt toward her.
But that wasn’t enough.
She wanted to have him—the kind of having that meant biting those red lips.
“Cough… cough…”