She set the bucket on the tea table.
She originally wanted to help Xiao Xian sit up, but worried he wouldn’t like it, so she said, “Sit up by yourself.”
Xiao Xian sat up and leaned against the headboard. He looked at his legs and said deliberately, “I can’t move.”
The meaning was obvious—he needed Li Miaomiao to take off his pants.
Following his gaze, Li Miaomiao looked over. Right now, she was like a dead pig that feared no boiling water—embarrassment no longer existed for her.
Helping him take off his pants was fine, but she had to make things clear first.
“I can help you, but don’t get angry at me.”
Xiao Xian glanced at her face without speaking. Li Miaomiao took it as his silent consent.
She walked to the bedside, lifted the blanket, and placed her hands on both sides. She hesitated for a moment, then pulled down his outer pants to his ankles.
When she saw the white underpants, she moved her gaze to his knees, pressed her lips together, and said carefully, “I’m taking them off now.”
Xiao Xian stared at the top of her head expressionlessly, a trace of darkness hidden in his eyes.
He wanted to see just how bold she really was.
Seeing that he didn’t respond, Li Miaomiao didn’t expect him to.
This was the first time she had ever taken off a man’s pants—and even looked at that thing. Would she get a stye for this?
Her hands rested at his waist, unmoving.
Xiao Xian sneered inwardly. Now she knew fear. His thin lips parted, his tone teasing.
“Don’t dare look?”
Since he had seen through her, Li Miaomiao tightened her grip, gritted her teeth, and pulled his underpants down.
“What’s there to be afraid of? I’ll be using it in the future anyway.”
She stared at it for one second, then quickly looked away. But the moment she turned her gaze, her whole body froze, her eyelashes trembling uncontrollably.
The man’s long, straight legs—from the roots of his thighs down to his calves—looked like the feelers of a centipede.
They were covered in raised, uneven flesh. The places without protrusions looked as though the flesh had been smashed and regrown, completely irregular.
The worst part was his knees. The flesh there was sunken, and even without looking closely, one could see the bone beneath the thin layer of skin.
She couldn’t even bear the pain of a small cut.
For his legs to be injured like this—how much suffering must he have endured?
At that moment, Li Miaomiao’s mood suddenly grew heavy. Besides pity, she felt confusion.
What had happened to Xiao Xian to make his knees like this?
And who had injured him?
Seeing her stunned, Xiao Xian wasn’t surprised. He mocked coldly, “If you’re scared, get out.”
Li Miaomiao opened her mouth but didn’t say a word. She turned and walked to the tea table, reaching for the cloth soaking in hot water.
She had always been afraid of pain, but this time she didn’t retreat. Even when the boiling water scalded her hands red as she wrung out the cloth, she didn’t cry out.
Xiao Xian glanced sideways and saw her twisting the cloth, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.
She was clearly afraid of pain, yet the water was hot enough to blister skin—and she didn’t make a sound.
Li Miaomiao wrung it dry, shook it open, and turned to place it on his thigh.
The moment it touched him, Xiao Xian frowned in pain. His hands gripped the blanket tightly as he endured.
Seeing him clench his teeth without making a sound, Li Miaomiao couldn’t truly understand his suffering. She wondered how she could ease his pain.
Noticing the cloth didn’t cover his knees and his other leg was still bare, she immediately ran out.
The cloth soaked in boiling water was extremely hot. Xiao Xian felt as if his thigh were being roasted over fire, the pain reaching deep into his organs.
He clenched his fists and sneered at the empty room.
“So in the end, she was still afraid.”
But Li Miaomiao soon returned, carrying more cloths and a wooden block.
She soaked all the cloths in hot water, wrung them out, and covered his wounds, hiding both legs. Then she handed him the wooden block.
“If the pain is unbearable, bite this.”
When he didn’t take it, she placed it beside him.
Xiao Xian looked down at the wood, then at her busily changing the cloths. A trace of mischief appeared in his eyes.
“My teeth aren’t good.”
She complained inwardly but didn’t say it aloud. He was already suffering so much—she wouldn’t take advantage of that.
“Then bite the blanket.”
She ignored certain parts of him and continued replacing the cloths.
Even in intense pain, Xiao Xian said calmly, “If I dirty the blanket, I won’t have one to use.”
She heard the teasing in his voice. Smiling slightly, she reached out her arm.
“The wood is too hard, and the blanket will get dirty. My arm is soft. Want to bite it?”
The mood lightened, and Xiao Xian’s attention shifted from the pain.
“Alright,” he said.
He grabbed her wrist and leaned in.
“You wish.”
Li Miaomiao quickly pulled back. If this had been days ago, she wouldn’t have dared.
Her wrist, soaked in hot water, was burning.
Xiao Xian glanced at her hand. “A married woman follows her husband. My legs hurt. Shouldn’t my wife share the feeling?”
It was the first time he had called her “wife.” She got goosebumps.
She hid her hands behind her back and smiled. “I’ve soaked my hands in boiling water countless times to help you. They say husbands should follow their wives too. Why don’t you try?”
“Husbands should follow their wives?” he repeated meaningfully.
“Your legs aren’t convenient. If I want to take you outside, you have to follow me.”
He suddenly laughed. “No problem. Thank you, my wife.”
His smile was beautiful, with two small dimples. She was momentarily charmed.
“Not at all.”
Just then he said coolly, “Since my legs aren’t convenient, if you have any needs in the future, please handle them yourself.”
Her smile froze.
What did he just say?
Handle them herself?
She had never imagined he had such a wicked sense of humor.
Seeing her shocked expression, he smiled gently. “Didn’t hear clearly? I can repeat it.”
She immediately covered his mouth.
“I heard it clearly!”
His breath brushed her hand, making her flustered. Her ears turned red.
Embarrassed and confused, she grabbed the bucket and hurried out.
At the door, she stopped, turned back angrily, and said, “I don’t like it. I don’t have any needs.”
Then she added, “No—only toward you.”
“Still thinking about Lin Dalang?”