Dündup’s gaze remained firmly fixed on Sang Luo’s face. Those eyes he had searched for so long were now looking back at him with a hint of surprise.
Sang Luo had never expected that the officer she had saved twice—the seriously wounded officer she had treated at the hospital in Rong City—would turn out to be Uncle Zhandui’s son, her A-Bu in name.
Ciren keenly sensed the unusual atmosphere between them. He took a step forward and subtly positioned himself in front of Sang Luo.
“A-Luo, you know my brother?”
“I do.”
Sang Luo nodded.
“I treated him when he was injured before.”
Zhandui suddenly stood up.
“What did you say? Injured?!”
“Mm.”
Sang Luo looked at Zhandui in confusion.
“Wasn’t Dündup A-Bu supposed to come home to recover? I remember he was seriously injured a while ago.”
“It was just a minor injury. A few days of rest and I’ll be fine.”
Feeling Zhandui’s anxious gaze examining him, Dündup finally shifted his eyes away from Sang Luo.
In a calm tone, he briefly explained how he had been injured.
“So I’ll be recovering at home for the next half month. Once I’m fully recovered, I’ll return to my unit.”
“But A-Bu, weren’t you just about to…”
Before Ciren could finish, Lhazhen’s eyes suddenly lit up.
She hurriedly pushed Zhandui and Dündup into their seats.
“Good! You’re not leaving! I’ll go prepare dinner for you right now!”
Zhandui knew his eldest son’s temperament better than anyone.
For him to suddenly decide not to leave, there had to be something especially important behind it.
Zhandui thought about it for a moment before his eyes fell on Sang Luo.
Could it be…
That evening, Sang Luo stood outside Ciren’s room with her medicine box and knocked on the door.
“Dündup A-Bu, are you inside?”
Dündup opened the door.
“What is it?”
Sang Luo lifted her medicine box.
“I came to change your dressing.”
“I’m already fine—”
“How could you possibly be fine?”
Sang Luo interrupted him.
“Your shoulder is already soaked through with blood.”
Dündup turned his head and finally noticed that the fabric over his shoulder was much darker than the rest.
“Aren’t you going to let me in?”
Sang Luo tilted her head.
“If you don’t treat it now, you might have to extend your sick leave.”
Dündup had no choice but to step aside and let her in.
Sang Luo removed the old bandage from his shoulder. Besides bleeding, the wound had already begun to fester.
“And this is what you call ‘almost completely healed’?”
She dipped her fingers into the ointment and pressed it firmly against Dündup’s wound without mercy.
Dündup’s body visibly stiffened.
“Does it hurt?”
She looked up at him.
Dündup gritted his teeth and shook his head. His gaze remained calm as it settled on her face. His voice was still hard and restrained, though the effort he was making to endure the pain was obvious.
“It’s just a little cold.”
What a stubborn man. What would it hurt to admit that it hurts?
Sang Luo silently complained to herself.
“Thank you for saving me on the snow mountain.”
Dündup suddenly spoke.
“But why did you suddenly leave afterward?”
“Dündup A-Bu, do you think I didn’t save you properly?”
Sang Luo teased him.
“No!”
Afraid she had misunderstood, Dündup abruptly turned and looked directly at her.
“I was just worried about you.”
The seriousness in Dündup’s eyes caught Sang Luo off guard. She hurriedly looked away.
“Ciren A-Bu found me. I had run into some trouble at the time, and I was worried it might involve you, so I left with him.”
“You were in danger?”
Dündup suddenly became agitated. He grabbed Sang Luo’s hand and looked her up and down.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fi—”
Before Sang Luo could finish, the felt door flap was suddenly thrown open.
Ciren stood in the doorway, looking at the two of them, who were both somewhat disheveled.
“What are you two doing?”
“Getting my wound treated.”
Dündup’s voice was completely calm, as though he were saying they were having dinner.
Ciren strode forward and glanced at the wound on Dündup’s shoulder. His tone softened, but he quickly snatched the bandage from Sang Luo’s hand.
“I’ll do it.”
“Do you know how?”
Sang Luo handed the bandage over, clearly skeptical.
“Of course.”
Ciren followed Sang Luo’s earlier movements and began wrapping Dündup’s wound.
Apparently, he pulled a little too hard.
Dündup suddenly hissed.
Then, expressionless, he said,
“It hurts a little.”
“I’d better do it.”
Sang Luo smiled helplessly and took over the bandaging.
“You’re pulling way too hard. At this rate, I’m afraid Dündup A-Bu will be bleeding to death right here.”
Knowing exactly how well his brother could endure pain, Ciren glanced at Dündup’s deliberately pitiful expression and secretly curled his lip, muttering something under his breath.
Sang Luo quickly finished treating Dündup’s wound. After chatting with the two A-Bus for a little while, she picked up her medicine box and left.
The next morning.
After breakfast, Dündup had just been about to say something to Sang Luo when Ciren suddenly sprang to his feet and grabbed Sang Luo’s attention.
“A-Luo, aren’t you supposed to learn how to ride today? Let’s go!”
“Right now?”
“The weather is good this morning.”
Ciren deliberately shifted his body to block Dündup’s line of sight.
“I picked out the gentlest mare for you last night.”
Dündup stood where he was, able only to watch the two of them leave side by side.
Zhandui stared at Dündup for a moment before finally confirming the conclusion he had reached.
Thinking of how desperately unwilling his eldest son had been before, Zhandui now wanted nothing more than to burst out laughing.
What goes around comes around. Let’s see if you can still argue with me this time.
At the riding ground, Ciren patiently instructed Sang Luo.
“That’s it. Just like that. Relax…”
His hand hovered protectively near Sang Luo’s waist, afraid she might fall.
Sang Luo focused on holding the reins and failed to notice Ciren’s reddening ears.
She tried to make the horse trot slowly, her body gently swaying with its rhythm.
“A-Bu, look! I did it!”
Sang Luo turned around and smiled at Ciren, her eyes sparkling.
Ciren stared at her for a moment, completely mesmerized.
It was not until the horse suddenly stumbled that he hurried forward and caught Sang Luo.
“Careful!”
Sang Luo steadied herself and only then realized that Ciren’s hand was firmly protecting her waist.
They were extremely close. She could even see the morning dew clinging to Ciren’s eyelashes.
“I’m fine.”
She spoke softly and gently pulled away.
Only then did Ciren come back to his senses. He hurriedly released her.
“S-sorry…”
“I should be the one thanking you.”
Sang Luo’s eyes curved into a smile.
“If you hadn’t caught me, I would have fallen just now.”
Not far away, Dündup stood beside a tent, taking the entire scene in.
His grip on the riding crop tightened unconsciously.
That evening, after dinner, Zhandui was washing dishes in the kitchen while Sang Luo and Lhazhen sorted medicinal herbs nearby.
After hesitating for a long time, Ciren finally walked over to Dündup.
“Big Brother, let’s go outside and talk.”
Dündup put down the book in his hands. He looked at Ciren for a long moment before standing and following him outside.
“What is it?”
Dündup stood in the courtyard.
Ciren stared seriously at his elder brother.
“Big Brother, you really do have a girl you like, don’t you?”
As he asked the question, there was curiosity—and a faint hint of anticipation—in Ciren’s eyes.
Dündup’s gaze passed over Ciren and landed on the window where Sang Luo was.
After a long silence, he softly answered,
“Mm.”