Chapter 31 ☆ Absorbing Yang Qi (Part 2)

A drop of dew slowly condensed on the small lotus leaf, crystal clear. The small lotus leaf swayed happily, shaking the dewdrop back and forth like a small oar playing with stones.

Cheng Yaoyao just felt hot. It was as if she were being wrapped in the arms of a furry lion, completely surrounded, her entire body was rubbed and massaged until she was sore and soft.

She suddenly focused on the drop of dew, which was crystal clear and looked thirst-quenching.

The little lotus leaf, which had been having fun, froze, then curled up its leaves little by little, trying to hide the dew.

You dare! Cheng Yaoyao was furious. She instinctively felt that she was so hot and tired because of the little lotus leaf. The dew should also be hers!

The little lotus leaf trembled in fright, tilted its head, and the drop of dew rolled down.

Tick.

Cheng Yaoyao tasted a bit of moisture on the tip of her tongue, and the cool, refreshing sensation instantly spread, sweeping away the burning thirst in her chest. It wasn’t enough; she wanted more.

The little lotus leaves kept shaking, as if they were crying out of grievance, and dewdrops dripped and rolled down continuously.

Cheng Yaoyao drank heartily, and it felt as if every part of her body was soaked in cool vapor. She felt so comfortable, and the chaos in her mind was swept away. Suddenly, she opened her eyes.

The mountain breeze blew on her face, the water vapor was cool, and the rustling of leaves filled the air. Cheng Yaoyao sat up and found herself leaning against the pier of the Fengyu Bridge. Xie San stood with his back to her, not far from the bridge pillar, with his entire body as stiff as another bridge pillar.

As soon as Cheng Yaoyao moved, Xie San immediately turned around, his eyes evasive. “…Awake?” he asked.

“Yeah.” Cheng Yaoyao stretched lazily and stood up, her soft waist arching like a cat. She felt comfortable all over, her ears and eyes clear, as if she felt much lighter.

She blinked her peach blossom eyes and looked at Xie San. “Why am I here?”

“…” Xie San pursed his lips tightly.

Cheng Yaoyao’s rosy lips were slightly swollen, and she looked stunningly beautiful, though she was completely unaware of it. She stared at Xie San and suddenly exclaimed, “I remember it now!”

Xie San broke out in a cold sweat, speaking with determination, “I…”

“You made me so angry that I fainted!” Cheng Yaoyao yelled, her face full of indignation.

Xie San’s expression went blank for a moment. It was hard to describe his expression, but veins bulged on his forehead, like a man disappointed or perhaps relieved, like a death row inmate who had suddenly been released.

Xie San was silent for a long time, then said coldly, “You’re too delicate.”

Cheng Yaoyao’s chest rose and fell as she took a deep breath. She glared at Xie San and simply said, “Humph!”

She walked to the spring and half-squatted down to drink some water. She didn’t know why, but her whole body felt comfortable at the moment, except for her mouth, which was very thirsty. Her lips hurt a little, and the root of her tongue felt numb.

Cheng Yaoyao followed Xie San’s example, picking a leaf and sticking it on the stone wall. Soon, drops of sweet, cool water began to fall from the tip of the leaf. Cheng Yaoyao stuck out her tongue to lick it, drinking deeply until her mouth felt refreshed.

She then scooped up some water to wash her face. The reflection in the water was a little blurry, vaguely showing messy black hair, a pair of watery peach blossom eyes, and red lips. Cheng Yaoyao felt that she looked strange, so she reached out to disturb the reflection and splashed water on her hot face.

She still remembered what had happened earlier. She had bumped into Xie San, fainted suddenly, and then desperately rubbed against him… She didn’t remember what happened after that, but what she did remember was embarrassing enough!

Luckily, she was quick-witted and had taken the initiative to fluster Xie San so much that he was left speechless.

Cheng Yaoyao washed her hands slowly, her mind still occupied with thoughts of that strange little lotus leaf. As soon as she thought of it, the little lotus leaf appeared in her mind. It curled up its leaves, hiding the dewdrops in the center of the small plate.

Cheng Yaoyao was puzzled. What on earth was this strange thing? Why did she act so oddly when she was around Xie San?

Tick-tock. The little lotus leaf trembled angrily.

Just then, Xie San suddenly came over and said, “Stop washing your face. The wound hasn’t healed yet.”

Cheng Yaoyao suddenly remembered and quickly reached up to touch her face. Sure enough, the ointment had been washed away: “Oh no, it might get infected!”

Cheng Yaoyao cared deeply about her face. She immediately forgot about being upset and looked up in a panic: “Quick, check if it’s red!”

Xie San knelt down and looked at her face. He couldn’t tell if it was his imagination, but Cheng Yaoyao’s skin seemed to glow with smoothness. The scar on her cheek didn’t spoil her beauty at all; instead, it made her look even more delicate.

With dark eyebrows, fair skin, and…delicate lips. Her cherry lips were slightly swollen and moist, giving the impression that she had just been kissed.

Xie San forced himself to look away and said, “The wound is a little red. Did you bring the ointment?”

“I did.” Cheng Yaoyao took out a small bottle from her pocket. She knew that Xie San’s ointment worked well, but she was afraid that Cheng Nuonuo might try to sabotage it again, so she kept it hidden every day.

She then handed the ointment to Xie San.

Xie San: “…”

Cheng Yaoyao raised her head and waited expectantly: “Be careful, the wound still hurts.”

Xie San silently opened the bottle, scooped out a little ointment with his rough fingertips, and paused for a long time before applying it to her face. His fingertips were rough, and he was almost afraid of hurting her delicate skin, so he applied the ointment very gently.

Cheng Yaoyao suddenly let out a soft, trembling sound, and her body tilted.

Xie San paused: “What’s wrong?”

Cheng Yaoyao bit the tip of her tongue and lowered her eyes for a long time before responding: “Nothing… nothing, continue.”

Xie San gently lifted her chin with his fingers and said, “Lift your head up, I can’t reach.”

Cheng Yaoyao’s eyes trembled, and her cheeks flushed again like a drunken blush. Xie San focused on the pink scar on her cheek and applied the ointment evenly. With every touch of Xie San’s fingertips, Cheng Yaoyao felt so comfortable that she wanted to sigh.

Cheng Yaoyao cursed the little lotus leaf three hundred times in her heart. She didn’t know what kind of creature the little lotus leaf was, but it had turned her into a different person.

She realized that the weakness she had felt earlier wasn’t just a coincidence. Would Xie San make her feel this way every time they met in the future? Was it just Xie San, or could it happen to anyone?

If other people could also make her faint when they touched her, she might as well die! The thought made her feel nauseous, but she didn’t ponder why Xie San was the only one who had this effect on her.

The little lotus leaf was no longer afraid of being scolded. It swayed happily, never stopping, and the dewdrops rolled around.

The sensations from the little lotus leaf were also transmitted to her. She felt that Xie San’s touch was very…very pleasant. Cheng Yaoyao twitched her nose, secretly inhaling the scent of Xie San’s body and the powerful energy that emanated from his touch.

When Xie San withdrew his fingers, she blurted out: “Wait a minute!”

Xie San, who was screwing the bottle cap back on, looked at her with questioning eyes.

“I…” It seemed as if the words had come from someone else. Cheng Yaoyao suspected the little lotus leaf was causing trouble, but she couldn’t tell Xie San that, so she said instead: “I feel like my face still hurts a little. Shouldn’t it be bandaged?”

Xie San replied, “No need to bandage it, it will heal soon… Your wound has healed. This ointment is just for removing the dead tissue and regenerating new skin, so you won’t need to apply it again in the future.”

Upon hearing this, Cheng Yaoyao said pitifully, “But my face hurts so much, it hurts all the time.”

Hearing this, Xie San frowned and looked at Cheng Yaoyao, as if trying to determine whether she was just acting spoiled or was actually in pain.

Seeing that he didn’t believe her, Cheng Yaoyao felt even more aggrieved: “Really. Look, it feels like a needle prick.”

Cheng Yaoyao wasn’t exaggerating. The wound on her face had been throbbing for days, but it had stopped hurting since Xie San brought her the medicine. She didn’t know whether it was the little lotus leaf’s doing or the effect of Xie San’s ointment.

Cheng Yaoyao’s skin was fair and smooth, making the scar more noticeable. Her peach blossom eyes were drooping, and she looked listless, not as lively as usual.

Xie San moved closer and examined her face more closely. The wound was thin and deep, and although it was healing well, her fair skin made it clear that a scar would remain. Xie San had countless scars on his body, more hideous than this one, but seeing such a small scar on Cheng Yaoyao’s face made him feel a little helpless.

Xie San thought for a moment and said, “Avoid water for the next few days. The wound will hurt as new skin grows. Just bear with it for now.”

“……Yeah.” Cheng Yaoyao was lost in thought and stood up listlessly.

Xie San was usually quiet, but today he was especially silent. He and Cheng Yaoyao walked into the soybean field one after the other. For some reason, the two of them kept a considerable distance between them, neither one bumping into the other.

In the soybean field, Xie San’s torn jacket was soaked with sweat, his wheat-colored muscles glistening with moisture, and his muscles looked particularly defined as he swung the shovel.

Cheng Yaoyao hid far away in the cornfield and refused to come out for a long time. She was usually spoiled, but she had never been this lazy before. Xie San didn’t say much, only advising her not to wander too far.

Cheng Yaoyao squatted in the shade of the cornfield, wanting to cry but unable to. She didn’t want to be lazy, but Xie San, sweating all over, had a pleasant smell that went straight to the depths of Cheng Yaoyao’s soul. To her, Xie San was like a bowl of iced sour plum soup, seen by a traveler who had been thirsty for days, exuding irresistible charm.

Cheng Yaoyao covered her face in despair. Will she always be so strange?