Chu Zhaoyou swiftly reached out to block the stone, and at the critical moment, the stone stopped just a hair’s breadth from Chu Zhaoyou’s hand.

Chu Zhaoyou was acutely aware of Xiao Heng’s strength. If the stone had struck, it would have either turned his hand into pulp or caused severe damage to Xiao Heng’s head.

Chu Zhaoyou coaxed the stone from Xiao Heng’s hand and threw it far away, feeling a delayed chill of cold sweat on his back.

He hadn’t  hesitated to block the stone, and Chu Zhaoyou was shocked by his own selfless act.

“It’ll be over soon, Xiao Hei. I’ll take you to buy meat buns, and it’ll stop hurting soon…” Chu Zhaoyou said words he didn’t even believe himself.

Clearly, Xiao Heng didn’t believe him either. He struggled to break free from Chu Zhaoyou and was about to hit his head against a tree. Chu Zhaoyou tightly protected his head. Xiao Heng’s frail body was almost passively held down by Chu Zhaoyou, and he swallowed several dry leaves. Just as he was about to spit them out, his shoulder suddenly throbbed with intense pain.

“Ah— it hurts…”

As Xiao Heng struggled, Chu Zhaoyou tried to stop him, but in his frenzy, Xiao Heng bit down hard on Chu Zhaoyou’s shoulder.

This painful cry seemed to trigger a moment of clarity. Xiao Heng’s restless movements quieted down under Chu Zhaoyou, leaving only intermittent shivers.

Chu Zhaoyou lay on the ground, tears in his eyes, his clothes and hair filled with crushed autumn leaves. A faint, blurry bloodstain appeared on his right shoulder, a testament to Xiao Heng’s mercy, as he had refrained from biting into his flesh.

The thick layer of leaves in the area where Xiao Heng had struggled was reduced to a fine powder, and Chu Zhaoyou, who had been held close, was no exception.

I almost turned into ashes.

Chu Zhaoyou stood up in disarray, stretched his back, and bent down to check on Xiao Heng. “Is your head still hurting?”

The other person raised their eyes, and Chu Zhaoyou’s heart sank.

The almost vacant look in Xiao Heng’s eyes, exacerbated by the repeated headaches, made his symptoms more severe. Chu Zhaoyou, who had been indifferent to many things, suddenly panicked at the passage of time.

“Xiao Hei!” Chu Zhaoyou hugged him tenderly and asked him several questions. Except for what Chu Zhaoyou had taught him in the past two days, Xiao Heng’s general knowledge had further deteriorated.

Chu Zhaoyou thought that he had told Xiao Heng to tell people that they were a married couple seeking medical treatment. Now, he really had to take Xiao Heng to see a doctor.

He had a gut feeling that it would be difficult to cure and would cost a lot of money.

They were too poor.

Chu Zhaoyou’s head ached, and he even considered making a deal with the regent in the capital.

Even if it was a puppet emperor, there must be some insignificant use for him, right?

He squatted in front of Xiao Heng, slowly removing the debris from his hair.

Chu Zhaoyou’s hands were delicate and well-cared for, with rounded nails and smooth joints. Even his casual gestures were graceful and elegant.

He looked at his fingertips, where a lively ray of sunlight danced.

He had never wanted to perform again in his life.

But… Chu Zhaoyou glanced at Xiao Heng. Seeking medical treatment and medication would cost money, and his greatest skill for earning money was performing.

It was said that famous actors in the south earned a fortune. Chu Zhaoyou, a member of the “national team,” was essentially using his skills to help the less fortunate in this place.

“Even if you’re foolish, I’ll perform to support you.”

Now, it was impossible for Chu Zhaoyou to abandon Xiao Heng. Xiao Heng was obedient and always responsive to his requests. With him by his side, returning to his old profession didn’t seem so difficult to accept.

“No!” Xiao Heng suddenly pounced on him, his eyes fixed on Chu Zhaoyou, repeating, “Don’t perform, you’re not allowed…”

“You’re being foolish and discriminatory!” Chu Zhaoyou felt stifled. In ancient times, actors were indeed considered a lowly profession, and Xiao Heng’s bias against actors seemed to overshadow his other memories.

Was this what they called “hatred lasting longer than love”?

A faint itching sensation on his shoulder, like ants crawling, but with a bit more pressure, brought Chu Zhaoyou back to reality. He looked down and his eyes trembled.

Xiao Heng was attentively licking his wound!

“Hey!” Chu Zhaoyou pushed him away, but instead of moving, he found himself pinned down by the large figure.

As the sun rose, the sunlight shone directly from above, casting a mix of light and shadow in the woods. The rustling of the wind mingled with the autumn leaves, and amidst the red foliage, two figures stood out. The person in black was on top, almost covering the one beneath.

What kind of smell could be licked through the clothes…

The sunlight stung Chu Zhaoyou’s eyes. The recent struggle had drained all his energy, and he suddenly felt that taking a nap wouldn’t be a bad idea. The sun was just right, the breeze was perfect, and Xiao Heng had stopped being restless.

As this thought occurred to him, his shoulder suddenly felt cool.

For some reason, Xiao Heng was insistent on wiping away the blood, and wherever he went, it stung a bit and felt uncomfortable. Chu Zhaoyou frowned and endured it.

The area under the clothes was initially warm, but the saliva made it cold when exposed to the autumn wind.

Xiao Heng stared at the skin in a daze, and his fingers, digging into the clothes, unconsciously exerted force. The edges of his fingernails turned pale, and a different emotion flashed in his eyes, followed by confusion and bewilderment.

Chu Zhaoyou grabbed the collar and said, “Get up.”

Xiao Heng pointed at his wound, his eyes filled with pure remorse. “It hurts.”

“Does your head hurt?” Chu Zhaoyou asked in return.

“You hurt,” Xiao Heng said urgently, holding Chu Zhaoyou down as he tried to get up. He then pointed at his shoulder. Cowed by Chu Zhaoyou’s authority, he didn’t dare touch him, but gestured helplessly. It was reminiscent of Qian Shicheng, who was always afraid of his wife, a trait that the regent didn’t like.