He entered the bedroom and headed for the inner bathroom.

The openwork door was wide open, the warm, sweet scent of steamy water washing over him, layers of thin gauze curtains casting shadows, revealing the figure inside. Yu Zhiguang hadn’t gone to the hot spring room; instead, she had someone bring hot water and was bathing in the small, rather cramped bathroom.

She was facing away from him, soaking in the tub.

The tub was deep; she was small, and only her white neck and the top of her dark hair were visible. Xue Shen turned away the moment he noticed her, but he heard her call, “Yuanbao, my leg feels numb, help me up.”

He reminded her, “Yuanbao’s not here.”

There was silence for a while within the gauze curtains, so quiet it seemed even breathing had stopped.

Yu Zhiguang had indeed held her breath.

Hearing a man’s voice unexpectedly in the bathroom, her face flushed, and she almost wanted to submerge herself completely. However, her right leg was numb, as if a thousand needles were pricking it.  She mustered her courage and turned her head; Xue Shen had retreated to the openwork doorway.

“Where’s Yuanbao?”

Her usual bath essence was in the hot spring room; Yuanbao had gone to find a new one for her.

“I didn’t see her on my way from the outer courtyard to the bedroom.”

Xue Shen’s voice seemed even farther away.

The numbness intensified, threatening to cause spasms.

Yu Zhiguang tried to stand up, leaning on the edge of the tub, but failed. When she sat down again, she sneezed; she had lingered too long, and the water had cooled.

“I’ll call someone for you.”

“General, could you hand me the robe by the rack?” Yu Zhiguang shivered, adding, “Just…just come in with your back to me.”

Although their marriage was a formality, Xue Shen was her husband.

She waited a while, sneezing twice more, before hearing returning footsteps.  A hand, encased in leather armguards, lifted the gauze curtain, and the man stepped in without hesitation.

Yu Zhiguang’s heart leaped.

Then it settled.

Xue Shen’s eyes were covered with a black satin ribbon, tightly wrapped around his eyes.  His other arm held a clean towel and a robe, extending it towards her general location.

“Put it on, I’ll help you out.”

Yu Zhiguang took it, draped the robe over herself, and, holding onto his steady arm, slowly stepped out of the tub. Xue Shen led her out without hesitation, as if he could see in the bathroom.

Yu Zhiguang couldn’t help but wave her hand in front of his face.

Xue Shen tilted his head, “Don’t wave, there’s a draft.”

She paused; Xue Shen had stopped in the corridor outside the bathroom, “The bathroom is small and simply furnished, I can navigate it by feel. Now I can’t.”

Yu Zhiguang hopped on one leg, relying on him to guide her, “Three steps forward, turn left and walk straight, then…” She walked slowly, observing Xue Shen, who now relied on her for guidance, as if seeing something new.

The man’s profile was sharp, his jawline strong, his usually cold and sharp eyes hidden, his nose and lips appearing more handsome than she had ever noticed.

It made her less afraid.

“Alright, stop here.”

Yu Zhiguang slipped into the canopy bed, lowered the curtains, adjusted her clothes, and then knelt to fasten the curtains.

Xue Shen, hearing her say “It’s okay,” reached up to untie the ribbon over his eyes.

Yu Zhiguang knelt before him, suddenly pursing her lips, suppressing a smile. Xue Shen couldn’t untie the knot; the ribbon was tied too tightly, and he couldn’t simply pull it off.  Frustrated, he was about to reach for the dagger at his waist to cut it.

She stopped him, placing her hand on Xue Shen’s.

His hand was wide, warm, and strong, his fingers long, and she could almost feel the structure of his knuckles under his skin. She withdrew her hand, taking his leather armguard instead, “General, turn around, sit down, I’ll help you.”

The man sat beside her.

Yu Zhiguang leaned closer, discovering he had tied a very tight knot.

As she slowly untied it, she asked, “Steward Cao said you wouldn’t be back today. Was there something urgent?” She thought that because Xue Shen wasn’t there, she had bathed so carelessly in the small bathroom, without even closing the openwork door.

“Your brother asked me to come back.”

Xue Shen’s tone was calm.

Last night, at the banquet, Yu Zhiguang’s brother, Yu Mingxi, drunk, had clung to Xue Shen’s sleeve, preventing him from leaving: “She’s my only sister, and General Xue, you must treat her well, especially during storms, when there’s lightning and thunder…you must, must be with her. Remember that.”

What did lightning and thunder have to do with it?

He wanted to ask, but Yu Mingxi was too drunk to explain.

“Your brother asked me to return during thunderstorms.”

The ribbon came undone, and his vision cleared.

Xue Shen’s first sight was her smiling eyes.

“Silly.”

Her bright eyes were full of lighthearted joy, but realizing the words were too intimate and potentially misleading, she became flustered, explaining softly, “I…I didn’t mean General Xue, I meant my brother.”

“Why?”

“During the incident at the bandit stronghold, it was a stormy night, and I had nightmares afterward, especially when the weather was bad. Father had Doctor Fan treat me, and after three doses of calming tea, I was fine.”

Mentioning her family, Yu Zhiguang’s tone became unconsciously cheerful.

Xue Shen had never seen her like this before.

“Are you afraid of me?”

“No…” Yu Zhiguang met his unwavering gaze, then looked away, pretending to adjust the ribbons on her skirt.

Yuanbao finally returned, carrying the bottle of bath essence.

“Goodness, the new essence was locked in the dowry chest in the storeroom and I didn’t take it out! No wonder I couldn’t find it…” She paused, seeming to see something even more surprising, and quickly retreated.