Hearing that Chen Zoe was at the clinic, Ling Yuzhen rushed there with a heavy heart. He couldn't help but worry about his master, who had been facing criticism from almost everyone for his decision to help the beast men over humans.
If this was the reaction of the people outside, Yuzhen couldn't help but feel concerned about how the meeting had gone. What if the elders who attended the meeting were just as critical? He ran as fast as his legs could carry him, desperate to see his master and make sure he was alright.
Inside the clinic, Chen Zoe had been taking a much-needed rest after applying ointment to his wounds. He lay on the bed, gazing out at the peaceful greenery beyond the window. His sharp eyes soon spotted Yuzhen approaching from a distance.
'What is this brat doing here?'
Chen Zoe wasn't ready to reveal his vulnerable side to Yuzhen just yet. With determination, he pushed himself up from the bed, wincing at the pain but not allowing it to show on his face. His exterior remained as cold and emotionless as ever.
"Master…" Yuzhen's voice was a mixture of relief and concern as he saw Chen Zoe seemingly unharmed.
Chen Zoe's response was as icy as ever. "Why are you here?"
Yuzhen explained quickly, trying to ignore the coldness that often radiated from Chen Zoe towards him. "I heard that you were at the clinic after attending the meeting. I was worried that something terrible had happened. Fortunately, you seem to be alright..."
Chen Zoe interrupted him, his tone still frigid. "Have you completed the tasks I assigned to you?"
Yuzhen stammered a bit, "N-No, I was just about to finish..."
"So, you haven't completed them. After finishing your work, run 50 laps." Without any sympathy, Chen Zoe issued a punishment.
Yuzhen tried to defend himself, "Master, I wasn't slacking off..."
But Chen Zoe's punishment only intensified. "100 laps.
Every time you try to make excuses, I will add 50 more laps."
Yuzhen couldn't help but feel frustrated, 'Why is he so distant and stern towards me only? Can't he see how worried I am for him? Can't he say a few kind words, just once? His face is the only thing that seems good about him... nothing else.' These thoughts swirled in Yuzhen's mind as he contemplated the punishment handed down by Chen Zoe.
A few hours later, Yuzhen had barely managed to complete his punishing laps. Exhausted and out of breath, he wearily lowered himself to the ground, needing a moment to recover. It had been a grueling task, and he felt every bit of the physical strain it had put on his body.
"Yuzhen, what are you doing here?" Towards him, Rui approached.
Yuzhen, determined to hide the true reason behind his punishment, replied, "Just exercising, senior."
Rui raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Exercising, you say?"
The excuse doesn't easily fooled Rui. He knew something was amiss but decided not to press further. Instead, he offered Yuzhen some advice. "It's not a good thing to exhaust yourself this much. It will only harm your health."
As a physician, Rui couldn't help but worry about Yuzhen's well-being. But he quickly changed the subject and revealed the real reason for approaching Yuzhen. "By the way, Yuzhen, can you do me a favor? Could you deliver this ointment to your master? He didn't bring it with him, and it's essential for his recovery. The ointment might sting a bit, but it's quite effective."
Yuzhen was curious. "Why does Master need this ointment, and where is he injured?" His concern for his master was evident in his voice.
Rui hesitated for a moment, unsure of whether to disclose Chen Zoe's condition. However, when he saw the genuine worry in Yuzhen's eyes, he decided to trust him with the truth. "Well, it seems that your master is keeping his condition a secret. Today's meeting doesn't go that well, he received a small punishment for acting his own. The injuries aren't serious, few minor ones..."
"I think master doesn't like me at all," Yuzhen confessed, his voice heavy with sorrow. "Or maybe I'm just not capable enough to win his trust."
Rui offered a reassuring smile. "It's not that he doesn't like you, Yuzhen. Your master has his reasons for keeping certain things to himself. He's been through a lot in the past, and it's made him cautious about opening up to others."
Yuzhen listened intently as Rui began to reveal the painful past of Chen Zoe, including how he had lost his mother and younger brother and the hardships he had endured.
Knowing more about his master's past, Yuzhen began to understand the reasons behind his master's emotional distance from others, it was as if a veil had been lifted. Unknowingly, Yuzhen longed to be one of the few people that Chen Zoe truly trusted, and he understood that gaining the trust would be a long and challenging journey.
When Yuzhen returned to their residence that night, it was already quite late. He moved silently through the dimly lit corridors and entered his master's room. Chen Zoe lay asleep, his body bearing the visible wounds from the punishment he had endured earlier. Seeing those wounds filled Yuzhen with sadness and empathy for his master.
Without disturbing Chen Zoe's slumber, Yuzhen carefully applied the ointment to his injuries, treating them with great care.
'It must have hurt a lot. I don't understand why you feel so distant from me, even when you are this close?'
Yuzhen whispered softly to the sleeping Chen Zoe. "But I hope that, one day, things will change between us."