Lin Yue's skin was originally delicate, and she was paler than most people, so when she fell, her knee turned red very quickly.
"It's okay, I just fell down, there's no need for medicine. It will be better after one night," Lin Yue said as she stopped Zhuo Xiangqiao from getting the medicine. During the struggle, she accidentally touched her leg and involuntarily hissed in pain.
Zhuo Xiangqiao immediately turned around. "You see, it has swelled up," he said, and went to the bathroom to fetch two wet towels to gently apply to her leg. Seeing her continuously frown, he said with concern, "I'll get the medicine." Then he left the room.
He returned shortly, holding a bottle of Yunnan Baiyao Medicine. "Aunty Qin said this is all we have." He lifted the towel and started spraying the swollen area, the cool liquid causing goosebumps as it met her warm skin. Reflexively, Lin Yue withdrew her foot slightly.
As soon as she moved, Zhuo Xiangqiao pressed her down. He furrowed his brow and said softly, "Don't move around." After saying that, he continued to carefully spray the medicine, making sure he didn't miss any swollen spots. "Does it still hurt?" Zhuo Xiangqiao looked up and asked.
Lin Yue shook her head. "Much better," she said, and then tried moving her foot again. She told him, "You can go take a shower now. I can manage on my own."
Zhuo Xiangqiao frowned as he looked at the injured area, which, probably because of the medication, no longer seemed as red and swollen as it was initially.
Although it was still somewhat swollen, it was much better than before the medicine was applied.
Zhuo Xiangqiao raised his head to look at Lin Yue, and with a furrowed brow, he said, "How can someone as grown-up as you still manage to fall in the bathroom?"
Although he spoke in such a way, his eyes were filled with compassion as he looked at Lin Yue.
"If it still hurts tomorrow, we'll go to the hospital and have it checked... What if you've hurt your bones!" Zhuo Xiangqiao thought of the hard tiles in the bathroom and became resolute about taking Lin Yue to the hospital tomorrow for a check-up.
Lin Yue flexed her foot, and although she only moved it slightly, it still hurt—but not as much as initially. Besides, she was not made of tofu.
"No need, I'll be fine after resting for the night," Lin Yue said, forcing a smile. She looked at Zhuo Xiangqiao and said, "You should quickly go and shower..."
After she finished speaking, she tightened the bath towel around herself. Although they were already legally married, such close contact still made her feel a hint of embarrassment.
The moment Zhuo Xiangqiao was applying the medicine to her earlier, she could even feel his breath.
The warm breath on her leg had caused a series of tiny shivers.
But Zhuo Xiangqiao made no other move, just continued to gaze steadily at Lin Yue.
Lin Yue hugged the bath towel close to her chest. After the recent movements, the towel was now loosely hanging around her. She timidly looked at Zhuo Xiangqiao standing by the bed, feeling an indescribable embarrassment and guilt. They were already husband and wife, yet she couldn't get past the emotional barrier inside her.
"I'm sorry..." she said, her eyes downcast, shimmering with struggle.
Zhuo Xiangqiao stood in front of the bed and looked at Lin Yue lying on it. He could see the panic in her eyes, knowing that what just happened had clearly frightened her. He took a few deep breaths, sighed helplessly, and tenderly stroked her head, "It was I who scared you," his voice carrying a rasp and a sensuality.
The sound of knocking suddenly came from outside the door, "I'll go open it," Zhuo Xiangqiao said as he got up. Just as he did, Lin Yue buried herself deeply under the covers.
Upon opening the door, he saw his mother rush in, injured and holding a bottle of medicinal wine.
Liao Yun, holding the medicinal wine, walked to the window, and said with concern, "Aunt Li just said you fell in the bathroom. How did you hurt yourself? Let Mom have a look, where did you injure yourself?"
Lin Yue lay under the covers and said to her with a smile, "I should let Auntie..." As she spoke, she seemed to remember something and said softly, "I've worried Mom, it was just a careless slip, and now there's nothing wrong anymore."
"Was the fall bad? You should make sure you didn't hurt your bones," Liao Yun insisted on checking the injury.
She suddenly realized that Lin Yue had just called her with a new term of endearment, and a smile crept into her eyes. Her gaze towards Lin Yue became even more loving.
Zhuo Xiangqiao watched as Liao Yun looked at Lin Yue with eyes that seemed to drip with water, his heart hosting a trace of annoyance. He knew his mom never looked at him or his brother with such tenderness.
"Mom... it's really nothing, Xiang Qiao has already sprayed some medicine on it," Lin Yue said, her gaze hinting at Zhuo Xiangqiao standing to the side.
"Mom, you should go to sleep now, we're going to rest too," Zhuo Xiangqiao said as he pulled Liao Yun outside the room, yawning to indicate that he truly needed to rest.
"When you sleep at night, be careful not to kick Yueyue..."
"I know, I know."
Just as Liao Yun was about to give a few more instructions, the door was shut, "This brat." She cursed softly, then suddenly remembered something. She had seen the blush on Yueyue's face just now, and she couldn't stop smiling as she happily headed to her own room.
Back in the room with the door shut, the awkward atmosphere returned. Lin Yue bit her lip, not knowing what to say to relieve such a mood.
Zhuo Xiangqiao loosened his shirt cuffs, walked to the wardrobe to get a set of clothes, and said, "I'm going to take a shower first, you should go to sleep." With that, he stepped into the bathroom.
Lin Yue let out a sigh of relief, quickly picked up the pajamas beside her, got dressed, then wrapped herself tightly in the blankets and buried herself on one side of the bed. She stared blankly at the ceiling, her heart still beating joyfully. Thinking of what had just happened, her face couldn't help but turn red again. Although he had stopped this time, what about the next time? A hint of bewilderment appeared in her eyes.
After all, they were husband and wife; they couldn't always be like this...
Lin Yue began to wonder whether agreeing to Zhuo Xiangqiao's proposition had been the right decision after all...
In the bathroom, Zhuo Xiangqiao stood under the showerhead, thinking of the warm sensation that had just been interrupted, his lips curling into a slight smile, yet his eyes flashed with a hint of reminiscence. Though it was interrupted this time, he believed that she was gradually accepting him.