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In the villa, Aunt Qian was crying so hard that heaven and earth seemed to blur.
When Qiao Xi and Du Juan returned, wiping away tears, she said, "Madam, the Eldest Young Master barged into the young master's room with the doctor and drew a large tube of blood."
"Where is he?"
"Still in the room."
Clutching her chest, Du Juan's footsteps were chaotic as she rushed towards the stairs. Her high heels twisted, injuring her ankle, and Qiao Xi hurriedly supported her.
"Thank you." Du Juan's voice was tight with a choking sob.
As they reached the entrance of the corridor, they saw the door to the master bedroom open.
A young man with gold-rimmed glasses and sharp phoenix eyes stood there. His hair was meticulously styled, and he was dressed in expensive fashion. A smile playing on his lips, he looked towards them. His gaze swept past Qiao Xi's face with a touch of chill.
"Auntie, is this the country bumpkin from the countryside? To think that Xingzhou, a child favored by the heavens, now only matches with a village woman."
"Huo Beiting, what exactly do you want to do?" Du Juan coldly demanded.
With a proud tone, Huo Beiting answered, "I am acting on grandfather's orders, bringing a doctor to check Xingzhou's health. Has auntie misunderstood something?"
"The checkup is over, right? Please leave."
"Auntie, please don't speak to me like that. Over these years, our main branch has been searching for Cheng Han, the National Doctor, for grandfather. The leads we hold are always more than what you in the second branch have."
When the old master of the Huo Family was young, he suffered a serious injury which caused him to endure unbearable pain in his limbs whenever winter came. Having sought famous doctors to no avail, he pinned his hopes on the National Doctor, Cheng Han.
Seeing Du Juan's displeased face, Huo Beiting was satisfied and sneered with pride: "I'll take my leave then, auntie."
Flushed with triumph, Huo Beiting's long-suppressed gloom was swept away, as he had been overshadowed by Huo Xingzhou for many years.
A lame man, how could he be fit to become the next heir of the Huo Family.
Du Juan bit her lip as she watched them leave, every movement of her foot sending through a bone-piercing pain.
"Let me see your injury." Qiao Xi helped her sit down in the corridor, her slender and nimble fingers manipulating Du Juan's ankle, "It's all right, the bone isn't damaged."
Whatever she did, with just a few strong twists, Du Juan was able to stand and walk again.
With tears in her eyes, Du Juan looked towards the tightly closed door, then turned her gaze to Qiao Xi, "He... Qiao Xi, could I trouble you to take care of Xingzhou for me? My foot is fine, he's the one who is important."
A mother knows her child best.
After the commotion Huo Beiting had made, it was uncertain what the scene inside the room was like.
Being so proud, he surely wouldn't want his closest kin to see him in a state of humiliation.
Qiao Xi, shrewd as she was, instantly understood.
She nodded solemnly.
"I'll go in. Aunt Qian, please help madam to rest."
"All right."
As they left, Qiao Xi turned the doorknob and entered the room.
Inside, everything was in disarray, and the floor was a mess.
The man was leaning against the edge of the bed, his profile incomparably noble. His clothes were disheveled and stained with blood. Hearing movement, he slowly turned his head. That one glance was like the sharpest blade under heaven, sending a chill down Qiao Xi's spine.
"Mother-in-law sent me to tidy up."
Qiao Xi bent down to pick up the pillows, documents, and water cup from the floor, neatly arranging them.
The man's deep voice resonated from behind, "Are you here to clean the room, or to take care of me?" There wasn't much to clean up when it was he who had intentionally smashed those things.
If it weren't for this, how would Huo Beiting believe he's mentally collapsed, utterly dejected?
Qiao Xi abruptly looked up, only to see him with an unconcerned expression, beckoning.
"I need to change clothes."
"... All right." Qiao Xi took a set of pure white cotton homewear from the wardrobe. Approaching Huo Xingzhou, he had already naturally outstretched his hands.
She unbuttoned and removed his shirt.
The lithe muscular body underneath was exposed before her, a cold white dazzling her eyes, and her heart pounded. She quickly dressed him in the top, holding the trousers in hand, deep in thought.
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"You were pretty impressive when you were taking off my pants, huh? What's with the act of innocence and shyness now?" His lips were pale, almost bloodless, and his words were cutting.
Qiao Xi was stunned for a moment, then, gritting her teeth, she viciously pulled down his pants, inch by inch.
So white.
So firm.
These long, powerful legs must be quite suited for farm work.
Huo Xingzhou leaned against the bed, his eyes tightly closed in a resigned, if anything goes wrong, so be it, manner. The warm and soft fingertips occasionally brushed his skin, triggering a series of shudders.
"Give me your hand."
Qiao Xi wrung out the towel and wiped the bloodstains on his arm. The puncture was conspicuous, the skin around it tinged with blue—they must have drawn so much blood on purpose.
Huo Xingzhou's dark gaze swept over her face, then, with a sudden move, he grabbed her wrist with a jerk and pulled. With a forceful tug, Qiao Xi tumbled into the vast bed.
Before she could get up, he pressed his upper body onto her. His scorching breath licked her cheek as the deep, masculine voice rose, "What benefit did Huo Beiting give you?"
Qiao Xi's chin was held by his hand, forced to tilt her neck and look up at him, moisture brimming in her clear, almond eyes.
"I don't know him."
So he didn't trust her, all the previous interactions had been just a game to him.
It wasn't until now that this proud and steady noble son finally revealed his decisive and ruthless claws. His right hand glided over her tender waist, his fingertips sinking into the softness there.
All she heard was his cold voice mixed with a barely visible roguishness, "Do you know what methods were used to interrogate female spies in the past?"
She knew!
She couldn't escape torture either way, being harshly tormented.
Qiao Xi writhed, trying to break free.
"You've pulled down my pants twice, I pull down yours once, that's not too much, right?" he said again, his fingers resting on the side of her leg.
Qiao Xi was so angry her eyes reddened, and she fiercely pinched the shoulder well acupoint on his body. Huo Xingzhou's arm tingled and he released his grip.
She took the opportunity to roll off the bed, holding up her pants and warily watching him.
Anger, resentment.
"You... even if you strip me bare, you... you still wouldn't be able to do it!" Her voice was tearful and reckless, her cheeks still bearing the imprint of pressure. Qiao Xi pushed open the door and ran out, overwhelmed with shame and anger, returning to her own room.
The two women who had been hiding around the corner of the corridor then came out.
"Her clothes buttons are undone."
"Her hair is in disarray."
"Her face is flushed, was she kissed by the Young Master?"
Aunt Qian gave a thumbs-up and praised in a low voice, "The Madam's strategy is brilliant, having the Young Madam take care of the Young Master." Pretending to be hurt to win sympathy, isn't that how feelings are cultivated?
Du Juan glanced at her slantingly, "Piece of cake. I know my son well; he won't suffer a big loss in front of Huo Beiting unless it's intentional."
When has Huo Beiting ever really had the upper hand over him from childhood?
"The Young Master is clever, just like you."
In the room.
Huo Xingzhou fiddled with the tips of his fingers, rubbing them together.
Soft, like pinching a marshmallow.
He looked down and thought, what does it mean that he wouldn't be able to do it?
If he really had used his methods, would she have been able to turn over and run away?
Buzz buzz.
The cell phone on the bedside table vibrated a few times. Zhou Yu was efficient—Qiao Xi's life history from childhood to adulthood had been compiled into a detailed file and sent over.
Huo Xingzhou casually opened the investigative report, his fingers paused, a flash of astonished surprise in his eyes.