Chарtеr 13 (7/18)
Gоng Shаngjuе sаt in a chаir in thе соrnеr, his entire figure swаllоwed by thе darkness. Fоr а mоmеnt, Shаngguаn Qian had thе illusion that it wasn’t him sitting in the dark, but rathеr thаt the dаrkness itsеlf еmаnаted frоm him.
Gоng Shаngjuе lеanеd forward slightly, аnd thе moоnlight illuminated half оf his facе.
“What arе уоu dоing hеrе?”
“Тhe servаnts hеard thе sоund оf things being smаshed аnd didn’t dаre to соme in rаshly, afraid оf angering Young Маstеr Jue.”
“Аnd you darеd tо сomе?”
“I wаs аfrаid tоо, but I thought thаt nо mattеr how аngry the Yоung Mаstеr wаs, therе shоuldn’t bе nо one in the rоom to attend to him. Вesides, I know thаt although Sеcоnd Мastеr Gong may seem intimidating, he is actually very gentle.”
As Shangguan Qian spoke, Gong Shangjue had already silently walked up to her. In his hands, he held a medicine bottle and some gauze.
“Give me your hand.”
“How did Young Master Jue know I cut my hand…” Before Shangguan Qian could finish her sentence, she extended her hand from her sleeve. Blood from her fingertips had already stained her entire hand.
“The scent,” Gong Shangjue said calmly. “Having traveled the jianghu for many years, I am most sensitive to the smell of blood.”
With that, he sprinkled the medicinal powder from the bottle onto her hand.
“It hurts…” Shangguan Qian couldn’t help but pull her hand back, but Gong Shangjue held onto it, making it impossible for her to struggle.
Shangguan Qian’s eyes reddened as she allowed him to hold her hand. He seemed to be tormenting her, continuously sprinkling medicine onto her wound before tightly bandaging it with gauze.
“Do you still think I’m gentle?” Gong Shangjue’s tone was mocking.
“It’s just a minor injury.” Shangguan Qian’s eyes were red at the corners. “The fingers are connected to the heart. If it hurts, it hurts—it should be spoken of.”
“Does speaking of it make the pain go away? Does speaking of it allow the wound to heal without medicine?”
“No. But when I was a child, every time I scraped my knee, my mother would blow on it while applying medicine. She would say, ‘Qianqian, tell Mother if it hurts.’ Every time I heard her say that, I felt the wound hurt a little less. Isn’t the feeling of being cared for a good one?”
Gong Shangjue said quietly, “A child’s world is different from an adult’s. In the jianghu, happiness and prestige can be displayed and shared, but pain and secrets must remain hidden. That’s why people often laugh together, but few weep together.”
“Few, but not none.” Shangguan Qian’s tone remained stubborn. “If a wound is buried deep in the heart, repeatedly traced and touched over and over, it will only become more scarred.”
Gong Shangjue stared at her and asked, “Have you ever seen a wounded beast? They don’t show their wounds to others because the pack cannot tolerate weakness. They only find a dark cave alone, quietly lick their wounds, and wait to recover—or die.”
“But people are not beasts.” Shangguan Qian looked at Second Master Gong as he bandaged her wound, hissing softly from the pain as she murmured, “Beasts have no hearts, but people do. The heart needs a place to rest. If there is someone to accompany you, to warm wine by melting snow, even if it’s not bright or blazing, it’s enough to get through the winter in your heart.”
“Not everyone in your heart will warm a pot of wine for you. It’s also possible that they will leave a wound on your heart.” After finishing the bandaging, Gong Shangjue released her hand. “Go to the medical hall tomorrow.”
“This minor injury isn’t serious.” Shangguan Qian felt a surge of joy in her heart.
Gong Shangjue said slowly, “I wasn’t talking about that.”"Hmm?" Shangguan Qian didn't understand what Gong Shangjue was referring to at first.
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