"Does it hurt?" Tarik asked, carefully tending to Xi Fu's wound with a cotton swab soaked in povidone-iodine.
"No, hiss..." Xi Fu gasped in pain, yet forced herself to say, "It doesn't hurt."
Tarik glanced at Xi Fu, offering no reply, and continued with his task.
"Tarik, if Father finds out about my injury, will he..." Xi Fu's voice held a hint of nervousness as she looked at Tarik. "Tarik, I'm a little scared..."
"Don't worry, Father's attention won't be on us lately," Tarik replied casually.
Xi Fu's eyes flickered with a trace of resentment, but she forced a light laugh, "Yes, after all, Father's biological daughter is back. How could he have time for us? We're just adopted, not his own, after all."
"Don't speculate about Father's thoughts. Have you forgotten all the rules?" Tarik finally looked up and glared at Xi Fu.
After being glared at by Tarik, Xi Fu pursed her lips before stammering, "Yes, we're not Father's biological children, so what right do we have to..."
"Xi Fu!" Tarik interrupted her, his expression grave. "Father has given us more than enough. Everything you have now is from him. Your own parents couldn't give you this, or couldn't afford to! Otherwise, we wouldn't have been taken in by him! Wake up!"
Xi Fu started, then lowered her eyes after meeting Tarik's gaze. "I understand."
"Don't get the wound wet, and be mindful of your diet," Tarik continued treating Xi Fu's injury. "Don't appear before Father casually for the next couple of days. It'll be fine in a few days when the wound heals. As long as you don't delay Father's matters, he won't blame you."
"Tarik," Xi Fu asked, looking at him, "aren't you curious at all about how this injury happened?"
"Shall I guess?" Tarik wrapped Xi Fu's hand with gauze. "You went looking for trouble with Xia Qingyu and failed. You must be unwilling to accept it, right?"
Hearing Tarik's words, Xi Fu's gaze shifted, and she bit her lower lip.
"Xi Fu, stop being willful. You're not a child anymore," Tarik sighed. "Don't provoke her. You won't gain anything."
"If, I mean, if both of us were in mortal danger, who would you save?" Xi Fu suddenly held Tarik's hand with her injured one. Her eyes fixed on Tarik as she spoke with a heavy, serious tone. "If you could only save one person, who would you save!"
"I would save her," Tarik said, looking at Xi Fu. "Father gave me a chance to live. I owe him my life forever."
"Is it because she's Father's biological daughter that you choose her?" Xi Fu let out a hollow laugh. "Tarik, you know me best in the world, and I know you best in the world. You can't fool me."
"You think I would save you?" Tarik looked at Xi Fu.
"I think you would save her, but definitely not for that flimsy reason," Xi Fu pushed Tarik's chest with her injured hand. "Tarik, you look like a clown when you deceive yourself."
With that, Xi Fu shot him a glare, snorted, and turned to leave.
Watching Xi Fu's retreating back, Tarik's brow furrowed. He raised a hand to touch the spot where Xi Fu had placed her hand, his expression complex.
"Just spouting nonsensical ravings," Tarik muttered before lowering his head to reorganize the small case of medical supplies and put it back in the cabinet.
Just then, there was a knock on the door. Tarik's gaze shifted, and he quickly walked to the door and opened it.
"Young Master, there's a guest. They are waiting for you in the living room," the maid outside said respectfully.
Seeing that the person outside was not the one he wished to see, Tarik's voice deepened. "Understood." He then closed the door directly.
After the maid left, Tarik realized he hadn't asked who the visitor was.
He rubbed his temples and sighed.
Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have made such a rookie mistake.
It was all Xi Fu's fault for saying those strange things.
Changing into a set of decent casual wear, Tarik went downstairs. Upon reaching the living room, he discovered that the person waiting on the sofa was none other than Lei Xirui. "Miss Lei?"
"Tarik, I apologize for the sudden visit. I hope it's not causing you any trouble," Lei Xirui said with a slight smile as she stood up upon seeing Tarik.
"Not at all. Please sit," a flicker of impatience crossed Tarik's eyes, but his face maintained a pleasant smile. "Is there something you need from Young Master Lei?"
If it weren't for his father's cooperation with Young Master Lei, he truly wouldn't want to waste time with this delicate young lady.
"No, my third brother doesn't know I'm here," Lei Xirui said with a forced laugh. "I was just... just a little bored, and I'm not very familiar with this place, so I took the liberty to visit. If it's inconvenient for you, Tarik, you can tell me anytime, and I can leave. It's alright."
Despite saying this, Lei Xirui's expression wasn't that carefree.
She looked at Tarik with wide, innocent, and helpless eyes, as if she would immediately burst into tears and run back to Young Master Lei if Tarik asked her to leave.
Perhaps she would even cry and complain, telling Young Master Lei how her status as a Lei family daughter was mercilessly driven away by Tarik.
"..." Tarik's lips twitched slightly. He wished he could tell her to leave, but in this situation, how could he?
"It's fine, I was bored too," Tarik said, forcing himself, his smile unwavering. "What would you like to talk about, Miss Lei?"
"I want... I want to tour this place, is that okay?" Lei Xirui said, looking around. "There were too many people at last night's banquet, and I didn't dare to wander around. It would be wonderful if Tarik could show me around today!"
Tarik suppressed his impatience and finally nodded, leading Lei Xirui on a tour of the entire estate.
They first visited the two small gardens on the east and west sides, then the sports area, and the covered walkway overgrown with plants... After a long tour, they returned to the living room.
"Is there anything else you're curious about, Miss Lei?" Tarik asked, looking at Lei Xirui.
"Uh..." Lei Xirui blinked, her peripheral vision constantly glancing towards the staircase. She was extremely anxious.
Oh heavens, why was the first task Sister Qing Tian arranged for her so difficult?
Waaah.