"If you don't stop the bleeding, your hand will be ruined. You won't be able to wield a saber again in your life."
His threatening words sent a shiver through Wei Qingge.
Ever since she was young, she had aspired to be a female general, protecting the border and its people just like her father. Her hands certainly couldn't be ruined.
"Then let go of me quickly, I need to find a doctor."
Li Qiongyu didn't release her; instead, he pulled her towards the cabin at the rear.
"The imperial physicians are all busy and can't attend to you. I'll bandage it for you."
Hearing this, Wei Qingge didn't struggle further and allowed him to lead her into the room.
"Sit down."
Li Qiongyu brought over a medicine box, took out his tools, and lifted her blood-soaked hand.
Seeing the wound, he raised his eyebrows slightly, his gaze making Wei Qingge’s heart flutter nervously. She quickly lowered her gaze.
She was inexplicably a little afraid of him now.
Thinking back carefully, he had changed since returning to the capital after the Qiqiao Festival last year.
Outwardly, he seemed no different from before. But when they were alone, he was always so cold. For a period, she had even thought he disliked her and was afraid to speak to him.
Yet, later, he suddenly reverted to his old self, constantly teasing her.
Frustrated, she would retort and argue with him.
Although they often quarreled at the slightest disagreement, their relationship remained quite good.
But now, he was looking at her like this again, making her feel apprehensive.
She secretly pondered for a moment, and when she felt a cool sensation on her hand, she couldn't help but look up and tentatively speak.
"Li Qiongyu, can you stop being so fierce with me? You're scary when you're like this."
Her words elicited no change in Li Qiongyu's expression.
He cast her a glance with his peach blossom eyes, his thin lips curved in a faint smile that nonetheless made her feel a sense of danger, like a beast that had shed its sharpness, slowly awakening.
"How am I scary? Am I as scary as you getting yourself into this state over a jade pendant?"
His voice was lazy, and his cool fingertips paused at her wound as he meticulously picked out debris and applied medicine.
Wei Qingge felt pain but stubbornly refrained from crying out, complaining to him.
"You weren't like this before."
Li Qiongyu lowered his eyelids and looked at her. "Then how was I before?"
The light in the room was dim. The full moon outside cast its radiance onto his moon-like face, sketching a shadow that deepened from his brow bone downwards, making him appear even more aloof.
Seeing his expression, Wei Qingge immediately pointed at him with her finger.
"Look, look! You're scary just like this!"
"Don't move!"
Li Qiongyu grabbed her flailing hand and smeared the medicine on.
"I suppose you don't want this hand anymore."
Wei Qingge pouted and glanced at the shattered jade pendant on the tray beside them. A dense, sharp pain, like countless needles, pierced her heart, filling her with discomfort.
Li Qiongyu turned his head and looked at her. A flicker of ferocity crossed his brow, but he concealed it so well it was almost imperceptible.
With a clatter, a sharp sound came from the table.
Wei Qingge immediately came back to her senses. She looked at her bandaged wound and swayed slightly.
"You bandaged it quite well."
He ignored her and turned to put away the medicine box.
Wei Qingge scoffed, not bothering to seek further attention. She reached for the scattered pieces of jade on the tray.
"I'll be going now. You're busy."
Li Qiongyu turned back, his gaze calmly following her movements, and suddenly spoke.
"I know a master craftsman who restores ancient jade. Would you like me to ask him to repair it for you?"
"Really?"
Wei Qingge's eyes instantly lit up, as clear and bright as dazzling black pearls from the deep sea.
But after a moment, she hesitated. "It's broken into so many pieces, can it still be repaired?"
Li Qiongyu walked over and nodded.
"I'll take it to him and see."
Seeing him gathering the pieces, Wei Qingge quickly instructed, "If it can't be repaired, remember to bring it back to me."
Li Qiongyu ignored her and efficiently packed all the shattered jade pieces.
"Did you hear me?"
She nudged him with dissatisfaction.
"I heard."
Hearing this, Wei Qingge felt she couldn't say anything more. She simply said, "I'll go and see Mu Rou first. You carry on with your business."
"Mm."
After she left, Li Qiongyu glanced at the jade in his hand, walked to the window, and threw them all out. With a splash, they created ripples in the water.
Soon, the jade pieces stained with blood slowly sank.
He slammed the window shut and turned to leave.
Wei Qingge, who had already departed, knew nothing of this. She first visited Lan Murou, saw that A Luan and the imperial physicians were there, and tiredly returned to her room to sleep.
The wind howled with desolation on the cold night. As soon as she entered the room, a blast of cold air hit her.
She hurried to close the window, washed up briefly, and then got into bed wearing her inner garments.
The bed was also cold. Yet, for some reason, she felt lightheaded and soon fell into a deep slumber.
The room was unlit. The moonlight, like silver, seeped through the window, illuminating the slender figure sleeping soundly on the bed. The entire room was silent.
Moments later, with a creak, the door was pushed open from the outside.
A tall figure slowly walked in.
His gaze immediately fixed on the bed. Seeing her sleeping soundly, he raised an eyebrow, closed the door, and walked over.
She was sleeping deeply, lying on her side with her back to him.
From his vantage point, the curve of her profile was smooth, her shoulders and neck slender.
Li Qiongyu glanced at her, then lifted his robe and sat on the edge of the bed, leaning back and quietly watching her.
After watching for a while, a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes. He leaned forward and pressed down.
He reached out to steady her shoulder, gently pressing down to make her lie flat on her back.
Only then did he get the view of her sleeping face he desired.
The distance between them was incredibly close. So close that if he lowered his head, he could kiss her smooth, full lips.
His throat bobbed slightly as he examined her closely.
Although she had spent years on the frontier, her skin was as flawless as white jade, fair and delicate in the moonlight.
Her spirited, round apricot eyes were tightly closed, adding a touch of cool aloofness.
He paused, then gently caressed the shoulder where his hand rested. A barely perceptible desire flickered in his alluring peach blossom eyes.
"Wei Qingge!"
Wei Qingge, in her sleep, whether from the cold or hearing his murmur, unconsciously pouted her lips and drew further into the covers.
Her lips brushed against his throat, soft and warm.
Li Qiongyu's entire body trembled instantly from her movement.
He lowered his eyelids, looking at the person curled up in the blanket from the cold, and directly reached his hand under her clothes, covering her lower back and gently channeling his internal energy.
Although it was summer, it had just rained, and the cabins sailing on the river at night were still quite cold.
Wei Qingge felt the warmth and instinctively burrowed into Li Qiongyu's embrace under the quilt.
Watching her actions, he tugged at the corner of his lips.
Suddenly, however, she reached out and hugged him, her mouth opening, and fragmented words echoed in the silent room.
"Brother Liu, the jade pendant—it's broken—it’s all because—Li Qiongyu, he deliberately pushed me—"