TSMITB Chapter52

Sheng Qixiao silently cleaned up for Shen Que, carefully wiping away the stains with a warm damp cloth.

Watching Shen Que, who still occasionally whimpered in his sleep, Sheng Qixiao wore an indescribably bewildered expression.

He had wanted Shen Que to cry, wanted him to suffer, yet when everything actually happened just as he had wished, he found that his heart held no sense of satisfaction at all.

His gaze finally fell on Shen Que’s leg; the cloth strips from the previous perfunctory bandaging had completely come undone at some point, revealing the dislocated knee, which was even more swollen after all the commotion.

Sheng Qixiao held Shen Que’s thigh firmly, while his other hand suddenly tightened its grip.

With a “click,” the dislocated bone was pressed back into place.

Shen Que, who was in his deep sleep, suddenly arched his body, let out an incomprehensible groan, and then heavily fell back onto the bed.

Sheng Qixiao forced himself to ignore Shen Que’s reaction, crushed the herbs he had prepared beforehand, spread them evenly over his leg, then carefully secured smoothly planed wooden splints around the bend of his leg before tightly binding everything with strips of cloth, layer by layer.

Throughout the entire process, Sheng Qixiao was focused and silent as if repairing a fragile treasure, a treasure he had initially been determined to smash, but midway regretted and wanted to fully commit to mending and restoring.

Even if this precious treasure was a cunning bastard who was always full of lies.

Even knowing that his tears and pleas for mercy might just be another performance to exploit his soft heart.

But he also knew that, even so, he still couldn’t bear to see him truly suffer such a complete, possibly irreversible, devastating injury.

Those tear-filled eyes, when they looked at him with nothing but vulnerability and pain, could cut through the hard shell he had built around himself far more effectively than any scheme or sharpened blade.

Perhaps the coolness of the herbs gradually counteracted the burning pain of the wound, and the tightly furrowed lines in Shen Que’s brows finally showed a trace of relaxation.

After an unknown amount of time, Shen Que’s consciousness slowly and arduously broke free from the cold darkness.

His eyelids were so heavy they felt glued shut; Shen Que struggled significantly to barely lift them, his vision blurred for a moment, and then slowly came into focus.

Outside the window, daylight had already brightened, and the rain appeared to have stopped completely, with the warm hues of the rising sun subtly beginning to show.

Sheng Qixiao was not in the room.

Realizing this, Shen Que’s tightly wound nerves suddenly relaxed a fraction.

What followed immediately was the ubiquitous pain.

The intermittent, throbbing pain in his left knee felt as though a coarse steel cable had been driven straight through his entire leg, grinding back and forth and repeatedly tearing into it; even the slightest movement tugged at his nerves, constantly reminding him that the area had endured a devastating injury.

His back burned with a sharp, stinging heat; every breath brought a pain he could not ignore, while his throat was so dry that it felt as though it had been filled with smoke.

Shen Que struggled to sit up, but his arms were too weak to exert any strength, his entire body felt like its muscles and bones had been completely dismantled and reassembled, and the slightest movement multiplied the pain all over his body, making him wish he could immediately fall back into a deep sleep.

The memory fragments of humiliation, fear, and anger before he fainted surged over him in the next breath.

Sheng Qixiao’s indifferent words, his unrestrained actions during the assault, and the terrifying force that almost crushed his kneecap, all made Shen Que feel as if he had been exiled once again into an icy cold pool, causing both his body and mind to freeze over with a thick layer of ice.

He knew that his clothes had been changed, and his injured leg had been carefully bandaged and properly fixed.

Sheng Qixiao treated his injuries, Sheng Qixiao still went soft on him.

But he didn’t feel the slightest bit of relief from surviving a disaster.

To give a slap and then offer a sweet date, that was training a dog, and he would absolutely not feel any gratitude towards Sheng Qixiao because of it.

Shen Que stared at the ceiling with open eyes while remaining silent for a long time.

In his mind, every expression Sheng Qixiao had shown and every word he had spoken yesterday kept replaying over and over.

He genuinely wanted to cripple his leg.

This realization was more unbearable than the physical pain, his heart felt as if it was being ruthlessly gnawed by countless venomous snakes.

Sheng Qixiao actually wanted to hurt him.

Shen Que felt like laughing a little, but truly lacked the strength to do so.

With a soft “creak,” the room door was gently pushed open.

Shen Que’s body instantly stiffened, he instinctively closed his eyes and held his breath.

He was least willing to see Sheng Qixiao at this moment.

He didn’t know what expression or attitude to adopt towards Sheng Qixiao right now, so he simply chose to evade him directly.

The steady sound of approaching footsteps came from a distance, while the faint scent of medicine mingled with Sheng Qixiao’s familiar, clean, cool fragrance and enveloped him completely.

Shen Que could feel the gaze falling upon him, a look that was calm yet full of pressure.

“I know you’re awake.” Sheng Qixiao’s voice sounded from above his head, showing no clear emotion, but carrying a deliberately crafted gentleness as if to isolate all the conflicts of the previous night.

Shen Que gave no response and kept his eyes closed, yet the trembling shadows of his long, thick eyelashes against his pale face revealed the fear he was desperately trying to conceal.

The outer side of the bed surface dipped slightly; Sheng Qixiao had sat down.

A slightly cool hand rested on Shen Que’s forehead, seemingly checking his temperature, but instead sent the coolness from the fingertips directly to Shen Que’s heart, causing a fine shiver to run across his skin.

“The fever is gone,” Sheng Qixiao lightly let out a sigh as if unaware, his tone becoming a little more gentle, “Are you hungry? I made porridge, but you need to drink the medicine first.”

Shen Que remained silent with his hands clenched tightly into fists under the quilt.

He didn’t dare open his eyes, and even less dared to speak. He was afraid that the moment he opened his eyes, his feigned composure would shatter immediately, revealing the surging fear and hatred inside. He also truly didn’t know what to say. Should he apologize? Should he beg for mercy? Or should he continue to stubbornly resist.

Of course, he least wanted to speculate on what Sheng Qixiao wanted to hear him say.

But he knew that at this moment, he could not afford to ignite Sheng Qixiao’s anger again.

He could only submit.

But how could he persuade himself to submit?

He had no doubt that if he still had the ability to resist, he would certainly push Sheng Qixiao to his death.

Sheng Qixiao seemed unconcerned with his silence; that hand slid down from his forehead, gently brushing aside the sweat-dampened stray hairs near his cheek. The movement carrying a familiar tenderness that he subconsciously felt shouldn’t be present at this moment.

Immediately afterward, that hand seemed to land on Shen Que’s knee unintentionally, pressing through the thick quilt. The pressure was light, yet Shen Que instinctively recoiled, and his eyes flew open almost at once, meeting Sheng Qixiao’s gaze head-on.

Sheng Qixiao was currently sitting sideways on the edge of the bed while holding a bowl of freshly brewed medicinal decoction in his other hand, the dark brown liquid still emitting steam.

Just as Shen Que expected, Sheng Qixiao’s face was expressionless, but his eyes were complex; although the coldness from yesterday had disappeared, there was still little warmth in them as he silently stared at Shen Que without blinking.

Shen Que kept feeling that something was missing from that gaze, but he couldn’t figure out what.

“The dislocated joint has been put back into place for you.” Sheng Qixiao’s voice was as calm as his expression, and Shen Que couldn’t help but start to suspect that he had been imagining things just now, and that the gentleness he thought he perceived did not actually exist.

“Then should I thank you too?” Shen Que pulled back his thoughts, his voice hoarse from overuse.

He gritted his teeth and sat up, leaning his back tightly against the headboard, attempting to lend himself a fraction of self-assurance.

A sarcastic smile hung at the corner of his mouth as vicious hatred poured out from his dark eyes.

Sheng Qixiao’s instinctive movement to lean over and support Shen Que stopped midway. He stared for a long while at the undisguised hatred on Shen Que’s face. The calm mask he wore seemed to crack ever so slightly, only to quickly settle back into place.

He withdrew his hand and said softly, “Drink the medicine first.”

But Shen Que refused to stop; his physical discomfort made him unable to regulate his emotions.

He urgently needed to vent.

“What? Yesterday, you practically wanted to cripple my leg, and now you’re putting on this act for whom? Who knows what you might have put in that medicine. Do you really think I’d dare drink it?” Shen Que spared no effort in speculating about Sheng Qixiao with the utmost malice. He knew he shouldn’t provoke and anger him, but the towering rage and grievance surging in his chest made it impossible for him to calm down.

Unexpectedly, Sheng Qixiao didn’t get angry, merely explaining plainly, “This medicine is to treat your injuries. If you don’t want to drink it, then I don’t care.” He paused for a moment, meeting Shen Que’s suspicious, scrutinizing gaze before curling his lips into a faint smile that revealed a shallow dimple. “You know, I might be happier if your leg doesn’t heal.”

“You really are a lunatic!” Shen Que cursed in a low voice, his voice lacking strength due to weakness, yet the sarcasm in his tone refused to diminish one bit. He fiercely questioned, “What makes you so sure I was going to run? Why did you treat me like that?!”

Shen Que grew more agitated as he spoke, and his eyes reddened again.

He was indeed scouting the path for the future, he had never given up on leaving here, but this time, he truly had no intention of taking immediate action. He wasn’t ready yet, what right did Sheng Qixiao have to misunderstand him?!

Sheng Qixiao watched coldly as Shen Que vented his anger, and only when he saw Shen Que’s face pale from the pain caused by his agitation pulling at his wounds did he speak in a cold voice, “I know exactly, what kind of person you are.” The sharpness in Sheng Qixiao’s eyes was that of someone who saw through everything, “You are a fox more cunning than anyone, how can I let my guard down?”

Shen Que’s heart clenched under his gaze, the screaming flames were extinguished by a sudden bucket of cold water, his arrogance instantly weakened a bit, he subconsciously averted his gaze, stiffened his neck to hold firm, and spoke sharply, “Stop slandering people!”

Sheng Qixiao ignored his rebuttal before turning his gaze towards the window as if looking towards a distant place.

His voice dropped lower, carrying the hazy, indistinct quality that belonged uniquely to the years gone by, “Crossing the back mountain won’t take you where you want to go; beyond it, there’s only a shortcut leading to Silver Moon Valley.”

Shen Que lowered his head and showed no reaction; as long as it wasn’t the way out of the mountains, the destination made no difference to him.

But he involuntarily began to recall which path Sheng Qixiao took when he brought him to Silver Moon Valley last time.

He realized that he was always obsessively searching for evidence of Sheng Qixiao’s “betrayal,” as though finding it could suppress the strange feelings that had begun to take root within him.

The medicine bowl was handed to Shen Que again, “Drink the medicine first.”

The intense bitter smell rushed into his nasal cavity, Shen Que turned his face away in resistance. He detested the sight of the very bitter-looking medicine, and even more couldn’t stand any closeness from Sheng Qixiao, he only wanted to be as far away from him as possible right now.

Sheng Qixiao’s hand stopped steadily in mid-air, neither withdrawing it nor forcing him to drink.

Both of them froze at the same time, neither willing to be the first to give in even an inch.

A few seconds later, Shen Que’s tense body relaxed an almost imperceptible amount, and he was the one to give in first.

This was his leg, he had to recover quickly, and absolutely could not grant Sheng Qixiao’s wish and truly become a cripple.

Shen Que reached out to take the medicine bowl, but Sheng Qixiao didn’t let go, the meaning was self-evident.

Shen Que glared at Sheng Qixiao with tightly furrowed brows, but in the end, he drank the entire bowl of medicine, sipping it slowly from Sheng Qixiao’s hand.

The bitter medicinal soup passed through his long-dry throat, bringing a negligible relief, and at the same time reminded Shen Que to recognize his current weakness and position of being at the mercy of another.

The medicine was truly too bitter, so bitter that it exceeded the limits of his taste buds’ endurance. Shen Que almost gagged, but he forcibly held it back.

Having endured the bitterest hardship, one can become superior to others.

Shen Que forcefully fed himself another bowl of toxic motivational soup.

He even continued to brainwash himself—that suffering has a fixed amount, and the reason he had fallen to such an unbearable state now was that he had suffered too little before.

Suffer a little now, and when he gets out, he can still be a lawless bastard.

He couldn’t remember when or who he heard this from, but it was particularly fitting for the moment.

Sheng Qixiao’s gaze never left Shen Que for a moment, taking in all of his reactions. He finally felt a sense of satisfaction in his heart, justifying the extra bitter ingredients he had added to the medicine.

Only when the bottom of the bowl was empty did he gently place the bowl aside and thoughtfully wipe away the residual medicine stains from Shen Que’s lips.

“Shen Que.” Sheng Qixiao suddenly spoke, pressing his finger against Shen Que’s pale lips and leaving behind a red mark, his tone carrying a weariness that had yet to fade. “Haven’t I given you, too many chances?” That’s why you are always so audacious.

Shen Que turned his head to avoid his action.

“From you falsely claiming to like me, when in reality you were just using me, to me knowing clearly that you stole the mother Gu, yet still being willing to let them leave, and only keeping you here.” Sheng Qixiao slowly lowered his eyes, his gaze once again locking onto Shen Que, “I was even willing to believe you, that you were just curious, that you really just wanted to go and look. I lowered my bottom line again and again, just hoping you would stay by my side obediently.”

His voice faltered for a moment as Sheng Qixiao carefully observed every subtle change in expression that crossed Shen Que’s face.

“I already told you that, I’ll leave this place with you later, and it won’t be long. Isn’t that still enough?” Sheng Qixiao slowly leaned in, his warm breath hitting Shen Que’s cheek; the two were almost close enough for their noses to touch, “Am I still not patient enough, or not tolerant enough of you? Are you really that impatient, that desperate to leave me?”

Sheng Qixiao grasped Shen Que’s jaw, forcing him to look directly into the emotional vortex in his eyes that was about to consume him completely, “Don’t you have, even a tiny bit of liking for me?”

Even after the last syllable dropped, Sheng Qixiao’s tone remained low, but every word was like a knife, cutting at Shen Que’s heart repeatedly.

Shen Que suddenly felt somewhat lost, his palm unconsciously pressing against his chest.

Everything Sheng Qixiao said was true: he had been deceiving him from the start, he was using him, and he had never liked him.

But why does his heart seem to hurt a little?

The author has something to say:

Waiting for a miracle~