The night was deep, Dijing Manor enveloped in silence, only the wall sconces in the hallway casting dim yellow light.
Inside the master bedroom, Leng Yecheng was sound asleep, breathing evenly. Su Wan, however, was not asleep. She leaned against a small sofa, studying a hand-drawn meridian chart under a soft reading lamp, covered densely with acupoint notations and annotations.
Moonlight streamed through the window like water, falling on her serene profile, outlining her focused and soft features.
Suddenly, a very faint sound came from the direction of the bed.
Su Wan was instantly alert. With a flip of her finger, a silver needle was concealed between her fingertips. She looked over and saw Leng Yecheng frowning tightly in his sleep, restless, a low, painful murmur escaping his throat.
"...Don't come..."
"...It wasn't me..."
Intermittent words, mixed with suppressed gasps, as if trapped in a terrible nightmare.
Su Wan frowned, put down the chart, and walked quietly to the bedside. In the moonlight, she saw cold sweat covering his forehead, his hands gripping the sheets tightly, knuckles white.
Was it nerve disorder caused by the toxin, or... psychological trauma left by that terrible attack?
She hesitated for a moment but finally reached out, her fingertips gently pressing on his temples, using a special massage technique to slowly knead, trying to alleviate his pain.
Her movements were extremely gentle, carrying a soothing power.
Perhaps her touch worked, perhaps the massage eased the headache. Leng Yecheng's tense body gradually relaxed, his tightly furrowed brow easing slightly. The murmurs grew quieter, his breathing becoming even again.
But he didn't let go. Instead, unconsciously, he grabbed the wrist of the hand massaging him. The grip wasn't strong, but it held a dependent obstinacy, pulling her palm to his cheek, pressing against his cool skin as if it were the only source of warmth that could dispel the nightmare.
Su Wan stiffened slightly, instinctively wanting to withdraw her hand.
But looking at his sleeping face now, stripped of all icy pretense, seeming somewhat vulnerable and even helpless, a chord in her heart seemed to be plucked very lightly.
Forget it. Why argue with a patient? Consider it... medical compassion.
She sighed softly and didn't struggle, letting him hold it. She顺势 (took the opportunity) to sit down on the carpet by the bed, leaning against the bedside.
The man's hand was large, his fingertips calloused, warmly enveloping her wrist. His cheek pressed against her palm, his even breath brushing over her skin, bringing a strange and unfamiliar sensation.
Su Wan looked at the bright moon outside the window, her thoughts somewhat chaotic.
The waters of the Leng family were too deep. The secrets on Leng Yecheng were far more than she had imagined. That savage scar, his painful murmurs in his dream, the insidious poison, and the watchful Leng Yexuan and Lin Yarong...
She had originally只想 (only wanted) to complete the transaction, gain her freedom, and stay away from these troubles. But now, she found herself sinking deeper.
This seemingly powerful man, showing that trace of vulnerability and trust in his weakness, made it impossible for her to truly remain indifferent.
Moreover, the poisoner's methods were so vicious and hidden... could it be related to something she had been investigating?
She didn't know how much time had passed before drowsiness also washed over Su Wan. Her eyelids grew heavy. Maintaining the posture of him holding her wrist, leaning against the bedside, she不知不觉 (unconsciously) fell asleep.
Moonlight flowed quietly, enveloping the two figures on and by the bed in a seemingly intimate pose, creating an eerily harmonious and peaceful scene.
Early the next morning.
Leng Yecheng woke first. His long-standing vigilance allowed him to sense changes even in sleep. He immediately noticed he was holding something, his cheek against a soft, cool touch.
His eyes snapped open, his sharp gaze looking down.
He saw Su Wan curled up, sitting on the carpet beside the bed, her head leaning against the bedside, sound asleep. One of her hands was held tightly in his, pressed against his cheek. She seemed restless in sleep, her eyelashes fluttering faintly, faint dark circles under her eyes revealing her fatigue.
The morning light filtering through the curtains cast soft shadows on her face, making her seem less cold and distant than usual, more serene and... pitably adorable.
Leng Yecheng's heart jolted violently.
Fragmented memories from last night flooded back—the suffocating feeling of the nightmare, then a gentle hand with a strange, soothing power that drove away the darkness and pain...
It was her.
He looked at her wrist, slightly reddened from his grip, then at her tired sleeping face. A extremely complex emotion surged within him. Surprise, a trace of barely perceptible guilt, and a... softness he himself hadn't noticed.
He had never allowed anyone this close to him, especially during his vulnerable sleep.
He moved极轻地 (extremely lightly), carefully releasing her hand, as if afraid of waking her.
However, Su Wan still woke.
Her eyelashes fluttered, eyes opening in confusion, immediately meeting Leng Yecheng's deep, unreadable gaze. And she herself was in an extremely awkward position sitting by the bed, her hand just released by him...
Su Wan was instantly fully awake, snatching her hand back as if burned, quickly standing up. A flash of panic crossed her face, quickly masked by her usual cool composure.
"You're awake? How do you feel? Does your side still hurt?" She fired off a series of questions, her tone one hundred percent professional, trying to cover the earlier awkwardness.
Leng Yecheng didn't answer immediately. He pushed himself up slowly, his gaze still locked on her face, watching her forced composure.
"Last night," he began, his voice hoarse from sleep, "thank you."
This thanks was clearer than the last time, and also more... sincere.
Su Wan paused in straightening her clothes, lowering her eyelashes. "It was nothing. Nightmares are a symptom of nerve dysfunction affected by the toxin. It will improve gradually."
She again attributed everything to pathology, distancing personal feelings.
Leng Yecheng looked at her distant profile, a faint flicker of disappointment passing through his eyes, but it quickly vanished. He changed the subject. "My injury, and the poison inside me... do you have a more specific treatment plan?"
Su Wan walked to the table, picked up the half-finished meridian chart from last night, and handed it to him. "A preliminary plan. Detoxification and healing the injury need to be同步进行 (carried out simultaneously), but must be led by your physical condition,循序渐进 (step by step). These are the herbs needed for the first stage. Some are quite rare."
Leng Yecheng took the chart. After just one glance, surprise flashed in his eyes. The chart was drawn with extreme professional precision. The acupoint markings were even more detailed than some medical diagrams. Neat small regular script listed herb names and dosages beside them, the思路 (train of thought) clear and logic rigorous.
This was definitely not something an amateur who "prolonged illness makes a doctor" could produce.
He looked up, his gaze deep. "I'll have Zhong Shu find these herbs."
"No." Su Wan shook her head, her eyes firm. "Zhong Shu handles all matters of the Leng family. He's too high-profile. Several key herbs require special handling and channels. They cannot pass through others' hands."
She met his probing gaze and said slowly, "Get me a computer that can connect to the internet, a secure address. I'll handle it myself."
This was the first time she had explicitly requested resources and hinted at channels and abilities he was unaware of.
Leng Yecheng looked at her silently for a few seconds,似乎 (seemingly) weighing things.
Finally, he nodded. "Alright. I'll have a trusted subordinate bring a clean laptop."
He didn't ask how she would do it. This was preliminary, cautious trust.
"Also," Su Wan added, her tone serious, "your food and medicine must all pass my inspection. Especially anything sent from Madam Lin's side."
Leng Yecheng's eyes sharpened. "You suspect her?"
"I suspect everyone," Su Wan said calmly, yet with undeniable vigilance. "Until we find the poisoner."
Their eyes met. An invisible agreement seemed to form in the air.
They were still allies testing each other, but some intangible bond seemed to have悄然收紧 (quietly tightened) because of last night's brief dependence and their current shared goal.