Chapter 40 - 41 You Look Beautiful with This Hairpin

Yun Qian watched the interacting pair, his eyes somewhat desolate as he silently left.

Shao He began to treat the man in the mask and asked him how he had been feeling recently.

“The pain at midnight has reduced a lot, and it no longer becomes unbearable with the changing weather.” Pei Huaian hadn’t initially thought that his leg ailment would be cured; he had merely come to see her.

He hadn’t expected such an unexpected benefit.

“Your cold poison treatment still needs some time, it has been in your body for too long. You need multiple sessions of acupuncture and bloodletting, hot compresses, and medicinal baths.”

Shao He took out a small box and opened it. A faint medicinal scent rushed into her nostrils. She picked up a silver needle, dipped it, and swiftly inserted it into the acupuncture points on his leg, slowly twisting it.

Pei Huaian watched her skilled movements, knowing from her technique and acupuncture that she was very proficient in medicine.@@novelbin@@

Looking at her rosy cheeks and slender fingers, Pei Huaian suddenly thought of a phrase, “So beautiful it’s tantalizing.”

His gaze fell on Shao He, watching her focused expression; something inside him stirred. He couldn’t help but watch entranced.

Shao He, who had been concentrating on the treatment, suddenly felt a burning gaze. She looked up to meet Pei Huaian’s affectionate eyes, startled, and quickly averted her gaze.

Seeing her reaction, Pei Huaian coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment.

“Ahem, you look very beautiful with that hairpin.”

He felt that Shao He, even without makeup, remained ethereally beautiful.

Shao He’s cheeks tinged slightly pink as she used a cloth to bind the man’s leg after removing the silver needles from above it.

Soon, blood flowed again from the spots where the needles had been, but this time the blood was no longer black. She took out a cloth to clean her palms.

“Alright, you rest for a while. I’ll go get the medicinal herbs for the hot compress.”

“Mhm.”

As she stood up and left, taking only a few steps, she heard a deep, magnetic voice from behind, “Thank you!”

Shao He turned back and saw sincerity and gratitude in his eyes, which left her slightly stunned.

“You’re welcome.” Shao He smiled slightly, then turned and left.

When she returned, she saw that he was leaning his chin on his hand, looking out the window, lost in thought.

Shao He, carrying a basin of boiled medicinal herbs in hot water that also soaked some cloth, picked up a cotton swab dipped in alcohol and gently wiped to disinfect, then applied the soaked cloth on his knee.

“What is this?” Pei Huaian couldn’t feel any temperature, only asking about the strong scent of the herbs.

Shao He began to explain, “This is water boiled with medicinal herbs. The hot compress can remove some of the cold from your leg and also help clear your meridians.”

Pei Huaian suddenly realized, seeing her forehead covered in dense sweat, he tenderly took out a cloth and wiped it for her.

“Thank you, I’ll do it myself!”

His gesture touched something in Shao He’s heart, and she reached out her delicate, slender hand to take the cloth from him.

Pei Huaian watched his now empty palm, feeling slightly forlorn, “Alright.”

Shao He looked at his masked face, her curiosity getting the better of her, she asked again, “Why do you always wear a mask?”

Pei Huaian turned his face away and answered, “I once got hurt; there is an ugly scar on my face.”

Shao He could imagine all sorts of scar images, possibly a blue discoloration covering half of the face or perhaps a burn scar. Either way, she felt that asking any further would be like probing into a sore wound.

After finishing the treatment on his leg, just as she was about to leave with the medicinal water, her foot slipped.

She threw the basin from her hands, leaning backwards, falling directly into Pei Huaian’s arms.

“Um,”

A muffled grunt echoed by her ear, her waist held tightly as Shao He turned to look at the person beside her.

The distance between them was very close, their breaths intertwining, his body’s scent overwhelming her.

For the first time, Pei Huaian looked at her closely, her fair skin, lips flushed with color, his gaze deepening.

His eyes were too intense, Shao He blushed to her ears, noticing the mask on his face and couldn’t help but reach out to remove it.

Just as her hand touched the mask, her wrist was suddenly grabbed by a cold hand.

“The person who takes off my mask will have to take responsibility for me.”

Warm breath sprayed on her neck, a tingling sensation spreading instantly across her body, making her shiver uncontrollably.

Pei Huaian’s voice was husky, carrying a seductive undertone.

In Shao He’s ears, it was as if he were saying, “I want you,”

In an instant, her mind went blank, her hand loosened, and she hurriedly got up from him.