Zhao Yusheng had a younger sister of his own — Zhao Xiaoxiao, roughly the same age as Duan Liuyang.

Zhao Xiaoxiao had once gone through a similar nightmare, and watching Duan Liuyang in her panic, Zhao Yusheng felt a particular pang of guilt.

“Miss Duan, don’t be afraid! You’re safe.”

He comforted her for a long while, and Duan Liuyang finally grew calm, though she never once opened her eyes.

“Young Master.” A brother standing outside called out without entering.

“The brothers found a pot and ladle, they’re boiling water and making rice porridge now. The others have gone to dig sweet potatoes and hunt wild fowl.”

“This area is quite desolate — there should be wild fowl and hares around, just wait a bit.”

“Mm.” Zhao Yusheng answered with just one word.

At that moment, he both hoped Duan Liuyang would wake soon so he could confirm her condition, and hoped she would rest a while longer — his feelings quite conflicted.

Another brother came in, carrying a blanket.

“Young Master, the brothers coming up behind caught up with a blanket. May I come in?”

He was, after all, the one without a robe on right now.

It was cold outside, truly cold — but now at least Miss Duan could have the blanket, and he could put his own clothes back on.

In this place with neither village ahead nor inn behind, silver was useless — after all, silver couldn’t serve as a quilt.

The person inside said nothing, and the one outside dared not say more either.

Before long, another brother entered.

“Young Master, the hot water is ready, and I’ve also brought a set of your clothes — should I bring them in now?”

Zhao Yusheng stood, pulled back the clothes covering Duan Liuyang, sat down, gently lifted her up, and removed the two garments on her that were not hers.

“Bring it all in.”

Hearing the young master’s voice, the brothers carrying the basin of hot water and the blanket came in.

They set the items down, retrieved their own clothes, and left.

“Young Master, the food will be ready soon, we’ll bring it in shortly,” one brother said quietly on his way out.

“Shut the door,” Zhao Yusheng said in a low voice.

The last brother to leave said nothing further, closing the door behind him.

Zhao Yusheng gently set Duan Liuyang down, went over, and closed the room’s only window before returning to the bedside.

“Miss Liu, forgive the offense.”

He tore off a strip of cloth from his own robe, dipped it in the water, sat down, and removed the last of the men’s clothing wrapped around Duan Liuyang.

Fair skin came into view, and Zhao Yusheng did his best not to look down.

He laid her down, wrung out his cloth, and gently wiped the face of the unconscious woman.

Face, neck, hands and feet, even her arms and legs — Zhao Yusheng carefully cleaned and checked each part.

Fortunately, aside from some bruising, he found no other injuries, and only then did his heart ease.

Zhao Yusheng turned his face away, removed the tattered remnants of clothing from Duan Liuyang’s body, and dressed her in his own robe.

Finally, he wound the sash an extra loop and, only then turning back, tied it for her.

Zhao Yusheng, relieved, pulled up the blanket and covered Duan Liuyang with it, smoothing her disheveled dark hair.

Just now, he had kept telling himself this was Zhao Xiaoxiao, that he was only wiping down and changing his own sister.

Even so, he’d still broken out in a sweat — so hot.

Zhao Yusheng wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand and looked toward the door.

“Come in, bring a fresh basin.”

“Yes.” The brother keeping watch outside nodded and pushed the door open.

Not long after the water basin was taken away, a new basin of hot water was brought in.

Another brother followed in as well, bringing porridge and two sweet potatoes.

“Young Master, there’ll be meat later — have some porridge and sweet potato first to fill your stomach.”

Zhao Yusheng waved a hand and stood.

The two brothers left, closing the door again.

Zhao Yusheng went over, picked up a bowl, drank down most of a bowl of water, returned to the bedside, cupped some water in his hands, and splashed his face several times in a row.

Feeling slightly cooler, he took off the rest of his sweat-soaked clothes and changed into a fresh set.

Their young master was the cleanest person in the whole stronghold; the brothers all knew that no matter the circumstances, they always had to prepare an extra set of clothes for him.

Having changed out of his sweaty clothes, washed his face and hands, and finally his feet, Zhao Yusheng felt his mood ease somewhat.

He set down the cloth, rinsed his hands once more in the bowl of water, went over, and knocked on the door.

“Come in, take these things out.”

“Yes.” A brother entered, took away the changed clothes and used water.

After he left, he set something else down and closed the door again on his way out.

Zhao Yusheng returned to the bedside, checked Duan Liuyang’s pulse again, then touched her forehead.

“Miss Duan, can you wake up? Have a bit of porridge, then sleep.”

No injuries — she must simply have been badly frightened.

“Miss Duan.” Zhao Yusheng gently patted Duan Liuyang’s small shoulder.

This face had always been paler than other women’s, and now it was deathly pale; if she didn’t get some food in her soon, her condition might not be good.

“Miss Duan, wake up, I’m Zhao Yusheng, we’ve met before.”

“Miss Duan, wake up, I’m Zhao Yusheng, have something to eat first, then sleep.”

“The candle will burn out soon, and you won’t be able to see well — Miss Duan, wake up.”

Zhao Yusheng held Duan Liuyang’s shoulders and shook her gently for a while.

The woman on the bed finally, slowly opened her eyes.

She blinked, then suddenly grew alert, jerking backward.

“No! No! Let go of me! No!”

Zhao Yusheng released her, and Duan Liuyang retreated all the way to the wall.

With nowhere left to go, she could only curl up her legs, wrap her arms around them, and shield her whole body.

“No! I beg you, I beg you to kill me! Don’t hurt me.”

“I beg you to kill me, please, please, kill me.” Duan Liuyang kept her head buried between her knees, not even daring to look up.

Zhao Yusheng’s nose stung. He drew a deep breath and leaned in a little closer.

“Miss Duan, I’m Zhao Yusheng, we’ve met before.”

“Do you still remember me? I’m not a bad person.”

The moment Zhao Yusheng’s fingertips touched her, Duan Liuyang’s body trembled even more violently.

“No! No!” Her voice was hoarse, thick with sobbing.

“I beg you, kill me, I don’t want to be left alone.”

“Father is dead, mother is dead, my brother is dead, I don’t want to be left alone, I…”

Her hoarse voice suddenly stopped, and her trembling body went still.

Sensing something wrong, Zhao Yusheng immediately reached out and gathered her into his arms.

“No! Miss Duan, I’m Zhao Yusheng, I’m one of Jiu’er’s people, I’ve come to save you!”

“Don’t hurt yourself! You’re safe now, you’re not alone anymore, you have me!”

Holding Duan Liuyang with one arm, Zhao Yusheng slipped two fingers of his other hand between her teeth to stop her from biting her tongue.

“You’re all right now, Miss Duan, I’m Zhao Yusheng, open your eyes and look at me, you’re all right now.”

“Miss Duan, look at me, I’m Zhao Yusheng, don’t do anything foolish.”