Lu Beicheng was back.
This time, it wasn’t just Lu Beicheng — Lu Feifan and Ji Mingyu had come as well.
“What else needs to be done for her wound?” The moment Lu Beicheng entered, he asked Qiaoqiao at once.
Qiaoqiao had been quite tough-talking just a moment ago, even saying she wanted to go find Ninth Master and have it out with him.
But now that Lu Beicheng was actually standing in front of her, she seemed to shrink several sizes. In his presence, she didn’t even dare lift her head, let alone raise her voice.
She said in a small voice, “She’s, she’s already had the anti-inflammatory shot. The second one still needs, needs about half a day. After that we’ll give the next one. As for the wound, it’s best not to move it for now.”
“Good. Go back and rest.” Lu Beicheng sat down in the chair by the bedside.
Qiaoqiao couldn’t help sneaking a glance at him.
Those two long, slender legs, folded into such a small, low chair — there was hardly anywhere to put them.
So long, so straight… really good to look at…
“Miss Qiao, something else?” Lu Beicheng’s brow creased faintly, clearly displeased at being stared at by a woman.
Qiaoqiao startled and snapped back to attention. “N-nothing! I’ll go, I’ll go right now!”
She darted off in a flash, forgetting to even say goodbye to Jiu’er.
Jiu’er let out a breath, somewhat helpless.
This girl really was timid.
Sure enough, that was Xiao Yingtao’s temperament through and through.
After Qiaoqiao left, Jiu’er flopped back down onto the pillow, unable to stop herself from yawning.
“Did you take the anti-inflammatory medicine?” Lu Beicheng asked.
Jiu’er nodded. “Qiaoqiao made me take it just now.”
“Then sleep for a while.” What Qiaoqiao had prescribed wasn’t only anti-inflammatory medicine — there was also something to help her sleep.
The main point was to let her sleep properly through the worst of the pain from the wound.
After all, the anesthesia was still in effect, so the pain nerves weren’t very sensitive yet, which was why she couldn’t feel just how much the wound hurt.
According to Qiaoqiao, in another two hours, once the anesthesia wore off completely, the pain would have her howling.
Of course, “howling” was Qiaoqiao’s standard. For Jiu’er, at most it would mean silently shedding a few tears from the pain.
She wasn’t that fragile.
She turned her head and couldn’t help glancing at Lu Feifan.
Lu Feifan said, expressionless, “Young Uncle’s leg has only just healed — it’s still not that convenient for him to move around. I’ll stay here tonight and protect the two of you.”
Zhen Jiu’er said nothing, only yawned again.
Sure enough, drowsiness soon overtook her, and her head grew hazy.
Lu Beicheng sat by the bedside the whole time, occasionally glancing at her, saying nothing.
The meaning was clear — tonight, he would stay here and protect her.
Jiu’er seemed to have something she wanted to say, but with her head so foggy now, the words reached her lips and then retreated.
Without quite realizing when, she suddenly reached out and grasped hold of Lu Beicheng’s finger.
Lu Beicheng’s heart jolted. He lowered his eyes to look at that small hand holding his finger, and a tangle of complicated feelings passed through his chest.
“Ninth… Imperial Uncle…”
He said nothing, only watched her thin lips part and close slightly, his heart slowly tightening.
“Be careful…”
After murmuring a few more words, Zhen Jiu’er fell completely asleep.
Soon, a faint snore rose from her nose.
It showed just how exhausted she’d been holding herself together until now.
She was finally sound asleep.
Lu Feifan watched her for a good while too, his gaze locked the whole time on the chain tied around her wrist.
A chain, with a tiny, tiny key as its pendant.
Without meaning to, he clenched his palm tight.
He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but once he was certain Zhen Jiu’er was truly deep in sleep, Lu Feifan finally spoke: “Ying’an City isn’t safe. Young Uncle, go back.”