Chapter 45: Scaredy-Cat

Shen Xiuzhu’s icy glare left Wen Lu trembling with fear.

Even so, she refused to back down.

She had always liked Song Jingyao.

And this accident had happened because he was demonstrating the technique for her.

If not for that…

She would have been the one riding the runaway horse.

Song Jingyao had suffered in her place.

The guilt weighed heavily on her.

“Brother Yao!”

“You’re hurt! Hurry, you need to see a doctor!”

Song Jingyao was still a little dazed.

He hadn’t fully recovered from everything that had just happened.

As for being injured…

He hadn’t even realized it himself.

Following Wen Lu’s gaze, he absentmindedly touched his face.

A faint metallic smell reached his nose.

Blood.

His fingertips came away damp.

When he looked down…

They were stained red.

Beside him stood Shen Xiuzhu.

Tall.

Expressionless.

The lingering brutality hadn’t completely faded from his eyes yet.

His overwhelming presence alone was enough to make people instinctively afraid.

Wen Lu was about to say something else.

Before she could—

Shen Xiuzhu stepped forward.

Blocking her line of sight.

He bent slightly.

One hand slipped behind Song Jingyao’s back.

The other hooked beneath his knees.

Then—

Without warning—

He lifted him into a bridal carry.

Holding him tightly against his chest with unmistakable possessiveness.

The sudden weightlessness startled Song Jingyao.

Instinctively, he grabbed Shen Xiuzhu’s shoulder to steady himself.

From a distance…

It almost looked as if he were hugging Shen Xiuzhu back.

“I’ll take him to the infirmary.”

Shen Xiuzhu’s voice was cold and low.

It carried an authority that left no room for argument.

Wen Lu froze.

She watched the two of them walk away, hesitating over whether she should follow.

Just then…

Shen Xiuzhu glanced back at her.

Only once.

Calmly.

Yet that single look rooted her to the spot.

It felt as though she’d been frozen solid.

For some reason…

Looking at the atmosphere between those two…

She suddenly felt that stepping in would only make her an unnecessary third wheel.

Meanwhile…

Song Jingyao was completely stunned.

One second, he had been wondering why there was blood on his face despite not feeling injured.

The next—

He had been swept into a pair of strong arms.

Pressed tightly against a cool chest.

Separated by nothing more than a layer of clothing.

Panic immediately set in.

His fingers unconsciously tightened around Shen Xiuzhu’s clothes before quickly loosening again.

When he spoke, he stammered badly.

“W-What are you doing?”

“Put me down.”

“I-I can walk by myself!”

Shen Xiuzhu lowered his eyes to look at him.

“Aren’t you unable to walk?”

The moment he spoke—

His breath brushed against Song Jingyao’s ear.

Song Jingyao’s face instantly turned crimson.

I’m not!

I can!

Don’t say things like that!

That sentence sounded far too easy to misunderstand.

As if they’d just…

Done something.

He had only been frightened earlier.

He would recover in another minute.

Why would he need to be carried?

It was mortifying.

Song Jingyao wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and bury himself forever.

Maybe Shen Xiuzhu genuinely meant well.

But this position was simply too intimate.

His face was burning so hot it could probably fry an egg.

He struggled, trying to jump down.

“I really can!”

“I can walk!”

The next instant—

Shen Xiuzhu’s gaze darkened.

His expression suddenly became irritable.

The arms holding Song Jingyao tightened noticeably.

Pulling him even closer.

The hand beneath his knees slid upward—

Then landed with a firm smack on his round backside.

Afterward, it calmly returned to support his legs again.

Holding him securely.

Song Jingyao trembled.

His whole body froze.

He forgot how to struggle.

Shen Xiuzhu’s hoarse voice sounded beside his ear.

“Don’t move.”

Song Jingyao immediately became as obedient as possible.

He wished he could shrink into a tiny little snail.

Quiet.

Well-behaved.

Completely still.

Lowering his head, Shen Xiuzhu could clearly see the half-hidden side of Song Jingyao’s face.

Fair.

Smooth.

Delicate.

His waist was slender.

His back slim.

The graceful curve of his body fit naturally against his arms.

And that familiar scent…

The one Shen Xiuzhu loved most…

Filled his senses.

His eyes grew darker.

Unreadable.

As for Song Jingyao…

Being carried through the stable in public made every second feel like torture.

He simply wanted this unbearably awkward situation to end as quickly as possible.

Just then, the person in charge of the riding club came rushing over.

Sweat poured down his forehead as he wiped it repeatedly.

The moment he saw Song Jingyao being carried…

His face changed dramatically.

“Young Master Song!”

“Did you injure your leg?!”

Song Jingyao became even more embarrassed.

He almost wanted to bury his face against Shen Xiuzhu’s chest and never show it again.

Unable to answer, he only made a few incoherent sounds.

Instead, Shen Xiuzhu spoke coldly.

“There’s something wrong with that horse.”

“Investigate it immediately.”

“Of course!”

“But Young Master Song’s injuries—”

“I’ll take him to the infirmary.”

His tone left no room for discussion.

The manager instinctively nodded.

Without daring to question him, he hurried off to deal with the horse.

At the infirmary…

The doctors, dressed in white coats, hurried over the moment they heard what had happened.

Song Jingyao desperately wanted to jump down and sit by himself.

He struggled again.

It didn’t work.

Shen Xiuzhu’s strength was simply too great.

Lowering his voice, Song Jingyao whispered,

“…Put me down.”

Only then did Shen Xiuzhu bend slightly and gently place him onto the examination bed.

As he did…

His fingertips accidentally brushed along Song Jingyao’s thigh.

The touch instantly reminded Song Jingyao of the earlier smack.

It hadn’t hurt much.

It had merely been a warning.

But…

The location made the gesture feel strangely meaningful.

The doctor knew nothing about the awkward atmosphere between them.

His attention was entirely on Song Jingyao’s injuries.

After carefully examining him from head to toe, he finally relaxed.

“You’re very lucky.”

“The horse went out of control, yet you’ve suffered almost no serious injuries.”

“Just a few bruises.”

“This mark on your arm…”

He looked toward Shen Xiuzhu.

“That happened while pulling him over, didn’t it?”

“That’s quite a grip.”

“An ordinary person couldn’t haul a grown man across like that.”

The doctor’s words immediately reminded Song Jingyao of the moment Shen Xiuzhu had dragged him off the runaway horse and into his arms.

His heartbeat instantly sped up.

Inside his head—

One tiny version of himself angrily poked another.

“Why are you beating so fast?”

“Don’t tell me you’re getting flustered just because someone performed a heroic rescue!”

“Stop beating!”

The smaller version hugged his head pitifully and hid in the corner.

“…If my heart stops beating…”

“…I’ll die.”

“…Besides…”

“…I’ve liked him for a long time already.”

Song Jingyao secretly glanced toward Shen Xiuzhu.

For the first time…

He truly understood why novels loved writing scenes where the hero saved the beauty.

In life-threatening situations…

Adrenaline surged.

A man risked everything to save someone.

How could that not look incredibly handsome?

If Song Jingyao didn’t already know Shen Xiuzhu was straight…

He might genuinely have believed…

That Shen Xiuzhu liked him.

After all…

He had risked his own life to save him.

Then again…

Shen Xiuzhu’s ruthless personality had always been directed only toward his enemies.

Once someone was accepted as one of his own…

He protected them fiercely.

With complete sincerity.

Waaah…

That’s so nice.

I’m jealous of the heroine.

The crush Song Jingyao had spent years suppressing suddenly resurfaced.

Loudly reminding him it had never disappeared.

He suddenly didn’t dare look Shen Xiuzhu in the eyes.

His conscience felt strangely guilty.

Just then, another doctor spoke with mild reproach.

“Don’t underestimate small injuries.”

“If they’re not treated properly, they can still become infected.”

The moment Song Jingyao heard the word injury—

He looked up.

Only then did he notice the deep cut across Shen Xiuzhu’s palm.

It had obviously been caused while forcefully pulling the reins to rescue him.

No wonder there had been blood on his own face.

He hadn’t been bleeding at all.

It had been Shen Xiuzhu’s blood.

When Song Jingyao had tried to turn around on horseback…

Shen Xiuzhu had forced his head back.

That must have been when the blood had rubbed onto him.

His hand was already injured.

Why had he still insisted on carrying him all the way here?

Song Jingyao immediately became angry.

Flames practically lit up inside his eyes.

Without thinking, he jumped off the examination bed.

Marching straight toward Shen Xiuzhu, he burst out,

“You’re injured too!”

“Why didn’t you listen to the doctor—”

“Ow!”

Before he could finish…

A sharp pain suddenly shot through his ankle.

He yelped.

Nearly collapsing face-first onto the floor.

Fortunately—

Shen Xiuzhu caught him immediately.

The doctor who had intended to help paused awkwardly.

He’d barely raised his hand before Shen Xiuzhu had already reacted faster than he could.

Silently withdrawing his hand, the doctor sighed.

“You sprained your ankle.”

“You didn’t even notice?”

Song Jingyao turned red.

“…You didn’t tell me.”

The doctor looked puzzled.

“Didn’t he carry you here because he was worried you’d fractured something?”

“I was just about to ice it and apply medicine.”

Song Jingyao:

“…”

He had absolutely no comeback.

Seeing Song Jingyao standing there, red-faced with embarrassment, Shen Xiuzhu couldn’t help smiling.

Supporting him beneath the arms like lifting a child…

He effortlessly placed him back onto the examination bed.

“Sit still.”

“Don’t move.”

He’d…

Actually been treated like a child.

Song Jingyao lowered his head again.

His face grew even redder.

While the doctor expertly iced his ankle…

Song Jingyao paid almost no attention to his own injuries.

His gaze remained fixed on Shen Xiuzhu.

After all…

That hand had been injured because of him.

Another doctor was carefully disinfecting and bandaging Shen Xiuzhu’s palm.

The wound looked painful.

Yet Shen Xiuzhu didn’t even frown.

It was as though the injury belonged to someone else.

Instead…

He turned to look at Song Jingyao.

Naturally…

Their eyes met.

Song Jingyao froze.

Feeling uncomfortable under that gaze, he tried to sound fierce.

“You were injured.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Even if I’d sprained my ankle, I could’ve walked here myself.”

“It’s not like it was broken.”

“I just needed someone to help me.”

Shen Xiuzhu saw the worry he couldn’t hide.

The concern in Song Jingyao’s eyes.

His smile deepened.

“I didn’t know you’d sprained your ankle either.”

Song Jingyao misunderstood immediately.

He thought Shen Xiuzhu meant…

He’d believed Song Jingyao might have broken a bone.

That was why he’d carried him.

His heart softened completely.

He’s such a good person.

In reality…

That wasn’t Shen Xiuzhu’s reason at all.

He simply hadn’t wanted to let Song Jingyao go.

If possible…

He wanted to keep holding him forever.

Never letting him leave his sight.

Only by physically embracing him…

Breathing in his familiar scent…

Could the violent turmoil inside him calm down, even a little.

Otherwise…

He feared he would lose control.

Transform into a giant serpent.

Wrap Song Jingyao tightly in his coils…

And swallow him whole.

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