Yu Li stood outside the door, gazing at the night sky beyond the courtyard.
A crescent moon hung on the horizon, smudging the night sky with its light. Under the moonlight, Qingshi Village appeared tranquil and serene. In the distance, faint glimmers of firelight could be seen from some households, accompanied by the occasional sound of dogs barking.
The courtyard was alive with the chirping of insects, composing a melodious tune unique to summer nights.
In an unpolluted world, even the moonlight seemed so pure and bright. As its glow spread across the earth, the world was bathed in a tranquil stillness akin to water.
Everything in the courtyard was clearly visible under the moonlight.
On such a moonlit night, people seemed especially small. Though there was solitude, it brought an inexplicable sense of comfort.
Yu Li gazed intently at this serene scene of the moonlit night, reluctant to blink.
She truly loved this world—one without pollution, without foreign invaders, and without endless slaughter and death. A world where there was no need to fight constantly or to be prepared for death at any moment.
Suddenly, a clatter came from inside the house, as if something had fallen to the floor.
Yu Li turned her head to look at the closed door behind her. After a moment’s thought, she pushed it open and went inside.
As she entered, she saw the man by the bed, his body slightly hunched, exposing a thin, bony back. His fists were clenched tightly, as though enduring something, his posture somewhat disheveled.
Yu Li felt that her decision to come in was the right one. She immediately walked over and scooped him up, placing him back onto the bed.
Fu Wenxiao: “…”
Fu Wenxiao seemed utterly stunned, sitting there in a daze for quite a while without reacting.
He sat stiffly, unusually losing his usual calm demeanor. His face bore a slightly blank expression.
After setting him down, Yu Li noticed a tipped-over water basin on the floor.
The water inside had spilled everywhere, leaving the floor wet. She bent down to pick it up. As for the puddle on the ground, the weather was hot enough that it would dry quickly, so there was no need to clean it thoroughly.
After tidying up the mess in the room, Yu Li looked at the man on the bed.
He still appeared very uncomfortable, his face pale as a sheet, fine beads of sweat dotting his forehead. His lips were tightly pressed together, and though he made no sound, it was clear at a glance that his condition was far from good.
Yu Li hesitated and asked, “Where are you feeling unwell?”
Fu Wenxiao didn’t reply.
Yu Li stared at him without taking further action, as if waiting for an answer. Her behavior seemed wooden and far from what would be expected of a competent wife.
After a long pause, Fu Wenxiao finally said, “I’m fine.”
His voice was hoarse, carrying a hint of weakness. His expression had already been reined in, restrained and calm. Though he leaned there weakly, he exuded an air of serene indifference.
It seemed as if no pain or hardship could ever break him.
The door was ajar, and moonlight streamed in through the entrance. Under the lamplight, the man possessed a pale, cold beauty that seemed almost otherworldly.
It was a stark contradiction.
Unfortunately, Yu Li wasn’t someone who appreciated physical beauty. Seeing such an extraordinarily handsome man, her only thought was whether he might be dying.
Noticing that his clothes were soaked with sweat, Yu Li fetched another basin of water.
This time, she didn’t leave. Instead, she wrung out a clean towel and used it to clean his face, wiping away the cold sweat.
After finishing with his face, as she reached out to pull off his damp clothes, Fu Wenxiao’s fingers twitched but lacked the strength to stop her.
The earlier attack had drained all the energy from his body, leaving him temporarily unable to recover.
“You…”
Yu Li had already pulled his clothes halfway off, exposing one side of his chest. Hearing him speak, she turned to look at his face.
A flush of red appeared on Fu Wenxiao’s pale face, adding a touch of color and an almost breathtaking beauty to his features.
She patiently waited for a moment, but when he said nothing further, Yu Li took the initiative to ask, “What do you want to say?”
She couldn’t quite understand the expression on his face. Was there some issue? She was merely puzzled by why his face suddenly turned a bit red—was he feeling unwell somewhere?
His breathing was heavier than it had been when he was unconscious, making him look even more uncomfortable.
The flush on Fu Wenxiao’s face deepened, as though something was stuck in his throat.
Her straightforward gaze made him feel an indescribable sense of unease.
The young woman before him acted with a candid impulsiveness, a kind of straightforward innocence. With his sharp observational skills, he could naturally discern that all her actions stemmed from genuine intent rather than any deliberate motives.
She simply believed it was the right thing to do and did it—no ulterior motives, no intent to trouble him.
For a moment, the room became very quiet.
Fu Wenxiao didn’t speak, and Yu Li didn’t move either, patiently waiting for him to say something. If his clothes hadn’t been halfway removed, the scene might have appeared normal.
Finally, Fu Wenxiao chose to speak first. He said, “Wait, I… I’ll do it myself.”
Yu Li asked bluntly, “Can you?”
Earlier, he had insisted on doing it himself, only to knock over the water basin and nearly fall to the floor. Now, he still didn’t look like he’d recovered.
Yu Li didn’t know what was wrong with his body, only that he appeared extremely weak, as if he might stop breathing at any moment. Even though he was awake now, he wasn’t much better off.
She wanted to stay at the Fu family’s house and enjoy her meals there, so of course, she had to show some diligence. Taking care of a sick person was only right.
It was the first time Fu Wenxiao had been questioned by a girl about whether he was capable or not. He found it absurd, yet also inexplicably amusing. A mix of emotions swirled in his heart, leaving him no choice but to smile helplessly.
He tried to move his fingers but found his body too weak to handle anything. His damp clothes clung to his skin, unbearably uncomfortable.
He sighed and finally conceded, “Then… I’ll trouble you.”
After speaking, he lightly closed his eyes, concealing the emotions within them.
Yu Li, however, didn’t overthink it. She not only cleaned his body thoroughly but also helped him change into a fresh set of clothes so he could lie down comfortably and sleep.
Throughout the process, she kept her eyes where they should be, appearing very proper.
Fu Wenxiao quietly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that this experience after waking from his fainting spell far exceeded his expectations. Not only did he suddenly gain a wife, but this wife also turned out to be an unusual girl…
After taking care of Fu Wenxiao, Yu Li tidied up the room and was finally able to rest.
There was only one bed in the room. She had no desire to sleep on the floor, so she climbed into the bed, sharing the same bed and pillow with her newlywed “husband.”
Although Fu Wenxiao had woken up, Zhou Shi had no intention of letting the two sleep separately.
In Zhou Shi’s mind, she was convinced that Yu Li was Fu Wenxiao’s lucky star, someone who could turn his misfortunes into blessings. She couldn’t wait for the two to grow closer so that Fu Wenxiao could absorb more of her good fortune.
Thus, any talk of separate rooms or beds was entirely out of the question.
Since Zhou Shi didn’t bring it up, Yu Li didn’t even consider it. To her, she was just temporarily staying in the Fu household as a servant. Where she slept didn’t matter, and sleeping here made it easier to care for the patient.
And so, the two continued to share the same bed.
—
Fu Wenxiao, still not fully recovered from his illness, was weak and listless. Although he vaguely sensed someone lying beside him, he lacked the energy to care and quickly drifted into a muddled sleep.
In the middle of the night, a sense of danger jolted him awake.
When he opened his eyes, he felt a pair of soft, warm hands on his neck. The contrast with his cold body temperature made the warmth particularly tempting, almost instinctively comforting.
Before he could react with vigilance, the hands had already withdrawn.
In the darkness, Fu Wenxiao slowly opened his eyes.
Though his body was still weak, his years of experience made him highly sensitive to danger. He was certain the threat he had sensed earlier wasn’t a figment of his imagination.
There were only two people in the room—himself and his new bride brought in to dispel bad luck. The source of the danger had to be…
Before he could think further, a muffled voice broke the silence.
“You’re awake? Do you… do you want some water?”
Fu Wenxiao turned his head and vaguely saw a silhouette beside him, realizing she must have gotten up. He responded with a faint murmur.
Yu Li got out of bed, fumbled to light the oil lamp, and poured a cup of water for him.
She helped Fu Wenxiao sit up and personally fed him the water.
Having gained some practice from feeding him medicine during the day, this time, she didn’t shove the cup at him as if she were forcing a cow to graze. Her actions looked much more proper.
After waking, Fu Wenxiao’s gaze followed her every move, his dark eyes revealing no discernible emotion.
When Yu Li met his gaze, she suddenly felt a bit guilty.
Her eyes darted about as she asked, “Anything else?”
She was nervous inside. Could it be that he had noticed her earlier actions?
She hadn’t done it on purpose. People tend to act on instinct while asleep. The past two nights, he had been unconscious, so even if she hadn’t restrained herself in her sleep and reached out to grab his neck, he wouldn’t have known.
Who could have guessed he’d wake up tonight…
But she always reminded herself that he was a fragile man and never really used force on him. She let go quickly every time.
At most, she had only touched his neck. That shouldn’t… really count for anything, right?
Thinking this, Yu Li felt even guiltier.
Her expression was so easy to read that Fu Wenxiao couldn’t ignore it even if he tried.
After a moment of silence, he said, “It’s nothing. Go to sleep.”
Yu Li’s eyes lit up. Seeing that he wasn’t pursuing the matter, she breathed a sigh of relief, then happily extinguished the oil lamp and climbed back into bed to sleep.
She felt that this man named Fu Wenxiao was truly a good person. He must have realized her actions while she was asleep, and he had even been startled awake because of it. Yet he said nothing, nor did he drive her out to sleep in the courtyard—how could he not be a good person?
Good people deserved long lives, and she would do her best to take care of him so that he wouldn’t stop breathing so easily.
With this cheerful thought, Yu Li once again drifted off to sleep.
The rest of the night passed uneventfully, and when she woke, the sky was faintly lit.
Sitting up, Yu Li felt a bit groggy and took a moment to clear her head.
Though several days had passed, her body still didn’t feel quite right.
Yu Li had never been sick before. Genetic warriors didn’t get sick; they only sustained injuries. So, she didn’t really understand what was going on with her current body or whether she was truly ill, having no prior experience dealing with such things.
Since it wasn’t affecting her much, Yu Li chose to endure it.
With a new day ahead, the thought of breakfast made her excited, lifting her spirits. Even the discomfort in her body seemed more tolerable.
After getting dressed, Yu Li turned to look at the man still sleeping in the bed. Seeing that he was still out cold, she opened the door and went outside.
After she left, Fu Wenxiao opened his eyes. His pale face was slightly flushed, and his gaze carried a mix of awkwardness and restrained frustration.
He hadn’t expected that upon waking, the first thing he would see was her changing clothes.
It hadn’t been intentional. Even though he closed his eyes in time, his exceptional eyesight still caught a glimpse of… something. Although her figure was so thin it seemed to lack much shape, she was still a young woman. This was undoubtedly an extremely improper act on his part…