TRWSB – Chapter 184 Applying Medicine

Qi Heng found a flat piece of land and set up a defensive perimeter.

Then, he took out a mobile courtyard and placed it on the ground, entering it to rest.

Zuo Yunfei sat to the side, coldly observing Qi Heng’s actions.

Not long after Qi Heng entered the small house, Zuo Yunfei stood up, opened the door to Qi Heng’s room, and walked in.

After the two “hid away” in the mobile courtyard, only Tang Tianying, Jiang He, Jiang Qinxin, and the Jin Kingdom prince were left outside.

Tang Tianying and the other three looked at each other, full of awkwardness.

“Your Highness, what’s the relationship between your guard and Young Master Zuo?” the Jin Kingdom prince, Li Ying, couldn’t help but ask.

“That… I don’t know either,” Tang Tianying replied.

Suspicion flickered across Li Ying’s face. Tang Tianying rolled his eyes helplessly, thinking: He really didn’t know, not pretending not to know!

“Looks like the relationship between Young Master Zuo and your guard isn’t simple,” Li Ying said.

Tang Tianying nodded, “Yeah, from what I see, there’s definitely something fishy going on between them.”

Li Ying: “……”

Seeing Li Ying’s contorted expression, Tang Tianying thought: What’s he staring at me for? I didn’t say anything wrong! Zuo Yunfei’s attitude toward Qi Heng is seriously weird.

Inside the courtyard:

“What are you doing in here? Get out,” Qi Heng said coldly to Zuo Yunfei.

But the warning had no effect on Zuo Yunfei.

“Don’t be so distant. We’ve known each other for so long—shouldn’t we be closer than the average person?” Zuo Yunfei sat at the edge of Qi Heng’s bed, smiling brightly.

To treat his wound, Qi Heng had pulled down most of his upper garment, exposing his shoulders to Zuo Yunfei’s view, making him very uncomfortable.

“Shut up,” Qi Heng said unhappily.

Zuo Yunfei tilted his head and looked at Qi Heng. “Are you shy? Back when you pulled down my pants, you didn’t seem shy at all. What’s with the modesty now? That’s not like you.”

Qi Heng stared at him with dark, heavy eyes. “What exactly do you want?”

“Why so tense? Afraid I’ll kill you? I thought you weren’t afraid of death.”

Qi Heng kept his gaze locked on Zuo Yunfei. Zuo Yunfei smiled. “You’re hurt. Let me apply some medicine for you.”

“No need.”

Zuo Yunfei tore more of Qi Heng’s shirt. Qi Heng, full of anger, shouted, “What are you doing? My wounds are on my shoulders!”

“Well, since half is already off, might as well take it all off. Half-covered like this is even more tempting,” Zuo Yunfei replied.

Qi Heng ground his teeth. “What kind of garbage fills your brain?”

“I’m just a vulgar man. My head’s full of trash. Unlike you, Young Master Heng—so enlightened, so above it all. Speaking of which, back when you stripped me, you were calm as anything. But now that I’m just helping you undress, you’re freaking out. Things feel different depending on whether they’re happening to you or to others, don’t you think?” Zuo Yunfei whispered near Qi Heng’s ear.

The warm breath on his ear made Qi Heng turn his head and take a deep breath.

Zuo Yunfei found Qi Heng’s stubborn expression oddly electrifying.

Looking at the three deep gashes on Qi Heng’s shoulders, Zuo Yunfei’s pupils contracted slightly.

“Done staring? If so, get out,” Qi Heng said angrily and in embarrassment.

The feeling of being under someone else’s control made him deeply uncomfortable.

Zuo Yunfei looked at his chest and whistled. “After all these years, you’re still as scrawny as ever. Like some sheltered noble lady.”

Qi Heng turned away. “Zuo Yunfei, you’ve gotten more neurotic over the years.”

Zuo Yunfei chuckled and reached out to touch Qi Heng’s face. “Still the same hothead you used to be.”

Qi Heng took a deep breath, staring at Zuo Yunfei. He was now the one at someone else’s mercy—Zuo Yunfei wasn’t that pitiful guy he used to be.

Zuo Yunfei asked, “Why so quiet?”

“When the odds are against you, what’s the point of talking?”

Zuo Yunfei sneered, “You like this weak, helpless look now? Not used to it. I remember the old you—arrogant, headstrong, heartless and cold. Back then, I wanted to cut out your heart just to see what color it was.”

“Zuo Yunfei, you’d better kill me quickly. Otherwise, when I rise again, you’ll end up where you were before,” Qi Heng snapped.

Zuo Yunfei’s face darkened, hate swirling in his eyes. “Kill you? How could I kill you? You’re my savior. I’ve always wondered how to repay that debt… Ah, you’re injured. Perfect. I’ve got medicine. Let me help you.”

Qi Heng kicked him. “Get lost.”

Zuo Yunfei caught his leg and held it down. “Don’t get so riled up. I’m just being kind. The medicine works well, though it stings a bit. But it’s for your own good—you’ll just have to bear with it!”

Zuo Yunfei dipped his fingers into the ointment and pressed down hard on Qi Heng’s wound. Qi Heng grunted, his face turning pale.

“Your face looks terrible. Afraid of pain? Still the same as before, huh?”

“I’ve only treated one side. Can’t be biased, right?” Zuo Yunfei smiled.

Qi Heng lifted his head and bit Zuo Yunfei’s arm, leaving two deep rows of teeth marks.

Zuo Yunfei pried his mouth open and pinned him to the bed.

Then, with ointment-covered hands, he pressed on Qi Heng’s other shoulder.

Qi Heng gasped sharply. The treated wounds felt like thousands of ants gnawing at them. Cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead. The pain was excruciating, but with Zuo Yunfei watching, he swallowed back every scream.

“Does it hurt?”

Qi Heng turned his head. “Are you done yet?”

Zuo Yunfei leaned close to his ear and said softly, “Do you remember how you used to torment me?”

Qi Heng closed his eyes. “What do you want now?”

“What do you think?”

“You want to repeat everything I did to you… on me?” Qi Heng asked weakly. The intense pain had drained him, and his face was full of exhaustion.

“What do you think? Back then, you tried all kinds of experiments on me. How many rounds do you think you can endure?” Zuo Yunfei said darkly.

Qi Heng stared at him. “I’m not even poisoned.”

“You don’t have to be. We can still condition your body. Thanks to you, after the poison was cured, my aptitude improved, and my strength quickly recovered to what it was before the poisoning. Since then, I’ve only grown stronger. Maybe you should try it too—you might get stronger.” Zuo Yunfei joked.

“No need. I’m just fine the way I am,” Qi Heng said through gritted teeth.

Zuo Yunfei pressed again on the wound, pleased. “See? The ointment’s working—the wounds are already healing.”

Zuo Yunfei’s hand pressed against Qi Heng’s wound, and Qi Heng once again felt a searing pain. “Let go.”

Zuo Yunfei looked at Qi Heng and sneered. “So, you do feel pain? I thought someone like you—cold-faced, cold-hearted, cold-blooded—was immune to pain.”

Qi Heng stared at Zuo Yunfei and said, “If you’re that angry, just stab me already. No need to keep speaking in that sarcastic tone.”

A strong hatred flashed in Zuo Yunfei’s eyes. “You really have no fear of death, huh? Too bad for you—I don’t want to kill you. You were the one who told me that death isn’t a big deal. It’s living that’s truly terrifying.”

“That’s enough, Zuo Yunfei. Back then, you could have taken your own life. If you didn’t want to endure it, why didn’t you smash your head against a wall? You were afraid to die—that’s not my fault,” Qi Heng said recklessly, ready to throw everything aside.

Zuo Yunfei pinned Qi Heng down and said, “Even now, you still won’t back down. Is it so hard to just say ‘I’m sorry’ to me?”

“I, Qi Heng, never regret anything I’ve done. You want an apology? Dream on! Zuo Yunfei, maybe you’ve fallen for me, huh? That’s why you can’t bear to kill me. You damn pervert…” Qi Heng snapped.

Zuo Yunfei clamped a hand over Qi Heng’s mouth. “Every time you open your mouth, it’s nothing good. That said, you’ve kept in pretty good shape all these years… your skin’s still smooth…” His hand trailed down Qi Heng’s waistline, slipping into his private area.

Qi Heng broke free from Zuo Yunfei’s grip and slapped him hard across the face. “Are you out of your damn mind?!”

“If I am, it’s your fault!” Zuo Yunfei growled, face twisted with rage.

Qi Heng glared at him. “You’re seriously sick in the head! I wasn’t the one who poisoned you. Why do you blame everything on me?!”

Zuo Yunfei replied, “It’s all your fault…”

Tang Tianying had waited a long while before finally seeing Zuo Yunfei come out.

The moment he did, Tang Tianying quickly entered Qi Heng’s courtyard.

“Your Highness!” Qi Heng let out a sigh of relief upon seeing Tang Tianying and called out to him calmly.

Hearing Qi Heng’s voice, Tang Tianying quietly breathed a sigh of relief. “Are you alright?”

Qi Heng nodded. “I’m fine.”

“That’s good. I was really worried earlier that Young Master Zuo might…”

“He won’t kill me. He couldn’t bear to let me die so easily,” Qi Heng said slowly.

Tang Tianying looked at Qi Heng and said, “Young Master Heng, I think you may have misunderstood Young Master Zuo. He seems to genuinely care about you.”

“You’re trying to say Zuo Yunfei likes me, aren’t you?”

Tang Tianying perked up. “So you’ve noticed it too?”

Qi Heng gave a cold laugh. “Nonsense. He just hates me, that’s all.”

Tang Tianying fell silent. If it were only hatred, then why had Zuo Yunfei saved Qi Heng from the golden bird?

He took a deep breath, unable to help but reflect on how unpredictable life could be.

“I wonder how the Young Master is doing,” Qi Heng said.

“Qi Shaorong is with Zhuang Hao—he’ll definitely be fine. But you, Young Master Heng, must take care of yourself,” Tang Tianying added to himself: If something happens to Qi Heng, Qi Shaorong will never let me off.