TRT -Chapter 48 Going to Bed and Sleeping

I was completely stunned by the deafeningly shocking confession from the white-haired guy. My left hand, as if it had a mind of its own, reached toward his outstretched hand… only my mouth continued to protest:

I… I already promised to stay with Luo Cheng and Big Fox… I’ll have you know, my greatest skill is breaking promises…

My left hand was grabbed forcefully, my body lifted lightly, and the next second I was tightly held in the white-haired guy’s arms!

And I’ll have you know, my greatest skill is dealing with people like you who break promises!

He whispered this threateningly into my ear, yet his warm embrace completely contradicted his words.

I nestled into his arms, this time without struggling. After performing a high-difficulty move like hanging off a cliff with one arm, even with my Taekwondo foundation, my body was completely drained, muscles trembling all over, and soaked to the bone by the pouring rain. His embrace now felt like a mobile heater, irresistibly comforting.

All three of us were drenched, looking like drowned rats. Luo Cheng, in a white robe, rolled and floundered in the mud, looking pitiful. His smooth black hair, now wet and clinging to his face, softened his features. Combined with the hurt expression in his eyes, he looked… a little pathetic… a little desolate…

I glanced at the white-haired guy. Clad in black, he already looked wild, but the rain and mud made him even more untamed and masculine! As for myself… I was covered in mud and blood—probably a lost cause appearance-wise…

“Minnie…” Luo Cheng called softly from the rain, his ink-black eyes piercing straight through the curtain of water, staring at me. “Do you only approach me because you want to use me?”

“…Isn’t that so?” I replied wearily, eyelids heavy…

Luo Cheng didn’t reply, just stood there, head bowed, fists clenched tightly, letting the rain pour down on him…

The white-haired guy carried me back to the inn. The room we had just stayed in had been mostly torn apart. The floor was a mess of debris and blood, mixed with rain and filth—disgusting. The woman Wuti was gone as well, but I didn’t bother asking whether she had been killed or fled. At this moment, exhaustion washed over me like a tide, and all I wanted was a hot shower and to collapse into a soft bed.

As if by telepathy, the white-haired guy kicked open another upstairs room and instructed the waiter to prepare a large tub of hot water. Then, carefully, he began helping me undress. The fibers of my clothes had stuck to my wounds and scabs; even the slightest tug sent sharp pains across my body. After struggling for a while, he lost what little patience he had. Following the principle of “better a quick intense pain than prolonged suffering,” he stripped off my clothes in a few swift moves!

That was it—I wasn’t going to let him! I grabbed a nearby curtain to cover myself and kicked at him with my legs:

“You pervert! Get out! I’ll wash myself!”

The white-haired guy caught my ankle mid-air, impatiently: “Stop messing around! Look at you! How are you going to wash yourself with all those injuries? Who’s going to apply your medicine?”

“I’ll do it myself! None of your business!”

“Can you reach?”

“Of course! I do yoga!”

“I don’t care what you practice, how can you move like that with your hands?”

“I can use my mouth!”

“Nonsense!”

With a swift motion, he scooped me up along with the curtain and dumped me into the tub!

The sudden hot water on all my wounds sent a shock of pain through my body. My strength drained instantly, vision blurred, knees buckled—I collapsed on the edge of the tub, immobile… He was so rough! Sob…

He splashed small amounts of water over my shoulders and neck. Seeing me curl up from the ticklish sensation, he grinned triumphantly: “Now be good, huh?” Then, with a mischievous gleam, he continued tending me, despite me being a severely injured person. Damn him! I vowed to settle this debt later! I bit the edge of the tub in frustration… The white-haired guy sneezed lightly, almost like a cute little kitten, as if sensing my dark mood.

Honestly, he was fairly proper—he touched only what was necessary, never what shouldn’t be touched. His hands were gentle and practiced, probably used to dealing with injuries. I couldn’t help but wonder what his life had been like before.

After the bath, he wanted to apply medicine, but I refused—no way! With water still in the tub, if he touched me now, he’d see everything…

“I’ll do it myself!” I clutched the large towel tightly.

“No!” he said with unmistakable authority.

“Call one of the inn’s women then! Waiter!”

The waiter arrived, lifting a foot to enter.

“Get out!” The white-haired guy glared, stopping the waiter in his tracks.

I popped my head out from his shadow: “Don’t go! Come back—please call a woman for me!”

“I… I…” The waiter trembled under the white-haired guy’s gaze, stammering, “Sir… I’m sorry… there are no women in this inn…” And without waiting for me to object, he fled.

Impossible… no women… my pleading hands froze mid-air…

The white-haired guy, clearly proud, pulled out ointment and bandages…

Finally, by the time he finished, dawn was breaking. Exhausted, I crawled onto the bed. When he returned, freshly washed, I had already fallen into a deep sleep. He mercilessly lifted me and sat me beside the dining table.

“Eat.”

Huff…

“I’ll feed you. Wake up! No sleeping!”

“I’m too tired… I don’t want to eat… huff…”

“Stop whining! Open wide! Or I’ll feed you myself!”

Instantly, I became alert!

To finish this meal—neither a proper late-night snack nor breakfast—quickly, I ate whatever he picked. He seemed delighted seeing me obediently eat everything off his chopsticks, completely absorbed in the joy of this mothering task… muttering, “No wonder women love raising kids… it is quite interesting…”

…Burying my head, I ate diligently.

After enduring so much, I finally climbed into bed. The white-haired guy, with a look of entitlement, followed me onto the bed!

“What are you doing?”

“Sleeping.”

“This is my bed!” I raised my voice.

“It’s mine,” he said calmly.

“Ah?! Then what about mine?”

“It collapsed.” He pointed to the wreckage across the room.

“No matter! I’m the patient here; I insist on sleeping in the bed!” Clutching my pillow, I defended my territory fiercely.

“Fine. I’m magnanimous enough to squeeze in with you.” He said this while shoving over, adding, “If you don’t want to, you can sleep on the stool; the guest rooms are full.”

“You—!”

He snatched the pillow from my hands and sprawled across the bed, taking up most of it. I was cornered against the wall, with only a tiny space, unable to move.

Seeing his peaceful sleeping face, I was furious! Fine, sleep on the stool! I risked it all, trying to climb over him, but hit my knee wound halfway, wincing in pain—and ended up pressing against him! He pulled me into his arms, rolling to hold me tightly, even pressing his legs over me. The pain made my face twitch! He loosened slightly when he heard my small cries. I wriggled out, but dared not try climbing over him again. I curled up against the wall, back to him, pitiful and vigilant.

After a moment, his arm draped over my waist.

Another moment, and his whole body pressed against me, warm chest against my back.

A while later, he had perfectly adjusted into a gentle hugging position, even covering me with the blanket.

My head rested on his chest. His calm breath brushed my hair. His fingers gently held mine, wrapping around my many injuries. His steady, strong heartbeat seemed born to reassure me, and soon I drifted into the dry, warm, comfortable embrace, almost asleep. He did nothing else—just avoided my wounds and hugged me gently. The scent of his manly, fresh sweat was simple, pure, and innocent, like sunlight on the grasslands… In that instant, I vaguely remembered a line I had once read on Jinjiang:

When a man sleeps with a woman, it might be for sex. But if he is willing to just sleep beside her, it is absolutely out of love.