Chapter 78 Ointment: “We agreed neither would fall in love.”

Chapter 78 Applying Medicine: "We agreed that neither of us would fall in love."

Tian Qin, having rarely left the house for a long time, had limited stamina. Once she sat down on the rattan chair, she didn't want to move again. The overworked calves inside her boots were faintly sore and swollen, certain to worsen considerably by tomorrow.

Xie Tanwei noticed and said with leisurely amusement, "I'll massage it for you when we get back."

"How dare I accept such favor?" Tian Qin grumbled inwardly, but her words came out much milder: "No need to trouble you, Brother-in-law."

Xie Tanwei's demeanor was utterly unhurried, a meaningless smile playing at the corners of his lips, finer than the breeze, his radiant presence subtly infectious like sunlight. Tian Qin fidgeted, feeling ill at ease, and was about to ask when Xian Qiu would arrive when a noble lady with a slender waist approached to strike up a conversation.

"Lord Xie..."

The noble lady blushed, holding a plate of iced yangmei—a fine product from southern China, each one glazed with frost.

She introduced herself as being of the Gao family, presenting fruits shipped by her household as an offering to Xie Tanwei.

Xie Tanwei remained unmoved, glanced at Tian Qin, and said casually, "Would Tian'er like some?"

Though quite thirsty, Tian Qin timely shook her head.

"Thank you, but no need." Xie Tanwei was flawlessly diplomatic, seeming utterly detached, rebuffing her from a thousand miles away.

The noble lady's eyes instantly reddened. She froze, then departed listlessly, wiping away two tears in secret.

Tian Qin gathered her long hair, wildly tousled by the sea breeze, and couldn't help but sneer, "Indeed, Brother-in-law's charm is extraordinary. Even as a married man, you still attract endless admirers. If sister were here, she'd surely be jealous."

Xie Tanwei looked at her as if nothing was wrong, remarking that Xian Qiu would be jealous, yet she herself was not—instead, she had the leisure to mock him. A nameless displeasure rose within him, and he coldly pinched her cheek, using a tone that bordered on threatening: "What about you, little sister? Not jealous?"

Tian Qin felt a surge of emotion as soon as the words left her mouth and immediately regretted them. But it was too late to apologize. Xie Tanwei's long fingers—so pale, soft, and seemingly longer than others—had already acted. His thumb and ring finger immobilized her jaw, while his longest index and middle fingers slid into her mouth, hooking her tongue. With a light pull, they threatened to tear out her slender little tongue.

Tian Qin gagged, but her jaw was locked tight. She forced down the churning in her stomach, enduring his cruel punishment. For just one careless remark, he exacted tenfold retribution.

"Mm..."

She frantically patted the back of his hand in surrender, cold tears spilling from the corners of her eyes. Xie Tanwei carried out this sharp and venomous act to the end—a meticulously crafted yet subtle torture that, from a distance, looked like a brother-in-law tenderly wiping yangmei stains from his little sister's mouth.

After a long, long time, she was finally released.

Tian Qin bent over, retching uncontrollably, utterly dejected, her tongue feeling phantom pain as if it had been torn from its root.

Xie Tanwei wiped the silvery strands of saliva from his fingers, unhurriedly, his gaze drifting coldly. "Remember that."

She should be jealous when it was warranted, and she should also be jealous when it was not.

He could blame her for overstepping, but she could not be indifferent to him.

The status of a concubine, the position of a wife, love, a lifelong monogamous union—all these things that other women yearned for from their husbands—she had to strive for them all.

She had to keep him at the core of her heart. She had to fight for him against anyone, Xian Qiu included.

Tian Qin was utterly dejected, disheveled and worn, as she covered her mouth and returned to her quarters in the mountain villa.

Zhao Lu and Wan Cui had all witnessed her riding in style—the master himself had taught her, and she hit the ball every time in the polo game. They had expected her to be in high spirits, but instead, she seemed moldy with gloom, frantically rinsing her mouth.

"Miss..."

Nanny Chen felt pity. What had the master done to her again?

Tian Qin washed until the lower half of her face was red, letting the water drip down. She closed her eyes heavily, raised her hand, and gave herself a not-so-light slap. Fool. To be in league with a wolf?

Her entire body ached—the aftermath of riding. Tian Qin was deeply troubled in her heart and lay down on the couch to rest.

Outside, rain began to fall. A torrential sound like a wooden mallet pounding a wooden fish, mingled with the roar of the distant sea, louder than in the capital. The seaside weather was fickle—clear and cloudless during the day, then a sudden downpour at night.

After sleeping her fill, Tian Qin stood by the window watching the rain. The translucent raindrops dimmed the twilight, staining the window lattice. A gust of cold wind swept in—the seaside wind was wilder than on land.

Nanny Chen and the others hurried to close the windows and doors, afraid that the rain would dampen the young lady's precious celestial silk garments.

The sky was sullen, like a crumpled sheet of dark blue paper. Tian Qin gazed at the distant ink-green meadows that were vanishing into the darkness.

She stood on tiptoe, straining to catch a glimpse of the sea. She had never seen the sea before.

But it was as if black ink had been spilled, blending sea and sky into one—the horizon was completely indiscernible.

Her calves throbbed with a dull ache. Tian Qin lifted the hem of her skirt and was startled to see a large bruise on the lower left leg.

Zhao Lu saw it and was about to ask, when at that moment, a knock came from the rain-soaked corridor outside the door—the Lord had arrived.

Wan Cui and Nanny Chen's hearts tightened. They felt their hearts tighten as they hurriedly opened the door, not daring to speak, bowing their heads and holding their breath as they paid their respects.

Xie Tanwei's dark, inky hair was beaded with rainwater like green glass—delicate and cold. He folded his oilpaper umbrella, the misty mountains shrouded in clouds, appearing as if he had stepped out of an ink painting, brightening the dim little room.

Tian Qin was surprised, but not entirely so. She said, "Brother-in-law braved the rain to come after all."

"I said I'd massage your legs tonight."

Xie Tanwei still remembered that trivial joke. He casually handed his damp cloak to Nanny Chen and the others, washed his hands, wiped the rain from his cheeks, and sat down beside her. A faint, rainy light lingered in his eyes behind lowered lids. He opened the medicine case on his own.

Coming so late meant he intended to stay overnight. Tian Qin bit her lip, made no further struggle, and said softly, "No need."

"Lift your skirt."

Xie Tanwei's eyes fell on the huge bruise on her left leg at once, his expression darkening. "How did this happen?"

"I have no idea. I woke up to watch the rain and felt pain in my knee."

He fixed his gaze on it for a moment, skilled in medicine, and already knew the injury was no accident. "Tell me the truth. Now."

His entire person was shrouded in frost and chill, his brow cold and severe.

Tian Qin still dreaded the pain of his fingers exploring her throat, so she dared not lie. Stammering, she said, "The noble lady surnamed Gao who brought the yangmei during the day—someone from her family hit me with the polo ball during the game. The ball came too fast. They came running to apologize, and I don't know if it was intentional."

Xie Tanwei's dark brows furrowed slightly. He pressed on the bruise, causing Tian Qin to cry out in pain.

He himself often punished her by making her kneel, but for outsiders to harm her—that was not allowed.

"When did little sister become so merciful? How did I teach you? Whether intentional or not, the injury is real."

He paused, then sneered coldly: "In my mountain villa, to lay hands on my person."

His demeanor remained calm, but a chill radiated from him, and his eyes were terrifyingly dark.

Tian Qin shuddered in terror, goosebumps prickling all over her skin. Even though he was defending her, she couldn't help but feel an urge to flee.

Xie Tanwei skillfully took out a silver needle and heated it over the flame, then inserted it into the congested area on her leg.

Tian Qin clenched her teeth and bore the pain, tears brimming in her eyes from the agony.

The pain was not only in her flesh but more so in her heart. She felt all day like a drifting, rootless waterweed, unable to find her own place—like moss barely surviving in his shadow. This mental torment was excruciating.

"Brother-in-law, if you find me a burden, just let me go and let me fend for myself."

She lay prone, her voice muffled in the pillow.

Flat, not an angry outburst, but truly hoping he would do so.

"I'll live in the outskirts and won't leave. If you and sister miss me, just send for me. It won't cause any trouble. I lived in the countryside with my mother when I was young—I can feed chickens, chop wood, cook, everything. I can take care of myself."

She no longer wanted to live in the margins.

Xie Tanwei's slightly cool hand slid to the hollow of her waist, his expression unreadable. "Why are you suddenly thinking this way? Because of them? Don't worry, I'll deal with those who upset you."

"I didn't just think this all of a sudden. I've always…"

She tried to turn over and beg properly, but he pressed her down, forcing her to stay prone. "Brother-in-law, if you want a beautiful concubine, find someone else. There are those more obedient and prettier than me. I'm begging you, brother-in-law."

Xie Tanwei finished inserting all the acupuncture needles, then bent down and placed a kiss on her butterfly-like beautiful back, light as a feather: "Don't be silly. And don't beg me."

"In your past life, you were willing to stay."

Tian Qin's spirits sank. Her past life was the last thing she wanted to mention.

"But this is my current life."

"You need to give me time. Do you know what it's like to spend the rest of my life alone beside a lonely grave, desolate and dreary? I do have an obsession. When that obsession fades, you and I will part ways, and you won't be able to stay even if you want to."

Xie Tanwei was silent for a moment, lost in thought. "Between us, there definitely won't be romantic love, but there can be family affection, friendship, and other bonds. So that one day I can finally marry off my little sister, let's make a pact: neither of us will fall in love."

He laughed wryly at himself. "You certainly won't fall in love with me, will you?"

Tian Qin thought for a few moments and reluctantly accepted the answer: "Then what about the Love Gu?"

"Love Gu... you know, it can be broken with heart's blood."

"When the time comes, I'll cut open my heart and extract blood to break the Gu."

He let out a long sigh, his words falling gently like raindrops. Perhaps out of pity for the huge bruise on her leg, he refrained from saying anything harsh about locking her up forever.

Tian Qin thought he had been clever all his life but had a moment of foolishness—since he would eventually let go, why had he cast such a heavy Gu in the first place?

Whether he was lying to her or not, her heart felt a little better now.

"Then will you die?"

"Are you worried?" Xie Tanwei asked back, with detachment. "Cutting out a perfectly good heart."

"Sister would worry."

She lowered her eyes without a word.

"You shouldn't have cast the Love Gu in the first place."

Xie Tanwei seemed to show a faint, fleeting smile, but he let it go and focused on easing her tension.

As he rubbed, he placed his hands over hers on the pillow, his palm pressed against the back of her hand, his shadow falling over her.

Tian Qin lifted her face from the pillow and cut her eyes at him. He smiled at her with ease, like fine sand trickling through fingertips, soft as spring rain, but the long needles in her leg kept their bodies apart.

"I don't regret it."

After a long pause, he said, "If I got another chance, I would still place the Love Gu on you. As long as I still have ties to this world, I won't recklessly cut out my heart to save you, doing something so foolishly noble."

"Now its intensity keeps building, throbbing. Can you hear them squirming?"

He felt her pulse in silence.

Tian Qin felt a chill wind, her teeth chattering and her stomach turning, as if bugs were colliding in her heart.

"Despicable."

She commented in displeasure.

"If one day I fall in love with you like in my past life, and cling to you desperately, then you'll regret it."

His bottom line was not to fall in love with each other.

"Oh?" Xie Tanwei tightened his grip on her interlaced fingers, not without a hint of probing. "Will that day come?"

Will it?

Tian Qin heavily closed her eyes, her expression a mix of sorrow and joy.

Xie Tanwei whispered a few more words in her ear, vague, soft, and husky, probably not proper talk, not without teasing and mockery.

Tian Qin didn't know what she had done that was so outrageous since her rebirth that made him, cold in the past life, cling to her. If she had known, it would have been better to obediently become his concubine; maybe he would have grown tired of her sooner.