Chapter 33 Delicate and Soft

"Hold him tight." Doctor Hou, holding a long silver needle, approached Xie Nai. Seeing that Xie Nai had Qin Jiao held steady, he began to apply acupuncture to Qin Jiao's bare chest.

As the long silver needle pierced in, Qin Jiao immediately winced in pain, instinctively shrinking back. "It hurts..."

Qin Jiao trembled and retreated, but Xie Nai pressed firmly on his shoulders, preventing him from moving. In his coma, Qin Jiao struggled in irritation, twisting like a fish.

The acupuncture process was brief. After the last silver needle was removed, Qin Jiao, like a marionette with its strings cut, collapsed limply into the embrace of Xie Nai behind him. Xie Nai wrapped him in a nearby pure white woolen blanket.

Qin Jiao's face leaned slightly toward Xie Nai's neck. Compared to before, the young man's breathing was now steady, soft, and warm.

Following this, Doctor Hou re-bandaged the wound on Qin Jiao's wrist. After finishing, he packed up the silver needles and said:

"I've neutralized the Puzhi grass poison in this young master's body. He's no longer in immediate danger of death. When Young Master Xiao arrives later, I'll discuss the next steps for detoxification with him."

"Alright," Xie Nai nodded in response.

Seeing that Xie Nai seemed unwilling to leave, Doctor Hou picked up his medical kit and headed out. "Then I'll take my leave."

Doctor Hou lifted the tent flap and left the main tent. Outside, Luo Yue had been waiting for a while. "Doctor Hou, you're finally out. Xiao Baiyu has arrived. Come with me quickly!"

"Alright, let's hurry!" Doctor Hou handed his medical kit to Luo Yue and followed him swiftly.

Outside, snowflakes swirled. Inside the tent, it was warm as a spring day. With no servants in the military camp, Xie Nai certainly wouldn't let Luo Bei or Luo Yue help with Qin Jiao's dressing. After thinking it over, Xie Nai picked up a white brocade robe and stood before Qin Jiao.

Gently propping up the unconscious Qin Jiao, the young man, with a stern face, changed his clothes like he was handling a puppet. The young man had slender shoulders and a narrow waist; his skin was even whiter than the snow outside. His delicate collarbone had a small brown mole.

After changing, Qin Jiao appeared elegant and flawless, back to his usual elegant look. After draping the woolen blanket over Qin Jiao again, Xie Nai went to the side room to wash up and change.

In the side room of the main tent, there was a small pool surrounded by various washing utensils. A carved pear-wood rack held his everyday clothes. An East Sea luminous pearl sat in the northwest corner of the side room, emitting a faint glow.

No one had ever stayed in Xie Nai's tent. In the dead silent night, Xie Nai soaked in the water. His sharp ears could even pick up Qin Jiao's soft, shallow breaths.

Warm water washed over him. The young man’s hands with their prominent knuckles rested quietly beneath the surface. But for some reason, he suddenly remembered a delicate, soft touch.

It was Qin Jiao.

Thinking of how slender and frail Qin Jiao felt in his arms, Xie Nai couldn't help frowning.

He was indeed too thin.

The young man was cold and imposing, his face was like jade, the red mole at his eye corner grew redder in the steam, as if it would bleed at the slightest touch.

He needed to put on some weight.

After a moment's distraction, Xie Nai had already changed into his everyday robe—a dark brocade robe with cloud and crane patterns that made him look elegant and refined, with strikingly clean features.

The luminous pearl's soft light cast his silhouette onto the antique screen. Xie Nai was originally adjusting his belt, his head lowered, but suddenly he froze.

"Xie Nai."

Waking up at some point, Qin Jiao was now standing before Xie Nai barefoot. The young man's voice was soft, his eyes seemingly filled with a pool of tender spring light.

"Awake? Are you feeling alright?"

Xie Nai stepped forward to carry the barefoot Qin Jiao back to bed, but the latter suddenly retreated.

"The floor is cold. Go to bed," Xie Nai rarely put up with others like this, but Qin Jiao was completely unappreciative.

"You're not Xie Nai, you fox. Don't try to fool me!"

Xie Nai frowned, then remembered that Doctor Hou had only neutralized the Puzhi grass poison; the Datura flower powder was also hallucinogenic, and he didn't want to argue with Qin Jiao in his delirious state. "Come—mmph."

Xie Nai's word "here" got stuck in his throat as Qin Jiao's warm, soft body pressed against him. The young man clapped his hand over Xie Nai's mouth. "You fox want to call for help? Watch me pluck your fur!"

With that, Qin Jiao reached for Xie Nai's head.

Xie Nai: ...

Inside the brightly lit main tent, a frail young man was held by his wrists by a tall young man. The young man, barefoot, kept jumping, but due to their height difference, his hopping like a little rabbit got him nowhere.

Not only could he not reach the young man's hair, he couldn't even touch his hands.

Qin Jiao was getting annoyed. He was already tired from jumping, yet this fox was so difficult to deal with!

"Tired? Go to bed," Xie Nai said, amusement flickered in his eyes as he saw the blush creep onto Qin Jiao's face.

After jumping for a while, the young man finally realized he was outmatched. "No. You want to go to bed and devour us. I won't let you succeed!"

Xie Nai's eyes darkened for a moment, then he gave in and let go of Qin Jiao's hands. "Do as you wish then."

Not wanting to indulge Qin Jiao's delusions as if he'd eaten poisonous mushrooms and was seeing little people, Xie Nai was about to let him be. But when he let go, Qin Jiao seemed to suddenly wise up, as if his meridians had opened up.

"Your Highness?" Qin Jiao rubbed his temples, a look of confusion on his face.

"How do you feel?" Xie Nai thought he had come to his senses and prepared to help him lie down, but Qin Jiao suddenly pointed at his shoulder and asked, "Your Highness, there's a butterfly on your shoulder. Did you raise it?"

Xie Nai: ... Apparently, he was still not awake.

Qin Jiao felt his temples throbbing. It was indeed Xie Nai in front of him, but the surroundings didn't look familiar. And why was there a butterfly perched on Xie Nai's shoulder?

It was a bright red butterfly with beautiful patterns and delicate wings. It fluttered down and landed on Xie Nai's shoulder, alluring and mysterious.

"Your Highness, that butterfly on your shoulder—did you raise it?" Not receiving an answer, Qin Jiao asked again.

Xie Nai: "No."

Qin Jiao: "Then can I catch it and give it to Sister Congshuang?"

Xie Nai: "...No."

Qin Jiao: "Ah, you really mean it? Thank you, Your Highness!"

Xie Nai: ...

Well done. Using his hallucinations to act crazy.

What a beautiful butterfly. Sister Congshuang would surely love it.

Qin Jiao lunged toward Xie Nai, but as soon as he reached out, the butterfly, startled, flew to Xie Nai's chest. Qin Jiao hurried to catch it, but before his hand could reach it, the butterfly fluttered over to a nearby desk. Frustrated, Qin Jiao chased after it again, barefoot.

"Don't fly away! Come here..." "Wait for me..."

Xie Nai walked to the bedside and sat down, watching Qin Jiao "chase the butterfly." The young man, in his white robe, sometimes ran quickly, sometimes paused slightly. Compared to the invisible butterfly, Xie Nai felt the young man was even more radiant and captivating.

As Xie Nai watched, Qin Jiao ran back to him. "I knew it. This butterfly likes you the most, Your Highness."

Qin Jiao was completely out of breath from chasing, but the butterfly had returned to Xie Nai's shoulder.

"If you like this butterfly so much, then come and catch it." Xie Nai held out his hands, a faint smile in his eyes, which grew into a full smile when Qin Jiao threw himself into his arms to 'catch the butterfly'.

"Got it!" Qin Jiao cupped his hands together, smiling joyfully.

"I let you catch the butterfly—shouldn't you thank me?" Neither Xie Nai nor Qin Jiao realized that their distance had become a little too close.

Qin Jiao lowered his head and thought for a moment. Xie Nai had given him the butterfly, so he should indeed thank him. Qin Jiao looked up to speak, but suddenly noticed a red mark on Xie Nai's neck.

Qin Jiao asked, puzzled, "Your Highness, hasn't the red mark on your neck healed yet?"

Inside the main tent, there was a mirror. Xie Nai turned sideways to look, and the smooth mirror reflected the young man's dignified and elegant features and his long, flawless neck.

There wasn't any red mark at all.

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