Injured

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, when Luo Xi woke up, she found herself still being held. Dazed, she glanced behind her and noticed a strong arm wrapped around her, gripping one of her soft mounds.

Ye Chuan's eyes were closed, seemingly still deep in sleep.

Luo Xi bit her lip and was about to move his intrusive hand away when she was suddenly poked.

"Y-you... you!" Luo Xi jerked away as if electrocuted, turning her head to see Ye Chuan already awake, his dark eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Can you blame me? I didn’t sleep comfortably either," Ye Chuan said with an innocent expression as he watched the girl puff up her cheeks in frustration.

"You jerk! You left a mark!" Luo Xi's face flushed as she glared at the handprint on her chest, her voice laced with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance.

Ye Chuan sighed. "But I’m still uncomfortable."

"..." Luo Xi studied his exaggerated pained expression before her gaze drifted to his inflamed, swollen wound. Softly, she asked, "Does it hurt?"

Ye Chuan nodded. After all, shouldn’t an injury be treated?

"Want me to take a look?"

Hesitating for a moment, Luo Xi silently reached out and unwrapped the bandage—only for her face to be abruptly slapped by something springing free.

"?!..." Her beautiful eyes widened in shock as she stared at the wound, now purple and throbbing with swollen veins.

"Why is it so bad? Should I... help disinfect it?"

"You know how?" Ye Chuan raised an eyebrow. Had she practiced for his sake?

"Hmph, forget it if you don’t want my help."

...

Outside the room.

"Time to wake up," Luo's mother called softly, having already prepared breakfast.

Soon, the door creaked open, and both Luo Xi and Ye Chuan stepped out.

"I bought you steamed buns and rice noodle rolls," Luo's mother began, only to see her daughter scurrying into the bathroom without even a greeting.

"Maybe she’s in a hurry," Ye Chuan explained.

"Then, Xiao Chuan, you can wash up in the kitchen," Luo's mother offered with a smile.

After freshening up, the two sat at the dining table, though Luo Xi seemed oddly fidgety, avoiding her mother’s gaze.

"What’s wrong, Xi Xi?" Luo's mother asked, concerned. Was her daughter feeling unwell?

"Nothing, Mom... I’ll have some soy milk," Luo Xi mumbled, reaching for the glass.

"This batch is great—creamy, thick, and perfectly white," Luo's mother remarked, only for her daughter to suddenly choke on her drink.

"Xi Xi, are you okay?"

"I-I’m fine, just drank too fast," Luo Xi coughed out.

Ye Chuan handed her a tissue, wiping her mouth. "The beautiful Miss Luo must’ve been too hungry," he teased.

As he spoke, he felt a foot press down on his own under the table.

Unfazed, Ye Chuan turned to Luo's mother. "By the way, Auntie, where’s Uncle?"

"He went back to work at his old company. His former boss reached out..." Luo's mother replied warmly.

"With my health better now, he couldn’t keep working night shifts at the barbecue stall forever. It’s good to have a stable career."

Ye Chuan recalled the middle-aged man who had approached Luo's father before. He hadn’t expected him to give up the stall so quickly.

"What about the equipment?"

"We’ll probably sell it soon," Luo Xi chimed in.

"That’s good."

As Ye Chuan ate, his phone buzzed with a notification.

It was a message from Qiao Xin, sent the previous night.

Qiao Xin: Good morning. Free for coffee today?

Ye Chuan: Busy.

Ye Chuan: I’ll mail the medicine to you later.

Qiao Xin: Alright. Another time then.

Curious, Luo Xi leaned over, resting her chin on Ye Chuan’s shoulder as she peeked at his screen.

"Chuan Chuan, any plans for today?"

"Not really." Ye Chuan shrugged. After feeding Lilith later, he planned to laze around at home, maybe tinker with some renovation ideas.

"Then come shopping with me?" Luo Xi asked.

"Sure. But I need to stop by my place first. Wait for me here." He didn’t refuse—after all, Luo Xi had worked hard that morning, her lips probably sore from all the effort.

"Hehe."

Luo's mother watched their affectionate exchange with a fond smile.

She had seen the two grow up together.

Even as toddlers, she’d always thought they were a perfect match.

Had Ye Chuan’s parents not passed away so early, she might’ve even arranged a childhood betrothal for them.

After leaving Luo Xi at home, Ye Chuan headed back to his place—not to change or anything, but simply to feed Lilith.

Pushing the door open, he found the living room empty.

Checking his phone log, he saw Bai Qianshuang had begun another round of cultivation, even breaking through to the mid-stage Golden Core realm!

"Reaching Golden Core in this world? She’s something else," Ye Chuan muttered, impressed.

Still, the stronger Bai Qianshuang became, the safer he was.

Now, if anyone crossed him, he could just obliterate them on a whim.

A bag of chips for a hundred-kilometer radius.

"Well, well, look who’s back?" Unlike the meditating Bai Qianshuang, Lan Xiaoke was the first to notice Ye Chuan’s return.

She popped her head out from the wall. "Morning!"

"Oh? You’ve reached late-stage Qi Refinement?" Ye Chuan noted her rapid progress.

Lan Xiaoke nodded eagerly. "Ye Chuan Chuan, about that five thousand..."

Seeing her rubbing her hands like an eager fly, Ye Chuan chuckled. "Here’s ten grand. Consider it a reward for your hard work."

"Justice prevails!!" Lan Xiaoke cheered, immediately hovering around him, massaging his shoulders and legs—almost climbing onto him for a full-body rubdown.

Ye Chuan just laughed. After earning over a million last night, money was no issue.

After transferring the cash, Lan Xiaoke zipped around the room like a deflating balloon, ecstatic beyond words.

"Keep training hard."

"Yes, sir!"

Ignoring her, Ye Chuan headed straight to his room.

Sitting on the bed, he glanced at the jade pendant around his neck. "Lilith, you awake?"

No response.

He lifted the pendant, and before he could do anything else, a violet light shimmered, coalescing into Lilith’s petite form.

Yawning mid-air, she crossed her legs as if sitting on an invisible chair. "Why dost thou summon me?"