Chapter 138: Maintaining the Romantic Relationship

Lu Yao quickly analyzed the situation in her mind.

If Ye Zehong had wanted to have a face-to-face conversation with her while she was awake, he would not have chosen to break in through the window. It was highly likely that he simply wanted to visit her in secret. Therefore, she should not wake up; she had to keep pretending to be asleep until the very end.

And so, no matter how much Ye Zehong called out to her, Lu Yao remained "asleep."

He stood there for several minutes, staring at her to ensure she wouldn't wake up, before sitting gently on the edge of the bed. With extreme caution, he began to undo the buttons of her pajamas.

One button, two buttons...

Lu Yao’s hands, hidden beneath the quilt, clenched into fists. Was it possible that he had snuck in to do something untoward? Should she wake up now and expose his lecherous behavior?

Just as this thought crossed her mind, he turned her onto her side and pulled the fabric of her pajama top away from her shoulder. The sight of her red, swollen skin made his expression darken instantly.

"You fool," he muttered. "You didn't listen to a word I said. If I don't apply this medicated oil tonight, you won't even be able to lift your arm tomorrow from the pain."

He took out the medicated oil he had specifically brought with him and silently rubbed it onto her inflamed shoulder. For the oil to be effective, it had to be massaged in until the skin grew warm. He dared not use too much force or move too quickly; he massaged patiently, checking her facial expressions as he went, terrified of waking her from her slumber.

Lu Yao, still feigning sleep, was internally falling apart. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel his intense, burning gaze. Furthermore, whenever his massage touched a particularly painful area, she had to bite back a cry of agony, gripping the sheets tightly to endure the pain. She deeply regretted choosing to play dead.

She was also profoundly confused. If he had come specifically to treat her injury, why didn't he just come openly instead of climbing through a window?

Amidst these scattered thoughts, the massage finally concluded. Lu Yao let out a silent sigh of relief. She assumed Ye Zehong would leave once the oil was applied, but—

Ye Zehong merely went to the bathroom to wash the scent of the oil from his hands. He returned and tried to prop up Lu Yao’s back with a pillow to keep her positioned correctly, but the pillow kept slipping. After several failed attempts, he gave up.

After a moment of contemplation, he took off his jacket and lay down beside her, fully clothed. At first, he lay on one side with his back to her. As time passed, he turned over, pulling her into his arms through the quilt. He used his own chest to hold her firmly in a side-sleeping position, preventing her from rolling onto her back and aggravating her injury.

Propping his head up with his hand, he gazed at the sleeping woman in his arms, his heart feeling unusually calm. He had slept with Lu Yao countless times before, yet never had he felt that the time was as precious as it was tonight.

His slender fingers traced her eyebrows, then traveled slowly down the bridge of her nose, finally coming to rest on her slightly dry lips. Remembering how those lips had opened and closed to retort against so many others, a faint smile appeared on his face.

The next second, the smile vanished.

In a hoarse voice, he whispered into her ear: "I know you will eventually leave the capital, but before you go, let’s stay together just like we used to... until the day you depart."

He paused, his throat bobbing as his emotions darkened with a trace of sorrow. "Perhaps... that would be enough for me."