That night, Xuyu sat alone in the room, facing a white porcelain candlestick on the table, quietly waiting for someone to return.
The second watch drum sounded, the third watch clock rang, the moonlight in front of the window moved darkly, and she waited until the fourth watch, when she finally heard a noise coming from outside, like the rustling sound of boots stepping on the corridor.
Someone has returned.
She stood up and ran out, but stopped when she reached the gate of the courtyard.
Pei Xiaoyuan really came back. He was walking on the corridor leading to this side, and his pace was not fast as if he was worried about something. The servant who had caused trouble followed him closely, originally shrinking his neck and not saying a word, but suddenly saw Xuyu running out, as if he finally got some help. He timidly glanced at his master who had obviously returned from a disaster, and whispered to make conversation: "Young Master... Young Master said you would be back tonight, and told me not to be afraid... She was so accurate..."
Pei Xiaoyuan raised his eyes, saw the figure standing at the gate, and stopped.
Although she knew he would come back, for some reason, when she really saw this familiar figure, Xuyu still felt her eyes warm up, as if he had not returned for a long time, and she had waited for him for an extremely long time.
She saw him stop in the corridor and stop moving forward. She gathered her consciousness and walked towards him on her own.
"You're back?" she said, her eyes falling on his injured forehead.
He nodded and smiled at her, then, as if he noticed what she was looking at, he raised his hand, pressed his blood-stained forehead, and turned his face slightly.
"If it's convenient for you, please wait for me for a while. Let me change my clothes and come back."
"I have something to tell you." he said.
Xuyu knew that he always attached great importance to his appearance, and he thought that he looked so disheveled at the moment and didn't want her to see him. She said, "Come with me. I still have the medicine you brought me last time."
"How dare you trouble me? I can handle it myself. Please wait a moment—" He walked away.
"Come here!" Xuyu didn't allow him to refuse. She interrupted him and turned away.
He paused, looking at her figure who had already entered, hesitated for a moment, and finally followed her in. When he entered the outer room, he saw her bringing a basin of water, and hurried over to take it: "I'll do it!"
"Just sit down." Xuyu glanced at the bed in the room and motioned for him to go.
Pei Xiaoyuan paused, and finally, slowly sat down, watching her bring the water, take out a clean white towel, wet it in the water, unfold it, lean over, and in the light of the lamp, gently wipe the dried blood on his forehead.
Although he had approached her several times before, hugging her or holding her in his arms, each time he had no choice, and he thought he was honest and had no distractions. But tonight, it seemed a little different.
She took the initiative to move closer to him, so close. When she raised her hand to wipe his face, as her hand moved slightly, he seemed to smell a little warm fragrance from her sleeves, which was like her body temperature. The corner of her sleeve also seemed to gently brush against the skin on his face, and he felt a slight itch.
He could not help but hold his breath, and with a bit of awkwardness, he raised his face back. Just as he was about to say that he would wipe it himself, he heard her say, "Sit up straight! Why are you leaning back?" He raised his eyes and saw that her gaze was fixed on his injured forehead, her brows slightly furrowed, her expression focused, and it was obvious that she was not distracted and was only wiping his face.