Di Ronghua remained silent for a long while.
She didn’t quite believe him.
But if he’d made up his mind to keep something from her, she wouldn’t be able to pry it out of him now, no matter how hard she tried.
With her eyes lowered, she stayed quiet for a good stretch before finally saying, “Do you need me to help you apply the medicine?”
Xiao Hanjin’s expression shifted.
Meeting his startled gaze, Di Ronghua tugged at her lip. “Let’s just let the past go. I won’t dwell on it anymore, and you don’t need to bring it up either. Thank you for the Moonvine Flowers. If there’s anything I can do, tell me—I’ll do my best.”
After everything she’d been through, after all this time, she’d let go of many things.
Four years ago, she might’ve harbored a fierce mix of love and hate, vowing never to see him again. Now, she only wished for everyone around her to be well.
Including him, Xiao Hanjin.
Besides, they shared a daughter—cutting ties completely and never crossing paths again wasn’t an option.
Di Ronghua looked into his eyes. “Where’s the medicine?”
Xiao Hanjin’s thin lips moved as if to speak, but in the end, no words came.
He reached behind him, pulling out a medicine box and setting it before her.
Di Ronghua opened it, took the bottle he pointed to, and carefully poured it onto his wound.
Throughout the process, Xiao Hanjin watched her almost without blinking, his gaze more focused than hers. His low, husky voice carried a hint of probing. “So… will you come back tomorrow?”
“Let the imperial physicians handle it. I’m not as skilled as they are.”
A flicker of disappointment passed through his eyes, a simple “Mm” dropping with obvious dejection.
Di Ronghua’s movements paused. “…I’ll come.”
Xiao Hanjin’s eyes lit up instantly, his burning gaze landing on her face. “Good.”
—
For seven full days, Di Ronghua went to Longyin Palace each day to change Xiao Hanjin’s dressings.
But his wound showed no signs of healing.
If it were a normal burn, it should’ve started closing up after so many days. Yet she couldn’t shake the feeling that his condition was worsening, despite his apparent efforts to hide it.
She’d asked Xiao Jiu, but Xiao Jiu didn’t know much about Flame Beasts and couldn’t offer a firm conclusion.
This day, as she was applying medicine and bandaging him, his gaze remained fixed on her as it had the past few days. Just as she finished, he spoke. “Starting tomorrow, you don’t need to come.”
Di Ronghua’s face changed in an instant, her head snapping up. “Why?”
“I’m fine now.”
“…”
She stared at him for a long time before letting out a cold, incredulous laugh. “Xiao Hanjin, are you messing with me? Either don’t let me come from the start, or don’t tell me to stop after I’ve seen you like this. Do you think that’s possible?”
Well, technically, he hadn’t asked her to come in the first place.
But in this moment, Di Ronghua wasn’t about to backtrack. She glared at him, her voice icy. “Are you dying or something?”
“Ronghua.” He frowned, reaching to pat her head. “I won’t—”
“Don’t touch me!” She slapped his hand away, furious. “You should know you’ve got no credibility with me anymore. If you’re still lying to me now, we’ve got nothing left to say.”
Xiao Hanjin’s pupils contracted, but a faint curve tugged at his lips. “Sorry, there’s something I’ve been hiding from you.”
Di Ronghua narrowed her eyes. “What?”
