Feudal
Lin Chuan reluctantly took the chopsticks and said, “I can eat by myself; my hands aren’t injured.”
“I was just trying to make it easier for you,” Su Su said, a little amused by his strong sense of pride. She handed him the utensils and began eating her own meal.
Despite the long separation, Su Su had expected there might be some awkwardness between them. Strangely, there wasn’t. Instead, there was a warm and comforting sense of reunion, a feeling of ease she couldn’t quite explain. Their quiet meal together felt incredibly harmonious.
Unable to finish her portion of the porridge, she passed the remainder to Lin Chuan, who finished it without a second thought. He even added, “Just leave the dishes on the side. Someone will come by to clean them.”
“It’s not a big deal. I’ll wash them myself and come right back,” Su Su replied, rolling her eyes. He made it sound like she didn’t have hands.
She took the dishes to the hospital’s bathroom, cleaned them, and filled a basin with warm water. She wanted to wipe Lin Chuan down—injured or not, there had to be parts of him that could still be cleaned.
However, when she returned to the room, she found the doctors and nurses already there to change his dressings. She paused at the door, just in time to hear Lin Chuan’s indignant voice from inside.
“Get out, all of you! Call someone else!”
Su Su froze. What on earth is going on?
She watched as two nurses exited, one of them visibly upset, tears welling up in her eyes. “How can someone with such a high rank be so… so stubborn? This is a hospital! Does he think he can dictate who treats him?”
“It’s not like we haven’t seen it before. When he was brought in, he refused to let us touch him. The doctor had to handle everything,” another nurse added bitterly.
“Old-fashioned nonsense,” the first muttered as they walked away.
Su Su stood in the hallway, suddenly realizing why Lin Chuan always seemed so bashful around her. On their wedding night, he’d seemed bold enough, but now he acted like some overly reserved traditionalist. Was he… trying to “preserve his purity”?
She almost laughed aloud at the thought but stopped when another idea struck her. If he didn’t let the nurses near him, could it be because the injury is… in a sensitive area? The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. His injury must be somewhere between his waist and thighs…
Covering her face, Su Su fought the urge to giggle. Thank goodness it didn’t ruin… that, but poor Lin Chuan. What bad luck.
Since he didn’t want female staff near him, Su Su decided to wait outside until the doctors were done. When they came out, she introduced herself and asked about Lin Chuan’s condition.
“His injuries are severe,” the doctor explained, “but with proper care, he’ll recover and have no long-term issues.”
Reassured but still curious, Su Su returned to the room with the basin and a warm cloth. She rolled up her sleeves and said, “Let me wipe you down a bit.”
“Alright,” Lin Chuan said quietly. Despite wanting to take care of her, here she was taking care of him. The thought made him feel guilty.
“We’re married. Stop being so formal, or I won’t do it,” Su Su teased. She began wiping his face and ears, her touch gentle. When her fingers brushed his earlobe, he visibly shivered. His ears turned a bright red as if set ablaze.
Su Su blinked, realizing his ears were unusually sensitive. His body tensed, his fists clenched tightly under the blanket. Although she knew she shouldn’t tease him, the sight was too tempting.
Suppressing her mischievous streak, she finished cleaning his neck. Unable to resist, she pinched his earlobe lightly and said with a grin, “You’ve got nice, thick earlobes. They say people with earlobes like this are blessed.”
“Mm…” Lin Chuan let out a muffled groan, startling Su Su. She immediately let go, panicking. “Did I hurt you?”
Lin Chuan’s face was beet red. “It’s fine. Just a little sensitive,” he mumbled, embarrassed.
“Alright, I’ll be more careful,” she said. Without hesitation, she began unbuttoning his shirt to clean his upper body.
Lin Chuan’s large hand clamped over hers. “Don’t…”
“What are you so nervous about? It’s not like I haven’t seen you before.”
That shut him up. True, but it was in the dark… now it’s broad daylight!
“If you keep resisting, you’re going to make yourself uncomfortable,” Su Su said, half-scolding him. With a mix of coaxing and determination, she managed to clean his upper body. Next, she reached for the blanket.
Lin Chuan grabbed it tightly. “What are you doing?”
“Just wiping your legs,” she replied matter-of-factly.
Reluctantly, he let her. But as her cloth moved higher, his tension grew. By the time she neared the injury, his face was flushed, and he couldn’t even look at her.
Su Su finally understood. While the injury wasn’t… there, it was close enough. No wonder he didn’t want the nurses near him.
“Does it still hurt?” she asked softly.
“Not really,” he lied.
“Stop lying,” she said, shaking her head. She knew it had to be painful if he couldn’t even walk yet.
Su Su didn’t push him further. She finished cleaning, emptied the basin, and stepped outside for some fresh air. Standing in the hallway, she rubbed her sore eyes after a sudden gust of wind blew debris into them. After checking in a small mirror to make sure nothing was stuck, she decided to visit the doctor again to get a clearer picture of Lin Chuan’s injuries.
Meanwhile, inside the room, Chang Yuejin sauntered in. He tossed his cigarette aside and plopped into a chair. “Lin, you didn’t tell your wife where you’re injured, did you?”
Lin Chuan stiffened. “How am I supposed to explain that?”
“She’s probably imagining the worst. I saw her outside, eyes red from crying. She probably thinks you’re… you know… not a man anymore.”
“I am!” Lin Chuan snapped, glaring. Then he glanced nervously at the door, making sure no one had overheard.
“Then explain it to her. Otherwise, she’s just going to worry.”
“How? What am I supposed to say?”
“Figure it out. No one else can explain for you,” Chang Yuejin said. Just then, Su Su returned, carrying a basin and a small bag. Smiling brightly, she greeted him, “Deputy Chang, you’re here! Would you like some dates? I just bought them.” She reached into her bag and pulled out a handful of fresh red dates.
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